How, O Life, canst Thou die? Or abide in a grave?
For Thou dost destroy the kingdom of death, O Lord, and Thou raisest up the dead of Hades' realm.

Image: Anastasis icon (1315), Chora Church, Constantinople (Istanbul), originally built on the burial site of martyrs in the early 4th century

Her tomb was empty

The Holy Martyr Irene of Thessalonica (May 5) is hymned as being “fair adorned before with pure and virginal beauty” but becoming “fairer still in thy brave contest” of cruel tortures for her faith.

Following her conversion to Christ, St. Irene zealously smashed the idols of her father, king Licinius. His enraged response was to command that she be trampled underfoot by horses. She remained unharmed, but one of the horses rose up and trampled him to death. By her prayer she raised him to life again, and he believed and was baptized.

While working miracles and converting many thousands of souls, St. Irene would come to suffer, but survive, torments for her faith, being repeatedly preserved by God’s power. At last she came to Ephesus, where she fell asleep in peace, in the first half of the fourth century. [1/2]

[2/2] Two days after her death, her gravestone was found lifted off, and her grave empty. She is the patroness of the Aegean island of Thera, which is commonly called Santorin, a corruption of "Saint Irene."

The Angel cried to the Lady, full of grace: Rejoice, O pure Virgin! Again, I say: Rejoice, your Son is risen from His three days in the tomb!
With Himself He has raised all the dead. Rejoice, O ye people!
Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem!
The glory of the Lord has shone on you.
Exult now, and be glad, O Zion!
Be radiant, O pure Theotokos, in the Resurrection of your Son!

A prayer for the afflicted

O God Almighty, Lord of heaven and earth, and of all creation visible and invisible, in Thine ineffable goodness, help us and defend us in this day of affliction. Thou knowest our weakness. Thou hearest our cry in repentance and contrition of heart. O Lord who lovest mankind deliver us from the threats that surround us. Send Thine angel to watch over us and protect us. Grant health and recovery to those who are suffering. Guide the hands of physicians, and preserve those who are healthy that we may continue to serve thee in peace and glorify Thy most honorable and majestic name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

"For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” ✝️ John 6:33

Have you lost your many possessions, experienced the tragic death of your sons and daughters? Are you gravely sick and your whole body covered with sores from top to toe? Are you laying on a rubbish heap, scouring your boils with shards broken pottery? You are now beginning to experience the Holy, Righteous and Long-suffering Job (May 6), descendant of Esau the grandson of Abraham, Job.

In all of these horrific experiences, Job did not complain of God, but patiently endured all his sufferings to the end. Therefore the Lord healed him and blessed the rest of his very long life with abundance.

Our own full healing will not come in this life, but in the meantime, we are not alone. Holy St Job is our model of patient endurance of every suffering that God sends us, and is a type of the suffering Christ. [1/2]

[2:2] “You were true and just, pious, blameless and holy, O glorious servant of God. You enlightened the world by your perseverance, much-afflicted Job. Therefore, we all honor and praise your divinely-wise memory." (Kontakion, Tone 8)

The Precious Cross appeared in the sky over Jerusalem on the morning of May 7, 351 during the reign of the emperor Constantius, the son of Saint Constantine.

St Cyril of Jerusalem was an eyewitness to the miracle, writing: "On the nones [or 7th] of May, about the third hour [or nine in the morning], a vast luminous body, in the form of a Cross, appeared in the heavens, just over the holy Golgotha, reaching as far as the holy Mount of Olives, seen not by one or two persons, but clearly and evidently by the whole city. This was not, as may be thought, a momentary transient phenomenon: for it continued several hours visible to our eyes, and brighter than the sun, the light of which would have eclipsed it, had not this been stronger. The whole city, struck with a reverential fear, tempered with joy, ran immediately to the church, young and old, Christians and heathens, citizens and strangers, all with one voice giving praise to our Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, the worker of miracles…”

When I enter a room in which there are no icons, I seem like a blind person, faceless, without having a window to the sky.
✝️ St Justin Popovich

In 1891 and 1892, St Alexis Toth (May 7/ May 20) and 361 of the Uniate parish, St. Mary's, Minneapolis, were received into the Orthodox Church of their ancestors.

The efforts of Fr Alexis were instrumental in leading 20,000 Unia immigrants in the U.S. to return home to Orthodoxy.

We hymn this confessor and defender of Orthodoxy in America:

"A worthy shepherd of the Flock of Christ.
He called back the sheep who had been led astray
And brought them by his preaching
To the Heavenly Kingdom!"

"O beloved John, Apostle of Christ our God,
Come quickly to deliver your helpless people.
He on whose breast you leaned, will accept you as intercessor.
Entreat Him, O Theologian, to disperse the clouds of darkness,
Granting us peace and great mercy! (Troparion, Tone 2)

The Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (May 8 and Sept 26), the "Apostle of Love" was "given to express the most treasured mysteries of the Divine inner life in the final book of the Holy Scripture, the Book of Revelation." His writings are permeated by the understanding that God in His Being is Love (1 John 4: 8). - Orthodox Calendar, translator Fr. S. Janos

Mother's Day is coming. Remember the most faithful Mother of all.

“Behold, the Virgin shall conceive in her womb.”

The wonderworking Prophet-Evangelist-Martyr Isaiah (May 9/ May 22) foretold in remarkable detail the coming of the Messiah and His birth from a Virgin. St Isaiah described Christ as both God and Man, and One “wounded for our sins and tortured for our transgressions.”

St Isaiah also describes Christ as teacher of all the nations and founder of the Kingdom of God. He foresees Christ’s Resurrection and the universal spreading of His Church.

Icon: The Holy Prophet Isaiah with the Most Holy Theotokos, Sinai, 13th century

☦️ St Porphyrios of Kafsokalyvia

St Nicholas, Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra is commemorated no less than four times on the Orthodox Church calendar as one who “appeared to [his] flock as a rule of faith, an image of humility and a teacher of abstinence." He was also a zealous defender of Orthodoxy against the Arian heresy. The Translation of the relics of St Nicholas to Bari is commemorated on May 9.

"Because of your lowliness heaven was opened to you, because of your poverty riches were granted to you. O holy Bishop Nicholas, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!"

Image Source: basilica.ro

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” Upon this Rock of Faith, the Church is built.

“There is nothing more powerful than a virtuous and wise wife to put down pride and to soothe grief and to charm away every ill.”

☦️St John Chrysostom, Homily on Colossians

"O all Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins; Master, pardon our transgressions; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Your name's sake."