St Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch; St Aleksy, Metr. of All Russia

Saints commemorated

Saint of the day

St Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch

Meletius (early 4th century – 381) was Archbishop of Antioch and one of the most beloved and most tried of the Church's hierarchs. Raised to the great Syrian see about the year 360, he confessed the Nicene faith so plainly at his enthronement that within a month the Arians procured his exile; three times he was driven from his city under the Arian emperors, and three times he returned, always in the same gentleness that made his name a byword. Under him the young John Chrysostom was catechised, baptised, and ordained reader. His episcopate was shadowed by the long Meletian schism — a division of the Nicene party at Antioch itself, over the legitimacy of his election rather than over the faith. Vindicated at last, he presided over the opening of the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople in 381 and reposed while it sat; Gregory of Nyssa preached his funeral, and his relics were carried home to Antioch and laid beside the martyr Babylas.
Saint of the day

St Aleksy, Metr. of All Russia
St Meletios, archbishop of Antioch (381)
Alexis of Moscow

Alexis (c. 1292/1305 – 1378) was Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia and one of the great architects of Muscovite Russia — a saint remembered equally as a wonderworking hierarch and as a statesman who held the Russian land together in a perilous age. Born Eleutherius, of a boyar family of Chernigov settled at Moscow, he was a monk of the Theophany monastery for over twenty years before his elevation, and Metropolitan from 1354. Twice he journeyed to the Golden Horde; there, at the Khan's summons, he healed Taidula, the mother of the Khan, of blindness, and won by it protection and privileges for the Church. As guardian and regent for the boy-prince Demetrius Donskoy, he steadied the throne of Moscow and reconciled its warring princes. He founded the Chudov (Miracle) Monastery in the Kremlin and other houses, and reposed on February 12, 1378. His relics, uncovered incorrupt in 1431, made him one of the beloved wonderworkers of Russia and one of the Hierarchs of Moscow.
Antony II Kauleas

Antony Kauleas (c. 829 – 901), called "the Younger" to distinguish him from an earlier patriarch of the name, was Patriarch of Constantinople from 893 until his death, and a peacemaker of the Church. Of a Phrygian family settled in the capital, he was drawn from childhood to the monastic life, entering a monastery at twelve and becoming in time its abbot; he even brought his own widowed father into the brotherhood. Renowned for austere prayer through the night and for great mercy to the poor, he was raised to the patriarchal throne under the emperor Leo VI the Wise, and laboured to compose the divisions left by the long strife between the followers of Photius and of Ignatius, convening a synod that restored peace to the Church. He reposed on February 12; his memory was honoured with encomia by the learned men of his own generation, and the monastery of Kauleas long kept his name.
Christos the Gardener

Christos (Kristo) the Gardener (c. 1708 – 1748) was a new martyr of the Ottoman period — a simple Albanian market-gardener who died at Constantinople rather than deny Christ. Come to the great city about the age of forty to earn his living by his trade, he fell into a dispute over the price of apples with a Turk, who in his anger denounced him to the authorities with the false claim that Christos had said he wished to become a Muslim. Arrested on the word of Muslim witnesses, Christos steadfastly refused to apostatise, endured imprisonment and torture, and was beheaded on February 12, 1748. His memory was recorded by the monk and writer Kaisarios Dapontes, who ministered to him in prison, and he is numbered among the Neomartyrs of the Faith.
Mary (called Marinos)

Mary, called Marinos (fifth-to-sixth century), is the ascetic woman who lived out her whole monastic life disguised as a man, and bore in silence a slander that would have crushed a lesser soul. Left motherless, she would not be parted from her father Eugene when he resolved to become a monk; cutting her hair and putting on man's clothing, she entered the monastery with him as the young "monk Marinos," and so excelled in humility and obedience that none suspected her. Falsely accused by an innkeeper's daughter of having fathered her child, "Marinos" made no defence, accepted expulsion, and for years lived outside the gate, raising the child as her own. Restored at last to the monastery and set to the hardest labours, she bore all without complaint; only when she died was her secret revealed, to the confusion and repentance of her accusers. She is a beloved image of humility, patience, and unjust blame borne for Christ.

British Isles and Ireland

St. Ethelwold, monk and bishop of Lindisfarne (740)
St. Siadhal (Sedulius) (5th C)

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 8

Though thy holy icon was cast into the sea, O Theotokos, by a widow who could not save it from the enemies, yet hast thou been shown forth as the Guardian of Athos and the Keeper of the Gate of the Iveron monastery, striking terror into the foes, and delivering from all afflictions and calamities, in the Orthodox land of Russia, them that honour thee.

Kontakion — Tone 8

Let us all the faithful people faithfully hymn, and with love call blessed, the divine and most honoured hierarch of Christ, the new wonderworker Alexis, as a great shepherd, a servant, and a most wise teacher of the land of Russia. Today, running together to his memory, let us joyfully cry out a song to the God-bearer: since thou hast boldness before God, deliver us from manifold afflictions, that we may cry to thee: Rejoice, O confirmation of our city.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Adorned with the ways of Orthodoxy, thou wast shown to be the protector and champion of the Church, O all-blessed Meletius, setting the ends of the earth ablaze with the true doctrines: O most radiant lamp of the Church.

Troparion — Tone 1

The insolence of them that hate the image of the Lord, and the power of the ungodly, came godlessly upon Nicaea, and those sent thither cruelly tormented a widow who piously honoured the icon of the Mother of God; but she by night, together with her son, sent the icon forth upon the sea, crying aloud: Glory to Thee, O Pure One, for the untrodden sea hath lent Thee its shoulders; glory to Thy straight voyaging, O only Incorrupt One.

Troparion — Tone 8

As one enthroned together with the Apostles, a most excellent physician and a well-pleasing servant, we run to thy precious shrine, O God-wise hierarch Alexis, O wonderworker; gathered together in love, we keep thy memory in brightness, rejoicing in psalms and hymns and glorifying Christ, who hath given thee such grace of healings, and to thy city a great confirmation.

Troparion — Tone 4

Thy Martyr Christos, O Lord, in his contest received from Thee our God the crown of incorruption; for having Thy strength, he cast down the persecutors and broke the feeble boldness of the tormentors. By his prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 8

In thee, O Mother, was the image of God preserved unshaken; for taking up the Cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou hast taught us to despise the flesh, which passes away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal. Wherefore thy spirit, O venerable Mary, rejoices with the angels.

Troparion — Tone 4

A rule of faith and an image of gentleness, a teacher of temperance, the truth of things revealed thee to thy flock; therefore by humility thou didst gain the heights, and by poverty riches. O Father and Hierarch Meletius, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

Readings

Epistle

3 John 1.1-14

¹The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. ²Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. ³For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. ⁴I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. ⁵Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; ⁶Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: ⁷Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. ⁸We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. ⁹I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. ¹⁰Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. ¹¹Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. ¹²Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. ¹³I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: ¹⁴But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

Gospel

Luke 19.29-40, 22.7-39

²⁹And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, ³⁰Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. ³¹And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. ³²And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. ³³And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? ³⁴And they said, The Lord hath need of him. ³⁵And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. ³⁶And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. ³⁷And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; ³⁸Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. ³⁹And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. ⁴⁰And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. ⁷Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. ⁸And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. ⁹And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? ¹⁰And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. ¹¹And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? ¹²And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. ¹³And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. ¹⁴And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. ¹⁵And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: ¹⁶For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. ¹⁷And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: ¹⁸For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. ¹⁹And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. ²⁰Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. ²¹But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. ²²And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! ²³And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. ²⁴And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. ²⁵And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. ²⁶But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. ²⁷For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. ²⁸Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. ²⁹And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; ³⁰That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ³¹And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: ³²But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. ³³And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. ³⁴And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. ³⁵And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. ³⁶Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. ³⁷For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. ³⁸And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough. ³⁹And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

Saints commemorated