Pre-Lenten Triodion, day 10 · 61 days until Pascha
About Finding of the Relics of the Holy Martyrs at the Gate of Eugenius →
Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
Unc. Rel. Holy Martyrs at Gate of Eugenius
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Andronicus and Junia
Andronicus and Junia are the two Christians of the first generation whom the Apostle Paul greets at Romans 16:7 as "my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me" — the only persons in the New Testament of whom that last phrase is said. The Byzantine tradition numbers Andronicus among the Seventy and makes him bishop of Pannonia, and honours Junia with him as his synergos, his fellow-labourer in the Gospel; both are remembered as having suffered for Christ. Their relics, hidden in the persecutions and long anonymous, were brought to light outside Constantinople at the Gate of Eugenius, and identified there by revelation. They are kept on May 17, and again on February 22 with the finding of those relics, and Andronicus a third time on July 30 with his fellow-apostles of the Seventy.
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Athanasius the Confessor of Paulopetrion
Athanasius the Confessor (died 821) was a monk and abbot of the Paulopetrion monastery — the house "of Paul and Peter," near Nicomedia in Bithynia — who suffered for the veneration of the holy icons in the second iconoclast persecution. Born at Constantinople of wealthy and pious parents and drawn from childhood to the service of God, he became renowned for his ascetic life, so that his fame reached the imperial court. In the reign of the iconoclast emperor Leo V the Armenian (813–820) he was seized, tortured, and sent into exile for his defence of the sacred images; and having confessed the Orthodox faith to the end, he reposed in peace in the year 821. He is kept on February 22 as a venerable confessor.
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Maurice of Apamea and his Companions
Maurice (died c. 305) was the commander of the garrison of Apamea on the Orontes in Syria, martyred under the emperor Galerius Maximian together with his son Photinus and the seventy soldiers of his command — of whom only two names, Theodore and Philip, are remembered. Denounced as Christians and refusing to sacrifice, they were subjected to a torture of studied cruelty: led to a marshy place swarming with mosquitoes, wasps and gadflies, stripped, smeared with honey, and bound to stakes, they were left for ten days to be stung and consumed by the insects under the sun, tormented by thirst and hunger, while they prayed and glorified God. The commander was made to watch his son die before him. At the last the martyrs were beheaded. They are a company of Antiochian Syria, kept on February 22.
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Thalassius, Limnaeus and Baradates
Thalassius, Limnaeus and Baradates were three Syrian solitaries of the fifth century, ascetics of the hill-country around Cyrrhus and Antioch whose lives are recorded at first hand by Theodoret, bishop of Cyrrhus, in his Religious History. Thalassius passed thirty-eight years on a bare hill near the village of Targala, without roof or cell, in a simplicity, gentleness and humility that drew the gift of healing. His disciple Limnaeus learned that same simplicity, joined the great Maron, and settled in a roofless stone enclosure, where — though a solitary — he gathered the blind and the crippled about him and cared for them. Baradates shut himself in a stone cell too cramped to stand upright in, and later stood exposed to sun and rain wrapped head to foot in leather, until Theodoret himself persuaded him to relent. The three are kept together on February 22.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Elwin (Elwyn) the Martyr, Missionary to Cornwall (5th C)
Troparia & kontakia
Apolytikion — Tone 3
Holy apostles Andronicus and Junia, intercede with the merciful God, that he may grant to our souls the forgiveness of transgressions.
Kontakion
As stars that the Church has found shining in the earth, the treasure of your holy relics, O martyrs of Christ, enlightens the faithful who keep your memory; for by your hidden struggles you were made manifest, and you pour out healings on them that draw near.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Kinsmen of Paul and sharers of his bonds, who were in Christ before him and laboured with him in the Gospel: Andronicus, adornment of the hierarchs, and Junia, of note among the apostles — intercede unceasingly for those who honour your memory.
Troparion
Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received crowns of incorruption from Thee our God; for possessed of Thy might, they cast down the tyrants and shattered the powerless insolence of demons. By their supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.
Troparion
In thee, O Father, was the divine image kept secure; for taking up the Cross thou didst follow after Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to despise the flesh, for it passes away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal. Therefore, O venerable Athanasius, thy spirit rejoices with the Angels.
Troparion
Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received crowns of incorruption from Thee our God; for possessed of Thy might, they cast down the tyrants and shattered the powerless insolence of demons. By their supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.
Troparion
In thee, O Father, was the divine image kept secure; for taking up the Cross thou didst follow after Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to despise the flesh, for it passes away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal. Therefore, O venerable one, thy spirit rejoices with the Angels.
Readings
Epistle
1 John 3.10-20
10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 11For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. 13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Gospel
Mark 14.10-42
10And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. 11And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. 12And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? 13And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. 14And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 15And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. 16And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 17And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. 18And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. 19And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? 20And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. 21The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born. 22And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 23And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 25Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. 26And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. 27And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. 28But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. 29But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. 30And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 31But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. 32And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. 33And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. 37And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 38Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 39And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. 40And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. 41And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.