Saturday, 1 June 2024

Saturday of the 4th Sunday of Pascha

27 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Justin and his companions at Rome

Together with the philosopher and apologist Justin, the Church commemorates on this day his fellow martyrs who suffered with him at Rome under the prefect Junius Rusticus during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Their names are preserved in the ancient acts of the trial as Chariton, Charita his wife, Euelpistus, Hierax, Peon, Valerian and Justus. They were Christians of various stations who had been instructed in the school Justin had opened at Rome, or had been gathered around him by his preaching. When brought before the prefect they were ordered to sacrifice to the Roman gods, and each in turn confessed Christ, declaring that they would rather suffer than deny the truth. After being scourged they were beheaded together with their teacher around the year 165. The acta of their martyrdom rank among the earliest authentic court records of Christian witness.

Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher

Born in 103, he was a philosopher from the Samaritan town of Shechem in Palestine, who had devoted his life to the search for truth, trying many philosophical schools and sources of human wisdom: the Stoics, the Peripatetics, the Pythagoreans and finally the Platonists. One day an old man (whose name and origin are unknown) appeared to him and spoke to him of the Prophets and Apostles who had learned of God not by their own wisdom, but by revelation of God Himself. He read the scriptures and was convinced of the truth of the Faith, but he would not be baptised or call himself a Christian until he had tested all the pagans’ arguments against Christianity. To this end he traveled to Rome, where he engaged in debate at philosophical gatherings, impressing all with his wisdom. In Rome he also witnessed the martyrdom of Sts Ptolemy and Lucian; this moved him to write an Apologia for the Christian faith and the Christian people, which he gave to the Emperor Antoninus and the Senate. They were so moved by this document that the Emperor ordered that persecution of Christians should cease.

For the remainder of his life, Justin devoted all his skills to the proclamation of the Gospel and the defense of Christians. To the end of his life, wherever he preached Christ, he always wore his philosopher’s garb. In addition to his Apologia, he wrote a number of other learned defenses of the faith.

Eventually he was imprisoned following the false accusations of Crescens, a jealous Cynic philosopher. He died (one source says by beheading, another by poison) in Rome in 167 under the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, successor to Antoninus.

Saint Dionysius, abbot of Glushitsa

1437

Saint Dionysius of Glushitsa was a monastic founder of the Vologda region of northern Russia who reposed in 1437. Tonsured at the Spaso-Kamenny monastery on Lake Kubenskoye, he sought greater solitude and in 1393 went deeper into the Vologda forest. Resting one evening by the river Glushitsa, he heard in his sleep the ringing of bells, which he took as a sign that he should build a monastery there. He founded the Pokrov community, which became a major centre of monastic life in the region, and later established a women's house dedicated to Saint Leontius of Rostov. A skilled icon painter, copyist and carpenter, he carved the wooden cross that stood over his grave with his own hands. His disciples carried the eremitic ideal across the northern forests, and he is remembered as one of the great wonderworkers of Vologda.

Venerable Agapitus the unmercenary physician of the Kiev Caves

Saint Agapitus was a native of Kiev who became a disciple of Saint Anthony of the Caves in the eleventh century. He devoted himself to caring for the sick brethren of the monastery, treating them with simple herbs and prayer and refusing all payment, so that he came to be called "the unmercenary physician." His prayer raised many from sickbeds, and he is said to have healed the future Great Prince Vladimir Monomakh of Chernigov by sending him boiled herbs. A learned Armenian physician who at first mocked his methods came to test him during his last illness and predicted his death within three days. Saint Agapitus replied that the Lord had revealed he would be summoned only after three months, and so it was. The Armenian was so struck by the truth of the prophecy and the holiness of the saint that he received Orthodox baptism and the monastic tonsure. Saint Agapitus reposed not later than 1095 and his relics rest in the Near Caves of the Kiev Lavra.

Our Holy Father Agapitus of the Kiev Caves

1095

“A natural doctor, he was a disciple of St Antony of Kiev. He healed people by prayer and the prescribing of cabbage, which they made into a sort of bread. Prince Vladimir Monomachus was healed in this way, and this made Agapitus famed on all sides. The Prince’s doctor, an Armenian, hearing of this, began to spread slander about him. When Agapitus became ill, the Armenian came and, looking at him, said that he would die in three days and that, if he did not do so, then he, the Armenian, would become a monk. Agapitus told him that it had been revealed to him by God that he would die, not in three days but in three months. And so it came to pass. After Agapitus’s death, the Armenian went to the abbot of the Monastery of the Caves and asked him to make him a monk. He explained that Agapitus had appeared to him from the other world and reminded him of his promise. And so the one-time envier became a humble monk, by the providence of God whose care it is that all men be saved. St Agapitus entered into rest in about 1095.” (Prologue)

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 12.1-11

¹Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

¹Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hands to afflict certain of the church. ²And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. ²And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. ³And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) ³And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of unleavened bread. ⁴And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. ⁴And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. ⁵Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. ⁵Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him. ⁶And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept the prison. ⁶And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. ⁷And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. ⁷And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. ⁸And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. ⁸And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. ⁹And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. ⁹And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. ¹⁰When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. ¹⁰And when they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and straightway the angel departed from him. ¹¹And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. ¹¹And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a truth, that the Lord hath sent forth his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 8.31-42

³¹Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

³¹Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; ³²And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ³²and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

³³They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? ³³They answered unto him, We are Abraham’s seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? ³⁴Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. ³⁴Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. ³⁵And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. ³⁵And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. ³⁶If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. ³⁶If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. ³⁷I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath not free course in you. ³⁷I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. ³⁸I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. ³⁸I speak the things which I have seen with my Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father. ³⁹They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. ³⁹They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. ⁴⁰But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. ⁴⁰But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. ⁴¹Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. ⁴¹Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. ⁴²Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. ⁴²Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.