Saturday, 7 September 2024

Saturday before Elevation

Saturday of the 11th week after Pentecost

125 days after Pascha · Tone 1 · Red squigg (doxology typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Forefeast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos

The seventh of September is the Forefeast, or eve, of the great feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, which is celebrated on the eighth of September and is the first of the Twelve Great Feasts of the liturgical year. Following the order of the Indiction, by which the Church year begins on the first of September, the festal cycle opens with the birth of the Mother of God, just as the cycle of salvation history began with her holy Nativity, and is brought to its close on the fifteenth of August with her Dormition. By placing this day of preparation before the feast itself, the Church begins to sing the joy of the world: that of the barren and aged Joachim and Anna a daughter has been promised, the Virgin who shall become the dwelling-place of God the Word in the flesh. The hymns of the forefeast already proclaim the coming birth of her who is the Bridge that leads to heaven, the Tabernacle, the Living Ark, and the Spiritual Paradise, and they call upon the faithful to make ready by purification of mind and life. The forefeast is observed with festal hymnography sung at vespers and matins, and on this day the parish prepares itself for the all-night vigil of the great feast. Together with the Forefeast, the Church remembers Saint Sozon of Cilicia, the apostle Evodius of the Seventy, the Apostle Onesiphorus of the Seventy, the holy martyr Eupsychius of Caesarea, and other saints who fell asleep on this day.

★ Holy Martyr Sozon of Cilicia

The Holy Martyr Sozon was a young shepherd of Lycaonia in the borders of Cilicia, born of pious parents and brought up in the Christian faith from his childhood. As he tended the flocks of his father in the wooded hills, he was accustomed to leading his fellow shepherds in prayer, instructing them in the truth of Christ, and exhorting them to abandon the worship of the dumb idols. Once, while seated under an oak tree by a spring, he received a visitation from on high in which he was strengthened to go forward and confess the name of Christ in the city. About the year 304, in the persecution of the emperor Maximian, Sozon went to the city of Pompeiopolis in Cilicia, where there stood a magnificent golden idol revered by the citizens. Entering the temple alone, he broke off the right hand of the statue with his shepherd's staff and went out, breaking it into pieces and distributing the gold to the poor. The pagan priests, finding the mutilated idol, raised an outcry and arrested innocent men. Saint Sozon, learning that others were being punished in his stead, gave himself up to the governor Maximian, who was then in the city, and openly confessed his deed and his faith. He was scourged, hung up and torn with iron hooks, and shod with red-hot iron sandals in which he was made to walk. Despite all this he continued to glorify Christ, and was at last cast into a furnace, where he gave up his soul to God. Christians took up his body and buried it with honour. Many miracles took place at his grave, and the staff of the holy martyr was preserved by the Church as a precious relic.

Holy Apostle Evodius of the Seventy, Bishop of Antioch

The Holy Apostle Evodius was one of the Seventy Apostles chosen by the Lord and sent out before His face. After the day of Pentecost he attached himself to the company of the chief Apostle Peter, who consecrated him as the first bishop of Antioch in Syria, where the disciples of Christ were first called Christians. Saint Evodius governed that great church for twenty-seven years, succeeding the Apostle Peter in the see and being himself succeeded by the holy Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer. Tradition records that it was Evodius who first applied the name Christian to the disciples of the Lord, and that he composed many works of doctrine, including a book entitled "The Star," which was lost, but in which, according to ancient testimonies, he set out the genealogy of Christ from the time of His ancestors. He is also said to have transmitted in his writings the tradition that the Most Holy Theotokos was twenty-three years of age at the time when she gave birth to the Lord, and that she dwelt in the household of the holy Apostle John for the space of fifteen years after the Ascension, until her holy Dormition. Saint Evodius watered the soil of the Antiochene church by his pastoral labours and crowned his episcopal ministry by martyrdom, sealing his confession with his blood under the emperor Nero around the year 66.

Holy Apostle Onesiphorus of the Seventy

The Holy Apostle Onesiphorus was one of the Seventy Apostles whom the Lord chose and sent two by two before His face into every city and place. He is mentioned by name in the Second Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Timothy, where the apostle writes, "May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently and found me." From these words it is clear that Onesiphorus, an Ephesian by origin, came to Rome during the captivity of the Apostle Paul and was unwearied in seeking him out and ministering to his needs. The same epistle implies that Onesiphorus had also rendered service of every kind to the Apostle Paul in Ephesus before that journey. Tradition relates that he was made bishop of Colophon in Asia Minor, and afterwards of Cyrene in Libya, where he preached the Gospel to the heathen. Together with his companion Saint Porphyrius he was finally seized by the persecutors, scourged, dragged behind wild horses, and so received the crown of martyrdom in the days of the emperor Domitian. The Church honours him together with Saint Porphyrius on the seventh day of September, and again on the fourth day of January with the rest of the Seventy.

Holy Martyr Eupsychyius of Caesarea

2nd c.

He was the son of a wealthy pagan senator in Caesarea of Cappadocia. When his father died, he gave his inheritance to the poor, proclaiming the Kingdom of God while he did so. For this he was arrested by Sapricius, Governor of Cappadocia, and put in prison. He persuaded his jailers to release him for awhile, and set about giving away the remainder of his worldly goods, first to his accusers and persecutors, then to the poor. When all his wealth was gone, he voluntarily returned to prison. He was viciously scourged several times, then beheaded. At his martyrdom, it is said that milk instead of blood flowed from his body.

Our Holy Father John, Archbishop of Novgorod

1185

“He was first a married priest and then, from 1163, bishop in Novgorod, building seven churches during his lifetime. He had a vision of the holy Mother of God and a rare power over demons, making them obey him, and he once miraculously preserved Novgorod from an attack by seventy-two princes. He suffered from diabolical temptations, but overcame them all by the power of the Cross and by prayer. Retiring to a monastery in old age, he received the Great Habit and entered peacefully into rest in the Lord on September 7th, 1185.” (Prologue)

St Kassia the Hymnographer

9th c.

She was born in Constantinople to a noble family, and grew to be unusually beautiful and learned — so much so that she was chosen to participate in a ‘bride show’, at which the Emperor Theophilos was to choose a wife. Struck by Kassia’s beauty, the Emperor approached her and said ‘Through a woman came forth the baser things,’ referring to Eve’s transgression. Kassia responded, ‘Through a woman came forth the better things’, referring to the Incarnation of Christ through His Most Pure Mother. Stung by her reply, the Emperor rejected her and chose Theodora as his wife. Kassia entered monastic life and founded a women’s monastery in Constantinople, closely allied with the Stoudion Monastery. Serving as abbess of the monastery, she wrote many liturgical hymns, at least twenty of which are included in the services of the Church. Best-known (or at least most closely associated with her) is the Hymn of Kassiani, sung at Matins on Holy Wednesday. She reposed in peace.

Daily readings

Epistle

— Saturday before Elevation weekly cycle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 2.6-9

⁶Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

⁶We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought: ⁷but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: ⁷But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: ⁸Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁸which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: ⁹But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. ⁹but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.

Epistle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 1.3-9

³Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

⁴I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus; ⁵That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; ⁵that in everything ye were enriched in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; ⁶Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: ⁶even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: ⁷So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: ⁷so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; ⁸Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreproveable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. ⁹God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Gospel

— Saturday before Elevation weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 10.37-11.1

³⁷He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁷He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. ³⁸And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. ³⁹He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. ³⁹He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

⁴⁰He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

⁴⁰He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. ⁴¹He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴¹He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward: and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴²And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. ⁴²And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward.

¹And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

¹And it came to pass when Jesus had finished commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and preach in their cities.

Gospel

Matthew — Matthew 19.3-12

³The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

³And there came unto him Pharisees, trying him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? ⁴And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, ⁴And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, ⁵And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? ⁵and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? ⁶Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ⁶So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ⁷They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away? ⁷They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? ⁸He saith unto them, Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it hath not been so. ⁸He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. ⁹And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery. ⁹And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

¹⁰His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. ¹⁰The disciples say unto him, If the case of the man is so with his wife, it is not expedient to marry. ¹¹But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. ¹¹But he said unto them, Not all men can receive this saying, but they to whom it is given. ¹²For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. ¹²For there are eunuchs, that were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are eunuchs, that were made eunuchs by men: and there are eunuchs, that made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.