Wednesday 26 March 2025

Leavetaking of Annunciation; Synaxis of Archangel Gabriel

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Great Lent, day 24 · 25 days until Pascha

About Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel →

Saints commemorated

  • Saint of the day

    Leavetaking of Annunciation

  • Saint of the day

    Synaxis of Archangel Gabriel

  • Saint of the day

    Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel

  • Irenaeus of Sirmium

    Irenaeus was the young bishop of Sirmium in Pannonia (the modern Sremska Mitrovica), martyred about the year 304 in the Great Persecution of Diocletian. His authentic Acts — one of the more historically secure of the early martyr-records — preserve his examination before the governor Probus and his steadfast confession; he was beheaded and his body cast into the river Save.

  • The Twenty-Six Martyrs of Gotthia

    The Twenty-Six Martyrs of Gotthia were Christians among the Goths beyond the Danube — priests, a monk, and lay men and women — put to death for Christ about the year 375 in the persecution raised by the Arian Gothic ruler Athanaric (Jungerich). Many were burned alive in their church during the Liturgy. Their relics were preserved by a Christian Gothic queen, Gaatha, and her daughter Duklida, and carried to safety; they stand as the first-fruits of the Gothic Church and among the earliest "barbarian" martyrs honoured in the Byzantine calendar.

British Isles and Ireland

  • St. Sincheall, abbot of Killeigh (5th C)
  • St. Mochelloc of Killmallock (639)
  • St. Garbhan (7th C)

Troparia & kontakia

Apolytikion — Tone 4

O commander of the heavenly hosts, we the unworthy beseech thee that by thy prayers thou wilt encompass us with the shelter of the wings of thine immaterial glory, guarding us who fall down before thee and fervently cry: Deliver us from dangers, O prince of the powers on high.

Kontakion — Tone 8

O Gabriel, thou minister of the mystery hidden from the ages, who didst stand of old before the Virgin and cry to her "Rejoice": intercede that we who honour thee may be delivered from all affliction and may cry to God, Alleluia.

Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a hieromartyr)

And by thy manner of life thou didst attain unto the reward of the wise, O hieromartyr Irenaeus: for by teaching well thou hast gained the talents entrusted to thee; thou wast not silent in the midst of trials, but didst offer thyself unto death for Christ. Wherefore, intercede with Him that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 4 (common of several martyrs)

Thy martyrs, O Lord, in their sufferings received incorruptible crowns from Thee, our God; for possessing Thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and shattered the feeble insolence of the demons. By their intercessions save our souls.

Readings

6th Hour

Isaiah 26.21-27.9

21For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. 1In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. 2In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. 3I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. 4Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. 5Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me. 6He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. 7Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him? 8In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind. 9By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up.

Vespers

Genesis 9.18-10.1

18And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. 19These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread. 20And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 21And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. 23And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. 24And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. 26And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. 27God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. 28And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. 29And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died. 1Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

Proverbs 12.23-13.9 (LXX)

23A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. 24The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. 25Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. 26The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them. 27The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious. 28In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death. 1A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke. 2A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. 3He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. 4The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. 5A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame. 6Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner. 7There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. 8The ransom of a man’s life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke. 9The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

Epistle

Hebrews 2.11-18 (Theotokos)

11For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 13And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. 14Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Gospel

Luke 1.24-38 (Theotokos)

24And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men. 26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Presanctified Liturgy