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Friday, 22 August 2025

Friday of the 11th week after Pentecost

124 days after Pascha · Tone 1 · Liturgy · Fast

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Athanasius, Bishop of Tarsus in Cilicia

Saint Athanasius was Bishop of Tarsus in Cilicia during the reign of the Emperor Valerian (253-259). He is remembered above all as the spiritual father of Saint Anthousa, the daughter of wealthy pagans of Seleucia, whom he received and baptised after she came to him with two of her servants seeking the truth of the Gospel. Following her baptism he tonsured her into the monastic life and directed her to a hidden place of ascetic struggle. Saint Athanasius was afterwards arrested for the confession of Christ and beheaded by the sword together with the servants Charesimus and Neophytus, around the year 257.

Holy Martyr Agathonicus of Nicomedia and his companions

1200

The Martyr Agathonicus suffered for Christ during the reign of the Emperor Maximian (284-305). Descended from the noble lineage of the Hypasians, he lived in Nicomedia and was well versed in Holy Scripture. Through his preaching he converted many pagans to Christ, including a leading member of the Senate. The comes Eutolmius, dispatched to persecute Christians in Pontus, arrested Agathonicus together with the converted senator and the companions Zoticus, Theoprepius, Acindynus, Severian and Zeno. After cruel tortures the martyrs were brought to Thrace, and on the orders of the emperor at Selymbria they were beheaded with the sword. The relics of Saint Agathonicus were later translated to a church bearing his name in Constantinople, where the Russian pilgrim Anthony venerated them in the year 1200.

Holy Virgin Martyr Eulalia of Merida

Saint Eulalia of Merida was a young Christian maiden of noble Spanish family who suffered martyrdom in the Iberian city of Merida during the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian, around the year 304. Though only twelve or thirteen years of age, she boldly came forward before the Roman governor and reproached him for compelling Christians to sacrifice to idols. Refusing to deny Christ, she endured cruel tortures with hooks and burning torches and was finally suffocated by the smoke of her own pyre. Her veneration spread widely in the West and her memory is preserved among the saints commemorated on this day in the Orthodox synaxaria.

Venerable Anthousa, with her servants Charesimus and Neophytus

Saint Anthousa lived during the reign of the Emperor Valerian (253-259) and was born in Seleucia, the daughter of wealthy pagan parents named Antoninus and Maria (Martyria). Hearing of the Christian faith, she travelled to Tarsus in Cilicia accompanied by two trusted servants and there sought out the holy bishop Athanasius. Saint Athanasius baptised her, and on her way to receive baptism a luminous cloud is said to have shielded her and angels to have ministered to her. After her baptism Anthousa received monastic tonsure and withdrew to the desert, where she lived as an ascetic for over twenty years. Her servants Charesimus and Neophytus, baptised together with their mistress, were arrested with the bishop and put to death for their confession of Christ. Saint Athanasius is commemorated as a hieromartyr on the same day.

Holy Martyr Eulalia of Barcelona

303

She was born of Christian parents in Barcelona, and dedicated herself to a life of holiness, taking Christ as her bridegroom. When the persecutor Dacian came to Barcelona, Eulalia secretly left her parents’ house by night and came before Dacian, denouncing him in front of many witnesses as a murderer of the innocent, and publicly confessing her faith in Christ. The wicked Dacian had her stripped and beaten, then tied to a tree in the form of a cross, and ordered that her flesh be burned with torches. When her torturer mockingly asked ‘Where is your Christ to save you?’ she answered ‘He is here with me; you cannot see Him because of your impurity.’ When the holy Eulalia died at last under torture, the people saw a white dove fly from her mouth. An unseasonable snowstorm then covered her naked body like a white garment.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

2 Corinthians — 2 Corinthians 4.13-18

13But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, I believed, and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we speak; 13We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; 14knowing that he that raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you. 14Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. 15For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God. 15For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

16Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. 16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 24.27-33, 42-51

27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 27For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 28Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

29But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 30and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 31And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

32Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh; 33So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 33even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors.

42Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 42Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh. 43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 43But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 44Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh. 45Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

45Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season? 46Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 46Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath. 47Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord tarrieth; 48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 49and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken; 50The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 50the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, 51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.