2025

On Friday | May 9

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The Readings from the Regular Cycle

The Epistle

Friday of the 3rd Week

The reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.

Acts 8:40; 9:1 – 19

In those days, Philip was found at Azotus, and passing on he preached the gospel to all the towns till he came to Caesarea. But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him. “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying, and he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized, and took food and was strengthened. [RSV]

The Gospel

Friday of the 3rd Week

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to John.

Jn. 6:48 – 54

The Lord said to the Jews who believed in him, “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” [RSV]

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The Readings for the Commemoration

2025

May 9

Memory of the Holy Martyr Christopher

The Readings from Vespers the Previous Evening

From Menaion - - -

Pr 10:8a, 7a; 3:13 – 16, 18; 8:32, 34, 4, 12, 14, 17, 5 – 9; 22:24, 22; 15:4b

The remembrance of the righteous is with eulogies; the blessing of the Lord is upon the head of a righteous man. Blessed is a man who finds wisdom, and a mortal who sees discernment; for the profits gained from wisdom are better than the treasures of gold and silver. Wisdom is more valuable than precious stones, and nothing evil will withstand her. She is well known to all who come near her, and no honor is worthy of her. Righteousness proceeds from her mouth, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue. Now therefore, my son, hear me: Blessed is the man who shall hearken to me and the man who shall guard my ways; for my issues are the issues of life, and grace is prepared from the Lord. You, O men, I exhort, and I utter my voice to the sons of men. I, wisdom, dwell with counsel, and I call upon knowledge and understanding. Counsel and safety are mine; discernment is mine, and strength is mine. I love those who love me, and those who seek me shall find me. Understand astuteness, O simple ones, and put it in your heart, O uninstructed ones. Obey me, for I speak sacred things, and from my lips I will bring forth things that are true. For my mouth shall speak the truth, but false lips are an abomination before me. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; there is nothing in them crooked or twisted. All things are evident to those who understand and true to those who find knowledge. Therefore, I teach you a true word and good knowledge to be obeyed, that you might answer words of truth to those who question you, that your hope might be in the Lord, and the one who guards it will be filled with the Spirit. [SAAS]

Pr 10:31 – 32; 11:1 – 10

The mouth of a righteous man distills wisdom, but the tongue of an unrighteous man utterly destroys. The lips of righteous men distill grace, but the mouth of the ungodly is perverse. Deceitful scales are an abomination before the Lord, but a righteous weight is acceptable to Him. Wherever arrogance enters, there also is dishonor, but the mouth of the humble meditates on wisdom. When a righteous man dies, he leaves regret, but the destruction of the ungodly is immediate and brings joy. Righteousness cuts straight and blameless paths, but ungodliness embraces wrongdoing. The righteousness of upright men delivers them, but lawless men are taken to their destruction. When a righteous man dies, his hope does not perish, but the boast of the ungodly perishes. A righteous man escapes from a snare, but the ungodly man is handed over in his place. There is a snare for citizens in the mouth of the ungodly, but the perception of the righteous is prosperous. A city stays upright in the good things of the righteous, but it is razed to the ground by the mouths of the ungodly. A man in need of discernment treats citizens with contempt, but a man of discernment keeps quiet. [SAAS]

WSol 4:7 – 15

Though a righteous man may die before his time, he shall be at rest. For old age is not honored for its length of existence, nor measured by its number of years; but discernment is gray hair for mankind, and a spotless life is the maturity of old age. There was once a man pleasing to God and loved by Him, and while living among sinners he was taken up. He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or deceit deceive his soul. For envy arising from lack of judgment obscures what is good, and a whirling of desire undermines an innocent heart. He was made perfect, for in a short time he fulfilled long years, for his soul was pleasing to the Lord; therefore, He took him early from the midst of evil. Yet peoples saw this but did not understand, nor take such a thing to heart, that the Lord’s grace and mercy are with His elect and that He watches over His holy ones. [SAAS]

The Epistle

For the Prophet.

The reading is from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians.

2 Cor. 11:5 – 21

Brethren, I think that I am not in the least inferior to these superlative apostles. Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. Did I commit a sin in abasing myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God’s gospel without cost to you? I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. And when I was with you and was in want, I did not burden any one, for my needs were supplied by the brethren who came from Macedonia. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. As the truth of Christ is in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! And what I do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. I repeat, let no one think me foolish; but even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. (What I am saying I say not with the Lord’s authority but as a fool, in this boastful confidence; since many boast of worldly things, I too will boast.) For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! For you bear it if a man makes slaves of you, or preys upon you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! [RSV]

The Gospel

For the Prophet.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Lk. 4:22 – 30

At that time, the crowds wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of Jesus’ mouth; and they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself; what we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here also in your own country.’” And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them was cleansed but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and put him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. But passing through the midst of them he went away. [RSV]

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Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On May 9 we also commemorate the holy and glorious Prophet Isaiah.

On this day we also commemorate the holy Martyr Christopher.

On this day we also commemorate the holy Martyrs Epimachus and Gordian.

On this day the holy Martyrs Callinica and Aquilina, who believed in Christ through Saint Christopher, died: the first was pierced with a long spit from foot to shoulder, the second was hanged by her hair with a heavy stone tied to her feet.

The holy monastic martyr Nicholas the New of Vounene, died by the sword.

By their holy intercessions, O God, have mercy on us. Amen.

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Fasting Rule

Wine: Wine and oil are allowed. Refrain from meat, fish, dairy, and eggs.