Tuesday, 7 July 2026

Ven. Thomas of Mt Maleon

Tuesday of the 6th week after Pentecost

86 days after Pascha · Tone 4 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Holy great martyr Kyriake of Nicomedia

282

Dorotheos and Eusebia, a devout, aging Christian couple who lived in Anatolia, had no children. After many years, their fervent prayers for a child were answered, and they were blessed with a daughter, whom they named Kyriake (‘Sunday’ in Greek) because she was born on the Lord’s day. The child grew up beautiful in body and soul and, though she had many suitors, chose to consecrate herself entirely to God and remain single. One of her suitors, angered at her refusal, denounced her and her parents to the Emperor Diocletian. Dorotheos and Eusebia were subjected to cruel tortures, then sent into exile, where they died under further torture. Kyriake was sent to Maximian, Diocletian’s son-in-law, for trial. By his orders, she was subjected to a horrifying series of torments; but Christ Himself appeared to her in prison, healing and comforting her. Many pagans came to believe in Christ when they saw her miraculously saved from death by fire or from wild beasts; all of these were beheaded. Kyriake told Apollonius, the general who supervised her tortures: ‘There is no way that you can turn me from my faith. Throw me into the fire — I have the example of the Three Children. Throw me to the wild beasts — I have the example of Daniel. Throw me into the sea — I have the example of Jonah the Prophet. Put me to the sword — I will remember the honored Forerunner. For me, to die is life in Christ.’ Apollonius then ordered that she be beheaded. At the place of execution, she raised her hands in prayer and gave up her soul to God before the executioner could take her life.

Note: St Kyriake is also known as Dominica or Nedelja, Latin and Slavonic words for ‘Sunday’.

Holy martyrs Peregrinus, Lucian, Pompeius, Hesychius, Papius, Saturninus and Germanus of Dyrrachium

The holy martyrs Peregrinus, Lucian, Pompeius, Hesychius, Papius, Saturninus and Germanus were natives of Italy who suffered for Christ in the early second century, under the emperor Trajan, in the city of Dyrrachium on the shores of the Adriatic. They had fled there from the persecution then raging in Italy, hoping to find a place of refuge in which to live their faith in peace. In Dyrrachium, however, they witnessed the public crucifixion of the bishop of that city, Saint Astius, who had been smeared with honey and exposed to the bees by the prefect. Unable to keep silence at so great an outrage, they openly praised the courage and firmness of the holy confessor and made known their own faith in Christ. They were at once seized; and as confessors of Christ they were taken in a boat out to sea and drowned in the deep. Their bodies, carried back to shore by the waves, were hidden in the sand by Christians and so escaped further outrage. About ninety years later they appeared in a vision to the bishop of Alexandria, instructing him to recover their bodies and to build a church over them, which he did. They are commemorated together on 7 July, the day after the holy hieromartyr Astius.

St Thomas of Mt Maleon

10th c.

He was a renowned general, known for his great size and courage, his many victories against barbarian enemies, and his considerable wealth. But, forsaking wealth and reputation to follow Christ, he retired to the desert to live in asceticism. The Prophet Elias appeared to him and, accompanied by a pillar of fire, led him to Mount Maleon, near the Holy Mountain. There he lived in solitude, giving his days and nights to prayer. Like so many who seek to hide their holiness from the world, he was discovered, and people began to come to him for healing of their ailments and those of their loved ones. The saint healed countless ailments, drove out demons, cured the blind, and made water to pour forth from barren earth. In prayer he appeared as a pillar of fire. He reposed in peace, and his relics continued to be a powerful source of healing.

Venerable Acacius of Sinai, who is mentioned in the Ladder

Saint Acacius lived in the sixth century and was a young novice in a coenobitic monastery in Asia. Though gentle and meek in spirit, he was placed under a harsh and dissolute elder, who treated him with extreme severity. For nine years Acacius bore without complaint blows, insults, and ceaseless reproaches, accepting all as from the hand of God and never once relaxing his obedience. Worn out by sufferings, he reposed in the Lord while still very young. Five days after his burial, his elder told another holy old man of his disciple's death. The latter doubted that Acacius had truly fallen asleep, and at his entreaty the elder went with him to the grave. Standing beside it, the elder called out, "Brother Acacius, are you dead?" From within the tomb came the answer: "Father, how can he who labours in obedience be dead?" Trembling, the elder fell to the ground in tears, and from that day forth shut himself up in a cell beside the grave of his disciple, ending his days in repentance. Saint John Climacus records the story of Saint Acacius in The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Step 4), as a perfect example of the rewards of obedience and patient endurance. The Orthodox Church commemorates Acacius both on 29 November and on 7 July, together with other ascetics of the holy Ladder.

Venerable Thomas, hermit of Mount Maleon

Saint Thomas of Mount Maleon was in his earlier years a soldier of high rank in the Byzantine army. Strong, brave, and wise in counsel, he took part in many battles and brought victories to his countrymen, for which he won much glory and honour from the emperor. Yet in the midst of worldly success he came to despise the vanity of military glory and longed for the solitary life. Forsaking all, he was tonsured a monk and after some years of cenobitic obedience received a blessing to live as an anchorite in the wilderness. Setting out with no certain destination, he was led, as his biographers relate, by a pillar of fire and by the holy prophet Elijah himself, whose zealous way of life he chose to emulate, to Mount Maleon (Maleos) in the Peloponnese. There, in unbroken solitude and prayer, he laboured for many years in the manner of the ancient desert fathers, fed and protected by divine providence. By the grace of God he wrought wonders, casting out demons, giving sight to the blind, causing springs of fresh water to gush forth in dry places, and healing many infirmities; while at prayer he was sometimes seen as a pillar of fire reaching up to heaven. People began to flock to his solitude seeking spiritual counsel, and the sick to be healed of their afflictions. The exact century of his life is uncertain, but he is generally placed in the tenth century. He reposed in peace, and his tomb continued to pour forth healings.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 1.1-9

¹Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, ²Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: ³Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; ⁵That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 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: ⁸Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless 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.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 13.24-30

²⁴Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: ²⁵But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. ²⁶But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. ²⁷So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? ²⁸He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? ²⁹But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.