Sunday, November 3 3, 2024

Tone 2

19th Sunday after Pentecost (7th of Luke)

Martyrs Acepsimas the Bishop, Joseph the Presbyter, and Aithalas the Deacon, of Persia

Dedication of the Church of the Greatmartyr George in Lydda

Hieromartyrs Akepsimas, Bishop in Persia, Presbyter Joseph, and Deacon Aeithalas

Commemorated on November 3

(OCA) Martyrs Akepsimas the Bishop, Joseph the Presbyter and Aeithalas (Aeithalás) the Deacon of Persia were leaders of the Christian Church in the Persian city of Naesson. His flock devotedly loved their hierarch for his ascetic life and tireless pastoral work.

The emperor Sapor ordered his men to seek out and kill Christian clergy. Saint Akepsimas also was arrested, even though he was already an eighty-year-old man. They took him to the city of Arbela, where he came before the judge Ardarkh, a pagan priest of the sun god. The holy Elder refused to offer sacrifice to the Persian gods. For this he was fiercely beaten and thrown into prison, where on the following day the seventy-year-old priest Joseph and the deacon Aeithalas were severely beaten and thrown into jail with him. For three years the saints were held in confinement, and suffered from hunger and thirst.

Emperor Sapor came to the temple of the god of fire, located not far from Arbela, and wanted to take a look at the three holy martyrs. Exhausted and covered with festering wounds, the saints were brought before the emperor. When he asked them to worship the pagan gods they firmly refused, confessing their faith in Christ instead.

The holy bishop was beheaded, but the presbyter and deacon were taken into the city to be stoned.

The execution of the presbyter Joseph was prolonged for several hours. A guard was placed near the place of execution, so that Christians would not take the body of the holy martyr. On the fourth night a strong windstorm raged near the city, lightning killed the guard, the wind tossed stones about, and the body of Saint Joseph disappeared.

Deacon Aeithalas was taken to the village of Patrias, where he was stoned. Christians secretly buried his body. A tree grew on the saint’s grave, and its fruit brought healings.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Congratulations to Jessica (Barbara) King and Colin (Clement) Cooksey and their sponsors Katie Albrecht and Fr Christopher! A reminder, that Devin (John) Brooks will be baptized on Saturday, November 9 at 3:30 PM.

In other news, please remember to set your clocks back one hour on Saturday (does anyone still need to do this?).

Next Thursday (11/7), we will pray the Akathist to Our Lady Queen of All Healer of Cancer. Please submit here the names of those you would like remembered.

In Christ,

Fr Gregory

This Week at Ss Cyril & Methodius

Wednesday, October 30

• 11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Office Hours

Thursday, October 31

• 1:00-5:30 PM: Office Hours
• 6:00-7:30 PM: OCF

Saturday, November 2

• 3:00 PM: Inquirers/Catechumen Class 
• 4:30 PM: Confessions
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers
• 6:00 PM: Confessions
• Set clocks back tonight!

Sunday, November 3 (Daylight Savings Time ends)

• 9:00 AM: Hours
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy

Looking Ahead to Next Week

Wednesday, November 6

• 11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Office Hours

Thursday, November 7

• 1:00-5:00 PM: Office Hours
• 5:30 PM: Akathist to Our Lady Queen of All (submit names here)
• 6:00-7:30 PM: OCF

Saturday, November 9

• 3:30 PM: Baptism of Devin (John) Brooks
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers
• 6:00 PM: Confessions

Sunday, November 8

• 9:00 AM: Hours
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy

Hymns After the Small Entrance

Tone 2 Troparion (Resurrection)

When Thou didst descend to death, O Life immortal, Thou didst slay hell with the splendor of Thy Godhead. And when from the depths Thou didst raise the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out://“O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to Thee!” 

Tone 4 Troparion (Sts. Cyril & Methodius)

Divinely-wise Cyril and Methodius, / equals-to-the-apostles and teachers of the Slavs, / entreat the Master of all / to strengthen all nations in Orthodoxy and unity of mind, / to grant peace to the world and to save our souls. 

Tone 3 Troparion (Martyrs)

You were pillars of the Church, O servants of godliness, and you humbled the proud worshippers of fire. Much afflicted hierarch Aképsimas, Joseph the presbyter and Aethalas the deacon, pray to Christ our God//to grant us His great mercy!

Tone 4 Troparion (St. George)

O liberator of captives, defender of the poor, physician of the sick, and champion of kings, trophy-bearer, great martyr George, intercede with Christ God//that our souls may be saved!

Tone 2 Kontakion (Resurrection)

Hell became afraid, O almighty Savior, seeing the miracle of Thy Resurrection from the tomb! The dead arose! Creation, with Adam, beheld this and rejoiced with Thee,// and the world, my Savior, praises Thee forever.

Tone 3 Kontakion (Sts. Cyril & Methodius)

Let us honor the sacred pair, who translated divine scripture / pouring forth a fountain of divine knowledge from which we still draw today. / Now as you stand before the throne of the Most-high / we call you blessed, Cyril and Methodius, / as you fervently pray for our souls.

Tone 2 Kontakion (Martyrs)

Thou didst celebrate the mysteries blamelessly, O wise one, and became thyself an acceptable sacrifice, O divinely blessed one.Thou didst gloriously drink of the cup of Christ, Holy Akepsimas.//Together with thy fellow sufferers thou art praying unceasingly to Christ God for us all.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

Tone 8 Kontakion (St. George)

As we the faithful flee to thee for refuge and seek thy protection and speedy help, We entreat thee, O Champion of Christ, that we who sing thy praises may be delivered from the snares of the enemy and from every peril and adversary,//that we may cry: “Rejoice, O martyr George!”

now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Tone 6 Theotokion

O protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, / O mediation unto the Creator unfailing, / disdain not the suppliant voices of sinners, / but be thou quick, O good one, to help us who in faith cry unto thee; / hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, // thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honour thee.

Epistle: 2 Corinthians 11:31-12:9

Brethren, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Gospel: Luke 8:41-56

And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.

And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”

When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.

And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”

But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.

But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

By the age of 25, about 60% of those baptized as infants will no longer consider themselves members of the Orthodox Church. A parish on a university campus is an important witness not only to the surrounding community but also to high school age and younger parishioner. Establishing a parish on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison helps remind young people that graduating high school doesn't mean "graduating" from the Church. Please consider joining those who have committed their time, treasure and talent in establishing an Orthodox community on the Isthmus.

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