The holy great martyr Barbara was raised by her pagan father who shut her away from the world because of her great beauty. Barbara came to realize that the soulless idols her father worshiped could not be responsible for the inexpressible beauty of the world outside her window. She decided to live her life as a virgin, dedicated to the Lord whom she learned about from other Christian maidens when her father at last gave her some freedom. When Barbara confessed herself a Christian, her father beat her and turned her over to the prefect of the city. Barbara was tortures mercilessly, and in the end, earned her crown of martyrdom after she was beheaded by her own father in the year 306.

Our venerable father John of Damascus was a priest celebrated for his holiness and learning. He strove diligently by his word and writings in favor of the veneration of Holy Images against the Emperor Leo III, the Isaurian. Having been made a monk in the monastery of St. Sabbas near Jerusalem, he composed sacred hymns and there reposed in the Lord. His body was buried on this day in 749.  

Troparion – Barbara

Let us praise the honorable Barbara. She thwarted the power of the enemy and through the might and the strength of the cross, she was made free in her flight to God.

Troparion – John

Guide to Orthodoxy, teacher of piety and holiness, luminary for the world, inspired adornment of bishops, O wise John, Harp of the Spirit, you enlightened all by your teachings; intercede with Christ our God to save our souls. 

Kontakion – Barbara

O honorable and triumphant Barbara, you believed in the Holy Trinity and renounced the multiplicity of pagan deities. You fought for your faith with great courage and were not frightened by the threats of your persecutors, but instead declared in a clear voice: I adore one God in three Divine Persons. 

Kontakion – John

Let us praise John the hymnographer with song. He is an effective preacher and a teacher for the Church. Behind the armor of the cross he exposed the lies of heresy, and standing before God he obtains remission of sins for us. 

Epistle

Ephesians 5: 8b-19

    Brothers and sisters: Live as children of light. Light produces every kind of goodness and justice and truth. Be correct in your judgment of what pleases the Lord. Take no part in vain deeds done in darkness; rather, condemn them. It is shameful even to mention the things these people do in secret; but when such deeds are condemned they are seen in the light of day, and all that then appears is light. That is why we read: “Awake, O sleeper, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

    Keep careful watch over your conduct. Do not act like fools, but like thoughtful men. Make the most of the present opportunity, for these are evil days. Do not continue in ignorance, but try to discern the will of the Lord. Avoid getting drunk on wine; that leads to debauchery. Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and inspired songs. Sing praise to the Lord with all your hearts.

Gospel

Luke 17: 12-19

    At that time as Jesus was entering a village, ten lepers met him. Keeping their distance, they raised their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he sae them, he responded, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” On their way there they were cured. One of them, realizing that he had been cured, came back praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself on his face at the feet of Jesus and spoke his praises. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus took the occasion to say, “Were not all ten made whole? Where are the other nine? Was there no one to return and give thanks to God except this foreigner?” He said to the man, “Stand up and go your way; your faith has been your salvation.”

Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com

The Holy Prophet Nahum was born of the tribe of Simeon in a place called Elkosh on the far side of the Jordan. He lived about seven hundred years before Christ and prophesied the destruction of Nineveh about two hundred years after the prophet Jonah. Because of Jonah”s preaching, the Ninevites had repented, and God had spared them and not destroyed them. In time, however, they forgot God’s mercy and again became corrupt. The Prophet Nahum prophesied their destruction, and since there was no repentance, God did not spare them. The entire city was destroyed by an earthquake, flood, and fire, so that its location is no longer known. St. Nahum lived forty-five years and entered into rest in the Lord, leaving us a small book of his prophecies. 

Troparion

By the radiance of the vivifying Trinity and the enlightenment of the Spirit, you warned the idolatrous Ninevites of impending doom. You reaped the reward in martyrdom. Now that you stand amid angels before the Light of Triple Splendor and have come to possess the full sway of a prophet, pray for us who honor your memory.

Kontakion

Your pure heart was enlightened by the Spirit and became a vessel of radiant prophecy. Because you saw as present the events yet to come we honor you O blessed and glorious Prophet Nahum.  

Epistle

1 Timothy 3: 1-13

    Timothy, my son: You can depend on this: whoever wants to be a bishop aspires to a noble tak. A bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, of even temper, self-controlled, modest, and hospitable. He should be a good teacher. He must not be addicted to drink. He ought not to be contentious but, rather, gentle, a man of peace. Nor can he be someone who loves money. He must be a good manager of his own household, keeping his children under control without sacrificing his dignity; for if a man does not know how to manage his own house, how can he take care of the church of God? He should not be a new convert, lest he become conceited and thus incur the punishment once meted out to the devil. He must also be well thought of by those outside the church, to ensure that he does not fall into disgrace and the devil’s trap. In the same way, deacons must be serious, straightforward, and truthful. They may not overindulge in drink or give in to greed. They must hold fast to the divinely revealed faith with a clear conscience. They should be put on probation first; then, if there is nothing against them, they may serve as deacons. The women, similarly, should be serious, not slanderous gossips. They should be temperate and entirely trustworthy. Deacons may be married but once and must be good managers of their children and their households. Those who serve well as deacons gain a worthy place for themselves and much assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. 

Gospel

Luke 20: 9-18

    The Lord told this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and went away for a long time. At vintage time he sent a servant to the tenant farmers to receive his share of the crop from them; but they beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent a second servant whom they also beat. Him too they sent away empty-handed, after treating him shamefully. He sent still a third, whom they likewise maltreated before driving him away. The owner of the vineyard asked himself, ‘What am I to do now? Perhaps if I send the son I love, they will respect him.’

    “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they reflected, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’ With that, they dragged him outside the vineyard and killed him. What fate do you suppose the owner of the vineyard has in store for them? I will tell you. He will make an end to those tenant farmers and give the vineyard to others.”

    When they heard this they said, “God forbid!” Jesus looked directly at them and said, “What do the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the keystone of the structure’? The man who falls on that stone will be smashed to pieces. It will make dust of anyone on whom it falls.”

Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com

The holy martyr Paramon was martyred in Bithynia in Asia Minor along with 370 other Christians during the persecution of the governor Aquilinus in the year 250.

The holy martyr Philemon was martyred at Ancyra in Galatia. It is said that in the persecution of Aurlian the emperor Philemon was taken to the fire. Then his feet and head were pierced with nails leading to his martyrdom.

Our venerable father Acacius, mentioned in “The Ladder”, was a novice living under an evil Elder. Through all of the abuse the Elder gave, Acacius was patiently trusting that the Lord would bring good out of evil. He died an early death and testified from the grave against the elder, who repented. 

Troparion 

Your martyrs, O Lord our God, in their struggle received incorruptible crowns from You. With Your strength, they brought down the tyrants and broke the cowardly valor of demons. Through their prayers, O Christ our God, save our souls.

Kontakion

You washed your soul clean from all impurity by following the divine mandates. This is how you endured your martyrdom. You refused to offer sacrifice to any idols; therefore, they pierced you with a spear. This is how you followed Christ. O all-blessed Paramon, pray for the world.

Epistle

1 Timothy 1: 8-14

    Timothy, my son, we know that the law is good, provided one uses it in the ways law is supposed to be used – that is, with the understanding that it is aimed, not at good men but at the lawless and unruly, the irreligious and the sinful, the wicked and the godless, men who kill their fathers or mothers, murderers, fornicators, sexual perverts, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and those who in othere ways flout the sound teaching that pertains to the glorious gospel of God–blessed be he–with which I have been entrusted.

    I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that he has made me his servant and judged me faithful. I was once a blasphemer, a persecutor, a man filled with arrogance; but because I did not know what I was doing in my unbelief, I have been treated mercifully, and the grace of our Lord has been granted me in overflowing measure, along with the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 

Gospel

Luke 19: 45-48

    At that time Jesus entered the temple and began ejecting the traders saying: “Scripture has it, ‘My house is meant for a house of prayer’ but you have made it ‘a den of thieves.’” He was teaching in the temple area from day to day. The chief priests and scribes meanwhile were looking for a way to destroy him, as were the leaders of the people, but they had no idea how to achieve it, for indeed the entire populace was listening to him and hanging on his words. 

Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com