Fast day: no meat, fish, dairy, eggs, wine, or oil.Your priest can tell you how to keep the fast.
Tone
Tone 2This week’s Resurrection hymns are sung in the second of the Church’s eight tones.
The readings
Traditional: the King James Version (1611) for the New Testament. Underlined words are explained in Words of Prayer.
Modern: the World English Bible for the New Testament. Your choice is remembered on this device.
Epistle
Philippians 2:24-30
Traditional
24But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. 25Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. 26For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. 27For indeed he was sick nighunto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: 30Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
Modern
24But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly. 25But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need, 26since he longed for you all, and was very troubled because you had heard that he was sick. 27For indeed he was sick nearly to death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow. 28I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such people in honor, 30because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.
Gospel
Luke 11:42-46
Traditional
42But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 43Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. 44Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
45Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. 46And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
Modern
42But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. 43Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces. 44Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don’t know it.”
45One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying this you insult us also.” 46He said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won’t even lift one finger to help carry those burdens.
HieromartyrA bishop, priest, or deacon who suffered martyrdom for Christ. All hieromartyrs →
Acepsimus was a bishop, Joseph a priest, and Aithalas a deacon in fourth-century Persia. The Church remembers them as clergy who remained faithful to Christ during persecution under Shapur II. Their traditional account describes imprisonment and repeated demands that they abandon their faith. Their shared remembrance honors the care and courage of people who served the Church in dangerous times.
How they died All three were martyred: tradition holds that Acepsimus died from beatings, Joseph was stoned, and Aithalas died under torture; accounts of their deaths differ.
Also remembered today: Holy Virgin Martyr Winefride of Treffynnon (Holywell), Wales (7th c.).
Calendar: Orthocal, following the Revised Julian (New) Calendar of the Orthodox Church in America. Parishes on the Old Calendar keep each day 13 days later. Check your own parish calendar.
