September 26
Reading:
This Apostle was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and was the
son of Zebedee and Salome, and the brother of James the elder. First a
fisherman by trade, he became an Apostle and the beloved Disciple of
Christ. Only he of all the Disciples followed Him even to the Cross,
and was entrusted with the care of our Saviour's Mother, as it were
another son to her, and a brother of Christ the Teacher. After this, he
preached throughout Asia Minor, especially in Ephesus. When the second
persecution against the Christians began in the year 96 during the
reign of Domitian, he was taken in bonds to Rome, and there was cast
into a vat filled to the brim with boiling oil. Coming forth therefrom
unharmed, he was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he wrote the Book
of Revelation. Returning again to Ephesus after the death of the
tyrant, he wrote his Gospel (after the other Evangelists had already
written theirs) and his three Catholic Epistles. In all, he lived
ninety-five years and fell asleep in the Lord during the reign of Trajan
in the year 100. He was called Theologian because he loftily expounded
in his Gospel the theology of the inexpressible and eternal birth of
the Son and Word of God the Father. It is for this cause that an
eagle-a symbol of the Holy Spirit, as Saint Irenaeus says-is depicted in
his icon, for this was one of the four symbolic living creatures that
the Prophet Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 1:10).
Apolytikion of TRANSLATION OF JOHN THE THEOLOGIAN in the Second Tone
Beloved Apostle of Christ our God, hasten to deliver a people
without defense. He who permitted you to recline upon His bosom, accepts
you on bended knee before Him. Beseech Him, O Theologian, to dispel the
persistent cloud of nations, asking for us peace and great mercy.
Kontakion of TRANSLATION OF JOHN THE THEOLOGIAN in the Second Tone
Who can tell thy mighty works, O virgin Saint? For thou pourest
forth miracles, and art a source of healings, and thou dost intercede
for our souls, as the Theologian and the friend of Christ.
SOURCE:
SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2014(with 2013's link here also and further:, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and even 2007!):
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