Paschaltide, day 8 · 7 days since Pascha
St Thomas Sunday
Saints commemorated
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Apostles of the Seventy Aristarchus, Pudens and Trophimus
Aristarchus of the Seventy was a Macedonian of Thessalonica and one of the most constant companions of the apostle Paul: seized by the Ephesus mob in the riot of the silversmiths, he accompanied Paul through Greece and to Jerusalem, sailed with him on the prisoner's voyage to Rome, and is greeted in the epistles as Paul's "fellow prisoner" and "fellow worker." The Byzantine tradition numbers him among the Seventy and makes him bishop of Apamea in Syria; the tradition of his April feast holds that he was beheaded at Rome under Nero, at the time of Paul's own martyrdom. He is commemorated on September 27 with the apostles Mark and Zenas, on April 15 with Pudens and Trophimus, and with all the Seventy on January 4.
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Holy Martyr Sabbas the Goth (372)
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Basilissa and Anastasia of Rome
Basilissa and Anastasia were noble Christian women of Rome, disciples of the apostles Peter and Paul, who devoted themselves to gathering and burying the bodies of the martyrs of the Neronian persecution. For this — and for their own bold confession of Christ — they were arrested, tortured and beheaded at Rome about the year 68. They are honoured as martyrs and as among the earliest confessors of the Church in the capital.
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Pudens of the Seventy
Pudens was a Christian of Rome, named by the Apostle Paul in the Second Letter to Timothy, and is numbered by the Church among the Seventy Apostles. Tradition makes him a Roman of rank whose house was a gathering-place of the apostles, and who was beheaded at Rome with the apostles Aristarchus and Trophimus under Nero. He is commemorated on April 15 with his companions, and among the Seventy on January 4.
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Thomas the Apostle
Thomas the Apostle, called Didymus, "the Twin," is the apostle of the great doubt and the greater confession: absent when the risen Lord first appeared to the Twelve, he refused to believe without touching the wounds, and eight days later, invited to do so, uttered the highest confession of Christ in all the Gospels — "My Lord and my God." The tradition of the Church sends him east after Pentecost, to Parthia and India, where he preached, founded churches, and was slain with spears at Mylapore about the year 72; the Christians of the Malabar coast bear his name — "St Thomas Christians" — to this day. His chief feast is October 6, he is commemorated with his brethren on June 30, and the whole Church relives his doubt and confession each year on Thomas Sunday, the first Sunday after Pascha.
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Trophimus of the Seventy
Trophimus was a disciple and travelling-companion of the Apostle Paul, named several times in the New Testament, and is numbered by the Church among the Seventy Apostles. An Ephesian and a Gentile Christian, he shared Paul's journeys and sufferings, and by tradition was beheaded at Rome together with the apostles Aristarchus and Pudens in the persecution of Nero. He is commemorated on April 15 with his fellow-labourers, and among the Seventy on January 4.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Ruadhan, hermit and abbot of Lothra (584)
- St. Mundus, abbot in Argyle (c.962)
Troparia & kontakia
Apolytikion — Tone 3 (Greek use)
O holy Apostle Thomas, intercede with the merciful God, that He grant unto our souls the forgiveness of offences.
Kontakion — Tone 4
Filled full of divine grace, the Apostle of Christ and His true servant cried out in repentance: Thou art my God and Lord.
Magnification
We magnify thee, O Thomas, Apostle of Christ, and we honour the pains and labours whereby thou didst labour in the good tidings of Christ.
Stichera
By thy faithful unbelief thou didst confirm the faithful, beginning to speak as God of Him who is God and Lord of all creation, who for our sake on earth put on flesh, and endured the Cross and death, and the piercing of the nails, and the opening of His side by the lance, whence we draw life. Thomas the wonderful opened the fountain of doctrines to the godly minded, O Master; for feeling Thy side he was fittingly initiated into the twofold energy of the two natures, and cried: Thou art my God and Master, Thou the Lord of glory, who for my sake becamest flesh.
Troparion — Tone 3
Holy Apostles, intercede with the merciful God, that he may grant our souls forgiveness of offences.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of women martyrs)
Thy martyrs Basilissa and Anastasia, 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 save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 3 (common of an apostle)
O holy apostle Pudens, intercede with the merciful God, that He may grant to our souls forgiveness of transgressions.
Troparion — Tone 2
Thou wast a disciple of Christ and a member of the divine apostolic company; having through thine unbelief given proof of Christ's Resurrection, and verified His most pure Passion by thy touch, O all-praised Thomas, entreat now also for us peace and great mercy.
Troparion — Tone 3 (common of an apostle)
O holy apostle Trophimus, intercede with the merciful God, that He may grant to our souls forgiveness of transgressions.
Readings
1st Matins Gospel
Matthew 28.16-20
16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Epistle
Acts 5.12-20
12And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. 13And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. 14And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) 15Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. 16There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. 17Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
Gospel
John 20.19-31
19Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 24But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 30And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.