Monday, 20 May 2024

Monday of the 3rd Sunday of Pascha

15 days after Pascha · Tone 2 · Red squigg (doxology typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Thalelaeus the Unmercenary

Saint Thalelaeus was born in Lebanon to a Christian family, his father Berucius being an army officer and his mother Romila a pious Christian. From his youth he applied himself to the study of medicine under the physician Macarius, but, in the spirit of the unmercenary saints, he treated the sick freely without payment, for which the Church reckons him among the holy unmercenary physicians. He was eighteen years of age and living in Aegae in Cilicia at the time when the prefect Theodore was sent thither by the emperor Numerian, in the years 283 to 284, to root out the Christians. Thalelaeus was sought out and seized. Brought before the prefect, he confessed Christ openly. He was bound and the executioners Alexander and Asterius were ordered to cut him in pieces with axes; but, by the grace of God, when they raised their tools they found themselves unable to harm him. Confessing Christ themselves and rebuking the prefect for cruelty, the two were at once beheaded and so received their crowns. Saint Thalelaeus was then cast to wild beasts, but they came up and licked his feet; he was thrown into the sea, but stepped out unharmed; he was tied to a board and tortured, yet remained joyful. At last he was beheaded and so completed his course about the year 284. His relics were enshrined in the church of Saint Agathonicus in Constantinople, where many miracles took place.

Martyr Thalelaeus at Aegae in Cilicia and those with him

327

The holy Thalelaeus is counted as one of the Unmercenary Physicians. He was a physician, born in Lebanon to a Berucius (a bishop) and Romylia. During the persecutions by the Emperor Numerian, he fled to Cilicia, but was captured and brought before Theodore, the governor. When Thalelaeus boldly confessed Christ, the cruel governor ordered two soldiers, Alexander and Asterius, to bore holes through his leg-bones, pass a rope through them, and hang him from a tree. But the executioners, by the power of God, were momentarily deprived of their wits and bored through a wooden plank instead, which they hung in the tree. The governor angrily ordered that the soldiers be flogged; during their flogging they cried out: ‘The Lord is alive to us; from now on, we are become Christians. We believe in Christ, and suffer for Him.’ Hearing these words, the governor ordered that both be beheaded. He then seized their awl and attempted to bore through Thalelaeus’ legs himself; but his hand suddenly became paralyzed. The compassionate physician prayed to Christ and healed his persecutor’ hand. His heart still hardened, the governor next ordered that the Saint be thrown into water and drowned; but he survived. Next he was thrown to wild beasts, but they licked his feet and rubbed tamely against him. Finally the holy Martyr was beheaded.

Uncovering of the relics of Saint Alexis, metropolitan of Moscow and wonderworker of all Russia

Saint Alexis, metropolitan of Moscow and all Russia, was born about the year 1304 to the boyar Bingo of Chernigov family who had moved to Moscow. He was tonsured a monk in his early manhood, became metropolitan of all Russia in 1354, and for nearly a quarter of a century guided the Russian Church through the difficult years of the Tatar yoke, also playing the part of regent during the minority of Saint Demetrius of the Don. Famous for his healing of the Khan's mother Taidula, the founder of monasteries and a reformer of liturgical books, he reposed on 12 February 1378 and was buried in the Chudov Monastery within the Moscow Kremlin which he had founded. Sixty years after his repose, on 20 May 1431, the wooden floor of the church in which he lay collapsed from age, and during the rebuilding of the church his holy relics were uncovered, found incorrupt with even his vestments preserved. A council of Russian hierarchs established that henceforth Saint Alexis should be commemorated both on the day of his repose, 12 February, and on the day of the uncovering of his relics, 20 May. In 1485 the relics were translated into a new church dedicated to him, and after various removals in the twentieth century they now rest in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Theophany at Yelokhovo in Moscow, where countless miracles have been wrought through them.

Venerable Stephen of Piperi

Saint Stephen was born in the village of Kuti in the region of Zupa, in the lands of the Niksic clan, to poor but devout parents named Radoje and Jacima Krulanovic. From his youth he was drawn to the monastic life and entered the great Serbian monastery of Moraca, founded in the thirteenth century, where he was tonsured, served as deacon and priest, and in due course became hegumen of the brotherhood. The Turkish authorities, in their hostility to Orthodox monasticism, drove him out of Moraca, and he settled for a time at Turmanj in the region of Rovca, in the place still called Celiste. In 1660 he withdrew further into the mountains and built himself a small cell at Piperi in present-day Montenegro, where he laboured in fasting, vigil and unceasing prayer until his repose in 1697. The Lord glorified him both in his lifetime and after his death with the gift of working miracles, and his relics, which remain incorrupt, became a source of healing. In June 2010 they were enclosed by the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral in a new silver-clad reliquary for the veneration of the faithful. He is honoured among the more recent saints of Serbia and Montenegro.

Our Father among the Saints Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow

1378

He was born in Moscow in 1292. In 1354 he was ordained Metropolitan of Moscow by Philotheus, Patriarch of Constantinople. He founded several monasteries, including the first women’s monastery in Moscow. He translated the Holy Gospel from Greek into Slavonic. At that time Russia was under the rule of the Tartars, and St Alexis twice visited the Tartar Khan to plead with him to ease the oppression of the Russian people. On one of these visits he healed Taidula, the Khan’s wife. He founded the Chudov Monastery in Moscow on land given him by the Khan and his wife in thanksgiving for this miraculous healing; the Saint’s relics are enshrined at this same monastery. This is the feast of the uncovering of his holy relics in 1431.

Also commemorated: Unc. Rel. St Aleksy, Metropolitan of Kiev

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 6.8-7.5, 47-60

⁸And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

⁸And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people.

⁹Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. ⁹But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. ¹⁰And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. ¹⁰And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake. ¹¹Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. ¹¹Then they suborned men, who said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. ¹²And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the council, ¹²And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, ¹³and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law: ¹³And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: ¹⁴For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. ¹⁴for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us. ¹⁵And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. ¹⁵And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

¹Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

¹And the high priest said, Are these things so?

²And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, ²And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, ³and said unto him, Get thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee. ³And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. ⁴Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. ⁴Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Haran: and from thence, when his father was dead, God removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell: ⁵and he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: and he promised that he would give it to him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. ⁵And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. ⁴⁷But Solomon built him a house. ⁴⁷But Solomon built him an house. ⁴⁸Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as saith the prophet, ⁴⁸Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, ⁴⁹The heaven is my throne, And the earth the footstool of my feet: What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: Or what is the place of my rest? ⁴⁹Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? ⁵⁰Hath not my hand made all these things? ⁵⁰Did not my hand make all these things?

⁵¹Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

⁵¹Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. ⁵²Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers; ⁵²Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: ⁵³Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. ⁵³ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.

⁵⁴When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

⁵⁴Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. ⁵⁵But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, ⁵⁵But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, ⁵⁶And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. ⁵⁶and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. ⁵⁷Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, ⁵⁷But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; ⁵⁸And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. ⁵⁸and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. ⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. ⁶⁰And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. ⁶⁰And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 4.46-54

⁴⁶So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

⁴⁶He came therefore again unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁷When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁸Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. ⁴⁸Jesus therefore said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe. ⁴⁹The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. ⁴⁹The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. ⁵⁰Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. ⁵⁰Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him, and he went his way. ⁵¹And as he was now going down, his servants met him, saying, that his son lived. ⁵¹And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. ⁵²So he inquired of them the hour when he began to amend. They said therefore unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. ⁵²Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. ⁵³So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. ⁵³So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. ⁵⁴This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judæa into Galilee. ⁵⁴This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judæa into Galilee.