Sunday, October 26, 2025

Tone 3; 20th Sunday after Pentecost (5th of Luke); Holy and Glorious Greatmartyr Demetrius the Myrrhgusher of Thessalonica; Commemoration of the Great Earthquake at Constantinople in 740 A.D.

Holy, Glorious Demetrios the Myrrh-gusher of Thessaloniki

Commemorated on October 26

(GOA) Saint Demetrios suffered in Thessalonica during the reign of Galerius Maximian (c. 306). He belonged to one of the most distinguished families of the province of Macedonia and was widely admired not only because of his noble ancestry and grace of bearing, but also for virtue, wisdom and goodness of heart surpassing that of his elders.

The military expertise of Saint Demetrios led Galerius, as Caesar of the Eastern Empire, to appoint him commander of the Roman forces in Thessaly and Proconsul for Hellas. But for all this, Demetrios remained ever aware of the underlying realities of life. Since faith in Christ had touched his heart, all the glory of this world meant nothing to him, and there was nothing he preferred to teaching and preaching the word of God.

Despite the persecution directed against Christians by the Emperor, Saint Demetrios brought a large number of pagans to the faith. His words convinced them because they saw in the righteousness, peace and brotherly love that marked his life an illustration of the truth of which he spoke.

The Emperor Maximian had just won a series of brilliant victories over the Scythians and was on his way back to Rome when he halted at Thessalonica to receive the acclamations of the populace and to offer sacrifices in thanksgiving to the idols. A number of pagans, envious of the success of the Saint, took advantage of the Emperor's presence in the city to denounce Demetrios as a Christian. Maximian's astonishment gave way to violent indignation when he was told that Demetrios' was making use of his official position to spread the faith. Demetrios was summoned and confined in a cell, located in the basement of nearby baths.

Maximian arranged for games and gladiatorial combats to take place in the amphitheater of the city. He had brought with him a man of gigantic stature and Herculean strength called Lyaios, a Vandal by origin. Such was this man's strength and skill in single combat that no one could withstand him. There was in the city a young Christian called Nestor, who observing the empty pride of the Emperor in the victories of his champion, made up his mind to show him that real power belongs to Christ alone. He ran to the baths where Demetrios was imprisoned and asked for the protection of his prayer in going to confront the giant. The Martyr made the sign of the Cross on the brow and the heart of the boy, and sent him like David before Goliath. He reached the amphitheater just as the heralds were crying out on all sides for any who would stand against Lyaios. Advancing towards the Emperor, Nestor threw his tunic to the ground and shouted, "God of Demetrios, help me!" In the first encounter, at the very moment the giant rushed upon him, Nestor slipped aside and stabbed him to the heart with his dagger. There was uproar and amazement at the marvel, and people asked themselves how a mere child, relying neither on strength nor weapons, could so suddenly have brought down the barbarian.

Rather than yield to the sign of the sovereign power of God, the Emperor flew into a rage and ordered the immediate arrest of Nestor and his beheading outside the city. He had heard Nestor calling upon the God of Demetrios and, supposing the Saint had used some kind of witchcraft, Maximian ordered his soldiers to go and thrust Demetrios through with their lances, without trial, in the depths of his prison cell. There were some Christians, including Demetrios' servant Lupus, present at his martyrdom, and when the soldiers had gone, they reverently buried the Saint's body.

It was God's will that the grace with which He filled Saint Demetrios should remain active even after his death. This is why He caused to flow from his body a myron with a delightful scent, which had the property of healing all who took it as an unction, with faith in the intercession of the Saint. Time and again, during sixteen hundred years, Saint Demetrios has given proof of his benevolent care for the city of Thessalonica and its inhabitants. He has defended them from the attacks of barbarians, he has preserved them from plague and famine, healed the sick and comforted the afflicted.

Adapted from The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church, Vol. 1, compiled by Hieromonk Makarios of Simonos Petra and translated from the French by Christopher Hookway (Chalkidike, Greece: Holy Convent of the Annunciation of Our Lady, 1998) pp. 481-483.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

This week at no "No Free Pizza," we will discuss confession and holy unction. The Akathist to Our Lady, Queen of All will be served at 5:00 PM NEXT Thursday,10/30 You can submit the names of those in need of healing here or by clicking the icon below.

In Christ,

Fr Gregory

This Week at Ss Cyril & Methodius

Wednesday, October 22

• 10:30 AM-Noon: Religious & Spiritual Faith Leaders Meeting (UW)
• 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions 
• 6:00 PM: No Free Pizza: Confession & Unction

Thursday, October 23

• 1:00 PM-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions 
• 6:00 PM: OCF

Friday, October 24

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

Saturday, October 25

• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers
• 6:00 PM: Confessions

Sunday, October 26

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

Looking Ahead

Wednesday, October 29

• 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions 
• 6:00 PM: No Free Pizza: Marriage & Holy Orders

Thursday, October 30

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

Friday, October 31

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

Saturday, November 1

• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers
• 6:00 PM: Confessions

Sunday, November 2

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

Hymns After the Small Entrance

Tone 3 Troparion (Resurrection)

Let the heavens rejoice! Let the earth be glad! For the Lord has shown strength with His arm. He has trampled down death by death. He has become the first born of the dead. He has delivered us from the depths of hell, and has granted to the world//great mercy. 

Tone 8 Troparion (Earthquake)

O Christ our God, Who lookest upon the earth and it trembles; deliver us from the terrible threat of earthquake;// and through the prayers of the Theotokos, send down upon us Thine abundant mercy and save us!

Tone 3 Troparion (St. Demetrius)

The world has found thee to be a great defense against tribulation and a vanquisher of heathens, O Passion-bearer. As thou didst bolster the courage of Nestor, who then humbled the arrogance of Lyaios in battle,//Holy Demetrius, entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy!

Tone 3 Kontakion (Resurrection)

On this day Thou didst rise from the tomb, O Merciful One, leading us from the gates of death. On this day Adam exults as Eve rejoices; with the Prophets and Patriarchs//they unceasingly praise the divine majesty of Thy power.

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

Tone 2 Kontakion (St. Demetrius)

God, Who has given thee invincible might, has tinged the Church with streams of thy blood, Demetrius. He preserves thy city from harm,//for thou art its foundation.

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

Tone 6 Kontakion (Earthquake)

Deliver us all from upheavals, and from terrible afflictions caused by our sins, O Lord, and spare Thy people whom Thou hast purchased with Thy blood, O Master! Do not deliver Thy city to destruction by terrible earthquakes, for we know no other God but Thee; and to those who cry out Thou dost respond://“I am with you, and no one will be against you.”

Epistle: Galatians 1:11-19

Brethren,  I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

Gospel: Luke 16:19-31

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

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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