Sunday, 28 July 2024

5th Sunday after Pentecost

84 days after Pascha · Tone 4 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy apostles and deacons Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas of the Seventy

The four holy apostles Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas were among the seven men chosen by the apostles in the early days of the Church at Jerusalem to serve at table and to relieve the apostles for the ministry of the word and prayer. Together with Stephen, Philip and Nicolaus, they were ordained to the diaconate by the laying-on of hands of the Twelve, as the book of Acts records. All four were filled with the Holy Spirit and went forth to preach the Gospel.

Prochorus was a companion and disciple of the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian, sharing his exile on the island of Patmos and writing down at his dictation the Gospel and Apocalypse, according to ancient tradition. He is held to have become bishop of Nicomedia in Bithynia and to have suffered martyrdom at Antioch. Nicanor was killed at Jerusalem on the same day as the holy archdeacon Stephen, in the persecution that followed Stephen's death. Timon became bishop of Bostra in Arabia and was thrown into a furnace by the pagans, from which he came forth unharmed and was finally crucified for Christ. Parmenas served the church of Macedonia and reposed in peace, worn out by his long apostolic labours, in the presence of the apostles. The four are commemorated together on 28 July.

Holy martyr Eustathius of Galatia, of Ancyra

Saint Eustathius was a Roman soldier of Galatia in Asia Minor who suffered martyrdom under the emperor Maximian at the close of the third or beginning of the fourth century. A native of the village of Marathon near Ancyra, he was a Christian from his youth and served Christ even within the legions, refusing to take part in the sacrifices ordered for the troops. When his confession was reported to the local commander, he was arrested and brought to the city. Subjected to severe tortures, including the breaking of his bones, the burning of his sides with torches and immersion in boiling pitch, he was strengthened in each ordeal by the appearance of an angel of the Lord. The judge, unable to break his constancy, sent him in chains to Nicaea, where he was thrown into the river. Witnesses testified that he walked upon the water, was beheaded only after he had finished his prayer, and that his body was carried by the stream to a place where Christians could recover it for honourable burial. The Church keeps his commemoration on 28 July.

Venerable Acacius the new of Mount Latros

Saint Acacius was a monk of Mount Latros, the great monastic mountain of western Asia Minor, in the eleventh century. From his youth he loved the things of God and entered one of the lavras of the holy mountain, where he was tonsured and trained in obedience under a wise elder. He surpassed his companions in fasting, vigil, and the warfare of the spirit, eating only every second or third day and sleeping for short hours upon the bare ground. After many years in the community he was permitted to retire to a hermit's cell among the high rocks of Latros, where he gave himself to unceasing prayer. The Lord granted him the gift of tears, the discernment of thoughts, and the working of healings. Many came to him from the surrounding country with their afflictions, and the elder, while loving silence, did not refuse to bring help by his prayers and counsel. He reposed in peace at a great age, and his relics were honoured by the brotherhood of the mountain. The Church remembers him on 28 July among the venerable fathers.

Venerable Irene, abbess of Chrysovalantou

Saint Irene was born in Cappadocia in the ninth century, of a noble Christian family. After the death of the empress Theodora the regent and the betrothal of her son the young emperor Michael III, the imperial servants were sent throughout the empire to find a suitable bride for him, and the maidens chosen for their beauty were brought to Constantinople. Irene was among them, but on her journey she was met by Saint Joannicius the Great on Mount Olympus of Bithynia, who, knowing the secrets of her heart, told her that she had been chosen by the heavenly King and not by the earthly. By the time she reached Constantinople another bride had already been chosen, and Irene asked to be admitted to the women's monastery of Chrysovalantou near the capital.

She advanced quickly in obedience and ascetic struggle, spending whole nights in prayer with her arms extended and her body so still that it seemed without breath. Through the gifts granted to her she was made abbess by the brethren, and led the community for many years in the spirit of the desert. She was favoured with visions of the saints, with the gift of foreknowledge, and with the conversion of sinners; the apostle John the Theologian appeared to her in particular as her heavenly protector. She reposed in great old age, having governed the monastery to her last hours, and is invoked especially by women who suffer in childlessness or in the difficulties of the family.

Venerable Paul of Xeropotamou

Saint Paul was the son of the emperor Michael I Rangabe of Byzantium and was born around 800. After the deposition of his father in 813 the imperial children, including Paul (whose original name was Procopius), were tonsured and dispersed to various monasteries to remove them as possible claimants to the throne. Paul was educated in the imperial city, where he became known for the depth of his learning, and as a young man wrote a treatise in defence of the Mother of God against the heretics. The fame of his life of prayer reached the emperor, who summoned him to court, but he soon withdrew to Mount Athos, drawn by the desert. There he founded the monastery of Xeropotamou, "of the dry stream," which still bears his name, and a little later, with imperial help, the monastery of Saint Paul on the south-western slope of the Holy Mountain. Both communities became great centres of asceticism and learning. Saint Paul governed his brethren with humility, fasting, and unceasing prayer, and refused to receive ordination to the priesthood from a sense of his unworthiness. He reposed at Xeropotamou about 820, having delivered up his soul peacefully in the presence of his disciples. He is venerated as one of the founding fathers of the great Athonite tradition.

Also commemorated: Apostles of 70 Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas

Daily readings

5th Matins Gospel

Luke — Luke 24.12-35

¹²But Peter arose, and ran unto the tomb; and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen cloths by themselves; and he departed to his home, wondering at that which was come to pass. ¹²Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

¹³And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was threescore furlongs from Jerusalem.

¹³And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. ¹⁴And they talked together of all these things which had happened. ¹⁴And they communed with each other of all these things which had happened. ¹⁵And it came to pass, while they communed and questioned together, that Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. ¹⁵And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. ¹⁶But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. ¹⁶But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. ¹⁷And he said unto them, What communications are these that ye have one with another, as ye walk? And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁷And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? ¹⁸And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? ¹⁸And one of them, named Cleopas, answering said unto him, Dost thou alone sojourn in Jerusalem and not know the things which are come to pass there in these days? ¹⁹And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: ¹⁹And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: ²⁰And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. ²⁰and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. ²¹But we hoped that it was he who should redeem Israel. Yea and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things came to pass. ²²Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; ²²Moreover certain women of our company amazed us, having been early at the tomb; ²³and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ²³And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. ²⁴And certain of them that were with us went to the tomb, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. ²⁴And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. ²⁵Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ²⁵And he said unto them, O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶Behooved it not the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory? ²⁶Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? ²⁷And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. ²⁷And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. ²⁸And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they were going: and he made as though he would go further. ²⁸And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. ²⁹But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. ²⁹And they constrained him, saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent. And he went in to abide with them. ³⁰And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. ³⁰And it came to pass, when he had sat down with them to meat, he took the bread and blessed; and breaking it he gave to them. ³¹And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. ³¹And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. ³²And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? ³²And they said one to another, Was not our heart burning within us, while he spake to us in the way, while he opened to us the scriptures? ³³And they rose up that very hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, ³³And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, ³⁴Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. ³⁴saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. ³⁵And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. ³⁵And they rehearsed the things that happened in the way, and how he was known of them in the breaking of the bread.

Epistle

weekly cycle

Romans — Romans 10.1-10

¹Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

¹Brethren, my heart’s desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved. ²For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. ²For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. ³For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. ⁴For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. ⁴For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth. ⁵For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby. ⁵For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. ⁶But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:) ⁶But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) ⁷or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) ⁷Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) ⁸But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; ⁸But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach: ⁹That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ⁹because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: ¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹⁰for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 8.28-9.1

²⁸And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

²⁸And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming forth out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man could pass by that way. ²⁹And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? ²⁹And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? ³⁰Now there was afar off from them a herd of many swine feeding. ³⁰And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. ³¹And the demons besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine. ³¹So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. ³²And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. ³²And he said unto them, Go. And they came out, and went into the swine: and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep into the sea, and perished in the waters. ³³And they that fed them fled, and went away into the city, and told everything, and what was befallen to them that were possessed with demons. ³³And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. ³⁴And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts. ³⁴And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart from their borders.

¹And he entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city.

¹And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.