From The Greek Orthodox Arch-Diocese of America:
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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Monday, April 25, 2011
Fast Free
Readings for today:
Acts of the Apostles 12:1-11
John 1:18-28
Feasts and Saints celebrated today:
Renewal Monday
George the Great Martyr & Triumphant
Mark the Apostle & Evangelist
New Martyrs Emmanuel, Theodore, Gregory, Michael and the other Gregory at Macre of Alexandropoulos
Epistle Reading
The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 12:1-11
ABOUT THAT TIME, Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who
belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the
sword; and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest
Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he
had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four
squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring
him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest
prayer for him was made to God by the Church.
The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was
sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before
the door were guarding the prison; and behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side
and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his
hands. And the angel said to him, "Wrap your mantle around you and
follow me." And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what
was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the
iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord,
and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately
the angel left him. And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I am
sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of
Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."
(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Gospel Reading
The reading is from John 1:18-28
No one has ever seen God; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom
of the Father, he has made him known.
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and
Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed, he did
not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." And they asked him,
"What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the
prophet?" And he answered, "No." They said to him then, "Who are you? let
us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about
yourself?" He said, " I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make
straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Then why
are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the
prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water; but among you stands
one whom you do not know, even he who comes after me, the thong of
whose sandal I am not worthy to untie." This took place in Bethany
beyond the Jordon, where John was baptizing.
(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
George the Great Martyr & Triumphant
Reading from the Synaxarion:
George, this truly great and glorious Martyr of Christ, was born of a
father from Cappadocia and a mother from Palestine. Being a military
tribune, or chiliarch (that is, a commander of a thousand troops), he was
illustrious in battle and highly honoured for his courage. When he learned
that the Emperor Diocletian was preparing a persecution of the
Christians, Saint George presented himself publicly before the Emperor and
denounced him. When threats and promises could not move him from his
steadfast confession, he was put to unheard-of tortures, which he endured
with great bravery, overcoming them by his faith and love towards
Christ. By the wondrous signs that took place in his contest, he guided
many to the knowledge of the truth, including Queen Alexandra, wife of
Diocletian, and was finally beheaded in 296 in Nicomedia.
His sacred remains were taken by his servant from Nicomedia to
Palestine, to a town called Lydda, the homeland of his mother, and then were
finally transferred to the church which was raised up in his name. (The
translation of the Saint's holy relics to the church in Lydda is commemorated
on November 3; Saint Alexandra the Queen, on April 21.)
If April 23 falls on or before Great and Holy Pascha, the Feast of
St. George is translated to Bright Monday.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Liberator of captives, defender of the poor, physician of the sick, and
champion of kings, O trophy-bearer, Great Martyr George, intercede with
Christ God that our souls be saved.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Cultivated by God, you became manifest as an honorable tiller gathering for
yourself the sheaves of virtue. For you sowed with tears but reaped with
gladness; in the contest you competed with your blood and came away with
Christ. By your intercessions, O Holy One, all are granted forgiveness of
sins.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Apolytikion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Kontakion courtesy of Narthex Press - Northridge, CA
Mark the Apostle & Evangelist
Reading from the Synaxarion:
Mark was an idolater from Cyrene of Pentapolis, which is near Libya.
Having come to the Faith of Christ through the Apostle Peter, he
followed him to Rome. While there, at the prompting of Peter himself and
at the request of the Christians living there, he wrote his Gospel
in Greek, and it is second in order after Matthew's. Afterwards,
travelling to Egypt, he preached the Gospel there and was the first to
establish the Church in Alexandria. The idolaters, unable to bear his
preaching, seized him, bound him with ropes, and dragged him through the
streets until he, cut to pieces on rocks, gave up his soul. It is said
that he completed his life in martyrdom about the year 68. He is
depicted in holy icons with a lion next to him, one of the living
creatures mentioned by Ezekiel (1:10), and a symbol of Christ's royal
office, as Saint Irenaeus of Lyons writes.
If April 25 falls on or before Great and Holy Pascha, the Feast of
St. Mark is translated to Bright Tuesday.
Apolytikion in the Third Tone
O Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, intercede to our merciful God,
that He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
Kontakion in the Second Tone
When thou hadst received the Spirit's grace from Heaven's heights,
thou rentest apart the webs of the philosophers; and on catching all
of the nations in thy net, O all-lauded Mark, thou didst offer them
to thy Lord, by preaching the Gospel of divine renown.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press - Northridge, CA
Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Monday, April 25, 2011
Fast Free
Readings for today:
Acts of the Apostles 12:1-11
John 1:18-28
Feasts and Saints celebrated today:
Renewal Monday
George the Great Martyr & Triumphant
Mark the Apostle & Evangelist
New Martyrs Emmanuel, Theodore, Gregory, Michael and the other Gregory at Macre of Alexandropoulos
Epistle Reading
The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 12:1-11
ABOUT THAT TIME, Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who
belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the
sword; and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest
Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he
had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four
squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring
him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest
prayer for him was made to God by the Church.
The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was
sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before
the door were guarding the prison; and behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side
and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his
hands. And the angel said to him, "Wrap your mantle around you and
follow me." And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what
was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the
iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord,
and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately
the angel left him. And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I am
sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of
Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."
(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Gospel Reading
The reading is from John 1:18-28
No one has ever seen God; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom
of the Father, he has made him known.
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and
Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed, he did
not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." And they asked him,
"What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the
prophet?" And he answered, "No." They said to him then, "Who are you? let
us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about
yourself?" He said, " I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make
straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Then why
are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the
prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water; but among you stands
one whom you do not know, even he who comes after me, the thong of
whose sandal I am not worthy to untie." This took place in Bethany
beyond the Jordon, where John was baptizing.
(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
George the Great Martyr & Triumphant
Reading from the Synaxarion:
George, this truly great and glorious Martyr of Christ, was born of a
father from Cappadocia and a mother from Palestine. Being a military
tribune, or chiliarch (that is, a commander of a thousand troops), he was
illustrious in battle and highly honoured for his courage. When he learned
that the Emperor Diocletian was preparing a persecution of the
Christians, Saint George presented himself publicly before the Emperor and
denounced him. When threats and promises could not move him from his
steadfast confession, he was put to unheard-of tortures, which he endured
with great bravery, overcoming them by his faith and love towards
Christ. By the wondrous signs that took place in his contest, he guided
many to the knowledge of the truth, including Queen Alexandra, wife of
Diocletian, and was finally beheaded in 296 in Nicomedia.
His sacred remains were taken by his servant from Nicomedia to
Palestine, to a town called Lydda, the homeland of his mother, and then were
finally transferred to the church which was raised up in his name. (The
translation of the Saint's holy relics to the church in Lydda is commemorated
on November 3; Saint Alexandra the Queen, on April 21.)
If April 23 falls on or before Great and Holy Pascha, the Feast of
St. George is translated to Bright Monday.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Liberator of captives, defender of the poor, physician of the sick, and
champion of kings, O trophy-bearer, Great Martyr George, intercede with
Christ God that our souls be saved.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Cultivated by God, you became manifest as an honorable tiller gathering for
yourself the sheaves of virtue. For you sowed with tears but reaped with
gladness; in the contest you competed with your blood and came away with
Christ. By your intercessions, O Holy One, all are granted forgiveness of
sins.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Apolytikion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Kontakion courtesy of Narthex Press - Northridge, CA
Mark the Apostle & Evangelist
Reading from the Synaxarion:
Mark was an idolater from Cyrene of Pentapolis, which is near Libya.
Having come to the Faith of Christ through the Apostle Peter, he
followed him to Rome. While there, at the prompting of Peter himself and
at the request of the Christians living there, he wrote his Gospel
in Greek, and it is second in order after Matthew's. Afterwards,
travelling to Egypt, he preached the Gospel there and was the first to
establish the Church in Alexandria. The idolaters, unable to bear his
preaching, seized him, bound him with ropes, and dragged him through the
streets until he, cut to pieces on rocks, gave up his soul. It is said
that he completed his life in martyrdom about the year 68. He is
depicted in holy icons with a lion next to him, one of the living
creatures mentioned by Ezekiel (1:10), and a symbol of Christ's royal
office, as Saint Irenaeus of Lyons writes.
If April 25 falls on or before Great and Holy Pascha, the Feast of
St. Mark is translated to Bright Tuesday.
Apolytikion in the Third Tone
O Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, intercede to our merciful God,
that He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
Kontakion in the Second Tone
When thou hadst received the Spirit's grace from Heaven's heights,
thou rentest apart the webs of the philosophers; and on catching all
of the nations in thy net, O all-lauded Mark, thou didst offer them
to thy Lord, by preaching the Gospel of divine renown.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press - Northridge, CA
Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
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