Wednesday 10 December 2031
Martyrs Menas, Hermogenes, Eugraphus
Wednesday of the 28th week after Pentecost
Nativity Fast, day 26
Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
Martyrs Menas, Hermogenes, Eugraphus
Menas Kallikelados ("the fair-spoken"), Hermogenes and Eugraphus were three martyrs of the early fourth century, commemorated together on December 10. Menas, a Christian of great eloquence, was sent by the emperor from Athens to Alexandria to quiet the strife between Christians and pagans, but instead preached Christ openly and won many converts. The imperial official Hermogenes, despatched to try him, was himself converted by the martyr's endurance under torture and his miraculous healing; and Eugraphus, Menas's own secretary, confessed Christ on witnessing their steadfastness. The emperor, unmoved by their constancy and by the miracles wrought among them, put all three to death.
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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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Gemellus of Paphlagonia
Gemellus was a Christian of Paphlagonia who, about the year 361, openly rebuked the emperor Julian the Apostate for his renunciation of Christ, and for this confession was seized and cruelly tortured. A red-hot iron belt was fastened about his waist, and he was compelled to follow the emperor on his march eastward; at Edessa in Mesopotamia he was racked, pierced with stakes, and mangled, yet went on reviling the impiety of Julian. Released half-dead, he found a priest and was baptized, whereupon his wounds were healed. Learning of the miracle, Julian ordered him crucified, and so he gave up his soul to God. He is commemorated on December 10.
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Joasaph of Belgorod
Joasaph of Belgorod (1705–1754), born Joachim Gorlenko of a noble Ukrainian family, was a monk and bishop of the Russian Church renowned for the austerity of his personal life and the strictness of his pastoral zeal. Formed at the Kiev Academy and tonsured young, he rose through the monastic offices to be igumen of the Mgarsk monastery and vicar of the Trinity–Sergius Lavra before his consecration as Bishop of Belgorod and Oboyan in 1748. In six years of ascetic and exacting episcopate he laboured for the moral reform of his clergy and people. His body was found incorrupt after his repose, and he was glorified in 1911; he is commemorated on December 10, the day of his death.
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Thomas of Bithynia
Thomas Dephourkinos was a monk of Bithynia in the ninth and tenth centuries, who from his youth loved the monastic life and rose to govern a monastery newly founded on the river Sangarios before withdrawing into the wilderness to labour in solitude. Overcoming, the tradition says, many assaults of the devil, he was glorified by God with the gifts of healing and of prophecy, so that the emperor Leo VI the Wise sought his counsel. He is commemorated on December 10.
Readings
Epistle
2 Timothy 4.9-22
9Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: 10For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. 11Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. 12And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. 13The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments. 14Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: 15Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words. 16At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 17Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 19Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. 21Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren. 22The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
Gospel
Luke 21.5-7, 10-11, 20-24
5And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, 6As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 7And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? 10Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: 11And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 20And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21Then let them which are in Judæa flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 8
Who can recount the manifold struggles of thy life, or number the manifold mercies of God made manifest through thee? Knowing well thy boldness before the most pure Theotokos and the all-bountiful God, in compunction of heart we cry to thee: deprive not us also of thy help and protection, O hierarch of Christ and wonderworker Joasaph.
Kontakion — Tone 4
The Lord snatched thee, O Menas, from the passing warfare, and made thee, together with thy fellow-strugglers, a fellow-heir of that which is incorruptible, granting thee the unfading crown.
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 4
Thy martyr Gemellus, O Lord, in his contest received an incorruptible crown from Thee our God; for possessed of Thy strength, he cast down the tyrant and broke the feeble insolence of demons. By his prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 3
O hierarch beloved of Christ God, thou wast a rule of faith and an image of mercy to the people; by vigil, fasting and prayer thou didst shine as a most radiant lamp, and wast shown forth glorified by God. Reposing incorrupt in body, yet standing in spirit before the throne of God, thou dost pour forth wondrous miracles. Entreat Christ God that He confirm us in Orthodoxy and godliness, and save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4
Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received incorruptible crowns from Thee our God; for possessed of Thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and broke the feeble insolence of demons. By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 8
In thee, O Father, was the divine image preserved with exactness; for taking up thy cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to despise the flesh, for it passes away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal. Therefore, O venerable Thomas, thy spirit rejoices with the angels.