Sunday, August 1, 2025

Tone 7

8th Sunday after Pentecost

Ven. Isaac, Dalmatus, and Faustus, Ascetics of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople

Venerable Isaac the Ascetic of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople

Commemorated on August 3

(OCA) Saint Isaac (May 30) was a soldier before he became a monk. After he was tonsured, he attained such a degree of spiritual perfection that he was accounted worthy of beholding divine visions.

When Saint Isaac heard about how the Emperor Valens had fallen into the Arian heresy and was persecuting the Orthodox Christians, he left his monastery and traveled to Constantinople to confront the emperor. At that time Valens was planning a campaign against the Goths. Saint Isaac tried to change the emperor’s mind several times, but was unable to convince him. He prophesied that Valens would die in flames because of his actions. The emperor ordered that Saint Isaac be thrown into prison, and promised to deal with him when he returned from his expedition. On August 9, 378 Valens was defeated at Adrianople and died in a fire after hiding in a barn, just as the saint had predicted.

Emperor Theodosius the Great, who had a great love for the saint, released him from prison and banned Arianism. Saint Isaac attended the Second Ecumenical Council (381), where he defended the Orthodox Faith against the Arian heresy.

Saint Isaac hoped to return to his monastic life in the wilderness, but a wealthy man built a monastery for him at Constantinople, and he became its first igumen. The monastery was later named for his disciple Dalmatus.

When Saint Isaac was approaching the end of his earthly life, he named Saint Dalmatus to succeed him as igumen. He lived to a ripe old age and reposed in the year 383.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

The Dormition Fast begins this Friday.

Next Wednesday, August 6, is the Feast of the Transfiguration. Vespers will be on Tuesday, August 5 (time to be determined). Divine Liturgy. on Wednesday, August 6, at 7:00 AM.

In Christ,

Fr Gregory

This Week at Ss Cyril & Methodius

Wednesday, July 30

• 11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Thursday, July 31

• 1:00 PM-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Friday, August 1 (Dormition Fast Begins)

• 11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Saturday, August 2

• 3:00 PM: Catechumen Class
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers
• 6:00 PM: Confessions

Sunday, August 3

• 9:15 AM: Hours
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy

Looking Ahead

Tuesday, August 5

• Great Vespers & Blessing of Fruit (TBA)

Wednesday, August 6

• 7:00 AM: Divine Liturgy
• 11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions [canceled]

Thursday, August 7

• 1:00 PM-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Friday, August 8

• 11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Saturday, August 9

• 3:00 PM: Catechumen Class
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers
• 6:00 PM: Confessions

Sunday, August 10

• 9:15 AM: Hours
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy

Hymns After the Small Entrance

Tone 7 Troparion (Resurrection)

By Thy Cross Thou didst destroy death. To the thief Thou didst open Paradise. For the Myrrhbearers Thou didst change weeping into joy, and Thou didst command Thy disciples, O Christ God, to proclaim that Thou art risen,//granting the world great mercy.

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 4 Troparion (Venerable Ones)

O God of our Fathers, always act with kindness towards us; take not Thy mercy from us, but guide our lives in peace//through the prayers of Venerable Isaac, Dalmatus, and Faustus!

Tone 7 Kontakion (Resurrection)

The dominion of death can no longer hold men captive, for Christ descended, shattering and destroying its powers. Hell is bound, while the Prophets rejoice and cry: “The Savior has come to those in faith;//enter, you faithful, into the Resurrection!”

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.

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

Tone 2 Kontakion (Venerable Ones)

Through asceticism you shone like lights in the world, and by your faith you overthrew heresies. We praise you with hymns, Isaac, Dalmatus, and Faustus,//as servants of Christ, who are praying for us all.

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: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Brethren, now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Gospel: Matthew 14:14-22

And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”

But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

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.

Please help us reach your children and grandchildren with the Gospel of Jesus Christ by clicking the gofundme link.