Wednesday, 4 June 2025

Wednesday of the 7th Sunday of Pascha

45 days after Pascha · Tone 6 · Liturgy · Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyrs Frontasius, Severinus, Severian and Silanus

The Holy Martyrs Frontasius, Severinus, Severian and Silanus were sent into southern Gaul to preach the Gospel by Bishop Frontonus of Petragorium (modern Perigueux). The traditional Latin acta place their mission in the apostolic age, in the time of the emperor Claudius, though many scholars set their suffering rather under the persecutions of the third century. Arrested for converting many to the faith, they were brought before the governor Squirinus, who commanded them to offer sacrifice. They confessed Christ openly and were beheaded by the sword. According to the legend, after their execution the four martyrs rose, took up their own heads in their hands and walked to the church where Bishop Frontonus was offering the Eucharist, laying their heads at his feet before falling asleep in the Lord. Their relics were long venerated in the church of Saint Front at Perigueux.

Holy Martyrs Mary and Martha of Persia

The Holy Martyrs Mary and Martha were two devout sisters who lived in Persia during the persecution against Christians under Shapur II in the fourth century. They were arrested with their kinsman Lykarion and other Christians for confessing Christ, and were brought before the magi for examination. The sisters had vowed to remain virgins for the sake of the Gospel and refused either to marry or to deny the faith. After many tortures they were beheaded for their confession and so received the crown of martyrdom. They are commemorated on this day in the synaxaria of the Eastern Church together with other martyrs of the great Persian persecution.

Saint Methodius, abbot of Peshnosha

1392

Saint Methodius was one of the early disciples of Saint Sergius of Radonezh and the founder of the Peshnosha monastery in the Moscow region. As a young man he came to Saint Sergius and lived under his guidance for several years, learning the monastic life. With his elder's blessing he then went deeper into the forest some twenty miles to the north and built a small cell on the banks of the river Yakhroma, where disciples soon gathered round him. Saint Sergius himself visited the place to assist in choosing the site for the new community and helped to fell trees with his own hands; from this labour ("peshe noshenii", carrying on foot) the monastery is said to have taken its name. Saint Methodius governed his community with the same simplicity and gentleness he had learned from his master, and reposed in 1392, the same year as Saint Sergius. He was buried in the monastery he had founded, where his relics rest to this day.

Saint Metrophanes, first patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Metrophanes was a contemporary of Saint Constantine the Great. His father Dometius was a brother of the Roman emperor Probus, and when persecution against Christians broke out at Rome he set off with his sons Probus and Metrophanes for Byzantium. There the family was received by Bishop Titus, who instructed and baptised them. Probus succeeded Titus on the see of Byzantium, and on his repose Metrophanes was elected bishop. When Constantine the Great visited the city and was struck by the holiness of its bishop, he resolved to make Byzantium his capital. After the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325, the bishops of the council bestowed upon Metrophanes the title of patriarch, so that he is reckoned the first patriarch of Constantinople. He was already very old, and represented at the Council by his deputy, the priest Alexander, who succeeded him. Saint Metrophanes reposed in peace shortly afterwards, in 326.

Holy Myrrh-bearers Mary and Martha, sisters of St Lazarus

1st c.

Mary and Martha, with their brother Lazarus, were especially devoted disciples of our Lord; their story up to the time of the Resurrection can be found in Luke 10 and John 11-12. Mary and Martha were among the Myrrh-bearing women. They, with their brother, reposed in Cyprus, where Lazarus became first Bishop of Kition after he was raised from death by Christ. An ancient tradition holds that Lazarus was thirty years old when he was restored to life by the Lord, and that he lived another thirty years. After he was raised from the dead, he never again laughed; but once, when he saw someone stealing a clay pot, he smiled and said, ‘Clay stealing clay.’ His name is a Greek version of Eleazar, meaning ‘God has helped.’

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 23.1-11

¹And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

¹And Paul, looking stedfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day. ²And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. ²And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. ³Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? ³Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: and sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? ⁴And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest? ⁴And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest? ⁵Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. ⁵And Paul said, I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people. ⁶But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees: touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. ⁶But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. ⁷And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. ⁷And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. ⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. ⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. ⁹And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. ⁹And there arose a great clamor: and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: and what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an angel? ¹⁰And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. ¹⁰And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle. ¹¹And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

¹¹And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer: for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 16.15-23

¹⁵All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. ¹⁵All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you. ¹⁶A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. ¹⁶A little while, and ye behold me no more; and again a little while, and ye shall see me. ¹⁷Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? ¹⁷Some of his disciples therefore said one to another, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye behold me not; and again a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? ¹⁸They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. ¹⁸They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he saith. ¹⁹Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? ¹⁹Jesus perceived that they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not, and again a little while, and ye shall see me? ²⁰Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. ²⁰Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. ²¹A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born into the world. ²¹A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. ²²And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. ²²And ye therefore now have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh away from you. ²³And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. ²³And in that day ye shall ask me no question. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name.