Paschaltide, day 7 · 6 days since Pascha
Saints commemorated
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St Martin the Confessor, Pope of Rome
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Apostles Aristarchus, Pudens and Trophimus of the Seventy
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Holy Martyr Ardalion the Actor (3rd c.)
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Anthony, John and Eustathius of Vilnius
Anthony, John and Eustathius — the Three Martyrs of Vilnius — were Lithuanian courtiers, brothers or kinsmen, converted to Christ from paganism, who were hanged on an oak in Vilnius in 1347 under the Grand Duke Olgerd (Algirdas) for refusing to keep the pagan customs of their people. They are the proto-martyrs of the Lithuanian land; their incorrupt relics rest in the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius, and they are held in especial honour throughout the Russian and the wider Orthodox Church.
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Thomais of Alexandria
Thomais was a young married woman of Alexandria in the fifth century who was killed by her own father-in-law when she refused his incestuous advances, choosing death rather than sin against chastity and against her husband. The Church honours her as a martyr for purity, and, from ancient times, invokes her especially against the passion of lust and the warfare of the flesh; the desert fathers of Egypt kept her memory and taught that she had died for the commandment of God.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Tassach, 1st bishop of Raholp and disciple of St. Patrick (c.497)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 3
The three kinsmen, enlightened by holy baptism, trampled the ancestral idols underfoot and died upon the oak for Christ; wherefore, O Anthony, John and Eustathius, ye shine as three lights over the northern land, and pray unceasingly for us all.
Troparion — Tone 1
Let us honour the three martyrs of Vilnius, Anthony, John and Eustathius, who cast down the darkness of idolatry and confessed Christ upon the tree of martyrdom; and let us cry to them: Rejoice, O firstfruits of the Lithuanian land and unshaken pillars of the faith, who intercede for our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a martyr)
Thy martyr Thomais, O Lord, in her contest received an incorruptible crown from Thee, our God; for possessing Thy strength, she cast down the tyrants and shattered the feeble insolence of the demons. By her intercessions save our souls.
Readings
Epistle
Acts 3.11-16
11And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. 12And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 13The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. 14But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; 15And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. 16And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Gospel
John 3.22-33
22After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judæa; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 24For John was not yet cast into prison. 25Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30He must increase, but I must decrease. 31He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. 32And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. 33He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.