Paschaltide, day 6 · 5 days since Pascha
The Life-Giving Spring of the Most-holy Theotokos
About The Life-Giving Fountain →
Saints commemorated
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Ven. John, Disciple of Gregory Decapolites
John was the disciple, fellow-ascetic and spiritual son of St Gregory of Decapolis, and shared his master's labours and sufferings for the holy icons in the second iconoclast persecution of the ninth century. Faithful to Gregory to the end, and himself a confessor of the veneration of images, he reposed in peace and is honoured on April 18.
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The Holy Martyr John the New of Ioannina (1526)
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Cosmas of Chalcedon and Auxentius
Cosmas, Bishop of Chalcedon, and his companion Auxentius were confessors of the holy icons in the iconoclast persecution. Cosmas, chosen bishop of Chalcedon across the water from Constantinople, withstood the heretical emperors and refused to surrender the veneration of the images; for this he was persecuted, deposed and exiled, and with his faithful companion Auxentius endured much for the faith before reposing in peace. They are kept together on April 18.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Laserian of Innismurray and Arran (639)
- St. Deicola, abbot of Bosham (7th C)
- St. Cogitosus of Kildare (8th C)
- SS. Bitheus and Genocus (6th C)
Troparia & kontakia
Exapostilarion
Thou art in very truth the fount of living water, O Lady; therefore thou dost wash away the grievous sicknesses of souls and of bodies by thy touch alone, who pourest forth Christ, the water of salvation.
Kontakion — Tone 8 (to the automelon *Τῇ ὑπερμάχῳ*)
Out of thine inexhaustible Fountain, O thou who art graced of God, thou bestowest upon me the waters of thy grace, which stream forth unfailingly and beyond all speech; for as thou didst bear the Word past all understanding, I entreat thee to bedew me with thy grace, that I may cry to thee: Rejoice, O water of salvation.
Megalynarion
Let us honour with faith the life-flowing water of the Fountain, which poureth out the immortal dew, the manna, the divine nectar, the strange ambrosia, the honey out of the rock.
Oikos — Tone 8
O immaculate Theotokos, who ineffably didst bear the pre-eternal Word of the Father, enlarge my mouth, O pure one, and take me with thee unto thy praise, that I may sing thy Fountain and cry aloud: Rejoice, fount of unceasing gladness; rejoice, stream of beauty past telling. Rejoice, undoing of every sickness; rejoice, flood that drowns the manifold passions. Rejoice, clearest current, that makest the faithful whole; rejoice, most gracious water, to them that are many times diseased.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a bishop-confessor)
O God of our fathers, ever dealing with us according to Thy gentleness: take not Thy mercy from us, but by the prayers of Thy holy confessors Cosmas the bishop and Auxentius, direct our lives in peace.
Troparion — Tone 8 (common of an ascetic-confessor)
By a flood of tears thou didst make the desert fruitful, and by thy sufferings for the holy icons thou didst confess the faith; thou becamest a beacon shining upon the world by thy struggles, O John our father, disciple of Gregory: intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Readings
Epistle
Acts 3.1-8
1Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength. 8And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
Philippians 2.5-11 (Theotokos)
5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Gospel
John 2.12-22
12After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. 13And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. 17And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. 18Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21But he spake of the temple of his body. 22When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28 (Theotokos)
38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 27And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.