Orthodox Calendar

Tuesday, November 2, 2173
Tuesday of the 19th week after Pentecost

No Fast

Scripture Readings

Commemorations

Scripture Readings

Philippians 1.8-14 (Epistle)

8For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.

9This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ, 11being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

12Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News, 13so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ, 14and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

Luke 11.34-41 (Gospel)

34The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of darkness. 35Therefore see whether the light that is in you isn’t darkness. 36If therefore your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining gives you light.”

37Now as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in and sat at the table. 38When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner. 39The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. 40You foolish ones, didn’t he who made the outside make the inside also? 41But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.

Commemorations

Martyrs Acindynus, Pegasius, Aphthonius, Elpidophorus, and Anempodistus of Persia

Acindynus, Pegasius and Anempodistus were courtiers to King Shapur II of Persia. When the king began a fierce persecution of Christians, the three withdrew from court to a private house and, fearless of their own safety, openly exhorted their fellow-Christians to stand firm in their faith. For this they were arrested and brought before their former lord, who subjected them to many cruel tortures, from which they emerged miraculously unscathed. Seeing this, one of the king’s soldiers, named Aphthonius, embraced the Faith and was immediately beheaded. The former courtiers were then put to further tortures, but their only effect was to convince Elpidophorus, a distinguished nobleman, and seven thousand other Persians to faith in Christ. All were beheaded, but not before receiving holy Baptism. The trials of the three continued, but once again they were preserved, and even the king’s mother was led to the true faith. Finally they were killed (the account does not say how), receiving the crown of martyrdom along with the king’s mother and twenty-eight others.