Sunday of Holy Fathers of Seventh Ecumenical Council

& Fourth Sunday of Luke

Hieromartyr Jacob of Hamatour

Martyrs Karpos, Papylos, Agathodoros & Agathonika at Pergamos

October 13, 2024

Troparion of the Resurrection – Tone 7

Thou didst shatter death by Thy Cross, Thou didst open paradise to the thief; Thou didst turn the sadness of the ointment-bearing women into joy. And didst bid Thine Apostles proclaim a warning, that Thou hast risen O Christ, granting to the world the Great Mercy.

Troparion of the Holy Fathers – Tone 8

Thou, O Christ, art our God of exceeding praise Who didst establish our Holy Fathers as luminous stars upon earth, and through them didst guide us unto the true Faith, O most merciful One, glory to Thee.

Troparion of St Jacob of Hamotour  – Tone 3

Thou didst flourish like Lebanon’s cedar, with no fear thou didst suffer martyrdom, thou becamest, O saint Jacob, a true victor. For thou didst conquer death with thy mortal flesh, when thou didst tame all the passions by humility. And while burning like incense as a true sacrifice, thou intercedest with Christ to grant us all the Great Mercy.

Troparion of St Joseph the Betrothed – Tone 2

Proclaim, O Joseph to David, the ancestor of God, the amazing wonder, for by the angel they were revealed unto thee. For thou hast seen a Virgin great with child, and thou gave glory with the shepherds and didst worship with the Magi. Wherefore, plead with Christ God to save our souls.

Kontakion of Ordinary Sundays – Tone 2

O undisputed intercessor of Christians, the mediatrix, who art unrejected by the Creator. Turn not away from the voice of our petitions, thou we be sinners. Come to us with aid in time, who cry unto thee in faith, for thou art good. Hasten to us with intercessions, O Theotokos, who dost ever intercede for those who honor thee.

Epistle – Titus 3:8-15

Titus, my son, faithful is the saying, and concerning these things I desire you to affirm confidently, that those who have believed in God may be thoughtful of how to preside in honorable occupations. These things are good and profitable to men. But avoid foolish disputes, and genealogies, and contentions, and controversies about the Law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man who is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject, knowing that such a one is subverted, and sins, being self-condemned. When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicós, give diligence to come to me to Nicopolis; for I have determined to winter there. Set forward Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that they may be lacking in nothing. And let our people also learn how to preside in honorable occupations, so as to help in cases of urgent need, that they should not be unfruitful. All who are with me salute you. Salute those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Gospel – St Luke 8:5-15

The Lord spoke this parable: “A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold.” And when His Disciples asked Him what this parable meant, Jesus said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.” As Jesus said this, He called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Hieromartyr Jacob of Hamatour – October 13

Jacob became a monk at the monastery of Our Lady on Mount Hamatoura in northern Lebanon in the late 13th century. He took very naturally to the ascetic life and soon became an example for all Christians living in the area. He also became a target for the Mameluks, the warrior slaves of the Muslim rulers in Lebanon at the time. They first destroyed the monastery, but Jacob was not to be deterred. He and his fellow monks built another monastery at the edge of the ruined buildings and the spiritual life of prayer, work, study, and fasting continued.

The Mameluks then made every effort to force Jacob to convert to Islam. When he steadfastly refused, they dragged him and many other monks and laymen (including one child) from the monastery to the Wali, or ruler, in the city of Tripoli. There the captives were subjected to a year of extreme torture, but when it was obvious that they would not reject the Christian faith, they were beheaded. St. Jacob’s body was also burned in an attempt to prevent his having a proper burial.

To the outside world, it would appear that the enemies of Christ had been successful. Memory of the saint and his companions slipped away; his monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos lay in ruins; and the liturgical documents which would have shown commemorations of the martyrs were either lost or destroyed.

But monastic life continued elsewhere on Mt. Hamatoura and to many faithful Christians, St. Jacob continued to be a powerful presence. Pilgrims who came to the area had visions of the saint or heard him chanting in the church, and some received healing through his intercession. The monk Panteleimon received a clear message from an anonymous martyr saint to rebuild his monastery on Mt. Hamatoura and so work began in the 1990’s in response to that message.

During the work, several skeletons were found buried under the church – one with a severed head and a burned body, which is believed to be the relics of St. Jacob. Visions of the saint continued and a manuscript was found at Balamand Monastery, indicating October 13th as the day of the saint’s heavenly birthday and his feast day. Finally, on October 13, 2002, the rebuilt Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos celebrated the feast day of St. Jacob for the first time in many centuries.

We give thanks to God that the light of the Truth cannot be extinguished and that the story of the steadfast faith and martyrdom St. Jacob of Hamatoura has now been recovered and revealed to the world. We pray for his intercessions that we may also be steadfast in our faith.