Monday, 10 June 2024

Monday of the 6th Sunday of Pascha

36 days after Pascha · Tone 5 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Timothy, Bishop of Prussa

Saint Timothy was bishop of the city of Prussa in Bithynia in the middle of the fourth century. From his early years he had given himself to a strict ascetic life, and on account of the purity of his soul and his prayer he received from the Lord the gift of working miracles. As bishop he laboured zealously in his city and the surrounding country, healing the sick, casting out unclean spirits and turning many pagans to faith in Christ. Among the wonders ascribed to him is the slaying with prayer of a great serpent that was devouring the inhabitants of a region near Prussa.

When the emperor Julian the Apostate (361 to 363) renewed the persecution of Christians and tried to restore the worship of the gods, the fame of Saint Timothy and of the multitudes he had baptised reached his ears. Julian had him brought to Constantinople and cast into prison, forbidding him to teach or to name the name of Jesus Christ. Timothy paid no heed to the imperial command but continued to preach the Gospel within the prison itself. The emperor at length ordered the executioner to behead the saint in his cell, and so Timothy received the crown of martyrdom about the year 362. His holy relics, found to work miracles, were afterwards translated to Constantinople and laid in a church bearing his name.

Holy Martyrs Alexander and Antonina the Virgin

Saint Antonina was a young Christian virgin from Cardamon, sometimes given as Crodamon, in Asia Minor, who in the persecution under Maximian Galerius about the year 313 was denounced to the governor Festus and brought before his tribunal. He at first attempted to win her by flattery, promising to make her a priestess of Artemis, then by threats; but Antonina firmly confessed Christ and rebuked the worship of demons in idols. She was struck on the face, scourged, and shut up in prison, where she ate and drank nothing but consoled herself in unceasing prayer until she heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Antonina, take food and be brave, for I am with thee."

When the governor at last gave the order that she be handed over to be defiled by his soldiers, an angel appeared to one of the guards, a Christian named Alexander, and told him to save her. Coming into the cell, Alexander threw his soldier's cloak about her and bade her bow her head and pass through the gate as though she were a man, while he remained behind. Antonina escaped, but was at length traced and brought back. Alexander was tortured for her rescue, and the two were judged together. Their hands were cut off, their bodies scourged and their wounds burned with candles, and at last they were cast into a pit of fire and earth heaped upon them. Their relics were later translated to Constantinople and enshrined in the monastery of Maximus.

Saint Bassian, Bishop of Lodi in Lombardy

Saint Bassian was born about 320 to a noble pagan family in Sicily, his father being a high official of the imperial government in Syracuse. Sent to Rome to be educated for a public career, the young man fell in with Christians and asked to be instructed in the faith, receiving holy baptism in secret from a priest named Gordianus. When his Christianity was discovered, he left his father's house, withdrew to Ravenna, and gave himself to prayer and works of mercy. Around 373 the priest Clement of the cathedral of Lodi (then called Laus Pompeia, in northern Italy) received a revelation that Bassian was to be the next bishop of the diocese. He was sought out, and although he resisted the calling, he was consecrated to that see by Bishop Ursus, with the participation of Saint Ambrose of Milan. From Lodi, Bassian governed his flock for thirty-five years. He built the basilica of the holy Apostles, planted churches throughout the surrounding countryside, freed many slaves, and was a tireless almsgiver. He took part with Saint Ambrose in the Council of Aquileia in 381 against the Arians and stood beside him in defending the Catholic faith in Lombardy. Bassian and Ambrose remained the closest of friends, exchanging letters of spiritual counsel, and Bassian was at his friend's bedside when Ambrose died at Milan in 397, helping to lay him to rest. Saint Bassian himself fell asleep in the Lord on 19 January 409, but his memory in the Eastern calendar is kept on 10 June.

Venerable Theophanes and Saint Pansemne of Antioch

The Venerable Theophanes lived as an ascetic at Antioch in the latter part of the third century. From boyhood he had despised the world and given himself to fasting, prayer and the wearing of a hair shirt, dwelling in a small cell on the outskirts of the city. Hearing that a notorious harlot named Pansemne was destroying the souls of many men in Antioch, he was wounded with compassion both for her victims and for the woman herself. He prayed long for guidance and was inwardly enlightened to seek her out, ransom her from her trade, and present her with the choice of marriage and the Christian faith. Putting off his hair shirt, Theophanes dressed in costly clothes and approached his father, who, mistaking the request, gladly furnished him with ten pieces of gold to buy a wife. Theophanes went to Pansemne and offered to take her in marriage on condition that she renounce her former life and be baptised. The grace of God overcame her at the words of the future judgement, and after seven days of catechesis and tears she received holy baptism. From that moment she was wholly transformed: she gave away the wealth her sins had heaped up, settled in a hut beside the saint's cell, and entered upon a life of strict asceticism. By her prayers she received the gifts of healing and of casting out demons. She lived only fourteen months in this new life, and on the same day she rendered her soul to her heavenly Bridegroom, the venerable Theophanes also fell asleep in the Lord.

Hieromartyr Metrophanes, first Chinese priest, and the Chinese New Martyrs of the Boxer Uprising

1900

“The Holy Martyrs of China were native Chinese Orthodox Christians brought up in piety at the Russian Orthodox Mission in Peking, which had been founded in 1685. During the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 against the foreign powers occupying China, native Chinese Christians were commanded by the Boxers to renounce Christianity or be tortured to death. Two hundred and twenty-two members of the Peking Mission, led by their priest Metrophanes Tsi-Chung and his family, refused to deny Christ, and were deemed worthy of a martyric death.” ( Great Horologion)

Also commemorated: St John Maximovitch, Metropolitan of Tobolsk

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 17.1-15

¹Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

¹Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: ²and Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three sabbath days reasoned with them from the scriptures, ²And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, ³opening and alleging that it behooved the Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom, said he, I proclaim unto you, is the Christ. ³Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. ⁴And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. ⁴And some of them were persuaded, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

⁵But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. ⁵But the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar; and assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the people. ⁶And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; ⁶And when they found them not, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; ⁷whom Jason hath received: and these all act contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. ⁷Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. ⁸And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. ⁸And they troubled the multitude and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. ⁹And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. ⁹And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

¹⁰And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

¹⁰And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. ¹¹Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so. ¹²Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. ¹²Many of them therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few. ¹³But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Beroea also, they came thither likewise, stirring up and troubling the multitudes. ¹³But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. ¹⁴And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. ¹⁴And then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as far as to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there still. ¹⁵But they that conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timothy that they should come to him with all speed, they departed. ¹⁵And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 11.47-57

⁴⁷Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

⁴⁷The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many signs. ⁴⁸If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. ⁴⁸If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. ⁴⁹And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, ⁴⁹But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, ⁵⁰Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. ⁵⁰nor do ye take account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. ⁵¹And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; ⁵¹Now this he said not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation; ⁵²and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God that are scattered abroad. ⁵²And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. ⁵³So from that day forth they took counsel that they might put him to death. ⁵³Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. ⁵⁴Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

⁵⁴Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed thence into the country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there he tarried with the disciples.

⁵⁵And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. ⁵⁵Now the passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, to purify themselves. ⁵⁶Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? ⁵⁶They sought therefore for Jesus, and spake one with another, as they stood in the temple, What think ye? That he will not come to the feast? ⁵⁷Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him. ⁵⁷Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given commandment, that, if any man knew where he was, he should show it, that they might take him.