Tuesday, 12 August 2025

Tuesday of the 10th week after Pentecost

114 days after Pascha · Tone 8 · Liturgy · Dormition Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyrs Pamphilus and Capiton

The Holy Martyrs Pamphilus and Capiton suffered for Christ in the early centuries of the Church and were beheaded by the sword at Olivria, a place near Constantinople. Little is preserved concerning their lives, but the synaxarion records that they were faithful confessors of the Christian faith who refused to deny Christ when challenged, and so received the crown of martyrdom. They are reckoned among the early martyrs of the Bithynian region and are commemorated by the Orthodox Church on 12 August.

Holy Martyrs Photius and Anicetus of Nicomedia

The Holy Martyrs Anicetus and Photius were natives of Nicomedia, related to one another as uncle and nephew. Anicetus was a senior officer in the imperial guard. When the emperor Diocletian set up in the city square new instruments of execution to terrify the Christians and ordered all to sacrifice to the idols, Anicetus stepped forward and openly denounced the cruelty of the persecution and confessed Christ as God. The emperor, enraged, ordered him to be tortured: his tongue was torn out, his teeth were broken, but he continued to confess Christ. He was thrown to lions, but they grew gentle and lay down at his feet; he was bound to a wheel, but the wheel stopped; he was cast into a heated furnace, but emerged unharmed. While these tortures were inflicted his nephew Photius came forward and embraced his kinsman, declaring that he too was a Christian. The emperor commanded the two to be tied by the legs and dragged behind wild horses, but they were preserved. Finally a great furnace was prepared; many other Christians, inspired by the constancy of Anicetus and Photius, came forward crying, "We too are Christians," and entered the flames with them. The two saints died together praying, and their bodies were not consumed by the fire, even their hair remaining whole. They suffered around the year 305 and are commemorated on 12 August.

Saint Castor the Venerable

Saint Castor is commemorated by the Orthodox Church on 12 August as a venerable father, that is, an ascetic who reposed peacefully rather than as a martyr. He is named in the synaxaria of the day among the saints of the early Church and is honoured for the ascetic life he led in service to Christ. The synaxaria preserve no detailed life of him, but his memory has continued to be kept on this date in the Eastern Orthodox calendar.

Hieromaryr Alexander, Bishop of Comana

3rd c.

“He lived in the town of Comana near Neocaesarea as a simple charcoal-burner. When the Bishop of Comana died, St Gregory of Neocaesarea, the Wonderworker (Nov. 17), was invited to preside over the Council to choose a new bishop. At the Council there were both clergy and laymen. They were unable to come to agreement on one person, estimating the candidates they selected according to their outward worth and behaviour. St Gregory told them that they must not give so much weight to the outward impression as to the soul and the spiritual aptitude. Then some wag called out mockingly: ‘Then let’s choose Alexander the charcoal-burner as bishop!’, and there was general laughter. St Gregory asked who this Alexander was. Thinking that his name would not have come up before the Council except by the providence of God, he commanded that he be brought. Being a charcoal-burner, he was black with soot and in rags, and his appearance provoked further mirth in the Council. Then Gregory took him aside and asked him to tell the truth about himself. Alexander told him that he had been a Greek philosopher, enjoying great honour and position, but that he had set it all aside, demeaned himself and made himself as a fool for Christ from the time that he had read and understood the Holy Scriptures. Gregory commanded that he be bathed and clad in new clothes, then went into the Council with him and, before them all, began to examine him in the Scriptures. All were filled with amazement at the wisdom and grace of Alexander’s words, and were quite unable to recognize the former charcoal-burner in this wise man. With one voice, they chose him as bishop, and he received the love of his flock for his holiness, his wisdom and his goodness. He died a martyr for Christ under Diocletian.” (Prologue)

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 15.29-38

²⁹Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? ²⁹Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? ³⁰why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour? ³⁰And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? ³¹I protest by that glorying in you, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. ³¹I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. ³²If after the manner of men I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. ³²If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. ³³Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. ³³Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals. ³⁴Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. ³⁴Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not; for some have no knowledge of God: I speak this to move you to shame.

³⁵But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

³⁵But some one will say, How are the dead raised? and with what manner of body do they come? ³⁶Thou foolish one, that which thou thyself sowest is not quickened except it die: ³⁶Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: ³⁷and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind; ³⁷And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: ³⁸but God giveth it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own. ³⁸But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 21.23-27

²³And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

²³And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? ²⁴And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁴And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one question, which if ye tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? ²⁵The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why then did ye not believe him? ²⁶But if we shall say, From men; we fear the multitude; for all hold John as a prophet. ²⁶But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. ²⁷And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. ²⁷And they answered Jesus, and said, We know not. He also said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.