Midfeast of Pentecost

Saints commemorated

Apostles Carpus and Alphaeus of the Seventy

On May 26 the Church keeps the joint memory of two of the Seventy Apostles: Carpus, the host at whose house in Troas the Apostle Paul left the cloak and the books he asks Timothy to bring to him (2 Tim. 4:13), afterwards a preacher in Crete and first bishop of Beroea; and Alphaeus, of Capernaum in Galilee, whom the tradition names as the father of the Apostles James and Matthew, and whose own children Abercius and Helen are commemorated with him on this day as martyrs. Both belong to that second and wider apostolic company whom the Lord "appointed and sent two and two before his face" (Luke 10:1), and both are counted in the ancient rolls of the Seventy; of the events of their lives the record is slender, and the honour paid them rests on the New Testament's brief notices and on the memory of the churches they founded.
Greatmartyr George the New at Sofia

George the New (c. 1497 – 1515), called also George of Kratovo, was a young Christian goldsmith burned alive at Sofia (the Byzantine Sredets) in the early years of Ottoman rule, one of the most celebrated new-martyrs of the Balkan Slavs. Born at Kratovo, a mining town of the central Balkans, to a devout Christian family, and skilled in the working of gold and silver, he came as a youth of about eighteen to Sofia, where his beauty and gifts drew the notice of the Turks. Pressed to renounce Christ and embrace Islam, he refused with constancy; brought before the judge and offered wealth and honour to apostatise, he confessed his faith the more boldly, and was condemned to the fire and burned alive on 11 February 1515. His Life, written soon afterward by the priest Peyo of Sofia, is a landmark of South Slavic literature, and his memory is kept with honour by the Bulgarian, Serbian, and Russian Churches, both of the first two peoples claiming him as their own.
Saint Augustine of Canterbury, evangelizer of England (ca. 605)

Augustine (†26 May 604 or 605) was the Roman monk whom Gregory the Dialogist sent from the monastery of St Andrew on the Caelian Hill to preach Christ to the pagan English, and who became the first archbishop of Canterbury. Landing in Kent in 597 with some forty companions, he was received by King Æthelberht, whose Frankish queen Bertha was already a Christian, was given the old Roman church of St Martin outside Canterbury for his prayers, baptised the king and, within a year, great numbers of his people, and set the shape of the English Church: the cathedral of Christ Church at Canterbury, the abbey of Saints Peter and Paul outside the walls, and the sees of Rochester and London. His attempt at unity with the ancient British bishops failed over the Paschal reckoning and over his own bearing, and he did not live to see it mended. Wonders were worked through him in his lifetime — Gregory wrote to warn him not to be lifted up by them — and the English Church, which has never called him anything but its apostle, keeps his memory on the day of his repose.
Holy New Martyr Alexander of Thessalonica (1794)
Abercius and Helen

Abercius and Helen were a brother and sister of the apostolic generation, named in the synaxarion of May 26 as the children of the Apostle Alphaeus of Capernaum — and so, by the same tradition, brother and sister of the Apostles James and Matthew. Both confessed Christ and both were put to death: Abercius stripped naked and bound so that he was stung to death by bees, Helen stoned. Nothing further of them is transmitted. They are commemorated with their father on his day, and belong to that large class of saints whose whole surviving record is a single line of the synaxarion.
John Psychaites

John, called Psychaites from the monastery in which he lived, was a monk of the Lavra of Psicha near Constantinople in the last years of the eighth century and the first of the ninth, and one of the confessors of the holy icons. He had entered the monastery young, and the fame of his ascetic life and of the healings and exorcisms worked through his prayers had spread beyond it when the imperial power required of him a signature renouncing the veneration of images. He refused it, and called the emperor by his name — a heretic — to his face. For that he was arrested, ill-used and sent into banishment, and by the transmitted account he died in exile. His memory is kept on May 26 in the Slavic calendars and on May 7 in Greek usage.
Macarius of Kalyazin

Macarius of Kalyazin (c. 1400–1483) was one of the great monastic founders of fifteenth-century Russia — a wonderworker of the Tver land whose monastery on the Volga became a centre of the Russian North. Born Matthew Kozhin to a pious boyar family, he was married at his parents' wish but widowed within a few years and left an orphan; freed of every earthly tie, he took the monastic habit at Kashin and then withdrew into the forest between the lakes above the Volga, where he built a cell and, drawing disciples, founded the Holy Trinity monastery later called after Kalyazin. Famed for a humility so deep that he named his own monastery after the very landowner who had first opposed it, and for the gift of healing, he governed his brotherhood into great old age and reposed in 1483. His relics were found incorrupt in 1521 and he was numbered among the saints of the Russian Church; his monastery stood until it was drowned by the waters of the Volga in 1940.

British Isles and Ireland

St. Oduvald, abbot of Melrose (698)
St. Dyfan of Merthyr Dyfan (2nd C.)
SS Damian and Fugatius, missionaries to Britain (2nd C)
St. Becan, hermit near Cork (6th C)

Troparia & kontakia

Apolytikion — Tone 3 (common of an apostle)

O holy Apostle Carpus, intercede with the merciful God, that he grant to our souls forgiveness of offences.

Kontakion — Tone 2 (common of a hierarch and teacher)

Thou didst carry the light of the Gospel to a people sitting in the shadow of death, and didst turn the idol-worshippers to Christ; wherefore the isle of Britain honoureth thee, O all-blessed Augustine, as the first shepherd of its faith, and crieth: cease not to intercede for us who praise thee.

Kontakion — Tone 4 (common of the apostles)

As initiates of the Word and unwearied heralds of the Gospel, O Carpus and Alphaeus, ye were shown forth apostles of the Saviour; wherefore we keep your memory with love, and glorify Christ who crowned you.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Yearning for the things on high, and finding thy delight in abstinence and toil and sweat, thou didst bridle the desire of thy flesh, and didst receive the gift of wonders, to heal the sicknesses of them that run to thee in faith, O father Macarius. Wherefore we cry to thee: Rejoice, O most radiant lamp.

Synaxarion

Having borne fruits acceptable unto the Lord, O Carpus, thou dost bear thine end in its season, as a vintage. On the twenty-sixth, Carpus flew away from the wide earth.

Troparion — Tone 4 (common of martyrs)

Thy martyrs Abercius and Helen, 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, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a hierarch)

The truth of things hath shown thee forth to thy flock as a rule of faith, an image of meekness and a teacher of temperance; therefore hast thou obtained the heights by humility, and riches by poverty. O Father and Hierarch Augustine, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable confessor)

The image of God was truly preserved in thee, O Father, for thou didst take up the Cross and follow Christ; and by thy deeds thou hast taught us to despise the flesh, which passeth away, and to care for the soul, which is immortal. Wherefore thy spirit, O venerable John, rejoiceth with the angels.

Troparion — Tone 8

The mindings of the flesh, O father Macarius, thou didst put to death by fasting and by vigil; for the place whereon thou didst pour out thy sweat cries aloud like a trumpet to God who glorifieth thee; and after thy death thou didst receive the gift of wonders from Him who grants incorruption to all. Wherefore we cry to thee: Intercede with Christ our God, that our souls may be saved.

Readings

Vespers

Composite 19 - Micah 4.2-3, 5; 6.2-5, 8; 5.4, 5

¹Thus says the Lord: From Sion will come forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he will judge among many peoples and rebuke mighty nations in a distant land. For all the peoples will walk, each its own way, while we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever. Thus says the Lord Almighty: Listen hills and valleys, foundations of the earth, because the Lord has a controversy with his people; for he will dispute with Israel, saying, ‘My people, what have I done to you? Or how have I grieved you? Or how have I troubled you? Answer me. For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and rescued you from the house of slavery, and sent Moses and Aaron before your face. My people, what have your enemies planned against you? Was it not told you, O man, what is good? And what does the Lord seek from you, except to execute judgement, and to love mercy and to be ready to walk with the Lord your God?’ Therefore the Lord will be magnified in strength, and will shepherd his flock in peace, to the extremities of the earth.

Composite 20 - Isaiah 55.1; 12.3-4; 55.2-13

¹Thus says the Lord: You who thirst, go to the water; and all who have no money, go, buy and eat and drink wine and fat without money or price. For thus says the Lord Almighty to you: My people, draw water with joy from the springs of salvation. And you will say in that day: Praise the Lord, cry his name aloud, declare his glory among the nations, call to mind that his name has been exalted. My people, hear me, and eat good things, and your soul will delight in good things. Attend with your ears and follow my ways. Listen to me and your soul will live among good things. And I will make an eternal covenant with you, and you will call upon me. And when you draw near me, let the impious abandon his ways, and the lawless man his plans; and turn back to me and I will have mercy on you and forgive your sins. For your plans are not as my plans, says the Lord; but as heaven is distant from the earth, so is my way distant from your ways, and your thoughts from my mind. For as rain or snow would come down from heaven and not return there, until it had soaked the earth, and it bring forth and bud and give seed to the sower, and bread for food, so shall my word be, which once it has come from my mouth will not return there until it has accomplished all that I willed; and I will make my ways and my commands succeed. For you will go out with joy, and be taught with gladness; for the mountains and hills will exult as they receive you with joy; and all the trees of the field will clap with their branches; and instead of the briar shall come up the cypress; instead of the nettle shall come up the myrtle; and the Lord shall be for a name and for an eternal sign, says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel.

Proverbs 9.1-11

¹Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: ²She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. ³She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, ⁴Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, ⁵Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. ⁶Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. ⁷He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. ⁸Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. ⁹Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. ¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. ¹¹For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

Epistle

Acts 14.6-18

⁶They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: ⁷And there they preached the gospel. ⁸And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: ⁹The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, ¹⁰Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. ¹¹And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. ¹²And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. ¹⁴Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, ¹⁵And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: ¹⁶Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. ¹⁷Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. ¹⁸And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

Hebrews 2.11-18 (Blessing of Waters)

¹¹For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹²Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. ¹³And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. ¹⁴Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; ¹⁵And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁶For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Gospel

John 7.14-30

¹⁴Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. ¹⁵And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? ¹⁶Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. ¹⁷If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. ¹⁸He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. ¹⁹Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? ²⁰The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? ²¹Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. ²²Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. ²³If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? ²⁴Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. ²⁵Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? ²⁶But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? ²⁷Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. ²⁸Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. ²⁹But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me. ³⁰Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

John 5.1-4 (Blessing of Waters)

¹After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ²Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. ³In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. ⁴For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.