Today

Fasting Rules

Meat allowed Meat Allowed
Fish allowed Fish Allowed
Dairy allowed Dairy Allowed
Oil allowed Oil Allowed
Wine allowed Wine Allowed

☦ Saints & Commemorations

Martyrs Marcian and Martyrius the Notaries

The Martyrs Marcian and Martyrius, Notaries of Constantinople served in a Constantinople cathedral. Marcian was a reader and Martyrius a subdeacon. They both performed in the capacity of notaries, i.e. secretaries, for Patriarch Paul the Confessor (November 6). Arian heretics expelled and secretly executed the righteous Patriarch Paul. The Martyrs Marcian and Martyrius, Notaries of Constantinople served in a Constantinople cathedral. Marcian was a reader and Martyrius a subdeacon. They both performed in the capacity of notaries, i.e. secretaries, for Patriarch Paul the Confessor (November 6). Arian heretics expelled and secretly executed the righteous Patriarch Paul. His throne was given to the heretic Macedonius. The heretics attempted to entice Saints Marcian and Martyrius over to their side by flattery. They offered them gold and promised to consecrate them as archbishops, but all the efforts of the Arians were in vain. Then the impious threatened to slander them before the emperor, and sought to intimidate them with torture and death. But the saints steadfastly confessed Orthodoxy, as handed down by the Fathers of the Church. Marcian and Martyrius were sentenced to death. Before death, the martyrs prayed, “Lord God, Who has invisibly created our hearts, and directed all our deeds, accept with peace the souls of Your servants, since we perish for You and are considered as sheep for the slaughter (Ps 32/33:15; 43/44:22). We rejoice that by such a death we shall depart this life for Your Name. Grant us to be partakers of life eternal with You, the Source of life.” After their prayer the martyrs, with quiet rejoicing, bent their necks beneath the sword of the impious (+ ca. 335). Their holy bodies were reverently buried by Orthodox Christians. Later, by decree of Saint John Chrysostom, the relics of the holy martyrs were transferred to a church built in their honor. Believers here were healed of many infirmities through the prayers of the saints, to the glory of the One Life-Creating Trinity.

Troparion - Tone 3

In holy zeal you dispelled the error of Arius / and proclaimed the Trinity, one in essence. / Holy martyrs Marcian and Martyrius, / unshaken bulwarks of Orthodoxy, / entreat Christ our God to grant us His great mercy.

Kontakion - Tone 4

From your youth you were good athletes, wise Marcian and Martyrius, / vanquishing the Arian heretics; / you kept the faith perfect by following in the footsteps of your bishop and teacher Paul, / therefore, you are worthy to be with him in eternal life, / as respected defenders of the Holy Trinity.

St Tabitha of Joppa

She was restored to life by the Apostle Peter (Acts 9:39-40), and afterwards died in peace.

Resurrection Tone 4

Steadfast Protectress

Sung most Sundays.

Kontakion - Tone Tone 6

Steadfast protectress of Christians, / most constant advocate before the Creator, / do not despise the voices of us who have sinned, / but in your goodness come speedily to help us, who cry to you in faith: / “Hasten to intercede for us, O Theotokos, / and speedily make supplication, for you always protect those who honor you.”

Glory... Now and Ever...

Scripture Readings

☩Epistle

Galatians 2:16-20

16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

☩Gospel

Luke 16:19-31

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Liturgical data sourced from OCA.org and orthocal.info