Ven. John of Ancient Caves in Palestine

Saints commemorated

Saint of the day

Ven. John of Ancient Caves in Palestine

John was a monk of the Old Lavra — the ancient cave-monastery of St Chariton in the wilderness of Judea near Jerusalem, called "the Ancient Caves" (Palaia Lavra) — who lived in the eighth century and shone in the ascetic life. A confessor of the holy icons in the age of iconoclasm, he is honoured for his labours of prayer, fasting and struggle in the desert, and reposed in peace. His memory is kept on April 19.
Our Holy Father Agathangelos (1819)
Paphnutius the Hieromartyr

Paphnutius was a bishop (by tradition, of Jerusalem) and martyr who suffered in one of the persecutions of the early Church — most likely the Great Persecution of Diocletian — and was put to death by crucifixion. The synaxaria relate that many were converted through his confession and drawn to Christ by his steadfastness, and that after long torments he was nailed to a tree or cross. He is honoured as a hieromartyr on April 19.

British Isles and Ireland

Hieromartyr Alphege, 29th archbishop of Canterbury (1012)

Troparia & kontakia

Troparion — Tone 8 (common of an ascetic)

By a flood of tears thou didst make the barren desert fruitful, and by thy sighs from the depths thou didst bear fruit a hundredfold in labours; and thou becamest a beacon, shining upon the world by thy miracles, O John our father: intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a hieromartyr)

Having shared in the ways of the apostles and sat upon their thrones, thou didst find the path to divine contemplation, O inspired Paphnutius; and, contending for the faith even unto blood, thou didst enter into the joy of thy Lord. Entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Readings

Epistle

Acts 4.23-31

²³And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. ²⁴And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: ²⁵Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? ²⁶The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. ²⁷For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, ²⁸For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. ²⁹And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, ³⁰By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. ³¹And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Gospel

John 5.24-30

²⁴Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. ²⁵Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. ²⁶For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; ²⁷And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. ²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, ²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. ³⁰I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Saints commemorated