Apostles of the Seventy Aristarchus, Pudens and Trophimus

Saints commemorated

Saint of the day

Apostles of the Seventy Aristarchus, Pudens and Trophimus

Aristarchus of the Seventy was a Macedonian of Thessalonica and one of the most constant companions of the apostle Paul: seized by the Ephesus mob in the riot of the silversmiths, he accompanied Paul through Greece and to Jerusalem, sailed with him on the prisoner's voyage to Rome, and is greeted in the epistles as Paul's "fellow prisoner" and "fellow worker." The Byzantine tradition numbers him among the Seventy and makes him bishop of Apamea in Syria; the tradition of his April feast holds that he was beheaded at Rome under Nero, at the time of Paul's own martyrdom. He is commemorated on September 27 with the apostles Mark and Zenas, on April 15 with Pudens and Trophimus, and with all the Seventy on January 4.
Saint of the day

Pudens of the Seventy

Pudens was a Christian of Rome, named by the Apostle Paul in the Second Letter to Timothy, and is numbered by the Church among the Seventy Apostles. Tradition makes him a Roman of rank whose house was a gathering-place of the apostles, and who was beheaded at Rome with the apostles Aristarchus and Trophimus under Nero. He is commemorated on April 15 with his companions, and among the Seventy on January 4.
Saint of the day

Trophimus of the Seventy

Trophimus was a disciple and travelling-companion of the Apostle Paul, named several times in the New Testament, and is numbered by the Church among the Seventy Apostles. An Ephesian and a Gentile Christian, he shared Paul's journeys and sufferings, and by tradition was beheaded at Rome together with the apostles Aristarchus and Pudens in the persecution of Nero. He is commemorated on April 15 with his fellow-labourers, and among the Seventy on January 4.
Holy Martyr Sabbas the Goth (372)
Basilissa and Anastasia of Rome

Basilissa and Anastasia were noble Christian women of Rome, disciples of the apostles Peter and Paul, who devoted themselves to gathering and burying the bodies of the martyrs of the Neronian persecution. For this — and for their own bold confession of Christ — they were arrested, tortured and beheaded at Rome about the year 68. They are honoured as martyrs and as among the earliest confessors of the Church in the capital.

British Isles and Ireland

St. Ruadhan, hermit and abbot of Lothra (584)
St. Mundus, abbot in Argyle (c.962)

Troparia & kontakia

Troparion — Tone 3

Holy Apostles, intercede with the merciful God, that he may grant our souls forgiveness of offences.

Troparion — Tone 4 (common of women martyrs)

Thy martyrs Basilissa and Anastasia, 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.

Troparion — Tone 3 (common of an apostle)

O holy apostle Pudens, intercede with the merciful God, that He may grant to our souls forgiveness of transgressions.

Troparion — Tone 3 (common of an apostle)

O holy apostle Trophimus, intercede with the merciful God, that He may grant to our souls forgiveness of transgressions.

Readings

6th Hour

Isaiah 37.33-38.6

³³Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. ³⁴By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. ³⁵For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. ³⁶Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. ³⁷So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. ³⁸And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead. ¹In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. ²Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, ³And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. ⁴Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, ⁵Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. ⁶And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.

Vespers

Genesis 13.12-18

¹²Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. ¹³But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly. ¹⁴And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: ¹⁵For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. ¹⁶And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. ¹⁷Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. ¹⁸Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

Proverbs 14.27-15.4

²⁷The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. ²⁸In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince. ²⁹He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. ³⁰A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. ³¹He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. ³²The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death. ³³Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known. ³⁴Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. ³⁵The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame. ¹A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. ²The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. ³The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. ⁴A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Saints commemorated