Sunday, 10 August 2025

9th Sunday after Pentecost

112 days after Pascha · Tone 8 · Liturgy · Dormition Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

Holy Archdeacon and Martyr Lawrence of Rome

Saint Lawrence (Laurentius) was, according to ancient tradition, a native of northern Spain, sent in his youth to Rome where he became a disciple of the future Pope Sixtus II. When Sixtus was elevated to the see of Rome in 257 he ordained Lawrence deacon and made him chief of the seven deacons of the Roman Church, with the duty of administering the goods of the church and the care of the poor. In August of 258 the emperor Valerian issued an edict ordering that all bishops, priests and deacons be put to death without delay. Pope Sixtus was beheaded on 6 August together with the deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus. As Sixtus was led away Lawrence followed weeping, lamenting that he was being left behind, but the bishop foretold that the deacon would follow him in three days to a more glorious contest. The prefect of Rome, hearing that the church had wealth, demanded that Lawrence hand over its treasures. Lawrence asked for three days, gathered the poor, the lame, the blind and the widows whom the church supported, and presented them to the prefect, saying, "Behold the treasures of the Church." Enraged, the prefect ordered him roasted alive on a gridiron over slow coals. Saint Lawrence endured the torture with such serenity that he is said to have remarked to his executioners, "Turn me over, this side is cooked." He gave up his soul to God on 10 August 258, and his witness moved many to embrace the faith, including the soldier Romanus, who was baptised by him in prison and martyred shortly afterwards. He is commemorated on 10 August.

Holy Martyr Romanus the Soldier of Rome

The Holy Martyr Romanus was a Roman soldier who guarded the prison where the archdeacon Lawrence was held during the persecution of Valerian in 258. Witnessing the tortures inflicted on Lawrence, Romanus saw a radiant youth standing beside the martyr and wiping his wounds, and was so struck by this vision that his own heart was opened to belief in Christ. Bringing a pitcher of water into the prison, he begged Lawrence to baptise him; the deacon poured the water over his head and named him a Christian. Almost immediately Romanus was seized by his fellow soldiers and brought before the emperor; before he could be questioned he cried out, "I am a Christian." For this confession he was condemned and beheaded on 9 August 258, the day before Saint Lawrence himself was put to the gridiron, and his memory is observed together with that of the archdeacon on 10 August.

Holy Martyrs Sixtus, Pope of Rome, Felicissimus and Agapitus

Saint Sixtus II became Bishop of Rome in 257, succeeding Pope Stephen I, and from his short pontificate he is remembered for restoring peace between the Roman see and the churches of Africa and the East. When the emperor Valerian issued his second decree against the Christians in 258, ordering the immediate execution of bishops, priests and deacons, Sixtus continued to celebrate the holy mysteries with his clergy in the catacombs of Praetextatus on the Appian Way. On 6 August 258 he was discovered there with his deacons during the divine liturgy and was beheaded, together with the deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus, who shared his martyrdom on the same day. Two more deacons of the Roman church, Januarius and Magnus, were also martyred at that time, while the seventh and chief deacon, Lawrence, was put to death three days later. The bodies of Sixtus, Felicissimus and Agapitus were buried in the catacombs where they had been seized, and their feast was celebrated at Rome from very ancient times. In the Eastern Orthodox Church their memory is observed together with that of Saint Lawrence on 10 August, the day of the archdeacon's passion.

Also commemorated: Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Lawrence of Rome

Daily readings

9th Matins Gospel

John — John 20.19-31

¹⁹Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

¹⁹When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. ²⁰And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. ²⁰And when he had said this, he showed unto them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. ²¹Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. ²¹Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. ²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: ²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit: ²³whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. ²³Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. ²⁵The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

²⁶And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

²⁶And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. ²⁷Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. ²⁷Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and see my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. ²⁸Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. ²⁸And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. ²⁹Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. ²⁹Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

³⁰And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

³⁰Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: ³¹but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name. ³¹But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 3.9-17

⁹For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. ⁹For we are God’s fellow-workers: ye are God’s husbandry, God’s building. ¹⁰According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

¹⁰According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. ¹¹For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹¹For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; ¹²But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; ¹³Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. ¹³each man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man’s work of what sort it is. ¹⁴If any man’s work shall abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁴If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁵If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire. ¹⁵If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. ¹⁶Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

¹⁶Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? ¹⁷If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. ¹⁷If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 14.22-34

²²And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

²²And straightway he constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side, till he should send the multitudes away. ²³And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. ²³And after he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain apart to pray: and when even was come, he was there alone. ²⁴But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. ²⁴But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves; for the wind was contrary. ²⁵And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. ²⁵And in the fourth watch of the night he came unto them, walking upon the sea. ²⁶And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a ghost; and they cried out for fear. ²⁶And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. ²⁷But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. ²⁷But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. ²⁸And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. ²⁸And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters. ²⁹And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. ²⁹And he said, Come. And Peter went down from the boat, and walked upon the waters to come to Jesus. ³⁰But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. ³⁰But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me. ³¹And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and took hold of him, and saith unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? ³¹And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? ³²And when they were gone up into the boat, the wind ceased. ³²And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. ³³Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. ³³And they that were in the boat worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

³⁴And when they had crossed over, they came to the land, unto Gennesaret.

³⁴And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.