Monday, 25 August 2025

Monday of the 12th week after Pentecost

127 days after Pascha · Tone 2 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Apostle Titus of the Seventy, Bishop of Crete

Saint Titus is numbered among the seventy apostles of the Lord. Born in Crete to a noble pagan family and well learned in Hellenic philosophy, he was drawn to faith in the one true God after reading the Hebrew Scriptures, and was sent by the proconsul of Crete to Jerusalem to inquire concerning the wonders being told of Christ. There he beheld the Saviour, heard his teaching, and after the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was baptised by the Apostle Paul, becoming his beloved fellow worker and companion in many of his journeys. Saint Paul addressed to him one of his pastoral epistles, instructing him in the ordering of the Cretan Church, of which he had been consecrated the first bishop. There Saint Titus preached the gospel, ordained priests in every city, and laboured to root out the remnants of pagan worship, falling asleep in peace at a great age. The Church keeps this day in honour of the translation of his holy relics; his principal feast is on 25 August together with another commemoration on 4 January with the seventy apostles.

Saint Epiphanius, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Epiphanius was Patriarch of Constantinople from 520 to 535 during the reign of the Emperor Justin I and the early years of his nephew Justinian. A presbyter of the Great Church renowned for his learning, his almsgiving and his ascetic life, he was raised to the patriarchal throne after the repose of Saint John of Cappadocia. Saint Epiphanius worked to restore communion between the see of Constantinople and the see of Rome after the Acacian schism, and confirmed the Orthodox faith in the canons proclaimed in his time. After ruling the Church of Constantinople for fifteen years he reposed in the Lord in 535. He is commemorated together with the other holy patriarchs of Constantinople honoured on this day.

Saint Menas, Patriarch of Constantinople

552

Saint Menas, surnamed the Wonderworker, served as Patriarch of Constantinople from 536 to 552 during the reign of the Emperor Justinian the Great. Before his elevation he was the priest in charge of the church and hospice of the holy Martyr Sampson the Hospitable. As patriarch he consecrated the new church of the Holy Wisdom of God, the great Hagia Sophia, on Christmas Day 537, and laboured zealously to uphold the Orthodox faith in the troubled period of the Three Chapters controversy. He fell asleep in the Lord in the year 552 and is honoured by the Church for his pastoral wisdom, his almsgiving and his many miracles.

Translation of the Relics of the Holy Apostle Bartholomew

The Holy Apostle Bartholomew, one of the Twelve, suffered for Christ at Albanopolis in Armenia in the year 71. The faithful gathered up his body and laid it in a stone reliquary in the city of Albanopolis, and many were healed at his tomb. Under the Emperor Anastasius (491-518) the relics were translated to the newly built city of Anastasiopolis, also called Dura, in Mesopotamia. When that city fell to the Persian king Chosroes at the close of the sixth century, Christians took up the chest containing the relics and bore it away to the shores of the Black Sea; pursued by pagan priests, they were forced to commit the chest to the waves. By the providence of God it crossed the seas and came to land at the island of Lipari near Sicily, where Bishop Agatho received it after a vision. The relics were enshrined in the cathedral of Lipari, and from there in the ninth century they were translated again to Beneventum and afterwards to Rome. The Orthodox Church keeps this day in commemoration of the translation of his holy relics.

Also commemorated: Relics of Apostle Bartholomew

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

2 Corinthians — 2 Corinthians 5.10-15

¹⁰For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. ¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

¹¹Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.

¹¹Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. ¹²We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart. ¹²For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. ¹³For whether we are beside ourselves, it is unto God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is unto you. ¹³For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. ¹⁴For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁴For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: ¹⁵and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again. ¹⁵And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 1.9-15

⁹And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

⁹And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in the Jordan. ¹⁰And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: ¹⁰And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rent asunder, and the Spirit as a dove descending upon him: ¹¹And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. ¹¹and a voice came out of the heavens, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased. ¹²And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

¹²And straightway the Spirit driveth him forth into the wilderness. ¹³And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. ¹³And he was in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. ¹⁴Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

¹⁴Now after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, ¹⁵And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. ¹⁵and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe in the gospel.