Monday, 29 July 2024

Monday of the 6th week after Pentecost

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

Saints commemorated

★ Holy king Olaf, equal-of-the-apostles, of Norway

Saint Olaf Haraldsson, king and enlightener of Norway, was born about 995, of the royal house of Harald Fairhair. As a youth he served as a Viking leader in the Baltic and around the British Isles, and during a stay in Normandy he was instructed in the Christian faith and baptised at Rouen. Returning to Norway, he was received as king in 1015 and set himself, with the zeal of a new convert, to bring the whole realm to the Gospel. He brought English and German missionary bishops to his court, restored the work of Saint Olaf Tryggvason, organised parishes, and gave the people their first written law book, in which the Christian faith and the protection of the weak were established as the law of the land. Driven from the kingdom in 1029 by the great chieftains who allied themselves with the Danish king Cnut, Olaf took refuge with the prince Yaroslav of Kiev, where his wisdom and devotion impressed the Russians, and where he is mentioned in their chronicles. Returning the following year to claim his throne, he met his enemies in battle at Stiklestad on 29 July 1030, where he was struck down by three wounds and gave up his soul commending his cause to God. From that hour his grave at Trondheim became the centre of national devotion, miracles followed, and the work of converting Norway to the faith was completed in his name. The Orthodox Church honours him as one of the equal-of-the-apostles among the kings of the West.

Holy Martyr Callinicus of Gangra in Asia Minor

c. 250

He was born in Cilicia to a pious family. He left all worldly things and devoted his life to preaching the Gospel of Christ, for which he was arrested in Ancyra by the governor Sacerdos. When he was commanded to worship the idols or suffer torture, Callinicus replied, ‘Every torture for my God is as welcome to me as bread to a hungry man.’ After harsh torture, the governor had him shod in shoes in which nails had been set pointing upright, and had him driven on foot to the town of Gangra. (The governor was afraid to keep him in Ancyra, since many of the people were turning to Christ through the Saint’s example.) On the way, when the soldiers became thirsty, Callinicus prayed to God and brought forth water from a rock. At Gangra he was thrown alive into a furnace. When the fire was out, his dead body was found completely unharmed.

Holy martyr Callinicus of Cilicia

Saint Callinicus was a native of Cilicia in southern Asia Minor in the early fourth century. From his youth he was instructed in the Christian faith and travelled from city to city, preaching the Gospel and turning the pagans from the worship of idols. Coming to Ancyra in Galatia, he was arrested by the governor Sacerdonius for openly denouncing the imperial sacrifices. The governor began with mild persuasion, then turned to the cruellest tortures, but the saint endured everything with his eyes lifted up to heaven. His feet were shod with iron sandals studded with nails on the inside, and he was driven on foot for many miles to the town of Gangra, where the great fire used for the public ovens was prepared for his execution. Throughout that bitter march he encouraged his guards, and many of them are said to have been moved by his patience. Reaching Gangra, he gave thanks, prayed for his persecutors, and walked of his own accord into the flames, where he gave up his soul about the year 250. Christians took up his bones from the cooled ashes and buried them, and a church was built in his honour.

Holy martyr Theodota and her three sons

Saint Theodota was a Christian widow of Bithynia who lived in the time of the emperor Diocletian, at the close of the third century. After the death of her husband she devoted herself to the upbringing of her three young sons, Evodius, Hermogenes and a third whose name in some traditions is given as Callistus, raising them in the fear of God and the love of the poor. She maintained close friendship with Saint Anastasia the Deliverer-from-Bonds, supporting her in her ministry to the imprisoned confessors of Christ. Reported to the magistrate during the great persecution, Theodota was brought into the public court together with her children. The judge tried first to persuade her by promises of marriage to a wealthy nobleman; when she refused, the children were tested in turn, and each, taught by their mother, confessed Christ with simplicity and courage. Theodota was tortured and beaten in the sight of her sons, and, after being cast into prison and brought out a second time, she was condemned with all three children to be burnt alive. They went together into the fire singing psalms, and so received their crowns about the year 304.

Holy virgin-martyr Seraphima of Antioch

Saint Seraphima was a young Christian woman from Antioch of Syria, who in the time of the emperor Hadrian made her way to Rome to live in the house of the noble matron Sabina, whom she had instructed and brought to the faith. Sabina, struck by the holiness of the young virgin, became her disciple and benefactress, and the two lived together in prayer and works of mercy. In the persecution kindled in the city, the prefect Berillus had Seraphima arrested as a Christian and as the cause of Sabina's conversion. Threats and promises were tried in turn upon the maiden, and when these failed she was given over to two shameless men. By her prayer she was preserved from violation, the men were struck speechless, and they fell at her feet entreating baptism. The judge, in fury, ordered that she be burnt alive, but the fire turned aside; she was at last beheaded around the year 117 or 119. Her body was buried by Saint Sabina at the latter's villa, where Sabina herself, the next year, also received the crown of martyrdom and was laid beside her teacher. The Church keeps the memory of Saint Seraphima on 29 July.

Saint Constantine of Mount Athos

Saint Constantine was a hieromonk of Mount Athos in the late mediaeval period. Tonsured in one of the great Athonite communities and ordained to the priesthood, he served the brethren as a confessor and spiritual father. Drawn to greater silence, he later withdrew to a hermit's cell among the rocks above his monastery, where he gave himself to fasting, vigil, and unceasing prayer. He was distinguished by his simplicity, his deep humility, and his unfailing kindness to those who came to him for counsel. Many sought him out in their afflictions, and he laboured by his prayers and tears to lead them to repentance and peace of soul. He is reported to have been granted the gifts of clairvoyance and of healing, but he hid them as far as he was able. He reposed in peace at a great age and was buried by his brethren among the holy fathers of the Mountain. The Church keeps his commemoration on 29 July among the recent saints of Athos.

Holy Martyr Seraphima

2nd c.

She was a maiden from Antioch who lived (perhaps as a slave) in the house of Sabina, wife of a Senator. When Seraphima brought the senator’s wife to faith in Christ, the governor summoned Seraphima before him. When she held firm in her faith, he cast her into prison and send several young men to her cell by night to defile her. When they arrived, she was praying to God, and an angel of the Lord appeared before them, clothed in light and bearing a sword; and the young men fell down unconscious. Finally, Seraphima received her martyr’s crown when she was beheaded by the governor’s order. Sabina, the senator’s wife, recovered and buried her body, from which a healing myrrh flowed. This was during the reign of Hadrian.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Romans — Romans 16.17-24

¹⁷Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

¹⁷Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. ¹⁸For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. ¹⁸For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent. ¹⁹For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. ¹⁹For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil. ²⁰And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

²⁰And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

²¹Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.

²¹Timothy my fellow-worker saluteth you; and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. ²²I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. ²²I Tertius, who write the epistle, salute you in the Lord. ²³Gaius my host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the treasurer of the city saluteth you, and Quartus the brother. ²³Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. ²⁴The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. ²⁴

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 13.10-23

¹⁰And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

¹⁰And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? ¹¹He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. ¹¹And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. ¹²For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. ¹²For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. ¹³Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. ¹³Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. ¹⁴And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive: ¹⁴And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: ¹⁵For this people’s heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. ¹⁵For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. ¹⁶But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

¹⁶But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. ¹⁷For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not. ¹⁸Hear then ye the parable of the sower.

¹⁸Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. ¹⁹When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side. ¹⁹When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. ²⁰And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; ²⁰But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; ²¹yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. ²¹Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. ²²He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. ²²And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. ²³And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ²³But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.