Tuesday, 28 May 2024

Tuesday of the 4th Sunday of Pascha

23 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Eutychius, Bishop of Melitene

The Hieromartyr Eutychius was a fellow worker with the holy Apostles and is numbered among the disciples of the apostolic generation. According to ancient tradition he was instructed in the Christian faith by the Apostles themselves and was set apart by them as bishop of the city of Melitene in Armenia Minor, where he laboured to convert the pagans and to confirm the faithful in the doctrine of Christ. During the persecutions of the first century, while still in his old age, he came forward boldly before the ruler of the city, refused to offer sacrifice to the idols, and openly confessed Jesus Christ as the true God and Saviour of mankind. For this confession he was subjected to many torments and was at last cast into the sea, where he gave up his soul to God. The Canon of Saint Joseph the Hymnographer composed in his honour records that his relics were venerated in Constantinople, and that he had been instructed by the apostles of Christ and preached the word of salvation. The Orthodox Church keeps his memory on 28 May.

Hieromartyr Helladius, Bishop in the East

The Hieromartyr Helladius was a bishop in the eastern parts of the Roman Empire who suffered a martyric death for his confession of Christ. According to one tradition he endured under the Persians during their invasion of the eastern provinces in the fourth century, while other sources place him in the sixth or seventh century. He was first cast into a fire by his persecutors, but he came out unharmed by the prayers and grace of God. The pagans then turned to other torments and beat him with such cruelty that he gave up his soul to the Lord under their blows. The service appointed for his feast records that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself visited Saint Helladius in prison and healed his wounds, strengthening him for the contest. Although the details of his life have been lost, the Orthodox Church preserves his memory on 28 May among the company of the holy hieromartyrs, and asks his prayers for those who confess Christ in days of persecution.

Saint Andrew the Fool-for-Christ of Constantinople

Blessed Andrew the Fool-for-Christ was a Slav by birth, born among the Scythians and brought as a slave to Constantinople in the days of the emperor Leo VI the Wise (886 to 912), where he served in the household of the protospatharios Theognostus. From childhood he was given to prayer and to the reading of holy books, and when his master sent him to be educated, he made great progress. The Lord called him to the great and unusual ascetic labour of folly for Christ, and Saint Andrew, in obedience to that call, feigned madness, was driven from his master's house, and lived as a wanderer in the streets of Constantinople, suffering cold, hunger, mockery, and beatings, while in secret he was elevated to lofty visions of the heavenly things. With his disciple, the blessed Epiphanius, he beheld in the church of Blachernae the Most Holy Mother of God spreading her veil in protection over the people at prayer; this vision is the foundation of the feast of the Protection of the Mother of God. Saint Andrew reposed at Constantinople about the year 936 at the age of sixty-six. The Greek Church commemorates him on 28 May, the Slavic Church on 2 October.

Saint Nicetas the Confessor, Bishop of Chalcedon

Saint Nicetas the Confessor lived in the second half of the eighth century and the early ninth, and was elected to the episcopal throne of Chalcedon, the city across the Bosphorus from Constantinople where the Fourth Ecumenical Council had been held. As bishop he was distinguished above all by his charity to the poor, his hospitality to travellers, and his fatherly care for orphans and widows; he was known as a fearless intercessor for those who suffered injustice. When the iconoclast emperor Leo the Armenian (813 to 820) renewed the persecution of the holy icons, depriving Orthodox bishops of their sees and demanding that they renounce the veneration of images, Saint Nicetas firmly resisted the imperial decree, denounced the iconoclast heresy, and exhorted his flock to reverence the holy icons of Christ, the Theotokos, and the saints. For this confession he was subjected to tortures and exiled from his city. He bore his sufferings with patience and reposed in exile at the beginning of the ninth century. From his relics flowed many miracles of healing, and the Orthodox Church honours him among the holy confessors of the icons.

Also commemorated: St Ignaty, Bishop of Rostov

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 10.21-33

²¹Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? ²¹And Peter went down to the men, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? ²²And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. ²²And they said, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words from thee. ²³Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

²³So he called them in and lodged them. And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴And the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. ²⁴And on the morrow they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends. ²⁵And when it came to pass that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. ²⁵And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. ²⁶But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. ²⁶But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. ²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. ²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in, and findeth many come together: ²⁸And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. ²⁸and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and yet unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean: ²⁹Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me? ²⁹wherefore also I came without gainsaying, when I was sent for. I ask therefore with what intent ye sent for me. ³⁰And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel, ³⁰And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, ³¹and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. ³¹And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. ³²Send therefore to Joppa, and call unto thee Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side. ³³Forthwith therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord. ³³Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 7.1-13

¹After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.

¹And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judæa, because the Jews sought to kill him. ²Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand. ²Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand. ³His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judæa, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. ³His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judæa, that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest. ⁴For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. ⁴For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world. ⁵For even his brethren did not believe on him. ⁵For neither did his brethren believe in him. ⁶Jesus therefore saith unto them, My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. ⁶Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. ⁷The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. ⁷The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil. ⁸Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come. ⁸Go ye up unto the feast: I go not up unto this feast; because my time is not yet fulfilled. ⁹When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. ⁹And having said these things unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

¹⁰But when his brethren were gone up unto the feast, then went he also up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.

¹⁰But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. ¹¹The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? ¹¹Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? ¹²And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people. ¹²And there was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him: some said, He is a good man; others said, Not so, but he leadeth the multitude astray. ¹³Yet no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews. ¹³Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.