Tuesday, 16 July 2024

Tuesday of the 4th week after Pentecost

72 days after Pascha · Tone 2 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils

On 16 July, or on the Sunday falling between 13 and 19 July, the Orthodox Church commemorates the holy and God-bearing Fathers who assembled in the first six Ecumenical Councils. These were the council of Nicaea (325), which under Saint Constantine the Great defined the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father against the heresy of Arius and produced the Symbol of Faith; the council of Constantinople I (381) under Saint Theodosius the Great, which completed the Creed and confirmed the divinity of the Holy Spirit against Macedonius; the council of Ephesus (431), which proclaimed Mary as Theotokos against Nestorius; the council of Chalcedon (451) under the emperor Marcian, which defined the two natures of Christ against the Monophysites and is especially associated with this commemoration; the council of Constantinople II (553) under Saint Justinian, condemning the Three Chapters; and the council of Constantinople III (680-681) under Constantine Pogonatos, which condemned the Monothelites. These Councils are held by the Church to be guided by the Holy Spirit and to constitute, together with Holy Scripture and Tradition, the canonical and dogmatic foundation of the Orthodox faith.

Hieromartyr Athenogenes, Bishop of Pidachthoa, and his ten disciples

“In the time of Diocletian, a fierce persecutor of Christians called Philomarchus came to Sebaste. He arrested and killed many Christians in the town. When he saw Athenogenes and his disciples, he told the elder to sacrifice to the idols, that they should not perish as had the other Christians. Athenogenes replied: ‘O Torturer, those whom you describe as having perished have not perished, but are in heaven and make merry with the angels!’ There was a touching moment when a deer, which had been hand-fed by the compassionate Athenogenes, ran up to him and, seeing him in such straits, shed tears. Wild animals of the hills had more pity on the martyrs than did the pagans! After harsh torture, during which an angel of God comforted them, they were all beheaded, first the priests and fellow workers of Athenogenes and then Athenogenes himself, and went to their heavenly home in the year 311.” (Prologue)

The Great Horologion adds “There is a second Martyr Athenogenes commemorated today, mentioned by St Basil… it is said that as this Athenogenes approached the fire, wherein he was to die a martyric death, he chanted the hymn O Joyous Light in praise of the Holy Trinity.” This is one way that we know that the vesperal hymn Gladsome Light was in use before the time of St Basil the Great.

Holy Virgin Martyr Julia of Carthage and Corsica

Saint Julia was born to a noble Christian family in Carthage in North Africa in the fifth century. Still a young girl when the Persians (or, in some versions, Vandals or Saracens) overran the city, she was carried off into captivity and sold into slavery to a wealthy Syrian merchant named Eusebius. Bound to a pagan master, she nonetheless persevered in the Christian way of life: she served her master with diligence and humility, kept the fasts of the Church, watched in prayer through the night, and preserved her virginity. Eusebius, won over by her virtue, came to esteem her almost as a daughter, but neither his persuasions nor his threats could induce her to sacrifice to the idols. On a voyage to Gaul their ship put in at the island of Corsica, where the people were celebrating a pagan festival. While Eusebius and his companions joined the feast and fell asleep drunken on shore, the local governor Felix, learning that Julia would not honour his gods, ordered her to be tortured and at last crucified upon the island. A monastery is said to have arisen on the spot, and her relics, later translated to the convent of Brescia in Italy, made her name beloved across Italy and Corsica, of which she is patroness.

Saint Tenenan of Leon, hermit and bishop

Saint Tenenan (also spelled Ténénan or Tinidor) was a holy hermit and bishop of the seventh century. According to Breton tradition he was born in the British Isles, probably in Wales, and crossed to Brittany in north-western France, where he settled as an anchorite, devoting himself to prayer, fasting and the conversion of the still half-pagan Armorican countryside. About the year 615, on the death of Saint Goulven, Bishop of Léon, he was elected to succeed him. Tenenan accepted the office only with great reluctance, yielding at length to the pleas of the deputies of the diocese, and was consecrated in the cathedral of Dol by Saint Guennou. He governed his see with apostolic simplicity, and on growing old he withdrew to Plabennec, where he reposed about the year 650 and was buried in his own foundation. His relics, long enshrined at Plabennec, made his memory dear to the Bretons, and he is venerated by the Orthodox Church among the Western saints of the pre-schism age. His memory is kept on 16 July.

Also commemorated: Hieromartyr Athenogenes, Bishop of Heracleopolis

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Romans — Romans 10.11-11.2

¹¹For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. ¹¹For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. ¹²For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: ¹³For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ¹³for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ¹⁴How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁴How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things! ¹⁵And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

¹⁶But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? ¹⁶But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? ¹⁷So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. ¹⁷So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. ¹⁸But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. ¹⁸But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, Their sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the world. ¹⁹But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

¹⁹But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.

²⁰And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me. ²⁰But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.

²¹But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. ²¹But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

¹I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

¹I say then, Did God cast off his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ²God did not cast off his people which he foreknew. Or know ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he pleadeth with God against Israel: ²God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 11.16-20

¹⁶But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, ¹⁶But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the marketplaces, who call unto their fellows ¹⁷And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. ¹⁷and say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn. ¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. ¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon. ¹⁹The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! And wisdom is justified by her works. ¹⁹The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

²⁰Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

²⁰Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.