Friday, 20 September 2024

Friday of the 13th week after Pentecost

138 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Red squigg (doxology typikon symbol) · Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Great Martyr Eustathius Placidas, with his family

118

Before baptism he was a renowned military commander under Trajan. While hunting in the woods, he met a great stag with a shining Cross between his antlers. Through the stag, the Lord spoke to Placidas (his pagan name) and told him to find a priest and be baptized into Christ. Returning home, he found that his wife Tatiana had also had a vision in which she was told to become a Christian. They were baptized, Placidas receiving the name Eustathius, and Tatiana the name Theopiste; their two sons were baptized with them. Eustathius and his family were almost immediately subjected to a series of grievous trials, in which all were separated from one another. After years of hardship they were re-united, and returned to Rome with honor when the Emperor sought out Eustathius to command his army once again. But when the Emperor Hadrian (who had succeeded Trajan) commanded them to worship the idols, all of them refused. They were put together into a large bronze ox which was heated white-hot in a fire. When their bodies were removed, they were found to be dead but intact. The Prologue concludes, ‘Thus this glorious general gave to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and to God that which is God’s, and entered into the eternal Kingdom of Christ our God.’

★ Holy Great Martyr Eustathius Placidus, his wife Theopiste and their children Agapius and Theopistus

118

The Holy Great Martyr Eustathius, called Placidas before his baptism, was a renowned Roman general under the emperors Titus and Trajan. Even as a pagan, he devoted himself to charitable works, helping the poor and oppressed. While hunting on his estate one day he pursued a great stag, and as the beast turned to face him he saw between its antlers the radiant figure of the crucified Christ, who spoke to him from the vision and called him to faith. Returning home, Placidas, his wife Tatiana and their two sons were baptised, receiving the names Eustathius, Theopiste, Agapius and Theopistus. The Lord then warned Eustathius that, like Job, he would suffer many trials before his final glory. The family was stripped of its wealth and servants, and Eustathius led them away from Rome in poverty. Embarking for Egypt, the captain of the ship demanded Theopiste in payment of the fare and put Eustathius and his sons ashore. As he carried his children one by one across a river, a lion seized one and a wolf the other; he was left alone, weeping. For fifteen years he laboured as a hired man in a village. When the empire was threatened, Trajan sent for him to lead the army. Through the providence of God, husband, wife and sons were reunited; the boys had been raised in safety by villagers, and Theopiste had been preserved from defilement. Returning victorious to Rome under Hadrian, Eustathius refused to offer pagan sacrifice. With his wife and children he was first cast to wild beasts, who would not touch them, and then placed in a brazen bull heated red-hot, in which they gave up their souls to God in the year 118.

Holy New Martyr Hilarion of Crete

Saint Hilarion the New Martyr was born in Heraklion on the island of Crete and bore the secular name John. From his youth he was inclined to the ascetic life, and travelling to the Holy Mountain of Athos he was received into the great Iveron Monastery. The fathers there sent him to the Skete of Saint Anne to place himself under the guidance of the hieromonk Bessarion, who tonsured him with the name Hilarion. After many years of strict ascetical labours, prayer and obedience, the desire for martyrdom grew strong in his heart, and with the blessing of his elder he set out for Constantinople. There he openly confessed Christ before the Turkish authorities and reproached the false religion of his persecutors. After repeated interrogations, threats and tortures, during which he remained immovable in his confession, he was beheaded on 20 September 1804. He thus received from Christ two crowns: that of asceticism and that of martyrdom. His holy relics worked many wonders.

Holy Right-Believing Prince Michael of Chernigov and his Boyar Theodore

The holy right-believing Prince Michael of Chernigov was a leading Russian prince of the early thirteenth century, son of Vsevolod the Red, and at various times reigning in Pereyaslavl, Novgorod, Galich, Chernigov and Kiev. He was known among his people for his piety, his almsgiving and his concern for the building of churches. After the Mongol devastation of southern Rus in 1240, the Russian princes were obliged to journey to the camp of the Khan to receive confirmation of their thrones. In 1246 Saint Michael, accompanied by his faithful counsellor and friend the boyar Theodore, set out for the Horde of Batu on the Volga. There the priests of the Khan required of every visiting prince that he pass between two purifying fires and bow towards the south to the spirits of Genghis Khan. The Christian prince and his boyar refused. Replying to those who pressed them, Saint Michael said, "A Christian worships God alone, the Creator of the world, and not creatures. For Christ I am ready to bow my head." When attempts to bribe and frighten them failed, both were beaten without mercy and at last beheaded on 20 September 1246. Their bodies were thrown out to be eaten by dogs but were preserved by the protection of God, and by faithful Christians were translated in honour. The relics were later moved to Moscow under Tsar Ivan the Terrible, an event commemorated on 14 February.

Holy Martyrs Hypatius and Andrew, Confessors of the Holy Icons

8th c.

They were friends from childhood, fellow-strugglers for holiness. Their godly way of life attracted the attention of the Bishop of Ephesus, who made Hypatius a bishop and Andrew a deacon and itinerant preacher. During the reign of Leo the Isaurian (714-41) they were both imprisoned for confessing the Orthodox faith and defending the veneration of the holy icons. They were subjected to various tortures, including having icons set afire on their heads in mockery of their faithfulness. They were executed near Constantinople and their bodies thrown to the dogs.

Sts Anastasius, Theodore, Euprepius and Anastasius the Younger, confessors and disciples of St Maximos the Confessor

7th c.

These saints were disciples of St Maximos the Confessor (January 21) and suffered with him for their condemnation of the Monothelite doctrine promoted by the Emperor Constans II. Anastasius the elder (who had been the Papal representative to Constantinople) and Anastasius the younger were present at the Lateran Council called by St Martin, Pope of Rome (April 13), which condemned the Monothelite heresy. For this the Pope himself, and the two confessors named Anastasius, were seized by the Emperor. Along with St Maximos, the two endured many tortures; when St Maximos had his right hand cut off and his tongue cut out, Anastasius the elder suffered the same punishment. They, along with their fellow-disciples Euprepius and Theodore and St Maximos himself, were sent into exile to Lazica in the Caucasus, where all of them died. Euprepius died after one year; Saint Maximos after three years; Anastasius the younger a few days before St Maximos; Anastasius the elder after seven years of exile; and Theodore after twenty years. All remained steadfast until the end, and all are proclaimed as Confessors of the Faith.

Also commemorated: Greatmartyr Eustathius and Martyr Theopistes · Martyrs Michael and Theodore of Chernigov

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

2 Corinthians — 2 Corinthians 11.5-21

⁵For I reckon that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. ⁵For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. ⁶But though I be rude in speech, yet am I not in knowledge; nay, in every way have we made this manifest unto you in all things. ⁶But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things. ⁷Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought? ⁷Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? ⁸I robbed other churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you; ⁸I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. ⁹And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. ⁹and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. ¹⁰As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. ¹⁰As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. ¹¹Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. ¹²But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. ¹²But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. ¹³For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹³For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. ¹⁴And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. ¹⁴And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. ¹⁵It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. ¹⁵Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

¹⁶I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

¹⁶I say again, Let no man think me foolish; but if ye do, yet as foolish receive me, that I also may glory a little. ¹⁷That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. ¹⁷That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorying. ¹⁸Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. ¹⁸Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. ¹⁹For ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves. ¹⁹For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. ²⁰For ye bear with a man, if he bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth you, if he taketh you captive, if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth you on the face. ²⁰For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. ²¹I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also. ²¹I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 4.22-30

²²And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son? ²²And all bare him witness, and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his mouth: and they said, Is not this Joseph’s son? ²³And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. ²³And he said unto them, Doubtless ye will say unto me this parable, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in thine own country. ²⁴And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. ²⁴And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is acceptable in his own country. ²⁵But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; ²⁵But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; ²⁶But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. ²⁶and unto none of them was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. ²⁷And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian. ²⁷And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. ²⁸And they were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things; ²⁸And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, ²⁹And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. ²⁹and they rose up, and cast him forth out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. ³⁰But he passing through the midst of them went his way, ³⁰But he passing through the midst of them went his way.