Eastern Rite - Feasts of 5 August AM 7529

Today is the Fore-feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Feast of the Holy Martyr Eusignius.

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The Lord had begun warning his disciples about the dangers they would face, and also about His Passion and death. He also told them that they would be persecuted by pagans and enemies of the Gospel. He explained that these things pertain to the present life, but what is essential is eternal life. Desiring to give His disciples a foretaste of eternal life, he took three of them, Peter, James and John, and brought them up to Mount Tabor.

There He was transfigured before them and His face shone like light. Moses and Elias appeared and spoke with Jesus. The Lord took only those disciples because they were more pre-eminent than the others. Peter was chosen because he loved Christ very much, John because he also loved Christ, and James because he was able to drink the cup that Christ drank (Matthew 20:23). The Lord showed them Moses and Elias in order to correct their erroneous ideas of who He was, as though He were Saint John the Baptist, or some great prophet. That is why He revealed His glory to them ‘as far as they could bear it.’ All this took place during the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ on Mount Tabor.

Troparion — Tone 4

(Podoben: “Be quick to anticipate...“)
Come, you faithful, let us meet the Transfiguration of Christ in advance, / and celebrating the prefeast, let us cry aloud, / “Now the day of divine gladness is at hand; / the Master ascends Mount Tabor / to flash forth with the beauty of His divinity.”

Kontakion — Tone 4

(Podoben: “Thou hast appeared today...”)
Now, beforehand, all of mortal nature divinely shines today / with the divine Transfiguration; / and in gladness she cries out: “Christ is transfigured, saving all.”

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The Martyr Eusignius was born at Antioch in the mid-third century. For sixty years he served in the Roman armies of the emperors Diocletian, Maximian Hercules, Constantius Chlorus, Constantine the Great and his sons. Saint Eusignius was a companion of Saint Basiliscus (March 3 and May 22), and he provided an account of his martyrdom. At the beginning of the reign of Saint Constantine the Great, Saint Eusignius was a witness to the appearance of the Cross in the sky, a prediction of victory.

Saint Eusignius retired in his old age from military service and returned to his own country. There he spent his time in prayer, fasting, and attending the church of God. So he lived until the reign of Julian the Apostate (361-363), who yearned for a return to paganism. Through the denunciation of one of the Antiochian citizens, Saint Eusignius stood trial as a Christian before the emperor Julian in the year 362. He fearlessly accused the emperor of apostasy from Christ, and reproached him with the example of his relative, Constantine the Great, and he described in detail how he himself had been an eyewitness to the appearance of the sign of the Cross in the sky. Julian did not spare the aged Saint Eusignius, then 110 years old, but ordered him beheaded.

Troparion — Tone 8

Today the Church honours a man martyred for his piety and devotion: / The sincere and Godly-minded Eusignius the Wise. / She glorifies his spiritual struggles, and cries out fervently: / O Most Merciful One, guard Your servants through his intercessions!

Kontakion — Tone 2

(Podoben: “You sought the heights...”)
You appeared as a bright star announcing Christ with your radiance, / which is repulsive to this world, O Martyr Eusignius; / extinguishing the allure of false gods, / you enlighten the faithful, / always interceding for us all.