Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
Ven. Pelagia the Penitent
Pelagia the Penitent (†c. 457) is the most celebrated of the penitent courtesans of the Orthodox calendar: the foremost actress and courtesan of Antioch, called Margarita — "Pearl" — for the jewels she wore, who was brought to compunction by the preaching and the tears of the holy bishop Nonnus, was baptised by him, gave all her wealth to the poor, and vanished from the city in a man's clothing. As the monk "Pelagius" she lived in a walled cell on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem in extreme asceticism, her sex discovered only when her body was prepared for burial. Her feast, on October 8, she shares with a wholly different Antiochene saint of the same name, the virgin-martyr Pelagia.
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Saint Thaïs the Repentant Harlot (4th c.)
Taisia of Egypt — Thaïs, in the Greek and Latin of her Life — was a celebrated courtesan of fourth-century Egypt, famed for a beauty that, the tradition says, ruined many, who was converted by the desert father Paphnutius. Coming to her in the guise of a client, the old ascetic found that she already knew of God and of the judgment, and his words so pierced her that she burned her wealth in the public square and followed him into the desert. Enclosed for three years in a cell, praying only "O Thou who didst fashion me, have mercy on me," she received assurance of forgiveness — Paul the Simple saw in a vision the place prepared for her in Paradise — and died within a fortnight of her release. Her feast is October 8.
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Pelagia the Virgin of Antioch
Pelagia the Virgin of Antioch (†c. 303) was a fifteen-year-old Christian maiden of a noble Antiochene house who, when soldiers of the great persecution surrounded her home to seize her — and, the tradition says, to violate her — asked leave to change her clothing, prayed with hands lifted to heaven, and threw herself from the housetop, dying to preserve her virginity for Christ. Antioch venerated her from the first generation: Ambrose of Milan holds her up twice as a pattern of consecrated virginity, and John Chrysostom preached a surviving festal homily on her. She shares her feast, October 8, with a wholly different Antiochene saint of the same name, Pelagia the Penitent.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Keyne, virgin-recluse
- St. Iwi of Lindisfarne, hermit (c.690)
- St. Triduna of Restalrig (4th C)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 2
Wearing out thy body with fastings and with unsleeping prayers, thou didst implore the Creator concerning thy deeds, that thou mightest receive perfect forgiveness of them; which indeed thou didst receive, O mother, having shown forth the way of repentance.
Kontakion — Tone 2 (from the common)
For the love of the Lord, O venerable one, thou didst hate the desire for rest, enlightening thy spirit with fasting; for mightily didst thou vanquish the beasts: but by thy prayers destroy the insolence of the adversaries.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Wearing out thy body with fastings and with unsleeping prayers, thou didst implore the Creator concerning thy deeds, that thou mightest receive perfect forgiveness of them; which indeed thou didst receive, O mother, having shown forth the way of repentance.
Kontakion — Tone 2 (from the common)
For the love of the Lord, O venerable one, thou didst hate the desire for rest, enlightening thy spirit with fasting; for mightily didst thou vanquish the beasts: but by thy prayers destroy the insolence of the adversaries.
Sticheron
Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, as the Apostle teacheth; for in prayers and tears, O Pelagia, thou didst dry up the sea of thy many offences, and by repentance didst bring unto the Lord an end well-pleasing to him; and now thou dost intercede with him for our souls.
Sticheron
Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, as the Apostle teacheth; for in prayers and tears, O Pelagia, thou didst dry up the sea of thy many offences, and by repentance didst bring unto the Lord an end well-pleasing to him; and now thou dost intercede with him for our souls.
Troparion — Tone 8 (from the common of a venerable woman)
In thee, O mother, that which is according to the image was preserved with exactness; for taking up the cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to disregard the flesh, for it passeth away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal: wherefore thy spirit, O venerable Pelagia, rejoiceth with the angels.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a virgin martyr)
Thy lamb Pelagia crieth unto thee with a great voice, O Jesus: Thee, my Bridegroom, do I love, and seeking thee I contend, and am crucified and buried with thee in thy baptism; and I suffer for thy sake, that I may reign with thee, and I die for thee, that I may live in thee. As a spotless sacrifice, then, receive her who with longing was slain for thee. By her intercessions, since thou art merciful, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 8 (from the common of a venerable woman)
In thee, O mother, that which is according to the image was preserved with exactness; for taking up the cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to disregard the flesh, for it passeth away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal: wherefore thy spirit, O venerable Taisia, rejoiceth with the angels.
Troparion — Tone 8 (from the common of a venerable woman)
In thee, O mother, that which is according to the image was preserved with exactness; for taking up the cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to disregard the flesh, for it passeth away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal: wherefore thy spirit, O venerable Pelagia, rejoiceth with the angels.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a virgin martyr)
Thy lamb Pelagia crieth unto thee with a great voice, O Jesus: Thee, my Bridegroom, do I love, and seeking thee I contend, and am crucified and buried with thee in thy baptism; and I suffer for thy sake, that I may reign with thee, and I die for thee, that I may live in thee. As a spotless sacrifice, then, receive her who with longing was slain for thee. By her intercessions, since thou art merciful, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 8 (from the common of a venerable woman)
In thee, O mother, that which is according to the image was preserved with exactness; for taking up the cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to disregard the flesh, for it passeth away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal: wherefore thy spirit, O venerable Taisia, rejoiceth with the angels.
Readings
Epistle
Philippians 1.20-27
20According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 26That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. 27Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Gospel
Luke 7.17-30
17And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judæa, and throughout all the region round about. 18And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things. 19And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 21And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 22Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. 23And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 24And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. 26But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. 27This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 28For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 29And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.