Martyrs Trophimus, Sabbatius, Dorymedon; Ss David and Constantine of Yaroslavl

Saints commemorated

Saint of the day

Martyrs Trophimus, Sabbatius, Dorymedon

Trophimus, Sabbatius and Dorymedon (†c. 276) are the chief martyrs of September 19, sufferers under the emperor Probus. Trophimus and Sabbatius, Christian strangers arriving at Antioch of Pisidia during a riotous pagan festival, were arrested when their grief at the spectacle betrayed them. Sabbatius died at Antioch under torture; Trophimus, driven three days to Synnada in Phrygia in iron sandals set with nails, was cared for in prison by the senator Dorymedon, a secret Christian, until Dorymedon's own refusal of a pagan feast exposed him. Thrown to the beasts and left untouched, Trophimus and Dorymedon were beheaded together. The three are commemorated as one company.
Saint of the day

Ss David and Constantine of Yaroslavl
Holy Martyr Zosimas the Hermit of Cilicia (4th c.)

Zosimas of Cilicia (4th century) was a Christian hermit who lived among the wild beasts of the Cilician wilderness, having fled the cities of the persecutors. Discovered at his ease among the animals by Dometian, governor of Cilicia, while the governor was hunting, he confessed himself a Christian and was put to fierce tortures: hung head downwards with a stone at his neck and torn with iron hooks. Challenged to prove his God by summoning one of the beasts that obeyed him, he prayed, and a lion came and bore up the stone with its paw. The terrified governor ordered him released to be sent to the emperor, but the old man immediately gave up his soul to God.
Igor of Chernigov

Igor Olgovich (†1147), of the princely house of Chernigov, held the throne of Kiev for a fortnight in 1146, was defeated and imprisoned, and in prison asked for and received the monastic tonsure with the name Gabriel, and then the great schema. Two years later, while he was standing at the Liturgy in the monastery church of St Theodore in Kiev, the Kiev mob — inflamed by rumours of a conspiracy of his kinsmen, and against the pleading of the metropolitan, the clergy and the prince's own brother — dragged him from the church, beat him, and killed him, leaving his body naked in the marketplace. He is venerated as a passion-bearer: a prince who had already given up the world and who did not resist. His murder is kept on September 19 and the translation of his relics to Chernigov in 1150 on June 5.
Theodore of Tarsus

Theodore of Tarsus (c. 602–690) was a Byzantine Greek monk of Cilicia who, at the age of sixty-six, was consecrated by Pope Vitalian as Archbishop of Canterbury (668–690) and became the organiser of the English Church. Arriving in Kent in 669 with his companion Hadrian the African, he made the first visitation of all England, filled and multiplied the vacant sees, held the first council of the whole English Church at Hertford (672), condemned Monothelitism at Hatfield (679), and founded at Canterbury a school where Greek was taught at the edge of the known world. Bede calls him the first archbishop whom the whole Church of the English obeyed; the diocesan structure he built endures. He reposed on September 19, 690.

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 2

Thou wast dragged from the church in the hour of the Gospel, and thy blood was shed in the marketplace of the city that had sworn to serve thee; but the candles kindled of themselves above thy body, and the city that slew thee learned to honour thee. O holy prince and monk, pray for our salvation.

Kontakion — Tone 4

As the foundation of athletes and the buttress of godliness, the Church honoureth and glorifieth thy light-bearing contest, O all-hymned and blessed one, noble-hearted athlete, glorious Trophimus; with thy fellow contestants ask cleansing for them that hymn thee, for thou art invincible.

Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a passion-bearer)

Having exchanged the crown of a prince for the habit of a monk, and the throne of Kiev for a cell of prayer, thou didst not flee, O right-believing Igor, when the people rose against thee; but standing before the holy things thou wast taken as a lamb, and didst render good for evil. Wherefore, O passion-bearer Gabriel, entreat Christ our God to grant peace to His people.

Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a hierarch)

The truth of thy deeds hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an image of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; therefore by humility thou didst gain the heights, by poverty the riches. O father and hierarch Theodore, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 8

God, praised in Trinity, hath glorified a trinity of martyrs, Trophimus, Sabbatius and Dorymedon; for believing in him they cast down the enemy. By their prayers, O Christ our God, have mercy on us.

Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of martyrs)

Thy martyr Zosimas, O Lord, in his contest received the incorruptible crown from thee, our God; for possessing thy strength he cast down the tyrants and broke the feeble insolence of the demons. By his prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

Readings

Epistle

Galatians 5.11-21

¹¹And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. ¹²I would they were even cut off which trouble you. ¹³For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. ¹⁴For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ¹⁵But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. ¹⁶This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. ¹⁸But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, ²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, ²¹Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Gospel

Luke 3.23-4.1

²³And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, ²⁴Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, ²⁵Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, ²⁶Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda, ²⁷Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, ²⁸Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, ²⁹Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, ³⁰Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim, ³¹Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David, ³²Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, ³³Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, ³⁴Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, ³⁵Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, ³⁶Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, ³⁷Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, ³⁸Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. ¹And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Saints commemorated