SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2020, THE 14TH SUNDAY OF ST. LUKE.
OUR RIGHTEOUS MOTHER XENIA OF ROME.
OUR RIGHTEOUS MOTHER XENIA OF SAINT PETERSBURG,
THE FOOL FOR OUR LORD’S SAKE, whose memory we commemorate today
and all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, as a Good and Loving and Merciful God.

Tone pl.4. Eothinon 11.
HYMNS FOR THE SMALL ENTRANCE.

APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION, PLAGAL OF FOURTH TONE. From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; to burial of three days hast Thou submitted that Thou mightiest free us from our passions. O our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory be to Thee.

APOLYTIKION OF ST. ANTHONY, FOURTH TONE. Emulating the ways of Elias the zealot and following the straight paths of the Baptist, O Father Anthony, thou madest of the wilderness a city and didst support the world by thy prayers. Wherefore intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.

APOLYTIKION OF THE DORMITION THEOTOKOS, FIRST TONE. In giving birth, thou didst preserve thy virginity; in thy dormition, thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos. Thou wast translated unto life, since thou art the Mother of Life; and by thine intercessions dost thou redeem our souls from death.

APOLYTIKION OF THE CHAPEL, STS. RAPHAEL, NICHOLAS AND IRENE, FOURTH TONE. On Lesbos, ye strove in contest for the sake of Christ God; * ye also have hallowed her with the discovery of your relics, O blessed ones. * O God-bearer Raphael, with thee, we all honor * Nicholas the deacon and Irene the chaste virgin, * as our divine protectors, who now intercede with the Lord.

KONTAKION OF YPAPANTI, FIRST TONE. Thou Who didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb by Thy birth and didst bless Symeon’s hands as was meet, by anticipation hast even now saved us, O Christ God. But grant peace in the midst of wars unto Thy commonwealth and strengthen the hierarchs whom Thou hast loved, O only Friend of man.

Our righteous mother xenia of rome.
Our righteous mother xenia of rome was of a distinguished family. While her parents were preparing to wed her, she stole away secretly, taking two handmaids with her and departed for mylasa of Karia in Asia minor and there she completed her life in asceticism. She was ordained deaconess by paul, her spiritual father, who became bishop of mylasa. Although she was originally named eusebia, to conceal her identity, she took the name xenia---which means “stranger” in greek---because of her estrangement from her country.

Our righteous mother xenia of Petersburg was born about the year 1730. She was married to a colonel named Andrew; when she was twenty-six years old, her husband died suddenly, having been drinking with his friends. Left a childless widow, xenia gave away all that she had, and vanished from saint Petersburg for eight years; it is believed that she spent this time in a hermitage, learning the spiritual life. When she returned to saint Petersburg, she wore her husband’s military clothing and would answer only to the name Andrew, that is, the name of her late husband. She took up the life of a homeless wandere and was abused by many as insane; she bore this with great patience, crucifying the carnal mind through the mockery she endured and praying for her husband’s soul. She was given great gifts of prayer and prophecy and often foretold things to come; in 1796 she foretold the death of empress Catherine II. Having lived forty-five years after her husband’s death, she reposed in peace at the age of seventy-one, about the year 1800. Her grave became such a source of miracles and so many came to take soil from it as a blessing, that it was often necessary to replace the soil; when a stone slab was placed over her grave, this too disappeared over time, piece by piece. Saint xenia is especially invoked for help in finding employment, lodging, or a spouse. Her icon is life size in the narthex of the church where we light our candles to the right of the candle stand.

Through their prayers, lord jesus Christ save us. Amen.

SUNDAY,
January 24

Righteous Xenia.

MONDAY,
January 25

St. Gregory Theologian.

TUESDAY,
January 26

Righteous Xenophon, Mary, Arkadios & John.

WEDNESDAY,
January 27

Transposition of Relics of John Chrysostom.

THURSDAY,
January 28

Ephraim the Syrian, Palladios & Iakovos.

FRIDAY,
January 29

Transposition of Relics, Ignatios the God-bearer.
5:00 p.m. Vigil for Feast of 3 Hierarchs.

SATURDAY,
January 30

Three Hierarchs.

SUNDAY,
January 31

Kyros & John.