Wednesday, 6 November 2024

Wednesday of the 20th week after Pentecost

185 days after Pascha · Tone 2 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · Fast

Saints commemorated

Saint Demetrian, bishop of Cythera

Saint Demetrian was born around 830 in the village of Sykai on the island of Cyprus, the son of a priest. Reared in piety and learning, he was married in his youth at his parents' insistence, but his young wife died only three months after the wedding, and he took this as a sign from God to embrace the monastic life. He entered the monastery of Saint Anthony in Cyprus, where he was tonsured, ordained priest, and eventually appointed hegumen, an office he held for some forty years. When the see of Khytroi (later called Cythera) on the island fell vacant, the people unanimously chose Demetrian as their bishop. He fled and hid himself in a cave until a friend persuaded him to accept the burden, after which he ruled the diocese for twenty-five years with apostolic gentleness. In his old age, when Saracen pirates raided Cyprus and carried off many Christians as captives, the saint travelled to the lands of the invaders and pleaded for the release of his flock. Moved by his courage and selflessness, the Saracens freed the prisoners. He reposed around 911, and is venerated especially as the patron of those held in captivity.

Saint Paul the Confessor, archbishop of Constantinople

350

A native of Thessalonica, he rose from secretary to Alexander, Patriarch of Constantinople (commemorated August 30), to deacon, then succeeded St Alexander as Patriarch around 337. For his virtue and his zeal for Orthodoxy he was hated by the Arians, who were still powerful in the Empire. The Arian Emperor Constantius, learning of Paul’s election, exiled him and made the Arian Eusebius Patriarch in his place. St Paul went to Rome, where he joined St Athanasius the Great in exile. Furnished with letters from Pope Julius, he was able to ascend the Patriarchal throne once again upon the death of Eusebius. But once again the Arians were able to put one of their party on the Patriarchal throne: Macedonius, who even went beyond the Arian heresy and denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Once again the legitimate, Orthodox Patriarch found himself in exile in Rome. In succeeding years St Paul stood firm for Orthodoxy while complex political and military intrigues swirled around him, with the Orthodox Constans, Emperor of the West (and Constantius’ brother) supporting him while Constantius continued to oppose him. For a time Constans was able to enforce Paul’s place on the Patriarchal throne, but when he died, Constantius banished St Paul to Cucusus on the Black Sea. There, while he was celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the house where he was kept prisoner, the Arians strangled him with his own omophorion. His relics were brought back to Constantinople by the Emperor Theodosius the Great.

Venerable Barlaam, abbot of Khutyn, wonderworker of Novgorod

Saint Barlaam of Khutyn, in baptism Alexis, was born in the twelfth century in Novgorod the Great, the son of pious and noble parents. Educated in piety from his youth, he distributed his inheritance to the poor on the death of his parents and entered the Lisich monastery near the city, where he received the monastic tonsure with the name Barlaam. Soon, drawn by the desire for greater stillness, he withdrew to a wooded hill above the river Volkhov known as Khutyn, "the bad place," reputed to be haunted by demons. There he built a small cell and a chapel, sustaining himself by the labour of his hands, cutting timber, splitting firewood and tilling the earth, while spending his nights in vigil and prayer. By his ascetic struggles the place was sanctified, and disciples gathered around him; he then founded the monastery of the Saviour and Transfiguration at Khutyn, which became one of the great spiritual centres of Russia. He was distinguished for the gifts of clairvoyance and miracles, calming a storm, raising a dead boy, and prophesying future events. After giving final counsels to his brethren, urging them to preserve the Orthodox faith and to abide in humility, he reposed on 6 November 1192. His relics work miracles to the present day.

Venerable Luke of Sicily

Saint Luke of Sicily, also known as Leo Luke or Leoluca of Corleone, was born around 815 in the Sicilian city of Tauromenium (modern Taormina) of pious Christian parents. While still a young man he forsook his parents and his betrothed and withdrew to the mountains, where he lived for many years in fasting and prayer on the slopes of Mount Etna. After a time he travelled to Calabria in southern Italy, where the Saracen invasions had driven many ascetics to seek refuge among the Italo-Greek monastic communities. There, on Mount Mula, Saint Luke founded a monastery dedicated to Saints Elias the Prophet and Anastasia, which became one of the cradles of Italo-Greek monasticism. Acknowledged by his brethren as a great wonderworker, he received from God the gift of healing the sick, casting out demons, raising paralytics, and turning back the lost to the path of salvation. Towards the end of his long life he delegated the office of hegumen to the monk Theodore and the priestly cares to Euthymios, that he might prepare for his repose in stillness. He fell asleep in the Lord around 915 at a great old age, and his intercession is credited with saving the city of Corleone from the plague of 1575, of which he is now patron.

Saint Germanus, Archbishop of Kazan

1568

He was born in Tver to a princely family. Drawn to a life of holiness from his earliest childhood, he became a monk at the age of twenty-five, at the Monastery of St Joseph of Volokolamsk. In time he became Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Dormition at Staritsk; but after a few years he returned to Volokolamsk to live in solitude. When his teacher St Gurias (October 4), first Archbishop of Kazan, reposed, Germanus succeeded him as Archbishop, but continued to live as ascetically as when he was a hermit. He was offered the office of Metropolitan of Moscow, but refused. As a faithful shepherd of his church, he fearlessly confronted Tsar Ivan the Terrible for his many and various cruelties; for this he was killed in 1568 by the Tsar’s assassins. Note: Recently, a bizarre movement has arisen among some nationalist sectarians in Russia to canonize Ivan the Terrible. Among the many obvious reasons against such an action (which has been firmly rejected by the Patriarch of Moscow), we could list the Tsar’s murder of some of the Church’s own Saints, Germanus among them.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Philippians — Philippians 2.24-30

²⁴but I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall come shortly. ²⁴But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. ²⁵But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need; ²⁵Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. ²⁶since he longed after you all, and was sore troubled, because ye had heard that he was sick: ²⁶For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. ²⁷for indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁷For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. ²⁸I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. ²⁹Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy; and hold such in honor: ²⁹Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: ³⁰because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me. ³⁰Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 12.48-59

⁴⁸But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. ⁴⁸but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more.

⁴⁹I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

⁴⁹I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what do I desire, if it is already kindled? ⁵⁰But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! ⁵⁰But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! ⁵¹Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: ⁵¹Think ye that I am come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: ⁵²for there shall be from henceforth five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. ⁵²For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. ⁵³The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. ⁵³They shall be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother in law against her daughter in law, and daughter in law against her mother in law.

⁵⁴And he said to the multitudes also, When ye see a cloud rising in the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it cometh to pass.

⁵⁴And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. ⁵⁵And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. ⁵⁵And when ye see a south wind blowing, ye say, There will be a scorching heat; and it cometh to pass. ⁵⁶Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? ⁵⁶Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that ye know not how to interpret this time? ⁵⁷Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? ⁵⁷And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? ⁵⁸For as thou art going with thine adversary before the magistrate, on the way give diligence to be quit of him; lest haply he drag thee unto the judge, and the judge shall deliver thee to the officer, and the officer shall cast thee into prison.

⁵⁸When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. ⁵⁹I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the very last mite. ⁵⁹I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.