August 27 / August 14
1. The Holy Prophet Micah the Second
Micah was of the tribe of Judah and from the village of Morasth, for which he is called the “Morasthite.” He was a contemporary of the prophets Isaiah, Amos, and Hosea, and of the Jewish kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Micah rebuked the people for their vices and rebuked the false prophets who prophesied of wine and of strong drink (Micah 2:11). He foretold the destruction of Samaria. He also foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, which would come because its leaders accepted bribes, its priests taught for hire, and its prophets told fortunes for money. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field and Jerusalem shall become as heaps (Micah 3:12). But, of all his prophecies, the most important prophecy is that of Bethlehem as the place of the birth of the Messiah, Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5:2). It is not known exactly whether this prophet was slain by the Jews or whether he died a peaceful death (cf. Jeremiah 26:18–19). However, it is known that he was buried in his village. During the reign of Emperor Theodosius the Great, Bishop Zevin of Eleutheropolis had a mystical vision that led to the finding of Micah’s relics, together with those of the Prophet Habakkuk.
2. The Hieromartyr Marcellus, Bishop of Apamea (389)
Marcellus was a highly educated Cypriot, born of wealthy and eminent parents. He married and had children. When his wife died, Marcellus withdrew to Syria for the monastic life, leaving his children to God’s providence. He gained renown by his compassion, meekness, and spiritual knowledge. The Apameans elected him as their bishop. Bishop Marcellus zealously labored to convert pagans to the Christian Faith. It happened that an idolatrous temple was burned, and the idolaters seized Marcellus, accusing him of having set the fire. They burned him in about the year 389. Especially instructive in the Life of St. Marcellus is a discussion of the bless- ing of water, and the use of blessed water.
- Martyr Ursicius, at Illyricum (305-313).
- Fachanan, abbot, of Ross Carbery, Cork (ca. 600).
- Translation of the relics (1091) of Theodosius of the Kiev Caves (1074).
- New Martyr Symeon of Trebizond, at Constantinople (1653).
- Translation of the relics (1798) of Arcadius, monk, of Novotorzhok (1077).
- New Hieromartyr Basil, archbishop of Chernigov, and with him New Monk- martyr Matthew and New Martyr Alexis (1918).
- New Hieromartyrs Nazarius, metropolitan of Kutaisi, Georgia, and with him priests Herman, Hierotheus, and Simon, and archdeacon Bessarion (1924).
- Synaxis of the New Martyrs of Georgia who suffered under the Atheist Yoke (20th c.).
- New Hieromartyrs Matthew, archimandrite, of Perm (1918), and Eleutherius, schema-archimandrite, of the Holy Trinity Monastery (Smolensk) (1937).
- New Martyr Eve, abbess of Holy Trinity Convent in Penza (Saratov) (1937).
HYMN OF PRAISE
The Holy Prophet Micah
Micah, God’s prophet, burned with the divine Spirit,
Foretelling doom and proclaiming salvation:
“Hear, you leaders of the house of Jacob:
When fire erupts, the chaff is not saved.
You hate good and relish evil;
You heartlessly defraud God’s people;
You have abandoned the Law and the prophets of old;
You hearken not to God, but to sorcerers!
But misfortune, pain and lamentation will come;
You will cry out to heaven, but in vain and too late.
Samaria will be a threshing floor for the Assyrian,
And Jerusalem, for the barbarous Chaldeans!
But you, Bethlehem, little Ephratha,
Though least, you are dearest to Me.
From you, shall come the Leader we need.
His descent shall be from the heart of heaven;
Out of His fervent love He will come with eagerness.
He will tend His flock with His mighty staff.
He shall be great unto the ends of the earth.
The earth and the heavens shall sing of His mercy,
And peace will reign—
He shall be that peace.
He will glorify the race of man in Himself.
To read the Reflection, Contemplation, and Homily for this day,
you can purchase your copy of the Prologue of Ohrid at our St. Sebastian Bookstore
or download our Kindle E-Book version at Amazon.com.