Sunday, 6 July 2025

4th Sunday after Pentecost

77 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Astius, Bishop of Dyrrachium

Saint Astius was bishop of the city of Dyrrachium on the Adriatic coast at the beginning of the second century, during the reign of the emperor Trajan. He shepherded his flock with great love and instructed both Christians and pagans by the example of his ascetic life. Forewarned in a vision of his approaching martyrdom, he prepared himself by prayer and fasting, encouraging his clergy and people to remain steadfast in the faith. When the persecution of Trajan reached Dyrrachium, the saint was seized and brought before the prefect Agricolaus. He boldly confessed Christ as the true God, refusing to offer sacrifice to the idols. He was scourged, smeared with honey, and crucified outside the city, where the bees and flies tormented his wounded body. Hanging upon the cross he gave up his soul to the Lord. Christians from Italy who had witnessed his sufferings were also seized and drowned in the sea; their memory is kept the following day, on 7 July.

Holy martyrs Marinus, Martha and their sons Audifax and Abacus

The holy martyrs Marinus and Martha, with their sons Audifax and Abacus, were a noble Persian family who in the reign of the emperor Claudius II (268-270) journeyed from Persia to Rome to venerate the tombs of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. Arriving at the city, they found the Church under fierce persecution and at once gave themselves to the service of the imprisoned confessors of Christ, comforting them, ministering to their needs, and burying the bodies of the executed martyrs. For these labours of love they were arrested. Brought before the emperor and the prefect Marcian, they steadfastly confessed Christ and were subjected to many torments: stripes, the rack, fire, and the rending of their flesh by iron hooks. Finally Saint Marinus and his sons Audifax and Abacus were beheaded by the sword, while Saint Martha, after being tormented in various ways, was drowned in a place called Nymphae Catabassi about thirteen miles outside Rome. They suffered around the year 269, and their relics were gathered by the priest John and buried with honour, becoming a source of healings.

Holy virgin martyr Lucy of Campania and her companions

301

Saint Lucy was a virgin from the Italian district of Campania, who from her youth dedicated herself to God and lived in austerity and chastity. While still quite young she was taken captive and carried off into a foreign land by Rixius Varus, a Roman commander who held the office of vicarius, a deputy provincial governor. He at first attempted to compel her to sacrifice to idols, but moved by her purity and constancy he came to hold her in profound reverence, granting her and her servants the use of a separate house in which they lived in solitude and unceasing prayer. For twenty years she abode in this manner, and by her witness Rixius himself was won to Christ, accepting holy Baptism in secret. When he saw the persecution of Diocletian breaking out in the year 301, Saint Lucy entreated him that they might go together to Rome to suffer with their fellow Christians. Leaving behind his retinue and family, Rixius Varus set out with her and was at length condemned by the Roman prefect Aelius and beheaded with the sword. After them suffered the holy martyrs Antoninus, Lucian, Isidore, Dion, Diodorus, Cutonis, Arnosus, Capicus, and Satyrus, with others, twenty-four in all, who confessed Christ at the same time. They are not to be confused with the virgin martyr Lucy of Syracuse, whose memory is kept on 13 December.

Venerable Sisoes the Great

429

One of the greatest of the Desert Fathers, he lived in asceticism at Scetis in Egypt. After the death of St Anthony the great, Abba Sisoës became a hermit in Anthony’s cave, saying “Thus in the cave of a lion, a fox makes his dwelling.” In his own lifetime he was granted the grace to heal the sick, drive out unclean spirits, and even raise the dead.

As his death approached after a long life in the desert, his brethren gathered around him. His face began to shine, and he said, “See, Abba Anthony is here!” then, “See, the choir of the prophets is here!” Seeing that he seemed to be speaking with someone, his brethren asked him who it was. He replied, “The Angels are here, and I am asking them for time to repent.” Amazed, they asked him what he could have to repent of, to which he replied, “Brethren, I do not know if I have even begun to repent.” Finally, his face became as bright as the sun, and he said, “See, the Lord is here, and He says, ‘Bring Me the vessel of the desert.’” With this, he gave his soul up to God, and his entire dwelling was filled with light and sweet fragrance.

Some of his teaching, as told in the Prologue: “St Sisoës taught his monks: ‘When temptation comes to a man, that man must give himself over to the will of God, and acknowledge that the temptation comes upon him because of his sins. If something good comes to pass, he must acknowledge that it comes about by the providence of God.’ A monk asked him: ‘How can I please God and be saved?’ The saint replied: ‘If you desire to please God, withdraw from the world, separate yourself from the earth, leave aside creation and draw near to the Creator, unite yourself to God with prayers and tears, and you will find rest in this world and in the next.’ A monk asked Sisoes: ‘How can I acquire humility?’ The saint replied: ‘When a man learns to regard every man as better than himself, he thus acquires humility.’ Ammon complained to Sisoes that he could not memorise the wise sayings that he had read, to be able to quote them in conversation with others. The saint replied: ‘It is not necessary. That which is necessary is to acquire purity of mind and to speak from this purity, placing one’s hope in God.’”

Holy Martyrs Marinus and Martha, and those with them

269

Marinus and Martha were wealthy Persians; but they sold all their goods and traveled to Rome with their sons Audifax, Habakkuk, Valentine, and Cyrinus, in order to venerate the holy relics of the apostles and martyrs. When the Emperor Claudius asked them why they had come so far, at such cost, to seek the dead in Rome, they answered ‘We are servants of Christ, and are come to venerate the holy apostles whose immortal souls are alive with God, that they may be our intercessors with Christ our God.’ All of them were sentenced to interrogation and to death if they would not deny Christ. Valentine, who was a priest, was handed over to a General named Asterius. When Valentine healed Asterius’ daughter, who had been blind for two years, Asterius and his entire household accepted Christ and were baptised by Valentine. All of them, along with Marinus and Martha and their family, underwent torture and death for the sake of Christ.

Daily readings

4th Matins Gospel

Luke — Luke 24.1-12

¹Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

¹But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came unto the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. ²And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. ²And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. ³And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. ³And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: ⁴And it came to pass, while they were perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel: ⁵and as they were affrighted and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? ⁵And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, ⁶He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, ⁷saying that the Son of man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. ⁷Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. ⁸And they remembered his words, ⁸And they remembered his words, ⁹And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. ⁹and returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. ¹⁰It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. ¹⁰Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James: and the other women with them told these things unto the apostles. ¹¹And these words appeared in their sight as idle talk; and they disbelieved them. ¹¹And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. ¹²But Peter arose, and ran unto the tomb; and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen cloths by themselves; and he departed to his home, wondering at that which was come to pass. ¹²Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

Epistle

weekly cycle

Romans — Romans 6.18-23

¹⁸Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. ¹⁸and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. ¹⁹I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. ¹⁹I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification. ²⁰For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. ²⁰For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness. ²¹What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. ²¹What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. ²²But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. ²²But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life. ²³For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ²³For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 8.5-13

⁵And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

⁵And when he was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, ⁶And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. ⁶and saying, Lord, my servant lieth in the house sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. ⁷And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. ⁷And he saith unto him, I will come and heal him. ⁸The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. ⁸And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. ⁹For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. ⁹For I also am a man under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. ¹⁰And when Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. ¹⁰When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. ¹¹And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: ¹¹And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. ¹²But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ¹²but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. ¹³And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. ¹³And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And the servant was healed in that hour.