Orthodox Calendar

April 24, 2012
Tuesday of the 2nd Sunday of Pascha

No Fast

Feasts

  • Day of Rejoicing (Radonitsa)

Commemorations

  • Hieromartyr Antipas, Bishop of Pergamum
  • Holy Martyrs Processus and Martinian (1st c.)

Scripture Readings (KJV)

Acts 4.1-10 (Epistle)

1And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, 2Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide. 4Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

5And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, 6And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

John 3.16-21 (Gospel)

16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Commemorations

Hieromartyr Antipas, bishop of Pergamum (92), disciple of St John the Theologian

He is mentioned by name in the book of Revelation, where Christ says to the Church of Pergamum “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is; and thou holdest fast to My Name, and hast not denied My Faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful Martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth” (Rev. 2:13). He was bishop of Pergamum and, during the reign of Domitian, when he was very old, was put into a bronze bull which was then heated in fire until he died.

The Great Horologion notes that the faithful pray to St Antipas for ailments of the teeth.

Holy Martyrs Processus and Martinian (1st c.)

They were jailers in the Roman prison that held Sts Peter and Paul, and came to faith in Christ through the witness of the two holy Apostles. After receiving baptism, Processus and Martinian released the saints from prison. As the Apostles were leaving Rome, the Lord appeared to Peter on the Appian way. When Peter asked him where he was going, he replied, ‘To Rome, to be crucified once again.’ Abashed, the Apostles returned to Rome to face their martyrdom. Processus and Martinian were beheaded along with St Paul.