Tuesday, 18 August 2026

Martyrs Florus and Laurus of Illyria

Tuesday of the 12th week after Pentecost

128 days after Pascha · Tone 2 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus of Illyria

The Holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus were brothers, twins both in flesh and in spirit. They lived in the second century at Byzantium and afterwards settled in Illyria, where they earned their living as stone-masons. Their teachers in this craft, Proclus and Maximus, were Christians who instructed them not only in the working of stone but also in the saving faith and the way of life pleasing to God.

The prefect of Illyria, Likaion, sent the brothers to a neighbouring district to work upon the construction of a pagan temple. The saints toiled diligently at the structure, but they distributed to the poor the wages they earned, kept strict fasts, and prayed without ceasing. Once, while they were at work, a chip of stone struck the eye of the son of the local pagan priest Mamertin, severely injuring him. The angry father came against the saints, but Florus and Laurus assured him that his son would be healed. They brought the youth to consciousness, taught him the faith, and placing their hands upon him called upon the name of Christ. The youth was instantly healed, and both he and his father were converted to Christ and baptised.

When the temple was finished the saints called the local Christians together, set up in it a cross of the Lord, and on the very night of its completion rendered the building to God by celebrating an all-night vigil within it. Hearing of this, the prefect Likaion was filled with wrath. He had the priest Mamertin and his son cast into a furnace where they perished, while three hundred of the converts were burned alive. Saints Florus and Laurus were sent under guard back to the prefect Likaion, who threw them down an empty well and ordered it covered with earth, and there they yielded their souls to God.

After many years their relics were uncovered incorrupt and were translated to Constantinople. From ancient times in the Slavonic lands the holy martyrs Florus and Laurus have been venerated as protectors of horses and herdsmen, and their icons depict them surrounded by horses entrusted to their care.

Holy Martyrs Hermes, Serapion and Polyaenus of Rome

The Holy Martyrs Hermes, Serapion and Polyaenus were Romans who suffered for Christ in the second century during the persecutions of the Roman emperors. They were Christians distinguished by their zeal in proclaiming the Gospel and refuting the polemics of the pagans, contending fearlessly with those who attacked the faith of the Church. The three friends were arrested for their open confession of Christ and brought before the authorities. They were ordered to deny Christ and to offer sacrifice to the idols, but they firmly refused, professing with one voice their faith in Jesus Christ as the only true God and the Saviour of the world. Neither flattery nor threats could shake their resolve. The persecutors subjected them to severe tortures: they were beaten without mercy and cast into a dark and foul-smelling prison, where they were tormented with hunger, thirst and many deprivations. When they remained constant in their confession, they were brought out, bound with ropes, and dragged through the streets and over rough ground filled with sharp stones. Their flesh was torn, their heads were covered with wounds and blood, and so dragged they yielded up their holy souls to God. The Christians of Rome reverently gathered the bodies of the holy martyrs and gave them honourable burial. Their memory has been preserved in the Roman Martyrology and in the Synaxaria of the Eastern Church, and they are commemorated by the Orthodox Church on 18 August.

Saint Arsenius the New of Paros

Saint Arsenius the New, called "the New" to distinguish him from Saint Arsenius the Great of the fifth century, was born on 31 January 1800 in the city of Ioannina in Epirus to pious Orthodox parents who named him Athanasius in holy Baptism. Orphaned at an early age, he was only nine years old when he made his way to Kydonia in Asia Minor, where he was received by the hieromonk Gregory Saraphis and enrolled in his school. After completing his studies he came to Mount Athos, where he embraced the monastic life and was tonsured with the name Arsenius. He returned to Asia Minor as a teacher, but longing for greater stillness he eventually settled in 1840 on the Cycladic island of Paros, entering the Monastery of Saint George at Longovardas. There he lived out the rest of his earthly life in monastic struggle, fasting, vigil and unceasing prayer. When he was ordained to the holy priesthood at the age of forty-seven, Saint Arsenius intensified his spiritual labours. Every day he studied the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers, and became adept at the unceasing prayer of the heart. He was given the gift of tears, the gift of foresight, and the discernment of spirits, becoming a true spiritual father to many. From his cell he guided countless pilgrims and disciples in the Orthodox spiritual tradition, and his counsel was sought by clergy, monastics and laity alike. On 31 January 1877, having received Holy Communion for the last time, Saint Arsenius peacefully fell asleep in the Lord. He was glorified by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1967. His principal feast is celebrated on 31 January, the day of his repose, and a second feast is kept on 18 August, the day of the uncovering of his holy relics.

Our Holy Father John, Abbot of Rila

946

He was born near Sophia in Bulgaria during the reign of the Emperor Boris. When his parents died he withdrew from the world to a cave high in the mountains, where he gave himself to the ascetical struggle. There the Prologue says that he ‘endured many assaults both by demons and men, from robbers and from his kinsmen.’ In time he moved to the mountain of Rila, where he lived in a hollow tree, eating only the wild herbs and fruits there. On Rila he saw no human being for many years, but was eventually discovered by a shepherd, after which his fame spread quickly: many came to him for counsel and for the healing of diseases, and Peter, King of Bulgaria, visited him for advice. Many people seeking their salvation settled near him, and soon a church and monastery developed around him. St John reposed in 946 and appeared to his disciples after his death. His relics are venerated at the monastery of Rila, which has for centuries been a lighthouse of Orthodox spirituality in Bulgaria.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

2 Corinthians — 2 Corinthians 5.15-21

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. ¹⁶Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. ¹⁷Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ¹⁸And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. ²¹For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 1.16-22

¹⁶Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. ¹⁷And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. ¹⁸And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. ¹⁹And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. ²⁰And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. ²¹And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. ²²And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.