Saturday, 17 May 2025

Saturday of the 4th Sunday of Pascha

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

Saints commemorated

Holy Apostle Andronicus of the Seventy and his fellow labourer Junia

The holy Apostle Andronicus is numbered among the Seventy disciples sent forth by the Lord. Together with Saint Junia, his kinswoman and fellow worker, he is greeted by name in the Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Romans, where Paul calls them his kinsmen and fellow prisoners and says that they are "of note among the apostles" and were in Christ before him (Romans 16:7).

The two laboured tirelessly in the preaching of the Gospel, journeying from place to place, suffering imprisonments and many afflictions for the sake of Christ. By their preaching the faith was strengthened, multitudes of pagans were brought to the knowledge of the true God, idolatrous shrines were closed, and Christian churches arose in their place. Saint Andronicus was appointed bishop of Pannonia, but neither he nor Junia confined their labours to that region; they travelled widely, healing the sick and casting out demons. The service in their honour testifies that both crowned their apostolic ministry with a martyr's death. In the fifth century, in the reign of the emperors Arcadius and Honorius, their holy relics were miraculously discovered on the outskirts of Constantinople, together with the relics of other martyrs.

Holy Martyr Solokhon and his companions Pamphamer and Pamphalon

Saint Solokhon was a native of Egypt who served as a soldier in the imperial army during the reign of the emperor Maximian (284-305). He had been a pagan from his birth but came to know Christ through fellow soldiers and was secretly baptised. He was sent with his regiment to Chalcedon, where the commander of the Roman forces ordered all the troops to offer sacrifice to the idols. Solokhon stepped forward with two of his comrades, Pamphamer and Pamphalon, and openly confessed himself a Christian, declaring that he would not offer incense to demons. The three were seized and tortured. Pamphamer and Pamphalon were beheaded and gave up their souls to God. Saint Solokhon was beaten without mercy and dragged over sharp stones; when his torturers tried to force him to swallow blood from the idol sacrifices, he clenched his teeth so firmly that the iron used to prise them apart bent and the sword broke. He was hung up by one hand with a heavy stone tied to his foot and left for some hours. Released and carried at last to a Christian widow's house, he ate a little bread, encouraged the faithful to remain steadfast, and quietly surrendered his soul to Christ.

Saint Stephen the First, patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Stephen, patriarch of Constantinople, was the younger son of the emperor Basil the Macedonian and the brother of the emperor Leo the Wise. From his youth he was set apart for the service of the Church, and was tonsured a monk and ordained to the priesthood. After the deposition of the patriarch Photius, he was raised to the patriarchal throne of Constantinople, governing the Church of God from 886 to 893. Saint Stephen was distinguished by his deep piety, his meekness, and his almsgiving. Once when he had fallen seriously ill he was healed after applying to himself the holy water from the spring of the Life-giving Source (Zoodochos Pigi). Making use of his royal kinship for the good of his flock, he constantly came to the help of the poor, of widows, of orphans, and of those who were unjustly accused. After only seven years on the patriarchal throne, while still young, he reposed in May of the year 893 at the age of about twenty-six, and was buried in the monastery of Saint George of Sykeon.

Venerable Nektarios and Theophanes of Ioannina, founders of the Varlaam Monastery at Meteora

Saints Nektarios and Theophanes were brothers, born in the second half of the fifteenth century in Ioannina to a pious family of the Apsaras line. From their childhood they were drawn to the monastic life and, while still young, renounced the world together. In 1495 they received the great schema from the elder Savvas in the Hermitage of the Honourable Forerunner on the island of Ioannina. After the repose of their elder, the brothers sought greater solitude and made their way to Meteora. With the blessing of Metropolitan Bessarion of Larissa and the abbot of the Great Meteoron, they ascended in 1517 the lofty rock of Varlaam, where the elder Varlaam had once dwelt. There they restored the ruined chapel of the Three Hierarchs, raised a new church in honour of All Saints in 1542, and gathered a small brotherhood, drawing up a rule of strict ascetic life. Saint Theophanes reposed first, on 17 May 1544, after foretelling his own death. Saint Nektarios reposed shortly afterwards, on 7 April 1550. Their incorrupt relics rest in the monastery they founded, which to this day is one of the great houses of Meteora.

Holy Martyr Solochon

298

He was a Roman soldier, Egyptian by birth, during the reign of the Emperor Maximian. When Solochon refused an imperial command that all soldiers offer sacrifice to the idols, he was was arrested along with two friends and fellow-Christians, Pamphamir and Pamphylon. All three were put to harsh torture, under which Solochon’s two friends died. The commander ordered that Solochon’s mouth be pried open with a sword, so that he could be force-fed food sacrificed to idols; but the Saint broke the blade with his teeth. After further torture he was left to die. Christians took him to the home of a widow, where he recovered somewhat and counseled the faithful to hold firm in their faith under torture and persecution. Soon afterward, he reposed, giving thanks to God.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 12.1-11

¹Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

¹Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hands to afflict certain of the church. ²And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. ²And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. ³And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) ³And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. And those were the days of unleavened bread. ⁴And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. ⁴And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. ⁵Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. ⁵Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him. ⁶And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept the prison. ⁶And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. ⁷And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. ⁷And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. ⁸And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. ⁸And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. ⁹And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. ⁹And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. ¹⁰When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. ¹⁰And when they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and straightway the angel departed from him. ¹¹And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. ¹¹And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a truth, that the Lord hath sent forth his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 8.31-42

³¹Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

³¹Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; ³²And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ³²and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

³³They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? ³³They answered unto him, We are Abraham’s seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? ³⁴Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. ³⁴Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. ³⁵And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. ³⁵And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. ³⁶If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. ³⁶If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. ³⁷I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath not free course in you. ³⁷I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. ³⁸I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. ³⁸I speak the things which I have seen with my Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father. ³⁹They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. ³⁹They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. ⁴⁰But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. ⁴⁰But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. ⁴¹Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. ⁴¹Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. ⁴²Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. ⁴²Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.