Monday, 27 May 2024

Monday of the 4th Sunday of Pascha

22 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Red squigg (doxology typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Therapon, Bishop of Sardis

The Hieromartyr Therapon, Bishop of Sardis in Lydia of Asia Minor, suffered for Christ in the third century, about the year 259, during the persecution of the emperor Valerian. In his pastoral office Saint Therapon enlightened many of the pagan Greeks with the light of the Christian faith and brought them to baptism. He was for this reason brought to trial before the governor Julian, before whom he fearlessly declared himself a Christian and a bishop. Cast into prison, he was tormented by hunger and thirst, then handed over to cruel tortures which could not break his confession. Bound in chains, he was led from city to city, to Sinaon in Phrygia and on to Ancyra, where he was tortured anew. At the river Astala he was stretched naked upon the ground, fastened to four stakes, and beaten with terrible blows; afterwards he was taken to the borders of the diocese of Satala in the metropolitan region of Sardis, where, under repeated scourgings, he gave up his soul to God. The four stakes to which he had been bound, soaked with his martyric blood, are said to have put forth green shoots and grown into trees whose leaves became famous for the healing of many sick.

Holy Martyrs Theodora the Virgin and Didymus the Soldier of Alexandria

The Holy Virgin Martyr Theodora and the Holy Martyr Didymus the Soldier suffered together at Alexandria during the persecution of the emperor Diocletian, in either 303 or 304. Theodora, brought before the prefect Eustratius and openly confessing herself a Christian, gave answer when asked why she had not married that she was a bride of Christ and had resolved to remain a virgin for His name. The prefect cast her into prison, granting her three days to change her mind, and threatening, if she remained firm, to send her to a house of ill fame. The holy maiden poured out fervent prayer to God for her deliverance from defilement, and the Lord heard her prayer; while she was praying, a young Christian soldier called Didymus came to her, exchanged his soldier's cloak for her woman's garment, and bade her go forth in his place, while he himself remained in the brothel to draw the wrath of the persecutors upon his own head. When this exchange was discovered, Didymus was haled before the judge and sentenced to death. The holy Theodora hearing this came to the place of execution and asked to die first, that she might not survive him; she bent her neck beneath the sword and was beheaded, and Saint Didymus followed her in the same death.

Saint Bede the Venerable, the Church Historian

Saint Bede the Venerable was an English monk, scholar, and historian, born about 672 or 673 in the kingdom of Northumbria. At the age of seven he was given by his parents to the monastery of Saint Peter at Wearmouth under the holy abbot Benedict Biscop, and was afterwards transferred to the new daughter monastery of Saint Paul at Jarrow under Abbot Ceolfrith, where he remained for the rest of his life. There he was ordained deacon at nineteen and priest at thirty, and from that monastery he scarcely ever travelled, devoting his days to the chanting of the divine office, the reading of holy Scripture, and the writing of books. He composed commentaries on nearly the whole of the Old and New Testaments, lives of saints, hymns, treatises on chronology, the times and seasons of the Church, and on the natural world; his most famous work, the Ecclesiastical History of the English People, has earned him the title Father of English History. He reposed in the Lord on the eve of the Ascension, 25 May 735, while dictating the last words of his translation of Saint John's Gospel into English. Because the feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury falls on 26 May, his commemoration is kept on the day following, 27 May.

Translation of the Relics of Saints Cyprian, Photius and Jonah, Metropolitans of Moscow

1406

On 27 May 1472, during the reign of the Great Prince Ivan III and the metropolitanate of Saint Philip I, the relics of three holy hierarchs of the Russian Church were uncovered together in the cathedral of the Dormition in the Moscow Kremlin. While the workmen were dismantling the old stone cathedral to make room for the new one which still stands today, they came upon the tombs of three Metropolitans of Kiev and All Russia who had ruled the Russian Church from Moscow in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries: Saint Cyprian, of Bulgarian birth, who reposed in the year 1406, a learned hierarch and translator of liturgical books; Saint Photius, a Greek by birth, who reposed in 1431, the saintly successor to Cyprian and a wise shepherd in days of trial; and Saint Jonah, the first metropolitan to be elected by a council of Russian bishops without confirmation from Constantinople, who reposed in 1461 and whose relics were found incorrupt. The Russian Church appointed this commemoration on 27 May in remembrance of that solemn translation, when the holy hierarchs were laid in the new cathedral, where their relics rest to this day as a treasure of Moscow and a sign of God's care for the Russian land.

Holy Martyrs Theodora and Didymus

304

“In the reign of the wicked Emperor Maximilian, there lived in Alexandria a maiden, Theodora, well-educated and of noble lineage. She was brought to trial before the pagans for her Christian faith. After long interrogation and torture for the Faith, the prince, her tormentor, ordered that she be thrown into a brothel and the soldiers given free access to her to indulge their carnal lusts. Theodora prayed fervently to God to save her from defilement, and, when she had prayed, a soldier called Didymus came in to her and told her that he was a servant of Christ. He dressed her in his soldier’s garb and himself in her dress, then let her out and remained in the brothel himself. He was seized and brought before the judge, where he acknowledged that he was a Christian and had saved Theodora, and was now prepared to die for Christ. He was condemned to death and taken out to the place of execution. Theodora ran up to him there and cried out: ‘Although you saved my honour, I did not ask you to save me from death. Yield the martyr’s death to me!’ Didymus replied: ‘My beloved sister, do not hinder my death for Christ, nor the washing of my sins in my blood.’ Hearing this exchange, the pagans condemned them both to death, and they were beheaded and their bodies burned. They suffered with honour and received eternal wreaths of glory in Alexandria in the year 304.” (Prologue)

Holy New Confessor John the Russian

1730

He was captured during a Russian campaign against the Turks in 1711, and sold into slavery in Asia Minor. As a slave he strove to serve God faithfully, while serving his earthly master in everything honorable. Despite many enticements offered by the Muslims to renounce his faith, he remained steadfast, and was permitted to work miracles through his prayers. He reposed in peace in 1730. His relics remained incorrupt.

Saint David of Garesjei

6th c.

“This David is one of the thirteen Georgian Fathers (May 7). He is thus named for the Garajeli desert near Tiflis, where he lived the ascetic life. In old age, David decided to visit the Holy Land with several of his disciples. He left the direction of the monastery to two elders, Lucian and Dodo, and set out on the way. When they came to a hill from which Jerusalem was visible, David burst into tears and said: ‘How can I dare to walk in the steps of God incarnate with these sinful feet?’, and he told his disciples to go and worship at the holy places, but he himself took up three stones and set off to return. But the Lord did not let such humility remain hidden from the world, and an angel appeared to Elias, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and said to him: ‘Send at once for the elder who is even now returning to Syria; he has taken with him three stones, and is carrying with him all the Holy Land’s grace. One stone is a sufficient blessing for him; let him return the other two to Jerusalem. He is called Abba David of Garesjei.’ The Patriarch quickly sent men off to overtake the elder. They took two stones from him, and let him go on his way. The third stone lies on his grave to this day, and possesses miraculous healing power.” (Prologue)

Venerable Bede

735

He spent almost his entire life as a monk in England, and is known primarily for his many writings. He entered the monastery at Wearmouth at the age of seven, and later moved (perhaps as one of the founders) to the monastery of Jarrow, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was ordained to the priesthood in his thirtieth year. In addition to many works of biblical exegesis, very popular in the middle ages, he compiled the Ecclesiastical History, still the primary source for the history of Christianity’s establishment in the British isles. He reposed in peace. A problem: Bede lived during the time of the undivided Church, but was only canonized, in the west, in 1899, centuries after the Great Schism. Presumably, then, he has never been formally glorified by the Orthodox Church. Is he a Saint of the Church? We leave the answer to wiser heads.

Also commemorated: Trans. Rel. Ven. Nilus of Stolbensk

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 10.1-16

¹Now there was a certain man in Cæsarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

¹There was a certain man in Cæsarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, ²A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. ²a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. ³He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. ³He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius. ⁴And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God. ⁴And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. ⁵And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter: ⁵And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: ⁶He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. ⁶he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. ⁷And when the angel that spake unto him was departed, he called two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; ⁷And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; ⁸And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. ⁸and having rehearsed all things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour:

⁹On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: ¹⁰and he became hungry, and desired to eat: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance; ¹⁰And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, ¹¹and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth: ¹¹And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: ¹²wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven. ¹²Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. ¹³And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. ¹³And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. ¹⁴But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. ¹⁴But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean. ¹⁵And a voice came unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. ¹⁵And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. ¹⁶This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven. ¹⁶And this was done thrice: and straightway the vessel was received up into heaven.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 6.56-69

⁵⁶He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. ⁵⁶He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him. ⁵⁷As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. ⁵⁷As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me. ⁵⁸This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. ⁵⁸This is the bread which came down out of heaven: not as the fathers ate, and died; he that eateth this bread shall live for ever. ⁵⁹These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. ⁵⁹These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

⁶⁰Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it? ⁶⁰Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? ⁶¹But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said unto them, Doth this cause you to stumble? ⁶¹When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? ⁶²What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? ⁶²What then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before? ⁶³It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. ⁶³It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life. ⁶⁴But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him. ⁶⁴But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. ⁶⁵And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father. ⁶⁵And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

⁶⁶Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

⁶⁶From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. ⁶⁷Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye also go away? ⁶⁷Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? ⁶⁸Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. ⁶⁸Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God. ⁶⁹And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.