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Friday 30 May 2031

Leavetaking of Ascension

Friday of the 7th Sunday of Pascha

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Fast — Wine and Oil are Allowed Tone 6

Ascensiontide, day 9 · 47 days since Pascha

Leavetaking of Ascension

Saints commemorated

  • Ven. Isaac, Founder of Dalmatian Monastery

    Isaac (died c. 383) was a Syrian ascetic who left the desert for the capital in the crisis year 378 in order to stand in the road before the Arian emperor Valens as he rode out against the Goths, and to demand of him three times that the churches be given back to the Orthodox — foretelling, when he was refused, that the emperor would not come back but would perish by fire. Valens had him flung into a thorny ravine and then held under guard; within weeks he was dead in a burning farmhouse after the catastrophe at Adrianople, and the monk who had prophesied it was released a vindicated man. Under Theodosius the Great Isaac became the conscience and the spiritual father of Constantinople, and the monastery raised for him outside the walls by the officer Saturninus was the first great monastic house of the city — known ever after by the name of Isaac's successor Dalmatus, whence Isaac's own epithet "of Dalmatia". He is honoured as venerable and confessor on May 30, and again on August 3 with the fathers of his monastery.

  • St Macrina, grandmother of St Basil the Great (4th c.)

  • Cyprian the Righteous of Antioch

    Cyprian is a saint of the Greek synaxarion of May 30, entered with two facts only: that he was of Antioch, and that he reposed in peace — that is, that he was not a martyr. No office, no century, no place of burial and no history of any kind is transmitted. Given the two celebrated Cyprians with whom the notice inevitably collides — Cyprian the bishop of Carthage, and Cyprian the former magician of Antioch who is commemorated with Justina on October 2 — the entry is best treated as a distinct commemoration of the Church of Antioch which the Constantinopolitan books preserved without its story, while recording frankly that a doubling of one of the great Cyprians cannot be ruled out.

  • Emmelia

    Emmelia (late third century – c. 375) was the mother of one of the most remarkable households of saints in the history of the Church. Herself the daughter of a martyr, she married Basil the Elder, a Christian rhetorician of Cappadocia, and bore ten children, of whom the Church numbers five as saints: Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea; Macrina the Younger, teacher and monastic mother; Gregory of Nyssa, the theologian; Peter of Sebaste, bishop; and, in the ascetic tradition, Naucratius (June 8). Widowed, she gave herself under her daughter Macrina's guidance to the ascetic life, turning the family estate at Annesi in Pontus into a household of prayer, and died there in Macrina's arms. She is honoured as a righteous mother whose sanctity bore the fruit of a whole company of saints; the Greek Church keeps her on May 30, and she is commemorated on January 1 together with her son Basil.

  • Euplus the Martyr

    Euplus is a martyr of the Greek synaxarion of May 30, known from a single line which records one thing about him beyond his name: he was wrapped or sewn into an ox hide and left exposed to the sun until he died. Neither the place, the reign, the year, the judge nor the burial is transmitted. The punishment named, however, is a real and documented one of the Roman East, and it is the whole of what survives of this martyr's passion.

  • Natalius the Martyr

    Natalius is a martyr of the Greek synaxarion of May 30 of whom nothing at all is transmitted except his name and the manner of his death: he was perfected by the sword (ξίφει τελειοῦται). No place, no reign, no year, no interrogation and no relics are recorded. He stands in the Byzantine calendar as one of that considerable class of saints whose entire surviving memory is a name in a list — a witness that the Church kept, and keeps, the names of martyrs whose stories she has lost.

  • Romanus, Teletius and Christina of Nicomedia

    A company of martyrs of Nicomedia in Bithynia — Romanus, Teletius (also transmitted as Meletius) and Christina, together with what the Greek notice calls "the multitude of the saints burned at Nicomedia" — who were perfected by fire. No year, no judge, no interrogation and no burial is recorded: the synaxarion gives the place, the names, the manner of death, and one rubric of cultus, that their synaxis was celebrated at the martyrion of Saint Euphemia at Constantinople. Two of the same company, Eusebius and Charalampus, entered the books again under the following day, May 31, and are commemorated there; some manuscripts add Aphrodisius and Agapius to the roll of May 30. They are commemorated on May 30.

  • Venantius of Gaul

    Venantius was a young nobleman of Gaul, the elder brother of Honoratus, the founder of the great island monastery of Lérins, who with his brother and their spiritual father Caprasius abandoned rank and inheritance and sailed from Marseilles for the East, meaning to see the holy places of Palestine and to live under the ascetics of Syria and Egypt. He died on the voyage, at Methone in the Peloponnese, before reaching the desert he had set out for; his brother turned back and founded Lérins instead. He is one of the very few saints of the Latin West whom the Greek synaxarion receives in its own right, keeping him on May 30 as "Venandios" who was born in Gaul and "fell asleep in peace in Greece."

British Isles and Ireland

  • St. Walstan of Bawburgh, confessor (1016)

Troparia & kontakia

Apolytikion — Tone 8

With the streams of thy tears thou didst make the barren desert to bring forth, and with sighs from the depths thou didst render thy labours fruitful a hundredfold; thou becamest a beacon shining upon the world by miracles, O Isaac our father: intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Thou didst leave the silence of the desert and stand in the road before an emperor, crying, Give back the churches of the Orthodox to God; and being cast into the pit of thorns thou wast not silenced, but didst foretell the fire that took him. Wherefore, O confessor Isaac, father of the monks of the City, pray that we too may fear God and not men.

Troparion — Tone 8 (from the common of a righteous man)

The image of God was preserved in thee with exactness, O father; for taking up thy cross thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to look past the flesh, which passes away, and to care for the soul, a thing immortal. Wherefore, O righteous Cyprian, thy spirit rejoices with the angels.

Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a martyr)

Thy martyr Euplus, 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, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a martyr)

Thy martyr Natalius, 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, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of several martyrs)

Thy martyrs, 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 8 (from the common of an ascetic father)

Thou didst leave thy house and thy kindred and the rank of this world, and didst take ship to seek the deserts of the Fathers; and the Lord, receiving thy purpose for the deed, gave thee thy rest in a strange harbour. O venerable Venantius, pray that we too may set out and not turn back.

Readings

Epistle

Acts 27.1-44

1And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band. 2And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 3And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself. 4And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein. 7And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; 8And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea. 9Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, 10And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. 11Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. 12And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west. 13And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. 14But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. 15And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. 16And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: 17Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. 18And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; 19And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 20And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. 21But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. 22And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. 23For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. 25Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 26Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island. 27But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country; 28And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. 29Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. 30And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, 31Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. 32Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. 33And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. 34Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. 35And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. 36Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. 37And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. 38And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. 39And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. 40And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. 41And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. 42And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. 43But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: 44And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

Gospel

John 17.18-26

18As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 20Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.