Fasting Rules
Meat
Abstain
Fish
Abstain
Dairy
Abstain
Oil
Abstain
Wine
Allowed
Saints & Commemorations
SS Constantine and Helen, Equals-to-the-Apostles
Holy New Martyr Pachomius (1730)
Born in a village of Little Russia (now Belarus), he was kidnapped as a boy and sold to a Turkish tanner as a slave. He spent the next twenty-seven years in Usaki in Asia Minor, where he was forced to embrace Islam. After long years of servitude he escaped and, reclaiming his Christianity, went to the Holy Mountain, became a monk and lived for twelve years.
Born in a village of Little Russia (now Belarus), he was kidnapped as a boy and sold to a Turkish tanner as a slave. He spent the next twenty-seven years in Usaki in Asia Minor, where he was forced to embrace Islam. After long years of servitude he escaped and, reclaiming his Christianity, went to the Holy Mountain, became a monk and lived for twelve years. Tormented by his former apostasy, he determined to suffer martyrdom for Christ. With the permission of his elder, Joseph, he returned to Usaki and showed himself to his former owner wearing his monastic habit. He was tortured, thrown into prison, and finally beheaded on on Ascension Day of 1730. His relics are buried on the island of Patmos in the Church of St John the Theologian, where they work many miracles.
Scripture Readings
☩Epistle
Acts 8:40-9:19
40
But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cesarea.
1
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2
And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
7
And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
8
And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
9
And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
10
And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
11
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
12
And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
13
Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
14
And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
15
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
16
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
17
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
19
And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
☩Gospel
John 6:48-54
48
I am that bread of life.
49
Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52
The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Liturgical data sourced from OCA.org and orthocal.info