Monday, 27 October 2025

Monday of the 21st week after Pentecost

190 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy martyr Nestor of Thessalonica

Saint Nestor was a young Christian of Thessalonica who was a friend and disciple of the great martyr Demetrius. In the days of the persecution of Galerius Maximian, the emperor delighted in the spectacles of the gladiator Lyaeus, a giant of immense strength who had killed many Christians in the arena by hurling them from a high platform onto upturned spears. The young Nestor, fired with zeal for Christ and grieved at the slaughter of his brethren, came to Saint Demetrius in his prison beneath the stadium and asked his blessing to fight the gladiator. The saint signed him with the cross on the brow and on the heart and said, "You shall conquer Lyaeus and shall suffer for Christ." Going up before the emperor, Nestor cried out, "God of Demetrius, help me!" and at the first encounter he overthrew Lyaeus and slew him with his own sword. Galerius, mortified at the death of his favourite, ordered Nestor beheaded the next morning, on 27 October 306, and at the same time gave the command that Saint Demetrius be put to death. Saint Nestor thus received the crown of martyrdom in the prime of his youth.

Holy virgin martyr Capitolina and her servant Erotheis of Cappadocia

The holy virgin Capitolina was a noble Christian lady of Cappadocia who suffered for Christ during the persecution of Diocletian, about the year 304. Brought before the governor Zelicinthius, she boldly confessed Christ and was cast into prison and tortured. Her faithful servant Erotheis, who had been raised in her household and shared her faith, was so indignant at the cruel treatment of her mistress that she threw stones at the magistrate from outside the prison. For this Erotheis was seized, beaten and beheaded on the same day. The next morning Capitolina herself was led out and beheaded for her unwavering confession of Christ. The two are commemorated together as mistress and handmaid united in a single martyrdom. Their memory is kept on 27 October.

Saint Procla, wife of Pontius Pilate

Saint Procla, also called Claudia Procula, was the wife of Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator of Judea. According to the Gospel of Saint Matthew, while Pilate was sitting in judgment on the Lord Jesus Christ, his wife sent him a message saying, "Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him" (Matthew 27:19). The Fathers of the Church regarded this dream as a divine warning and Procla as a secret believer. Tradition relates that after the resurrection she openly confessed her faith in Christ and was baptised by the apostles, becoming a fervent disciple. Some accounts say that she was eventually subjected to persecution and ended her life as a confessor of the faith. The Eastern Orthodox Church numbers her among the saints and keeps her memory on 27 October.

Our Venerable Father Demetrius of Basarabov

13th c.

He was born early in the thirteenth century to a peasant family in the village of Basarov, then part of Bulgaria. Even in childhood, he gave himself to fasting and prayer. Once, walking across a field, he accidentally stepped on a bird’s nest in the grass, killing the young birds. He was so filled with remorse that he went barefoot for three years, winter and summer, in penance. When he was grown he joined a monastery and, after a few years of community life, received a blessing to dwell in a cave near the River Lom. After many years of solitary struggle, he reposed in his cave. Three hundred years passed, during which all memory of the simple ascetic was lost. Then, one Spring the river flooded the cave and carried off Demetrius’ body, which had lain incorrupt in the cave for centuries. The body was carried downstream and buried in gravel. Another hundred years went by, and the Saint appeared in a dream to a paralyzed girl, telling her to ask her parents to take her to the river bank, where she would be healed. The family, along with many clergy and villagers, went to a spot where some local people had earlier seen an unexplained light. They dug and soon unearthed the still-incorrupt and radiant body of St Demetrius, by which the girl was instantly healed. A church was built in the village of Basarabov to honor the precious relics, and through the years the Saint worked many miracles there. In 1774, during the Russian-Turkish war, General Peter Saltikov ordered the holy relics taken to Russia so that they would not be desecrated by the Turks. When the relics came to Bucharest, a pious Christian friend of the General begged him not to deprive the country of one of its most precious saints; so the General took only one of the Saint’s hands, sending it to the Kiev Caves Lavra. Saint Demetrius’ body was placed in the cathedral of Bucharest, where it has been venerated ever since. Every year on October 27, a three-day festival is held in the Saint’s honor, attended by crowds of the faithful.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Philippians — Philippians 4.10-23

¹⁰But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length ye have revived your thought for me; wherein ye did indeed take thought, but ye lacked opportunity.

¹⁰But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. ¹¹Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. ¹¹Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content. ¹²I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹²I know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound: in everything and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want. ¹³I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me. ¹³I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ¹⁴Howbeit ye did well that ye had fellowship with my affliction. ¹⁴Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. ¹⁵Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. ¹⁵And ye yourselves also know, ye Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving but ye only; ¹⁶for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need. ¹⁶For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. ¹⁷Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. ¹⁷Not that I seek for the gift; but I seek for the fruit that increaseth to your account. ¹⁸But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. ¹⁸But I have all things, and abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. ¹⁹And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ²⁰Now unto our God and Father be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. ²⁰Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

²¹Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.

²¹Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren that are with me salute you. ²²All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household. ²²All the saints salute you, especially they that are of Cæsar’s household. ²³The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

²³The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 10.22-24

²²All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. ²²All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth who the Son is, save the Father; and who the Father is, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him.

²³And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: ²³And turning to the disciples, he said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: ²⁴For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. ²⁴for I say unto you, that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.