Monday, 4 August 2025

Monday of the 9th week after Pentecost

106 days after Pascha · Tone 7 · Liturgy · Dormition Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Seven Youths of Ephesus

The seven holy youths of Ephesus, Maximilian, Iamblichus, Martinian, John, Dionysius, Exacustodianus and Antoninus, were the sons of distinguished citizens of the city in the third century. Brought up together as Christians, they served in the imperial guard. When the emperor Decius (249 to 251) came to Ephesus and ordered every citizen to offer sacrifice to the idols, the youths were denounced as Christians. Brought before Decius, they confessed their faith and removed the soldiers' belts and insignia. The emperor, at first astonished by their youth and beauty, gave them time to reconsider while he continued his journey, and the seven friends withdrew to a cave on Mount Ochlon outside the city. There they devoted themselves to fasting and prayer, sending the youngest, Iamblichus, in disguise to buy bread for them. Hearing on his return that Decius had come back and was searching for them, they prepared to confess their faith and lay down to rest after partaking of bread and water. The Lord, foreseeing that their confession would later strengthen many, sent upon them a deep and miraculous sleep. Decius, learning where they were hidden, ordered the entrance of the cave to be sealed up with great stones, that they might die of hunger. Two secret Christians at his court, Theodore and Rufinus, recorded the names and the manner of their suffering on lead tablets and concealed these among the stones. Almost two centuries later, in the reign of Saint Theodosius the Younger (408 to 450), at a time when some were denying the resurrection of the body, a landowner ordered the stones removed for use in building a sheepfold. The youths awoke as if from a single night's rest, sent Iamblichus once more for bread, and were astonished when he returned to tell them that the city was now Christian and crosses were raised over its gates. The bishop, the magistrates and the emperor came to the cave and heard their testimony; they then took leave of the elders and lay down again, this time falling asleep in the Lord. Their relics, transferred to Constantinople, became a sign of the resurrection.

Holy Venerable Martyr Eudocia of Persia

Saint Eudocia was a native of Anatolia in Asia Minor and lived in the fourth century. She was carried off into Persia in a great raid by the army of King Sapor (Shapur II), together with nine thousand other Christians whom the Persians took as captives in their campaigns against the Roman frontier. Of all the captives, Eudocia stood out for her piety and her thorough knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. In the cities and prisons of Persia she instructed her fellow prisoners, encouraging them not to lose heart amid hardships and to keep the confession of Christ. Beyond her own people, she preached to the Persian women among whom she lived, leading many of them to belief in the Saviour and to baptism. Word of her teaching reached the Persian authorities, who arrested her and demanded that she renounce Christ and offer sacrifice to fire. She refused, and after enduring various tortures she was beheaded for confessing the name of the Lord. The Church receives her with the title of venerable martyr both because of her ascetic and prayerful life in captivity and because of her witness unto blood, and her memory is kept on this day in both the Greek and the Slavonic synaxaria.

Translation of the Relics of Saint Cornelius of Pereyaslavl

Saint Cornelius of Pereyaslavl, in the world Konon, was the son of a Ryazan merchant of the seventeenth century. As a young man he left his father's house and lived for five years as a novice under the elder Paul in the Lukianov hermitage near Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. He then transferred to the Pereyaslavl monastery of Saints Boris and Gleb on the Sands, where he was tonsured a monk with the name Cornelius. From that day until his death he kept a vow of complete silence, so that the brethren took him to be deaf and dumb. He spent thirty years in continual labour, in fasting, vigil and obedience, and only as he approached the end of his life did the elders learn his speech and discover the depth of his prayer. Before his repose he made his confession to the priest Father Barlaam, received the Holy Mysteries and was clothed in the great schema. He fell asleep on 22 July 1693 and was buried in the monastery. Nine years later, when a new church was being built on the site, the workmen uncovered his relics and found them incorrupt. In 1705, when Saint Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov, came to the monastery, he venerated the relics and ordered them to be placed in the new church. The translation of the relics of Saint Cornelius to that church is commemorated by the Church on 4 August.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 11.31-12.6

³¹For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. ³¹But if we discerned ourselves, we should not be judged. ³²But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. ³²But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. ³³Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. ³³Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, wait one for another. ³⁴And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. ³⁴If any man is hungry, let him eat at home; that your coming together be not unto judgment. And the rest will I set in order whensoever I come.

¹Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

¹Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. ²Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led. ²Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. ³Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema; and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit. ³Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. ⁴Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

⁴Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. ⁵And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord. ⁶And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. ⁶And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who worketh all things in all.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 18.1-11

¹At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

¹In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? ²And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, ²And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them, ³And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. ³and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. ⁵And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me: ⁶but whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea. ⁶But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

⁷Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh!

⁷Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! ⁸Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. ⁸And if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. ⁹And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. ⁹And if thine eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire. ¹⁰Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. ¹⁰See that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven. ¹¹For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. ¹¹