Sunday, 15 December 2024

Sunday of the Forefathers

25th Sunday after Pentecost

224 days after Pascha · Tone 8 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · Nativity Fast (Fish, Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

★ Hieromartyr Eleutherius, bishop of Illyricum, and his mother Anthia

126

Saint Eleutherius was the son of an illustrious Roman citizen and was raised in Christian piety by his mother Anthia, who had been a disciple of the Apostle Paul. At the age of fifteen he was made a deacon by Bishop Anicetus of Rome, was ordained a priest at eighteen, and at twenty was elevated to the episcopate of Illyricum. By his bold preaching and miracles he converted many to Christ. In the reign of the emperor Hadrian he was arrested and tortured. The eparch Caribus, who had supervised his torments, was so moved by the saint's endurance that he himself confessed Christ and was beheaded. Saint Eleutherius was thrown to wild beasts which would not touch him, then beheaded at Rome. His mother Anthia embraced his body in grief and was killed by the soldiers, sharing in his crown of martyrdom around the year 126.

Saint Stephen the Confessor, archbishop of Sourozh

Saint Stephen was a native of Cappadocia and was educated at Constantinople. Having taken monastic vows, he withdrew into the wilderness, where he passed thirty years in ascetic struggle. Patriarch Germanus of Constantinople, instructed by an angel in a vision, consecrated Stephen bishop of the town of Sourozh in the Crimea (now Sudak). Within five years his ministry was so fruitful that no heretics or unbaptised pagans remained in Sourozh or its environs. He stood firmly against the iconoclasm of the emperor Leo III the Isaurian, refusing to remove the holy icons from the churches at the order of the emperor and the iconoclast patriarch Anastasius. He was brought to Constantinople, imprisoned and tortured. Released after the death of Leo, he returned to his flock in Sourozh and reposed there in peace in the eighth century.

Venerable Pardus the hermit, of Palestine

Saint Pardus, a Roman by birth, was involved in his youth with the teamster's craft. Once, when he was travelling to Jericho, a boy accidentally fell beneath the legs of his camels and was trampled to death. Shaken by this, Pardus became a monk and withdrew to Mount Arion. Considering himself a murderer who deserved death, he entered the den of a lion and prodded the beast with a spear so that it would tear him apart, but the lion would not touch him. He then took off his clothes and lay down upon the path that the lion took to drink, but the lion merely leaped over him. The elder understood that he had been forgiven by the Lord and lived out the rest of his days in repentance and ascetic labour. He reposed in the sixth century.

Venerable Paul of Latros

955

Saint Paul was born at Aelen in Pergamum and was educated at the monastery of Saint Stephen in Phrygia. After the death of his mother, he devoted himself completely to monastic struggle at a monastery on Mount Latros, near Miletus. Seeking even loftier accomplishments, he secluded himself in a cave. For his ascetic deeds he was granted the gifts of clairvoyance and wonderworking. The emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus often wrote to him, asking his prayers and counsel. Saint Paul twice withdrew to the island of Samos, where he established a monastery and restored three monasteries that had been ravaged by Arab raiders. Foretelling his end, he reposed in the year 955.

Holy Martyr Eleutherius the Cubicularius

4th c.

He was from a noble family in Constantinople, and rose to the rank of Cubicularius (Chamberlain). He was not only a counselor to, but a close friend of, the Emperor (probably Julian the Apostate). But Eleutherius was increasingly moved by a desire to become a Christian; so, obtaining a leave from the Imperial court, he moved to the countryside in Bithynia, where he was baptized. There he built a house that concealed an underground chapel. When Eleutherius returned to court, some jealous courtiers denounced him to the Emperor, who visited Eleutherius’ country house and was furious to discover the underground church. When the Saint would not renounce his faith in Christ, the Emperor, ignoring all previous bonds of friendship, had him beheaded.

Holy Martyr Bacchus the New

787

During the reign of Constantine VI and Irene, restorers of the holy icons, the Holy Land was under the control of the Muslim Arabs. Many Christians there apostatized, putting honors and security in this world above their eternal joy. One of these was the father of this Saint, who brought up seven children as Muslims. His wife however, never renounced her Faith and prayed constantly for the conversion of her husband and children. Upon the death of the father, her third son Dachak declared that he wished to become a Christian. He was baptized in the Monastery of St Sabas near Jerusalem, receiving the name Bacchus, and determined to be a monk. But the abbot, fearing reprisals against the Monastery, sent him back to his home in Jerusalem. His brothers, seeing his joy and boldness in confessing the Faith, decided to receive holy Baptism, except for one, who denounced Bacchus to the authorities. He was arrested and brought before the judge and, when he proved steadfast in his confession of Christ, was beheaded.

Our Venerable Father Tryphon of Kola, apostle of Laponia, and his disciple the Holy Martyr Jonah

1590

Saint Tryphon was the son of a priest from Novgorod. The Synaxarion records that, at the moment of his birth, the verse Blessed is the life of those who dwell in the desert was being sung in the Matins service. In 1525 he was moved by a divine revelation to flee to the far north of Russia and live as a hermit. He settled near the River Kola, where he devoted his nights to prayer, his days to proclaiming the Gospel of Christ to the native peoples there. The pagans were hostile at first, but his patience and humility won them over, and he baptized many. He built them a church with his own hands on the shores of Lake Ladoga, and later founded a monastery there. Saint Tryphon reposed in 1583. He predicted his own death and the coming destruction of the Monastery by the Swedes, which came to pass in 1590. All the monks were massacred. The first victim, Starets Jonah, worked many miracles at the Monastery after its restoration.

Also commemorated: Hieromartyr Eleutherius of Illyria · St Stephen of Surozh

Daily readings

3rd Matins Gospel

Mark — Mark 16.9-20

⁹Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

⁹Now when he was risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. ¹⁰And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. ¹⁰She went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. ¹¹And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. ¹¹And they, when they heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, disbelieved.

¹²After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

¹²And after these things he was manifested in another form unto two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country. ¹³And they went away and told it unto the rest: neither believed they them. ¹³And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.

¹⁴Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

¹⁴And afterward he was manifested unto the eleven themselves as they sat at meat; and he upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them that had seen him after he was risen. ¹⁵And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. ¹⁵And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. ¹⁶He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. ¹⁷And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; ¹⁷And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; ¹⁸They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. ¹⁸they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

¹⁹So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

¹⁹So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. ²⁰And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen. ²⁰And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Epistle

— Forefathers weekly cycle

Colossians — Colossians 3.4-11

⁴When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. ⁴When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

⁵Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;

⁵Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: ⁶for which things’ sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: ⁶For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: ⁷wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; ⁷In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. ⁸but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: ⁸But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. ⁹lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, ⁹Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; ¹⁰And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: ¹⁰and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him: ¹¹where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. ¹¹Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Gospel

— Forefathers weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 14.16-24

¹⁶Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: ¹⁶But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many: ¹⁷And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. ¹⁷and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. ¹⁸And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. ¹⁸And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused. ¹⁹And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. ¹⁹And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused. ²⁰And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. ²⁰And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. ²¹And the servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame. ²¹So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. ²²And the servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room. ²²And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. ²³And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. ²³And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that my house may be filled. ²⁴For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. ²⁴For I say unto you, that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper.