Martyr Basiliscus, Bishop of Comana

Saints commemorated

Saint of the day

Martyr Basiliscus, Bishop of Comana

Basiliscus (†c. 308) was a young Christian of the Pontic country, nephew of the great-martyr Theodore the Recruit, who confessed Christ at Amasea together with Eutropius and Cleonicus and was left alive in prison when they were crucified. Driven at last in iron sandals studded with nails to Comana in Pontus, he prayed beside a withered plane-tree that put out leaves while a spring broke from its root, saw the idols of the city fall at his word, and was beheaded, his body thrown into the river and recovered by the faithful. Over his grave outside Comana a martyrium arose — and it was there, ninety-nine years later, that John Chrysostom, dying on the forced march into his last exile, was met in a night vision by Basiliscus with the words, "Take courage, brother John; tomorrow we shall be together." Chrysostom died the next day and was buried beside him.
Righteous Melchizedek, king of Salem.
Commemoration of the Second Ecumenical Council (381).
John Vladimir of Serbia

John Vladimir (c. 990 – 22 May 1016) was prince of Dioclea — Duklja, the Serbian principality on the Adriatic that lay where Montenegro and northern Albania meet — and is honoured as the first canonised saint of the Serbian people. Caught between the Empire of Basil II and the Bulgarian tsardom of Samuel, he surrendered his fortress rather than let his people starve, was carried captive to Prespa, and was there married to Samuel's daughter Theodora Kosara and restored to his throne as the tsar's vassal. He ruled a decade in peace, remembered as a mild, just, and prayerful prince, and was beheaded at the church door at Prespa on 22 May 1016 by order of Samuel's nephew John Vladislav, who had sworn him safe conduct. His relics, laid first in his own church on Lake Skadar, rest today in Tirana, and return each year to the monastery near Elbasan that bears his name for his feast. He is venerated as great-martyr and wonderworker by Serbs, Albanians, Bulgarians, Macedonians and Montenegrins alike.
Marcellus and Codratus

Marcellus and Codratus are two martyrs of the Byzantine synaxaria commemorated on May 22, of whom nothing is transmitted but their names and the manner of their deaths: Marcellus was made to swallow molten lead, and Codratus — the Greek notices name him Kodros — was torn to pieces by horses, dragged over the ground until he died. The synaxarion gives each a single line of verse and no more: that Marcellus drank the boiling lead as easily as a man drinks water, and that Codratus, having run his course as a horseman runs it, lifted his hands and received the crown. Their place, their century, and the persecution under which they suffered are not recorded.
Sophia the Physician

Sophia, called the Physician (ἡ ἰατρός), is a martyr of the Byzantine synaxaria commemorated on May 22, known only from her bare synaxarion notice: a woman who practised the healing art and was put to death by the sword for Christ. Nothing of her country, her century, or the circumstances of her passion has been transmitted. The synaxarion preserves the single line of verse that is her whole biography — that she who had once been a healer of bodies was, by the sword, shown to be a healer of souls — and she stands in the calendar as one of the small number of women whom the Church remembers in a learned profession.

British Isles and Ireland

St. Conall, abbot of Inniscoel (7th C)

Troparia & kontakia

Apolytikion

Most glorified art Thou, O Christ our God, who hast set our Fathers as beacons upon the earth, and by them hast guided us all into the true faith: O greatly merciful One, glory to Thee.

Apolytikion — Tone 4 (common of a martyr)

Thy martyr Basiliscus, O Lord, has received from Thee, our God, an incorruptible crown for the contest he endured; for, having Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and broke in pieces the powerless insolence of the demons. At his supplications, O Christ God, save our souls.

Apolytikion — Tone 4

Thou didst rule thy people in gentleness and didst give thy body to the sword rather than break thy word, O Prince John Vladimir; wherefore Christ has crowned thee with the martyrs and made thy relics a fountain of healing. Intercede with Him, O passion-bearing prince, that our souls may be saved.

Apolytikion — Tone 4 (common of martyrs)

Thy martyrs Marcellus and Codratus, O Lord, have received from Thee, our God, incorruptible crowns for the contest they endured; for, having Thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and broke in pieces the powerless insolence of the demons. At their supplications, O Christ God, save our souls.

Apolytikion — Tone 4 (common of a woman martyr)

Thy lamb Sophia crieth out to Thee with a great voice, O Jesus: I love Thee, my Bridegroom, and seeking Thee I strive in contest; I am crucified and buried with Thee in Thy baptism, and I suffer for Thy sake that I may reign with Thee; I die for Thee that I may live in Thee. Receive me as a spotless sacrifice, offered to Thee in love. At her supplications, O merciful One, save our souls.

Kontakion

The preaching of the Apostles and the definitions of the Fathers have sealed the one faith of the Church; and she, wearing the garment of truth woven from the theology that comes from above, rightly divides and glorifies the great mystery of godliness.

Kontakion — Tone 8

Shod in iron and bound to a withered tree, thou didst pray, and the dry wood put forth leaves and a spring of living water broke from its root; wherefore, when thy head was struck off at Comana, thou didst become thyself a fountain of healings, O Basiliscus, and a comfort to the exiled.

Kontakion — Tone 8

Summoned by an oath and betrayed at the church door, thou didst receive the sword with a quiet heart, and didst take up thine own head as a crown; O John Vladimir, first-fruits of the saints of thy people, cease not to intercede for those who honour thee.

Readings

Epistle

Acts 15.5-34

⁵But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. ⁶And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. ⁷And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. ⁸And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; ⁹And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. ¹⁰Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. ¹²Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. ¹³And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: ¹⁴Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. ¹⁵And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, ¹⁶After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: ¹⁷That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. ¹⁸Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. ¹⁹Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: ²⁰But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. ²¹For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. ²²Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: ²³And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: ²⁴Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: ²⁵It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. ²⁸For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; ²⁹That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. ³⁰So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: ³¹Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. ³²And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. ³³And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. ³⁴Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.

Gospel

John 10.17-28

¹⁷Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. ¹⁸No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. ¹⁹There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. ²⁰And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? ²¹Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? ²²And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. ²³And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. ²⁴Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. ²⁵Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. ²⁶But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. ²⁷My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: ²⁸And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Saints commemorated