Sunday, 30 June 2024

All Saints; Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles

1st Sunday after Pentecost

All Saints
Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles

56 days after Pascha · Tone 8 · Red cross (polyeleos typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Methodius, Bishop of Patara

Saint Methodius, also called Methodius of Olympus, lived at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth century, and is celebrated as one of the great theological writers of the early Church. He was bishop first of Olympus and Patara in Lycia and afterwards, according to some, of Tyre in Phoenicia. Distinguished by his deep humility and his learning in Holy Scripture, he composed many works, of which the chief surviving treatise is the Symposium or Banquet of the Ten Virgins, an extended dialogue in praise of virginity, modelled on the Symposium of Plato but transformed into a celebration of the Church as the Bride of Christ. He also wrote a dialogue On the Resurrection in which he refuted the errors of Origen on the spiritual body, was the first major theologian to write in defence of the bodily resurrection against Origenism, and produced works on free will and on the leper, of which only fragments remain. Although his chief commemoration in the Greek calendars falls on 20 June, in many Slavonic and Russian books his memory is also kept on this day, the morrow of the chief Apostles. He was beheaded for his confession of Christ at Chalcis in Syria about the year 311 in the persecution which preceded the peace of the Church.

Holy Apostle Andronicus and his fellow-labourer Junia

Among the seventy disciples of the Lord whose names are read alongside the Twelve in the synaxaria of this day are the holy Apostles Andronicus and his fellow-labourer Junia, of whom the Apostle Paul writes in the Epistle to the Romans, Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the Apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Andronicus is venerated as bishop of Pannonia in the western lands of the empire, where with Junia his companion he travelled in evangelical labour, casting down idols, founding churches and bringing many out of paganism to faith in Christ. Both endured persecution for the Gospel and finally received from the Lord the unfading crowns of the apostolic confession. Their chief commemoration is on 17 May, when their relics, discovered together with those of other martyrs, were honoured at the Eugenios quarter of Constantinople, but their names are also kept among the assembly of those Apostles whose memory adorns the days surrounding the synaxis of the Twelve.

Synaxis of the holy, glorious and all-praised Twelve Apostles

On the day after the feast of the chief Apostles Peter and Paul, the Church gathers in solemn synaxis to honour together the whole choir of the Twelve, the foundation of the Apostolic Church and the witnesses chosen and sent forth by the Lord Himself to preach the Gospel to every creature. The synaxis was already known in Constantinople from at least the fourth century, when a church dedicated to the Holy Apostles, founded by the Emperor Constantine the Great and rebuilt under Justinian, kept this commemoration with imperial solemnity. The names of the Twelve, as set down in the Gospels, are these: Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother the First-called; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John the Theologian and Evangelist of the Word; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas the Twin and Matthew the Evangelist, called also Levi the publican; James the son of Alphaeus and Jude the brother of James, who is also called Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, called the Cananite, and Matthias, who was numbered among the Apostles by lot in the place of Judas the betrayer. Each of them has his own commemoration in the calendar of the Church, but on this day the prayers of the holy Apostles are invoked together as a single foundation laid in Christ. The hymns of the feast extol them as the rays of the Sun of Righteousness, the rivers of paradise watering the whole earth, the spiritual fishermen who, casting their nets, drew up the nations from the sea of unbelief into the kingdom of life.

Translation of the relics of Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Irkutsk

Saint Sophronius, in the world Stephen Kristalevsky, was born of pious parents in the Chernigov region of Little Russia in 1704, and after his early studies entered the Kiev Theological Academy in the company of two future hierarchs, Joasaph of Belgorod and Paul of Tobolsk. About 1730 he received the monastic tonsure at the Krasnogorsk Monastery near Zolotonosha, and was afterwards summoned to Saint Petersburg, where he served as treasurer and finally archimandrite of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. In 1753, on the recommendation of the Empress Elizabeth, he was consecrated Bishop of Irkutsk and Nerchinsk; arriving in his vast diocese in 1754 after a long journey across Siberia, he laboured for seventeen years in the missionary lands beyond Lake Baikal, ordaining clergy, opening schools, founding new monasteries and churches, and bringing many of the native peoples to baptism. Living in extreme simplicity, he reposed on the second day of Pascha, 30 March 1771. While the Holy Synod's decision concerning his burial was awaited, his body remained six months without decay; when at last laid in the church of the Theophany Cathedral at Irkutsk it continued to be a source of healings. His relics were uncovered incorrupt in 1833, 1854, 1870 and 1909; in the great fire at the cathedral in 1917 only the bones survived. The local Council of the Russian Church glorified him in 1918, numbering him among the saints of God; his repose is kept on 30 March, while on this day is observed the translation of his relics and the joyful announcement of his glorification.

Daily readings

Vespers

Isaiah — Isaiah 43.9-14

⁹Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. ⁹Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth. ¹⁰Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. ¹⁰Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. ¹¹I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. ¹¹I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour. ¹²I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. ¹²I have declared, and I have saved, and I have showed; and there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and I am God. ¹³Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? ¹³Yea, since the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who can hinder it?

¹⁴Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.

¹⁴Thus saith Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring down all of them as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing.

Vespers

Wisdom of Solomon — Wisdom of Solomon 3.1-9

¹But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them.

²In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery,

³And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace.

⁴For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality.

⁵And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself.

⁶As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering.

⁷And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble.

⁸They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever.

⁹They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect.

Vespers

Wisdom of Solomon — Wisdom of Solomon 5.15-6.3

¹⁵But the righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the most High.

¹⁶Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with his right hand shall he cover them, and with his arm shall he protect them.

¹⁷He shall take to him his jealousy for complete armour, and make the creature his weapon for the revenge of his enemies.

¹⁸He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment instead of an helmet.

¹⁹He shall take holiness for an invincible shield.

²⁰His severe wrath shall he sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with him against the unwise.

²¹Then shall the right aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they fly to the mark.

²²And hailstones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them.

²³Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty.

¹Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth.

²Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations.

³For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.

1st Matins Gospel

Matthew — Matthew 28.16-20

¹⁶Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

¹⁶But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. ¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ¹⁸And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ²⁰teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Epistle

weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 11.33-12.2

³³who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³³Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens. ³⁴Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ³⁵Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: ³⁵Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: ³⁶and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: ³⁶And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: ³⁷They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; ³⁷they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated ³⁸(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. ³⁸(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth. ³⁹And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: ³⁹And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise, ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

¹Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ²looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Epistle

— Apostles

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 4.9-16

⁹For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. ⁹For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men. ¹⁰We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. ¹⁰We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor. ¹¹Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; ¹¹Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place; ¹²And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: ¹²and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; ¹³Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. ¹³being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now. ¹⁴I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

¹⁴I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. ¹⁵For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel. ¹⁵For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. ¹⁶Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. ¹⁶I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 10.32-33, 37-38, 19.27-30

³²Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. ³²Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. ³³But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. ³³But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven. ³⁷He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁷He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. ³⁸And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me.

²⁷Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? ²⁷Then answered Peter and said unto him, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee; what then shall we have? ²⁸And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁸And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. ²⁹And every one that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life. ³⁰But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. ³⁰But many shall be last that are first; and first that are last.

Gospel

— Apostles

Mark — Mark 3.13-19

¹³And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.

¹³And he goeth up into the mountain, and calleth unto him whom he himself would; and they went unto him. ¹⁴And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, ¹⁴And he appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, ¹⁵And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: ¹⁵and to have authority to cast out demons: ¹⁶And Simon he surnamed Peter; ¹⁶and Simon he surnamed Peter; ¹⁷And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: ¹⁷and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and them he surnamed Boanerges, which is, Sons of thunder: ¹⁸And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, ¹⁸and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphæus, and Thaddæus, and Simon the Cananæan, ¹⁹And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

¹⁹and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. And he cometh into a house.