Nativity Fast, day 33
Sunday of the Forefathers
Saints commemorated
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Holy Prophet Daniel and Three Holy Youths
Ananias, Azarias and Misael — by their Hebrew names Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, and by the Babylonian names given them in exile Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego — were three youths of the royal house of Judah, companions of the prophet Daniel in the Babylonian captivity. Refusing to worship the golden image set up by Nebuchadnezzar, they were cast into a furnace heated sevenfold, and were preserved unburnt by an angel, "the fourth… like a son of God," walking with them in the flame. Their hymn of praise from the fire — the Song of the Three Youths — became one of the biblical canticles of the Church and the foundation of the seventh and eighth odes of every canon. The furnace that could not consume them is read as an image of the Virgin Womb that bore the fire of the Godhead unconsumed, and their feast on December 17 stands with Daniel's at the gate of the Nativity.
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Our Holy Father Dionysius the New of Zakinthos (1624)
Dionysius (c. 1547–1622) was a nobleman of the Ionian island of Zakynthos who became a monk and then Archbishop of Aegina, but soon resigned his see to return to the monastic quiet of his native islands. He is remembered above all for one act of Gospel forgiveness: when the man who had murdered his own brother fled to him for refuge, not knowing whose house it was, Dionysius sheltered and released him rather than deliver him to justice. His incorrupt relics remain on Zakynthos, of which he is the patron saint and heavenly protector, and he is venerated across the Greek world as "the saint of forgiveness."
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Daniel the Prophet
Daniel, of the royal seed of Judah, was carried to Babylon as a youth in the first deportation under Nebuchadnezzar (c. 605 BC) and rose to serve four kings of Babylon and Persia while remaining faithful to the God of Israel. The last of the four Great Prophets, he is known for interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great statue shattered by "a stone cut without hands," for his night among the lions from which God delivered him unharmed, and for the apocalyptic visions of the four beasts and the Son of Man coming on the clouds. The Church reads him as a foremost prophet of the Incarnation and commemorates him, together with the Three Holy Youths his companions, on December 17, eight days before the Nativity of Christ his visions foretold.
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Patermuthius, Coprius and Alexander
Three Egyptians who suffered under Julian the Apostate (361–363): Patermuthius, in his youth the captain of a band of robbers, who repented, was baptised, went into the desert and gave the rest of his life to nursing the sick and burying the dead; Coprius, the priest who was his disciple and the eyewitness who wrote down his deeds — the man who walked unhurt into a fire to confound a Manichaean; and Alexander, a soldier of the guard who, watching Coprius tortured, confessed Christ on the spot and was burnt alive. Coprius, deceived by the emperor's plea that he too had once served Christ, denied the faith and then, brought to himself by his elder's tears, confessed it again and died for it. Patermuthius and Coprius were beheaded. Their memory is kept on July 9 in the Slavonic and American calendars and on December 17 in the received Greek books.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Tydecho (6th C)
- St. Briach, disciple of St. Tudwal (6th C)
Troparia & kontakia
Apolytikion — Tone 4 (common of martyrs)
Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received incorruptible crowns from Thee our God; for possessing Thy strength they cast down the tyrants and shattered the feeble insolence of the demons. By their intercessions save our souls.
Kontakion — Tone 6
You would not worship the image made by hands, but, armed with the Being that no hand can portray, O thrice-blessed ones, you were glorified in the contest of fire; and standing in the midst of the unmastered flame you called upon God: Hasten, O compassionate One, and speed, O merciful One, to our help, for Thou canst do all that Thou willest.
Kontakion — Tone 3
Purified in heart by the Spirit, thou didst become a shining vessel of great prophecy: for thou beholdest as present the things that are far off, and, shut in among the lions, thou didst muzzle them. Therefore we honour thee, O blessed and ever-praised, glorious prophet Daniel.
Kontakion — Tone 3
Let us praise Dionysius, the boast of Zakynthos and the newly-shining star of the Church, who forgave his own brother's slayer and by that mercy conquered the passions; for he intercedes unceasingly with the Lord on behalf of us all.
Kontakion — Tone 2
The robber became a physician of the sick and a burier of the dead, and the fire had no power upon his disciple; and a soldier, beholding their endurance, was himself enrolled in the ranks of the martyrs. Wherefore we honour Patermuthius with Coprius and Alexander, and glorify Christ who crowned them.
Troparion — Tone 2
Great are the achievements of faith! In the fountain of flame, as by the waters of rest, the three holy Youths rejoiced; and the Prophet Daniel was shown to be a shepherd of lions as though of sheep. By their intercessions, O Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 2
Great are the achievements of faith! In the fountain of flame, as by the waters of rest, the three holy Youths rejoiced; and the Prophet Daniel was shown to be a shepherd of lions as though of sheep. By their intercessions, O Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 1
O offspring of Zakynthos and protector of Aegina, guardian of the Strophades and boast of the Church, let us the faithful honour Dionysius; for he pours forth healings of every kind on those who cry to him with faith: Glory to Christ who glorified thee, glory to Him who made thee wondrous, glory to Him who through thee works healing for all.
Readings
6th Matins Gospel
Luke 24.36-53
36And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43And he took it, and did eat before them. 44And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48And ye are witnesses of these things. 49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. 50And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
Epistle
Colossians 3.4-11 (Forefathers)
4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Gospel
Luke 14.16-24 (Forefathers)
16Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.