Monday, 25 May 2026

3rd Finding of the Head of St John the Baptist

Monday of the 7th Sunday of Pascha

43 days after Pascha · Tone 6 · Red cross (polyeleos typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Third Finding of the Precious Head of St John the Baptist

c. 850

In the eighth century, during the iconoclast persecutions, the head of St John the Baptist was taken to Comana (the place of St John Chrysostom’s exile) for safekeeping, and was lost. (The iconoclasts attacked not only the holy icons, but the veneration of relics of the Saints, sometimes destroying the relics themselves.) When the persecutions ended, the location of the head was revealed to a priest, and it was found in a silver vessel, “in a sacred place.” It was returned to Constantinople with great solemnity and celebration. See the First and Second Findings, commemorated February 24. Where is it now? After several inquiries, we have not been able to learn whether the Head of St John the Baptist is lost again, or whether it rests in some known place. Information welcomed at webmaster@abbamoses.com.

Hieromartyr Therapon, Bishop of Cyprus

806

The Hieromartyr Therapon, Bishop of Cyprus, lived a life of strict asceticism in a monastery of the island and was afterwards raised to the episcopate, in which office he laboured to lead his flock to the knowledge of Christ. During the persecution of the emperor Diocletian (284 to 305), and according to some accounts under Valerian about the year 259, Saint Therapon was seized for his bold confession of the Lord. Having endured many tortures with unshaken constancy, he sealed his witness with his blood and fell asleep in martyrdom. His relics remained in Cyprus where many wonders were wrought through them. In the year 806, when the Saracens were threatening the island, the holy relics were translated to Constantinople; as the ship that bore them sailed, fragrant myrrh began to flow from the body of the saint, and the travellers, caught in a violent storm at sea, were saved from shipwreck by the prayers and intercession of the holy hieromartyr. A church was raised in his honour in the imperial city, and from his relics flowed countless healings.

Saint Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne

980

Saint Aldhelm was born about the year 639 in the kingdom of Wessex and was related to the royal house of the West Saxons. After studies under the Irish scholar Maeldubh at the monastery of Malmesbury, and afterwards under Saint Adrian and Saint Theodore at Canterbury, he became one of the most learned men of his age in Latin letters, music, and sacred song. Tonsured a monk at Malmesbury, he was made abbot of that house about 675 and ruled it for thirty-five years, building churches, founding daughter monasteries, and forming many disciples. About 705 he was consecrated bishop of the new See of Sherborne, where he laboured for four years until his repose on 25 May 709. Saint Aldhelm wrote a celebrated letter to King Geraint of Dumnonia setting out the catholic reckoning of Pascha, by which he drew many of the British clergy from the old Celtic computation into the Orthodox observance of the Resurrection. He was venerated as a saint immediately after his death; his relics were translated by Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 980. He is honoured among the saints of Britain commemorated by the Orthodox Church on this day.

Third Finding of the Honourable Head of Saint John the Forerunner

The Third Finding of the Honourable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John took place about the year 850. After the second finding of the Forerunner's head at Emesa, the relic had been transferred to Comana of Cappadocia at the time of Saracen raids, where in the period of the iconoclast persecution it had been hidden in the earth for safety. When at last the veneration of the holy icons was restored under the Empress Theodora and her son Michael III, the holy Patriarch Ignatius of Constantinople (847 to 857), while at prayer one night, beheld in a vision the very place where the head of the Forerunner lay concealed. The patriarch made known the vision to the emperor, who sent a delegation that, on the patriarch's directions, recovered the precious relic. The head was then borne with great solemnity to Constantinople, and on 25 May it was placed in a church at the imperial court. From this third uncovering and translation the Orthodox Church each year keeps this commemoration in honour of the Forerunner of the Lord, whose blameless head, having proclaimed Christ in this life, was glorified after his beheading by these wonderful providences of God.

Holy Martyrs Pasicrates, Valentian, Julius and those with them

302

“They were Roman soldiers, and suffered for Christ in about 302 in Macedonian Dorostol. When Pasicrates’ brother, Papianus (who had apostatised from Christ through fear), came to his brother and tried to persuade him to renounce Christ and stay alive, St Pasicrates replied: ‘Get away from me; you are no brother of mine!’ Pasicrates and Valentian were beheaded together. At his trial, Julius said: ‘I am a war veteran, and have served the Emperor faithfully for twenty-six years. And, having been faithful till now in lesser things, how can I not be faithful, in the things that are greater, to the heavenly Kingdom and its King?’ Then Nicanor was brought before the prefect, Maximus. Nicanor’s wife encouraged her husband to die for the sake of Christ. ‘You stupid old woman,’ Maximus hurled at her, ‘Are you after a better husband?’ She replied: ‘If you think that of me, give the order to have me killed now, before my husband!’ Marcian also perished with Nicanor. His wife came to the place of execution, carrying their son in her arms. Marcian kissed his son and prayed: ‘O almighty God, do Thou take care of him!’ And they were all then slain and entered into the Kingdom of Christ.” (Prologue)

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 21.8-14

⁸And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Cæsarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. ⁹And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. ¹⁰And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judæa a certain prophet, named Agabus. ¹¹And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. ¹²And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁴And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 14.27-15.7

²⁷Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. ²⁸Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. ²⁹And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. ³⁰Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. ³¹But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

¹I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. ²Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. ³Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. ⁴Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. ⁵I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. ⁶If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Vespers

OT — Composite 8 - Isaiah 40, 41, 45, 48, 54

Thus says the Lord: Comfort, comfort my people, says God. Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem. Comfort her, because her humiliation has been completed; for her has sin has been abolished, because she has received from the Lord’s hand double for her sins. A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God. Every valley will be filled and every mountain and hill made low; what is crooked will become straight, and the rough ways will be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Go up onto a high mountain, you who bring good tidings to Sion; lift up your voice with strength, you who bring good tidings to Jerusalem. Lift it up, do not be afraid. I the Lord God, I, the God of Israel, will hearken and will not forsake them; but I will open rivers from the mountains and springs in the middle of plains. I will turn the wilderness into water meadows and the thirsty earth with water courses. Let the heavens rejoice from on high and let the clouds rain justice. Let the earth sprout and blossom with mercy and justice. Announce a voice of gladness to the end of the earth and let this be heard: Say that the Lord has delivered his servant Jacob. And if they thirst through deserts, he will bring water for them from a rock. Rejoice you barren who have never given birth, break out and shout, you who have never known birth pangs, for the children of the deserted are more than those of her who has a husband.

Vespers

OT — Composite 9 - Malachi 3, 4

Thus says the Lord Almighty: See, I am sending my Angel, my messenger, before your face, who will prepare your way before you. And the Lord whom you seek will come to his temple. And who will endure the day of his entrance? And who will withstand at his appearing? Because he will enter like fire in a smelting furnace and like the lye of launderers. And he will come to you in judgement; and he will be a swift witness against the wicked and against adulteresses and against those swear falsely in his name and those who do not fear him, says the Lord Almighty. Because I am the Lord your God, and I have not changed and you, children of Jacob, have perverted the laws and not kept them. Therefore turn back to me and I will turn back to you, says the Lord Almighty. And all the nations will call you blessed and you will know that I am the Lord who discern between just and lawless on the day on which I make a peculiar possession of those who love me. Know then and remember the law of Moses my servant, as I gave him commandment on Horeb, to all Israel ordinances and judgements. And see, I will send you Elias the Thesbite, before the great and manifest day of the Lord comes; he will turn again the heart of father to son and of a man to his neighbour, lest when I come I smite the earth grievously, says the Lord Almighty, God the Holy One of Israel.

Vespers

OT — Composite 3 - Wisdom of Solomon 4, 5

A just man if he comes to his end will be at rest. A just man who dies will condemn the ungodly who are alive; for they will see the end of a just man and will not understand what they counselled concerning him. For the Lord will break the ungodly, render them voiceless and cast them headlong, and he will shake them from the foundations and they will be utterly worsted in sorrow, and their memory shall perish. They shall come with fear at the accounting of their sins, and their iniquities will convict them to their face. Then the just will stand with much boldness in the face of those who afflicted him and made his toils of no account. When they see this they will be troubled with great fear and will be amazed at the wonder of his salvation. For they will say as they repent and with anguish they will groan and say: Is this he whom we fools once made a laughing stock and a byword of reproach? We reckoned his life folly and his end dishonour. How has he been numbered among the children of God and his lot with the Saints? Therefore we have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousness has not shone on us and the sun has not dawned on us. We have been filled with paths of lawlessness and destruction and journeyed through trackless paths, but have not known the way of the Lord.

Matins Gospel

Luke — Luke 7.17-30

¹⁷And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judæa, and throughout all the region round about. ¹⁸And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

¹⁹And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? ²⁰When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? ²¹And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. ²²Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. ²³And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

²⁴And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? ²⁵But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. ²⁶But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. ²⁷This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. ²⁸For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. ²⁹And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

Epistle

— Forerunner

2 Corinthians — 2 Corinthians 4.6-15

⁶For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

⁷But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. ⁸We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. ¹¹For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. ¹²So then death worketh in us, but life in you. ¹³We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; ¹⁴Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. ¹⁵For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

Gospel

— Forerunner

Matthew — Matthew 11.2-15

²Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, ³And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? ⁴Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: ⁵The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. ⁶And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

⁷And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? ⁸But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. ⁹But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. ¹¹Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹²And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. ¹⁵He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.