15th Sunday after Pentecost

Saints commemorated

Apostle Quadratus of the Seventy
Unc. Rel. St Dimitry, Metr. Rostov

Dimitry of Rostov (1651–1709), in the world Daniel Tuptalo, was Metropolitan of Rostov and the greatest churchman-scholar of the Russian Church in the age of Peter the Great. For some twenty years he laboured over the Chetii-Minei, the great Lives of the Saints for the whole year, which became the standard hagiographic reading of the Russian world for two centuries; he was besides a famed preacher and a gentle, unworldly pastor who died owning little but his books and manuscripts. Glorified in 1757 — the first canonisation of the Synodal period — he is commemorated on October 28, the day of his repose, and on September 21, the uncovering of his incorrupt relics.
Holy Prophet Jonas (Jonah) (9th c. BC)

Jonah son of Amittai, of Gath-hepher in Galilee, prophesied in Israel in the eighth century before Christ and is the central figure of the Book of Jonah: the prophet who fled from God's call, was swallowed by the great fish, prayed from its belly, and after three days was cast up to preach repentance to Nineveh. The Lord himself made him the pattern of his own death and rising — "as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth" — and Jonah's prayer became the sixth of the Church's biblical canticles, echoed in the sixth ode of every canon. He is among the oldest subjects in all Christian art.
Apostle Quadratus (Codratus) of the Seventy (130)

Quadratus (Kodratos), numbered among the Seventy Apostles, preached Christ at Athens and at Magnesia, served as bishop of Athens, and died a martyr's death around 130 — stoned by a pagan mob and left to perish of hunger in prison. He is the author of the earliest surviving Christian apology, a defence of the faith presented to the emperor Hadrian, of which one luminous fragment is preserved by Eusebius: that those whom Christ healed and raised remained alive as witnesses "even to our own times." His feast is kept on September 21, the leavetaking of the Elevation of the Cross.
Our Venerable Father Joseph of Zaonikiev Monastery(1612)
Eusebius of Phoenicia

Eusebius was a Christian of Phoenicia who, in a time of persecution, came forward of his own accord to confess Christ before the persecutors and was beheaded. He is known only from the brief notices of the synaxaria, which transmit neither the year of his contest nor the name of the ruler under whom he suffered; his memory is kept on September 21.
Hypatius and Andrew of Ephesus

Hypatius, bishop of Ephesus, and Andrew his presbyter were martyred around 730–735 under the iconoclast emperor Leo III the Isaurian, among the first victims of the imperial war on the holy icons. Schooled together in a monastery from youth, the one became a monk and bishop, the other a priest and preacher; both openly defended the veneration of icons when Leo began to cast them out of the churches. After debate before the emperor, long imprisonment, and torture — the accounts relate that icons were burned upon their heads — they were dragged through the city and put to death, and the faithful buried what the persecutors had thrown to the dogs.
Isaac and Meletius of Cyprus

Isaac (Isaacius) and Meletius were bishops of the Church of Cyprus, commemorated together on September 21. The synaxaria transmit their names, their office, and their island, and nothing more: neither their sees, nor their dates, nor any deed has come down. They are remembered among the hierarchs who shepherded Cyprus in the early centuries and reposed in peace.
Jonah the Presbyter

Jonah the Presbyter (ninth century), called the Sabbaite, was a married priest of Palestine who, after the death of his wife, ended his days as a monk of the Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified, where God granted him a gift of healing. His chief glory in the Church's memory is his fatherhood: his two sons are Theophanes the Hymnographer, later Metropolitan of Nicaea, and Theodore — the brother-confessors whose faces the iconoclast emperor Theophilus branded with mocking verses, whence their name "the Branded" (Graptoi). He is commemorated on September 21, the same day as the Prophet Jonah, from whom he must be distinguished.
Priscus of Phrygia

Priscus was a martyr of Phrygia in Asia Minor, known only from the brief notices of the synaxaria, which record neither the year of his contest nor the persecutor under whom he suffered. The verses appointed to him in the Greek synaxarion imply a death by fire: bearing the living water in his heart, Priscus did not fear the burning of the flesh. His memory is kept on September 21.

British Isles and Ireland

St. Mabyn, missionary in Cornwall (5th C)

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 4

Let us bless the golden-worded teacher Demetrius, the star of Russia that rose from Kiev and, passing through Novgorod-Seversky, came to Rostov, and illumined all this land with his teachings and his miracles; for he wrote all things for all, unto their instruction, that he might win them all, as did Paul, for Christ, and save our souls by right belief.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Thou wast shown forth a wondrous prophet: receiving the command of God, thou wast three days in the whale as the figure of the three-day Resurrection, and camest forth from the beast unharmed, and wast revealed a radiant preacher to Nineveh the great city; wherefore with joy we honour thee, O Jonah, as a herald of God's love for mankind.

Kontakion — Tone 8

As an honoured hierarch and most steadfast sufferer the whole world offers unto thee, O Lord, Quadratus the apostle, and with songs it honours his revered memory, entreating always that forgiveness of offences be granted through him to those who hymn him, O compassionate One.

Magnification

We magnify thee, O apostle of Christ Quadratus, and we honour thy pains and labours, wherewith thou didst toil in the good tidings of Christ.

Troparion — Tone 8

O zealot of Orthodoxy and uprooter of schism, healer of Russia and new intercessor before God, by thy writings thou hast brought the foolish to their right mind, O spiritual harp, blessed Demetrius: entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 2

Celebrating the memory of thy prophet Jonah, O Lord, through him we entreat thee: save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 3

O holy Apostle Quadratus, intercede with the merciful God, that he may grant our souls forgiveness of offences.

Readings

4th Matins Gospel

Luke 24.1-12

¹Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. ²And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. ³And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: ⁵And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, ⁷Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. ⁸And they remembered his words, ⁹And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. ¹⁰It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. ¹¹And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. ¹²Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

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.

2 Corinthians 4.6-15

⁶For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. ⁸We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. ¹¹For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. ¹²So then death worketh in us, but life in you. ¹³We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; ¹⁴Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. ¹⁵For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

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 22.35-46

³⁵Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, ³⁶Master, which is the great commandment in the law? ³⁷Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. ³⁸This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. ⁴¹While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴²Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. ⁴³He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, ⁴⁴The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? ⁴⁵If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? ⁴⁶And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.