13 TH
13 TH
13 TH
Thou didst deem that Faith which hath salvation to be riches never lost or plundered. Thou forsookest
thy fathers' impiety, and thou didst follow thy Master, becoming rich in His divine gifts, O glorious
Adrian. With the godly-minded Natalie, who emboldened thee, entreat Christ God, O Martyr, that our
souls be saved.
Ἰωακεὶμ καὶ Ἄννα ὀνειδισμοῦ ἀτεκνίας, καὶ Ἀδὰμ καὶ Εὔα, ἐκ τῆς φθορᾶς τοῦ θανάτου,
ἠλευθερώθησαν Ἄχραντε, ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ γεννήσει σου΄ αὐτὴν ἑορτάζει καὶ ὁ λαός σου, ἐνοχῆς τῶν
πταισμάτων, λυτρωθεὶς ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι΄ Ἡ στεῖρα τίκτει τὴν Θεοτόκον, καὶ τροφὸν τῆς ζωῆς
ἡμῶν.
In your holy birth, Immaculate One, Joachim and Anna were rid of the shame of childlessness;
Adam and Eve of the corruption of death. And so your people, free of the guilt of their sins,
celebrate crying: "The barren one gives birth to the Theotokos, who nourishes our life."
BRETHREN, be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do
be done in love. Now, brethren, you know that the household of Stephanas were the first
converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; I urge you to
be subject to such men and to every fellow worker and laborer. I rejoice at the coming of
Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicos, because they have made up for your absence; for they
refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men. The churches of Asia send
greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings
in the Lord. All the brethren send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write
this greeting with my own hand. If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our
Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
Gospel pericope
Matthew 21:33-42
The Lord said this parable, "There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge
around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into
another country. When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get
his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. Afterward he
sent his son to them, saying 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they
said to themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.' And they
took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the
vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" They said to him, "He will put those
wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the
fruits in their seasons." Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The very
stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord's doing,
and it was marvelous in our eyes?'"
Announcements
TODAY: Rochester Greek Fest until 4pm!
Wed. Aug. 29th: Beheading of St John the Baptist, Orthros/Divine Liturgy 8:30am (Strict fast day)
Adrian and Natalia were husband and wife, both of noble and wealthy
families from Nicomedia. Adrian was the head of the Praetorium and a
pagan and Natalia was secretly a Christian. Both were young and lived
together in marriage for only thirteen months until martyrdom. When
the nefarious Emperor Maximian visited Nicomedia, he ordered that
Christians be seized and subjected to torture. In a cave near the city,
twenty-three Christians were hidden. Someone reported them to the
authorities and they were cruelly flogged with oxen whips and rods and
then cast into prison. After that they were taken out of prison and
brought before the Praetor to register their names. Adrian observed these
people, tortured but patient, serene and meek and he made them swear
to tell him what they expect from their God for so many tortures
endured? They spoke to him concerning the blessedness of the righteous
in the Kingdom of God. Hearing this and, again observing these people,
Adrian, at once, turned to the scribe and said to him: "Write down my
name with these saints, I also am a Christian." When the emperor
learned of this, he asked Adrian: "Have you gone out of your mind?" To
that Adrian replied: "I have not gone out of my mind but rather I came
to my senses." Learning of this, Natalia greatly rejoiced and when Adrian, with the others, sat chained in prison, she
came and administered to all of them. When they flogged and tortured her husband with various tortures, Natalia
encouraged him to endure to the end. After lengthy tortures and imprisonment, the emperor ordered that an anvil be
brought to prison and their legs and hands be broken with a hammer. This was carried out and Adrian, with twenty-
three honorably men, gave up the spirit under the greatest of tortures. Natalia took their relics to Constantinople and
honorably buried them there. After a few days, Adrian appeared to her all in light and beauty and called her, that,
she also come to God and she peacefully gave up her spirit to God.
Tithoes was a disciple of St. Pachomius and great among the ascetics of Egypt. Tithoes was abbot of a monastery in
Tabennsi. He lived his entire life in absolute purity. At one time a brother asked him: "What path leads to humility?"
To this Tithoes replied: "The path to humility is abstinence, prayer and considering yourself lower than anything."
Tithoes attained a very high degree of perfection and whenever he lifted up his hands in prayer, his spirit entered
into ecstasy. He died in the Lord in the fourth or fifth century. The Venerable Ibistion is commemorated together
with him.