Memorial Saturday

Saints commemorated

St Methodius, Enilightener of the Slavs

Methodius (c. 815–885) was, with his younger brother Cyril the Philosopher, the apostle of the Slavs — the elder of the two "Thessalonian brothers" who devised the Slavonic letters, translated the Scriptures and the services of the Church into the Slavonic tongue, and carried the Gospel to Great Moravia and the peoples of central Europe. After Cyril's death Methodius laboured on for sixteen years as archbishop, translating almost the whole Bible into Slavonic, defending the right of the Slavs to worship God in their own language against fierce opposition, and enduring imprisonment for the faith. He is honoured as Equal-to-the-Apostles; from the work of the two brothers and their disciples flows the whole tradition of Slavonic Orthodoxy.
St Eutychius, patriarch of Constantinople (582)

Eutychius (c. 512–582) was twice Patriarch of Constantinople, presiding at the Fifth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople II, 553) which condemned the "Three Chapters" and confirmed the Christology of Chalcedon against the Nestorianizing tendency. For resisting the aged emperor Justinian's late adoption of the heresy of Aphthartodocetism (that the Lord's body was incorruptible and impassible even before the Resurrection) he was deposed and exiled, and lived twelve years as a monk before being restored to his throne under Justin II. He is honoured as a confessor and a defender of the Orthodox faith.

British Isles and Ireland

St. Elfstan of Abingdon (981)
St. Berthanc of Iona (c.840)
St. Ulched of Llechulched

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 3

Let us honour the sacred pair, our enlighteners, who by translating the divine writings poured forth for us a fountain of the knowledge of God, from which even to this day we draw abundantly; and we call thee blessed, O Methodius, together with Cyril, thou intercessor before the throne of the Most High for our souls.

Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a hierarch)

O God of our fathers, ever dealing with us according to Thy gentleness: take not Thy mercy from us, but by the prayers of Thy hierarch Eutychius guide our life in peace.

Troparion — Tone 4

Equals of the Apostles and teachers of the Slavonic lands, Cyril and Methodius inspired of God: entreat the Master of all to establish all the Slavonic peoples in Orthodoxy and concord, to grant peace to the world, and to save our souls.

Readings

Epistle

Hebrews 10.32-38

³²But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; ³³Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. ³⁴For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. ³⁵Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. ³⁶For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. ³⁷For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. ³⁸Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

1 Thessalonians 4.13-17 (Departed)

¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Gospel

Mark 2.14-17

¹⁴And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphæus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. ¹⁵And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. ¹⁶And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? ¹⁷When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

John 5.24-30 (Departed)

²⁴Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. ²⁵Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. ²⁶For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; ²⁷And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. ²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, ²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. ³⁰I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.