Tuesday, 1 July 2025

Tuesday of the 4th week after Pentecost

72 days after Pascha · Tone 2 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Holy wonderworking unmercenary physicians Cosmas and Damian at Rome

Saints Cosmas and Damian were born at Rome, brothers by birth and physicians by profession, who suffered martyrdom during the reign of the emperor Carinus (283-284). Brought up by their parents in the rules of piety, they led strict and chaste lives and were granted by God the gift of healing the sick. By their generosity and exceptional kindness to all, the brothers converted many to Christ. Since they accepted no payment for their treatment of the infirm, they were called the unmercenary physicians.

Their active service and their great spiritual influence on the people drew many into the Church and so attracted the attention of the Roman authorities. Soldiers were sent in search of them, but the holy brothers came out of hiding and surrendered, asking that those who had been arrested on their account be released. Brought before the emperor, they were ordered to deny Christ and offer sacrifice to idols. Through the prayer of the saints, God suddenly struck Carinus blind. The people and the emperor himself implored the saints to heal him, and after his confession of Christ they restored his sight.

Their former teacher, however, envying their renown, lured them into the mountains under the pretext of gathering medicinal herbs and there murdered them, throwing their bodies into a river. They are distinguished from the unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian of Asia Minor (1 November) and of Arabia (17 October).

Holy martyr Potitus of Sardinia

Saint Potitus suffered for Christ in the second century during the reign of the emperor Antoninus Pius. From his earliest youth he was instructed in the Christian faith, and although his father was a pagan, the boy refused to renounce Christ. Tried, scourged and imprisoned, Potitus remained firm and was granted by God the gift of working miracles. He cured Cyriake, a woman afflicted with leprosy, after she accepted holy Baptism and believed in Christ; healed the daughter of the emperor who was tormented by an unclean spirit; and confounded those who tried to persuade him to offer sacrifice to idols. After many torments he was beheaded at a place called Valeriana while still a young boy of about thirteen, and so received the unfading crown of martyrdom.

Saint Leontius of Radauti

Saint Leontius was born at Radauti in Moldavia in the fourteenth century. He received the monastic tonsure with the name Laurence and in time was found worthy of ordination to the holy priesthood. He founded a monastery near Radauti, which later became known as Saint Laurence's Monastery, and there he laboured as abbot, gathering a brotherhood and guiding them in the ascetic life. He became renowned throughout Moldavia for his gentleness, his gift of healing, and his protection of the suffering and the poor. Towards the end of his life he received the great schema with the name Leontius, and upon his repose he was buried in his monastery, where his relics worked many miracles. He was glorified by the Orthodox Church of Romania in 1992.

Venerable Peter the Patrician of Constantinople

854

Saint Peter was born into a patrician family at Constantinople at the end of the eighth century. During the reign of the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros (802-811) he was commissioned as an officer and took part in the campaigns of the Greek army against Bulgaria. Captured in battle, he spent many years in confinement, calling continually upon the saints to deliver him. One night, while he was praying, the holy Evangelist John the Theologian appeared to him in a vision together with Saint Joannicius the Great, and released him from captivity. Having returned to Constantinople, Peter renounced the world and withdrew to a monastery on Mount Olympus in Asia Minor, where he was tonsured a monk under the guidance of Saint Joannicius. There he passed thirty-four years in constant ascetic effort, observing strict fasting and unceasing vigil, wearing a prickly hair shirt and going barefoot. Towards the end of his life he settled in a quiet cell in Constantinople, where he reposed in 854 in the seventieth year of his life and was buried in his monastery.

Also commemorated: Unmercenary Wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Romans — Romans 10.11-11.2

¹¹For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. ¹¹For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. ¹²For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: ¹³For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ¹³for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ¹⁴How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁴How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things! ¹⁵And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

¹⁶But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? ¹⁶But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? ¹⁷So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. ¹⁷So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. ¹⁸But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. ¹⁸But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, Their sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the world. ¹⁹But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

¹⁹But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.

²⁰And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me. ²⁰But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.

²¹But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. ²¹But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

¹I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

¹I say then, Did God cast off his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ²God did not cast off his people which he foreknew. Or know ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he pleadeth with God against Israel: ²God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 11.16-20

¹⁶But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, ¹⁶But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the marketplaces, who call unto their fellows ¹⁷And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. ¹⁷and say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn. ¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. ¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon. ¹⁹The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! And wisdom is justified by her works. ¹⁹The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

²⁰Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

²⁰Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.