The Holy Martyrs Menodora, Metrodora, and Nymphodora.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 4: Your nativity, O Virgin Mother of God,* has made joy known to all the world,* for from you dawned the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God.* He abolished the curse and gave the blessing;* and by making death of no effect He bestowed on us eternal life.

Troparion, Tone 4: You traded violent tortures and bitter death for eternal life.* Three virgins professed the uncreated Trinity* before a false judge at an illegal trial.* You followed the footsteps of the slaughtered Lamb* when they pierced you with the sword.* Pray for those who honour your memory.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 4: Fearless as you were in your struggles for the Holy Trinity* and because of your sisterly love for each other,* you defeated the enemy of your spiritual life.* In the company of the five virgins,* you entered victoriously into the heavenly mansions* where you live forever joyful with the angels* in the presence of the King of all.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4: By your birth, O immaculate one,* Joachim and Anna were freed from the reproach of childlessness,* and Adam and Eve* from the corruption of death.* And your people, redeemed from the guilt of their sins,* celebrate as they cry out to you:* “The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God* and nourisher of our life.”

Prokeimenon, Tone 3

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.

verse: Because he has regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, all generations shall call me blessed. (Luke 1:46-48)

Epistle

Ephesians 1:1-9

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ.

Alleluia, Tone 8

verse: Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear. (Psalm 44:11)

verse: The rich among the people shall entreat your countenance. (Psalm 44:13)

Gospel

Mark 7:24-30

At that time, Jesus set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Hymn to the Theotokos

O my soul, magnify the Virgin Mary, born from a barren womb.

And the Irmos, Tone 8: Virginity is alien to mothers* and childbearing is foreign to virgins;* yet in you, O Mother of God, both of them came together.* Therefore we and all the nations of the earth* without ceasing magnify you.

Communion Hymn

I will take the cup of salvation;* and I will call upon the name of the Lord.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 115:13)