Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
Unmercenary Wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian
Cosmas and Damian of Rome (†c. 284) are the second of the three pairs of holy unmercenary brother-physicians of that name whom the Byzantine calendar keeps, and the only pair the tradition places in the West. Brothers born at Rome, they practised medicine in the reign of the emperor Carinus, taking no fee and telling those they cured, "it is not by our own power that we heal you, but by the power of Christ the true God." Denounced and arrested, they were delivered when the emperor, struck blind at their word, was healed at their prayer and released them with honour. They died not by the state's sentence but by private envy: the aged physician who had taught them their art led them up a mountain on pretext of gathering herbs and stoned them to death there. They are commemorated on July 1, and are not to be confused with the unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian of Mesopotamia (November 1) or of Arabia (October 17).
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Angelina of Serbia
Angelina was an Albanian nobleman's daughter who married the blinded and dispossessed despot Stephen Branković of Serbia, followed him through exile in Venetian Albania and northern Italy, buried him there, and then — twice widowed of a country, since Serbia itself had fallen to the Turks in 1459 — brought her sons and her husband's body north into Hungarian Syrmia to begin again. Both sons, George and John, are numbered among the saints; George became the monk and metropolitan Maximus, and with him Angelina founded the monastery of Krušedol in the Fruška Gora, the house that became the spiritual centre of the Serbs of the Danube for two centuries. She ended her days there as a nun, about 1520, and is venerated as Prepodobna mati Angelina, "our venerable mother Angelina" — the matriarch of the last Serbian ruling house and of its exile.
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John of Rila
John of Rila (c. 876–946) is the greatest of the Bulgarian saints: the shepherd of Skrino who fled into the Rila wilderness, lived in a hollow oak and a bare cave on herbs and wild chickpeas, refused the visit of Tsar Peter while returning his gold, gathered the disciples who became the Rila Monastery, and left them a Testament of poverty, prayer and freedom from kings. His relics travelled for five centuries — Sredets, Esztergom, Tarnovo, and home to Rila in 1469 — and his monastery became the ark of Bulgarian faith and letters through the Ottoman night. Heavenly protector of the Bulgarian people, he is celebrated above all on October 19, with further feasts on August 18 (his repose) and July 1 (the return of his relics).
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Leontius of Rădăuți
Leontius (in the world and in his first monastic tonsure, Lawrence) was a priest-monk of northern Moldavia who founded a hermitage near his native Rădăuți, became the spiritual father of a generation of Moldavian ascetics — among them Daniel the Hesychast — and was drawn out of it by the prince Alexander the Good to be bishop of Rădăuți, the senior see of the principality, whose cathedral was the old princely church of Bogdana. Late in life he laid down the episcopate, withdrew to the wilderness, received the great schema with the name Leontius, and reposed soon after, about 1432. His body was found incorrupt and his tomb became a place of healing; the Romanian Orthodox Church glorified him formally in 1992, and his relics are venerated in a chapel of the Bogdana monastery at Rădăuți. His feast is July 1.
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Peter the Patrician
Peter was a patrician of Constantinople and an officer of the imperial army who was taken prisoner in the catastrophic Bulgarian campaign of 811, in which the emperor Nikephoros I was killed; released from his captivity, the tradition says, by the Apostle John the Theologian, who appeared to him in the night and loosed his chains, he returned to the City, gave up rank and career, and was tonsured a monk on Mount Olympus in Bithynia. There he lived thirty-four years under the direction of Joannicius the Great in extreme austerity — perpetual fasting and vigil, a hair shirt, and bare feet — and passed his last eight years in Constantinople, where he founded a monastery and a church of St Euandrus. He reposed in 854, aged about seventy, and is commemorated on July 1.
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Potitus
Potitus was a boy of the second century who was baptised at thirteen against his pagan father's will, converted that father by his constancy, and then spent what was left of his short life travelling and preaching. The tradition gives him two great cures — the senator's wife Kyriake, healed of leprosy at her baptism in Epirus, and the demon-possessed daughter of the emperor Antoninus Pius — and makes the second of them the cause of his death: the emperor credited the healing to his own gods, and, when the boy refused to sacrifice, had his tongue cut out and his eyes put out and then had him beheaded, about the year 160. Between the cures he lived alone among the wild beasts on Mount Garganus. His cult passed early into southern Italy, where he is patron of Tricarico and Ascoli Satriano; the Byzantine books keep him on July 1.
British Isles and Ireland
- Holy Julius and Aaron, Protomartyrs of Wales (c.304)
- St. Servanus (Serf, Sair), Apostle of Western Fife (6th C)
- St. Lunaire (Leonorious), bishop
- St. Cewydd of Anglesey (6th C)
- St. Juthware of Devon (7th C)
- St. Veep (Veepus, Veepy, Wimp, Wennapa), patron saint of St. Veep, Cornwall (6th C)
- St. Gwenyth of Cornwall (6th C)
Readings
5th Matins Gospel
Luke 24.12-35
12Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. 13And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? 33And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. 35And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
Epistle
Romans 10.1-10
1Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Gospel
Matthew 8.28-9.1
28And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. 29And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? 30And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. 32And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. 33And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. 34And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts. 1And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
Troparia & kontakia
Apolytikion — Tone 8
O holy Unmercenaries and wonderworkers, visit our infirmities: freely have ye received, freely give unto us.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Having received the grace of healings, ye stretch forth health to those in need, O glorious wonderworking physicians; wherefore by your visitation cast down the insolence of the enemy, and heal the world by your miracles.
Kontakion — Tone 8
Emulating the angelic life, O venerable one, thou didst forsake all earthly things and run to Christ; and fenced about with his commandments, thou wast shown forth a pillar unshaken by the assaults of the enemy. Wherefore we cry to thee: Rejoice, father John, most radiant beacon.
Kontakion
With steadfast mind and unceasing prayers thou didst wrestle down utterly the all-destroying power of the striving enemy, and wast worthily glorified by Christ, O all-blessed John; wherefore today, keeping in gladness the bright feast of the return of thy relics, we cry to thee with one voice: to thy flock and to thy people thou art with God, O venerable father, their boast and their stronghold.
Troparion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable woman)
In thee, O mother, was preserved unimpaired that which is according to the image; for taking up the cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to despise the flesh, for it passeth away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal. Wherefore, O venerable Angelina, thy spirit rejoiceth with the angels.
Troparion — Tone 1
Foundation of repentance, pattern of compunction, image of consolation and of spiritual perfection was thy life, equal to the angels, O venerable one: for thou didst abide in prayers and fastings and in tears. O father John, intercede with Christ God for our souls.
Troparion
By the return of thy relics thy monastery is enriched; thy church, receiving them, is illumined, and adorned with beauty she calls the faithful with gladness to keep in radiance thy light-bearing day, saying: Come, and receive the gifts of grace.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a hierarch)
O God of our fathers, who ever dealest with us according to Thy gentleness: take not Thy mercy from us, but by the prayers of the hierarch Leontius, guide our life in peace.
Troparion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable monastic)
In thee, O Father, was preserved unimpaired that which is according to the image; for taking up the cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to despise the flesh, for it passeth away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal. Wherefore, O venerable Peter, thy spirit rejoiceth with the angels.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a martyr)
Thy martyr Potitus, O Lord, in his contest received an incorruptible crown from Thee, our God; for possessing Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and shattered the feeble insolence of the demons. By his intercessions save our souls.