About Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Chonae →
Saints commemorated
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Miracle of Archangel Michael at Colossae
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Holy Prophet Zacharias and Righteous Elizabeth (1st c.), parents of St John the Forerunner.
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St Maxim (Sandovich), martyr of Lemkos, Czechoslovakia (1914) (August 24 OC)
Maxim Sandovich (1886–1914), priest of the Lemko highlands, is the protomartyr of the Carpatho-Russian return to Orthodoxy — a young Lemko who left the Uniate Basilians for the Orthodox monastery of Pochaev, was ordained in 1911 for the villages of his own mountains, and served them under constant Austrian prosecution: two years in a Lviv prison on charges of "Russophile treason" ended in acquittal in the great trial of March 1914, and five months later, the World War having begun, he was seized again and shot without trial in the prison yard of Gorlice on 6 September 1914, crying with his last breath, "Long live the Rus' people, long live Orthodoxy!" His pregnant wife, father and brother were sent to the Talerhof camp; his posthumous son became a priest. The Church of Poland glorified him at Gorlice in September 1994.
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Archippus of Herapolis
Archippus of Herapolis (Hierapolis in Phrygia) was the sacristan of the church of the Archangel Michael at the healing spring near Colossae, which he served for sixty years from the age of ten in a life of severe asceticism, catechising the pagans who came to the water. When his enemies loosed the joined flood of two rivers against the church to destroy both shrine and sacristan, his prayer was answered by the appearance of the Archangel Michael, who cleft the rock and swallowed the torrent — the Miracle at Chonae commemorated with him on September 6. He is not to be confused with the apostle Archippus of the Seventy (Colossians 4:17), commemorated February 19 and November 22.
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David of Hermopolis
David of Hermopolis was the leader of a band of robbers in the Egyptian desert who, moved in old age to reckon with his crimes, forced his way into a monastery — threatening, when the abbot judged the life beyond his strength, to return and sack it — and there outstripped all the brethren in ascetic zeal. The tradition relates that the Archangel Gabriel announced God's forgiveness to him, and, when David could not believe that so great a sinner was so soon pardoned, left him mute except for the prayers and services of the church. He received grace to heal the sick and cast out demons, and reposed in peace, in the sixth century by the Greek reckoning. He is commemorated on September 6.
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Eudoxius, Zeno and Macarius
Eudoxius was a high military commander under Diocletian and his successors, a secret Christian who laid down his rank rather than sacrifice to the idols and was martyred at Melitene in Armenia about 311–312, in the last great persecution before the peace of the Church. With him suffered his friend Zeno, who confessed Christ at his execution, and his household steward Macarius, who came forward after a vision of the martyr; his wife Basilissa, who sought but was denied a martyr's death, buried him. More than a thousand soldiers are said to have cast down their military belts in confession of Christ at his trial. The three are commemorated together on September 6.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Bega (Bee), Virgin, first abbess of Copeland in Cumbria (7th C)
- St. MacCallin, bishop of Lusk (497)
- SS Felix and Augebert, the English slaves ransomed by St. Gregory (7th C)
- St. Magnus, disciple of St. Columbanus and Abbot of Füssen (c.665)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 2
Chief commander of God, minister of the divine glory, guide of men and captain of the bodiless powers: ask for us what is profitable, and great mercy, as chief commander of the bodiless hosts.
Troparion — Tone 4
Commander of the heavenly hosts, we the unworthy entreat thee without ceasing: wall us about by thy prayers beneath the shelter of the wings of thine immaterial glory, and guard us who fall down before thee and earnestly cry: deliver us out of dangers, as marshal of the powers on high.
Troparion — Tone 8
In thee, O father, that which is according to the image was preserved unimpaired; for taking up the cross thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to overlook the flesh, for it passeth away, but to care for the soul, an immortal thing; wherefore thy spirit, O venerable Archippus, rejoiceth with the angels.
Troparion — Tone 8
In thee, O father, that which is according to the image was preserved unimpaired; for taking up the cross thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to overlook the flesh, for it passeth away, but to care for the soul, an immortal thing; wherefore thy spirit, O venerable David, rejoiceth with the angels.
Troparion — Tone 4
Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their contest obtained from thee, our God, the crowns of incorruption; for possessing thy strength they cast down the tyrants and shattered the feeble insolence of the demons. By their intercessions, O Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4
As a good shepherd of the Lemko mountains thou didst lead thy people back to the faith of their fathers, and wast not silenced by prison nor by the rifles of the persecutors, O hieromartyr Maxim: standing at the wall with the cross in thy bound hands, thou didst cry out for Christ and thy people. Entreat him whom thou didst confess, that our souls may be saved.
Readings
3rd Matins Gospel
Mark 16.9-20
9Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. 10And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. 12After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. 13And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. 14Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Epistle
2 Corinthians 1.21-2.4
21Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 23Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. 24Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand. 1But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 2For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 3And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
Gospel
Matthew 22.1-14
2The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14For many are called, but few are chosen.