Saints commemorated
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Martyrs Menas, Victor and Vincent
Menas of Egypt (c. 285 – c. 309) was an Egyptian soldier of the Roman army who, at the height of the Diocletianic persecution, cast down his military belt, withdrew to the wilderness, and then returned to confess Christ openly before a pagan festival at Cotyaeum in Phrygia, for which he was tortured and beheaded. Buried in the desert west of Alexandria, his tomb became one of the greatest healing shrines of the Christian East: the vast pilgrimage city of Abu Mena grew around it, and the clay flasks stamped with his image — the saint standing in prayer between two camels — were carried by pilgrims across the whole Mediterranean world. One of the most beloved military martyrs and wonderworkers of the Church, he is commemorated on November 11.
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Our Righteous Father Theodore the Studite (826)
Theodore the Studite (759–826) was the great abbot of the monastery of Stoudios at Constantinople, the foremost monastic reformer and confessor of the Byzantine Church, and the most uncompromising defender of the holy icons in the second iconoclast controversy. Through his Rule, his catechetical instructions, and his vast correspondence he refounded coenobitic monasticism on a footing of common life, manual labour, and daily obedience that shaped Eastern monasticism ever after; the Stoudite typikon governed the worship of Constantinople and passed to Mount Athos, Kiev, and the whole Slavonic world. Thrice exiled and scourged for his resistance to imperial interference in the Church, he died in confession on November 11, 826.
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Maximus of Moscow
Maximus of Moscow (died 1434) was a fool-for-Christ of medieval Russia who bore the hardest form of ascetic self-emptying, walking about Moscow almost naked summer and winter, homeless and enduring heat and frost alike. Comforting the poor amid the calamities of the Tatar yoke, famine, and plague, and rebuking the rich and powerful for hardness of heart, he spoke his wisdom in the proverbs of the common people. Buried at the Moscow church of Saints Boris and Gleb, he was glorified as a wonderworker in 1547 and his relics uncovered the same year.
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Victor and Stephanida
Victor and Stephanida were martyrs of the second century, put to death at Damascus in the reign of the emperor Marcus Aurelius (161–180). Victor, a Christian soldier, refused the sacrifice demanded of the legions and passed unharmed through a succession of tortures, working miracles that converted his persecutors; Stephanida, the young wife of one of his torturers, seeing the power of Christ at work in him, confessed the faith aloud and was martyred by being torn apart between two bent palm trees. They are commemorated together on November 11.
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Vincent of Saragossa
Vincent of Saragossa (died 304) was a deacon of the Spanish church and the protomartyr of the Iberian peninsula, put to death at Valencia in the persecution of Diocletian. Ordained by Bishop Valerius of Saragossa and given charge of preaching in his stead, he was arrested with his bishop, defended the faith with famous eloquence before the governor Dacian, and endured a series of savage tortures — the rack, the iron hooks, the gridiron — before dying in prison. One of the most widely venerated martyrs of the ancient West, honoured already by Augustine and Prudentius, he is kept in the Byzantine calendar among the martyrs of November 11.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Cynfran of Carnarvonshire (5th C)
- St. Bertuin (c.698)
- St. Rhediw of Llanllyfni
Readings
2nd Matins Gospel
Mark 16.1-8
1And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 8And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
Epistle
Ephesians 2.14-22
14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Gospel
Luke 10.25-37
25And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 29But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 2
Desiring the beauty of the world on high, thou didst count as nothing the sweetness below and the raiment of the body, and thou didst love non-acquisitiveness more than the vain world. Passing through an angelic manner of life, thou didst reach thine end, O blessed Maximus; with the angels pray thou unceasingly to Christ for us all.
Kontakion — Tone 4
Christ our God drew thee out of the passing warfare and showed thee a partaker of that which is heavenly and incorruptible, O passion-bearer Menas; for He Himself is the unfading crown of the martyrs.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Thy ascetic life, equal to the angels', thou didst make radiant by the struggles of a confessor, and thou wast shown, O God-blessed Theodore, to be a dweller with the angels. Together with them, cease not to pray to Christ God for us all.
Kontakion — Tone 4
Unto Thy glory, O Lord and Maker of all, Thou hast shown forth in the world Thy passion-bearers and martyrs, adorned with virtues, that they might possess an unconquerable victory.
Troparion — Tone 5
By nakedness of body and by patience thou didst lay bare the wiles of the enemy, rebuking his ungodly deeds; grievously suffering the sun's scorching heat and the great and bitter cold, thou didst feel neither frost nor fire, sheltered by the help of God, O most wise Maximus. Pray for those who faithfully and with honour keep thy memory and who fervently draw near to thy relics, that they be delivered from misfortunes and escape from falling.
Troparion — Tone 4
Thou didst forsake the warfare of this world, O champion, and didst receive an inheritance in heaven and an unfading crown; for thou didst spurn the glory of an earthly king and finish the contest of a valiant martyrdom. Therefore, O Great-martyr Menas, intercede that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 8
Guide of Orthodoxy, teacher of piety and holiness, luminary of the world, God-inspired adornment of monastics: O wise Theodore, by thy teachings thou hast enlightened all, O lyre of the Spirit. Intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4
Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received incorruptible crowns from Thee our God; for having Thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and broke the powerless insolence of the demons. By their supplications, O Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4
Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received incorruptible crowns from Thee our God; for having Thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and broke the powerless insolence of the demons. By their supplications, O Christ God, save our souls.