Pre-Lenten Triodion, day 12 · 59 days until Pascha
Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
Seven Hieromartyrs of Cherson
The Hieromartyrs of Cherson — Basil, Ephraim, Capiton, Eugene, Aetherius, Agathodorus and Elpidius — were seven bishops who, across the fourth century, carried the Gospel to Cherson (Chersonesus in the Tauric Crimea) and the lands of the northern Black Sea, and most of whom sealed their preaching with their blood. Sent out from Jerusalem in the last age of the pagan persecutions, Basil raised to life the dead son of a leading citizen and was clubbed to death for it; Ephraim was beheaded among the peoples of the Danube; Eugene, Elpidius and Agathodorus were stoned; Aetherius governed the church in the peace won by Constantine; and Capiton, challenged for a sign, walked unharmed into a burning lime-kiln in his vestments and converted the city — a wonder reported to the First Ecumenical Council. They are the seedbed of Crimean Christianity, on the very ground where, six centuries later, Prince Vladimir of Kiev would be baptised and Rus' receive the faith. The Church keeps all seven together on March 7.
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Emilian of Rome
Emilian of Rome — a Roman by birth, called Victorinus in the world — is remembered as a striking icon of repentance in old age. Having lived, the tradition says, a long and sinful life into his later years, he was seized at last by godly sorrow, renounced the world, and entered a monastery, where he took the name Emilian and gave himself to such humble obedience and strict fasting that he became the wonder of the brethren. When the abbot once found him praying in a cave, bathed in a heavenly light, a voice from on high was heard to declare his sins forgiven — a sign, made public for the encouragement of all, of God's mercy toward the repentant sinner. He ended his days in spiritual joy and reposed in peace. He is commemorated on March 7.
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Paul the Confessor of Plousias
Paul the Confessor (died c. 850) was bishop of Plousias, a city of Bithynia in Asia Minor, and a defender of the holy icons in the second iconoclast persecution of the ninth century. His stand for the images, the tradition notes, was grounded above all in Holy Scripture. For it he was harassed, driven from his see, and — together with the confessor Theophylact, bishop of Nicomedia — sent into exile, where he ended his life as a confessor of the faith, never having yielded the veneration of the icons of Christ and the saints. He is commemorated on March 7.
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Paul the Simple
Paul the Simple (†c. 339) was an Egyptian farmer who at about sixty years of age, on discovering his wife's adultery, walked into the desert and asked Anthony the Great to make him a monk. Tested by the great ascetic with a harshness meant to send an old man home, he obeyed everything without a murmur, and his guileless obedience — the "simplicity" of his name — made him within a few years a wonderworker whom Anthony himself held up as the pattern of the monastic beginner, sending to Paul the demoniacs whom he could not himself cure.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Enodoc (c.520)
- St. Deifer, founder abbot of Bodfari (6th C)
- St. Eosterwine, abbot of Wearmouth (686)
Troparia & kontakia
Troparion — Tone 8 (from the common of a venerable)
With the streams of thy tears thou didst make the barren desert bloom, and with sighs from the depths thou didst bring forth fruit a hundredfold in thy labours; and thou becamest a beacon to the whole world, shining with wonders. O Emilian our venerable father, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4
Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest have received from thee, our God, crowns incorruptible; for possessing thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and shattered the feeble insolence of the demons. By their prayers, O Christ our God, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4
O God of our Fathers, who dealest ever with us according to thy gentleness, take not thy mercy from us, but by the prayers of thy hierarch Paul guide our life in peace.
Troparion — Tone 8 (from the common of a venerable)
With the streams of thy tears thou didst make the barren desert bloom, and with sighs from the depths thou didst bring forth fruit a hundredfold in thy labours; and thou becamest a beacon to the whole world, shining with wonders. O Paul our venerable father, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Readings
Epistle
1 John 4.20-5.21
20If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. 1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 6This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 16If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 17All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. 18We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. 19And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Gospel
Mark 15.1-15
1And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. 2And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. 3And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. 4And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. 5But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled. 6Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. 7And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 9But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 11But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 12And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 13And they cried out again, Crucify him. 14Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. 15And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.