Sunday, 7 July 2024

All Saints of America, All Saints of Russia

2nd Sunday after Pentecost

63 days after Pascha · Tone 1 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Holy great martyr Kyriake of Nicomedia

282

Dorotheos and Eusebia, a devout, aging Christian couple who lived in Anatolia, had no children. After many years, their fervent prayers for a child were answered, and they were blessed with a daughter, whom they named Kyriake (‘Sunday’ in Greek) because she was born on the Lord’s day. The child grew up beautiful in body and soul and, though she had many suitors, chose to consecrate herself entirely to God and remain single. One of her suitors, angered at her refusal, denounced her and her parents to the Emperor Diocletian. Dorotheos and Eusebia were subjected to cruel tortures, then sent into exile, where they died under further torture. Kyriake was sent to Maximian, Diocletian’s son-in-law, for trial. By his orders, she was subjected to a horrifying series of torments; but Christ Himself appeared to her in prison, healing and comforting her. Many pagans came to believe in Christ when they saw her miraculously saved from death by fire or from wild beasts; all of these were beheaded. Kyriake told Apollonius, the general who supervised her tortures: ‘There is no way that you can turn me from my faith. Throw me into the fire — I have the example of the Three Children. Throw me to the wild beasts — I have the example of Daniel. Throw me into the sea — I have the example of Jonah the Prophet. Put me to the sword — I will remember the honored Forerunner. For me, to die is life in Christ.’ Apollonius then ordered that she be beheaded. At the place of execution, she raised her hands in prayer and gave up her soul to God before the executioner could take her life.

Note: St Kyriake is also known as Dominica or Nedelja, Latin and Slavonic words for ‘Sunday’.

Holy martyrs Peregrinus, Lucian, Pompeius, Hesychius, Papius, Saturninus and Germanus of Dyrrachium

The holy martyrs Peregrinus, Lucian, Pompeius, Hesychius, Papius, Saturninus and Germanus were natives of Italy who suffered for Christ in the early second century, under the emperor Trajan, in the city of Dyrrachium on the shores of the Adriatic. They had fled there from the persecution then raging in Italy, hoping to find a place of refuge in which to live their faith in peace. In Dyrrachium, however, they witnessed the public crucifixion of the bishop of that city, Saint Astius, who had been smeared with honey and exposed to the bees by the prefect. Unable to keep silence at so great an outrage, they openly praised the courage and firmness of the holy confessor and made known their own faith in Christ. They were at once seized; and as confessors of Christ they were taken in a boat out to sea and drowned in the deep. Their bodies, carried back to shore by the waves, were hidden in the sand by Christians and so escaped further outrage. About ninety years later they appeared in a vision to the bishop of Alexandria, instructing him to recover their bodies and to build a church over them, which he did. They are commemorated together on 7 July, the day after the holy hieromartyr Astius.

St Thomas of Mt Maleon

10th c.

He was a renowned general, known for his great size and courage, his many victories against barbarian enemies, and his considerable wealth. But, forsaking wealth and reputation to follow Christ, he retired to the desert to live in asceticism. The Prophet Elias appeared to him and, accompanied by a pillar of fire, led him to Mount Maleon, near the Holy Mountain. There he lived in solitude, giving his days and nights to prayer. Like so many who seek to hide their holiness from the world, he was discovered, and people began to come to him for healing of their ailments and those of their loved ones. The saint healed countless ailments, drove out demons, cured the blind, and made water to pour forth from barren earth. In prayer he appeared as a pillar of fire. He reposed in peace, and his relics continued to be a powerful source of healing.

Venerable Acacius of Sinai, who is mentioned in the Ladder

Saint Acacius lived in the sixth century and was a young novice in a coenobitic monastery in Asia. Though gentle and meek in spirit, he was placed under a harsh and dissolute elder, who treated him with extreme severity. For nine years Acacius bore without complaint blows, insults, and ceaseless reproaches, accepting all as from the hand of God and never once relaxing his obedience. Worn out by sufferings, he reposed in the Lord while still very young. Five days after his burial, his elder told another holy old man of his disciple's death. The latter doubted that Acacius had truly fallen asleep, and at his entreaty the elder went with him to the grave. Standing beside it, the elder called out, "Brother Acacius, are you dead?" From within the tomb came the answer: "Father, how can he who labours in obedience be dead?" Trembling, the elder fell to the ground in tears, and from that day forth shut himself up in a cell beside the grave of his disciple, ending his days in repentance. Saint John Climacus records the story of Saint Acacius in The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Step 4), as a perfect example of the rewards of obedience and patient endurance. The Orthodox Church commemorates Acacius both on 29 November and on 7 July, together with other ascetics of the holy Ladder.

Venerable Thomas, hermit of Mount Maleon

Saint Thomas of Mount Maleon was in his earlier years a soldier of high rank in the Byzantine army. Strong, brave, and wise in counsel, he took part in many battles and brought victories to his countrymen, for which he won much glory and honour from the emperor. Yet in the midst of worldly success he came to despise the vanity of military glory and longed for the solitary life. Forsaking all, he was tonsured a monk and after some years of cenobitic obedience received a blessing to live as an anchorite in the wilderness. Setting out with no certain destination, he was led, as his biographers relate, by a pillar of fire and by the holy prophet Elijah himself, whose zealous way of life he chose to emulate, to Mount Maleon (Maleos) in the Peloponnese. There, in unbroken solitude and prayer, he laboured for many years in the manner of the ancient desert fathers, fed and protected by divine providence. By the grace of God he wrought wonders, casting out demons, giving sight to the blind, causing springs of fresh water to gush forth in dry places, and healing many infirmities; while at prayer he was sometimes seen as a pillar of fire reaching up to heaven. People began to flock to his solitude seeking spiritual counsel, and the sick to be healed of their afflictions. The exact century of his life is uncertain, but he is generally placed in the tenth century. He reposed in peace, and his tomb continued to pour forth healings.

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.

2nd Matins Gospel

Mark — Mark 16.1-8

¹And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

¹And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. ²And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. ²And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb when the sun was risen. ³And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? ³And they were saying among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the tomb? ⁴And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. ⁴and looking up, they see that the stone is rolled back: for it was exceeding great. ⁵And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. ⁵And entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, arrayed in a white robe; and they were amazed. ⁶And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. ⁶And he saith unto them, Be not amazed: ye seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who hath been crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold, the place where they laid him! ⁷But go, tell his disciples and Peter, He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. ⁷But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. ⁸And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. ⁸And they went out, and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them: and they said nothing to any one; for they were afraid.

Epistle

weekly cycle

Romans — Romans 2.10-16

¹⁰But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: ¹⁰but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek: ¹¹For there is no respect of persons with God. ¹¹for there is no respect of persons with God. ¹²For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; ¹²For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law; ¹³(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. ¹³for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified; ¹⁴For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: ¹⁴(for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves; ¹⁵Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) ¹⁵in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them); ¹⁶In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. ¹⁶in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ.

Epistle

— Saints

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.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 4.18-23

¹⁸And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

¹⁸And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. ¹⁹And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. ¹⁹And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men. ²⁰And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. ²⁰And they straightway left the nets, and followed him. ²¹And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. ²¹And going on from thence he saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. ²²And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. ²²And they straightway left the boat and their father, and followed him.

²³And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

²³And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people.

Gospel

— Saints

Matthew — Matthew 4.25-5.12

²⁵And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. ²⁵And there followed him great multitudes from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judæa and from beyond the Jordan.

¹And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

¹And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him: ²And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, ²and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, ³Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

³Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. ⁴Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

⁵Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. ⁵Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

⁶Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. ⁷Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

⁷Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

⁸Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

⁹Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God. ⁹Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

¹⁰Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹⁰Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹¹Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹²Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you. ¹²Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.