Monday, 30 December 2024

Monday of the 28th week after Pentecost

239 days after Pascha · Tone 2 · Liturgy · No Fast (Fast Free)

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyrs Philetaerus, Theonas, Eubulus, Theotimus, Hilarian, Jacob and Comasius of Nicomedia

Saint Philetaerus was a young nobleman of Nicomedia who suffered for Christ during the persecution under the emperor Diocletian (284 to 305). Brought before the imperial tribunal in his native city, he confessed Christ before the emperor himself and could not be turned aside from his confession by either flattery or torment. He was scourged, his face was beaten, and he was stretched upon a wheel of torture and cast into a fiery furnace, but in each ordeal he was preserved by the power of God. Beholding these wonders, several of his companions, including the soldiers Theonas and Eubulus, and the men Theotimus, Hilarian, Jacob and Comasius, came forward to confess Christ. They too were tortured and crowned with martyrdom, some by the sword and some by drowning. Saint Philetaerus himself, after long sufferings, was brought to a place of execution, where he prayed and quietly fell asleep in the Lord without a fresh blow being struck.

Holy Virgin Martyr Anysia of Thessalonica

She was born to a pious, noble and very wealthy family in Thessalonica. When both her parents died while she was an adolescent, Anysia consecrated herself to Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom. She cast off all her jewels and fine clothing, dressing herself as a commoner. She freed all her many slaves, giving each of them a generous sum of money to establish themselves. She gave away all of her inheritance, which included large estates. Thenceforth she spent her days visiting the sick, helping widows and orphans, and, especially, aiding Christians suffering under persecution. She would visit those in prison, bringing them food and water and tending their wounds. All the time not devoted to aiding the poor or oppressed she spent in prayer in a small cell. One of her prayers was that she, like those that she helped, would be granted the crown of martyrdom.

One day, while she was walking to church, an imperial soldier accosted her and roughly questioned her. When she plainly declared herself a Christian, the soldier seized her and dragged her to a temple of the idols, where he commanded her to make sacrifice. In response, she only spat in his face. The enraged soldier drew his sword and thrust it into her side, slaying her. Some pious Christians took her body and buried it outside the city. When the persecutions had ended, a church was built in her honor at the place of her burial.

Saint Egwin of Worcester, Bishop and Founder of Evesham

Saint Egwin was an Anglo-Saxon of royal Mercian descent, born in the seventh century. From his youth he was raised in the Christian faith and embraced the monastic life. In 692 he was consecrated the third Bishop of Worcester, where he laboured tirelessly to root out vice among clergy and people, to defend the rights of widows and orphans, and to enforce the canons of the Church on the sanctity of marriage. His strict pastoral discipline made him many enemies, who slandered him to the king and even to the Pope. According to the venerable tradition of his life, the saint went to Rome to clear his name, having first locked his feet in iron fetters and cast the key into the river Avon. While at Rome a fish was brought to him for his table, and within it was found the very key, by which God Himself bore witness to his innocence. Returning vindicated, Saint Egwin received from a swineherd named Eoves the report of a vision of the Mother of God in a forest clearing, and there in 701 he founded the great monastery of Evesham, dedicated to the Theotokos. He governed both the see of Worcester and the new monastery until shortly before his death, when he resigned his bishopric to live as a simple monk. He reposed at Evesham on 30 December 717 and was buried there. His tomb became a place of many miracles.

Venerable Melania the Younger, anticipated commemoration

Although the principal feast of Saint Melania the Younger of Rome falls on 31 December, in the Greek liturgical tradition her hymns are transferred to 30 December and chanted together with those of the Holy Virgin Martyr Anysia. This is because 31 December is the Apodosis, or Leavetaking, of the Nativity, on which day the festal hymns of the Lord's Nativity take precedence over the offices of any saint. Thus on 30 December the Church anticipates the memory of the great Roman ascetic, joining her to the witness of the virgin martyr Anysia of Thessalonica, so that her struggles and labours are not passed over in silence. Her full life and feast are kept on the following day, when the joy of the great feast of the Nativity is concluded.

Our Holy Father Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia

1563

He was born in Moscow in 1492. When his father died, his mother became a nun and he a monk, receiving the monastic name Macarius. He became an iconographer of rare talent. In 1523 he was ordained to the priesthood and made Abbot of the Monastery of Luchski; three years later he was consecrated Archbishop of Novgorod and Pskov, a see which had been vacant for many years. As Archbishop, he sent missionaries to the native peoples of the far north of Russia and, within his own diocese strove against the paganism still common among the people. He regularized life in the monasteries of his diocese, which had fallen into self-indulgence. In 1542 he was elected Metropolitan of Moscow and head of the Russian Church. Five years later he crowned the first Tsar of Russia, Ivan Vassilievich. In 1551 he summoned the Council of the Hundred Chapters, which condemned various heresies prevalent at that time, laid down principles of Christian conduct and education, and established rules for iconography and Church art. Throughout his time as a hierarch, he continued to paint icons, and in 1553 he brought about the production of the first books to be printed in Russian. When the Khanate of Kazan fell, he immediately sent missionaries to convert the Tatars. When the Tsar, who revered Saint Macarius, asked him for a spiritual book, he was surprised and displeased to be given a copy of the funeral service; but the Saint told him that anyone who read this book carefully and applied its words would never sin. Saint Macarius reposed in peace in Moscow in 1563, and his popular veneration began immediately. In 1988 he was officially glorified by the Church of Russia.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

2 Timothy — 2 Timothy 2.20-26

²⁰Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor. ²⁰But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. ²¹If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master’s use, prepared unto every good work. ²¹If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. ²²But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²²Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes. ²³But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. ²⁴And the Lord’s servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, ²⁴And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, ²⁵in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth, ²⁵In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; ²⁶and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will. ²⁶And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 12.13-17

¹³And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.

¹³And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch him in talk. ¹⁴And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not? ¹⁴And when they were come, they say unto him, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and carest not for any one; for thou regardest not the person of men, but of a truth teachest the way of God: Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? ¹⁵Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. ¹⁵Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why make ye trial of me? bring me a denarius, that I may see it. ¹⁶And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar’s. ¹⁶And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar’s. ¹⁷And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him. ¹⁷And Jesus said unto them, Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled greatly at him.