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Ignatius the God-bearer of Antioch 2020-12-19
St. Thomas Orthodox Church: A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
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Hymns in Today’s Liturgy
Apolytikion of St. Ignatius of Antioch (Tone 4)
By choosing the Apostles’ way of life, thou hast succeeded to their throne. Inspired by God, thou didst find the way to divine contemplation through the practice of virtue. After teaching the Word of Truth without error, thou didst defend the Faith to the very shedding of thy blood, O Holy Martyr among bishops Ignatius. Entreat the Lord our God to save our souls.
Apolytikion of St. Thomas (Tone 3)
O Holy Apostle Thomas, intercede to the merciful God, that He grant unto our souls forgiveness of sins.
Kontakion of the Preparation of Christ’s Nativity (Tone 3)
On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to God the Word ineffably, Who was before all the ages. Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing the gladsome tidings; with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him Who is willing to be gazed on as a young Child Who before the ages is God.
Epistle
Hebrews 10:32-38
Brethren, recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on the prisoners, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better and an abiding possession. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised: “For yet a little while, and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry; but My righteous one shall live by faith.”
Gospel
Luke 13:19-29
The Lord spoke this parable: “The kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” And again He said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.” He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to Him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’ He will answer you, ‘I do not know from where you come.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and Thou didst teach in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity!’ There you will weep and gnash your teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.”
Synaxarion
Today, in the Holy Orthodox Church, we commemorate the holy Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-bearer, Bishop of Antioch.
This holy man is called “the God-bearer” because he constantly bore the name of the Living God in his heart and on his lips. According to tradition, he was thus named because he was held in the arms of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ. On a day when the Lord was teaching His disciples humility, He took a child and placed him among them, saying: Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:4). This child was Ignatius. As the third Bishop of Antioch, Ignatius governed the Church of God as a good shepherd and was the first to introduce antiphonal chanting in the Church, in which two choirs alternate the singing. This manner of chanting was revealed to Ignatius by the angels in Heaven. When Emperor Trajan was passing through Antioch on his way to do battle with the Persians, he heard of Ignatius, summoned him and counseled him to offer sacrifice to the idols. If Ignatius would do so, Trajan would bestow upon him the rank of senator. Ignatius refused, and was shackled in irons and sent to Rome with ten merciless soldiers, to be thrown to the wild beasts. Ignatius rejoiced in suffering for his Lord, only praying to God that the wild beasts would become the tomb for his body and that no one would prevent him from this death. After a long and difficult journey from Asia through Thrace, Macedonia and Epirus, Ignatius arrived in Rome, where he was thrown to the lions in the circus in the year 106.
On 19 December, we also commemorate the Martyrs Boniface and Aglaïs of Rome; Martyrs Elias, Probus and Ares of Egypt; Martyrs Eutychios and Thessalonica and those with them; and Boniface the Merciful, bishop of Ferentino in Tuscany. By their intercessions, O Christ God, have mercy upon us. Amen.
Upcoming Events
Saturday: Great Vespers, 18:00, St. Thomas
Sunday: Orthros & Divine Liturgy for the Sunday before the Nativity, 09:00, St. Thomas
Wednesday: Daily Vespers, 18:00, St. Thomas
Thursday: Great (Royal) Hours, 09:00, Holy Trinity
Thursday: Orthros & Divine Liturgy for the Nativity of Christ, 22:00, St. Thomas
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