Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
Ven. Joannicus the Great
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Joannicius the Great
Joannicius the Great (c. 752–846) was the foremost monastic saint of ninth-century Bithynia, an ascetic of Mount Olympus whose seventy years of solitary struggle, gift of prophecy, and abundant wonders made him the most celebrated holy man of the Byzantine world in the age of the second iconoclasm. A soldier of the imperial armies in his youth — and, in the tradition, once a sympathiser of the image-breakers — he was converted to the monastic life and to the fervent defence of the holy icons, foretelling the restoration of Orthodoxy that came in 843. He composed the short prayer to the Holy Trinity — "The Father is my hope, the Son my refuge, the Holy Spirit my protection" — still used by the Church. He reposed on November 4, 846, aged about ninety-four.
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Nicander of Myra and Hermas
Nicander, bishop of Myra in Lycia, and Hermas the presbyter were disciples of the Apostle Titus of the Seventy, who ordained them to the priesthood. Labouring as pastors and ascetics in first-century Lycia, they converted many pagans to Christ, for which they were seized and brought before the prefect Libanius. Neither flattery nor threat could move them, and they endured a succession of savage torments before being cast into a pit and buried alive. They are commemorated together on November 4 as hieromartyrs of the apostolic age.
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Porphyrius of Caesarea
Porphyrius of Caesarea (†c. 270) is the "Holy Martyr Porphyrius" whom the Greek Menaion commemorates on November 4, martyred by the sword. In the received hagiographic tradition he is a second actor-martyr of the same name and story as the Porphyrius kept on September 15: a mime who, mocking the mystery of Baptism on stage, was seized by grace in the water, confessed Christ before the theatre, and was put to death — this one placed at Caesarea under the emperor Aurelian (270–275). Hagiographers have long suspected the two commemorations of being doublets of a single tradition; because the liturgical books keep two, this repository follows the books and records him under a distinguishing slug.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Birnstan, bishop of Winchester (934)
- Holy Martyr Clarus of Rochester, hermit (c.875)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 8
Thou didst rise as an all-radiant star, enlightening the world and illumining those who sit in the darkness of the passions; a physician most mighty wast thou shown to be. Since therefore thou hast received the grace of healings, grant healing to those who ask of thee, that we may cry: Rejoice, O father Joannicius.
Troparion — Tone 8
With the streams of thy tears thou didst cultivate the barrenness of the desert, and by thy sighing from the depths thou didst bear fruit a hundredfold in labours, and thou becamest a luminary, shining upon the whole world with miracles. O Joannicius our venerable father, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a martyr)
Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous 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, O Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a martyr)
Thy Martyr, O Lord, Porphyrius, in his contest received an incorruptible crown from Thee our God; for possessing Thy strength he cast down the tyrants and broke the feeble insolence of the demons: at his intercessions save our souls.
Readings
Epistle
Philippians 3.1-8
1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Gospel
Luke 11.47-12.1
47Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. 49Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 50That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. 52Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. 53And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: 54Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him. 1In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.