Monday, 5 May 2025

Monday of the 3rd Sunday of Pascha

15 days after Pascha · Tone 2 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Holy Great Martyr Irene

The holy Great Martyr Irene was born in the city of Magedon in Persia in the fourth century, daughter of the local pagan king Licinius and his wife Licinia. At her birth her parents named her Penelope. Locked in a tower by her father with thirteen handmaids and a tutor named Apellian, who was secretly a Christian, she heard the gospel from him and from a dove, an eagle, and a raven that brought to her window an olive branch, a wreath, and a serpent, signs interpreted by Apellian of her baptism, her crowns of virginity and martyrdom, and the devil's wrath. She received baptism from the priest Timothy, who renamed her Irene, that is, Peace. Refusing the marriage her father had arranged, Irene confessed Christ before him. She was tied beneath wild horses, but one broke loose and trampled the king instead, and she raised him by prayer. He was converted with his household, and Irene went on to preach and work miracles in the cities of Persia and beyond, suffering torments many times: cast into a pit of vipers, sawn with iron saws, set on a flaming gridiron, dragged behind a horse, and each time delivered. She is said to have brought five thousand souls to baptism. At Ephesus, after a final mock-burial, she came forth alive to the people and reposed in peace, hidden by Christ from her enemies. Her tomb was found empty four days later. Greek tradition keeps her as patroness of policemen and those seeking marriage.

Great-martyr Irene of Thessalonica

4th c.

“Saint Irene was the daughter of a princelet called Licinius; named Penelope by her parents, through a divine revelation she was brought to faith in Christ and at Baptism was renamed Irene. In her zeal for piety she broke in pieces all the idols of her father, who commanded that she be trampled underfoot by horses. But while she remained unharmed, one of the horses rose up and cast down her father, killing him. By her prayer she raised him to life again, and he believed and was baptized. Afterwards, in many journeyings, Saint Irene suffered torments and punishments for her faith, but was preserved by the power of God, while working dread miracles and converting many thousands of souls. At last she came to Ephesus, where she fell asleep in peace, in the first half of the fourth century. Two days after her death, her gravestone was found lifted off, and her grave empty. At least two churches were dedicated to St Irene in Constantinople, and she is the patroness of the Aegean island of Thera, which is commonly called Santorini, a corruption of “Saint Irene.” (Great Horologion) Note: The most famous Agia Irene church in Constantinople is not named after her, but for the Holy Peace (Greek Irene) of God, which is Christ. The Prologue’s account differs in several details. St Nikolai places St Irene in the Balkans in the town of Magedon, in apostolic times rather than the 3rd-4th century. In his account Irene learned the Christian faith from her teacher, Appelianus, and was baptised by the Apostle Timothy himself. He attributes the anger of Irene’s father to her refusal to marry rather than her smashing the family idols (though of course she might have done both).

Saint Ephraim the New Martyr and Wonderworker

Saint Ephraim the Great Martyr and Wonderworker, also called Ephraim of Nea Makri, was born in Greece on 14 September 1384. Orphaned of his father at a young age, he entered as a youth the monastery of the Annunciation on the wooded hill of Amomon in Attica, where he gave himself wholly to obedience, fasting, and prayer. He was ordained to the priesthood and lived for many years on that mountain, unknown to the world. In 1425, when Ottoman pirates raided the monastery, Saint Ephraim was the only one left within its walls. They seized him and dragged him before their commander. For nine months he was tortured to make him deny Christ; he was hung upside down from a mulberry tree and a burning stake driven through his body, and on 5 May 1426 he gave up his soul to the Lord. The monastery fell into ruin, and his memory was forgotten until 1950, when the abbess Makaria, restoring the site, uncovered his fragrant relics in answer to her prayer. Saint Ephraim then appeared to her and to many others, made known the manner of his martyrdom, and began to work countless miracles of healing and protection that continue to draw pilgrims to Nea Makri to this day.

Venerable Adrian of Monza

Saint Adrian of Monza was a Russian abbot and monastic founder of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Born Amos in the town of Kostroma to pious parents, he fell gravely ill in his youth and vowed, if healed, to take up the monastic life. After his recovery he secretly left his home and was tonsured at the Tolga Monastery near Yaroslavl, taking the name Adrian. Seeking deeper solitude he passed through several monasteries until a vision directed him to a place by the river Monza in the wilderness of Galich. There, with the elder Theraponte and a small brotherhood, he built a chapel and cells, founding the Annunciation Monastery on the Monza. He served as its abbot with great gentleness, sharing the labours of the brethren, fasting strictly, and pouring out his goods on the poor of the surrounding villages, who flocked to him in years of famine. After ruling the community in piety for many years, Saint Adrian reposed in peace on 5 May 1619 and was buried in the church he had built.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 6.8-7.5, 47-60

⁸And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

⁸And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people.

⁹Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. ⁹But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. ¹⁰And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. ¹⁰And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake. ¹¹Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. ¹¹Then they suborned men, who said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. ¹²And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the council, ¹²And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, ¹³and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law: ¹³And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: ¹⁴For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. ¹⁴for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us. ¹⁵And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. ¹⁵And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

¹Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

¹And the high priest said, Are these things so?

²And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, ²And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, ³and said unto him, Get thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee. ³And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. ⁴Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. ⁴Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Haran: and from thence, when his father was dead, God removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell: ⁵and he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: and he promised that he would give it to him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. ⁵And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. ⁴⁷But Solomon built him a house. ⁴⁷But Solomon built him an house. ⁴⁸Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as saith the prophet, ⁴⁸Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, ⁴⁹The heaven is my throne, And the earth the footstool of my feet: What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: Or what is the place of my rest? ⁴⁹Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? ⁵⁰Hath not my hand made all these things? ⁵⁰Did not my hand make all these things?

⁵¹Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

⁵¹Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. ⁵²Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers; ⁵²Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: ⁵³Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. ⁵³ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.

⁵⁴When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

⁵⁴Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. ⁵⁵But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, ⁵⁵But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, ⁵⁶And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. ⁵⁶and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. ⁵⁷Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, ⁵⁷But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; ⁵⁸And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. ⁵⁸and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. ⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. ⁶⁰And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. ⁶⁰And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 4.46-54

⁴⁶So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

⁴⁶He came therefore again unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁷When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁸Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. ⁴⁸Jesus therefore said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe. ⁴⁹The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. ⁴⁹The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. ⁵⁰Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. ⁵⁰Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him, and he went his way. ⁵¹And as he was now going down, his servants met him, saying, that his son lived. ⁵¹And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. ⁵²So he inquired of them the hour when he began to amend. They said therefore unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. ⁵²Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. ⁵³So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. ⁵³So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. ⁵⁴This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judæa into Galilee. ⁵⁴This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judæa into Galilee.