SUNDAY MESSAGE (audio message)
BY HIS EMINENCE THE METROPOLITAN
KYTHIRA & ANTIKYTHIRA SERAPHIM
ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ Ε’ ΛΟΥΚΑ
(01-11-2026)
WRITTEN DIVINE PROCLAMATION
Luke the Physician, the Beloved
As is often the case, my fellow Christians, on the feasts of its great saints, our Church coordinates the readings of the Divine Liturgy with the meaning of their commemoration. To this end, it selects passages from the Holy Gospels and the Epistles of the Apostles, which either mention the saint being celebrated or allude to the great work he accomplished.
Today—October 18—we honor the glorious Apostle and Evangelist Luke. Both the Holy Gospel that is read and the Apostle himself are associated with him.
The Gospel passage refers to the Lord’s selection of the 70 disciples and their mission to the regions of Galileeand Judea to preach the saving work of Christ and to heal the sick. Although he is not mentioned by name, Luke must have been among these 70 disciples. (When the 70 returned—filled with joy — they told Jesus how those suffering from either physical or spiritual—demonic—illnesses were being healed.).
After the Passion and the Resurrection, and following the conversion of the Apostle Paul, Luke faithfully accompanied him on his journeys. And Paul explicitly mentions him, as he greets the Colossians and conveys the greetings of his companions. This passage from the corresponding Epistle is read today in the Church.
The Evangelist Luke, born in Antioch, Syria, possessed a rich command of languages. His excellent command of the Greek language leads to the conclusion that he was of Greek nationality. His writings are vivid, historically accurate, and describe his experiences in the presence of the Lord, and he had a special relationship with Our Lady, since most of the information we have about her comes from his Gospel.
The second book by the Apostle Luke, written in a historical style, is the «Acts of the Apostles.» When one reads the Acts, one feels as if one is living through the years and the events described therein.
Luke was not just a writer. He was also a skilled physician, so much so that Paul took him along on his journeys.
He was also a painter. Icons of the Virgin Mary, which are now located on Tinos, at the Great Cave, at Panagia Soumela, in Thebes, and elsewhere, are his own works made of wax and mastic.
After the martyrdom and death of the Apostle Paul, Luke preached in many countries of the Balkans and eventually arrived in Thebes, where, according to the most widely accepted tradition, he passed away peacefully…
* * *
It is a spiritual delight, my fellow Christians, to read the two books of the Apostle Luke. Through them, we immerse ourselves in the sanctifying and vibrant daily life of our early Church, and we learn from the account of the preaching ofour Lord, His Passion, and His Resurrection. And we draw strength and enlightenment from the Evangelist’s inspired pen…
How could Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, fail to mention him? «Luke, the physician and beloved», in his remarks?…
Rev. P. Mariatos
