The holy venerable martyr Stephen the younger was a monk and martyr, who, under Constantine Copronymus, was tortured by various punishments for the cult of sacred images and confirmed the Catholic truth by his shed blood. (767)
The holy martyr Irenarchus was a torturer in Sebaste in Armenia. He was converted to Christ by the steadfastness of Christian women martyrs. Under Diocletian the emperor and Maximus the governor, he was struck down with an ax in the 4th century.
Troparion – Stephen
At first you were radiant with the light of fasting, but now you are more brilliant with your martyr’s blood. You burnt off the fog of those who spoke heresy, and showed the true glory of the orthodox faith. You have been glorified as a divine witness to Christ, O holy martyr Stephen.
Troparion – Irenarchus
Your martyr, Irenarchus, O Lord our God, in his struggle received an incorruptible crown from You. With Your strength, he brought down the tyrants and broke the cowardly valor of demons. Through his prayers, O Christ our God, save our souls.
Kontakion – Stephen
O lover of feasts, in our hearts let us faithfully praise in hymns the divine Stephen, servant of the Holy Trinity, for he has honored the beautiful icons of the Master and His Mother together now, let us who rejoice lovingly sing to him; rejoice, O ever-glorious father.
Kontakion – Irenarchus
May you have an abundance of peace, O martyr, for you laid hold of the enemy. You defeated that army of spiritual deception by the power of divine grace. You endured the most terrible sufferings. Now we beseech you to deliver from all harm those who keep your memory, O Irenarchus.
Epistle
1 Timothy 5: 11-21
Timothy, my son: Refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions estrange them from Christ they will want to marry. This will bring them condemnation for breaking their first pledge. Besides, they learn to be ladies of leisure, who go about from house to house–becoming not only time-wasters but gossips and busybodies as well, talking about things they ought not. That is why I should like to see the younger ones marry, have children, keep house, and in general give our enemies no occasion to speak ill of us. Already, some have turned away to follow Satan. If a woman church member has relatives who are widows, she must assist them. She should not let them become a burden to the church, which ought to be free to give help to the widows who are really in need.
Presbyters who do well as leaders deserve to be paid double, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. The Scripture says,” You shall not put a muzzle on an ox when he is threshing the grain,” and also, “The worker deserves his wages.”
Pay no attention to an accusation against a presbyter unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. The ones who do commit sin, however, are to be publicly reprimanded, so that the rest may fear to offend. I charge you before God, Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels: apply these rules without prejudice, act with complete impartiality!
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
Tuesday, November 28 –
