Saturday, 23 August 2025

Saturday of the 11th week after Pentecost

125 days after Pascha · Tone 1 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Leavetaking of the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos

The twenty third of August is observed in the Orthodox Church as the leavetaking, or apodosis, of the great feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos celebrated on the fifteenth of the month. On this day the Church repeats the hymns and readings of the festal day, bringing to a close the eight day period in which the Mother of God's translation in body and soul to the heavenly Kingdom is solemnly proclaimed. The faithful are exhorted to give thanks for the maternal protection of the Theotokos and to take up afresh in their own lives the labour of imitating her humility, faith, and love.

Holy Hieromartyr Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons

177

Saint Irenaeus was born about the year 130 in the city of Smyrna in Asia Minor. As a young man he sat at the feet of Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, himself a disciple of the Apostle John the Theologian, who baptised him, ordained him presbyter, and sent him to Gaul. There he served the elderly Bishop Pothinus of Lugdunum, the present day Lyons, and after the bishop's martyrdom in 178 was chosen to succeed him on the cathedra. Saint Irenaeus laboured to confirm the faith of his people, to evangelise the surrounding pagan tribes, and above all to refute the rising heresies of his day. His great work Against Heresies remains a foundational witness to the apostolic tradition, the canon of Scripture, and the apostolic succession of bishops. He was crowned with martyrdom about the year 202 during the persecution of the Emperor Septimius Severus.

Holy Martyr Lupus the Slave

Saint Lupus lived at the close of the third and beginning of the fourth century and was the faithful servant of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica. Standing close by his master at the moment of his martyric death, he soaked his garment with the saint's blood and took from his hand a ring; through these relics he afterwards wrought many miracles, healing the sick and casting out demons in Thessalonica. Hearing of these signs, the Emperor Maximian Galerius gave orders that Lupus be seized. Strengthened by holy baptism, which he received only shortly before his death, the saint freely delivered himself into the hands of the soldiers and was beheaded with the sword for his confession of Christ.

Leavetaking of Dormition

On the Holy Mountain, the Feast of the Dormition is extended to August 28, thus consecrating almost the entire month of August to the Most Holy Theotokos.

Saint Callinicus, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Callinicus served as Patriarch of Constantinople from 693 to 705. Before his elevation he was a presbyter of the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos at Blachernae. On the death of Patriarch Paul in 693 he was raised to the patriarchal throne, where he distinguished himself by his pastoral zeal and his courage in defence of the Church. When the Emperor Justinian II demanded that he bless the demolition of a church to make way for a palace, the patriarch replied that he had prayers for the building of churches but none for their destruction. After Justinian was deposed in 695, he was sent into exile; on regaining the throne in 705 the emperor took revenge on Callinicus by having his eyes put out and banishing him to Rome, where Pope John VII received him with honour. There he reposed in peace about the year 705, having borne his sufferings with patience and meekness for the sake of Christ.

Martyr Lupus, slave of St Demetrios of Thessalonica

306

He was the servant of the Great Martyr Demetrius, and was present at his martyrdom. He dipped the hem of his garment in the martyr’s blood, and later worked many miracles with the garment, healing many illnesses. At the order of the Emperor Maximian, he was then himself arrested, tortured and, like his earthly master, beheaded for Christ. It is said that, as his death approached, he prayed to be baptized before his death, for, though a believer in Christ, he had never been able to be baptized. A cloud suddenly poured down a torrent of water upon him, answering his prayer.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 1.3-9

³Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

⁴I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus; ⁵That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; ⁵that in everything ye were enriched in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; ⁶Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: ⁶even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: ⁷So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: ⁷so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; ⁸Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreproveable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. ⁹God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Epistle

— Theotokos

Philippians — Philippians 2.5-11

⁵Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁵Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁶who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; ⁷But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. ⁸And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. ⁹Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; ⁹Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, ¹⁰That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ¹¹And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 19.3-12

³The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

³And there came unto him Pharisees, trying him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? ⁴And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, ⁴And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, ⁵And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? ⁵and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? ⁶Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ⁶So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ⁷They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away? ⁷They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? ⁸He saith unto them, Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it hath not been so. ⁸He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. ⁹And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery. ⁹And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

¹⁰His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. ¹⁰The disciples say unto him, If the case of the man is so with his wife, it is not expedient to marry. ¹¹But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. ¹¹But he said unto them, Not all men can receive this saying, but they to whom it is given. ¹²For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. ¹²For there are eunuchs, that were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are eunuchs, that were made eunuchs by men: and there are eunuchs, that made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Gospel

— Theotokos

Luke — Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28

³⁸Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

³⁸Now as they went on their way, he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet, and heard his word. ⁴⁰But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. ⁴⁰But Martha was cumbered about much serving; and she came up to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. ⁴¹But the Lord answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things: ⁴¹And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: ⁴²But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. ⁴²but one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

²⁷And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

²⁷And it came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck. ²⁸But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. ²⁸But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.