Friday, 22 January 2027

Friday of the 34th week after Pentecost

285 days after Pascha · Tone 8 · Liturgy · Fast

Saints commemorated

Apostle Timothy of the Seventy

Timothy was from the Lycaonian city of Lystra in Asia Minor, born of a Jewish mother named Eunice and a Greek father. His mother and grandmother, Lois, are noted in Scripture for their piety and Christian faith. The Apostle Paul met Timothy during his second missionary journey and he became Paul's faithful companion and co-worker in spreading the Gospel. Timothy accompanied Paul and Silas on their journey to Macedonia around the year 52. The Apostle Paul loved Timothy deeply and in his Epistles called him his beloved son, addressing the First and Second Epistles to Timothy to him directly as the recipient.

Paul appointed Timothy as Bishop of Ephesus, where the saint remained as bishop for fifteen years. His ministry was marked by dedication to the spreading of the Christian faith and the correction of heresy. According to Orthodox tradition, Timothy was martyred in Ephesus around the year 93. The pagans of Ephesus celebrated a festival in honour of their idols, carrying them through the city accompanied by impious ceremonies and songs. Timothy, zealous for the glory of God, attempted to halt the procession and reason with the people, preaching the true faith in Christ. The pagan crowd, angered by his boldness, fell upon him, beat him, dragged him along the ground, and finally stoned him to death. Timothy is venerated as an apostle, saint, and martyr by the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Bishop Ioasaph Bolotov, enlightener of Alaska

Bishop Joasaph (Ivan Ilyich Bolotov) was born in 1761 and became a dedicated Russian Orthodox missionary and bishop. Because of his exemplary monastic life and piety, he was raised to the dignity of archimandrite in 1793. He was known for his zeal in advancing the Orthodox faith and his commitment to spiritual discipline. In 1794, Archimandrite Joasaph was chosen to lead a group of missionaries from Valaam Monastery on a historic journey to Alaska. This expedition, covering over 12,000 kilometres and lasting more than ten months of travel on foot, horseback, and by boat, became one of the longest missionary journeys in history. Notwithstanding the adverse conditions and physical hardships, Father Joasaph and his party of monks proved very successful in evangelising the native peoples and in expanding their preaching and missionary efforts to the mainland. In 1796, the Most Holy Synod established an auxiliary episcopal see in Alaska and appointed Archimandrite Joasaph to become the Bishop of Kodiak. The formal service of his election as bishop took place in Irkutsk on 3 April 1799. However, the saint was not long for this world. Whilst returning to Alaska aboard the ship Phoenix, Bishop Ioasaph Bolotov perished at sea during a severe storm that raged from 21 to 24 May 1799. The ship was sunk near the Alaskan coast, and all those aboard, including the bishop, were lost. He is remembered as an enlightener of Alaska and the American lands.

Monastic martyr Anastasius the Persian

614

Saint Anastasius was born in the city of Ray, Persia, in the early part of the seventh century. His native name was Magundat, and he was the son of a Zoroastrian magus named Bavi. He served as a soldier in the army of the Sasanian King Chosroes II during the reign of the Roman Emperor Heraclius. In the year 614, King Chosroes II ravaged the city of Jerusalem and carried away the Life-Creating Cross of the Lord to Persia. The heart of the young soldier Magundat was inflamed with a desire to learn more about this sacred object. Questioning everyone about the Holy Cross, he learned that the Lord Himself was crucified upon it for the salvation of mankind. This knowledge awakened him to the true faith. Withdrawing from his military service, Magundat went to the Holy City where he was baptized by Saint Modestus, Patriarch of Jerusalem, receiving the new name Anastasius. He became a monk and devoted himself to ascetical struggles. He went secretly from the monastery to Caesarea in Palestine, but there he was arrested for being a Christian. He was strangled on 22 January 628 and subsequently beheaded so that the executioners could prove to the king that he was killed. A monk who had accompanied him acquired his body and buried it at the Monastery of Saint Sergios, later known as Sergiopolis. His holy relics were later translated to Palestine, Rome, and Constantinople, and are honoured by the Church. The translation of his holy relics is commemorated on 24 January.

Saint Dominic of Sora, abbot and founder of monasteries

Saint Dominic was born in 951 in Foligno, Etruria, in the Tuscany region of what is now Italy. From his youth he was drawn to the monastic life and devoted himself to the ascetical struggle. He was renowned for his holiness and his gift of working miracles. Throughout his monastic career, Dominic established nine monasteries in the Kingdom of Naples, becoming a great spiritual father to many monks. Among the monasteries he founded were San Salvatore at Scandriglia in 986, establishments on Mount Pizzi, San Pietro del Lago, and San Pietro di Avellana. He later transferred his monastic activities to the area of lower Lazio, where he built monasteries at Trisulti and at Sora. At Sora, Dominic became abbot of the monastic community he had established. Throughout his long life he was known for his wisdom, his fatherly care for the brothers in his charge, and the many miracles wrought through his intercession. He reposed in the Lord on 22 January 1031 in his monastery at Sora. Saint Dominic became the patron saint against fever, toothache, poisonous snakes and snake bites, rabid dogs, and is invoked for protection from storms and hail. His legacy as a monastic founder and spiritual guide has been preserved in the Orthodox tradition.

Saint Vincent of Saragossa, deacon and martyr

Saint Vincent was born at Huesca, near Zaragoza, in Spain, during the latter part of the third century. His father was Eutricius and his mother was Enola, a native of Osca. From a young age he was entrusted to the care of Bishop Valerius of Saragossa, who ordained him archdeacon. Bishop Valerius had a speech impediment and appointed the well-spoken Vincent to assist him in his pastoral duties and to preach on his behalf. During the reign of Emperor Diocletian around the year 304, the Roman governor Dacian ruthlessly enforced Diocletian's edict compelling Christians to renounce their faith by burning incense to Roman gods. Dacian had both the elderly bishop and his deacon arrested and imprisoned. Vincent's bold and outspoken manner of confessing Christ so angered the governor that Dacian inflicted every sort of torture upon him. Vincent was stretched on the rack and his flesh was torn with iron hooks. His wounds were rubbed with salt and he was burned alive upon a red-hot gridiron. Finally, he was cast into prison and laid upon a floor scattered with broken pottery, where he suffered greatly before his death. Though the Roman authorities threw his dead body into the sea in a sack, it was later recovered by Christians. His veneration immediately spread throughout the Church and beyond. Saint Vincent is considered a protomartyr of Spain and is the patron saint of Lisbon, Algarve, and Valencia. The Eastern Orthodox Church honours his feast day on 22 January.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 7.18-25

¹⁸For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness ¹⁸For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. ¹⁹(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God. ¹⁹For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. ²⁰And inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath ²⁰And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: ²¹(for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath by him that saith of him, The Lord sware and will not repent himself, Thou art a priest for ever); ²¹(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)

²²by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. ²²By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. ²³And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing: ²³And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: ²⁴But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. ²⁴but he, because he abideth for ever, hath his priesthood unchangeable. ²⁵Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. ²⁵Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 21.37-22.8

³⁷And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.

³⁷And every day he was teaching in the temple; and every night he went out, and lodged in the mount that is called Olivet. ³⁸And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him. ³⁸And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him.

¹Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

¹Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. ²And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. ²And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death; for they feared the people.

³And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

³Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. ⁴And he went away, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might deliver him unto them. ⁴And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. ⁵And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. ⁵And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. ⁶And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude. ⁶And he consented, and sought opportunity to deliver him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

⁷Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

⁷And the day of unleavened bread came, on which the passover must be sacrificed. ⁸And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. ⁸And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and make ready for us the passover, that we may eat.