Wednesday 19 September 2029
Martyrs Trophimus, Sabbatius, Dorymedon; Ss David and Constantine of Yaroslavl
Wednesday of the 17th week after Pentecost
Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
Martyrs Trophimus, Sabbatius, Dorymedon
Trophimus, Sabbatius and Dorymedon (†c. 276) are the chief martyrs of September 19, sufferers under the emperor Probus. Trophimus and Sabbatius, Christian strangers arriving at Antioch of Pisidia during a riotous pagan festival, were arrested when their grief at the spectacle betrayed them. Sabbatius died at Antioch under torture; Trophimus, driven three days to Synnada in Phrygia in iron sandals set with nails, was cared for in prison by the senator Dorymedon, a secret Christian, until Dorymedon's own refusal of a pagan feast exposed him. Thrown to the beasts and left untouched, Trophimus and Dorymedon were beheaded together. The three are commemorated as one company.
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Saint of the day
Ss David and Constantine of Yaroslavl
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Holy Martyr Zosimas the Hermit of Cilicia (4th c.)
Zosimas of Cilicia (4th century) was a Christian hermit who lived among the wild beasts of the Cilician wilderness, having fled the cities of the persecutors. Discovered at his ease among the animals by Dometian, governor of Cilicia, while the governor was hunting, he confessed himself a Christian and was put to fierce tortures: hung head downwards with a stone at his neck and torn with iron hooks. Challenged to prove his God by summoning one of the beasts that obeyed him, he prayed, and a lion came and bore up the stone with its paw. The terrified governor ordered him released to be sent to the emperor, but the old man immediately gave up his soul to God.
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Igor of Chernigov
Igor Olgovich (†1147), of the princely house of Chernigov, held the throne of Kiev for a fortnight in 1146, was defeated and imprisoned, and in prison asked for and received the monastic tonsure with the name Gabriel, and then the great schema. Two years later, while he was standing at the Liturgy in the monastery church of St Theodore in Kiev, the Kiev mob — inflamed by rumours of a conspiracy of his kinsmen, and against the pleading of the metropolitan, the clergy and the prince's own brother — dragged him from the church, beat him, and killed him, leaving his body naked in the marketplace. He is venerated as a passion-bearer: a prince who had already given up the world and who did not resist. His murder is kept on September 19 and the translation of his relics to Chernigov in 1150 on June 5.
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Theodore of Tarsus
Theodore of Tarsus (c. 602–690) was a Byzantine Greek monk of Cilicia who, at the age of sixty-six, was consecrated by Pope Vitalian as Archbishop of Canterbury (668–690) and became the organiser of the English Church. Arriving in Kent in 669 with his companion Hadrian the African, he made the first visitation of all England, filled and multiplied the vacant sees, held the first council of the whole English Church at Hertford (672), condemned Monothelitism at Hatfield (679), and founded at Canterbury a school where Greek was taught at the edge of the known world. Bede calls him the first archbishop whom the whole Church of the English obeyed; the diocesan structure he built endures. He reposed on September 19, 690.
Readings
Epistle
Ephesians 3.8-21
8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. 13Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 14For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Gospel
Luke 4.1-15
1And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 3And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. 4And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 5And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 9And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: 10For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: 11And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 12And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 13And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. 14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 2
Thou wast dragged from the church in the hour of the Gospel, and thy blood was shed in the marketplace of the city that had sworn to serve thee; but the candles kindled of themselves above thy body, and the city that slew thee learned to honour thee. O holy prince and monk, pray for our salvation.
Kontakion — Tone 4
As the foundation of athletes and the buttress of godliness, the Church honoureth and glorifieth thy light-bearing contest, O all-hymned and blessed one, noble-hearted athlete, glorious Trophimus; with thy fellow contestants ask cleansing for them that hymn thee, for thou art invincible.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a passion-bearer)
Having exchanged the crown of a prince for the habit of a monk, and the throne of Kiev for a cell of prayer, thou didst not flee, O right-believing Igor, when the people rose against thee; but standing before the holy things thou wast taken as a lamb, and didst render good for evil. Wherefore, O passion-bearer Gabriel, entreat Christ our God to grant peace to His people.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a hierarch)
The truth of thy deeds hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an image of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; therefore by humility thou didst gain the heights, by poverty the riches. O father and hierarch Theodore, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 8
God, praised in Trinity, hath glorified a trinity of martyrs, Trophimus, Sabbatius and Dorymedon; for believing in him they cast down the enemy. By their prayers, O Christ our God, have mercy on us.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of martyrs)
Thy martyr Zosimas, O Lord, in his contest received the incorruptible crown from thee, our God; for possessing thy strength he cast down the tyrants and broke the feeble insolence of the demons. By his prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.