Tuesday, 13 May 2025

Tuesday of the 4th Sunday of Pascha

23 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy virgin-martyr Glyceria of Heraclea

Saint Glyceria suffered as a martyr for the name of Christ in the second century, during the persecution under the Emperor Antoninus (138 to 161). She came of an illustrious family; her father Macarius had been a high-ranking Roman official, and the family afterwards moved to the Thracian city of Trajanopolis. Left an orphan in early life, Glyceria fell in with Christians and was converted to the true faith, visiting the church every day. When the prefect Sabinus received the imperial edict commanding all to sacrifice to Zeus, the saint resolved openly to confess Christ. She came forward in the temple wearing the sign of the cross upon her brow, called upon the name of the Lord, and at her prayer the idol of Zeus was thrown to the ground and broken in pieces. Sabinus commanded the people to stone her, but the stones did not touch her. She was scourged, hung by her hair, her flesh was scraped, and she was cast into prison, where angels brought her food and healed her wounds. Taken to Heraclea, she was thrown into a red-hot furnace, but the flame was at once quenched. The skin was torn from her head; the jailer Laodicius, beholding the miracles wrought for her, confessed Christ and was beheaded for the name of the Lord. At last Saint Glyceria prayed that the Lord would receive her, and a lioness was loosed upon her in the arena, which killed her without tearing her body. Bishop Dometius and the Christians of Heraclea reverently buried the holy martyr about the year 177, and her relics gave forth healing myrrh.

Saint Sergius the confessor

Saint Sergius the confessor lived in the ninth century at Constantinople and was a leading defender of the holy icons during the second iconoclast persecution under the Emperor Theophilus. He was descended from a noble family and was a kinsman of the holy Patriarch Tarasius (commemorated on 25 February). He was married to a pious and virtuous woman named Irene, the sister of the patrician Sergius whose wife was sister to the iconophile Empress Theodora. Saint Sergius and Saint Irene had five sons, of whom one, Photius, would later become the great Patriarch of Constantinople. They especially loved and honoured the holy monks who suffered for the icons, supporting them in their imprisonment and exile and providing for the persecuted faithful. Saint Sergius himself wrote an anti-iconoclast history, a defence of the orthodox veneration of images, which he left unfinished at his repose about the year 835. For his open confession of the truth he was banished and suffered many afflictions, and is therefore numbered among the confessors of the holy faith.

Venerable Pausicacus, bishop of Synada

606

Saint Pausicacus lived at the end of the sixth century. He was born in the Syrian city of Apamea, and was raised in the Christian faith by pious parents. From his youth he gave himself up to the labours of prayer, vigil and fasting, leading an ascetic life in the world even before entering upon the priesthood. The Lord granted him the gift of healing both the sicknesses of the body and the passions of the soul. Patriarch Cyriacus of Constantinople (591 to 606) consecrated him bishop of Synada in Phrygia. As a hierarch he would tolerate neither heretics nor those who lived dissolutely in his flock, and constantly taught his people the way of virtue with discourse always powerful and lively. Travelling to Constantinople on the affairs of his church, he healed the Emperor Maurice of a grievous sickness; on his return journey, when his companions were faint with thirst, at his prayer a spring of pure water issued from the ground. He reposed in peace in the year 606.

Holy Martyr Alexander of Rome

298

He was an eighteen-year-old soldier in the army of the Emperor Maximian. When a public sacrifice was made to the Roman idols, Alexander refused to take part, for which he was brought before the Captain Tiberian, who told him he must either deny Christ or die. When he stood fast for Christ, he was arrested and taken through Macedonia to Byzantium, being cruelly tortured at every stop along the way. But everywhere he went, the Christians flocked to him, encouraging him and asking his blessing. His mother, Pimenia, travelled with him for the entire journey. In all his sufferings, Alexander was visited many times by an angel of God, who relieved his pain and encouraged him. As his Lord had commanded, Alexander loved and prayed for his enemies: At a place called Carasura, when the soldiers guarding him were suffering from thirst, he prayed, and a spring of cold water burst out of a dry place. Finally, on the bank of the river Ergina, Tiberian ordered that Alexander be beheaded. As the executioner raised his sword, he saw radiant angels of God all around the holy Martyr, and was afraid to strike. Alexander asked the executioner why he had stayed his hand and, hearing the answer, prayed to God that he might send the angels away so that the executioner would not be afraid. The angels vanished, and Alexander received his crown of martyrdom. Pimenia, his mother, buried her son’s body, and many miracles of healing were worked at his grave. Some time later, Alexander appeared to his mother and told her of her approaching death, which occurred not long afterward.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 10.21-33

²¹Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? ²¹And Peter went down to the men, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? ²²And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. ²²And they said, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words from thee. ²³Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

²³So he called them in and lodged them. And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴And the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. ²⁴And on the morrow they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends. ²⁵And when it came to pass that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. ²⁵And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. ²⁶But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. ²⁶But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. ²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. ²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in, and findeth many come together: ²⁸And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. ²⁸and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and yet unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean: ²⁹Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me? ²⁹wherefore also I came without gainsaying, when I was sent for. I ask therefore with what intent ye sent for me. ³⁰And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel, ³⁰And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, ³¹and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. ³¹And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. ³²Send therefore to Joppa, and call unto thee Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side. ³³Forthwith therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord. ³³Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 7.1-13

¹After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.

¹And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judæa, because the Jews sought to kill him. ²Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand. ²Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand. ³His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judæa, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. ³His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judæa, that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest. ⁴For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. ⁴For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world. ⁵For even his brethren did not believe on him. ⁵For neither did his brethren believe in him. ⁶Jesus therefore saith unto them, My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. ⁶Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. ⁷The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. ⁷The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil. ⁸Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come. ⁸Go ye up unto the feast: I go not up unto this feast; because my time is not yet fulfilled. ⁹When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. ⁹And having said these things unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

¹⁰But when his brethren were gone up unto the feast, then went he also up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.

¹⁰But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. ¹¹The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? ¹¹Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? ¹²And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people. ¹²And there was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him: some said, He is a good man; others said, Not so, but he leadeth the multitude astray. ¹³Yet no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews. ¹³Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.