Friday, 9 May 2025

Friday of the 3rd Sunday of Pascha

19 days after Pascha · Tone 2 · Red cross (polyeleos typikon symbol) · Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

★ Holy great-martyr Christopher of Lycia

The holy Martyr Christopher lived during the third century and suffered around the year 250 in Lycia, in the reign of the Emperor Decius. According to tradition he was originally called Reprobus, meaning "rejected", and was a man of frightful and unusual appearance, of huge stature and great strength, from a race of people considered barbarous. After his baptism, when he received the gift of speech and the grace of God, he was given the name Christopher, "Christ-bearer". By his preaching and the working of miracles he is said by Saint Ambrose of Milan to have converted as many as fifty thousand pagans to Christ. Brought before the Emperor Decius, he refused all offers of honour and pleasure to deny Christ, was subjected to fearful tortures with iron rods and burning helmets, but remained unharmed by the grace of God. With him suffered the holy women Callinika and Aquilina, whom he had brought to the faith. Finally Saint Christopher was beheaded for the name of Christ. His relics were later transferred to Toledo in Spain, and afterwards in part to the abbey of Saint Denis in France, where they were greatly venerated.

★ Translation of the relics of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker to Bari

1087

This feast commemorates the translation of the holy relics of Saint Nicholas, archbishop of Myra in Lycia, from Myra to the Italian city of Bari in the year 1087. After the conquest of Asia Minor by the Seljuk Turks, the city of Myra had fallen and lay desolate, and the tomb of the great wonderworker was in danger of profanation. Both the inhabitants of Bari and those of Venice prepared expeditions to translate the relics; the men of Bari arrived first, and after some difficulty they took up the holy and fragrant relics from their resting place at Myra and bore them by ship to Italy. The translation was completed on 9 May 1087, when the relics were received with great solemnity at Bari and laid in the church of Saint Stephen, until on 1 October 1089 they were placed in the great basilica which had been built in honour of the saint, where they remain to this day, exuding the fragrant myrrh which has continually flowed from them. The Russian Orthodox Church established the celebration of this feast soon after the year 1087, on the basis of an already established veneration of Saint Nicholas by the Russian people.

Holy prophet Isaiah

The Holy Prophet Isaiah lived in the eighth century before Christ. He was of royal lineage, son of Amos, who was the brother of Amaziah, king of Judah. Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah of Judah. While praying in the Temple, he beheld the Lord seated upon a high throne, with seraphim about Him crying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Sabaoth," and one of the seraphim was sent to touch his lips with a burning coal taken from the altar. Then he heard the voice of God saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" and he answered, "Here am I, send me." For more than sixty years he prophesied to Israel and Judah, calling the people to repentance and uttering the most luminous foretellings of the incarnation of the Word of God, of the Virgin who would conceive Emmanuel, and of the suffering Servant who would bear the iniquities of many. Because of the clarity of his messianic prophecies he is called the Evangelist of the Old Testament. During the reign of the impious King Manasseh he denounced the idolatry of the king and of the leaders of Judah, and was seized, led out of Jerusalem, and sawn in two with a wooden saw. The faithful buried his body near the pool of Siloam.

Also commemorated: Trans. Rel. St Nicholas the Wonderworker

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 8.40-9.19

⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea. ⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea.

¹And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

¹But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, ²And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. ²and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: ³And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven: ⁴and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? ⁴And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? ⁵And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: ⁵And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. ⁶And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. ⁶but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. ⁷And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. ⁷And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but beholding no man. ⁸And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing; and they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. ⁸And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. ⁹And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. ⁹And he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink.

¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

¹⁰And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. ¹¹And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth; ¹¹And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, ¹²And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. ¹²and he hath seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight. ¹³Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: ¹³But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem: ¹⁴And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. ¹⁴and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. ¹⁵But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: ¹⁵But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: ¹⁶For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. ¹⁶for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake. ¹⁷And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. ¹⁷And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized; ¹⁸And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

¹⁹and he took food and was strengthened. And he was certain days with the disciples that were at Damascus. ¹⁹And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 6.48-54

⁴⁸I am that bread of life. ⁴⁸I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. ⁴⁹Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. ⁵⁰This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. ⁵⁰This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. ⁵¹I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. ⁵²The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

⁵²The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? ⁵³Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. ⁵³Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves. ⁵⁴Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁴He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.