August 19

S. V. Bulgakov, Handbook for Church Servers

The Holy Martyr Andrew Stratelates and those with him (2593)

The Holy Martyr Andrew Stratelates and those with him, suffered for their faith in Christ during the reign of Maximinian. St. Andrew glorified for his courage and secretly confessing Christ, together with his warriors gained a victory over the Persians. Not wishing him any good and envying his glory, they accused him of Christianity before the governor of the country. St. Andrew fearlessly confessed Christ before the court and for it he was subjected to extreme torture. The fear of the people who were fond of Andrew forced the torturers to free him and his troops. Then St. Andrew with his troops departed to Armenia, but there in one canyon of the Taurus Mountains the persecutors overtook them and destroyed him together with all his warriors. On the place where the holy suffering martyrs died a spring appeared, whose water had curative powers.

Troparion, tone 3

Thou didst recruit a divinely chosen army for Christ the King/ by the power of the holy Faith,/ and as their commander and model thou didst excel with them in the warfare of martyrdom./ Wherefore together with them intercede with the Lord Who has glorified thee/ to grant us His great mercy.

Kontakion, tone 4

O Andrew most excellent commander, thou didst lead an army of martyrs to Christ./ And with them, O Andrew, thou didst proclaim: / O Compassionate One, Thou art the martyrs' Crown.

The Epistle:

Ephesians 6:10-17, sel. 233.

The Gospel:

Luke 21:12-19, sel. 106.

Holy Martyrs Timothy, Agapius and Thecla.

They suffered for the Christian faith during the reign of Diocletian in the year 304. St. Timothy was seized for his faith in Gaul, was severely tortured with scourges and sharp crests and then burnt on a slow fire. The Martyrs Agapius and Thecla were given over to be torn by wild beasts.

Celebration of the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "of the Don".

This wonderworking icon has received its name in memory of a victory gained with the intercession of the Mother of God over the Mamai on the shores of the Don River. Today the wonderful deliverance of Moscow from the invasion of the Crimean Khan Kazi Hirey was accomplished with the help of the Mother of God in 1591. On the place where the Tsar Theodore took up arms against Crimeans and where the wonderworking image of Don Mother of God stood in the midst of the armies, a church was constructed in 1591 (consecrated in 1593) and the Don Monastery was founded (see Moscow Eparchy).

The Venerable Theophanes, the new Wonderworker.

Born in Janina, he at a mature age accepted monasticism in Dochiariou Monastery on Mount Athos. His strict fasting, prayer, disregard of worldly goods, the mortifying of the flesh and care for the cleansing of the soul soon got him the deep respect of the brotherhood and he was elected the abbot of the monastery. Later the Venerable Theophanes left for Naousa in Macedonia and there founded a monastery in honor the Holy Archangels, in which he struggled ascetically up to his death, reaching a very old age in 15th century. Many signs and miracles glorify his relics, which today repose in Naousa.

S. V. Bulgakov, Handbook for Church Servers, 2nd ed., 1274 pp., (Kharkov, 1900), pp 290-1. Translated by Archpriest Eugene D. Tarris (c) 7/28/2001. All rights reserved.

Troparion and Kontakion take from the Menologian for windows

Posted with Permission from the Translator




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