This Apostle was one of the Twelve, and was called Simon the Cananite by Matthew, but Simon the Zealot by Luke (Matt. 10:4; Luke 6:15). The word "Cananite" used by Matthew is believed to be derived from kana, which in the Palestinian dialect of Aramaic means "zealot" or 'zealous"; Luke therefore translates the meaning of "Cananite." Later accounts say that he was the bridegroom at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, where the Lord Jesus changed the water into wine, making this the first of His miracles (John 2:1-11); according to some, he is called Cananite because he was from Cana (according to others, from the Land of Canaan). Simon means "one who hears."

May 24

Methodius & Cyril, Equal-to-the Apostles Illuminators of the Slavs

Born in Thessalonica, Saint Methodius was a military man before becoming a monk on Mount Olympus. His brother Constantine, known as the Philosopher because of his erudition, was Librarian at the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople; he later became a monk with the name of Cyril. The Emperor Michael sent him with his brother Methodius to the Khazars in response to their petition for teachers to expound to them the Christian Faith. On their way, they stayed in Cherson, where they recovered from the Black Sea the relics of Saint Clement of Rome. Later, they were called by Prince Rostislav of Moravia to instruct his people in the Orthodox Faith (Saint Rostislav died a martyr's death and is celebrated Oct. 15). The Saints devised an alphabet for the Slavs, and used it to translate the Greek books into the language of the people. In their apostolic labours throughout the Balkans, the holy brothers were slandered by certain Germanic bishops who opposed the use of the vernacular in the church services. Summoned to court at Rome in 867, they presented their Slavonic translations to Pope Adrian II, who received them with love and full approval. Two years later, Saint Cyril reposed in Rome on February 14 and was buried in the Church of Saint Clement. Saint Methodius was made Bishop of Moravia, but at the intrigues of certain Latin clergy, was cast into prison by the "Holy Roman Emperor" (the Germanic Emperor of the West), where he was cruelly tormented for some three years. In 874, through the defence of Pope John VIII, he was freed and made Archbishop of Moravia. Because he reproved the lax morals of the German priests in Moravia, he was soon accused of heresy by them, and was forbidden to celebrate the Liturgy in Slavonic. Summoned to Rome again in 879, he was completely exonerated and allowed once again to use the Slavonic tongue for the divine services. He reposed on April 6, 885.

May 25

Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus

Saint Epiphanius was born about 310 in Besanduc, a village of Palestine, of Jewish parents who were poor and tillers of the soil. In his youth he came to faith in Christ and was baptized with his sister, after which he distributed all he had to the poor and became a monk, being a younger contemporary of Saint Hilarion the Great (see Oct. 21), whom he knew. He also visited the renowned monks of Egypt to learn their ways. Because the fame of his virtue had spread, many in Egypt desired to make him a bishop; when he learned of this, he fled, returning to Palestine. But after a time he learned that the bishops there also intended to consecrate him to a widowed bishopric, and he fled to Cyprus. In Paphos he met Saint Hilarion, who told him to go to Constantia, a city of Cyprus also called Salamis. Epiphanius answered that he preferred to take ship for Gaza, which, despite Saint Hilarion's admonitions, he did. But a contrary wind brought the ship to Constantia where, by the providence of God, Epiphanius fell into the hands of bishops who had come together to elect a successor to the newly-departed Bishop of Constantia, and the venerable Epiphanius was at last constrained to be consecrated, about the year 367. He was fluent in Hebrew, Egyptian, Syriac, Greek, and Latin, and because of this he was called "Five-tongued." He had the gift of working miracles, and was held in such reverence by all, that although he was a known enemy of heresy, he was well nigh the only eminent bishop that the Arians did not dare to drive into exile when the Emperor Valens persecuted the Orthodox about the year 371. Having tended his flock in a manner pleasing to God, and guarded it undefiled from every heresy, he reposed about the year 403, having lived for ninety-three years. Among his sacred writings, the one that is held in special esteem is the Panarion (from the Latin Panarium, that is, "Bread-box,") containing the proofs of the truth of the Faith, and an examination of eighty heresies.

May 26

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

One of the most ancient cities of the Promised Land was Shechem, also called Sikima, located at the foot of Mount Gerazim. There the Israelites had heard the blessings in the days of Moses and Jesus of Navi. Near to this town, Jacob, who had come from Mesopotamia in the nineteenth century before Christ, bought a piece of land where there was a well. This well, preserved even until the time of Christ, was known as Jacob's Well. Later, before he died in Egypt, he left that piece of land as a special inheritance to his son Joseph (Gen. 49:22). This town, before it was taken into possession by Samaria, was also the leading city of the kingdom of the ten tribes. In the time of the Romans it was called Neapolis, and at present Nablus. It was the first city in Canaan visited by the Patriarch Abraham. Here also, Jesus of Navi (Joshua) addressed the tribes of Israel for the last time. Almost three hundred years later, all Israel assembled there to make Roboam (Rehoboam) king.

When our Lord Jesus Christ, then, came at midday to this city, which is also called Sychar (John 4:5), He was wearied from the journey and the heat, and He sat down at this well. After a little while the Samaritan woman mentioned in today's Gospel passage came to draw water. As she conversed at some length with the Lord and heard from Him secret things concerning herself, she believed in Him; through her many other Samaritans also believed.

Concerning the Samaritans we know the following: In the year 721 before Christ, Salmanasar (Shalmaneser), King of the Assyrians, took the ten tribes of the kingdom of Israel into captivity, and relocated all these people to Babylon and the land of the Medes. From there he gathered various nations and sent them to Samaria. These nations had been idolaters from before. Although they were later instructed in the Jewish faith and believed in the one God, they worshipped the idols also. Furthermore, they accepted only the Pentateuch of Moses, and rejected the other books of Holy Scripture. Nonetheless, they thought themselves to be descendants of Abraham and Jacob. Therefore, the pious Jews named these Judaizing and idolatrous peoples Samaritans, since they lived in Samaria, the former leading city of the Israelites, as well as in the other towns thereabout. The Jews rejected them as heathen and foreigners, and had no communion with them at all, as the Samaritan woman observed, "the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans" (John 4:9). Therefore, the name Samaritan is used derisively many times in the Gospel narrations. After the Ascension of the Lord, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the woman of Samaria was baptized by the holy Apostles and became a great preacher and Martyr of Christ; she was called Photine, and her feast is kept on February 26.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Seventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:1-10

On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Seventh Orthros Gospel
يوحنا 20: 1-10

¹في ذلك الزمان وفِي أَوَّلِ الأُسْبُوعِ جَاءَتْ مَرْيَمُ الْمَجْدَلِيَّةُ إِلَى الْقَبْرِ بَاكِراً، وَالظّلاَمُ بَاقٍ. فَنَظَرَتِ الْحَجَرَ مَرْفُوعاً عَنِ الْقَبْرِ.²فَرَكَضَتْ وَجَاءَتْ إِلَى سِمْعَانَ بُطْرُسَ وَإِلَى التِّلْمِيذِ الآخَرِ الَّذِي كَانَ يَسُوعُ يُحِبُّهُ، وَقَالَتْ لَهُمَا: ((أَخَذُوا السَّيِّدَ مِنَ الْقَبْرِ، وَلَسْنَا نَعْلَمُ أَيْنَ وَضَعُوهُ!)).³فَخَرَجَ بُطْرُسُ وَالتِّلْمِيذُ الآخَرُ وَأَتَيَا إِلَى الْقَبْرِ.⁴وَكَانَ الاِثْنَانِ يَرْكُضَانِ مَعاً. فَسَبَقَ التِّلْمِيذُ الآخَرُ بُطْرُسَ وَجَاءَ أَوَّلاً إِلَى الْقَبْرِ،⁵وَانْحَنَى فَنَظَرَ الأَكْفَانَ مَوْضُوعَةً، وَلَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَدْخُلْ.⁶ثُمَّ جَاءَ سِمْعَانُ بُطْرُسُ يَتْبَعُهُ، وَدَخَلَ الْقَبْرَ وَنَظَرَ الأَكْفَانَ مَوْضُوعَةً،⁷وَالْمِنْدِيلَ الَّذِي كَانَ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ لَيْسَ مَوْضُوعاً مَعَ الأَكْفَانِ، بَلْ مَلْفُوفاً فِي مَوْضِعٍ وَحْدَهُ.⁸فَحِينَئِذٍ دَخَلَ أَيْضاً التِّلْمِيذُ الآخَرُ الَّذِي جَاءَ أَوَّلاً إِلَى الْقَبْرِ، وَرَأَى فَآمَنَ،⁹لأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا بَعْدُ يَعْرِفُونَ الْكِتَابَ: أَنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَقُومَ مِنَ الأَمْوَاتِ. ¹⁰فَمَضَى التِّلْمِيذَانِ أَيْضاً إِلَى مَوْضِعِهِمَا.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 4th Tone. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 11:19-30.

In those days, those apostles who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord. News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad; and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose; for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large company was added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians. Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabos stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius. And the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judea, and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

البروكيمنون. 4th Tone. مزمور 103:1، 24.
ما أعظم أعمالك يا رب صنعتها كلها بالحكمة
Verse: باركي يا نفسي الرب

فصل من أعمال الرسل 11: 19-30.

¹⁹في تلك الأيام لما تبدد الرسل مِنْ جَرَّاءِ الضِّيقِ الَّذِي حَصَلَ بِسَبَبِ إِسْتِفَانُوسَ فَاجْتَازُوا إِلَى فِينِيقِيَةَ وَقُبْرُسَ وَأَنْطَاكِيَةَ وَهُمْ لاَ يُكَلِّمُونَ أَحَداً بِالْكَلِمَةِ إِلاَّ الْيَهُودَ فَقَطْ. ²⁰وَلَكِنْ كَانَ مِنْهُمْ قَوْمٌ وَهُمْ رِجَالٌ قُبْرُسِيُّونَ وَقَيْرَوَانِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ لَمَّا دَخَلُوا أَنْطَاكِيَةَ كَانُوا يُخَاطِبُونَ الْيُونَانِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ بِالرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ. ²¹وَكَانَتْ يَدُ الرَّبِّ مَعَهُمْ فَآمَنَ عَدَدٌ كَثِيرٌ وَرَجَعُوا إِلَى الرَّبِّ. ²²فَسُمِعَ الْخَبَرُ عَنْهُمْ فِي آذَانِ الْكَنِيسَةِ الَّتِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ فَأَرْسَلُوا بَرْنَابَا لِكَيْ يَجْتَازَ إِلَى أَنْطَاكِيَةَ. ²³الَّذِي لَمَّا أَتَى وَرَأَى نِعْمَةَ اللهِ فَرِحَ وَوَعَظَ الْجَمِيعَ أَنْ يَثْبُتُوا فِي الرَّبِّ بِعَزْمِ الْقَلْبِ ²⁴لأَنَّهُ كَانَ رَجُلاً صَالِحاً وَمُمْتَلِئاً مِنَ الرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ وَالإِيمَانِ. فَانْضَمَّ إِلَى الرَّبِّ جَمْعٌ غَفِيرٌ. ²⁵ثُمَّ خَرَجَ بَرْنَابَا إِلَى طَرْسُوسَ لِيَطْلُبَ شَاوُلَ. وَلَمَّا وَجَدَهُ جَاءَ بِهِ إِلَى أَنْطَاكِيَةَ. ²⁶فَحَدَثَ أَنَّهُمَا اجْتَمَعَا فِي الْكَنِيسَةِ سَنَةً كَامِلَةً وَعَلَّمَا جَمْعاً غَفِيراً. وَدُعِيَ التَّلاَمِيذُ ((مَسِيحِيِّينَ)) فِي أَنْطَاكِيَةَ أَوَّلاً.²⁷وَفِي تِلْكَ الأَيَّامِ انْحَدَرَ أَنْبِيَاءُ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى أَنْطَاكِيَةَ. ²⁸وَقَامَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمُ اسْمُهُ أَغَابُوسُ وَأَشَارَ بِالرُّوحِ أَنَّ جُوعاً عَظِيماً كَانَ عَتِيداً أَنْ يَصِيرَ عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْمَسْكُونَةِ الَّذِي صَارَ أَيْضاً فِي أَيَّامِ كُلُودِيُوسَ قَيْصَرَ. ²⁹فَحَتَمَ التَّلاَمِيذُ حَسْبَمَا تَيَسَّرَ لِكُلٍّ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُرْسِلَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ شَيْئاً خِدْمَةً إِلَى الإِخْوَةِ السَّاكِنِينَ فِي الْيَهُودِيَّةِ³⁰فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ مُرْسِلِينَ إِلَى الْمَشَايِخِ بِيَدِ بَرْنَابَا وَشَاوُلَ.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
The Reading is from John 4:5-42

At that time, Jesus came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."

Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly." The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and you say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."

Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but none said, "What do you wish?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" They went out of the city and were coming to him.

Meanwhile the disciples besought him, saying "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him food?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony. "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard ourselves, and we know that this is indeed Christ the Savior of the world."

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
يوحنا 4: 5-42

في ذلك الزمان5 أَتَى يسوع إِلَى مَدِينَةٍ مِنَ السَّامِرَةِ يُقَالُ لَهَا سُوخَارُ بِقُرْبِ الضَّيْعَةِ الَّتِي وَهَبَهَا يَعْقُوبُ لِيُوسُفَ ابْنِهِ.6 وَكَانَتْ هُنَاكَ بِئْرُ يَعْقُوبَ. فَإِذْ كَانَ يَسُوعُ قَدْ تَعِبَ مِنَ السَّفَرِ جَلَسَ هَكَذَا عَلَى الْبِئْرِ وَكَانَ نَحْوَ السَّاعَةِ السَّادِسَةِ.7 فَجَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ السَّامِرَةِ لِتَسْتَقِيَ مَاءً فَقَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: «أَعْطِينِي لأَشْرَبَ» 8 لأَنَّ تلاَمِيذَهُ كَانُوا قَدْ مَضَوْا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لِيَبْتَاعُوا طَعَاماً.9 فَقَالَتْ لَهُ الْمَرْأَةُ السَّامِرِيَّةُ: «كَيْفَ تَطْلُبُ مِنِّي لِتَشْرَبَ وَأَنْتَ يَهُودِيٌّ وَأَنَا امْرَأَةٌ سَامِرِيَّةٌ؟» لأَنَّ الْيَهُودَ لاَ يُعَامِلُونَ السَّامِرِيِّينَ.10 أَجَابَ يَسُوعُ: «لَوْ كُنْتِ تَعْلَمِينَ عَطِيَّةَ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ الَّذِي يَقُولُ لَكِ أَعْطِينِي لأَشْرَبَ لَطَلَبْتِ أَنْتِ مِنْهُ فَأَعْطَاكِ مَاءً حَيّاً».11 قَالَتْ لَهُ الْمَرْأَةُ: «يَا سَيِّدُ لاَ دَلْوَ لَكَ وَالْبِئْرُ عَمِيقَةٌ. فَمِنْ أَيْنَ لَكَ الْمَاءُ الْحَيُّ؟12 أَلَعَلَّكَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ أَبِينَا يَعْقُوبَ الَّذِي أَعْطَانَا الْبِئْرَ وَشَرِبَ مِنْهَا هُوَ وَبَنُوهُ وَمَوَاشِيهِ؟»13 أَجَابَ يَسُوعُ: «كُلُّ مَنْ يَشْرَبُ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَاءِ يَعْطَشُ أَيْضاً.14 وَلَكِنْ مَنْ يَشْرَبُ مِنَ الْمَاءِ الَّذِي أُعْطِيهِ أَنَا فَلَنْ يَعْطَشَ إِلَى الأَبَدِ بَلِ الْمَاءُ الَّذِي أُعْطِيهِ يَصِيرُ فِيهِ يَنْبُوعَ مَاءٍ يَنْبَعُ إِلَى حَيَاةٍ أَبَدِيَّةٍ».15 قَالَتْ لَهُ الْمَرْأَةُ: «يَا سَيِّدُ أَعْطِنِي هَذَا الْمَاءَ لِكَيْ لاَ أَعْطَشَ وَلاَ آتِيَ إِلَى هُنَا لأَسْتَقِيَ».16 قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: «ﭐذْهَبِي وَادْعِي زَوْجَكِ وَتَعَالَيإِلَى هَهُنَا»17 أَجَابَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ: «لَيْسَ لِي زَوْجٌ». قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: «حَسَناً قُلْتِ لَيْسَ لِي زَوْجٌ18 لأَنَّهُ كَانَ لَكِ خَمْسَةُ أَزْوَاجٍ وَالَّذِي لَكِ الآنَ لَيْسَ هُوَ زَوْجَكِ. هَذَا قُلْتِ بِالصِّدْقِ».19 قَالَتْ لَهُ الْمَرْأَةُ: «يَا سَيِّدُ أَرَى أَنَّكَ نَبِيٌّ!20 آبَاؤُنَا سَجَدُوا فِي هَذَا الْجَبَلِ وَأَنْتُمْ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ الْمَوْضِعَ الَّذِي يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُسْجَدَ فِيهِ».21 قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: «يَا امْرَأَةُ صَدِّقِينِي أَنَّهُ تَأْتِي سَاعَةٌ لاَ فِي هَذَا الْجَبَلِ وَلاَ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ تَسْجُدُونَ لِلآبِ.22 أَنْتُمْ تَسْجُدُونَ لِمَا لَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَمَّا نَحْنُ فَنَسْجُدُ لِمَا نَعْلَمُ - لأَنَّ الْخلاَصَ هُوَ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ.23 وَلَكِنْ تَأْتِي سَاعَةٌ وَهِيَ الآنَ حِينَ السَّاجِدُونَ الْحَقِيقِيُّونَ يَسْجُدُونَ لِلآبِ بِالرُّوحِ وَالْحَقِّ لأَنَّ الآبَ طَالِبٌ مِثْلَ هَؤُلاَءِ السَّاجِدِينَ لَهُ.24 اَللَّهُ رُوحٌ. وَالَّذِينَ يَسْجُدُونَ لَهُ فَبِالرُّوحِ وَالْحَقِّ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَسْجُدُوا».25 قَالَتْ لَهُ الْمَرْأَةُ: «أَنَا أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مَسِيَّا الَّذِي يُقَالُ لَهُ الْمَسِيحُ يَأْتِي. فَمَتَى جَاءَ ذَاكَ يُخْبِرُنَا بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ».26 قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: «أَنَا الَّذِي أُكَلِّمُكِ هُوَ».27 وَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ جَاءَ تلاَمِيذُهُ وَكَانُوا يَتَعَجَّبُونَ أَنَّهُ يَتَكَلَّمُ مَعَ امْرَأَةٍ. وَلَكِنْ لَمْ يَقُلْ أَحَدٌ: مَاذَا تَطْلُبُ أَوْ لِمَاذَا تَتَكَلَّمُ مَعَهَا.28 فَتَرَكَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ جَرَّتَهَا وَمَضَتْ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَقَالَتْ لِلنَّاسِ:29 «هَلُمُّوا انْظُرُوا إِنْسَاناً قَالَ لِي كُلَّ مَا فَعَلْتُ. أَلَعَلَّ هَذَا هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ؟».30 فَخَرَجُوا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَأَتَوْا إِلَيْهِ.31 وَفِي أَثْنَاءِ ذَلِكَ سَأَلَهُ تلاَمِيذُهُ: «يَا مُعَلِّمُ كُلْ»32 فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «أَنَا لِي طَعَامٌ لِآكُلَ لَسْتُمْ تَعْرِفُونَهُ أَنْتُمْ».33 فَقَالَ التّلاَمِيذُ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: «أَلَعَلَّ أَحَداً أَتَاهُ بِشَيْءٍ لِيَأْكُلَ؟»34 قَالَ لَهُمْ يَسُوعُ: «طَعَامِي أَنْ أَعْمَلَ مَشِيئَةَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَنِي وَأُتَمِّمَ عَمَلَهُ.35 أَمَا تَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ يَكُونُ أَرْبَعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ ثُمَّ يَأْتِي الْحَصَادُ؟ هَا أَنَا أَقُولُ لَكُمُ: ارْفَعُوا أَعْيُنَكُمْ وَانْظُرُوا الْحُقُولَ إِنَّهَا قَدِ ابْيَضَّتْ لِلْحَصَادِ.36 وَﭐلْحَاصِدُ يَأْخُذُ أُجْرَةً وَيَجْمَعُ ثَمَراً لِلْحَيَاةِ الأَبَدِيَّةِ لِكَيْ يَفْرَحَ الزَّارِعُ وَالْحَاصِدُ مَعاً.37 لأَنَّهُ فِي هَذَا يَصْدُقُ الْقَوْلُ: إِنَّ وَاحِداً يَزْرَعُ وَآخَرَ يَحْصُدُ.38 أَنَا أَرْسَلْتُكُمْ لِتَحْصُدُوا مَا لَمْ تَتْعَبُوا فِيهِ. آخَرُونَ تَعِبُوا وَأَنْتُمْ قَدْ دَخَلْتُمْ عَلَى تَعَبِهِمْ».39 فَآمَنَ بِهِ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْمَدِينَةِ كَثِيرُونَ مِنَ السَّامِرِيِّينَ بِسَبَبِ كلاَمِ الْمَرْأَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ: «قَالَ لِي كُلَّ مَا فَعَلْتُ».40 فَلَمَّا جَاءَ إِلَيْهِ السَّامِرِيُّونَ سَأَلُوهُ أَنْ يَمْكُثَ عِنْدَهُمْ فَمَكَثَ هُنَاكَ يَوْمَيْنِ.41 فَآمَنَ بِهِ أَكْثَرُ جِدّاً بِسَبَبِ كلاَمِهِ.42 وَقَالُوا لِلْمَرْأَةِ: إِنَّنَا لَسْنَا بَعْدُ بِسَبَبِ كلاَمِكِ نُؤْمِنُ لأَنَّنَا نَحْنُ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا وَنَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا هُوَ بِالْحَقِيقَةِ الْمَسِيحُ مُخَلِّصُ الْعَالَمِ

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the 5th Tone

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.

المسيح قام من بين الأموات ووطئ الموت بالموت ووهب الحياة للذين في القبور.

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 4th Tone

Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the Angel, and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, the women disciples of the Lord spake to the Apostles exultantly: Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, granting great mercy to the world.

ان تلميذات الرب تعلمن من الملاك كرز القيامة البهج وطرحن القضية الجدّية وخاطبن الرسل مفتخرات وقائلات : قد سبي الموت وقام المسيح الاله مانحاً العالم الرحمة العظمى.

Apolytikion for Mid-Pentecost in the 8th Tone

At Mid-feast give Thou my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of piety; for Thou, O Saviour, didst cry out to all: Whosoever is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Wherefore, O Well-spring of life, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.

في انتصاف العيد اسق نفسي العطشى من مياه العبادة الحسنة أيها المخلص لأنك هتفت نحو الكل قائلاً من كان عطشاناً فليأتِ إلي ويشرب فيا ينبوع الحياة أيها المسيح الإله المجد لك.

Apolytikion of St Stephen in the 1st Tone

For the struggles you endured for Christ God, a royal diadem crowns your head, O First Champion of Martyrs. For you refuted the folly of the Jews and beheld your Savior on the right of the Father. Ever beseech Him, therefore, for our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 8th Tone

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.

Wisdom of the Fathers

The example of the good Samaritan shows that we must not abandon those in whom even the faintest amount of faith is still alive.

St. Ambrose of Milan

Two Books of St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Concerning Repentance, Chapter 11

He shows that she is worthy to hear and not to be overlooked, and then He reveals Himself. For she, as soon as she had learnt who He was, would straightway hearken and attend to Him; ...

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 31 on John 3, 4th Century

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