Thursday, 4 June 2026

St Metrophanes, First Patriarch of Constantinople

Thursday of the 1st week after Pentecost

53 days after Pascha · Tone 7 · Liturgy · No Fast (Fast Free)

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyrs Frontasius, Severinus, Severian and Silanus

The Holy Martyrs Frontasius, Severinus, Severian and Silanus were sent into southern Gaul to preach the Gospel by Bishop Frontonus of Petragorium (modern Perigueux). The traditional Latin acta place their mission in the apostolic age, in the time of the emperor Claudius, though many scholars set their suffering rather under the persecutions of the third century. Arrested for converting many to the faith, they were brought before the governor Squirinus, who commanded them to offer sacrifice. They confessed Christ openly and were beheaded by the sword. According to the legend, after their execution the four martyrs rose, took up their own heads in their hands and walked to the church where Bishop Frontonus was offering the Eucharist, laying their heads at his feet before falling asleep in the Lord. Their relics were long venerated in the church of Saint Front at Perigueux.

Holy Martyrs Mary and Martha of Persia

The Holy Martyrs Mary and Martha were two devout sisters who lived in Persia during the persecution against Christians under Shapur II in the fourth century. They were arrested with their kinsman Lykarion and other Christians for confessing Christ, and were brought before the magi for examination. The sisters had vowed to remain virgins for the sake of the Gospel and refused either to marry or to deny the faith. After many tortures they were beheaded for their confession and so received the crown of martyrdom. They are commemorated on this day in the synaxaria of the Eastern Church together with other martyrs of the great Persian persecution.

Saint Methodius, abbot of Peshnosha

1392

Saint Methodius was one of the early disciples of Saint Sergius of Radonezh and the founder of the Peshnosha monastery in the Moscow region. As a young man he came to Saint Sergius and lived under his guidance for several years, learning the monastic life. With his elder's blessing he then went deeper into the forest some twenty miles to the north and built a small cell on the banks of the river Yakhroma, where disciples soon gathered round him. Saint Sergius himself visited the place to assist in choosing the site for the new community and helped to fell trees with his own hands; from this labour ("peshe noshenii", carrying on foot) the monastery is said to have taken its name. Saint Methodius governed his community with the same simplicity and gentleness he had learned from his master, and reposed in 1392, the same year as Saint Sergius. He was buried in the monastery he had founded, where his relics rest to this day.

Saint Metrophanes, first patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Metrophanes was a contemporary of Saint Constantine the Great. His father Dometius was a brother of the Roman emperor Probus, and when persecution against Christians broke out at Rome he set off with his sons Probus and Metrophanes for Byzantium. There the family was received by Bishop Titus, who instructed and baptised them. Probus succeeded Titus on the see of Byzantium, and on his repose Metrophanes was elected bishop. When Constantine the Great visited the city and was struck by the holiness of its bishop, he resolved to make Byzantium his capital. After the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325, the bishops of the council bestowed upon Metrophanes the title of patriarch, so that he is reckoned the first patriarch of Constantinople. He was already very old, and represented at the Council by his deputy, the priest Alexander, who succeeded him. Saint Metrophanes reposed in peace shortly afterwards, in 326.

Holy Myrrh-bearers Mary and Martha, sisters of St Lazarus

1st c.

Mary and Martha, with their brother Lazarus, were especially devoted disciples of our Lord; their story up to the time of the Resurrection can be found in Luke 10 and John 11-12. Mary and Martha were among the Myrrh-bearing women. They, with their brother, reposed in Cyprus, where Lazarus became first Bishop of Kition after he was raised from death by Christ. An ancient tradition holds that Lazarus was thirty years old when he was restored to life by the Lord, and that he lived another thirty years. After he was raised from the dead, he never again laughed; but once, when he saw someone stealing a clay pot, he smiled and said, ‘Clay stealing clay.’ His name is a Greek version of Eleazar, meaning ‘God has helped.’

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Romans — Romans 1.28-2.9

²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; ²⁹Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, ³⁰Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: ³²Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

¹Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. ²But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. ³And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? ⁴Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? ⁵But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; ⁶Who will render to every man according to his deeds: ⁷To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: ⁸But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, ⁹Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 5.27-32

²⁷Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: ²⁸But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. ²⁹And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. ³⁰And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. ³¹It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: ³²But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.