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Sunday 17 May 2026

6th Sunday of Pascha

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No Fast Tone 5

Paschaltide, day 36 · 35 days since Pascha

Blind Man

About Passion Icon of the Mother of God →

Saints commemorated

  • Apostle Andronicus of the Seventy

  • Holy Martyr Solochon (298)

    Solochon, Pamphamer and Pamphalon were Egyptian soldiers of a Roman legion moved to Chalcedon on the Asian shore opposite Byzantium, put to death there about the year 298 in the persecution of Maximian and Diocletian. Ordered by their tribune, Campanus, to sacrifice to the idols with the rest of the unit, the three refused; Pamphamer and Pamphalon died under the tortures, and Solochon, who survived them, was hung by one hand with a weight fastened to his leg and had a writing-stylus driven through his ear. Carried half-dead to the house of a Christian widow, he strengthened the faithful who gathered to him, prayed, and gave up his spirit. Their memory is kept on May 17.

  • Adrian of Ondrusov

    Adrian of Ondrusov (†1549/1550) was, in the world, Andrei Zavalishin, a landowner of the Olonets country north-east of Lake Ladoga who, hunting a stag through the forest, came upon the hermitage of Alexander of Svir and was converted by the meeting. He supplied the hermit with bread for years, was tonsured at last on Valaam, and about 1520 founded on a peninsula of Lake Ladoga the hermitage of Saint Nicholas at Ondrusov, of which he became igumen; there he is said to have won over the brigands of the lake, one of whose chiefs gave the place its name. Called to Moscow to stand godfather at the baptism of a daughter of Ivan the Terrible, he was seized on the road home by peasants who believed he carried money, and killed, his body hidden in a marsh. Two years later, by his own appearing to his monks, the body was found incorrupt and brought back to the monastery. The finding is kept on May 17 and the burial on August 26.

  • Andronicus and Junia

    Andronicus and Junia are the two Christians of the first generation whom the Apostle Paul greets at Romans 16:7 as "my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me" — the only persons in the New Testament of whom that last phrase is said. The Byzantine tradition numbers Andronicus among the Seventy and makes him bishop of Pannonia, and honours Junia with him as his synergos, his fellow-labourer in the Gospel; both are remembered as having suffered for Christ. Their relics, hidden in the persecutions and long anonymous, were brought to light outside Constantinople at the Gate of Eugenius, and identified there by revelation. They are kept on May 17, and again on February 22 with the finding of those relics, and Andronicus a third time on July 30 with his fellow-apostles of the Seventy.

  • Dodo of Gareji

    Dodo (†c. 623) was the first and closest disciple of David of Gareji, one of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers who established monasticism in the Georgian lands, and the founder of the second of the great cave-monasteries of the Gareji wilderness — the house called Dodo's Rqa, "Dodo's ridge," cut into the cliff-face across the ravine from David's own lavra. A nobleman of Kartli who gave away his inheritance to follow David into the semi-desert of Kakheti, he became there the father of a large community of hermits living in caves hewn from the soft rock, and reposed in extreme old age about the year 623. His relics lie at Dodo's Rqa. The Georgian Church keeps him with his teacher in the week after the Ascension; the Slavic and American calendars fix his commemoration on May 17.

  • Euphrosyne of Moscow

    Eudokia Dmitrievna (c. 1353 – 1407), daughter of the grand prince of Suzdal and Nizhny Novgorod, was the wife of Dmitri Donskoy, the victor of Kulikovo, and after his early death the guide of her sons and of the principality of Moscow through eighteen dangerous years. Beneath the dress of a grand princess she wore iron chains and kept a hidden ascetic discipline, and she spent her wealth on churches: the stone church of the Nativity of the Theotokos in the Kremlin, raised in memory of Kulikovo, and above all the Ascension Convent within the Kremlin walls, which she founded and which became for five centuries the burial place of the women of the Muscovite house. When her children were grown she took the monastic habit there, on 17 May 1407, with the name Euphrosyne — "gladness" — and reposed seven weeks later, on 7 July, at the age of fifty-four. Her commemoration on May 17 is the feast of that tonsure.

  • Nectarius and Theophanes of Meteora

    Theophanes and Nectarius, brothers of the noble Epirot family of the Apsarades of Ioannina, are the founders of the Monastery of Varlaam at Meteora, the second in size and honour of the rock-monasteries of Thessaly. Coming to the pillars of Meteora in the second decade of the sixteenth century, they took possession in October 1517 of a rock that had lain deserted for nearly two centuries since the death of the hermit Varlaam who first scaled it, restored his ruined chapel of the Three Hierarchs, and then spent twenty-two years hauling stone, brick and timber up the cliff-face in order to build, in a little over twenty days, the great church of All Saints that still stands. They ruled the community they had gathered in a strict coenobitic discipline and left a written foundation-account of their work. Theophanes reposed on 17 May 1544 and Nectarius in 1550; their relics are kept at Varlaam, and the Church commemorates the two brothers together on the day of Theophanes's repose.

  • Nicholas of Sofia

    Nicholas the New of Sofia (1510 – 17 May 1555) was a shoemaker of Ottoman Sofia, born at Ioannina in Epirus of Christian parents, whose martyrdom in the middle of the sixteenth century became one of the great causes of the Bulgarian Church under the Turkish yoke. Made drunk by Muslim acquaintances and circumcised while insensible, he was thereafter claimed as a convert to Islam; he answered publicly that he had never left Christ and never would, was beaten, imprisoned and tried, and on 17 May 1555 was stoned to death by the mob outside the city at the place called the Three Wells, his body afterwards burned. His Life and Praise were written within a few years by Matthew the Grammarian of Sofia, and a diocesan council under the metropolitan James numbered him among the saints. He is one of the martyrs by whom the city of Sofia is chiefly known in the Orthodox calendar.

  • Stephen I of Constantinople

    Stephen (c. 867 – 893) was the youngest son of the emperor Basil I the Macedonian and the brother of the emperor Leo VI the Wise, ordained to the diaconate by the great patriarch Photius and raised by his brother to the throne of Constantinople in 886, at little more than nineteen years of age, when Photius withdrew from it. He held the patriarchate for seven years and reposed in peace in 893, not yet thirty, and was buried in the monastery of the Sikelia. The Church remembers him not for any act of government — his youth and his short tenure left him little scope for one, and the Photian quarrel he inherited outlasted him — but for what his contemporaries thought worth recording of him: his abstinence, his mildness, his readiness to intercede for those in trouble, and his personal care for widows and orphans. He is one of the few Byzantine patriarchs canonised who were also born in the purple.

British Isles and Ireland

  • St. Madern, hermit in Cornwall (545)
  • St. Cathan, bishop of Bute (6th C)
  • St. Mailduf, abbot of Malmesbury (673)

Troparia & kontakia

Apolytikion — Tone 8

Thou didst forsake thy lands and thy hunting to follow a poor hermit in the forest, and thou becamest a shepherd of monks on the shore of the great lake, and a friend of thieves for their salvation; and at the last thou wast slain on thy road and hidden in the marsh, until thou didst thyself reveal thy body incorrupt. O venerable father and martyr Adrian, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Apolytikion — Tone 3

Holy apostles Andronicus and Junia, intercede with the merciful God, that he may grant to our souls the forgiveness of transgressions.

Apolytikion — Tone 8

By a flood of tears thou didst make the barren desert fruitful, and thy longing for God brought forth fruit a hundredfold; thou becamest a beacon for the world, shining with miracles: O Dodo our father, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Apolytikion — Tone 8

In thee, O mother, the image of God was preserved unimpaired; for taking up the cross thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to despise the flesh, which passeth away, and to care for the soul, a thing immortal. Wherefore, O venerable Euphrosyne, thy spirit rejoiceth with the angels.

Apolytikion — Tone 8

O God of our fathers, who hast made the desert of the rocks a city of monks: by the prayers of thy venerable ones Theophanes and Nectarius, who with long patience raised on the height a house to the praise of all thy saints, establish us also upon the rock of thy commandments, and save our souls.

Apolytikion — Tone 4

Thy martyr Nicholas, O Lord, in his contest received an incorruptible crown from thee our God; for possessing thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and shattered the feeble insolence of the demons. By his intercessions save our souls.

Apolytikion — Tone 4

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

Apolytikion — Tone 4

O God of our fathers, who always dealest with us according to thy gentleness: take not thy mercy from us, but by the intercessions of thy hierarch Stephen, direct our life in peace.

Kontakion — Tone 8

Beholding the cross and the lance borne by the angels, the Child turned to thee and took thy hand, O Virgin; and thou didst hold him fast, knowing what was to come. Wherefore hold us also in the hour of our fear, and let us not be shaken.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Kinsmen of Paul and sharers of his bonds, who were in Christ before him and laboured with him in the Gospel: Andronicus, adornment of the hierarchs, and Junia, of note among the apostles — intercede unceasingly for those who honour your memory.

Kontakion — Tone 2

They stole thy body's mark by craft, but they could not steal thy confession; for with a free tongue thou didst cry, "I am a Christian and I have not denied," and beneath the stones thou wast crowned, O Nicholas, boast of the city of Sofia.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Soldiers of the earthly king, ye were found soldiers of the King of heaven, and ye would not be defiled with the blood of the sacrifices; wherefore, having borne the stones, the weight and the piercing, ye were crowned as three athletes of Christ, O Solochon, Pamphamer and Pamphalon.

Troparion — Tone 4

Today the faithful keep radiant festival, overshadowed by thy coming, O Mother of God; and gazing upon thy most pure image we cry with compunction: shelter us beneath the precious veil of thy protection, and deliver us from every ill, entreating thy Son, Christ our God, to save our souls.

Readings

8th Matins Gospel

John 20.11-18

11But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Epistle

Acts 16.16-34

16And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 22And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. 27And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

Gospel

John 9.1-38

1And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 6When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. 8The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? 9Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. 10Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? 11He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. 12Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not. 13They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. 14And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. 15Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. 16Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. 17They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. 18But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. 19And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? 20His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: 21But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. 22These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. 23Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. 24Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. 25He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. 26Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? 28Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. 29We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. 30The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 31Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 32Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. 34They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. 35Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.