An Equation to Determine the Duration of the Apostles' Fast

The Lent of Summer or of the Holy Apostles, is in the month of June during the harvest, but it does not have a specific and fixed duration.

It depends on when Easter is.

In the days of old, before the internet and before churches handed out calendars, when pious people wanted to figure out how long the Apostles' Fast would be in a particular year, which was important because it usually fell during the June harvest season, they figured out in a practical way when it would be and how long it would last. They did this by remembering the following saying:

"As many days as there are left in April and three in May." 

("Όσες μέρες περισσεύουν του Απρίλη και τρεις του Μάη.")

Homily Three for the Sunday of All Saints (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Three for the Sunday of All Saints 
 
By St. John of Kronstadt

"Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16).

Today is the Sunday of All Saints, that is, the Sunday dedicated to the remembrance and glorification of all the Holy Saints of God, and especially the Holy Martyrs for the faith of Christ, their ardent love for God and neighbor, their every patience, self-denial, abstinence, obedience to the faith, unwavering devotion to the Lord and the Holy Church, their strength and humility, simplicity and gentleness, their holiness and perfection. Here they were people like us, but by faith, love and zeal for God, patience and forcing themselves to every virtue, repentance and withdrawal from every sin and lawlessness, they pleased God and attained eternal peace and blessedness; and we are invited to follow them, praying day and night to God for the salvation of us all. 

They seem to speak to us from heaven: "Behold, we have labored, by the grace of God, temporarily for God and our souls, and now we rejoice forever; we did not spare our much-suffering, corruptible flesh, we wore it out with fasting, labors, unceasing prayers, or we were oppressed and tormented in every way by unrighteous persecutors; now we are crowned with crowns of incorruption from the life-giving right hand of Christ God; we have hated the all-pervasive and all-destructive sin and have clung with all our hearts to God and His holy commandments, and by this we have become forever blessed." 

June: Day 17: Holy Martyrs Manuel, Sabel and Ishmael

June: Day 17:
Holy Martyrs Manuel, Sabel and Ishmael
 
(An Example of Life Given To Us By the Holy Martyrs: Firmness in Faith and Love)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Martyrs Manuel, Sabel, and Ishmael, celebrated today, were Persians, brothers, children of noble parents, raised in the Orthodox faith by a Christian mother. They were once sent to the Emperor Julian to negotiate peace. At first received favorably, they were persecuted when Julian learned that they were Christians. When, during a pagan celebration at which Julian was present, they stood at a distance, praying for the enlightenment of the pagans and refused to take part in sacrifices to idols, Julian ordered that they be tortured. Iron nails were driven into their heads, sharp needles were stuck into the nails of their hands and feet. The Martyrs endured all this with unwavering patience, drawing strength from prayer. Finally, they were executed. When the order was given to burn their bodies, suddenly an earthquake occurred and hid them underground... But two days later, through the prayers of Christians, their relics appeared on the surface of the earth and were buried with reverence.

Homily One for the First Sunday After Pentecost, the Sunday of All Saints (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

Homily One for the First Sunday After Pentecost, the Sunday of All Saints 

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

(Delivered in 1960)

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

On this day, at the conclusion of all the great feasts – the Bright Resurrection of Christ, His glorious Ascension into Heaven and the sending of the Holy Spirit from the Father upon the Apostles, the Holy Church solemnly commemorates all the saints who have pleased God from the beginning of time and have been glorified by God, who are already celebrating in Heaven the great victory of the Conqueror of death and hades, our Savior. This is the blessed fruit of the suffering, death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. These are the gracious fruits of the coming of the All-Holy Spirit of God and His presence in the Church of Christ. These are the first-born of humanity redeemed by the Blood of Christ and renewed by the grace of the Spirit of God, brought to God the Father by Jesus Christ.

Homily Two for the Sunday of All Saints (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Two for the Sunday of All Saints 
 
By St. John of Kronstadt

The current Sunday is called the Sunday of All Saints. In celebrating in honor of all Saints, we remember all those who have been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, namely: the forefathers and patriarchs, prophets and apostles, martyrs and hierarchs, hieromartyrs and venerable martyrs, the venerable and the righteous, holy fools for Christ, as well as all holy women and other nameless Saints, with all of whom we honor the Most Holy One, surpassing all Angelic orders, our Lady Theotokos, Ever-Virgin Mary.

Celebrating All Saints soon after the feast of the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Church intends to demonstrate to us the glory and grace of the Holy Spirit – God, who sanctifies, enlightens, fortifies, and glorifies all saints of the human race, in both the Old and New Testaments; in particular, she intends to showcase the fruits brought forth through the Apostles by the coming of the Holy Spirit – how He sanctified beings akin to us, bestowed wisdom upon them, elevated them to the rank of Angels, and led them to God: some crowned for the feats of martyrdom, others for their virtuous lives. The All-Holy Spirit accomplishes that which transcends the laws of nature.