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Wednesday 30 September 2026

Hieromartyr Gregory of Armenia; Ven. Gregory of Vologda

Wednesday of the 18th week after Pentecost

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Fast Tone 8

Saints commemorated

  • Saint of the day

    Hieromartyr Gregory of Armenia

    Gregory the Illuminator (c. 257 – c. 331) was the apostle of Armenia: a Parthian noble of the Arsacid line who, after enduring torture and some thirteen years' imprisonment in the pit of Khor Virap under King Tiridates III, healed the afflicted king, converted him, and led the Armenian nation to baptism around 301 — by the traditional reckoning the first kingdom on earth to embrace Christianity as a state. Consecrated bishop at Caesarea in Cappadocia, he became the first Catholicos of the Armenians, founded the cathedral of Etchmiadzin at the place of his celebrated vision of Christ descending, and ended his life as a hermit. The Byzantine calendar styles him hieromartyr for his sufferings, though he reposed in peace; he is commemorated on September 30.

  • Saint of the day

    Ven. Gregory of Vologda

  • Venerable Gregory of Pelshma (1441 or 1451)

  • Our Father among the Saints Michael, Metropolitan of Kiev (992)

    Michael (†992) is venerated as the first Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia: the hierarch who, by church tradition, came to Kiev with Prince Vladimir after his baptism at Korsun (c. 988–989), baptised the people of the newly converted land, made missionary rounds of the Russian towns founding the first churches and schools, and set the Russian hierarchy on its foundations — the old Kievan and Novgorodian records call him "the initiator." He reposed in 992 and was buried in the Tithe Church of the Theotokos in Kiev; his relics were later translated to the Kiev Caves Lavra. His principal feast is June 15; September 30 commemorates the translation of his relics, kept in the Russian and OCA calendars.

  • Ripsimia, Gaiana and the Virgin-Martyrs of Armenia

    Ripsimia (Hripsime), the eldress Gaiana (Gayane), and the company of consecrated virgins with them (†c. 300) fled the emperor Diocletian — who had sought the beautiful Ripsimia for his wife — from the Roman world to Vagharshapat in Armenia, where King Tiridates III desired her in turn. Resisting the king by God's strength, Ripsimia was put to death with dreadful tortures, Gaiana and the other virgins after her; days later Tiridates was struck with madness, healed only by Gregory the Illuminator, drawn from the pit of Khor Virap — so that the blood of these women became the seed of the conversion of Armenia. Their martyria stand around Etchmiadzin to this day. They are commemorated on September 30, together with Gregory.

British Isles and Ireland

  • St. Honorius, 5th archbishop of Canterbury (653)
  • St. Midan of Anglesey (610)
  • St. Enghenedl of Anglesey (7th C)
  • SS Tancred, Torthred and Tova, hermits and martyrs (870)

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 2

Come, ye faithful, let us all today with divine songs and hymns praise the glorious hierarch Gregory as a contender for the truth: the watchful shepherd and teacher, the luminary of the whole world; for he intercedes with Christ God that we may be saved.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Thou wast shown forth as a second Moses for the Russian land, O father, bearing the spiritual vine out of the idolatry of Egypt into a land foreseen by prophecy: "There shall be," it said, "an establishment of faith upon the earth, and upon the summits of the hills of Kiev its fruit, nourishing the whole world, shall be exalted above Lebanon." Tasting of that fruit, we call thee blessed, O Michael, hierarch of God.

Troparion — Tone 4

Sharer of the ways and successor to the throne of the apostles, divinely inspired one, thou didst find thy deeds a ladder to divine vision; wherefore, rightly dividing the word of truth, thou didst suffer for the faith even unto blood. O hieromartyr Gregory, entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 4

Today the prophecy of the first-called apostle is fulfilled: for behold, upon these hills grace has shone forth and faith has been multiplied; and they who had grown old in unbelief have been reborn of the divine font and become a people of renewal — a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the flock of Christ — whose first shepherd thou wast shown to be, as first serving it with baptism. And now, standing before the Master, Christ God, pray that all the sons of the Russian land may be saved; for thou hast boldness as God's hierarch and minister.

Troparion — Tone 4

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

Readings

Epistle

Ephesians 5.25-33

25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Gospel

Luke 5.33-39

33And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? 34And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? 35But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 36And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. 37And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. 38But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. 39No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.