Daily Reading

Thursday

LITURGY

Acts 25:13-19

     13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus. 14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: 15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. 16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. 17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. 18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: 19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

John 16:23-33

     23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

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ST JOHN THE RUSSIAN, THE NEW CONFESSOR
HOLY HIEROMARTYR HELLADIOS

Troparion of St John the Russian    Tone 4

He Who called thee from earth to heaven/ keeps thy body unharmed even after death, O righteous John./ Thou wast taken to Asia as a prisoner/ and didst win Christ as thy friend./ Beseech Him that our souls may be saved.

Another Troparion of St John the Russian    Tone l

Russia thy fatherland boasts of thy birth, O John,/ and Asia rejoices in thy relics:/ carried thither as a prisoner and enduring great hardships,/ as an ascetic thou hast become God's initiate./ Glory to Christ Who has glorified thee; glory to Him Who has made thee wondrous;/ glory to Him Who has given thee to us as a protector.    

Troparion of St Helladios    Tone 5

The hosts of heaven,/ marvelling at thy steadfast courage,/ were astonished by thine endurance, O blessed one./ For though in a mortal body/ thou didst shame the bodiless by the power of the Cross,/ O Hierarch Helladios,/ defender of godliness and invincible soldier of Christ.

Kontakion of St John the Russian    Tone 4

Today we remember thine illustrious contests,/ O righteous Father John./ They gladden the souls of those who venerate thee with reverence and faith.

Kontakion of St Helladios    Tone 8

Thou didst blossom like a fruitful olive tree,/ bearing fruit of holy struggles for those who look for God's mercy./ As thou art a martyr and a glorious light of the Faith,/ guide us to divine knowledge, for we cry to thee: Rejoice, O Father Helladios.