Third Sunday of Pascha

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women

April 26, 2015

Hieromartyr Basil, bishop of Amasea with Venerable Glaphyra;

Stephen, bishop of Perm; Venerable Ioanikios of Devitch in Serbia

Hymns of the Day

Troparion of the Resurrection– Tone 7

When Thou didst submit Thyself unto death, O Thou deathless and immortal One, then Thou didst destroy hell with Thy Godly power. And when Thou didst raise the dead from beneath the earth, all the powers of Heaven did cry aloud unto Thee: O Christ, Thou giver of life, glory to Thee.

Kontakion of Joseph of Arimathea – Tone 2

The pious Joseph, having brought down Thy pure body from the Tree, wrapped it in fine linen, embalmed it with ointment, provided for it, and laid it in a new tomb. But Thou didst verily rise after three days, O Lord, granting the world Great Mercy.

Megalynarion for Myrrh-Bearing Women– Tone 2

Verily, the angel came to the tomb and said to the ointment-bearing women, the ointment is meet for the dead, but Christ is shown to be remote from corruption. But cry ye: The Lord is risen, granting the world the Great Mercy.

Troparion of St Joseph–  Tone 2

Proclaim, O Joseph to David, the ancestor of God, the amazing wonder, for by the angel they were revealed unto thee. For thou hast seen a Virgin great with child, and thou gave glory with the shepherds and didst worship with the Magi. Wherefore, plead with Christ God to save our souls.

Kontakion of Pascha—Tone 8

O Immortal One, when Thou didst descend into the tomb, Thou didst destroy the power of Hades; and Thou didst rise victorious, O Christ God. Thou hast said to the ointment-bearing women: Rejoice! And Thou gavest peace to Thy Disciples, O Bestower of Resurrection to those Who had fallen.

Koinonikon (Communion Hymn)

Receive ye the body of Christ; taste ye the Fountain of immortality.

Epistle – Acts 6:1-7

In those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the Twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Gospel – Mark 15:43-16:8

At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the Kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if He were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether Jesus was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that He was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking Him down, wrapped Him in the linen shroud, and laid Him in a tomb, which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where He was laid. And when the Sabbath was passed, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices so that they might go and anoint Him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified. He has risen, He is not here; see the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His Disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Nine Martyrs of Cyzicus – April 28^th

While the city of Cyzicus, on the coast of the Dardenelles (Hellespont) in Asia Minor, had seen the spread of Christianity from the time of     St Paul's preaching, by the end of the third century Cyzicus was still basically a pagan city. During persecutions, some of the Christians fled the city, while others quietly in secret kept their faith in Christ. The situation distressed the Christians in the city who sought to uphold actively the Christian faith. Through these years as the third century ended there were among these Christians nine men: Thaumasius, Theognes, Rufus, Antipater, Theostichus, Artemas, Magnus, Theodotus, and Philemon.

The nine came from many different places and were of different ages. There were youths like Antipater and the very elderly like Rufus. They held many different positions in society, including being soldiers, country folk, city people, and clergy. They all, however, declared their faith in Christ, and prayed for the propagation of Christianity throughout the countryside. These saints boldly confessed Christ and fearlessly denounced the pagan impiety.

In turn, they were arrested and brought to trial. After the ruler of the city condemned them, they were tortured over several days, and then locked in prison before again being brought to the judge again before whom they were promised their freedom if they renounced Christ. But, as soldiers for Christ they continued to glorify the Lord. Through the years from 286 to 299 all nine martyrs were beheaded by the sword, and their bodies buried near the city.

[orthodoxwiki.org]