Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucis, Callinicus

Saints commemorated

Saint of the day

Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucis, Callinicus

Thyrsus, Leucius and Callinicus were martyrs of the persecution under the emperor Decius (249–251), suffering about the year 250 in Bithynia. Leucius, a Christian of standing, openly rebuked the governor for his cruelty toward the faithful and was tortured and beheaded. Thyrsus, still only a catechumen, gave himself up for Christ, endured savage tortures unharmed, and by his prayer toppled an idol of Apollo before reposing under sentence of death. Callinicus, a pagan priest who watched Thyrsus's courage and his miracle, was converted on the spot, confessed Christ aloud, and was put to the sword. The three are commemorated together on December 14.
Holy Martyrs Philemon, Apollonius, Arian and those with them (3rd c.)

Philemon and Apollonius were martyrs of Antinoöpolis (Antinoe) in the Egyptian Thebaid during the persecution of Diocletian, suffering about the year 305. Apollonius, a reader of the Church, was afraid of torture and paid a pagan flute-player named Philemon to sacrifice to the idols in his place; but when Philemon put on the reader's clothes and came to the altar, grace touched his heart, he confessed Christ, and — praying for baptism, he received a sudden shower of rain as his baptism. Both were beheaded, and their example converted their judge, the governor Arrian, who with four of his bodyguards was in turn martyred by drowning. Their brother Theonas and the wider company of the Thebaid martyrs are remembered with them on December 14.

British Isles and Ireland

St. Hygbald, abbot of Hibaldstow (7th C)
SS. Fingar and Phiala, and 770 other martyr companions (5th C)

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 4

Come, let us all assemble today and, with sacred songs of praise, extol the luminaries of the Church, hymning them as the prize-winning athletes of Christ our God.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Champions of the true faith, you spat upon the impious tyrant and laid bare his beast-like thirst for blood; strengthened by the help of Christ, you overcame his raging violence, O Thyrsus and Leucius. Together with those who suffered at your side, intercede for us.

Troparion — Tone 4

Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received incorruptible crowns from Thee our God; for, possessed of Thy might, they cast down the tyrants and broke the feeble insolence of the demons. By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 4

Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received incorruptible crowns from Thee our God; for, possessed of Thy might, they cast down the tyrants and broke the feeble insolence of the demons. By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

Readings

Epistle

Hebrews 3.5-11, 17-19

⁵And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; ⁶But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. ⁷Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, ⁸Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: ⁹When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. ¹⁰Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. ¹¹So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) ¹⁷But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? ¹⁹So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Gospel

Mark 8.11-21

¹¹And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. ¹²And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. ¹³And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. ¹⁴Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. ¹⁵And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. ¹⁶And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. ¹⁷And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? ¹⁸Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? ¹⁹When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. ²⁰And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. ²¹And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

Saints commemorated