Eastern Rite - Feasts of 21 September AM 7531

 Today is the Leavetaking of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross and the Feast of the Holy Apostle Quadratus of Magnesia.

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Because of the Leavetaking of the Elevation of the Cross, the service to Saint Quadratus of the Seventy is sung on September 22.

At the end of Liturgy, the priest comes out from the altar with a censer, preceded by a deacon with a candle. Going to the centre of the church, he censes three times around the Cross. He takes the tray with the Cross and places it on his head to carry it into the altar. The deacon goes before him, censing the Cross. After placing the Cross on the altar, the priest censes the four sides of the Holy Table.

Troparion — Tone 1

O Lord, save Your people, / and bless Your inheritance. / Grant victories to Right-Believing Kings and Princes / over their adversaries. / And by virtue of Your Cross, / preserve Your habitation.

Kontakion — Tone 4

As You were voluntarily raised upon the cross for our sake, / grant mercy to those who are called by Your Name, O Christ God; / make all Catholic Christians glad by Your power, / granting them victories over their adversaries, / by bestowing on them the Invincible trophy, Your weapon of Peace.

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Saint Quadratus, Apostle of the Seventy preached the Word of God at Athens and at Magnesia (eastern peninsula of Thessaly), and was Bishop of Athens. His biographer called him “a morning star” among the clouds of paganism. He converted many pagans to the true faith in Christ the Savior, and his preaching aroused the hatred of the pagans. Once, an angry mob fell upon the saint to pelt him with stones. Preserved by God, Saint Quadratus remained alive, and they threw him into prison, where he died of starvation. His holy body was buried in Magnesia.

In the year 126, Saint Quadratus wrote an Apologia in defence of Christianity. Presented to the emperor Hadrian (117-138), the Apologia affected the persecution of Christians, since the emperor issued a decree saying that no one should be convicted without just cause. This Apologia was known to the historian Eusebius in the fourth century. At the present time, only part of this Apologia survives, quoted by Eusebius: “The deeds of our Savior were always witnessed, because they were true. His healings and raising people from the dead were visible not only when they were healed and raised, but always. They lived not only during the existence of the Savior upon the earth, but they also remained alive long after His departure. Some, indeed, have survived to our own time.”

Saint Quadratus is also commemorated on January 4.

Troparion — Tone 3

O Holy Apostle Quadratus / pray to our merciful God / that He may grant to our souls / remission of our transgressions.