Wednesday, 14 May 2025

Midfeast of Pentecost

Wednesday of the 4th Sunday of Pascha

24 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · Fast (Fish, Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

Holy hieromartyr Therapont, bishop of Cyprus

632

Saint Therapont led a life of ascetic struggle in a monastery, and was afterwards consecrated a bishop on the island of Cyprus. He travelled to Jerusalem where he preached the holy Gospel and laboured greatly in works of charity for the people, but as the people honoured him and his fame spread throughout the region, he chose to leave Jerusalem and return to Cyprus. He was first received in the home of a man whose wife had been bedridden for nine years with a high fever, and through the prayers of the saint she was at once restored to health in the name of Jesus Christ. By many signs and healings he led souls to the true faith of Orthodoxy, and the governor of the island gave him the diocese of Kition (Larnaca), where he served as bishop with apostolic zeal. During the Arab invasion of Cyprus in the seventh century he was seized at the holy altar and beheaded for the name of Christ in the year 632. The relics of the hieromartyr at first remained on Cyprus and were glorified by numerous miracles; in the year 806, on account of the threat of further invasions, they were translated to Constantinople, where they continue to be venerated. The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece has declared him a patron of the medical profession.

Holy martyr Isidore of Chios

251

Saint Isidore lived during the reign of the Emperor Decius (249 to 251). He came from Alexandria in Egypt and served as an officer in the Roman fleet under the admiral Numerius. When the imperial edict went out commanding all soldiers to offer sacrifice to the gods, the centurion Julius discovered that Isidore was a Christian and reported him to the admiral. Brought before Numerius, Saint Isidore openly confessed Christ and refused to sacrifice to inanimate idols, saying, "You may be able to kill my body, but you have no power over my soul; the true and living God, Jesus Christ, abides in me, and after my death also I shall be with Him, and He with me." For this confession he was beaten with whips, dragged over rocky ground and his tongue cut out, but by the grace of God he continued to speak and to praise the Lord. The pagan father of Saint Myrope, a Christian widow, sought to mutilate the holy body, but the saint at last received the crown of martyrdom by beheading on the island of Chios in the year 251. Saint Myrope secretly retrieved his relics by night and buried them honourably; for this she was herself arrested and, refusing to deny Christ, gave up her soul in prison. The faithful of Chios afterwards built a chapel over the graves of the two martyrs.

Venerable Serapion of Pskov

Saint Serapion of Pskov was born at Yuriev (the present-day Tartu) at a time when that city was under the rule of Germans who sought to stamp out the Orthodox faith. His parents were faithful members of the Russian church of Saint Nicholas in Yuriev, and from childhood he was diligent in the Holy Scriptures and more than once took up the defence of Orthodoxy against those who pressed him to convert by force. To escape such pressure he departed to the Tolva wilderness near Pskov, where the great ascetic Saint Euphrosynus had begun his prayerful labours, and under his guidance he learned the wisdom of the desert life. Once, without his elder's blessing, he wished to leave to live alone in complete solitude, but the Lord brought the inexperienced novice to repentance: he seriously injured his leg, recognised his self-will, and returned to the elder. Having received the great schema he dwelt with Saint Euphrosynus for fifty-five years, strictly keeping the vow of silence. He was a model of monastic obedience, of voluntary poverty so strict that the writer of his life called him "an unburied corpse", and of humility, bearing every offence as if he himself were to blame and being the first to seek forgiveness. He held the common prayer of the church in great reverence, saying that the order of the twelve psalms in the cell could not equal one "Lord have mercy" sung in church. Saint Serapion reposed on 8 September 1480, the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, and is commemorated on 7 September together with Saint Euphrosynus. A common service was composed to the two ascetics, sung also on this day, in which Saint Serapion is glorified as the first co-ascetic, companion and friend of Saint Euphrosynus.

Venerable Therapont of Belozersk and Mozhaysk

Saint Therapont was born about the year 1337 at Volokolamsk into the noble family of Poskochin and was given in the world the name Theodore. From childhood he was drawn to the things of God, and at the age of forty he was tonsured a monk in the Simonov monastery of Moscow by the igumen Saint Theodore, who was a nephew of Saint Sergius of Radonezh. There he became close friends with Saint Cyril, the future founder of the White Lake monastery, and together they passed through the labours of prayer and fasting. Sent on monastic business to the northern country of Belozersk, he came to know the wild forests around White Lake. Soon afterwards he and Saint Cyril, at the call of the Mother of God, departed Simonov and travelled north, raising a cross and digging a cell in the ground near Mount Myaura at Lake Siversk. After a while Saint Therapont withdrew about fifteen versts from his companion to a still more remote place between two lakes, where he lived alone in great hardship. In time monks gathered to him, and the wilderness became the famous Theraponov monastery, in which in 1398 he built a wooden church in honour of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. In 1408, at the request of Prince Andrew Dimitrievich, the elder went to Mozhaysk and there founded the Luzhetsky monastery in honour of the Birth of the Theotokos, where he remained as igumen until his repose on 27 May 1426. He was glorified as a saint in 1549, and his relics were uncovered incorrupt in 1514. He is commemorated on this day for the uncovering of his relics, and on 27 May for his repose.

Our Holy Father Serapion the Sindonite

5th c.

“ ‘Sindon’ means ‘linen cloth,’ and this saint was called ‘the Sindonite’ because he covered his naked body only with a linen cloth. He carried the Gospels in his hand. Serapion lived like the birds, with no roof and no cares, moving from one place to another. He gave his linen cloth to a poor wretch who was shivering with cold, and himself remained completely naked. When someone asked him: ‘Serapion, who made you naked?’, he indicated the Gospels and said: ‘This!’ But, after that, he gave away the Gospels also for the money needed by a man who was being hounded to prison by a creditor in debt. [note: Gospel books were all hand-written, and were uncommon and valuable.] At one time in Athens, he did not eat for four days, having nothing, and began to cry out with hunger. When the Athenian philosophers asked him what he was shouting about, he replied: ‘There were three to whom I was in debt: two have quietened down, but the third is still tormenting me. The first creditor is carnal lust, who has tormented me from my youth; the second is love of money, and the third is the stomach. The first two have left me alone, but the third one still torments me.’ The philosophers gave him some gold to buy bread. He went to a baker, bought a single loaf, put down all the gold and went out. He went peacefully to the Lord in old age, in the 5th century.” (Prologue)

Blessed Isidore the Fool for Christ

1484

He was German by birth but, drawn to the Orthodox faith, he moved to Rostov and not only became Orthodox, but took on the podvig of folly for Christ. He lived in complete destitution, spending the days pretending madness and the nights in prayer. Many wonders were performed by this Saint even in his lifetime. When he died in his meager hut in 1484, the people of Rostov smelled a fragrant odor throughout the city. A merchant whom he had miraculously saved from drowning built a church in the place where his hut had stood.

Daily readings

Vespers

OT — Composite 19 - Micah 4.2-3, 5; 6.2-5, 8; 5.4, 5

Thus says the Lord: From Sion will come forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he will judge among many peoples and rebuke mighty nations in a distant land. For all the peoples will walk, each its own way, while we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever. Thus says the Lord Almighty: Listen hills and valleys, foundations of the earth, because the Lord has a controversy with his people; for he will dispute with Israel, saying, ‘My people, what have I done to you? Or how have I grieved you? Or how have I troubled you? Answer me. For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and rescued you from the house of slavery, and sent Moses and Aaron before your face. My people, what have your enemies planned against you? Was it not told you, O man, what is good? And what does the Lord seek from you, except to execute judgement, and to love mercy and to be ready to walk with the Lord your God?’ Therefore the Lord will be magnified in strength, and will shepherd his flock in peace, to the extremities of the earth.

Vespers

OT — Composite 20 - Isaiah 55.1; 12.3-4; 55.2-13

Thus says the Lord: You who thirst, go to the water; and all who have no money, go, buy and eat and drink wine and fat without money or price. For thus says the Lord Almighty to you: My people, draw water with joy from the springs of salvation. And you will say in that day: Praise the Lord, cry his name aloud, declare his glory among the nations, call to mind that his name has been exalted. My people, hear me, and eat good things, and your soul will delight in good things. Attend with your ears and follow my ways. Listen to me and your soul will live among good things. And I will make an eternal covenant with you, and you will call upon me. And when you draw near me, let the impious abandon his ways, and the lawless man his plans; and turn back to me and I will have mercy on you and forgive your sins. For your plans are not as my plans, says the Lord; but as heaven is distant from the earth, so is my way distant from your ways, and your thoughts from my mind. For as rain or snow would come down from heaven and not return there, until it had soaked the earth, and it bring forth and bud and give seed to the sower, and bread for food, so shall my word be, which once it has come from my mouth will not return there until it has accomplished all that I willed; and I will make my ways and my commands succeed. For you will go out with joy, and be taught with gladness; for the mountains and hills will exult as they receive you with joy; and all the trees of the field will clap with their branches; and instead of the briar shall come up the cypress; instead of the nettle shall come up the myrtle; and the Lord shall be for a name and for an eternal sign, says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel.

Vespers

Proverbs — Proverbs 9.1-11

¹Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: ¹Wisdom hath builded her house; She hath hewn out her seven pillars: ²She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. ²She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; She hath also furnished her table: ³She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, ³She hath sent forth her maidens; She crieth upon the highest places of the city: ⁴Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, ⁴Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: As for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him, ⁵Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. ⁵Come, eat ye of my bread, And drink of the wine which I have mingled. ⁶Leave off, ye simple ones, and live; And walk in the way of understanding. ⁶Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. ⁷He that correcteth a scoffer getteth to himself reviling; And he that reproveth a wicked man getteth himself a blot. ⁷He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. ⁸Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. ⁸Reprove not a scoffer, lest he hate thee: Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee. ⁹Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. ⁹Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. ¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. ¹⁰The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. ¹¹For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. ¹¹For by me thy days shall be multiplied, And the years of thy life shall be increased.

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 14.6-18

⁶They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: ⁶they became aware of it, and fled unto the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the region round about: ⁷And there they preached the gospel. ⁷and there they preached the gospel.

⁸And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

⁸And at Lystra there sat a certain man, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked. ⁹The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, ⁹The same heard Paul speaking: who, fastening his eyes upon him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole, ¹⁰said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped up and walked. ¹⁰Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. ¹¹And when the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. ¹¹And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. ¹²And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. ¹²And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercury, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. ¹³And the priest of Jupiter whose temple was before the city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the multitudes. ¹⁴Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, ¹⁴But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they rent their garments, and sprang forth among the multitude, crying out ¹⁵and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good tidings, that ye should turn from these vain things unto a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is: ¹⁵And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: ¹⁶who in the generations gone by suffered all the nations to walk in their own ways. ¹⁶Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. ¹⁷Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. ¹⁷And yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness. ¹⁸And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multitudes from doing sacrifice unto them. ¹⁸And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 7.14-30

¹⁴Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

¹⁴But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. ¹⁵And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? ¹⁵The Jews therefore marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? ¹⁶Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. ¹⁶Jesus therefore answered them, and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me. ¹⁷If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. ¹⁷If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself. ¹⁸He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. ¹⁸He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. ¹⁹Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you doeth the law? Why seek ye to kill me? ¹⁹Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? ²⁰The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? ²⁰The multitude answered, Thou hast a demon: who seeketh to kill thee? ²¹Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. ²¹Jesus answered and said unto them, I did one work, and ye all marvel because thereof. ²²Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. ²²Moses hath given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers); and on the sabbath ye circumcise a man. ²³If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? ²³If a man receiveth circumcision on the sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken; are ye wroth with me, because I made a man every whit whole on the sabbath? ²⁴Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. ²⁴Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

²⁵Some therefore of them of Jerusalem said, Is not this he whom they seek to kill? ²⁵Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? ²⁶And lo, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing unto him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is the Christ? ²⁶But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? ²⁷Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. ²⁷Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when the Christ cometh, no one knoweth whence he is. ²⁸Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. ²⁸Jesus therefore cried in the temple, teaching and saying, Ye both know me, and know whence I am; and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. ²⁹But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me. ²⁹I know him; because I am from him, and he sent me. ³⁰Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. ³⁰They sought therefore to take him: and no man laid his hand on him, because his hour was not yet come.

Epistle

— Blessing of Waters

Hebrews — Hebrews 2.11-18

¹¹For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹¹For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹²saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, In the midst of the congregation will I sing thy praise. ¹²Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

¹³And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold, I and the children whom God hath given me. ¹³And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. ¹⁴Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; ¹⁴Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; ¹⁵and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁵And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁶For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham. ¹⁶For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. ¹⁷Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. ¹⁸For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Gospel

— Blessing of Waters

John — John 5.1-4

¹After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

¹After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

²Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. ²Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. ³In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. ³In these lay a multitude of them that were sick, blind, halt, withered. ⁴For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. ⁴