Wednesday, 23 July 2025

Wednesday of the 7th week after Pentecost

94 days after Pascha · Tone 5 · Liturgy · Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Holy righteous Pelagia of Tinos and the discovery of the icon of the Theotokos

Saint Pelagia was a nun of the convent of Kechrovouni on the Cycladic island of Tinos in the early nineteenth century. In a series of visions in the summer of 1822, the Mother of God appeared to her and commanded her to seek out a buried icon in a certain field belonging to a man named Doxaras, and to ask the local bishop and townspeople to dig there. The first attempts to dig were unfruitful, but on 30 January 1823 the holy icon of the Annunciation was found at last in the ruins of an ancient church. The discovery occurred at the very beginning of the Greek War of Independence and was received as a sign of the Mother of God's protection over the struggling nation. A great church was raised over the site, and the wonder-working icon of the Panagia Evangelistria has remained one of the most beloved pilgrimage shrines of Greece. Saint Pelagia continued to live in the strictest asceticism in her convent and reposed in peace in 1834. She was officially glorified by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1971, and her commemoration was assigned to 23 July, the day of the first apparition.

Holy hieromartyr Apollinarius, bishop of Ravenna

He was a disciple of St Peter, born in Antioch. St Peter took him to Rome (he was bishop of Antioch before being bishop of Rome, so Antioch is as much the ‘see of Peter’ as is Rome) and made him Bishop of Ravenna. In Ravenna, he healed the wife of the military governor of a grave illness, after which the governor and his household confessed Christ and were baptized. Apollinarius was able to form a house church in the governor’s home, from which he labored for the Gospel for twelve years. Eventually, he was condemned to exile in Illyria for his faith, and began a life of missionary travel in the Balkans, travelling as far as the Danube. After twelve years of this work, he was driven back to Italy by the hostility of some of the pagans. He was received with joy by the people of Ravenna, which aroused the envy of the pagan elders, who denounced him to the Emperor Vespasian. When the elders asked permission to kill Apollinarius, the Emperor only gave them permission to drive him from the city, wisely saying ‘It is not seemly to take revenge on behalf of the gods, for they can themselves be revenged on their enemies if they are angered.’ But, in defiance of the Imperial decree, the pagan leaders attacked and killed Apollinarius with knives. His holy relics are preserved in Ravenna, in a church dedicated to him.

Holy martyr Anna, also called Severina, and the holy martyr Olympiada

Saints Anna and Olympiada were two devout Christian women who suffered for Christ in the city of Rome, traditionally placed in the time of the emperor Decius in the middle of the third century. According to their Acts, they were arrested for openly confessing the faith and were brought before the prefect Probus. When they refused to offer incense to the gods and answered every threat with a confession of Christ, they were subjected to a long succession of tortures. They were stretched on the rack, beaten with rods, scraped with iron claws, and thrown into prison, where, the tradition says, an angel of the Lord appeared to them and healed their wounds. Brought out a second time and still firm, they were sentenced to death. Olympiada was beheaded, and Anna, after further beatings, gave up her soul under the strokes. Their bodies were taken up by faithful Christians and reverently buried. The Church has kept their joint memorial on 23 July from ancient times.

Holy martyrs Trophimus, Theophilus and the thirteen with them

Saints Trophimus, Theophilus and thirteen companions suffered martyrdom in Lycia during the Diocletianic persecution at the beginning of the fourth century. Arrested for refusing to take part in the public sacrifices, they were brought before the governor and confessed themselves Christians. The judge ordered them to be beaten without mercy and their bones broken with iron rods, but the saints rejoiced in their sufferings and called upon the name of Christ. After further tortures designed to terrify them, including the breaking of their teeth and the tearing of their flesh with hooks, they remained unshaken in faith. Finally they were cast alive into a great fire. Witnesses reported that, as the flames rose around them, they stood praising God with one voice, and so gave up their souls together. Their bodies were preserved untouched by the fire, and Christians later took them up for honourable burial. Their commemoration is kept by the whole Church on 23 July.

Holy prophet Ezekiel

The holy prophet Ezekiel was the son of Buzi, a priest of the line of Aaron. He was carried away to Babylon together with King Jehoiachin of Judah in the great deportation of 597 BC, before the final destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. While living among the Jewish exiles by the river Chebar in Chaldea, in the fifth year of his captivity, the heavens were opened and he beheld the vision of the four living creatures, the wheels within wheels, and the throne of God. He prophesied for some twenty-two years among his fellow exiles, calling them to repentance and proclaiming both the punishment of sins and the future restoration of Israel. His book is filled with mighty visions: the valley of dry bones that came together and were clothed with sinew and breath; the new Temple, measured out in detail by an angel with a measuring reed; and the river flowing eastward from the sanctuary that gives life wherever it goes. The fathers of the Church see in these images prophecies of the Resurrection of the dead, the Body of Christ, and the grace of the Holy Spirit poured forth from the Church. According to ancient tradition Ezekiel was put to death by a Jewish prince of the captivity whom he rebuked for idolatry, and was buried near Babylon, where his tomb was venerated for many centuries.

Righteous Anna, mother of the prophet Samuel Righteous Anna, mother of the prophet Samuel

Also commemorated: Martys Trophimus, Theophilus and Companions

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 7.12-24

¹²But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her. ¹²But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. ¹³And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. ¹³And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. ¹⁴For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. ¹⁴For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. ¹⁵But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. ¹⁵Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us in peace. ¹⁶For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? ¹⁶For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy wife? ¹⁷But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. ¹⁷Only, as the Lord hath distributed to each man, as God hath called each, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all the churches. ¹⁸Was any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. ¹⁸Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. ¹⁹Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of God. ¹⁹Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. ²⁰Let each man abide in that calling wherein he was called. ²⁰Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. ²¹Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. ²¹Wast thou called being a bondservant? care not for it: nay, even if thou canst become free, use it rather. ²²For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord’s freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ’s bondservant. ²²For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. ²³Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. ²³Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men. ²⁴Brethren, let each man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God. ²⁴Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 14.35-15.11

³⁵And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; ³⁵And when the men of that place knew him, they sent into all that region round about, and brought unto him all that were sick; ³⁶And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. ³⁶and they besought him that they might only touch the border of his garment: and as many as touched were made whole.

¹Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

¹Then there come to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying, ²Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. ²Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. ³And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? ³But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? ⁴For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death. ⁴For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. ⁵But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; ⁵But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is given to God; ⁶And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. ⁶he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition. ⁷Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, ⁷Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, ⁸This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. ⁸This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. ⁹But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men. ⁹But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

¹⁰And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

¹⁰And he called to him the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: ¹¹Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man. ¹¹Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.