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Thursday, 19 June 2025

Holy Apostle Jude, Brother of the Lord

Thursday of the 2nd week after Pentecost

60 days after Pascha · Tone 8 · Red cross (polyeleos typikon symbol) · Apostles Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

★ Holy Apostle Jude, the Brother of the Lord

The Holy Apostle Jude, called the brother of the Lord, was descended from King David and Solomon and was the son of righteous Joseph the Betrothed by his first wife. He is also called Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus, and is to be distinguished from Judas Iscariot. After the gospel records that the brethren of the Lord did not at first believe in him, Jude came after the resurrection to confess Christ as the awaited Messiah, and was numbered among the twelve apostles. Following the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost he travelled widely preaching the gospel, in Judea, Galilee, Samaria and Idumaea, and afterwards in Arabia, Syria and Mesopotamia. Tradition records that he went also to Persia, where he wrote his catholic epistle in Greek, warning the faithful against the heresies that had crept in among them and exhorting them to keep the faith once delivered to the saints. He ended his apostolic course in martyrdom, being crucified and pierced with arrows in the city of Arad in Armenia, around the year 80.

Saint Paisius the Great of Egypt

400

Saint Paisius the Great lived in Egypt in the fourth century. His parents were Christians who distributed generous alms to all the needy. After the death of her husband, his mother, prompted by an angel, gave the young Paisius into the service of the church. Loving the monastic life from childhood, he withdrew into one of the Egyptian sketes and placed himself under the guidance of Saint Pambo, accomplishing every task assigned him in the spirit of perfect obedience and renouncing his own will in all things. After partaking of the Holy Mysteries he was sometimes able to live without food for seventy days. He was granted the gift of seeing the future and of contemplating the deepest mysteries of Scripture. Many monks and laymen gathered around him and a great monastery arose. The most important rule he laid down for his disciples was that none should do anything by his own will, but in all things fulfil the will of his elders. He kept friendship with Saint John the Short and with Saint Poemen the Great, and reposed in old age, leaving behind incorrupt relics which were translated to the monastery of Saint Macarius.

Saint Romuald of Camaldoli

Saint Romuald was born around 951 in Ravenna, of the noble family of the Onesti. As a young man he witnessed his father slay a kinsman in a duel, and in horror at the deed he withdrew to the monastery of Sant'Apollinare in Classe to do penance for forty days. There the holiness of the brethren so moved him that he sought the monastic habit and was tonsured. Striving for greater stillness, he placed himself under a hermit named Marinus near Venice, and afterwards took up the eremitical life in the wilderness. For some thirty years he wandered through Italy, founding and reforming monasteries and hermitages and bringing many to repentance. In 996 he was made abbot of Classe but resigned three years later, returning to his wandering life. Around 1012 he received from a certain Maldolus a tract of land in the diocese of Arezzo, where he built five cells for hermits and a monastery at Fontebuono, the famous mother house of the Camaldolese order, in which the eremitical and the cenobitic lives are joined. He fell asleep in his hermitage at Val di Castro on 19 June, around 1027, having restored monastic discipline throughout Italy.

Daily readings

Vespers

Jude — Jude 1-10

1Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

1Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: 2Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. 2Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied.

3Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

3Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints. 4For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 4For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

5Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 7Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. 8Yet in like manner these also in their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at nought dominion, and rail at dignities. 8Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9But Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 9Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 10But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 10But these rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed.

Vespers

Jude — Jude 11-16

11Woe unto them! for they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. 11Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 12These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 12These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved for ever. 13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. 14And to these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, 14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling words), showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage. 16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

Vespers

Jude — Jude 17-25

17But ye, beloved, remember ye the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

17But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18that they said to you, In the last time there shall be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts. 18How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19These are they who make separations, sensual, having not the Spirit. 19These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 20But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 20But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 21Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22And of some have compassion, making a difference: 22And on some have mercy, who are in doubt; 23And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 23and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy,

24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, and now, and for evermore. Amen. 25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Matins Gospel

John — John 21.15-25

15So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

15So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 16He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep. 17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 18Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 18Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 19This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. 19Now this he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. 20Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; who also leaned back on his breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is he that betrayeth thee? 20Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? 21Peter therefore seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? 21Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? 22Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. 22Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. 23Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? 23This saying therefore went forth among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, that he should not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? 24This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

24This is the disciple that beareth witness of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his witness is true. 25And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

25And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that should be written.

Epistle

weekly cycle

Romans — Romans 5.10-16

10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 10For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life; 11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. 11and not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

12Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

12Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:— 13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 13for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam’s transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come. 15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 15But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound unto the many. 16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 16And not as through one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment came of one unto condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses unto justification.

Epistle

— St Jude

Jude — Jude 1-10

1Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

1Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: 2Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. 2Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied.

3Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

3Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints. 4For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 4For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

5Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 7Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. 8Yet in like manner these also in their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at nought dominion, and rail at dignities. 8Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9But Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 9Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 10But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 10But these rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 8.23-27

23And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

23And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him. 24And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 24And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 25And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Save, Lord; we perish. 26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! 27And the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?

Gospel

— St Jude

John — John 14.21-24

21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him. 22Judas (not Iscariot) saith unto him, Lord, what is come to pass that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 22Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. 24He that loveth me not keepeth not my words: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.