Monday, 26 October 2026

Greatmartyr Demetrius

Monday of the 22nd week after Pentecost

197 days after Pascha · Tone 4 · Red cross (polyeleos typikon symbol) · No Fast (Fish, Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

★ Holy great martyr Demetrius the myrrh-streamer of Thessalonica

Saint Demetrius, the great martyr and myrrh-streamer, is one of the most venerated saints of the Orthodox East, the patron and protector of the city of Thessalonica. He was born at Thessalonica about the year 270 of an illustrious senatorial family who were secret Christians, and from his youth he was distinguished by piety, learning and military prowess. The emperor Galerius Maximian, who succeeded Diocletian, appointed Demetrius proconsul of the province of Thessalonica and commander of the Roman forces there, charging him in particular to extirpate Christianity. Instead, Saint Demetrius openly confessed Christ before all and used his office to instruct the citizens in the faith and to suppress the worship of idols. Denounced to the emperor on his return from a campaign on the Danube, Demetrius committed his goods to his faithful servant Lupus, distributed his estate to the poor, and was cast into a bathhouse-prison beneath the imperial stadium. There, on or about 26 October 306, soldiers ran him through with spears at the emperor's command. His body was thrown out and reverently buried by Christians on the spot. A Christian named Nestor, encouraged by the prayers of Demetrius, defeated the famous gladiator Lyaeus in single combat and was himself martyred the next day. Over the saint's tomb a small oratory was built, replaced in the fifth century by the great basilica of Saint Demetrius, where from his relics there flowed a perpetual stream of fragrant myrrh, whence his title Myroblytos, the Myrrh-streamer. He is invoked as a defender of cities against barbarian invasions, and his miracles, recorded in the Miracles of Saint Demetrius, are without number. His feast on 26 October is kept with great solemnity throughout the Orthodox world.

★ Holy, Glorious and Great Martyr Demetrius the Outpourer of Myrrh

306

He was a native of Thessalonica, born of noble parents. His wisdom and distinction in battle earned him rapid advancement in the service of the Empire: in time he was appointed commander of all the Roman forces in Thessaly, and Proconsul of Hellas. Despite these worldly honors, Demetrius put his Christian faith before all, and by his words and example brought many pagans to faith in Christ. When the Emperor Maximian, a persecutor of Christians, came to Thessalonica he appointed games and public sacrifices to celebrate his recent victory over the Scythians. Some jealous pagans used the visit to denounce Demetrius to the Emperor. Maximian had Demetrius cast into a fetid cell in the basement of some nearby baths. Maximian had brought with him a huge barbarian of tremendous strength named Lyaios, who fought many men in the arena and defeated them all, to the entertainment of the Emperor and the crowds. A young Christian named Nestor determined to show the people that the only true strength is in Christ: he visited Demetrius in his cell and asked for his blessing to challenge Lyaios to combat. The Martyr made the sign of the Cross over Nestor and sent him to the arena with his blessing. Nestor, a young boy, cried out before the Emperor ‘God of Demetrius, help me!’ and quickly killed the mighty Lyaios, to the astonishment of the crowd. The infuriated Emperor had Nestor slain with his own sword, and sent soldiers to Demetrius’ cell, where they killed him with their spears. Demetrius’ servant, a believer named Lupus, retrieved the body of Demetrius and buried it with honor. He kept the Saint’s ring and blood-stained tunic, and through them worked several miracles and healings. When the Emperor heard of this, he had Lupus, too, beheaded. As a sign of the grace that rested on the holy Demetrius, a fragrant myrrh flowed copiously from the Martyr’s body after his death, healing many of the sick. For many centuries, St Demetrius has been a patron Saint of Thessalonica.

Commemoration of the great earthquake at Constantinople

On 26 October 740, during the reign of the iconoclast emperor Leo III the Isaurian, a catastrophic earthquake struck Constantinople and the surrounding regions. The shock was felt throughout the imperial capital and along the coasts of the Sea of Marmara: many churches, public buildings, fortifications and houses were thrown down, monuments were shattered, and great numbers of people perished beneath the ruins. The city walls themselves were heavily damaged and had to be rebuilt by the emperor with the help of a special tax. Pious Christians saw in the calamity a divine chastisement for the heresy of iconoclasm then ravaging the Church, but also a sign of the protection of the most holy Theotokos and the great martyr Demetrius, on whose feast day the disaster occurred. From that time the Church of Constantinople appointed an annual commemoration of the earthquake on 26 October, with a special canon and prayers, that the faithful might give thanks for their preservation, lament their sins, and entreat the Lord to spare both city and Church from further calamity.

Holy martyr Lupus, the slave of Saint Demetrius

Saint Lupus was the faithful servant of the great martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, and at the saint's command he received from his master's hand the bloodstained robe and the ring of the martyr after his pierced body had been cast out by the soldiers of Galerius Maximian. Steeping the robe in the saint's blood and wearing the ring, Lupus wrought numerous miracles in the city, healing the sick and casting out demons in the name of Christ and through the intercessions of Saint Demetrius. When the emperor learned of these signs and the great multitude that was turning to Christ, he ordered Lupus seized and beheaded. Saint Lupus thus joined his master in the heavenly kingdom, sealing his confession of Christ with his blood. His memory is kept on 26 October with that of Saint Demetrius, while the Slavic calendars commemorate him on 23 August.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Colossians — Colossians 2.13-20

¹³And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; ¹⁴Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; ¹⁵And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. ¹⁶Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: ¹⁷Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. ¹⁸Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, ¹⁹And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

²⁰Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

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.

²³And he turned him unto his disciples, and 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.

Vespers

OT — Composite 16 - Isaiah 63.15-64.5, 8-9

Look down from heaven, Lord, and see from your holy house and your glory. Where is the multitude of your mercy and your pity, that you keep back from us, O Lord? For you are our Father, though Abraham did not know us, though Israel did not acknowledge us; but you are our Father, deliver us. From the beginning your name is upon us. Why have you made us wander from your way, Lord? Why have you hardened our hearts not to fear you? Turn back for the sake of your servants, for the tribes of your inheritance, that we may inherit a small part of your holy mountain. Our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary. We have become as at the beginning, when you did not know us, when your name had not been invoked upon us. If you open the heaven, trembling will take hold upon mountains from you, and they will melt as wax melts before the fire; and fire will burn up your enemies, and your name will be manifest to your enemies; before your face nations will be troubled. When you do glorious things trembling from you will seize mountains. From eternity we have not heard, nor have we seen a God save you; and your works are true, and you do mercy to those who wait on you. For mercy will meet those who act justly, and they will be mindful of your ways. And now, Lord, your are our Father, while we are your clay and you are our Fashioner; we are all the works of your hands; do not be very angry with us, Lord, and do not remember our sins in season. And now look upon, Lord, for we are all your people.

Vespers

Jeremiah — Jeremiah 2.2-12

²Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. ³Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD. ⁴Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

⁵Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? ⁶Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt? ⁷And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination. ⁸The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

⁹Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children’s children will I plead. ¹⁰For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing. ¹¹Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. ¹²Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.

Vespers

Wisdom of Solomon — Wisdom of Solomon 4.7-15

⁷But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest.

⁸For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years.

⁹But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age.

¹⁰He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated.

¹¹Yea speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul.

¹²For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind.

¹³He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time:

¹⁴For his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked.

¹⁵This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen.

Matins Gospel

Matthew — Matthew 10.16-22

¹⁶Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. ¹⁷But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; ¹⁸And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. ²⁰For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. ²¹And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. ²²And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Epistle

— Earthquake

Hebrews — Hebrews 12.6-13, 25-27

⁶For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. ⁷If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? ⁸But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. ⁹Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? ¹⁰For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. ¹¹Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. ¹²Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; ¹³And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. ²⁵See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: ²⁶Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. ²⁷And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Epistle

— St Demetrius

2 Timothy — 2 Timothy 2.1-10

¹Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. ³Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. ⁵And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. ⁶The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. ⁷Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. ⁸Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: ⁹Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. ¹⁰Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Gospel

— Earthquake

Matthew — Matthew 8.23-27

²³And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. ²⁴And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. ²⁵And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. ²⁶And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. ²⁷But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

Gospel

— St Demetrius

John — John 15.17-16.2

¹⁷These things I command you, that ye love one another. ¹⁸If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. ²⁰Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. ²¹But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. ²²If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. ²³He that hateth me hateth my Father also. ²⁴If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. ²⁵But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. ²⁶But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: ²⁷And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

¹These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. ²They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.