Memorial Saturday

Saints commemorated

Apostles Carpus and Alphaeus of the Seventy

On May 26 the Church keeps the joint memory of two of the Seventy Apostles: Carpus, the host at whose house in Troas the Apostle Paul left the cloak and the books he asks Timothy to bring to him (2 Tim. 4:13), afterwards a preacher in Crete and first bishop of Beroea; and Alphaeus, of Capernaum in Galilee, whom the tradition names as the father of the Apostles James and Matthew, and whose own children Abercius and Helen are commemorated with him on this day as martyrs. Both belong to that second and wider apostolic company whom the Lord "appointed and sent two and two before his face" (Luke 10:1), and both are counted in the ancient rolls of the Seventy; of the events of their lives the record is slender, and the honour paid them rests on the New Testament's brief notices and on the memory of the churches they founded.
Greatmartyr George the New at Sofia

George the New (c. 1497 – 1515), called also George of Kratovo, was a young Christian goldsmith burned alive at Sofia (the Byzantine Sredets) in the early years of Ottoman rule, one of the most celebrated new-martyrs of the Balkan Slavs. Born at Kratovo, a mining town of the central Balkans, to a devout Christian family, and skilled in the working of gold and silver, he came as a youth of about eighteen to Sofia, where his beauty and gifts drew the notice of the Turks. Pressed to renounce Christ and embrace Islam, he refused with constancy; brought before the judge and offered wealth and honour to apostatise, he confessed his faith the more boldly, and was condemned to the fire and burned alive on 11 February 1515. His Life, written soon afterward by the priest Peyo of Sofia, is a landmark of South Slavic literature, and his memory is kept with honour by the Bulgarian, Serbian, and Russian Churches, both of the first two peoples claiming him as their own.
Saint Augustine of Canterbury, evangelizer of England (ca. 605)

Augustine (†26 May 604 or 605) was the Roman monk whom Gregory the Dialogist sent from the monastery of St Andrew on the Caelian Hill to preach Christ to the pagan English, and who became the first archbishop of Canterbury. Landing in Kent in 597 with some forty companions, he was received by King Æthelberht, whose Frankish queen Bertha was already a Christian, was given the old Roman church of St Martin outside Canterbury for his prayers, baptised the king and, within a year, great numbers of his people, and set the shape of the English Church: the cathedral of Christ Church at Canterbury, the abbey of Saints Peter and Paul outside the walls, and the sees of Rochester and London. His attempt at unity with the ancient British bishops failed over the Paschal reckoning and over his own bearing, and he did not live to see it mended. Wonders were worked through him in his lifetime — Gregory wrote to warn him not to be lifted up by them — and the English Church, which has never called him anything but its apostle, keeps his memory on the day of his repose.
Holy New Martyr Alexander of Thessalonica (1794)
Abercius and Helen

Abercius and Helen were a brother and sister of the apostolic generation, named in the synaxarion of May 26 as the children of the Apostle Alphaeus of Capernaum — and so, by the same tradition, brother and sister of the Apostles James and Matthew. Both confessed Christ and both were put to death: Abercius stripped naked and bound so that he was stung to death by bees, Helen stoned. Nothing further of them is transmitted. They are commemorated with their father on his day, and belong to that large class of saints whose whole surviving record is a single line of the synaxarion.
John Psychaites

John, called Psychaites from the monastery in which he lived, was a monk of the Lavra of Psicha near Constantinople in the last years of the eighth century and the first of the ninth, and one of the confessors of the holy icons. He had entered the monastery young, and the fame of his ascetic life and of the healings and exorcisms worked through his prayers had spread beyond it when the imperial power required of him a signature renouncing the veneration of images. He refused it, and called the emperor by his name — a heretic — to his face. For that he was arrested, ill-used and sent into banishment, and by the transmitted account he died in exile. His memory is kept on May 26 in the Slavic calendars and on May 7 in Greek usage.
Macarius of Kalyazin

Macarius of Kalyazin (c. 1400–1483) was one of the great monastic founders of fifteenth-century Russia — a wonderworker of the Tver land whose monastery on the Volga became a centre of the Russian North. Born Matthew Kozhin to a pious boyar family, he was married at his parents' wish but widowed within a few years and left an orphan; freed of every earthly tie, he took the monastic habit at Kashin and then withdrew into the forest between the lakes above the Volga, where he built a cell and, drawing disciples, founded the Holy Trinity monastery later called after Kalyazin. Famed for a humility so deep that he named his own monastery after the very landowner who had first opposed it, and for the gift of healing, he governed his brotherhood into great old age and reposed in 1483. His relics were found incorrupt in 1521 and he was numbered among the saints of the Russian Church; his monastery stood until it was drowned by the waters of the Volga in 1940.

British Isles and Ireland

St. Oduvald, abbot of Melrose (698)
St. Dyfan of Merthyr Dyfan (2nd C.)
SS Damian and Fugatius, missionaries to Britain (2nd C)
St. Becan, hermit near Cork (6th C)

Troparia & kontakia

Apolytikion — Tone 3 (common of an apostle)

O holy Apostle Carpus, intercede with the merciful God, that he grant to our souls forgiveness of offences.

Kontakion — Tone 2 (common of a hierarch and teacher)

Thou didst carry the light of the Gospel to a people sitting in the shadow of death, and didst turn the idol-worshippers to Christ; wherefore the isle of Britain honoureth thee, O all-blessed Augustine, as the first shepherd of its faith, and crieth: cease not to intercede for us who praise thee.

Kontakion — Tone 4 (common of the apostles)

As initiates of the Word and unwearied heralds of the Gospel, O Carpus and Alphaeus, ye were shown forth apostles of the Saviour; wherefore we keep your memory with love, and glorify Christ who crowned you.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Yearning for the things on high, and finding thy delight in abstinence and toil and sweat, thou didst bridle the desire of thy flesh, and didst receive the gift of wonders, to heal the sicknesses of them that run to thee in faith, O father Macarius. Wherefore we cry to thee: Rejoice, O most radiant lamp.

Synaxarion

Having borne fruits acceptable unto the Lord, O Carpus, thou dost bear thine end in its season, as a vintage. On the twenty-sixth, Carpus flew away from the wide earth.

Troparion — Tone 4 (common of martyrs)

Thy martyrs Abercius and Helen, 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, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a hierarch)

The truth of things hath shown thee forth to thy flock as a rule of faith, an image of meekness and a teacher of temperance; therefore hast thou obtained the heights by humility, and riches by poverty. O Father and Hierarch Augustine, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable confessor)

The image of God was truly preserved in thee, O Father, for thou didst take up the Cross and follow Christ; and by thy deeds thou hast taught us to despise the flesh, which passeth away, and to care for the soul, which is immortal. Wherefore thy spirit, O venerable John, rejoiceth with the angels.

Troparion — Tone 8

The mindings of the flesh, O father Macarius, thou didst put to death by fasting and by vigil; for the place whereon thou didst pour out thy sweat cries aloud like a trumpet to God who glorifieth thee; and after thy death thou didst receive the gift of wonders from Him who grants incorruption to all. Wherefore we cry to thee: Intercede with Christ our God, that our souls may be saved.

Readings

Epistle

Acts 28.1-31

¹And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. ²And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. ³And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. ⁴And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. ⁵And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. ⁶Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. ⁷In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. ⁸And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. ⁹So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: ¹⁰Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary. ¹¹And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux. ¹²And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days. ¹³And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli: ¹⁴Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome. ¹⁵And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage. ¹⁶And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him. ¹⁷And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. ¹⁸Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. ¹⁹But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Cæsar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. ²⁰For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. ²¹And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judæa concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee. ²²But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against. ²³And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. ²⁴And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. ²⁵And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, ²⁶Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: ²⁷For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. ²⁸Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. ²⁹And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves. ³⁰And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, ³¹Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

1 Thessalonians 4.13-17 (Departed)

¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15.47-57 (Departed, variant)

⁴⁷The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. ⁴⁸As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. ⁴⁹And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. ⁵⁰Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel

John 21.15-25

¹⁵So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. ¹⁶He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁷He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁸Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. ¹⁹This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. ²⁰Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? ²¹Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? ²²Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. ²³Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? ²⁴This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. ²⁵And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

John 5.24-30 (Departed)

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.

John 6.35-39 (Departed, variant)

³⁵And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. ³⁶But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. ³⁷All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. ³⁸For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. ³⁹And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.