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Tuesday 30 September 2025

Hieromartyr Gregory of Armenia; Ven. Gregory of Vologda

Tuesday of the 17th week after Pentecost

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No Fast Tone 7

Saints commemorated

  • Saint of the day

    Hieromartyr Gregory of Armenia

    Gregory the Illuminator (c. 257 – c. 331) was the apostle of Armenia: a Parthian noble of the Arsacid line who, after enduring torture and some thirteen years' imprisonment in the pit of Khor Virap under King Tiridates III, healed the afflicted king, converted him, and led the Armenian nation to baptism around 301 — by the traditional reckoning the first kingdom on earth to embrace Christianity as a state. Consecrated bishop at Caesarea in Cappadocia, he became the first Catholicos of the Armenians, founded the cathedral of Etchmiadzin at the place of his celebrated vision of Christ descending, and ended his life as a hermit. The Byzantine calendar styles him hieromartyr for his sufferings, though he reposed in peace; he is commemorated on September 30.

  • Saint of the day

    Ven. Gregory of Vologda

  • Venerable Gregory of Pelshma (1441 or 1451)

  • Our Father among the Saints Michael, Metropolitan of Kiev (992)

    Michael (†992) is venerated as the first Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia: the hierarch who, by church tradition, came to Kiev with Prince Vladimir after his baptism at Korsun (c. 988–989), baptised the people of the newly converted land, made missionary rounds of the Russian towns founding the first churches and schools, and set the Russian hierarchy on its foundations — the old Kievan and Novgorodian records call him "the initiator." He reposed in 992 and was buried in the Tithe Church of the Theotokos in Kiev; his relics were later translated to the Kiev Caves Lavra. His principal feast is June 15; September 30 commemorates the translation of his relics, kept in the Russian and OCA calendars.

  • Ripsimia, Gaiana and the Virgin-Martyrs of Armenia

    Ripsimia (Hripsime), the eldress Gaiana (Gayane), and the company of consecrated virgins with them (†c. 300) fled the emperor Diocletian — who had sought the beautiful Ripsimia for his wife — from the Roman world to Vagharshapat in Armenia, where King Tiridates III desired her in turn. Resisting the king by God's strength, Ripsimia was put to death with dreadful tortures, Gaiana and the other virgins after her; days later Tiridates was struck with madness, healed only by Gregory the Illuminator, drawn from the pit of Khor Virap — so that the blood of these women became the seed of the conversion of Armenia. Their martyria stand around Etchmiadzin to this day. They are commemorated on September 30, together with Gregory.

British Isles and Ireland

  • St. Honorius, 5th archbishop of Canterbury (653)
  • St. Midan of Anglesey (610)
  • St. Enghenedl of Anglesey (7th C)
  • SS Tancred, Torthred and Tova, hermits and martyrs (870)

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 2

Come, ye faithful, let us all today with divine songs and hymns praise the glorious hierarch Gregory as a contender for the truth: the watchful shepherd and teacher, the luminary of the whole world; for he intercedes with Christ God that we may be saved.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Thou wast shown forth as a second Moses for the Russian land, O father, bearing the spiritual vine out of the idolatry of Egypt into a land foreseen by prophecy: "There shall be," it said, "an establishment of faith upon the earth, and upon the summits of the hills of Kiev its fruit, nourishing the whole world, shall be exalted above Lebanon." Tasting of that fruit, we call thee blessed, O Michael, hierarch of God.

Troparion — Tone 4

Sharer of the ways and successor to the throne of the apostles, divinely inspired one, thou didst find thy deeds a ladder to divine vision; wherefore, rightly dividing the word of truth, thou didst suffer for the faith even unto blood. O hieromartyr Gregory, entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 4

Today the prophecy of the first-called apostle is fulfilled: for behold, upon these hills grace has shone forth and faith has been multiplied; and they who had grown old in unbelief have been reborn of the divine font and become a people of renewal — a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the flock of Christ — whose first shepherd thou wast shown to be, as first serving it with baptism. And now, standing before the Master, Christ God, pray that all the sons of the Russian land may be saved; for thou hast boldness as God's hierarch and minister.

Troparion — Tone 4

Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received incorruptible crowns from thee, our God; for possessing thy strength they cast down the tyrants and broke the feeble insolence of the demons. By their intercessions save our souls.

Readings

Epistle

Ephesians 2.19-3.7

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. 1For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Gospel

Luke 5.12-16

12And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 13And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. 14And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 15But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 16And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.