Thursday, 3 October 2024

Thursday of the 15th week after Pentecost

151 days after Pascha · Tone 5 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite, Bishop of Athens

Saint Dionysius the Areopagite was a noble Athenian who received a thorough Greek education at Athens and afterwards travelled to Egypt, where he studied astronomy at Heliopolis. There, with his friend Apollophanes, he witnessed the supernatural darkness at the moment of the Crucifixion of Christ and exclaimed, "Either the Creator of all the world now suffers, or this visible world is coming to an end." Returning to Athens, he was elected to the Areopagus, the city's high court. When the Apostle Paul preached on the Areopagus (Acts 17:16-34), Dionysius believed and was baptised, becoming Paul's companion in the Gospel for three years. He was consecrated as the first Bishop of Athens. Tradition relates that he was present at the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in Jerusalem. He afterwards travelled westward to Gaul to preach Christ, and according to Saint Demetrius of Rostov was martyred by beheading at Athens in extreme old age, around the year 96. The Orthodox Church receives as his the writings on the heavenly hierarchy, the divine names and the mystical theology, which have profoundly shaped Eastern Christian theology.

Holy Damaris of Athens

Saint Damaris was an Athenian woman of the first century, named in the Acts of the Apostles among those who believed when the Apostle Paul preached on the Areopagus in Athens: "Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them" (Acts 17:34). The Tradition of the Orthodox Church remembers her as the first Athenian woman to receive the faith of Christ through Paul's preaching. She is regarded as having lived a holy life thereafter as one of the foundresses of the Christian community at Athens, and she is commemorated on the same day as Saint Dionysius the Areopagite, the chief of those converted on the same occasion.

Holy Martyrs Rusticus the Priest and Eleutherius the Deacon

The Holy Martyrs Rusticus the Priest and Eleutherius the Deacon were the closest companions and fellow-labourers of the Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite. According to tradition they accompanied him on his missionary journey to Gaul to preach the Gospel among the pagans of the West. They worked together with him at Lutetia (later Paris) and the surrounding country, baptising many and establishing the first Christian communities there. Arrested with their bishop during the persecution under the Emperor Domitian, they suffered tortures for the faith and, refusing to sacrifice to the idols, were beheaded with him on the hill outside the city which afterwards became known as Mons Martyrum (Montmartre). They are commemorated together with Saint Dionysius on 3 October.

Saint John the Chozebite, Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine

He came from a prominent family in Egypt, and was brought up among the Monophysites. He became a monk in his youth, and went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When he attempted to enter the Church of the Resurrection to venerate the Precious Cross, an unseen power prevented him from entering. The next night he heard a voice telling him in his sleep that those who do not embrace the Orthodox faith are unworthy to worship the holy Cross of the Savior. John awoke and hurried to the church where, in tears, he accepted and confessed the entire Orthodox Faith. After returning to Egypt he settled in Palestine, living alone in a cave in the isolated region called Chozeba. There he lived in solitude until one day a couple brought their son, possessed by an evil spirit. They had been sent to John by Ananias, a well-known ascetic of Palestine. John considered himself unworthy to pray for the casting out of demons, so he prayed in the name of Ananias, and the boy was healed. Thenceforth, John’s wonderworking powers became known, and many made the difficult journey to his cave for the healing of spiritual and bodily ailments. Later John, much against his will, was consecrated Bishop of Caesarea; but he was unable to tolerate the cares of episcopal life and fled again to the desert, where he spent the rest of his life. The faithful continued to visit him in great numbers, and many signs and wonders were worked through his prayers. He reposed in peace at a great age.

Holy Hieromartyr Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, and his disciples

258

He was a disciple of Origen and became a priest in Alexandria. He became Bishop of Alexandria in 247, serving not only his own see but the whole Church with fervor and compassion. He traveled to Rome to fight the Novatian schisms that disturbed the Body of Christ at that time, and mediated in the dispute between St Cyprian (September 16) and the Pope. During the reign of Valerian, the new Governor of Alexandra, Emilianus, summoned St Dionysius, along with a group of his clergy, and demanded that they renounce Christ. When all stood firm in the Faith, he exiled them to the remote village of Kephro. But Christians flocked to the village to seek out the holy Bishop, and many pagans in the region were converted by him — so that soon the town was more nearly a Christian mission than a place of exile. When Emilianus learned of this, he exiled the Bishop and his disciples far into the wilderness, where they lived amidst terrible sufferings and hardships for more than twelve years. Saint Dionysius and his deacons Gaius and Faustus all died there; Eusebius the deacon and Maximus the priest eventually escaped. Eusebius became Bishop of Laodicea; Maximus, like his spiritual father, became Bishop of Alexandria.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Galatians — Galatians 3.23-4.5

²³But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

²³But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. ²⁴So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁴Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor. ²⁵But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. ²⁶For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. ²⁶For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁷For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. ²⁸There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. ²⁹And if ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.

¹But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;

¹Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; ²but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father. ²But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. ³So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world: ³Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: ⁴But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, ⁴but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. ⁵that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 7.17-30

¹⁷And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judæa, and throughout all the region round about. ¹⁷And this report went forth concerning him in the whole of Judæa, and all the region round about. ¹⁸And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

¹⁸And the disciples of John told him of all these things.

¹⁹And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? ¹⁹And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to the Lord, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another? ²⁰When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? ²⁰And when the men were come unto him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another? ²¹In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and on many that were blind he bestowed sight. ²¹And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. ²²And he answered and said unto them, Go and tell John the things which ye have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good tidings preached to them. ²²Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. ²³And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. ²³And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me.

²⁴And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

²⁴And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind? ²⁵But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. ²⁵But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. ²⁶But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. ²⁶But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. ²⁷This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee. ²⁷This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

²⁸I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there is none greater than John: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of God is greater than he. ²⁸For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. ²⁹And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. ²⁹And all the people when they heard, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected for themselves the counsel of God, being not baptized of him. ³⁰But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.