Sunday before Elevation
Saints commemorated
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Martyr Sozon of Cilicia
Sozon (†c. 304) was a young Christian shepherd of Lycaonia, named Tarasios before his baptism, who suffered martyrdom at Pompeiopolis in Cilicia during the last great persecution. Warned of his coming contest in a vision at a spring where he watered his flock, he went to Pompeiopolis, broke the golden hand from a pagan idol and gave the gold to the poor, then surrendered himself so that no one else would suffer for his deed. Tortured with iron claws, iron boots nailed to his feet, and rods, he died confessing Christ. He is the chief saint of September 7, with a proper kontakion and a full canon in the Menaion.
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St John, Archbishop of Novgorod
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Martyr Sozon of Cilicia (208/304)
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Holy Apostles Evodus and 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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Holy Martyr Eupsychyius of Caesarea (2nd c.)
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St Kassia (Kassiani) the Hymnographer (9th c.)
Kassiani (Kassia, Ikasia; c. 805/810 – c. 865) is the one woman whose hymnography stands, under her own name, in the received liturgical books of the Byzantine Church. A noblewoman of Constantinople, she is remembered in the chronicles as the candidate who lost the bride-show of the emperor Theophilos by answering him back about Eve; she is remembered in the letters of Theodore the Studite as a learned young woman who supported the imprisoned monks of the icons in the second iconoclasm, and was scourged for it; and she is remembered in the service books as the author of the doxastikon of Great and Holy Wednesday — Κύριε, ἡ ἐν πολλαῖς ἁμαρτίαις περιπεσοῦσα γυνή, "O Lord, the woman fallen into many sins" — the single most anticipated piece of chant in the Greek liturgical year. She founded and ruled a convent in the west of the capital, on the Xerolophos, the seventh hill; some two dozen of her hymns are securely hers, among them the Christmas Eve sticheron When Augustus reigned alone upon the earth and part of the canon of Great Saturday; and beside the hymns she left a body of epigrams and gnomic verses unlike anything else surviving from a Byzantine woman's hand — sharp, classicising, and often mordant. She is commemorated on September 7.
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Eupsychius of Caesarea
Eupsychius (2nd century) was a Christian of Caesarea in Cappadocia — called in some synaxaria the son of a senator, Dionysius — who was martyred in the persecution under the emperor Hadrian. Arrested and tortured, he was healed of his wounds in prison by an angel; released, he gave away his goods to the poor, including a portion to the very informers who had denounced him. Seized again under a new governor, he was hung up, torn with iron hooks, and beheaded. He is commemorated on September 7, and is to be distinguished from the later and more famous Eupsychius of the same city, martyred under Julian (April 9) — whom many hold to be, in fact, the same martyr doubled.
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Evodus of Antioch
Evodus (†c. 66) was one of the Seventy Apostles and the first bishop of Antioch after the Apostle Peter, the predecessor of Ignatius the God-bearer in the see from which the Patriarchate of Antioch descends. Eusebius names him first in the Antiochian succession, and a later tradition credits him with coining the name "Christians," first given to the disciples at Antioch. He is said to have shepherded the Antiochian church for some twenty-seven years and to have died a martyr, under Nero by the most common account. His writings, among them a book called The Star, are lost. He is commemorated on September 7 with the Apostle Onesiphorus, and with all the Seventy on January 4.
British Isles and Ireland
- SS. Alcmund (781) and Tilbert (789), bishops of Hexham
- St. Balin, monk (7th C)
- Holy martyr Grimonia (4th C)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 2
Thou didst appear to the world as a bright and undeceiving star, heralding Christ the Sun by thy radiance, O sufferer for Christ Eupsychius; and thou didst quench all delusion, and dost give light to us, praying unceasingly for us all.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Thou didst answer the emperor and wast passed over, and having found the Bridegroom who passeth none by, thou didst give him thy whole mind; and putting on the habit of mourning, thou wast made an instrument of the Spirit, and out of thy silence gavest the Church her sweetest words. Therefore we cry to thee: Rejoice, O Kassiani, voice of the penitent.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Assembling today, let us with loud voices praise the true and divinely wise martyr, the proven champion of godliness, Sozon, the initiate of grace, the most bountiful giver of healings; for he prays to Christ God for us all.
The
O Lord, the woman who had fallen into many sins, perceiving thy Godhead, took upon herself the office of a myrrhbearer, and lamenting brought thee myrrh before thy burial. "Woe is me," she cried, "for night is upon me, the goad of licentiousness, a love of sin murky and moonless. Receive the fountains of my tears, thou who drawest up the water of the sea into the clouds; bend thyself to the groanings of my heart, thou who didst bow down the heavens by thine unutterable self-emptying. I will kiss thy spotless feet, and wipe them again with the hair of my head — those feet at whose sound Eve, in Paradise at eventide, hid herself for fear. The multitude of my sins and the depths of thy judgements, who shall trace them out, O Saviour of souls, my Saviour? Do not overlook me, thy servant, thou who hast mercy without measure."
Troparion — Tone 4
Thy martyr Eupsychius, O Lord, in his contest received the crown of incorruption from thee, our God; for possessing thy strength he cast down the tyrants and broke the feeble insolence of the demons. By his prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 3
Holy Apostle Evodus, intercede with the merciful God, that he grant to our souls the forgiveness of offences.
Troparion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable woman)
In thee, O Mother, was the divine likeness surely preserved: for taking up the Cross, thou didst follow after Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to overlook the flesh, for it passeth away, but to care rather for the soul, a thing immortal. Wherefore, O venerable Kassiani, thy spirit rejoiceth with the angels.
Troparion — Tone 3
Holy Apostle Onesiphorus, intercede with the merciful God, that he grant to our souls the forgiveness of offences.
Troparion — Tone 4
Thy martyr Sozon, O Lord, in his contest received the crown of incorruption from thee, our God; for possessing thy strength he cast down the tyrants and broke the feeble insolence of the demons. By his prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.
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
Galatians 6.11-18 (Sunday before Elevation)
11Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand. 12As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. 14But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 15For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 16And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. 17From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. 18Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
1 Corinthians 16.13-24
13Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 14Let all your things be done with charity. 15I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) 16That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth. 17I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. 18For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such. 19The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss. 21The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. 22If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. 23The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Gospel
John 3.13-17 (Sunday before Elevation)
13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Matthew 21.33-42
33Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?