Sunday, 27 October 2024

18th Sunday after Pentecost

175 days after Pascha · Tone 1 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy martyr Nestor of Thessalonica

Saint Nestor was a young Christian of Thessalonica who was a friend and disciple of the great martyr Demetrius. In the days of the persecution of Galerius Maximian, the emperor delighted in the spectacles of the gladiator Lyaeus, a giant of immense strength who had killed many Christians in the arena by hurling them from a high platform onto upturned spears. The young Nestor, fired with zeal for Christ and grieved at the slaughter of his brethren, came to Saint Demetrius in his prison beneath the stadium and asked his blessing to fight the gladiator. The saint signed him with the cross on the brow and on the heart and said, "You shall conquer Lyaeus and shall suffer for Christ." Going up before the emperor, Nestor cried out, "God of Demetrius, help me!" and at the first encounter he overthrew Lyaeus and slew him with his own sword. Galerius, mortified at the death of his favourite, ordered Nestor beheaded the next morning, on 27 October 306, and at the same time gave the command that Saint Demetrius be put to death. Saint Nestor thus received the crown of martyrdom in the prime of his youth.

Holy virgin martyr Capitolina and her servant Erotheis of Cappadocia

The holy virgin Capitolina was a noble Christian lady of Cappadocia who suffered for Christ during the persecution of Diocletian, about the year 304. Brought before the governor Zelicinthius, she boldly confessed Christ and was cast into prison and tortured. Her faithful servant Erotheis, who had been raised in her household and shared her faith, was so indignant at the cruel treatment of her mistress that she threw stones at the magistrate from outside the prison. For this Erotheis was seized, beaten and beheaded on the same day. The next morning Capitolina herself was led out and beheaded for her unwavering confession of Christ. The two are commemorated together as mistress and handmaid united in a single martyrdom. Their memory is kept on 27 October.

Saint Procla, wife of Pontius Pilate

Saint Procla, also called Claudia Procula, was the wife of Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator of Judea. According to the Gospel of Saint Matthew, while Pilate was sitting in judgment on the Lord Jesus Christ, his wife sent him a message saying, "Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him" (Matthew 27:19). The Fathers of the Church regarded this dream as a divine warning and Procla as a secret believer. Tradition relates that after the resurrection she openly confessed her faith in Christ and was baptised by the apostles, becoming a fervent disciple. Some accounts say that she was eventually subjected to persecution and ended her life as a confessor of the faith. The Eastern Orthodox Church numbers her among the saints and keeps her memory on 27 October.

Our Venerable Father Demetrius of Basarabov

13th c.

He was born early in the thirteenth century to a peasant family in the village of Basarov, then part of Bulgaria. Even in childhood, he gave himself to fasting and prayer. Once, walking across a field, he accidentally stepped on a bird’s nest in the grass, killing the young birds. He was so filled with remorse that he went barefoot for three years, winter and summer, in penance. When he was grown he joined a monastery and, after a few years of community life, received a blessing to dwell in a cave near the River Lom. After many years of solitary struggle, he reposed in his cave. Three hundred years passed, during which all memory of the simple ascetic was lost. Then, one Spring the river flooded the cave and carried off Demetrius’ body, which had lain incorrupt in the cave for centuries. The body was carried downstream and buried in gravel. Another hundred years went by, and the Saint appeared in a dream to a paralyzed girl, telling her to ask her parents to take her to the river bank, where she would be healed. The family, along with many clergy and villagers, went to a spot where some local people had earlier seen an unexplained light. They dug and soon unearthed the still-incorrupt and radiant body of St Demetrius, by which the girl was instantly healed. A church was built in the village of Basarabov to honor the precious relics, and through the years the Saint worked many miracles there. In 1774, during the Russian-Turkish war, General Peter Saltikov ordered the holy relics taken to Russia so that they would not be desecrated by the Turks. When the relics came to Bucharest, a pious Christian friend of the General begged him not to deprive the country of one of its most precious saints; so the General took only one of the Saint’s hands, sending it to the Kiev Caves Lavra. Saint Demetrius’ body was placed in the cathedral of Bucharest, where it has been venerated ever since. Every year on October 27, a three-day festival is held in the Saint’s honor, attended by crowds of the faithful.

Daily readings

7th Matins Gospel

John — John 20.1-10

¹The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

¹Now on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, while it was yet dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from the tomb. ²Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. ²She runneth therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him. ³Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. ³Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. ⁴So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. ⁴And they ran both together: and the other disciple outran Peter, and came first to the tomb; ⁵and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen cloths lying; yet entered he not in. ⁵And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. ⁶Simon Peter therefore also cometh, following him, and entered into the tomb; and he beholdeth the linen cloths lying, ⁶Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, ⁷and the napkin, that was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁷And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. ⁸Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. ⁸Then entered in therefore the other disciple also, who came first to the tomb, and he saw, and believed. ⁹For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. ⁹For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. ¹⁰Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. ¹⁰So the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Epistle

weekly cycle

2 Corinthians — 2 Corinthians 9.6-11

⁶But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. ⁶But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. ⁷Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. ⁷Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work: ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: ⁹as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abideth for ever. ⁹(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

¹⁰And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: ¹⁰Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) ¹¹ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God. ¹¹Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 8.26-39

²⁶And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

²⁶And they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is over against Galilee. ²⁷And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. ²⁷And when he was come forth upon the land, there met him a certain man out of the city, who had demons; and for a long time he had worn no clothes, and abode not in any house, but in the tombs. ²⁸When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. ²⁸And when he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee, torment me not. ²⁹(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) ²⁹For he was commanding the unclean spirit to come out from the man. For oftentimes it had seized him: and he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters; and breaking the bands asunder, he was driven of the demon into the deserts. ³⁰And Jesus asked him, What is thy name? And he said, Legion; for many demons were entered into him. ³⁰And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. ³¹And they entreated him that he would not command them to depart into the abyss. ³¹And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. ³²And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. ³²Now there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they entreated him that he would give them leave to enter into them. And he gave them leave. ³³Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. ³³And the demons came out from the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the lake, and were drowned. ³⁴And when they that fed them saw what had come to pass, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. ³⁴When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country. ³⁵And they went out to see what had come to pass; and they came to Jesus, and found the man, from whom the demons were gone out, sitting, clothed and in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus: and they were afraid. ³⁵Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. ³⁶And they that saw it told them how he that was possessed with demons was made whole. ³⁶They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed. ³⁷And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes round about asked him to depart from them; for they were holden with great fear: and he entered into a boat, and returned.

³⁷Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. ³⁸Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁸But the man from whom the demons were gone out prayed him that he might be with him: but he sent him away, saying, ³⁹Return to thy house, and declare how great things God hath done for thee. And he went his way, publishing throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done for him. ³⁹Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.