Paschaltide, day 36 · 35 days since Pascha
Blind Man
About Passion Icon of the Mother of God →
Saints commemorated
-
St Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376 – 444) was Archbishop of Alexandria and the greatest of the Church's Christological doctors — the "Seal of the Fathers," whose defence of the unity of the person of Christ gave the Church her language for the mystery of God made man. As president of the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus in 431, he led the condemnation of Nestorius, Archbishop of Constantinople, who by dividing Christ into two subjects had refused to the Virgin the title Theotokos, "she who gave birth to God." Against him Cyril taught the hypostatic union: that the eternal Word of God, without ceasing to be God, truly made human flesh and a human soul his own, so that the one who was born of Mary, suffered, and rose is one and the same Son — God the Word incarnate — and Mary is therefore in all truth the Mother of God. His writings — the letters to Nestorius, the treatise On the Unity of Christ, the commentaries on John and Luke — became the charter of Orthodox Christology, honoured at Chalcedon and by the whole Church, Eastern and Oriental alike. He reposed at Alexandria on June 27, 444. His own feast is June 9; he is kept again on January 18 with Athanasius the Great, the two hierarchs of Alexandria, and on June 9.
-
Ven. Kirill of Belozersk
Cyril of White Lake (1337–1427) is the greatest of the founders of the "Northern Thebaid" and, after Sergius of Radonezh, the most influential monastic father of medieval Russia. A Moscow orphan raised in the household of a boyar at the court of Demetrius Donskoy, he was tonsured at the Simonov monastery, served nine years in its bakery under obedience, was made archimandrite in 1388 and laid the office down almost at once for the sake of silence. At sixty, following a voice heard while he read the Akathist before an icon of the Mother of God, he went north with Therapon into the forests of Beloozero and dug a cell in the ground above Siversk Lake. There grew the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery, the strictest and most learned house in Russia, whose rule of absolute non-possession — Cyril refused an offered estate outright — became the seed of the "non-possessor" tradition that Nilus of Sora carried forward a century later. He reposed at ninety on June 9, 1427, the feast of his patron Cyril of Alexandria.
-
St Columba of Iona (597)
Columba (521–597) — Colum Cille, "the dove of the church" — is with Patrick and Brigid one of the three patrons of Ireland, and the enlightener of the Picts of Scotland. A prince of the Cenél Conaill of the northern Uí Néill, trained under Finnian of Clonard and Mobhí of Glasnevin, he founded Derry and Durrow and many houses besides before a quarrel over a copied psalter drew him and his kin into the bloodshed of Cúl Dreimhne (561); for penance he undertook the peregrinatio pro Christo, and in 563 sailed with twelve companions to the small island of Iona off the coast of Dál Riata, from which Ireland could not be seen. From there for thirty-four years he preached to the Picts of the north, went up the Great Glen to the fortress of King Bridei son of Maelchon, arbitrated the affairs of kings at the Convention of Druim Cett, and ruled a family of monasteries whose abbots for a century carried Christianity through Scotland and into northern England. He reposed before the altar at Matins on June 9, 597, in his seventy-sixth year, and his life was written a hundred years later by Adomnán, ninth abbot of Iona, in one of the great books of the early medieval West.
-
Alexander of Kushta
Alexander of Kushta (c. 1371–1439) was one of the founders of the monastic wilderness of the Vologda north. Tonsured on the island monastery of the Saviour on the Stone in Lake Kubenskoye under Dionysius the Greek, the Athonite who brought the Holy Mountain's rule to the Russian north, he was ordained hieromonk and then fled his own monastery by night because the brethren had begun to revere him. He lived first in the forest on the river Syanzhema, then exchanged cells with the hermit Euthymius and settled at the mouth of the Kushta on the southern shore of Lake Kubenskoye, some forty versts from Vologda. When a third monk joined him he built a church of the Dormition of the Theotokos, receiving the blessing for it from the Archbishop of Rostov — his own former abbot. He met a Tatar raiding party with the cross in his hands, blessed a thief's stolen grain so that he could carry it, and reposed on June 9, 1439, in his sixty-eighth year; a rowan tree grew over his grave, and healings were recorded there.
-
Five Virgin-Martyrs of Persia
The five holy virgins Thecla, Mariamne, Martha, Mary and Ennatha were consecrated women of the Church in Persia, living near the village of Aza, who were put to death about the year 346 in the long persecution of Shapur II. Their story is remembered chiefly for the terrible part played in it by their own spiritual father, the priest Paul, to whom they had entrusted their goods: when the persecutors demanded of them apostasy and of him the treasure, Paul saved his money by conforming to the religion of the Persians, and — the synaxarion says — cut off with his own hand the heads of the five women who refused to follow him. His gain lasted a day: the Persians killed him the following evening and took everything he had. The virgins are honoured as martyrs and their betrayer as a warning, and the Church has kept them together in one memory since antiquity.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Baithene of Tiree (600)
- St. Cummian (8th C)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 8
Beholding the cross and the lance borne by the angels, the Child turned to thee and took thy hand, O Virgin; and thou didst hold him fast, knowing what was to come. Wherefore hold us also in the hour of our fear, and let us not be shaken.
Kontakion — Tone 8
Leaving behind the things of earth, thou didst make thy dwelling in the wilderness, and taking up thy cross thou didst follow after Christ, mortifying the desires of the flesh by fasting and by longing for God; and now, standing before Him, remember us who cry to thee: rejoice, O adornment of the Vologda wilderness, Alexander our father.
Kontakion — Tone 4
Rending asunder the snares of the heresies by the power of Christ through thy divine words, thou didst enrich the Church, O Cyril, cutting down all the tares of Nestorius; wherefore thou standest with the choirs of Angels, fervently interceding with Christ, O blessed one, that forgiveness of sins be granted unto all.
Kontakion — Tone 8
Having despised the things that perish and the reasonings that drag the soul downward, O father, thou didst set out with joy upon the upward road; and now, keeping festival with the angels, thou standest before the Trinity, and dost intercede without ceasing for the flock thou didst gather, O Cyril our father.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Betrayed by the shepherd who should have kept you, O virgins, you were not betrayed by the Shepherd who laid down His life; and receiving the sword in place of the bridal crown, you were joined for ever to Christ, in whom you had already given away all that you had.
Troparion — Tone 4
Today the faithful keep radiant festival, overshadowed by thy coming, O Mother of God; and gazing upon thy most pure image we cry with compunction: shelter us beneath the precious veil of thy protection, and deliver us from every ill, entreating thy Son, Christ our God, to save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4
Choosing to serve God despite the heaviness of the flesh, thou didst make thy dwelling in the wilderness, O father Alexander, and there in labours and vigils and prayer thou didst wear thy body away; wherefore Christ enriched thee with the gift of wonders. Pray to Him for us who honour thy memory, that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 8
In thee, O father, the image was preserved with exactness: for taking up thy cross, thou didst follow after Christ; and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to despise the flesh, for it passes away, but to care rather for the soul, which is immortal. Wherefore, O venerable Columba, thy spirit rejoices with the angels.
Troparion — Tone 5
Adorned with divine wisdom, thou wast shown forth as leader of the Third Council, and didst cast down the terrible Nestorius, O Father, and didst brightly proclaim the pure Virgin to be Theotokos, O Cyril the Hierarch, glory of the Alexandrians and teacher of the Church.
Troparion — Tone 1
As a lily thou didst blossom in the wilderness after the manner of David, O father Cyril, uprooting the thorns of evil passion; and thou didst gather to thyself in that place disciples of virtue, in the fear of God and by thy teaching. Wherefore, having brought them unto God, pray thou earnestly for us, O most blessed one, that we may be kept from every deceitful assault, and that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4
O Lord Jesus, Thy lambs cry out with a loud voice: We are wounded with love for Thee, O our Bridegroom, and we run to seek Thee; we are crucified with Thee, and buried in Thy baptism; we suffer for Thy sake, that we may reign with Thee; we die for Thee, that we may live in Thee. Accept us as spotless sacrifices offered to Thee in love. By their prayers, O merciful One, save our souls.
Readings
8th Matins Gospel
John 20.11-18
11But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
Epistle
Acts 16.16-34
16And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 22And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. 27And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
Gospel
John 9.1-38
1And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 6When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. 8The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? 9Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. 10Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? 11He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. 12Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not. 13They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. 14And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. 15Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. 16Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. 17They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. 18But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. 19And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? 20His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: 21But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. 22These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. 23Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. 24Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. 25He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. 26Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? 28Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. 29We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. 30The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 31Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 32Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. 34They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. 35Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.