Sunday, 15 June 2025

All Saints

1st Sunday after Pentecost

56 days after Pascha · Tone 8 · Red cross (polyeleos typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Blessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo

Blessed Augustine was born in 354 at Tagaste in North Africa to a pagan father, Patricius, and a devout Christian mother, Saint Monica. Possessed of a brilliant mind, he was sent to study at Carthage, where he fell in with the Manichaean sect and lived a worldly life for many years. After teaching rhetoric in Carthage, Rome and Milan he came under the preaching of Saint Ambrose, and through his mother's tears and prayers and the reading of the Apostle Paul he was converted to the Orthodox faith and baptised at the Easter vigil of 387. Returning to Africa, he was ordained priest and then consecrated Bishop of Hippo Regius, where he laboured for thirty-five years, defending the faith against the Manichaeans, Donatists and Pelagians. His writings, including the Confessions and the City of God, fill many volumes. He fell asleep in the Lord in 430 as the Vandals besieged his episcopal city. The Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches keep his memory on 15 June.

Holy Prophet Amos

The Holy Prophet Amos, the third of the twelve Minor Prophets, lived in the eighth century before Christ. He was a native of Tekoah in Judah, six miles south of Bethlehem, and tended sheep and goats and dressed sycamore figs. Simple and uneducated yet fervent in faith and zealous for the glory of God, he was called by the Lord to prophetic service and sent to the Kingdom of Israel to denounce the impiety of King Jeroboam II and the apostasy of the Israelites. The book of his prophecies, fierce in its rebuke of social injustice and idolatry, contains nine chapters preserved within the Old Testament. According to a later tradition, Uzziah, the son of Amaziah the priest of Bethel, struck the prophet with a club after he had spoken against the false sanctuary. He was carried back to his native village and died there of his wounds two days later, around 787 BC.

Saint Jerome of Stridon

Saint Jerome, whose full name is Eusebius Hieronymus Sophronius, was born around 347 into a Christian family in the city of Stridon on the border between Dalmatia and Pannonia. He was sent to Rome for his education, where he studied grammar, rhetoric and philosophy and was baptised by Pope Liberius. After travels in Gaul and the East he settled for a time in the Syrian desert near Chalcis, living as a hermit, learning Hebrew from a converted Jew and giving himself to prayer, fasting and study. Ordained a priest at Antioch, he later served as secretary to Pope Damasus in Rome, who entrusted him with the great labour for which he is best known: the revision and translation of the Scriptures into Latin, the version known as the Vulgate. After the death of Damasus he settled in Bethlehem, founding a monastery near the cave of the Nativity, where he wrote commentaries on the prophets and the gospels, defended the faith against the heresies of his day and laboured at his Bible until his repose around 420.

Saint Orsisius the Lawgiver

Saint Orsisius, sometimes called Ortisius or Orsiesius, was a disciple of Saint Pachomius the Great on the island of Tabennisi in the Nile, and one of the chief organisers of Egyptian coenobitic monasticism. After the repose of Pachomius in 348, Orsisius was chosen as his successor at the head of the federation of monasteries, but the burden weighed upon him and he soon resigned the office in favour of Saint Theodore the Sanctified. With Theodore he is said to have helped Pachomius shape the original monastic rule, and he himself composed a book of instruction known to later writers as his Testament, in which the whole of monastic discipline is set out from the Old and New Testaments in short chapters. After the death of Theodore in 368 he resumed the leadership of the brotherhood and guided it with great wisdom until his own repose, sometime after 386. For his role in shaping the common life of the monks he is honoured among the saints with the title Lawgiver.

Holy Martyr Vitus, with Modestus and Crescentia

303

“St Vitus was born in Sicily of eminent pagan parents. Modestus was his tutor and Crescentia his governess. St Vitus was baptised early and, when only twelve years old, began to live an intensive ascetic life. Angels appeared to him, instructing him and encouraging him in his labours, and he was himself as radiant and handsome as an angel of God. A judge who beat him had the flesh of his arm wither away, but Vitus healed it by his prayers. His father was blinded when he saw twelve angels in his room ‘with eyes like stars and faces like lightning’, but Vitus restored his sight by his prayers. When his father sought to kill him, an angel appeared to him and took him to Lucania on the bank of the river Silaris, together with Modestus and Crescentia. St Vitus performed many miracles there for the sick and insane. He went to Rome at the summons of the Emperor Diocletian and drove out an evil spirit from his son. Far from rewarding him, the Emperor tortured him cruelly when he would not bow down before mute idols, but the Lord delivered him from torture and returned him to Lucania by His invisible arm, and there he and Modestus and Crescentia entered into rest in the Lord. St Vitus’ relics are preserved in Prague.” (Prologue) In the West, St Vitus’ aid is often invoked for the cure of many ailments, especially insanity and demonic possession. For this reason his name is given to St Vitus’ dance, an acute neurological illness that produces uncontrollable movements in the face and limbs, usually occurring in children.

Holy Martyr Lazar, Prince of Serbia

1389

“He was one of the greatest men of Serbia who ruled the kingdom after king Dušan. Upon the death of King Uroš, Lazar was crowned King of Serbia by Patriarch Ephraim. He sent a delegation to Constantinople, including a monk called Isaiah, to plead for the removing of the anathema from the Serbian people. He went to war on several occasions against the Turkish Pasha, finally clashing with the Turkish king, Amurât, at Kosovo on June 15, 1389, being slain there. His body was taken to Ravanica near Cupria, a foundation of his, and buried there, but was later taken to New Ravanica in Srem. During the Second World War, in 1942, it was taken to Belgrade and placed in the Cathedral, where it is preserved to this day and offers comfort and healing to all who turn to him in prayer. He restored Hilandar and Gornjak, built Ravanica and the Lazarica in Kruševac and was the founder of St Panteleimon, the Russian monastery on the Holy Mountain, as well as numerous other churches and monasteries.” (Prologue)

Also commemorated: St Jonah, Metr. of Moscow

Daily readings

Vespers

Isaiah — Isaiah 43.9-14

⁹Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. ⁹Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth. ¹⁰Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. ¹⁰Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. ¹¹I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. ¹¹I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour. ¹²I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. ¹²I have declared, and I have saved, and I have showed; and there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and I am God. ¹³Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? ¹³Yea, since the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who can hinder it?

¹⁴Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.

¹⁴Thus saith Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring down all of them as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing.

Vespers

Wisdom of Solomon — Wisdom of Solomon 3.1-9

¹But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them.

²In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery,

³And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace.

⁴For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality.

⁵And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself.

⁶As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering.

⁷And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble.

⁸They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever.

⁹They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect.

Vespers

Wisdom of Solomon — Wisdom of Solomon 5.15-6.3

¹⁵But the righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the most High.

¹⁶Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with his right hand shall he cover them, and with his arm shall he protect them.

¹⁷He shall take to him his jealousy for complete armour, and make the creature his weapon for the revenge of his enemies.

¹⁸He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment instead of an helmet.

¹⁹He shall take holiness for an invincible shield.

²⁰His severe wrath shall he sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with him against the unwise.

²¹Then shall the right aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they fly to the mark.

²²And hailstones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them.

²³Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty.

¹Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth.

²Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations.

³For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.

1st Matins Gospel

Matthew — Matthew 28.16-20

¹⁶Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

¹⁶But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. ¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ¹⁸And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ²⁰teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Epistle

weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 11.33-12.2

³³who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³³Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens. ³⁴Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ³⁵Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: ³⁵Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: ³⁶and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: ³⁶And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: ³⁷They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; ³⁷they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated ³⁸(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. ³⁸(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth. ³⁹And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: ³⁹And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise, ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

¹Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ²looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 10.32-33, 37-38, 19.27-30

³²Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. ³²Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. ³³But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. ³³But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven. ³⁷He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁷He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. ³⁸And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me.

²⁷Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? ²⁷Then answered Peter and said unto him, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee; what then shall we have? ²⁸And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁸And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. ²⁹And every one that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life. ³⁰But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. ³⁰But many shall be last that are first; and first that are last.