The holy apostles Erastus, Sosipater, Olympas, Rodion, Quartus, and Tertius were disciples of St. Paul. They all lived during the first century. The Apostle to the Gentiles speaks of them in the Epistle to the Romans, “And Erastus, the city treasurer, greets you, and Quartus, a brother” (Rom 16:23). St. Sosipater, a native of Achaia, was Bishop of Iconium, where he also died. St. Paul mentions him in Romans 16:21. St. Olympas was mentioned by the holy apostle Paul (Rom 16:15). He was also a companion of the Apostle Peter. St. Rodion (Herodion), was a kinsman of the Apostle Paul (Rom 16:11), and left the bishop’s throne at Patras to go to Rome with apostle Peter. Saints Rodion and Olympas were beheaded on the very day and hour when St. Peter was crucified. St. Quartus endured much suffering for his piety and converted many pagans to Christ, dying peacefully as a bishop in the city of Beirut. St. Tertius is mentioned in the Epistle to the Romans, “I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord” (Rom 16:22). St. Tertius, to whom St. Paul dictated the Epistle to the Romans, was the second Bishop of Iconium, where he also died.
O holy apostles, intercede with the merciful God that he may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
You enlightened your mind with light divine. You destroyed deceptive arguments with true wisdom, and having fished for all the Gentiles, O glorious apostles, you brought them to the Master, teaching them to glorify the Divine Trinity.
2 Thessalonians 1:11 – 2:2
Brothers and sisters: We pray for you always that our God may make you worthy of his call, and fulfill by his power every honest intention and work of faith. In this way the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him, in accord with the gracious gift of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
On the question of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we beg you, brethren, not to be so easily agitated or terrified, whether by an oracular utterance, or rumor, or a letter alleged to be ours, into believing that the day of the Lord is here.
Luke 12: 42-48
The Lord said, “Who in your opinion is that faithful, farsighted steward whom the master will set over his servants to dispense their ration of grain in season? That servant is fortunate whom his master finds busy when he returns. Assuredly, his master will put him in charge of all his property. But if the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking his time about coming,’ and begins to abuse the housemen and servant girls, to eat and drink and get drunk, that servant’s master will come back on a day when he does not expect him, at a time he does not know. The master will punish him severely and rank him among those undeserving of trust. The slave who knew his master’s wishes but did not prepare to fulfill them will get a severe beating, whereas the one who did not know them and who nonetheless deserved to be flogged will get off with fewer stripes. When much has been given a man, much will be required of him. More will be asked of a man whom more has been entrusted.”
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Monday, November 9 –
