Great Lent, day 35 · 14 days until Pascha
St Mary of Egypt
Saints commemorated
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Hieromartyr Januarius and Companions
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Alexius of Bortsurmany
Alexius Gnevushev (1762–1848) was a village priest of the Volga country who served one parish, the church of the Dormition at Bortsurmany in the Kurmysh district of Simbirsk province, for some sixty years and never held any other. Shaken in 1796 by having let a parishioner die without the Mysteries, he took upon himself a rule of life that belonged to the desert rather than to a parish house — daily Liturgy, the full monastic office, fifteen hundred prostrations a day with the Jesus Prayer, one meal, a hair shirt — and became one of the great clairvoyant elders of the Russian nineteenth century, in the same spiritual country as Seraphim of Sarov, who is remembered to have sent pilgrims on to him. He died on Great Thursday, 21 April 1848, in his eighty-sixth year, blessing the people from the window of his cell, and was glorified by the Russian Church in 2000; the uncovering of his relics is kept on August 4.
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Isaac, Apollos and Quadratus
Isaac, Apollos and Quadratus were officials of the court of Diocletian — pagans by upbringing and by office — who were converted by what they saw at the trial of the Great Martyr George: his endurance under torture, the wonders worked through him, and his refusal to be broken. Having believed, they declared themselves Christians before the emperor and reproached him for his impiety and cruelty, and were condemned. Quadratus was beheaded; Isaac and Apollos were left to die of hunger in prison, about the year 303. The Church commemorates the three together on April 21, two days before the feast of the martyr whose witness converted them.
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Januarius of Benevento
Januarius, Bishop of Benevento in Campania, was beheaded near Pozzuoli about the year 305, in the persecution of Diocletian, together with a company of six: his own deacon Festus and his lector Desiderius, the deacons Sossius of Misenum and Proculus of Pozzuoli, and two laymen, Eutychius and Acutius. The Byzantine synaxaria keep the whole company on April 21; the West keeps Januarius on September 19. His relics were carried to Naples, of which he became the great patron; there, from the fourteenth century onward, the periodic liquefaction of a relic of his blood has made him one of the most famous martyrs of the Latin world — though the Orthodox Church honours him, then as now, simply as a hieromartyr who confessed Christ before a magistrate and died for it.
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Maximian of Constantinople
Maximian, a Roman by birth who had lived as an ascetic and spent his own inheritance burying the bodies of holy men, was raised from the presbyterate to the throne of Constantinople on 25 October 431, four months after the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus deposed Nestorius. His two and a half years in the see were given almost wholly to peace: he cleared the capital and the neighbouring sees of Nestorian bishops, and he laboured — pressing even St Cyril of Alexandria to set his Twelve Anathemas aside for the sake of concord — for the reconciliation of Alexandria with John of Antioch and the Eastern bishops, which was achieved in the Formula of Reunion of 433. He reposed in peace, on Great and Holy Thursday of 434, and is commemorated on April 21.
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Theodore of Perge
Theodore was a young Christian of Perge in Pamphylia, on the south coast of Asia Minor, who was crucified for refusing to sacrifice to the idols in the reign of the emperor Antoninus Pius (138–161). His passion is one of the very few in the calendar in which the martyr dies on a cross in imitation of his Lord, hanging three days in prayer, and one of the few in which the martyr's mother, Philippa, stands beside him to the end and is crowned with him. Two of the soldiers who guarded him, Socrates and Dionysius, confessed Christ at the sight of his deliverance and were beheaded, and the pagan priest Dioscorus, challenged to prove his own gods, confessed Christ in the fire and perished giving thanks. The company is commemorated on April 21.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Beuno, abbot of Clynnog Fawr (c.640)
- St. Maelruba of Applecross (722)
- St. Eingan (Eneon), Hermit of Llyn, Bangor
Troparia & kontakia
Apolytikion
Sharing the manner of life of the Apostles and seated upon their thrones, thou didst find in the practice of virtue the ascent to divine vision, O inspired one; therefore, having rightly dispensed the word of truth, thou didst contend for the faith even unto blood, O hieromartyr Januarius. Intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Apolytikion — Tone 4 (common of a hierarch)
The truth of things hath shown thee forth to thy flock as a rule of faith, an image of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; therefore hast thou attained to lofty things by humility, and to riches by poverty. O father and hierarch Maximian, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Thou didst tend the flock of Christ as a shepherd and didst lay down thy life for the sheep, O wise Januarius; and with thee the deacons and the faithful people were crowned, a sevenfold choir offered to the Trinity. Wherefore we cry to you: cease not to intercede for us who honour your memory.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Called from stillness to the shepherd's throne, thou didst seek not thine own but the peace of the Churches, O all-blessed Maximian; and having gathered the scattered into one confession of the Theotokos, thou didst pass over to the light unwaning. Wherefore we cry: rejoice, O reconciler of the divided.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Nailed upon the tree, thou wast made like unto the Crucified, and for three days didst preach from thy cross to them that stood by, O athlete Theodore; and thy mother rejoiced beside thee as she yielded her neck to the sword. Together with Socrates and Dionysius intercede for us who honour your contest.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a righteous man)
O righteous father Alexius, thou didst stand before the altar of God with fear and burning love, and offering the bloodless sacrifice day by day thou didst become thyself an offering acceptable unto Him; wherefore, having received the grace of healing and of discernment, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of many martyrs)
Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received from Thee, our God, the crowns of incorruption; for having Thy strength, they cast down their persecutors and broke the feeble arrogance of the demons. By their supplications, O Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion
Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received from Thee, our God, the crowns of incorruption; for having Thy strength, they cast down their persecutors and broke the feeble arrogance of the demons. By their supplications, O Christ God, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a martyr)
Thy martyr Theodore, O Lord, in his contest received from Thee, our God, the crown of incorruption; for having Thy strength, he cast down his persecutors and broke the feeble arrogance of the demons. By his supplications save our souls.
Readings
2nd Matins Gospel
Mark 16.1-8
1And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 8And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
Epistle
Hebrews 9.11-14
11But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Galatians 3.23-29 (St Mary)
23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Gospel
Mark 10.32-45
32And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, 33Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: 34And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again. 35And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. 36And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? 37They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. 38But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 39And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: 40But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. 41And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. 42But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. 43But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 44And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Luke 7.36-50 (St Mary)
36And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. 37And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.