συνοδικός
April 29 / April 16
2018 (7526)
4th Sunday of Pascha (2018) The Paralyzed Man
Κυριακή του Παραλύτου
On this day the Church remembers the man who lay by the Sheep's Pool in Jerusalem for thirty-eight years, waiting for someone to put him into the pool. The first one to enter the pool after an angel troubled the water would be healed of his infirmities, but someone always entered the pool before him. Seeing the man, the Lord felt compassion for him and healed him. The Kontakion for this Fourth Sunday of Pascha asks Christ to raise up our souls, "paralyzed by sins and thoughtless acts."
• The Weeping Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "ILYIN CHERNIGOV" (1658) 伊林•切尔尼格夫
Σύναξις Ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου τῆς Γεθσημανῆ ἐν Ρωσίᾳ
The Ilyin-Chernigov Icon of the Mother of God was written in 658 by Gregory Dubensky (Gennadius in monasticism). Tears flowed from the icon for eight days from April 16 through 24, 1662 That same year, Tatars descended upon the town of Chernigov and devastated it. At midnight they burst into the Trinity monastery, went into the church, overturned all the icons, and grabbed all the utensils, but the wonderworking icon and its ornaments remained untouched. An invisible power held back the heathens from the holy icon. Earlier, the Queen of Heaven had not permitted the invaders to enter the cave of St Anthony of the Caves, where the brethren of the monastery had hidden. The Tatars ultimately fled, as though terrified by a vision. The miracle of the Mother of God and Her Chernigov Icon was described by St Demetrius of Rostov in his book, “The Moistened Fleece.” Later, St John of Tobolsk also wrote about the Chernigov Icon. A wonderworking copy of the Chernigov Icon of the Mother of God, in the Gethsemane skete of the Trinity-Sergiev Lavra, was glorified on September 1, 1869.
• "TAMBOV" Icon (1692) of the Mother of God
Σύναξις Ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου τοῦ Ταμπὼφ ἐν Ρωσίᾳ
The Tambov Icon of the Mother of God was glorified in 1692. The icon was earlier location in the church of the Tambov Cemetery in the name of Archdeacon Stephen. The icon was taken from the cemetery at the request of an individual who was seriously ill. The icon had been revealed to him in a dream that he would be healed, if a molieben were served before it. After fervent prayer of a molieben for the sick, the sick man was healed. The celebration of the icon was established by decree of the Holy Synod.
• "SHUYSK" Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos
• Panagia CHRYSAFITISSA of Monemvasia // MONDAY OF ST THOMAS //
Σύναξις Ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου τῆς Χρυσαφιτίσσης
Παναγία Χρυσαφίτισσα
The Church of Panagia Chrysafitissa is located in the old town of Monemvasia and was built in the seventeenth century on the ruins of a twelfth century monastery named after Panagia Odigitria. Inside this church is the icon of Panagia Chrysafitissa which originally came from the village of Chrysafa in Lacedaemon (Sparta). In a miraculous manner this holy icon of Panagia Chrysafitissa was discovered on the spot where today there is a spring of holy water, known as "The Holy Water of Chrysafitissa". Various diseases are cured through this holy water, and it plays a special role in helping the barren bear children, especially males. It is believed this holy water spring existed in the tenth century. The holy icon of Panagia Chrysafitissa seems to date to the 15th or 16th century and is of a Byzantine style. According to folk tradition, merchants from Chrysafa came to Monemvasia to celebrate the feast of the Theotokos. Upon entering the church to venerate the holy icon, they noticed it was from Chrysafa, and they protested: "The people of Monemvasia stole our icon, our Chrysafitissa!" They took the case to trial and the judge decided in favor of giving the icon to the merchants from Chrysafa. The pilgrims from Chrysafa took the icon with great joy and brought it to Chrysafa and had it placed in one of their churches. A festive service took place in honor of the icon, and when all was done they locked the church and left. That night in a miraculous manner the icon left the church and was found the next day in Monemvasia, where the Theotokos continues to work miracles for the faithful.
Οἱ Ἅγιοι Λεωνίδης, Βασίλισσα, Γαλήνη ἢ Γαληνή, Θεοδώρα, Καλλίδα, Νίκη, Νουνεχία καὶ Χάρισσα οἱ Μάρτυρες
所有这些人都被投入到大海中，但是大海却不接收他们。他们行走在大海上，如同在陆地上行走一样，并向上帝高歌：“哦，主，我奔向战场，军队在追赶我；哦，主，我不否认你；哦，主，拯救我的灵魂！”起初，异教徒看到这之后大为震惊，之后将他们的颈部坠上石头将他们再次投入到深海中溺水而死。这些殉道者于公元281年荣耀为基督殉道。
The Holy Martyr Leonidas and the Holy Martyrs Charissa, Nike, Galina, Kalisa (Kalida), Nunekhia, Basilissa, and Theodora suffered at Corinth in the year 258. They threw them into the sea, but they did not drown. Instead, they walked upon the water as if on dry land, singing spiritual hymns. The torturers overtook them in a ship, tied stones around their necks and drowned them.
• VMM Sisters AGAPE (also Agapia) 阿伽彼, IRENE (also Eirene) 伊里尼 and CHIONIA (also Susinia and Shiona) 希奥尼雅 of Dalmatia, at Thessalonica (290-304) Οἱ Ἁγίες Ἀγάπη, Εἰρήνη καὶ Χιονὶα οἱ Μάρτυρες
这三位姐妹来自阿奎雷亚附近。当戴克里先皇帝在阿奎雷亚时，他命令将德高望重的神父克里索郭努斯杀死。就在那时，一个年长的长老佐伊鲁斯得到异象：没有被安葬的克里索郭努斯的尸体的所在地被显现出来。于是这位长老立即前往，发现了这位殉道者的尸体，并将尸体安放在家中的石棺之中。三天之后，圣克里索郭努斯向他显现，告知他：在9天之内，阿加皮亚、基奥娜和艾莱尼这三位少女也将会殉道，他也会在那时死亡。追随圣克里索郭努斯的阿纳斯塔西也得到了同样的异象，阿纳斯塔西也是一位被赋予了恩典的圣女。事情果然发生了，9天之后，长老佐伊鲁斯去世了，这三位姐妹被带到了皇帝面前接受审讯。皇帝怂恿这三位姐妹敬拜偶像，但是却遭到了她们的拒绝，同时表白了对基督的坚定立场。艾莱尼对皇帝说：“敬拜用石头和木头作成的东西，这是多么地愚蠢！这些偶像可以订购议价，是用凡人的手作出来的。”皇帝大怒，将她们三人投入到监狱中。当皇帝前往马其顿时，所有的奴隶和犯人都同时被带走，其中也包括这三位姐妹。皇帝将这三位姐妹转交给一个名叫杜齐蒂乌斯的指挥官，进行拷打她们。这个指挥官受到黑色的欲望之火的驱使，竟然打算侮辱这三位姐妹；当这个指挥官企图进入监狱时，这三位姐妹向上帝祷告，这个指挥官竟然疯了。他掉进了门口前的黑色大锅中，开始拥抱这大锅，并亲吻它们使自己落得一身灰尘方离去。皇帝听到此事之后，派遣另一个指挥官斯斯纽斯前往，对这三位姐妹施加刑罚。在经过长时间的严刑拷打之后，将其中的两位姐妹判处火刑，而将艾莱尼留下来一段时间，打算对她进行侮辱。但是当他同其他士兵一起欲将艾莱尼带到妓院时，上帝派来的天使拯救了这圣洁的童女，阻挡了前来的士兵，并将童女带到一个小山上。第二天，指挥官和士兵来到小山上，但是他们却不能爬上山。之后，指挥官命令向艾莱尼射箭。克里索郭努斯的门徒阿纳斯塔西收敛了这三位姐妹的尸体，将她们荣耀地安葬。这三位姐妹于公元304年为主基督荣耀殉道。
These three sisters lived in Aquilea. When the Emperor Diocletian was visiting there, he learned that they were Christians and had them brought to him. When they would not deny Christ, they were cast into prison, then handed over to a general named Dulcitius for torture. Dulcitius conceived a passion for the sisters, and entered the prison planning to defile them; but when he tried to enter, he was deprived of his reason and fell upon the dirty pots at the entrance, embracing and kissing them until he was completely black with soot. Hearing of this, the Emperor appointed another general to torment the sisters. After terrible tortures Agape and Chionia were burned, but the sadistic general, knowing her pledge of virginity to the Lord, ordered Irene to be put in a brothel. By God's providence she was shot with an arrow before she could be forced to endure this fate. So ends the version given in the Great Horologion. The Prologue gives a slightly different version: When Irene was being led to the brothel, an angel turned the soldiers back and led Irene to the top of a high hill. The next day the general came with his soldiers to capture her, but were unable to climb it. The general then ordered that Irene be shot with arrows. St Anastasia, a prophetess in that town, gathered the bodies of all three sisters and gave them burial.
• Martyrs FELIX 斐利克斯（the bishop, JANUARIUS 司祭雅努阿里 the priest, FORTUNATUS 佛尔图纳特 and SEPTIMUS 塞普提默 of Lycaonia (304)
Οἱ Ἅγιοι Φήλικας, Ἰανουάριος, Σεπτεμίνος καὶ Φουρτουνάτος οἱ Μάρτυρες
• MM AGATHON, EUTYCHIUS and CASSIA and PHILLIPPA the Confessoresses, in Thessaloniki, by imprisonment (304)
• The 18 Martyrs of Saragossa: OPTATUS, LUPERCUS (Paulus), SUCCESSUS, MARTIAL, URBAN, JULIA, QUINTILIAN, PUBLIUS, FRONTO, FELIX, CAECILIAN, EVENTIUS (Evodius, Evotus), PRIMITIVUS, APODEMIUS (Petrus) and 4 named SATURNINUS (Cassianus), MATUTINUS, FAUSTUS, JANUARIUS (304) in Spain under Diocletian and the prefect Dacian. Prudentius, who lived in Saragossa a lifetime later, described their martyrdom
Saint Lupercius, with the seventeen nobles and Julie, had already been decapitated. Dacian, still not satiated with blood, massacred great numbers of other Christians of Saragossa who are honored on November 3rd under the title of the Countless Martyrs of Saragossa. Their bodies were burned with those of several malefactors, imprisoned at the same time, but it is said that the ashes of the martyrs separated and formed a lot apart, called the masse blanche. St Optatus, and 17 other holy men, 1 received the crown of martyrdom on the same day, at Saragossa, under the cruel governor Dacian, in the persecution of Dioclesian, in 304. Two others, Caius and Crementius, died of their torments after a second conflict, as Prudentius relates. The same venerable author describes, in no less elegant verse, the triumph of St Encratis, or Engratia, Virgin.
• New Martyrs CHRISTODOULOS and ANASTASIA in Achaia (1821)
Οἱ Ἅγιοι Χριστόδουλος καὶ Ἀναστασία οἱ Νεομάρτυρες
• PAULUS und TIMOTEUS
• AMBROSIUS (Besarion Khelaia) the Confessor of Georgia (1861-1927) a Georgian religious figure and scholar who served as the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἀμβρόσιος ὁ Ὁμολογητής Πατριάρχης Γεωργίας
• Translation (991) of relics to Cologne of ALBAN the Protomartyr of England (305)
St Alban was the first martyr of England, his own country (homeland). During a persecution of Christians, Alban, though a pagan, hid a priest in his house. The priest made such a great impression on him that Alban received instructions and became a Christian himself. In the meantime, the governor had been told that the priest was hiding in Alban's house, and he sent his soldiers to capture him. But Alban changed clothes with his guest, and gave himself up in his stead. The judge was furious when he found out that the priest had escaped and he said to Alban, "You shall get the punishment he was to get unless you worship the gods." The Saint answered that he would never worship those false gods again. "To what family do you belong?" demanded the judge. "That does not concern you," said Alban. "If you want to know my religion, I am a Christian." Angrily the judge commanded him again to sacrifice to the gods at once. "Your sacrifices are offered to devils," answered the Saint. "They cannot help you or answer your requests. The reward for such sacrifices is the everlasting punishment of Hell." Since he was getting nowhere, the judge had Alban whipped. Then he commanded him to be beheaded. On the way to the place of execution, the soldier who was to kill the Saint was converted himself, and he too, became a martyr.
In fact, although identified with the British martyr, he was locally known as Albinus. His relics were said to have been brought from Rome by Empress Theophano and placed in St Pantaleon’s church in about 984: the relics were miraculously saved from destruction in an accident on the way at a place that a later version of 1502, was identified as Silenen, Switzerland. The original record was in a 12th-century manuscript that alleged that the relics were actually those of the British martyr, having been delivered to Ravenna by Germanus himself and taken from there to Rome.
• Hosiosmartyr Monk CHRISTOPHER 赫里斯托佛尔 of Dionysiou, Mt Athos, who suffered at Adrianople (1818)
Ὁ Ἅγιος Χριστόφορος ὁ Ὁσιομάρτυρας
• ELIAS (1042) born in Ireland, he became monk and abbot in 1020 of the Irish monasteries of St Martin the Great and St Pantaleon in Cologne in Germany
• VM ENGRATIA (also Encratis, Encratide, Grace, Engracia or Encratia) at Saragossa, Confessoress (304)
A virgin who suffered terribly for Orthodoxy in Saragossa in Spain, where a church dedicated to her now exists. She was famous for 'her ardour in suffering for Christ'. Though counted a martyr, she outlived her torments. Engratia was a native of Braga, Spain who had been promised in marriage to a nobleman of Rousillon. He sent as her escort to Gaul her uncle Lupercius along with sixteen noblemen and a servant named Julia. Upon reaching Zaragoza, they learned of the persecution of Christians by Governor Dacian. Engratia attempted to dissuade the governor from his persecutions, but was whipped and imprisoned when it was discovered that she was a Christian. She died of her wounds, receiving a martyr’s crown along with her companions, in 303. The Church of Santa Engracia de Zaragoza was built on the spot where Engratia and her companions were said to have been martyred.
• Bishop FAILBE of Killower, classed among the disciples of St Patrick
• FRUCTUOSUS 弗路克图奥西斯 Archbishop of Braga in Iberia, Confessor (665)
Born in Spain, he became a monk and then a hermit in the Vierzo Mountains, where disciples gathered around him. Fructuosus was eventually forced to become Bishop of Dumium and later Archbishop of Braga.
• HERVEUS (Hervé) of Tours (1021) born in Touraine in France, he became a monk at the monastery of St Martin of Tours and lived as a hermit
• INGHEN (500)
• Martyress IRENE 伊里尼 of Greece (258) suffered on the day of Holy Pascha
Ἡ Ἁγία Εἰρήνη ἡ Παρθενομάρτυς
For her fearless confession of Christ as the True God, Saint Irene was cruelly tortured. They cut out her tongue, knocked out her teeth, and finally they beheaded her with the sword.
• JOHN 约翰 blessed Fool for Christ's sake of Verkhoturye (1701)
Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ διὰ Χριστὸν Σαλός
• Hosiosmartyr JOSEPH the Iconographer of The Holy Monastery of Dionysiou, Mt Athos (1819) suffered at Adrianople (or Constantinople)
• M LAMBERT of Saragossa (900) a servant who was martyred near Saragossa in Spain by his Saracen master
• New Martyr MICHAEL 米迦勒 Burliotes of Smyrna (1772)
Ὁ Ἅγιος Μιχαὴλ ὁ Νεομάρτυρας ὁ Βουρλιώτης
The Holy Martyr Michael Burliotes was born in about the year 1754 into a farm family. The boy was raised piously, but his character was flawed. The handsome and ruddy youth caught the attention of the owner of a coffee-house in the city of Smyrna. The Turk flattered him and urged him to accept Mahometanism, so as to work at the coffee-house. The youth consented and with delight he began his employment. But then came Holy Pascha, and he heard the triumphant song of Christians: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tomb bestowing life!" With all his soul he sensed, that he also ― was of Christ, that the Lord was summoning him into His joy, and the youth went down to the singers, but he heard reproaches for his apostasy. "Tomorrow ye will see, what I am", ― he said sadly to the Christians. He immediately set off to the Mussulman judge and asked, whether it was lawful to barter in exchange swine for gold? If the barter exchange were made by deceit, then could the defrauded take back the gold? "Both possible and lawful", ― answered the Mahometan judge. "If that is so, ― said Saint Michael, ― take back thine swine which thou didst give me for gold, ― take back thine faith and return me my gold ― the faith of my fathers". After these words the martyr openly confessed Jesus Christ as the True God, the Judge of both the living and the dead. The Turks locked up the confessor in prison, and after two days they cut off his head (+ 1772). His body lay for three days without burial and remained without decay. The Turks threw it into the sea, but sailors took up the body and buried it at the church of Saint Photinia.
By the intercessions of this holy Martyr Michael, may we be deemed worthy of the kingdom of the heavens! Amen.
• Hieromartyr NICETAS of St Anne Skete on Mount Athos
• PATERNUS (Padarn) of Wales (5-6th c.)
Together with others he founded the monastery of Llanbadarn Fawr (i.e. the great monastery of Padarn) near Aberystwyth in Wales. He preached the Gospel there.
• PATERNUS (Foix, Padarn, Pair, Patier) Bishop of Avranches (482-565) born in Poitiers in France, he became a monk at Ansion and later a hermit near Coutances. Eventually he became Bishop of Avranches
Saint Paternus was born at Poitiers, of illustrious Christian parents, about the year 482. His father, Patranus, with the consent of his wife went to Ireland to end his days as a hermit in holy solitude. Paternus, fired by his father's example, embraced monastic life in the Abbey of Marnes, France. After some time, desiring to attain the perfection of Christian virtue by a life of penance in solitude, he retired with a companion monk of the Abbey, Saint Scubilion, and in the forests of the diocese of Coutances near the sea, embraced an austere anchorite's life resembling that of Angels more than of men. An abbot of that region who knew of him recommended Paternus to the bishop of Coutances, who ordained him a deacon and then a priest in 512. He and Saint Scubilion then evangelized the western coasts and established several monasteries, of which he was the abbot general. Many miracles honored his apostolate among the pagan populations. In his old age he was consecrated bishop of Avranches while his former companion, Saint Scubilion, had become abbot of a monastery founded by the two missionaries. When Saint Paternus fell ill he felt his end was near, and he sent to his dear friend to come and assist him in his last illness. But the same fate had befallen Scubilion, who for his part had sent a messenger to Paternus. The two hermit-missionaries, each of whom had become the spiritual father of many, departed this life on the same day, April 16, 565, the thirteenth year of the pontificate of Saint Paternus. They were afterwards buried on the same day in the church of the monastery of Scicy, a region they had evangelized together.
• Righteous TABITHA of Joppa (1st c.) considered the patron saint of tailors and seamstresses, since she was known for sewing coats and other garments (Acts 9:39) // 4TH SUNDAY OF PASCHA //
Saint Tabitha, the widow raised from the dead by the Apostle Peter, was a virtuous and kindly woman, belonged to the Christian community in Joppa. Being grievously ill, she suddenly died. At the time, the Apostle Peter was preaching at Lydda, not far from Joppa. Messengers were sent to him with an urgent request for help. When the Apostle arrived at Joppa, Tabitha was already dead. On bended knee, Saint Peter made a fervent prayer to the Lord. Then he went to the bed and called out, "Tabitha, get up!" She arose, completely healed (Acts 9:36).
• TETGAILL Bishop of Lynally (Lann-Ela) King's County (7-8th c.) son of Colbrain
• Venerabless Abbess THEODORA 德奥多拉 (Anastasia, Bassa 瓦萨) Princess of Nizhni-Novgorod (or Nizhegorod) of Tver, Fndr. of Zatshatjewski Monastery (14th c.)
Ἡ Ὁσία Θεοδώρα – Βάσσα ἡ πριγκίπισσα
• TURIBIUS Bishop of Astorga (460) in Spain and a valiant defender of Orthodoxy; a zealous maintainer of ecclesiastical discipline, and defender of the faith against the Priscillianist heresy in Spain
• TURIBIUS of Palencia (528) founder of the monastery of Liébana in Asturias in Spain
• M VASIUS (Vaise, Vaize) (500) a rich citizen of Saintes in France, murdered by his relatives for giving his property to the poor
• Venerabless WITHBURGA of Dereham and Holkham, Abbess of Dereham (743) // MAR 17 // APR 16 // TR REL (974) JUL 8 //
Virgin and Benedictine nun. The youngest daughter of King Anna of East Anglia, England (d. 653). Following the death of her father in battle, she moved to Dereham where she established a nunnery and a church. She died with the church unfinished. Her remains were later stolen by monks who enshrined her in Ely. A fresh spring, called Withburga's Well, sprang up at her grave in Dereham.
In the year 1832, a terrible and deadly disease, the plague, hit the population of Mytilene. Deaths occurred each day and were increasing in number. Residents were forced to abandon their homes and flee to the surrounding hills in the hope that they would not get the disease. And even the city authorities left their offices in the city and took refuge in the mountains. The government had sent for teams of doctors from Constantinople and medicines, none of which had any effect. But where human efforts failed, the grace of God was successful, by the prayers of the Holy New Martyr Theodore of Byzantium. In these critical days, on the Friday night of the first week of Great Lent, the Saint appeared to the then Chancellor Fr. Kallinikos (who later became the Metropolitan of Mytilene and Patriarch of Constantinople), and urged him to tell the Metropolitan to gather the Christians from the surrounding areas where they had fled, to have a vigil in the Metropolis Cathedral of Saint Athanasios and to remove his relic from the church’s crypt. The Chancellor gave no attention to the dream, but after a week, and again on Friday night, he saw the same dream but more lifelike, and the Saint more austere. This time he immediately ran to inform the Metropolitan of the Saint’s will. The Metropolitan immediately met with the Turkish Governor and requested the permission to call the Christians to come to the church by any means and for everyone to ask God to save them from the disease. The Turkish doctors, who came from Constantinople, objected. They did not want such a gathering to take place for fear of transmitting the disease further. But the Governor, seeing that everyone was dying despite all the measures that were taken by the doctors, even when the inhabitants fled from their homes, gave permission to gather and hold a vigil. All the Christians with faith and hope ran to the temple, which was filled within, outside and around the streets. They cried, beseeched God, and sought the help of the Saint, whom they learned had appeared in a dream to the Chancellor. They rose early and they prayed. In the morning hours, the Metropolitan and the Chancellor descended into the church’s crypt, and removed the Holy Body of St. Theodore with reverence, and had a short procession around the church. Since that time, no one else, neither Christian nor Turk, died from that plague. The city named St. Theodore their patron, that is, the protector of the city and of our island [Lesvos]. Turks and Greeks in every way confessed the miracle and showed their gratitude to God and their guardian Saint. Since then (1832) the venerable relic of the Saint was not returned to the crypt of the church, but was clearly and visibly placed (and as a sign to the Turks) in the Metropolis church, where it is found today, and now, as stated in the Apolytikion of the Saint, is a "valuable treasure" for our place. As its patron saint, St Theodore protected the island during the last war in 1940, and while the Italians bombed several targets, including the telephone antenna of the city, the factories of Sourlaga in the Gulf of Gera, the ship “Arntena” in the port, no bomb had achieved its objective and many of them hit the ground without exploding. In remembrance of the miracle of rescuing the population of the city from the plague, since the year 1936, at the initiative of Metropolitan Iakovos of Mytilene from Durrachiou, a new feast day was established in Mytilene on the Fourth Sunday of Pascha [Sunday of the Paralytic], on which with great splendor and the participation of thousands of the faithful, the procession with the venerable relics of the Saint takes place. On the fourth Sunday after Pascha, which is the Sunday of the Paralytic, the Church commemorates the miraculous deliverance of Mytilene from the plague of 1832.
John 5:1-15 : After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 这事以后，到了犹太人的一个节期。耶稣就上耶路撒冷去。 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda,having five porches. 在耶路撒冷，靠近羊门，有一个池子，希伯来话叫作毕士大，旁边有五个廊子。 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 里面躺着瞎眼的，瘸腿的，血气枯干的，许多病人。（有古卷在此有等候水动 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 因为有天使按时下池子搅动那水，水动之后，谁先下去，无论害什么病，就痊愈了）。 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 在那里有一个人，病了三十八年。 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 耶稣看见他躺着，知道他病了许久，就问他说，你要痊愈吗？ The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” 病人回答说，先生，水动的时候，没有人把我放在池子里。我正去的时候，就有别人比我先下去。 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 耶稣对他说，起来，拿你的褥子走吧。 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. 那人立刻痊愈，就拿起褥子来走了。 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” 那天是安息日，所以犹太人对那医好的人说，今天是安息日，你拿褥子是不可的。 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’” 他却回答说，那使我痊愈的，对我说，拿你的褥子走吧。 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 他们问他说，对你说拿褥子走的，是什么人？ But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 那医好的人不知道是谁。因为那里的人多，耶稣已经躲开了。 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” 后来耶稣在殿里遇见他，对他说，你已经痊愈了。不要再犯罪。恐怕你遭遇的更加利害。 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 那人就去告诉犹太人，使他痊愈的是耶稣。
SYNAXARION on Sunday of the Paralytic
4th Sunday of Pascha
On this day, the fourth Sunday after Pascha, we commemorate the paralytic who was healed by the Lord, and we celebrate this as a miracle of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ.
The commemoration of this event is made on this particular day because it occurred during the celebration of the Hebrew fifty days ( between Passover and Pentecost ) .
Christ entered Jerusalem during this time of the Jewish festival, and He went to a place north of the Temple near the Sheep Gate called the Sheep's Pool. Built by King Solomon, this pool was covered by a dome that was supported by five sets of pillars, thus creating five porches. It was called the Sheep's Pool because the sacrificial lambs were washed there before they were offered in the Temple.
An angel of the Lord came down at a certain time and stirred the water, and the first person to step into the water after it had been stirred was healed of whatever disease he possessed. Thus, the five porches were crowded with a multitude of sick folk as they awaited the moving of the water.
There Christ found a man who had been a paralytic for thirty-eight years and who, since he was so ill, did not have anyone to help him into the water. From this fact, we can learn how great a virtue it is to wait patiently. Since God was to grant baptism, the cleanser of all sins, He willed in His economy, according to the Old Law, to work this particular miracle through the use of water so that it would be that much easier to accept the mystery of Baptism.
Thus, Christ came to this paralytic, named Jairus, and questioned him, yet we should note that the paralytic did not ask for help. But Christ knew that He would be cured of his disease and said to him, "Pick up your bed and walk!" (John 5:8). Immediately, the ill man was made well and he picked up his bed and carried it on his shoulder to show that his deed was not just a fantasy in his mind, but a reality, and he went home.
Because it was a Sabbath (Saturday), the Jews did not allow him to carry his bed due to rabbinical regulations. But the paralytic brought the Lord Who had healed him before the Jews, saying it was the same One who told him to pick up his bed and walk, though it be a Sabbath, for he did not know who He was. During this time, a great number of people had gathered, and Christ had stepped aside and hidden himself.
However, Christ later found the man in the Temple and said to him, "Behold, you have been made well. Sin no more lest a worse thing come upon you" (John 5:14).
Many incorrectly say that Christ said this because this man was going to strike Jesus when He was brought to stand before Caiaphas the High Priest. The striking of Jesus was a worse temptation, and yielding to that temptation would have resulted in the inheritance of the eternal fire of torment, as compared to only thirty-eight years of paralysis.
The Lord particularly showed through these words that the illness of paralysis that had befallen the man was due to his sins. However, not all sicknesses are due to sin, but to the weakness of our nature, gluttony and our trifling deeds.
When the paralytic understood that Jesus had made him well, he reported it to all the Jews. They were infuriated by this and sought to kill Christ, for He had broken the Sabbath. Then Jesus spoke many things and showed that it is right to do good on the Sabbath and that He is the One who stated that the Sabbath should be honored and that He is equal with the Father and that even as the Father works, so does He.
It should be noted that this paralytic is not the same one whose account is related in the Holy Gospel of St Matthew, for that miracle was done in a house, and men who were serving also heard, "Your sins are forgiven"; while this miracle was worked at the pool and the man had no one with him, as the Holy Gospel says.
The five porticoes full of infirm men symbolize that the Hebrew race was infirm in its five senses: sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell. These were the illnesses of the sons of Israel: they were not pure in their sight, for they beheld the miracles and yet disregarded them; they had no taste for being thankful, for they ate manna and desired meat; they did not have a whole sense of smell, for instead of the fragrance of the Master, they longed for the stench of the devil; their hearing was tainted, for they listened to the whistlings of the serpents and disregarded the teachings of the prophets; their sense of touch was useless, for they called their idols gods and rejected the living God.
This miracle is celebrated now because it happened during the fifty days, like the miracle of the Samaritan woman and the blind man. The preceding Sundays, celebrating St. Thomas and the Myrrhbearing Women, were in honor of the fact that they led many to belief in the Resurrection of Christ from among the dead; while these other Sunday commemorations until the Ascension are made because they occurred during the Jewish celebration of those distinguished fifty days. This, in short, is what we have learned from St John the Theologian.
In Thy indescribable compassion, O Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
愿上帝怜恤我罪人
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
for the sake of the prayers
of Thy most pure Mother,
our holy and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us.
Amen.
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Blessed be God.
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