Sunday after Elevation
Saints commemorated
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Greatmartyr Nicetas the Goth
Nicetas the Goth (†372) was a Christian of the Gothic lands on the lower Danube, converted and formed in the young Gothic church of the fourth century, who laboured to spread the faith among his own people. When the pagan Gothic ruler Athanaric renewed his persecution of the Christians among the Goths, Nicetas denounced him, was seized, tortured, and burned; his body, preserved unconsumed, was carried by his friend Marianus to Mopsuestia in Cilicia, from which his cultus spread through the whole Church. Venerated as a great-martyr, he became one of the most beloved warrior-saints of the Slavic world. His feast is September 15.
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Holy Martyr Porphyrius (361).
Porphyrius the Actor (†361) was a mime of the reign of Julian the Apostate who, performing at the celebrations of the emperor's birthday, was to mock the mystery of holy Baptism on stage. Immersing himself in the water, he pronounced the baptismal words in earnest — "The servant of God Porphyrius is baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" — and rose from the water confessing himself a Christian before the whole theatre. Grace had made the jest true. Tortured on Julian's orders, he was beheaded; the Slavic tradition places his martyrdom at Ephesus. He is commemorated on September 15.
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Acacius the Confessor
Acacius the Confessor was bishop of Melitene in Armenia in the middle of the third century. Arrested in the persecution of Decius (249–251) and brought before the governor Marcianus, he confessed Christ boldly under torture but was not put to death; released, he bore the marks of his sufferings for the rest of his life and died in peace. His memory is kept on March 31, and the uncovering of his relic — whose year is not transmitted — on September 15.
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Philotheus the Presbyter
Philotheus the Presbyter was a tenth-century parish priest and wonderworker of the village of Myrmex (Slavonic Mravin) in Bithynia, in the Opsikion region of Asia Minor. A married priest with children, he served his village in prayer, fasting and works of mercy, feeding the hungry and helping the needy, and received from God the gift of working miracles. He died in peace, and myrrh flowed from his relics. He is commemorated on September 15.
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Stephen the Protomartyr
Stephen the Protomartyr (†c. 34) was the first of the seven deacons chosen by the Apostles and the first Christian to die for Christ. "Full of faith and of the Holy Spirit," he worked wonders among the people, confounded the Hellenist synagogues in debate, and, arraigned before the Sanhedrin on a charge of blasphemy, delivered the longest speech in the Acts of the Apostles before beholding "the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." Stoned outside Jerusalem with the young Saul consenting, he died praying for his killers. His relics, hidden for centuries, were uncovered at Kaphar Gamala in 415. His chief feast is December 27; the uncovering of his relics is kept on September 15 and their translation to Constantinople on August 2.
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Theodotus, Asclepiodota and Maximus of Adrianople
Theodotus, Asclepiodota and Maximus were martyrs of Thrace under the emperor Galerius (305–311). Maximus and Asclepiodota, eminent citizens of Marcianopolis whose Christian life had drawn many to baptism, were arrested by Tiris, governor of Thrace; Theodotus was seized for rebuking the governor's cruelty. Tortured at Marcianopolis and again at Adrianople — where the beasts of the arena refused to touch them — they were beheaded near the village of Saltys on the road to Philippopolis, and the tradition adds that the governor was struck dead by lightning on his judgment seat. They are commemorated together on September 15.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Hernan, hermit (6th C)
- St. Merryn, bishop of Bangor (620)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 2
Thou didst cut down the dominion of error by thy withstanding, and didst receive the crown of victory by thy contest; with the Angels, O glorious one, thou rejoicest, Nicetas, namesake of victory, with them interceding unceasingly to Christ God for us all.
Kontakion — Tone 3
Yesterday the Master came to us in the flesh, and today the servant departs from the flesh; yesterday he that reigneth was born according to the flesh, today the servant is stoned to death: for his sake the Protomartyr, the divine Stephen, is made perfect.
Kontakion — Tone 6 (Slavic books)
First wast thou sown upon the earth by the heavenly Husbandman, O all-praised Stephen; first didst thou shed thy blood upon the earth for Christ, O blessed one; first wast thou wreathed by him in heaven with the crown of victory, O beginning of the sufferers, crowned one, first-champion of the martyrs.
Magnification
We magnify thee, holy passion-bearer Stephen, and we honour thy precious sufferings, which thou didst endure for Christ.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a hierarch)
A rule of faith and an image of meekness, a teacher of temperance did the truth of things show thee to thy flock; therefore thou didst gain by humility the things on high, by poverty the things that are rich: O Father and hierarch Acacius, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4
Thy Martyr, O Lord, Nicetas, in his contest received an incorruptible crown from Thee our God; for possessing Thy strength he cast down the tormentors and broke the feeble insolence of the demons: at his intercessions save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4 (Slavic Menaion)
Taking up the Cross of Christ eagerly as a weapon, thou didst hasten to the battle against the enemies, and having suffered for Christ, thou didst at the last give up thy hallowed soul to the Lord in the fire; wherefore thou wast counted worthy to receive from Him the gifts of healing, O Great-martyr Nicetas: pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 8 (from the common of a venerable one)
In thee, O Father, that which is according to the image was preserved exactly: for taking up the cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach that the flesh is to be despised, for it passes away, but the soul cared for, as a thing immortal; wherefore with the angels thy spirit rejoices, O venerable Philotheus.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a martyr)
Thy Martyr, O Lord, Porphyrius, in his contest received an incorruptible crown from Thee our God; for possessing Thy strength he cast down the tormentors and broke the feeble insolence of the demons: at his intercessions save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4
A royal diadem is set upon thy head for the contests thou didst endure for Christ God, O first combatant among the martyrs; for thou didst convict the frenzy of the Jews and behold thy Saviour at the right hand of the Father: entreat him ever, O Stephen, in behalf of our souls.
Troparion
A good fight didst thou fight, O Protomartyr of Christ, Apostle and Archdeacon Stephen, and didst expose the impiety of the tormentors; for, stoned by the hands of lawless men, thou didst receive a crown from the right hand on high, and didst cry aloud to God: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the 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 tormentors and broke the feeble insolence of the demons: at their intercessions save our souls.
Readings
1st Matins Gospel
Matthew 28.16-20
16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Epistle
Galatians 2.16-20 (Sunday after Elevation)
16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
1 Corinthians 15.1-11
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
Gospel
Mark 8.34-9.1 (Sunday after Elevation)
34And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. 1And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
Matthew 19.16-26
16And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. 23Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.