Daily Devotional
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 (NS)
April 17, 2025 (OS)
Commemorations
Pascalion — Movable Calendar
Wednesday of the Second Week
Menaion — Fixed Calendar
The commemoration of our holy father among the saints, Symeon, Bishop of Persia, and those with him, Avdella the presbyter, Gothazat, Fousik, and 1,150 others, and our holy father among the saints, Akakios, Bishop of Melitene.
Fasting Information
Fast day, but Wine and Olive Oil Allowed.
Scripture Readings
Pascalion — Movable Calendar
Wednesday of the Second Week
Epistle:
The Reading is from the Acts of the Apostles [§ 11]. In those days:
4 13When the Jews saw the boldness of Peter and John, and comprehended for
themselves that they were unlettered and laymen, they kept on wondering and began to recognize
them that they were with Jesus. 14And seeing the man who was healed standing
with them, they kept on having nothing to gainsay. 15But after they commanded them to
go outside the council, they were conferring with one another, 16saying, “What
shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable sign hath come to pass through them
is manifest to all those inhabiting Jerusalem, and we are not able to deny it.
17“But in order that it might not spread further among the people, let us forbid
them with a threat to no longer speak in this name to any man.” 18And they
called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right before the
face of God to hearken to you rather than God, judge ye. 20“For we cannot but
speak the things which we saw and heard.” 21Now after they further threatened
them, they released them, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the
people; for all were glorifying God for that which had taken place. 22For the man upon
whom this sign of healing had taken place was more than forty years old.
Gospel:
The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John [§ 15]. The
Lord said to the Jews who had come to Him:
5 17“My Father worketh until now, and I work.” 18On
this account therefore the Jews were seeking the more to kill Him, because He not only was
breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal to God.
19Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Verily, verily, I say to you, the Son
is not able to do anything of Himself, unless He see the Father doing anything; for whatsoever
that One may do, these things also the Son is doing in like manner. 20“For the
Father loveth the Son, and showeth Him all things which He Himself doeth; and He will show Him
greater works than these, that ye may wonder. 21“For even as the Father raiseth
up the dead and maketh alive, thus also the Son maketh alive whom He will.
22“For the Father judgeth no one, but hath given all judgment to the Son,
23“in order that all may honor the Son, even as they are honoring the Father.
The one who honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father Who sent Him.
24“Verily, verily, I say to you, that the one who heareth My word and
believeth the One Who sent Me hath everlasting life, and cometh not into judgment, but
hath passed over out of death into life.”
Menaion — Fixed Calendar
The commemoration of our holy father among the saints, Symeon, Bishop of Persia, and those with him, Avdella the presbyter, Gothazat, Fousik, and 1,150 others, and our holy father among the saints, Akakios, Bishop of Melitene.
No readings given.
Lives of the Saints
(Prologue)
April 30th – Civil Calendar
April 17th – Church Calendar
1. The Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop in Persia.
In the time of the wicked King Sapor, Simeon was tortured for Christ together with two of his
priests, Audel and Ananias. The king’s eunuch, Ustazan, who had first denied Christ but
then, moved by the reprimand of St. Simeon, again confessed the true Faith before the king, was
executed before they were. A thousand other Christians were also led to execution with St.
Simeon, who purposely stood a little back so that he should be the last to die, and so be able to
encourage the other Christians right to the end and keep them from wavering through fear of
death. When the priest Ananias laid his head on the block, he was trembling all over. But the
king’s clerk, Fusik, who was himself secretly a Christian, began to encourage him, saying:
‘Don’t be frightened, elder. Shut your eyes and be a man, and you’ll see the
divine light.’ As soon as he had said this, it was seen that he was a Christian and he was
denounced to the king. The king wore him down with harsh tortures, and also his daughter, the
maiden Askitria. St. Simeon was eventually beheaded, after having seen his flock into the other
world. The following year, on Great Friday, the king’s beloved eunuch, Azat, was slain for
Christ, along with another thousand of the faithful. Then the king grieved for his eunuch and
gave up killing any more Christians. They all suffered with honor for Christ their King and Lord
in about 341.
2. St. Acacius, Bishop of Melitene.
He lived in asceticism in his birthplace, the city of Melitene in Armenia. Blessed Otreius,
the bishop of that city, who took part in the Second Ecumenical Council in 381, ordained him to
the priesthood. After Otreius’ death, Acacius was chosen as bishop. He participated in the
Third Ecumenical Council in 431, which condemned the Nestorian blasphemy concerning the Mother of
God. There he, together with St. Kyril of Alexandria, showed great zeal for the purity of the
Orthodox Faith. St. Acacius was endowed with great grace by God, and worked many miracles. After
long and zealous service of God, he died peacefully in 435.
3. St. Agapetus, Pope of Rome.
He was sent by Theodotus, King of the Goths, to the Emperor Justinian in Constantinople, to
dissuade the latter from his campaign against the Goths. On the way, he healed a dumb and blind
man. In Constantinople, he helped to uphold Orthodoxy, and died in 536.
4. Our Holy Father Zossima.
One of the founders of the ascetic community on the island of Solovetz (Solovki) in the White
Sea. Many great saints were glorified in this community. His predecessor St. Sabbatius entered
into rest in 1435, and St. Zossima in 1478.
FOR CONSIDERATION
After the Council of Chalcedon the Emperor Anastasios, a heretic, sent Elias, the Orthodox
Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Flavian of Antioch to prison. One day these two saints foresaw the
death of the heretic emperor, and simultaneously sent each other word of this, saying:
‘Anastasios has at this moment died; let us set out that we may be judged by God together
with him!’ The emperor died, and both patriarchs died two days later. What zeal for the
true Faith! And what a humble attitude to God’s judgement! These saints saw no other reason
for their earthly life than the truth of God. Neither did they say ‘We have judged,’
but ‘Let God judge!’ Our sojourn on earth is not just for the sake of our being here,
but for our personal decision for good or evil, for truth or falsehood. Blessed are we if we can
lay all before the will of God and the judgement of God. But in all things a strong faith is
vital. These Orthodox hierarchs had strong faith.
So had St. Acacius. Once, in a time of great drought, when the people were in despair, Acacius
held a procession with the people all round the town. And he arranged for the Liturgy to be
celebrated outside the town, outside the Church of St. Eustace. Consecrating the holy Gifts,
Acacius did not pour water into the wine, but prayed to God that He, the Almighty, would send
water into the chalice from a cloud. God hearkened to the prayer of His faithful servant and sent
abundant rain onto the thirsty fields, as well as into the chalice.
Daily Scripture Readings taken from The Orthodox New Testament, translated and published by Holy Apostles Convent, Buena Vista, Colorado, copyright © 2000, used with permission, all rights reserved.
Daily Prologue Readings taken from The Prologue of Ochrid, by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, translated by Mother Maria, published by Lazarica Press, Birmingham, England, copyright © 1985, all rights reserved.
