Sunday, 24 August 2025

11th Sunday after Pentecost

126 days after Pascha · Tone 2 · Red squigg (doxology typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Translation of the Relics of Saint Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow

Saint Peter, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia, reposed on 21 December 1326 in Moscow, the city he had chosen as the see of the Russian primate and where he had laid the foundations of the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos within the Kremlin. On 24 August 1479, during the rebuilding of that cathedral under Grand Prince Ivan III by the architect Aristotle Fioravanti, the relics of the saint were solemnly translated and re-enshrined in the new church. The Russian Church keeps this day as a feast of the translation of his relics, honouring the wonderworking hierarch who, by his blessing of Moscow as the spiritual centre of the Russian land, became the heavenly intercessor of the city and of the metropolitan throne.

Hieromartyr Eutyches

1st c.

He was a disciple and friend of St John the Theologian, and worked with the Apostle Paul, and is himself named as an Apostle though he is not one of the Seventy. He travelled widely in the ministry of the Gospel of Christ, suffering many imprisonments and tortures. He died in Sebastia, the place of his birth. The Prologue says that he was beheaded, the Great Horologion that he reposed in peace “in deep old age.”

Holy Hieromartyr Eutyches, Disciple of Saint John the Theologian

Saint Eutyches was a disciple of the holy Apostles John the Theologian and Paul, and lived from the apostolic age into the beginning of the second century. He was born in the Palestinian city of Sebastea. Although he is not numbered among the seventy, he is honoured with the title Apostle on account of his labours alongside the elder apostles, by whom he was consecrated bishop. Filled with apostolic zeal, he travelled widely preaching Christ and converting many to the faith. Arrested for his confession, he endured great sufferings: he was starved, beaten with iron rods, cast into the fire, and exposed to wild beasts; a lion let loose upon him is said to have praised God with a human voice and refused to harm him. At length he completed his earthly course in his native city, where he was beheaded with the sword.

Saint Cosmas the Aetolian, Equal to the Apostles

Saint Cosmas, called the new hieromartyr and equal to the apostles, was born in 1714 in the village of Megalo Dendro in Aetolia and given the name Constas at his baptism. After early studies in his homeland he went to Mount Athos, where he received the monastic tonsure at the Philotheou Monastery and was ordained priest. With the blessing of the Patriarch of Constantinople Seraphim II he set out in 1760 on a great missionary work, travelling through the Greek lands then under the Ottoman yoke, preaching repentance, founding schools for the children of the people, and recalling the faithful to the worship of the true God. He delivered his teachings in plain village speech and accompanied them with miracles. After eighteen years of apostolic labour he was seized by the Turks at the instigation of those whose interests his preaching had disturbed, and on 24 August 1779, near Berat in Albania, he was strangled and his body cast into a river.

Saint Dionysius of Zakynthos, Archbishop of Aegina

1622

Saint Dionysius was born about 1547 on the Ionian island of Zakynthos to the noble family of Sigouros, and from his youth was given to the study of the Scriptures and to a life of prayer. After taking the monastic habit at the monastery of the Strophades he was called against his will to the see of Aegina, which he served as archbishop with great gentleness and almsgiving. Longing for stillness, he resigned the cathedra and returned to the Strophades, and afterwards lived as the abbot of the monastery of Saint Anastasia on Zakynthos, where he reposed in 1622. The whole island honours him as its protector. Saint Dionysius is especially remembered for his forgiveness of the murderer of his own brother, whom he hid from his pursuers and dismissed in peace, a deed long held up as a luminous icon of Christian mercy. The twenty fourth of August is kept as the feast of the translation of his incorrupt relics from the Strophades to Zakynthos in 1716.

New Hieromartyr Kosmas of Aitolia, Equal-to-the-Apostles

1779

This recent Equal to the Apostles was born in Mega Dendron (Great Tree) in Aetolia. He became a monk on Mt Athos, where he lived and prayed for many years. But he was troubled by the ignorance of the Gospel that had fallen on many of the Orthodox people, living under the oppression of the Ottoman Turks. He went to Constantinople, where he studied the rhetorical arts and received the blessing of Patriarch Seraphim II to preach the Gospel. He travelled throughout Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Albania, preaching at every town he visited. Often not only Greeks but many Muslims would come to hear him, so great was his reputation for holiness. Though he always sought the blessing of the local bishop and the local Turkish governor before he preached in an area, his strong condemnations of dishonest business practices aroused the enmity of Orthodox Christian and Jewish merchants, who falsely accused him to the authorities. He was strangled by the Turks and thrown into a river in Albania, but his wonderworking relics were preserved. He reposed at the age of sixty-five.

Also commemorated: Trans. Rel. Peter, Metr. Kiev

Daily readings

11th Matins Gospel

John — John 21.15-25

¹⁵So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

¹⁵So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. ¹⁶He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁶He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep. ¹⁷He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁷He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁸Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. ¹⁸Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. ¹⁹This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. ¹⁹Now this he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. ²⁰Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; who also leaned back on his breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is he that betrayeth thee? ²⁰Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? ²¹Peter therefore seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? ²¹Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? ²²Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. ²²Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. ²³Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? ²³This saying therefore went forth among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, that he should not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? ²⁴This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

²⁴This is the disciple that beareth witness of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his witness is true. ²⁵And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

²⁵And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that should be written.

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 9.2-12

²If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. ²If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. ³Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, ³My defence to them that examine me is this. ⁴Have we no right to eat and to drink? ⁴Have we not power to eat and to drink? ⁵Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? ⁵Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? ⁶Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? ⁶Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working? ⁷Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? ⁷What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? ⁸Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? ⁸Do I speak these things after the manner of men? or saith not the law also the same? ⁹For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? ⁹For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Is it for the oxen that God careth, ¹⁰Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. ¹⁰or saith he it assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, to thresh in hope of partaking. ¹¹If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? ¹¹If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things? ¹²If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. ¹²If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 18.23-35

²³Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants.

²³Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. ²⁴And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁴And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁵But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ²⁶The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ²⁷And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. ²⁷Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. ²⁸But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. ²⁸But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest. ²⁹So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee. ²⁹And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ³⁰And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due. ³⁰And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. ³¹So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. ³¹So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. ³²Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: ³²Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: ³³Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? ³³shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? ³⁴And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. ³⁴And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. ³⁵So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. ³⁵So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.