Hieromartyr Theodotus, Bishop of Cyrenia; St Arseny, Bishop of Tver

Saints commemorated

Saint of the day

Hieromartyr Theodotus, Bishop of Cyrenia

Theodotus (†c. 320/326) was Bishop of Cyrenia (Kyrenia) in Cyprus and a confessor of the faith under the emperor Licinius. A native of Galatia in Asia Minor, he governed the church of Cyrenia and preached Christ openly, summoning the pagans to abandon their idols. Arrested and brought before the provincial governor, he endured prolonged and savage tortures without yielding, confessing Christ throughout. When Constantine's victory brought peace to the Church and the prisoners of the faith were released, Theodotus returned to his see and shepherded his flock a while longer before reposing in peace. Though he died of natural causes, the Church numbers him among the hieromartyrs for the sufferings he bore in confession. He is commemorated on March 2.
Saint of the day

St Arseny, Bishop of Tver

Arsenius (†1409) was Bishop of Tver and the founder of the Zheltikov Monastery of the Dormition on the river Tmaka near that city. Born at Tver, he was tonsured young in the Kiev Caves Monastery, and rose to be archdeacon to Metropolitan Cyprian of Kiev and Moscow, whose administration he helped govern. In 1390, over his own reluctance, he was consecrated bishop of Tver, a see torn by the feuds of its princes; there he laboured as a peacemaker, built churches and his monastery, and had copied for its monks the great manuscript collection later known as the Arsenian redaction of the Kiev Caves Paterikon. He reposed in 1409; his incorrupt relics were uncovered in 1483, and he was canonised by the Moscow Council of 1547. He is commemorated on March 2.
The Four Hundred and Forty Martyrs of Lombardy (579)
Holy Martyr Euthalia (257)

Euthalia (†c. 257) was a young virgin-martyr of Leontini (Lentini) in Sicily. Her mother, Eutropia, long afflicted with an issue of blood, was healed through the intercession of the martyrs of Lentini and was baptised together with Euthalia; but Euthalia's brother Sermylian, an ardent pagan, was enraged at their conversion. When Euthalia refused to renounce Christ, he pursued and abused her, and at the last beheaded her with his own hand. She is honoured among the virgin-martyrs and is commemorated on March 2 in the Orthodox calendar (and on August 27 in the West).
Hesychius the Senator

Hesychius (†c. 302) was a Roman senator and high official of the imperial palace under the emperor Maximian, martyred in the Diocletianic persecution. When Maximian ordered that Christians be stripped of their military belts and dignities and expelled from his service, Hesychius willingly gave up his rank rather than deny Christ. Summoned and reproached by the emperor for choosing disgrace over his high estate, he confessed the faith openly; whereupon Maximian had a great millstone bound to him and cast him into a river of Bithynia, where he was drowned. He is numbered among the confessing officials of the imperial court who chose the loss of all things for Christ, and is commemorated on March 2.
Troadius of Neocaesarea

Troadius (†c. 250) was a young martyr of Neocaesarea in Pontus who suffered under the emperor Decius, enduring fearful tortures for the confession of Christ. His memory is bound to that of his great fellow-townsman Gregory the Wonderworker, bishop of Neocaesarea, who — the tradition holds — was granted to see the young man's whole passion in a vision, beholding his torments and the departure of his soul to Christ even as they were happening, and afterward bore witness to his martyrdom. Troadius is commemorated on March 2.

British Isles and Ireland

St. Chad, bishop of Lichfield (672)
St. Gistilian, uncle of St. David (6th C)
St. Fergna, abbot of Iona (637)
St. Cynibild, brother of SS Chad and Cedd (7th C)
St. Slebhine, abbot of Iona (767)
St. Joavan (c.570)
St. Willeic (726)

Troparia & kontakia

Troparion — Tone 4

A rule of faith and an image of gentleness, a teacher of self-restraint, the truth of thy deeds revealed thee to thy flock; and so by lowliness thou didst gain the things on high, and by poverty, riches. O Father and Hierarch Arsenius, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 4

Thy ewe-lamb Euthalia cries aloud to Thee, O Jesus: "O my Bridegroom, Thee I long for, and seeking Thee I strive in contest; with Thee I am crucified, and in Thy baptism am I buried; I suffer for Thy sake, that I may reign with Thee, and I die for Thee, that I may live in Thee. As a spotless sacrifice offered in love, receive me." By her intercessions, O merciful One, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 4

Thy Martyr Hesychius, O Lord, in his contest has received from Thee, our God, the crown of incorruption; for, having Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and shattered the feeble insolence of the demons. By his prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 4

A sharer in the way of life of the Apostles and a successor to their thrones, O God-inspired one, thou didst find in the practice of virtue thine ascent to divine contemplation; therefore, rightly dividing the word of truth, thou didst do battle for the faith even to the shedding of thy blood, O Hieromartyr Theodotus. Intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 4

Thy Martyr Troadius, O Lord, in his contest has received from Thee, our God, the crown of incorruption; for, having Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and shattered the feeble insolence of the demons. By his prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

Readings

6th Hour

Isaiah 2.11-21

¹¹The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. ¹²For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: ¹³And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, ¹⁴And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, ¹⁵And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, ¹⁶And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. ¹⁷And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. ¹⁸And the idols he shall utterly abolish. ¹⁹And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. ²⁰In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; ²¹To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

Vespers

Genesis 2.4-19

⁴These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. ⁶But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. ⁷And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. ⁸And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. ⁹And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. ¹⁰And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. ¹¹The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; ¹²And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. ¹³And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. ¹⁴And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. ¹⁵And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. ¹⁶And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: ¹⁷But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. ¹⁸And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. ¹⁹And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

Proverbs 3.1-18

¹My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: ²For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. ³Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: ⁴So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. ⁵Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. ⁷Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. ⁸It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. ⁹Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: ¹⁰So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. ¹¹My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: ¹²For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. ¹³Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. ¹⁴For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. ¹⁵She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. ¹⁶Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. ¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

Saints commemorated