Sunday, 12 May 2024

St Thomas Sunday

Antipascha: 2nd Sunday of Pascha

7 days after Pascha · Tone 1 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Our Fathers among the Saints Epiphanios, bishop of Cyprus and Germanos, Archbishop of Constantinople

740

Saint Epiphanios was born a Jew in Palestine, but he and his sister came to faith in Christ and were baptized together. Epiphanios gave all his possessions to the poor and became a monk. He knew St Hilarion the great (October 31), and traveled among the monks of Egypt to learn their ways and wisdom. The fame of his virtue spread so widely that several attempts were made to make him bishop, first in Egypt, then in Cyprus. Whenever Epiphanios heard of these plans, he fled the area. He was finally made bishop by means of a storm: told to go to Cyprus, he took ship instead for Gaza, but a contrary wind blew his ship directly to Cyprus, where “Epiphanios fell into the hands of bishops who had come together to elect a successor to the newly-departed Bishop of Constantia, and the venerable Epiphanios was at last constrained to be consecrated, about the year 367.” (Great Horologion). He guarded his flock faithfully for the remainder of his life, working many miracles, defending the Church against the Arian heresy, and composing several books, of which the best-loved is the Panarion (from the Latin for ‘bread-box’), an exposition of the Faith and an examination of eighty heresies. He was sometimes called the ‘Five-tongued’ because he was fluent in Hebrew, Egyptian, Syriac, Greek, and Latin. Saint Germanos was the son of a prominent family, in Constantinople. He became Metropolitan of Cyzicus, then was elevated to the throne at Constantinople in 715. It was he who baptized the infant Constantine, who for his whole life was nicknamed “Copronymos” because he defecated in the baptismal font (though he was neither the first nor the last infant to do so). At this incident, Patriarch Germanos is said to have prophesied that the child would one day bring some foul heresy upon the Church, which he did, becoming a notorious iconoclast as emperor. Germanos openly opposed the decree of the Emperor Leo the Isaurian which began the persecution of the holy icons. For this he was deposed and driven into exile in 730. He lived the rest of his life in peace. Saint Germanos is the composer of many of the Church’s hymns, notably those for the Feast of the Meeting in the Temple. These two Saints are always commemorated together.

Holy martyr Pancras of Rome

Saint Pancras was born about the year 289 in the region of Synnada in Phrygia, of noble Roman parents. His mother Cyriada died in giving him birth, and his father followed her to the grave not long after. The orphan was entrusted to the care of his uncle Dionysius, with whom he came to Rome and lived in a villa on the Caelian Hill. There uncle and nephew were both converted to Christ and instructed in the faith by a presbyter named Marcellinus, and the boy received holy Baptism. When the persecution of Diocletian broke out around the year 303 and the edict was promulgated demanding sacrifice to the gods, the young Pancras was brought before the emperor and confessed Christ openly. Diocletian, struck by the courage and beauty of so young a boy, sought by promises of wealth and honour to turn him from the faith, but he answered, "I am a child only in body; in heart I am old in Christ." He was condemned to be beheaded on the Aurelian Way at the age of fourteen, about the year 304. His body was buried by the Christian matron Octavilla in the cemetery on the Via Aurelia, where afterwards Pope Symmachus built a basilica in his honour. The relics and the veneration of Saint Pancras spread widely, and Saint Gregory the Great gave them to Saint Augustine for the mission to England, so that he is honoured both in East and West.

Saint Epiphanius, bishop of Cyprus

Saint Epiphanius was born about the year 310 in the village of Besanduk in Palestine, of Jewish parentage. Left an orphan, he was brought to the Christian faith after seeing the monk Lucian give away his own clothing to a poor man, and after his baptism he entered upon the monastic life in Egypt under the guidance of Saint Hilarion the Great. He gained mastery of Hebrew, Syriac, Egyptian, Greek and Latin, and on his return to Palestine founded a monastery in the region of Eleutheropolis, where he was ordained presbyter and became the superior. So great was the fame of his sanctity, learning and zeal for orthodoxy that in 367 he was elected bishop of Constantia (Salamis) on the island of Cyprus, and metropolitan of all Cyprus, an office he held until his repose. He was renowned for his extraordinary almsgiving, simplicity of life and openness to all who sought him, and for his vigorous defence of the faith against the heresies of his day. His chief written work, the Panarion or Medicine Chest (374 to 377), gives an account of eighty heresies and their refutations, ending with a confession of orthodox doctrine; he also composed the Ancoratus and other treatises. In old age he was drawn into the controversy over Saint John Chrysostom by Theophilus of Alexandria, but realising that he had been deceived he set sail back to Cyprus, and reposed at sea on the way home in 403. On 12 May he was buried in a new church which he himself had built.

Saint Germanus, patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Germanus was born at Constantinople in the seventh century. His father, a senator, was put to death by order of the Emperor Constantine Pogonatos, and the young Germanus was forcibly made a eunuch and committed to the clergy of the Great Church, where he excelled in the study of the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the fathers. For the holiness of his life he was raised to the see of Cyzicus, and on 11 August 715 he was elected to the patriarchal throne of Constantinople. He presided at the council that condemned the Monothelite revival in 712. The chief trial of his episcopate came with the rise of iconoclasm under the Emperor Leo the Isaurian. The patriarch defended the holy icons by his preaching and writings, sending three letters on their veneration which were afterwards read at the Seventh Ecumenical Council. When Leo demanded that he sign the iconoclast decree of 730, Saint Germanus refused, declaring, "If I am a Jonas, cast me into the sea, but without an ecumenical council I cannot innovate in the faith." He laid down his omophorion at the holy altar and withdrew to the family estate of Platanion, where he spent the rest of his days in monastic stillness. He composed many liturgical hymns, including those for the feast of the Entry of the Theotokos. He reposed in peace about the year 740 at the age of about ninety-five and was buried in the monastery of Chora. His name was inscribed in the diptychs of the saints at the Seventh Ecumenical Council in 787.

Saint Theodore the wonderworker, bishop of Cyrene

Saint Theodore lived in the third century and was bishop of Cyrene in Libya. By his learning and his pen he laboured greatly in the service of the Church, and is said to have been a notable copyist of the divine books, transcribing many sacred texts with his own hand. During the persecution under the Emperor Diocletian the pagans of Cyrene seized him and demanded that he hand over the books which he had copied. When he refused they beat him cruelly, hung him up, scraped his sides with iron combs and broke his teeth with stones, but he gave glory to God amidst the torments. Through his prayers many were converted to Christ, including a number of women who were also martyred. At length, exhausted by his sufferings, he commended his spirit to the Lord and received the crown of martyrdom about the year 310. The Church reckons him among the wonderworkers because of the miracles wrought through his intercession.

Daily readings

1st Matins Gospel

Matthew — Matthew 28.16-20

¹⁶Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

¹⁶But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. ¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ¹⁸And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ²⁰teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 5.12-20

¹²And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

¹²And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people: and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. ¹³And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. ¹³But of the rest durst no man join himself to them: howbeit the people magnified them; ¹⁴And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) ¹⁴and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women: ¹⁵Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. ¹⁵insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them. ¹⁶There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. ¹⁶And there also came together the multitude from the cities round about Jerusalem, bringing sick folk, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

¹⁷But the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,

¹⁷Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, ¹⁸and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public ward. ¹⁸And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. ¹⁹But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, ¹⁹But an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said, ²⁰Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. ²⁰Go ye, and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 20.19-31

¹⁹Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

¹⁹When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. ²⁰And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. ²⁰And when he had said this, he showed unto them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. ²¹Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. ²¹Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. ²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: ²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit: ²³whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. ²³Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. ²⁵The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

²⁶And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

²⁶And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. ²⁷Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. ²⁷Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and see my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. ²⁸Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. ²⁸And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. ²⁹Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. ²⁹Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

³⁰And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

³⁰Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: ³¹but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name. ³¹But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.