Tuesday, 23 July 2024

Tuesday of the 5th week after Pentecost

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

Saints commemorated

★ Holy righteous Pelagia of Tinos and the discovery of the icon of the Theotokos

Saint Pelagia was a nun of the convent of Kechrovouni on the Cycladic island of Tinos in the early nineteenth century. In a series of visions in the summer of 1822, the Mother of God appeared to her and commanded her to seek out a buried icon in a certain field belonging to a man named Doxaras, and to ask the local bishop and townspeople to dig there. The first attempts to dig were unfruitful, but on 30 January 1823 the holy icon of the Annunciation was found at last in the ruins of an ancient church. The discovery occurred at the very beginning of the Greek War of Independence and was received as a sign of the Mother of God's protection over the struggling nation. A great church was raised over the site, and the wonder-working icon of the Panagia Evangelistria has remained one of the most beloved pilgrimage shrines of Greece. Saint Pelagia continued to live in the strictest asceticism in her convent and reposed in peace in 1834. She was officially glorified by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1971, and her commemoration was assigned to 23 July, the day of the first apparition.

Holy hieromartyr Apollinarius, bishop of Ravenna

He was a disciple of St Peter, born in Antioch. St Peter took him to Rome (he was bishop of Antioch before being bishop of Rome, so Antioch is as much the ‘see of Peter’ as is Rome) and made him Bishop of Ravenna. In Ravenna, he healed the wife of the military governor of a grave illness, after which the governor and his household confessed Christ and were baptized. Apollinarius was able to form a house church in the governor’s home, from which he labored for the Gospel for twelve years. Eventually, he was condemned to exile in Illyria for his faith, and began a life of missionary travel in the Balkans, travelling as far as the Danube. After twelve years of this work, he was driven back to Italy by the hostility of some of the pagans. He was received with joy by the people of Ravenna, which aroused the envy of the pagan elders, who denounced him to the Emperor Vespasian. When the elders asked permission to kill Apollinarius, the Emperor only gave them permission to drive him from the city, wisely saying ‘It is not seemly to take revenge on behalf of the gods, for they can themselves be revenged on their enemies if they are angered.’ But, in defiance of the Imperial decree, the pagan leaders attacked and killed Apollinarius with knives. His holy relics are preserved in Ravenna, in a church dedicated to him.

Holy martyr Anna, also called Severina, and the holy martyr Olympiada

Saints Anna and Olympiada were two devout Christian women who suffered for Christ in the city of Rome, traditionally placed in the time of the emperor Decius in the middle of the third century. According to their Acts, they were arrested for openly confessing the faith and were brought before the prefect Probus. When they refused to offer incense to the gods and answered every threat with a confession of Christ, they were subjected to a long succession of tortures. They were stretched on the rack, beaten with rods, scraped with iron claws, and thrown into prison, where, the tradition says, an angel of the Lord appeared to them and healed their wounds. Brought out a second time and still firm, they were sentenced to death. Olympiada was beheaded, and Anna, after further beatings, gave up her soul under the strokes. Their bodies were taken up by faithful Christians and reverently buried. The Church has kept their joint memorial on 23 July from ancient times.

Holy martyrs Trophimus, Theophilus and the thirteen with them

Saints Trophimus, Theophilus and thirteen companions suffered martyrdom in Lycia during the Diocletianic persecution at the beginning of the fourth century. Arrested for refusing to take part in the public sacrifices, they were brought before the governor and confessed themselves Christians. The judge ordered them to be beaten without mercy and their bones broken with iron rods, but the saints rejoiced in their sufferings and called upon the name of Christ. After further tortures designed to terrify them, including the breaking of their teeth and the tearing of their flesh with hooks, they remained unshaken in faith. Finally they were cast alive into a great fire. Witnesses reported that, as the flames rose around them, they stood praising God with one voice, and so gave up their souls together. Their bodies were preserved untouched by the fire, and Christians later took them up for honourable burial. Their commemoration is kept by the whole Church on 23 July.

Holy prophet Ezekiel

The holy prophet Ezekiel was the son of Buzi, a priest of the line of Aaron. He was carried away to Babylon together with King Jehoiachin of Judah in the great deportation of 597 BC, before the final destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. While living among the Jewish exiles by the river Chebar in Chaldea, in the fifth year of his captivity, the heavens were opened and he beheld the vision of the four living creatures, the wheels within wheels, and the throne of God. He prophesied for some twenty-two years among his fellow exiles, calling them to repentance and proclaiming both the punishment of sins and the future restoration of Israel. His book is filled with mighty visions: the valley of dry bones that came together and were clothed with sinew and breath; the new Temple, measured out in detail by an angel with a measuring reed; and the river flowing eastward from the sanctuary that gives life wherever it goes. The fathers of the Church see in these images prophecies of the Resurrection of the dead, the Body of Christ, and the grace of the Holy Spirit poured forth from the Church. According to ancient tradition Ezekiel was put to death by a Jewish prince of the captivity whom he rebuked for idolatry, and was buried near Babylon, where his tomb was venerated for many centuries.

Righteous Anna, mother of the prophet Samuel Righteous Anna, mother of the prophet Samuel

Also commemorated: Martys Trophimus, Theophilus and Companions

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Romans — Romans 14.9-18

⁹For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. ⁹For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. ¹⁰But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. ¹⁰But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God. ¹¹For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. ¹¹For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God. ¹²So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

¹²So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.

¹³Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother’s way, or an occasion of falling. ¹³Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. ¹⁴I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: save that to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. ¹⁴I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. ¹⁵For if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died. ¹⁵But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. ¹⁶Let not then your good be evil spoken of: ¹⁶Let not then your good be evil spoken of: ¹⁷For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. ¹⁷for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. ¹⁸For he that herein serveth Christ is well-pleasing to God, and approved of men.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 12.14-16, 22-30

¹⁴Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. ¹⁴But the Pharisees went out, and took counsel against him, how they might destroy him. ¹⁵But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

¹⁵And Jesus perceiving it withdrew from thence: and many followed him; and he healed them all, ¹⁶And charged them that they should not make him known: ¹⁶and charged them that they should not make him known:

²²Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

²²Then was brought unto him one possessed with a demon, blind and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the dumb man spake and saw. ²³And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? ²³And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, Can this be the son of David? ²⁴But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. ²⁴But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons. ²⁵And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: ²⁵And knowing their thoughts he said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: ²⁶And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? ²⁶and if Satan casteth out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand? ²⁷And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. ²⁷And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. ²⁸But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you. ²⁸But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. ²⁹Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. ²⁹Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. ³⁰He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. ³⁰He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.