Saturday before Elevation
Saints commemorated
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Hieromartyr Autonomus, Bishop in Italy
Autonomus (†c. 313) was a bishop in Italy who, when the great persecution broke out under Diocletian, crossed to Bithynia and made the village of Soreoi, near the gulf of Nicomedia, the base of a wide-ranging mission. He evangelised there and in Lycaonia and Isauria, raised a church of the Archangel Michael, and ordained his host and convert Cornelius to serve it. When his converts demolished a pagan sanctuary nearby, the pagans took revenge during the Divine Liturgy: Autonomus was cut down — the Greek verses say stoned — at the very altar, and the deaconess Maria buried his body, later found incorrupt. He is commemorated on September 12.
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Our Holy Father Athanasius the Elder of Vysotsk (early 15th c.), and his disciple Athanasius the Younger (1395)
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Cornutus of Iconium
Cornutus, bishop of Iconium — the Slavic calendars call him Coronatus, bishop of Nicomedia, and the see is transmitted both ways — was martyred under the persecutions of Decius and Valerian, in the years around 249–259. When the governor Perennius scoured the region and the Christians hid themselves, the aged bishop presented himself of his own accord; his legs were bound tightly with thin cords that cut to the bone, and he was led through the city in torment before being beheaded. He is commemorated on September 12.
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Julian of Galatia and his Forty Companions
Julian was a priest of Galatia in the fourth century who, in time of persecution, hid in a cave near Ancyra with forty companions and continued to celebrate the divine services there. Arrested, he refused either to betray his companions or to sacrifice to the idols; stretched on a red-hot iron grate, he signed himself with the Cross and was preserved unharmed by an angel, and he was finally beheaded, praying that blessing would rest on all who took earth from his grave. The forty, hearing the heavenly voice that received him, came out of hiding, confessed Christ, and were beheaded in their turn. They are commemorated together on September 12.
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Simeon of Verkhoturye
Simeon of Verkhoturye (c. 1607–1642) is the most beloved saint of the Russian Urals and Siberia — a nobleman who hid his birth to live as a poor wanderer among the newly settled and half-Christianised peoples of the frontier. Making his home by the village church of Merkushino near Verkhoturye, he supported himself by sewing coats for the poor, deliberately leaving each garment a little unfinished so as to earn reproach rather than praise, and he taught the faith to the local Russians and native peoples while fishing and praying in the wilderness. He died young and obscure, but in 1692 his coffin rose from the earth and his incorrupt relics began to work abundant healings; their translation to Verkhoturye in 1704 is his second feast.
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Theodore of Alexandria
Theodore of Alexandria is remembered in the Byzantine synaxaria as a bishop of that city and a martyr: a bold preacher whom the pagans seized in the midst of his preaching, mocked and abused, and cast into the sea — the Russian tradition says from a cliff — from which he was brought out unharmed, before being beheaded and buried in Alexandria. Nothing else, not even his date, is transmitted. The OCA, against the Greek and Slavic service books, treats him as a lay Christian, distinct from Theodore the Archbishop of Alexandria kept on December 3, with whose thin record his own is easily entangled. He is commemorated on September 12.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Ailbe (Elvis), bishop of Emly (6th C)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 2
Blamelessly and with wisdom didst thou minister the divine Mysteries, and thou wast made an acceptable sacrifice, O divinely blessed one: for thou didst drink the Cup of Christ, O glorious Autonomus, lamp of the whole world, praying unceasingly for us all.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Thou didst renounce the vain world to inherit the good things of eternal life, loving guilelessness and purity of soul and body. Thou hast gained what thou didst love, for thy grave and the incorruption of thy relics bear witness thereto, and the grace of wonderworking most of all; for thou pourest forth healings upon all who run to thee, and upon the unenlightened, O blessed Simeon, most marvellous wonderworker.
Troparion — Tone 4
As a sharer of the ways of the Apostles and a successor to their throne, thou didst find thy deeds, O God-inspired one, an ascent to divine vision; wherefore, rightly dividing the word of truth, thou didst suffer for the faith even unto blood: Hieromartyr Autonomus, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a hieromartyr)
As a sharer of the ways of the Apostles and a successor to their throne, thou didst find thy deeds, O God-inspired one, an ascent to divine vision; wherefore, rightly dividing the word of truth, thou didst suffer for the faith even unto blood: Hieromartyr Cornutus, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of martyrs)
Thy martyrs, 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.
Troparion — Tone 4
Fleeing the tumult of the world, thou didst turn all thy longing toward God, that thou mightest find the ascent to the vision of things on high; and turning not aside into the guile of the heart, but cleansing soul and body, thou didst receive the grace to pour forth healings upon the faithful and the faithless who run to thee, O righteous Simeon. Therefore, by the gift given thee, ask of Christ God healing for us who are sick with the passions of the soul, and pray that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of martyrs)
Thy martyr, O Lord, in his contest received the 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.
Readings
Epistle
1 Corinthians 2.6-9 (Saturday before Elevation)
6Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Corinthians 4.17-5.5
17For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. 18Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. 19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. 20For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 21What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? 1It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Philippians 2.5-11 (Theotokos)
5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Gospel
Matthew 10.37-11.1 (Saturday before Elevation)
37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 40He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. 1And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.
Matthew 24.1-13
1And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28 (Theotokos)
38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 27And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Leavetaking Nativity Theotokos