From the calendar 2027

Monday, May 24

Ven. Simeon the Stylite

Appointed readings

2 passages

Epistle

Acts 10:1–16

1There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,

2a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.

3About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, 'Cornelius!'

4And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, 'What is it, lord?'

5So he said to him, 'Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.

6He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.'

7And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.

8So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.

10Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance

11and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.

12In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.

13And a voice came to him, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.'

14But Peter said, 'Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.'

15And a voice spoke to him again the second time, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.'

16This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

Gospel

John 6:56–69

Open Reader ↗

56He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

57As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.

58This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.'

59These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

60Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, 'This is a hard saying; who can understand it?'

61When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, 'Does this offend you?

62What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?

63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

64But there are some of you who do not believe.' For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.

65And He said, 'Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.'

66From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

67Then Jesus said to the twelve, 'Do you also want to go away?'

68But Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

69Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'

The rhythm of the day

Fasting: Fast-free
Weekly tone: Tone 3

In remembrance

The saints commemorated this day

Ven. Simeon the StyliteRead the life

He was born in Antioch in 522. His father, John, died in an earthquake, leaving him to be raised by his mother Martha. From his earliest childhood he lived a very ascetic life and was under special protection and guidance of St John the Baptist, who often appeared to him. He became a monk as a young man and, after a vision of the Lord, who appeared to him as a handsome youth and filled his heart to overflowing with love for Christ, he ascended onto a pillar, where he stayed for eighteen years, praying and singing psalms. He then went to the mountain called ‘Wonderful’, where he lived alone in a barren place for ten years; he then ascended another pillar, where he remained in extreme hardship for forty-five years.

Read the full life

Ven. Nikita the StyliteRead the life

As a youth, he was heedless and corrupt; but one day he entered a church and heard the words of Isaiah, ‘Wash you, make you clean’ (Is. 1:16). His life changed completely: he left his family and property to enter a monastery near Pereyaslavl, where he took on a life of severe asceticism. He wore chains and (in the words of the Prologue) ‘shut himself up in a pillar’, for which he was called the Stylite. He was granted the gift of healing and by his prayers restored many who came to him, including Michael, Prince of Chernigov, whom he healed of palsy. Some thieves, seeing his chains and thinking that they were made of silver, killed him one night and made off with the chains. Soon afterward, Saint Nikita appeared to an elder named Simeon and told him to put the chains with him in his grave when they were found.

St Vincent of Lerins (445)Read the life

He was born in Toul in Gaul (modern-day France); he was the brother of St Lupus, Bishop of Troyes. He served as a soldier, but eventually became a monk at the monastery of Lerins. There he lived out the remainder of his life, and wrote his Commonitorium, an exposition of the true Orthodox faith; it contains the well-know statement that Christians must hold to the Faith that has been believed “everywhere, always, and by all.” He reposed in peace.