Apostles' Fast, day 7
All Saints of America, All Saints of Russia
Saints commemorated
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Prophet Elisha
Elisha was a monk of the Solovki monastery on the White Sea, remembered for one thing: the manner of his death. Taken mortally ill while fishing on the river Vyg sixty versts from the monastery, he grieved not at dying but at dying without the great schema; his companions carried him by boat through a storm toward Suma, where a priest-monk could clothe him, and he comforted them in the danger by saying that he saw Saint Zosimas in the boat with them. He was dead when they reached the shore — and at the brethren's prayer to Zosimas he revived, received the schema and Holy Communion, and then reposed in peace. More than a century later his grave was found standing above the ground and healings began at it; a chapel was built over it in 1668, and the fishermen and pilgrims of the Pomor coast have asked his blessing ever since.
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St Methodios, Patriarch of Constantinople (847)
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St John Mavropos, Metropolitan of Euchaïta(1100)
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Cyril of Gortyna
Cyril was bishop of Gortyna, the metropolis of Roman Crete and the see founded by the Apostle Titus, and he was martyred there as a very old man in the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian. The synaxarion gives his story with unusual and memorable particularity: he had lived austerely as an ascetic, was consecrated bishop in his sixty-eighth year, governed his flock twenty-five years, and was then brought before the governor Agrianus; condemned to the fire, he stood unhurt while his bonds burned away and the pyre fell to ashes, and was let go. When he went on converting the pagans he was sentenced again — a bridle put in his mouth, and, being ninety-three and unable to walk, set on an ox-cart to be carried to execution. At a place called Raxos the oxen halted of their own accord, and there he was beheaded. The Greek Menaion keeps him on June 14; the Russian and American calendars on July 9.
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Elisha the Prophet
Elisha son of Shaphat, called in Greek Elissaios and in the Slavonic books Elisei, was the disciple, servant and successor of the Prophet Elijah, and the only prophet of Israel who asked for and received a double portion of his master's spirit. Called from the plough at Abel-meholah, he served through the reigns of six kings of Israel for more than half a century, and the record of his acts in the Books of Kings is the densest concentration of miracle in the whole Old Testament: the parting of the Jordan with Elijah's fallen mantle, the healing of the bitter spring at Jericho, the widow's inexhaustible oil, the raising of the Shunammite woman's dead son, the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian in the Jordan, the axe-head that floated, the blinding of the Aramean army at Dothan, and — after his own burial at Samaria — the dead man who came to life on touching his bones. The Church reads nearly every one of these as a figure of the Gospel, and keeps his memory on June 14.
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Julitta the Venerable
Julitta is one of the many names in the synaxarion of Constantinople of which nothing further has come down: she is styled hosia — venerable, that is, an ascetic and not a martyr — and the whole of her notice under June 14 is that she reposed in peace. Her memory survives with a couplet of verse and nothing else, and this entry records exactly that, without supplying a life she has not left.
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Methodius of Constantinople
Methodius the Confessor, a Sicilian by birth and a monk of Chios, was the hierarch under whom the iconoclast controversy ended. Legate of the deposed Patriarch Nikephoros at Rome, he came home in 821 with a papal letter demanding the restoration of the holy images, and paid for it with scourging, seven years in a tomb-like cell on the island of Antigoni, and a jaw broken under the emperor Theophilus, which he carried bound in a cloth to the end of his life. Raised to the patriarchal throne in 843 by the regent Theodora, he convoked the synod that restored the icons, led the procession of the images to the Great Church on the first Sunday of Great Lent — the Sunday of Orthodoxy, kept ever since — and composed the Synodikon of Orthodoxy that is still proclaimed on that day. He brought back the relics of Nikephoros and of Theodore the Studite, wrote lives of the confessors he had known, and reposed on June 14, 847, having ruled four years.
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Methodius of Peshnosha
Methodius was a disciple of Sergius of Radonezh and the founder of the Nicholas-Peshnosha monastery on the river Yakhroma, north of Moscow near Dmitrov. Having spent some years under Sergius' direction, he withdrew with his blessing to a marshy solitude beyond the river and built himself a cell there; disciples gathered, and Sergius himself came to visit and counselled him to build a church and gather them into a coenobium. Methodius carried the timber for it on foot through the shallows, and it is from that — peshnosha, "carrying on foot" — that the monastery took its name. He became its abbot in 1391 and reposed in 1392, and was buried in the house he had founded. The spot two versts off where he and Sergius used to talk together is called to this day Beseda, the "conversation-place." His local veneration begins in the late seventeenth century; he is commemorated on June 4 and again on June 14.
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Mstislav-George of Novgorod
Mstislav Rostislavich, called the Brave and the Fearless, baptised George, was a prince of Smolensk and from 1179 prince of Novgorod, a grandson of Mstislav the Great and son of Rostislav-Michael of Kiev. He is remembered in the chronicles for two things above all: the defence of Vyshgorod in 1173, where with a small garrison he held out against the enormous coalition army of Andrei Bogolyubsky and broke it, having first sent the prince's envoy home shaved and shorn; and a personal charity so marked that the chronicler could write that he never kept property for himself but gave all of it to churches, monasteries, the ransoming of captives and the poor. He reposed suddenly at Novgorod on June 14, 1180, aged about thirty, and was buried in the cathedral of Holy Wisdom, where his relics rest incorrupt.
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Niphon of Athos
Niphon, a priest's son from the Epirot village of Loukovo, was a monk of the Holy Mountain in the fourteenth century and one of the small company of Athonite hesychasts gathered about Maximus the Hut-burner, to whom he attached himself as a disciple. He was tonsured and ordained at the monastery of Mesopotamos in his own country, went up to Athos while still young, moved from cell to cell in the territory of the Great Lavra seeking stillness, and, when disciples began to gather to him at the Transfiguration, fled even that and finished his life in a cave near Kavsokalyvia in the strictest asceticism. He lived ninety-six years and was granted, the tradition says, the gifts of clairvoyance and of wonders. He is also one of the earliest witnesses to the life of Saint Maximus. His memory is kept on June 14.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Dogmael (5th C)
- St. Nennus, abbot of Arran (7th C)
- St. Ciaran, abbot of Bellach-Duin (870)
- St. Psalmodius (c.690)
Troparia & kontakia
Apolytikion — Tone 4
The angel in the flesh, the foundation of the prophets, the second forerunner of the coming of Christ, the glorious Elijah, sending down his grace from on high upon Elisha, drives away diseases and cleanses lepers; wherefore he pours forth healings upon those who honour him.
Apolytikion — Tone 8
Guide of Orthodoxy, teacher of piety and holiness, luminary of the Church, God-inspired ornament of hierarchs: O wise Methodius, by thy teachings thou hast enlightened all, O lyre of the Spirit. Intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Apolytikion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable father)
By the streams of thy tears thou didst make the barren wilderness to bring forth; and by thy sighing from the depths thou didst bear fruit a hundredfold in labours; and thou wast a beacon to the whole world, shining with miracles, O Methodius our father. Intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Doxastikon
A star of piety has risen from the setting of the visible sun: Methodius, the great one among hierarchs; and having cut through the mist of the wrongly-believing, he came to his rest in the true East, in Christ our God, the Sun of righteousness. And there, keeping company with the choirs of the bodiless powers and standing before the throne of the Trinity — as a holy one, as a martyr, as a priest, as a patriarch, in action and in contemplation — he asks great mercy for us who in faith keep his sacred memory.
Exapostilarion — Tone 3
From a ploughman thou wast shown forth a prophet, O Elisha; and receiving the mantle of Elijah and his spirit in double measure, thou didst draw it to thyself; and with him we honour thee.
Exapostilarion — Tone 2
As a sun rising from the East thou didst set in the West by thy contest; but now thou hast illumined the world by thy all-wise teachings, O God-bearing father Methodius: therefore pray for us.
Kontakion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable father)
Having laboured in the Lord's fisheries and been kept in the storm by the prayer of thy father Zosimas, thou wast clothed in the angelic habit at the very gate of death, O venerable Elisha; wherefore thy grave pours out healings upon all who call upon thee.
Kontakion — Tone 8
Having received a twofold grace from the Spirit, thou wast shown forth a wondrous prophet to all the ends of the earth, delivering from dangers those who sing thy praise, and granting the grace of thy wonders to those who run to it in faith and cry to thee: Rejoice, O prophet divinely inspired!
Kontakion — Tone 8 (common of a confessor hierarch)
Thou didst shine forth as a lamp of the true faith, and didst not fear the fire, the sword or the sealed tomb; wherefore, O father Methodius, having brought back the holy images to the Church of Christ, thou wast shown the boast of hierarchs and the pillar of Orthodoxy.
Kontakion — Tone 8 (common of a right-believing prince)
As a lover of mercy and a fearless defender of thy people, thou hast passed from an earthly principality to the Kingdom that has no end, O blessed Mstislav; and thy relics, kept incorrupt in the house of the Wisdom of God, pour out healing upon those who honour thee.
Oikos
The Sun of righteousness, shining down within thy enlightened soul, drove out from it every mist of sin and showed thee forth a most radiant prophet of God; wherefore we also cry aloud to thee: Rejoice, thou who preferred nothing to God; rejoice, thou who didst slay the yoke of oxen. Rejoice, thou who didst leave behind thy whole livelihood; rejoice, thou who wast made rich with the wealth that cannot be stolen. Rejoice, for thou didst follow the God who called thee; rejoice, for now thou hast received his gifts. Rejoice, for thou didst take up the mantle of Elijah; rejoice, for thou dost swiftly cleave the water. Rejoice, thou who passest the waters unwetted; rejoice, helper of many souls. Rejoice, thou who didst learn the hidden knowledge; rejoice, thou who art dead and yet watchest as one alive. Rejoice, O prophet divinely inspired!
Sticheron
Today the Church of God is arrayed in gladness, rejoicing and crying out: my beauty is made brighter than that of every city; for behold, the great treasure of the hierarchs, the glorious Methodius, has made his journey to heaven. Come then, lovers of the feast, you company of the Orthodox: let us stand in choir about his divine reliquary, and receiving from it a flood of healings, let us beseech Christ our God to deliver the whole world from every heresy.
Synaxarion
Though Cyril of Gortyna was an old man, he had a heart still young toward the sword.
Synaxarion
Horses bore Elijah up; but the twofold Elijah, angelic minds bore up to the heavens as horses. On the fourteenth Elisha received his appointed end.
Synaxarion
The Word of God, who for our sake appeared in flesh, leads Julitta forth out of the flesh.
Synaxarion
Methodius, the luminary of the Church — the gloomy cloud of his death puts out his light.
Synaxarion
Niphon is Niphon in very deed: for by the sobriety of his mind he ran his course through life. Niphon has passed beyond all men now in virtue, though it was in the last times that he laboured. On the fourteenth Niphon flew away from life.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a hieromartyr)
As a sharer in the ways and a successor to the thrones of the Apostles, thou didst find in the practice of virtue the means to ascend to divine heights, O divinely-inspired one; rightly dividing the word of truth, thou didst contend for the faith even unto blood, O hieromartyr Cyril: intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable father)
In thee, O father, was the divine image preserved with exactness, for taking up the cross thou didst follow after Christ; and thou didst teach by thy deeds to despise the flesh, for it passes away, and to care rather for the soul, a thing immortal. Wherefore, O venerable Elisha, thy spirit rejoices with the angels.
Troparion
As we celebrate the memory of thy prophet Elisha, O Lord, through him we entreat thee: save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable woman)
In thee, O mother, was the divine image preserved with exactness, for taking up the cross thou didst follow after Christ; and thou didst teach by thy deeds to despise the flesh, for it passes away, and to care rather for the soul, a thing immortal. Wherefore, O venerable Julitta, thy spirit rejoices with the angels.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a right-believing prince)
Thou didst rule thy people in righteousness and defend the land of Rus' without fear, O right-believing prince Mstislav; and keeping nothing of thine own, thou didst pour out all thy substance upon the churches of God, upon the poor and upon the ransoming of captives. Wherefore, having been shown a brave soldier of Christ, intercede that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable father)
By a flood of tears thou didst make the barren desert fruitful, and with sighs from the depths thou didst bring forth thy labours a hundredfold; thou wast made a beacon for the whole world, shining with miracles, O Niphon our father. Intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Readings
Vespers
Isaiah 43.9-14
9Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. 10Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. 12I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. 13Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? 14Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.
Wisdom of Solomon 3.1-9
1But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. 2In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, 3And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. 4For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. 5And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself. 6As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering. 7And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. 8They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. 9They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect.
Wisdom of Solomon 5.15-6.3
15But the righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the most High. 16Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with his right hand shall he cover them, and with his arm shall he protect them. 17He shall take to him his jealousy for complete armour, and make the creature his weapon for the revenge of his enemies. 18He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment instead of an helmet. 19He shall take holiness for an invincible shield. 20His severe wrath shall he sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with him against the unwise. 21Then shall the right aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they fly to the mark. 22And hailstones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them. 23Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty. 1Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth. 2Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations. 3For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.
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
Romans 2.10-16
10But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11For there is no respect of persons with God. 12For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Hebrews 11.33-12.2 (Saints)
33Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. 1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Gospel
Matthew 4.18-23
18And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. 23And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Matthew 4.25-5.12 (Saints)
25And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. 1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.