The 14 Holy Elders of Optina Monastery

If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing. If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing. Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with.

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	The 14 Holy Elders of Optina Monastery

On this day we also celebrate the Synaxis of the Righteous Fathers of Optina Hermitage in Russia, who struggled valiantly in the monastic life in prayer, humility, obedience, and love, and whom God deemed worthy of the lofty gifts of discernment, prophecy, clairvoyance, and eldership, that is, the grace to guide souls on the unerring path of salvation. They are Leo (who reposed in 1841), Macarius (1860), Moses (1862), Anthony (1865), Hilarion (1873), Ambrose (1891), Anatolius (1894), Isaacius (1894), Joseph (1911), Barsanuphius (1913), Anatolius (1922), Nectarius (1928), Nicon (1931), and Isaacius (1936).

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the First Tone:
For your greatness in prayer and humility and love, for your ascetical firmness and Orthodoxy of faith, God hath given His exceeding wondrous gifts to you as unto prophets of His will, as to angels on the earth, and stewards of men's salvation. Wherefore enlighten us also, O universal lights of Optina.

Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone:
To Leo, Moses, Anatolius, and Anthony; to Barsanuphius, Macarius, Hilarion: to Isaacius and Nicon, the righteous Martyrs; to Nectarius and Joseph and Isaacius, Anatolius, and Ambrose, who outshineth all, let us cry with joy: Rejoice, O Elders of Optina.

Source: http://www.goarch.org

Read lives of other Saints - https://www.truechristianity.info/en/saints_en.php

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