Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
Ven. Parasceva of Serbia
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Holy Martyrs Nazarius, Gervasius, Protasius, and Celsus of Milan (1st c.)
Nazarius, Gervasius, Protasius and Celsius are the four martyrs of Milan whom the Byzantine calendar commemorates together on October 14: by tradition sufferers under Nero (54–68) — Nazarius a Roman preacher of the Gospel, Gervasius and Protasius twin brothers of Milan, Celsius the boy whom Nazarius baptized in Gaul and raised as his disciple. Historically they are the most famous relic-saints of the early West: in 386 Ambrose of Milan uncovered the bodies of Gervasius and Protasius — the healing of the blind Severus at their bier, witnessed by the young Augustine, resounded through the Christian world — and about 395 he uncovered Nazarius and Celsius also. The traditional Acts, however, are late, and the chronology of their deaths is a recognised problem.
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Saint Cosmas the Hymnographer (8th c.)
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Saint Nicholas the Pious (Sviatosha), Prince of Chernigov (1143)
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Parasceva of the Balkans
Parasceva of the Balkans (11th century), called Petka by the Slavs, Cuvioasa Parascheva by the Romanians, and "the New" by the Greeks, is the most beloved woman saint of the Orthodox Balkans: a young ascetic of Epibatai on the Sea of Marmara who left wealth for the Jordan desert, returned home at an angel's command, and died in obscurity — and whose incorrupt relics then made one of the great journeys of Orthodox history, from her native Thrace to Tarnovo (where she became the patroness of Bulgaria), to Belgrade, to Constantinople, and at last in 1641 to Iaşi in Moldavia, where they rest today and draw on her October 14 feast one of the largest annual pilgrimages in the Orthodox world.
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Silvan of Gaza
Silvan of Gaza (†311) is one of the last martyrs of the great persecution in Palestine, and one of the few saints of his rank whose death is recorded by an eyewitness historian: Eusebius of Caesarea, who watched the persecution unfold in his own province, describes him as a soldier turned clergyman of Gaza, an old man of exemplary gentleness, who confessed Christ under torture, was condemned to the copper mines of Phaeno, was made bishop of the churches about Gaza, and was beheaded at the mines with thirty-nine companions — about forty in one day — in the persecution's final spasm under Maximinus. The calendars commemorate him on October 14, some styling him presbyter and some bishop; both are true in sequence.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Burchard, 1st bishop of Wurzburg, English missionary to Germany (754)
- St. Manaccus, abbot of Holyhead (6th C)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 1
Come, ye faithful, with songs of praise let us hymn the four-numbered glory of the martyrs of Christ — Nazarius, Protasius, Gervasius and Celsius; for they contended even to beheading and death, and having received the crown of incorruption, they entreat that we may be saved.
Kontakion — Tone 6
Come, all ye faithful, and let us devoutly hymn the holy protectress of those in adversity, Parasceva the all-honoured; for she forsook the corruptible life and received the incorruptible unto the ages, and therefore has found glory, and the grace of wonders, at the command of God.
Magnification
We call thee blessed, O venerable mother Parasceva, and we honour thy holy memory, for thou dost pray for us to Christ our God.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of martyrs)
Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received crowns of incorruption from thee, our God; for possessing thy strength they cast down the tyrants and shattered the powerless insolence of the demons. By their supplications, O Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 2
Having loved the desert life and its stillness, and run with fervour after Christ thy Bridegroom, and taken his good yoke upon thee in thy youth, thou didst arm thyself manfully with the sign of the Cross against the spiritual foes; by ascetic struggles, by fasting, prayers and drops of tears thou didst quench the burning coals of the passions, O Parasceva worthy of all praise; and now in the heavenly bridal chamber, standing with the wise virgins before Christ, pray for us who honour thy precious memory.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a hieromartyr)
Sharing the ways of the Apostles and a successor of their thrones, thou didst find thy practice, O inspired of God, a ladder of ascent to the vision of God; wherefore, rightly dividing the word of truth, thou didst suffer for the faith even unto blood, O hieromartyr Silvanus. Intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Readings
Epistle
Ephesians 4.14-19
14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Gospel
Luke 9.7-11
7Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead; 8And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. 9And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him. 10And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.