From the calendar 2026

Friday, May 22

Martyr Basiliscus, Bishop of Comana

Appointed readings

2 passages

Epistle

Acts 19:1–8

1And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples

2he said to them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?'

3So they said to him, 'We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.' And he said to them, 'Into what then were you baptized?'

4So they said, 'Into John's baptism.' Then Paul said, 'John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.'

5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

7Now the men were about twelve in all.

8And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.

Gospel

John 14:1–11

Open Reader ↗

1Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

2In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

4And where I go you know, and the way you know.'

5Thomas said to Him, 'Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?'

6Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

7'If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.'

8Philip said to Him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.'

9Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

10Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

11Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

The rhythm of the day

Fasting: Wine & oil
Weekly tone: Tone 5

In remembrance

The saints commemorated this day

Martyr Basiliscus, Bishop of ComanaRead the life

He was from Amasea on the Black Sea, and was a nephew of St Theodore the Tyro (February 17). He was a fellow-martyr of Eutropius and Cleonicus (March 3), but is commemorated because, after they were crucified, he was shut in prison. A new governor replaced the one who had killed Basiliscus’ companions, and Basiliscus prayed in tears that he not be deprived of a martyr’s death. The Lord Jesus appeared to him, promised that his prayer would be answered, and told him to go to his village to say farewell to his mother and brothers. The new governor, Agrippa, sent soldiers to the village and had Basiliscus brought back to him. On the way to Amasea, many wonders were worked throught the Saint, and many were brought to Christ. Brought before the governor, Basiliscus again refused to worship the idols or deny Christ: he was beheaded in Comana and his body thrown into the river.

Read the full life

Righteous Melchizedek, king of Salem.Read the life

He was a “priest of the most high God” (Genesis 14:18-20), who blessed our Forefather Abraham and “brought forth bread and wine,” prefiguring the Holy Eucharist, centuries before the Law was given to Moses or Christ became incarnate. The Epistle to the Hebrews (ch. 7) reveals Melchizedek, the Priest-King, to be a type of Christ.

Commemoration of the Second Ecumenical Council (381).Read the life

The council was called by the Emperor Theodosius the Great, primarily to clarify the Church’s teaching on the Holy Spirit. Macedonius, bishop of Constantinople, had falsely taught that the Spirit is a creature rather than a Divine Person “Who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.” Partly to correct this error, the council revised and expanded the text of the Nicene Creed into the form that we know today.