Memorial Saturday

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Basil of Ancyra

Basil of Ancyra (†c. 362) was a martyr of Ancyra in Galatia who suffered under the emperor Julian the Apostate. A zealous confessor of the Nicene faith — the tradition remembers him as a presbyter of the church of Ancyra — he had contended in earlier years against both the Arians and the pagans, and when Julian's restoration of paganism emboldened the idolaters of Galatia, Basil went openly through the city strengthening the faithful and denouncing the worship of the gods. Arrested and brought before the imperial officers, he refused every inducement to sacrifice, was subjected to prolonged and savage torture — the Acts describe strips of flesh cut from his body — and was at last put to death, about the year 362, sealing his confession with his blood. He is commemorated on January 1, together with the Circumcision of Christ and Basil the Great; several calendars keep a martyr Basil of Ancyra also on March 22.
Martyr Drosida of Antioch, and five nuns (104)

Drosis (Drosida) was a young woman of Antioch, honoured by tradition as a daughter of the emperor Trajan, who with a company of companions secretly gathered and buried the bodies of the martyrs that the persecutors had cast out unburied, and who was herself put to death for Christ in the early second century. Her memory was already famous at Antioch in the fourth century, when John Chrysostom preached a homily in her praise, holding her up before his people as a pattern of hidden love for the martyrs and of fearless confession.

British Isles and Ireland

St. Darerca, sister of St. Patrick (5th C)
St. Failbhe, abbot of Iona (7th C)
St. Trien, abbot of Killelga (5th C)

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 4

In the divine meadows of the faith the Master found thee a plant of paradise, and reaped thee, a fair sheaf, by thy martyrdom; wherefore we honour thy struggles, O all-blessed Basil.

Troparion — Tone 4

Thy martyr Basil, O Lord, in his contest received an incorruptible crown from thee our God; for, possessed of thy might, he cast down the tyrants and broke the feeble insolence of the demons. By his prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a woman-martyr)

Thy lamb, O Jesus, crieth with a loud voice: Thee, O my Bridegroom, do I love, and seeking Thee I pass through many sufferings; I am crucified and buried with Thee in Thy baptism, and I suffer for Thy sake that I may reign with Thee; I die for Thee that I may live in Thee. Accept me as a spotless sacrifice, offered in love. By her prayers, O merciful One, 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.