SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH june 25, 2017 THE third sunday OF matthew he Virgin Martyr Febronia suffered during the reign of Diocletian (284-305). She was raised at a monas- Ttery in the city of Sivapolis (Assyria). The head of the women’s monastery was the abbess Bryaena, the aunt of Saint Febronia. Being concerned about her niece’s salvation, she assigned her a stricter form of life than the other nuns. According to their monastic rule, on Fridays the sisters put aside their other duties and spent the whole day in prayer and the reading of Holy Scripture. The abbess usually assigned the reading to Saint Febronia. News of her pious life spread throughout the city. The illustrious young widow Hieria, a pagan, began to visit her, and under the influence of her guidance and prayer she accepted holy Baptism, bringing her parents and kinsfolk to the Christian Faith. Diocletian sent a detachment of soldiers to Assyria under the command of Lysimachus, Selinus and Primus for the destruction of Christians. Selenos, the uncle of Lysimachus, was noted for his fierce attitude against Christians, but Lysimachus was of a different frame of mind from him, since his mother had sought to inspire love for the Christian faith in her son, and she had died a Christian. Lysimachus had discussed with his kinsman Primus how it would be possible to deliver Christians from the hands of the torturer. When the detachment of soldiers approached the convent, its inhabitants hid. There remained only the abbess Bryaena, her helper Thomais and Saint Febronia, who was seriously ill at the time. It grieved the abbess terribly that her niece might fall into the hands of the torturers, who might defile her. She prayed fervently that the Lord would preserve her and strengthen her in the confession of Christ the Savior. Selinus gave orders to bring him all the nuns of the convent. Primus with the detachment of sol- diers found no one, except the two old women and Saint Febronia. He regretted that they had not hidden, and he suggested to the nuns that they flee. But the nuns decided not to leave the place of their labors and they entrusted themselves to the will of the Lord. Primus told Lysimachus about the particular beauty of Saint Febronia and advised him to take her for himself. Lysimachus said that he would not seduce a virgin dedicated to God, and he asked Primus to hide the other nuns somewhere so that they would not fall into the hands of Selinus. One of the soldiers overheard the conversation and told Selinus. They led Saint Febronia off to the military commander with her hands bound and a chain around her neck. Selinus urged her to deny Christ, promising her honors, rewards, and marriage with Lysimachus. The holy virgin firmly and fearlessly answered that she had an Im- mortal Bridegroom, and she would not exchange Him for any mortal man. Selinus subjected her to fierce 1510 audubon drive • columbia, missouri, 65201 • tel. 573.817.0050 / fax 573.449.8452 email: [email protected] • web: www.saintlukecolumbia.org at the small entrance we chant THE READINGS OF THE DAY Ἀπολυτίκιον. Ἦχος b. apolytikion. Mode 2. epistle reading gospel reading τε κατῆλθες πρὸς τὸν θάνατον, ἡ Ζωὴ ἡ ἀθά- hen You descended unto death, O Lord who The letter of paul to the Matthew 6:22-33 Ὅνατος, τότε τὸν ᾍδην ἐνέκρωσας τῇ ἀστραπῇ Wyourself are immortal Life, then did You morti- romans 5:1-10 τῆς Θεότητος, ὅτε δὲ καὶ τοὺς τεθνεῶτας ἐκ τῶν fy Hades by the lightning flash of Your Divinity. Also rethren, being therefore justified by faith, we he Lord said: “The lamp of the body is the καταχθονίων ἀνέστησας, πᾶσαι αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν when You raised the dead from the netherworld, all have peace with God through our Lord Jesus eye! If therefore your eye is sound, your whole ἐπουρανίων ἐκραύγαζον· Ζωοδότα Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς the Powers of the heavens were crying out: O Giver Christ, through whom we also have our ac- body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, ἡμῶν δόξα σοι. of life, Christ our God, glory be to You. B T your whole body will be full of darkness. If there- Ἀπολυτίκιον του ναου. πλ. α´. Apolytikion for the Church. Mode 5. cess by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God! Not only fore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is ουκάν τον πανύμνητον καὶ ἅγιον ἀπόστο- he holy Apostle, the All-hymned Luke, * who is this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing the darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either Λλον, τὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας γνωστὸν συνθέτην Tacknowledged by the Church of Christ * as the re- that suffering produces perseverance; and perse- he will hate the one and love the other; or else he τῶν Πράξεων τῶν Ἀποστόλων, τόν τε σεμνὸν τοῦ corder of the Acts of the Apostles, * and the splendid verance, character; and character, hope. Hope does will be devoted to one and despise the other. You Εὐαγγελίου Χριστοῦ ὑπομνηματιστήν, ἀξίως τιμή- author of the Gospel of Christ. * Let us praise with sa- not disappoint us, because God’s love has been cannot serve both God and Mammon. Therefore, I σωμεν ὕμνοις ὁσίοις, ὡς νοσημάτων ἀνθρωπίνων cred hymns as a physician, * who heals the infirmities poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit tell you, do not be anxious about your life, wonder- καὶ φυσικῶν ἀσθενειῶν θεραπευτήν, τὸν καθαίρο- of man, * and the ailments of nature, * who cleanses who was given to us. For while we were still weak, ing what you will eat or drink; or about your body, ντα πληγὰς τοῦ πνεύματος, καὶ ἀδιαλείπτως πρε- spiritual wounds, and prays unceasingly for our souls. at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. In- what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and σβεύοντα ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν. deed, one will hardly die for someone righteous, the body more than clothing? See the birds of the Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος β´. Kontakion. Mode 2. but perhaps for a righteous person someone would sky: they do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns. ροστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε, rotection of Christians unshamable, mediation even dare to die. But God entrusts his own love to- Your heavenly Father feeds them! Are you not of Πμεσιτεία, πρὸς τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀμετάθετε, μὴ Pwith the Creator immovable, we sinners beg you, ward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ much more value than they? Which of you, by be- παρίδῃς, ἁμαρτωλῶν δεήσεων φωνάς, ἀλλὰ do not despise the voices of our prayers, but antici- died for us. Even more so then, since we are now ing anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? πρόφθασον, ὡς ἀγαθή, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν, pate, since you are good, and swiftly come unto our justified by his blood, shall we be saved from wrath Why then are you anxious about clothing? Con- τῶν πιστῶς κραυγαζόντων σοι· Τάχυνον εἰς aid as we cry out to you with faith: Hurry to interces- through him! For if while we were enemies we were sider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They do πρεσβείαν, καὶ σπεῦσον εἰς ἱκεσίαν, ἡ προστα- sion, and hasten to supplication, O Theotokos who reconciled to God through the death of his Son, not toil or spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon τεύουσα ἀεί, Θεοτόκε, τῶν τιμώντων σε. defend now and ever those who honor you. how much more shall we be saved by his life! in all his glory was not dressed like one of these! But if God clothes the grass of the field which to- day exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, you of little .Abba Poimen said that someone once asked Abba Paisios: Abba Anthony said that obedi- faith? Therefore, do not be anxious, saying: ‘What “What should I do, since my soul is insensitive and does not will we eat?,’ ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘What will ence, along with self-restraint, we wear?’ It is the Gentiles who seek after all these fear God?” Abba Paisios answered him: “Go and cleave unto has the power to subdue even things, but your heavenly Father knows that you “ wild beasts. need them all. Seek first the Kingdom of God and a man who fears God; by your association with him, you will “ —from the gerontikon his righteousness, and all these things will be given also learn from him to fear God.”. to you as well.” —from the gerontikon” ” announcements torture. The saint prayed, “My Savior, do not aban- vent gates so that all would be able to come and Saturday, January 25, Great Vespers, 5pm don me in this terrible hour!” venerate the holy martyr and glorify God Who had They beat the martyr for a long time, and blood given her such endurance in suffering for Christ. flowed from her wounds. In order to intensify the Lysimachus and Primus renounced their idol wor- upcoming church services: suffering of Saint Febronia, they tied her to a tree ship and accepted both Baptism and monasticism. Wednesday, June 28, Great Vespers for Sts. Peter and Paul, 5pm and set a fire under it. The tortures were so inhu- Hieria gave her wealth to the convent and peti- Thursday, June 29, Sts. Peter and Paul, Orthros / Div. Lit. 8:30am man, that the people began to demand an end to tioned Abbess Bryaena to accept her at the convent the torture, since there was no confession of guilt in place of Saint Febronia.