Nativity Fast, day 24
Saints commemorated
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Ven. Patapius of Thebes
Patapius (7th century, by the common Greek reckoning) was an Egyptian ascetic from Thebes who withdrew as a young man into the desert, and — when his renown for holiness broke his solitude — travelled to Constantinople, where he lived as a recluse in a cell by the city wall near the Blachernae church. There a gift of healing made him one of the great wonderworkers of the capital; the tradition remembers in particular a woman freed of a devouring cancer at his word. He reposed in peace and was buried in a church of Saint John the Baptist. His relics, later carried to a cave in the Geraneia mountains above Loutraki near Corinth, were found incorrupt there and remain the treasure of the monastery that bears his name. He is commemorated on December 8, within the forefeast of the Conception of the Theotokos by Anna.
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Holy Apostles Sosthenes, Apollos, Tychicus and Epaphroditus, Cephas and Caesar
On December 8 the Church commemorates a company of apostles of the Seventy, all named in the letters of the New Testament: Sosthenes, once ruler of the synagogue at Corinth and afterwards a bishop; Apollos, the eloquent Alexandrian of the Book of Acts; Cephas of Colophon; Tychicus, Paul's trusted messenger; Epaphroditus, whom Paul called his fellow-soldier; and Caesar, bishop of Dyrrhachium — together with the Apostle Onesiphorus, who is commemorated with them but whose principal feast and full entry stand under his own name. Chosen and sent by Christ among the Seventy (Luke 10), they laboured beside the Apostle Paul and became shepherds of the young Churches. Their memory is kept also on March 30 and, with all the Seventy, on January 4.
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Onesiphorus of the Seventy
Onesiphorus (1st century) is the disciple whom the Apostle Paul blesses by name in his last letter: "he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain, but when he was in Rome he sought me out diligently and found me" (2 Timothy 1:16–17). Counted among the Seventy Apostles, he is held by tradition to have served Paul at Ephesus, to have become bishop of Colophon in Asia Minor and afterwards of Corinth, and to have died a martyr at Parium on the Hellespont, where he had gone to preach Christ. He is commemorated on September 7 with the Apostle Evodus, on December 8 with six fellow apostles of the Seventy, and on January 4 with all the Seventy.
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Sophronius of Cyprus
Sophronius (6th century, by the usual reckoning) was a bishop of the Church of Cyprus, honoured by the tradition as an ascetic hierarch — learned, austere in his own life, and open-handed toward the poor and the oppressed. The Greek synaxaria remember him for having "quenched every fleshly passion" and for a pastorate marked by mercy; he reposed in peace. He is commemorated on December 8, on the same day as Patapius of Thebes, chiefly in the Greek tradition.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Gunthild of Wimborne (748)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 3
Finding thy church, O holy one, to be a hospital of the spirit, the peoples come to it in haste and ask to receive the healing of their sicknesses and the loosing of the transgressions of their life; for thou, O venerable Patapius, hast been shown to be a protector of all who are in need.
Troparion — Tone 3
Holy Apostle Onesiphorus, intercede with the merciful God, that he grant to our souls the forgiveness of offences.
Troparion — Tone 8
In thee, O Father, was the divine image 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 passeth away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal. Therefore, O venerable Patapius, thy spirit rejoiceth together with the Angels.
Troparion — Tone 3
Holy Apostles, intercede with the merciful God, that he grant to our souls the forgiveness of offences.
Readings
2nd Matins Gospel
Mark 16.1-8
1And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 8And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
Epistle
Ephesians 2.14-22
14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Gospel
Luke 17.12-19
12And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.