Wednesday, 28 May 2025

Leavetaking of Pascha / Forefeast of Ascension

Wednesday of the 6th Sunday of Pascha

38 days after Pascha · Tone 5 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · Fast (Fish, Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Eutychius, Bishop of Melitene

The Hieromartyr Eutychius was a fellow worker with the holy Apostles and is numbered among the disciples of the apostolic generation. According to ancient tradition he was instructed in the Christian faith by the Apostles themselves and was set apart by them as bishop of the city of Melitene in Armenia Minor, where he laboured to convert the pagans and to confirm the faithful in the doctrine of Christ. During the persecutions of the first century, while still in his old age, he came forward boldly before the ruler of the city, refused to offer sacrifice to the idols, and openly confessed Jesus Christ as the true God and Saviour of mankind. For this confession he was subjected to many torments and was at last cast into the sea, where he gave up his soul to God. The Canon of Saint Joseph the Hymnographer composed in his honour records that his relics were venerated in Constantinople, and that he had been instructed by the apostles of Christ and preached the word of salvation. The Orthodox Church keeps his memory on 28 May.

Hieromartyr Helladius, Bishop in the East

The Hieromartyr Helladius was a bishop in the eastern parts of the Roman Empire who suffered a martyric death for his confession of Christ. According to one tradition he endured under the Persians during their invasion of the eastern provinces in the fourth century, while other sources place him in the sixth or seventh century. He was first cast into a fire by his persecutors, but he came out unharmed by the prayers and grace of God. The pagans then turned to other torments and beat him with such cruelty that he gave up his soul to the Lord under their blows. The service appointed for his feast records that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself visited Saint Helladius in prison and healed his wounds, strengthening him for the contest. Although the details of his life have been lost, the Orthodox Church preserves his memory on 28 May among the company of the holy hieromartyrs, and asks his prayers for those who confess Christ in days of persecution.

Saint Andrew the Fool-for-Christ of Constantinople

Blessed Andrew the Fool-for-Christ was a Slav by birth, born among the Scythians and brought as a slave to Constantinople in the days of the emperor Leo VI the Wise (886 to 912), where he served in the household of the protospatharios Theognostus. From childhood he was given to prayer and to the reading of holy books, and when his master sent him to be educated, he made great progress. The Lord called him to the great and unusual ascetic labour of folly for Christ, and Saint Andrew, in obedience to that call, feigned madness, was driven from his master's house, and lived as a wanderer in the streets of Constantinople, suffering cold, hunger, mockery, and beatings, while in secret he was elevated to lofty visions of the heavenly things. With his disciple, the blessed Epiphanius, he beheld in the church of Blachernae the Most Holy Mother of God spreading her veil in protection over the people at prayer; this vision is the foundation of the feast of the Protection of the Mother of God. Saint Andrew reposed at Constantinople about the year 936 at the age of sixty-six. The Greek Church commemorates him on 28 May, the Slavic Church on 2 October.

Saint Nicetas the Confessor, Bishop of Chalcedon

Saint Nicetas the Confessor lived in the second half of the eighth century and the early ninth, and was elected to the episcopal throne of Chalcedon, the city across the Bosphorus from Constantinople where the Fourth Ecumenical Council had been held. As bishop he was distinguished above all by his charity to the poor, his hospitality to travellers, and his fatherly care for orphans and widows; he was known as a fearless intercessor for those who suffered injustice. When the iconoclast emperor Leo the Armenian (813 to 820) renewed the persecution of the holy icons, depriving Orthodox bishops of their sees and demanding that they renounce the veneration of images, Saint Nicetas firmly resisted the imperial decree, denounced the iconoclast heresy, and exhorted his flock to reverence the holy icons of Christ, the Theotokos, and the saints. For this confession he was subjected to tortures and exiled from his city. He bore his sufferings with patience and reposed in exile at the beginning of the ninth century. From his relics flowed many miracles of healing, and the Orthodox Church honours him among the holy confessors of the icons.

Also commemorated: St Ignaty, Bishop of Rostov

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 18.22-28

²²And when he had landed at Cæsarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

²²And when he had landed at Cæsarea, he went up and saluted the church, and went down to Antioch. ²³And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. ²³And having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.

²⁴And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

²⁴Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the scriptures. ²⁵This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. ²⁵This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spake and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John: ²⁶And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. ²⁶and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more accurately. ²⁷And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: ²⁷And when he was minded to pass over into Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him: and when he was come, he helped them much that had believed through grace; ²⁸For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ. ²⁸for he powerfully confuted the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 12.36-47

³⁶While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

³⁶While ye have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light. These things spake Jesus, and he departed and hid himself from them.

³⁷But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: ³⁷But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they believed not on him: ³⁸That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? ³⁸that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? ³⁹Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

³⁹For this cause they could not believe, for that Isaiah said again, ⁴⁰He hath blinded their eyes, and he hardened their heart; Lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, And should turn, And I should heal them. ⁴⁰He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. ⁴¹These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

⁴¹These things said Isaiah, because he saw his glory; and he spake of him. ⁴²Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

⁴²Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: ⁴³For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. ⁴³for they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that is of God.

⁴⁴Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

⁴⁴And Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. ⁴⁵And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. ⁴⁵And he that beholdeth me beholdeth him that sent me. ⁴⁶I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness. ⁴⁶I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. ⁴⁷And if any man hear my sayings, and keep them not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. ⁴⁷And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.