Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
Greatmartyr Nicetas the Goth
Nicetas the Goth (†372) was a Christian of the Gothic lands on the lower Danube, converted and formed in the young Gothic church of the fourth century, who laboured to spread the faith among his own people. When the pagan Gothic ruler Athanaric renewed his persecution of the Christians among the Goths, Nicetas denounced him, was seized, tortured, and burned; his body, preserved unconsumed, was carried by his friend Marianus to Mopsuestia in Cilicia, from which his cultus spread through the whole Church. Venerated as a great-martyr, he became one of the most beloved warrior-saints of the Slavic world. His feast is September 15.
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Holy Martyr Porphyrius (361).
Porphyrius the Actor (†361) was a mime of the reign of Julian the Apostate who, performing at the celebrations of the emperor's birthday, was to mock the mystery of holy Baptism on stage. Immersing himself in the water, he pronounced the baptismal words in earnest — "The servant of God Porphyrius is baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" — and rose from the water confessing himself a Christian before the whole theatre. Grace had made the jest true. Tortured on Julian's orders, he was beheaded; the Slavic tradition places his martyrdom at Ephesus. He is commemorated on September 15.
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Acacius the Confessor
Acacius the Confessor was bishop of Melitene in Armenia in the middle of the third century. Arrested in the persecution of Decius (249–251) and brought before the governor Marcianus, he confessed Christ boldly under torture but was not put to death; released, he bore the marks of his sufferings for the rest of his life and died in peace. His memory is kept on March 31, and the uncovering of his relic — whose year is not transmitted — on September 15.
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Philotheus the Presbyter
Philotheus the Presbyter was a tenth-century parish priest and wonderworker of the village of Myrmex (Slavonic Mravin) in Bithynia, in the Opsikion region of Asia Minor. A married priest with children, he served his village in prayer, fasting and works of mercy, feeding the hungry and helping the needy, and received from God the gift of working miracles. He died in peace, and myrrh flowed from his relics. He is commemorated on September 15.
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Stephen the Protomartyr
Stephen the Protomartyr (†c. 34) was the first of the seven deacons chosen by the Apostles and the first Christian to die for Christ. "Full of faith and of the Holy Spirit," he worked wonders among the people, confounded the Hellenist synagogues in debate, and, arraigned before the Sanhedrin on a charge of blasphemy, delivered the longest speech in the Acts of the Apostles before beholding "the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." Stoned outside Jerusalem with the young Saul consenting, he died praying for his killers. His relics, hidden for centuries, were uncovered at Kaphar Gamala in 415. His chief feast is December 27; the uncovering of his relics is kept on September 15 and their translation to Constantinople on August 2.
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Theodotus, Asclepiodota and Maximus of Adrianople
Theodotus, Asclepiodota and Maximus were martyrs of Thrace under the emperor Galerius (305–311). Maximus and Asclepiodota, eminent citizens of Marcianopolis whose Christian life had drawn many to baptism, were arrested by Tiris, governor of Thrace; Theodotus was seized for rebuking the governor's cruelty. Tortured at Marcianopolis and again at Adrianople — where the beasts of the arena refused to touch them — they were beheaded near the village of Saltys on the road to Philippopolis, and the tradition adds that the governor was struck dead by lightning on his judgment seat. They are commemorated together on September 15.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Hernan, hermit (6th C)
- St. Merryn, bishop of Bangor (620)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 2
Thou didst cut down the dominion of error by thy withstanding, and didst receive the crown of victory by thy contest; with the Angels, O glorious one, thou rejoicest, Nicetas, namesake of victory, with them interceding unceasingly to Christ God for us all.
Kontakion — Tone 3
Yesterday the Master came to us in the flesh, and today the servant departs from the flesh; yesterday he that reigneth was born according to the flesh, today the servant is stoned to death: for his sake the Protomartyr, the divine Stephen, is made perfect.
Kontakion — Tone 6 (Slavic books)
First wast thou sown upon the earth by the heavenly Husbandman, O all-praised Stephen; first didst thou shed thy blood upon the earth for Christ, O blessed one; first wast thou wreathed by him in heaven with the crown of victory, O beginning of the sufferers, crowned one, first-champion of the martyrs.
Magnification
We magnify thee, holy passion-bearer Stephen, and we honour thy precious sufferings, which thou didst endure for Christ.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a hierarch)
A rule of faith and an image of meekness, a teacher of temperance did the truth of things show thee to thy flock; therefore thou didst gain by humility the things on high, by poverty the things that are rich: O Father and hierarch Acacius, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4
Thy Martyr, O Lord, Nicetas, in his contest received an incorruptible crown from Thee our God; for possessing Thy strength he cast down the tormentors and broke the feeble insolence of the demons: at his intercessions save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4 (Slavic Menaion)
Taking up the Cross of Christ eagerly as a weapon, thou didst hasten to the battle against the enemies, and having suffered for Christ, thou didst at the last give up thy hallowed soul to the Lord in the fire; wherefore thou wast counted worthy to receive from Him the gifts of healing, O Great-martyr Nicetas: pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 8 (from the common of a venerable one)
In thee, O Father, that which is according to the image was preserved exactly: for taking up the cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach that the flesh is to be despised, for it passes away, but the soul cared for, as a thing immortal; wherefore with the angels thy spirit rejoices, O venerable Philotheus.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a martyr)
Thy Martyr, O Lord, Porphyrius, in his contest received an incorruptible crown from Thee our God; for possessing Thy strength he cast down the tormentors and broke the feeble insolence of the demons: at his intercessions save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4
A royal diadem is set upon thy head for the contests thou didst endure for Christ God, O first combatant among the martyrs; for thou didst convict the frenzy of the Jews and behold thy Saviour at the right hand of the Father: entreat him ever, O Stephen, in behalf of our souls.
Troparion
A good fight didst thou fight, O Protomartyr of Christ, Apostle and Archdeacon Stephen, and didst expose the impiety of the tormentors; for, stoned by the hands of lawless men, thou didst receive a crown from the right hand on high, and didst cry aloud to God: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.
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 tormentors and broke the feeble insolence of the demons: at their intercessions save our souls.
Readings
Epistle
Galatians 5.11-21
11And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. 12I would they were even cut off which trouble you. 13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Gospel
Mark 7.5-16
5Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? 6He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 10For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. 14And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.