Pre-Lenten Triodion, day 8 · 63 days until Pascha
Saints commemorated
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Greatmartyr Theodore Stratelates
Theodore Stratelates (†319) — "the Commander," from the Greek stratelates, a general — was a Roman military officer of the early fourth century, governor and garrison-commander of Heraclea on the Thracian coast of the Black Sea, and one of the two great warrior-martyrs named Theodore whom the Church honours. A Christian in the years of Licinius's persecution, he was so loved by the city that the emperor himself came to him; entrusted with idols of gold and silver to offer in sacrifice, Theodore broke them up and distributed the pieces to the poor, then openly confessed Christ. He was scourged, racked, blinded, and — the tradition holds — crucified, and at the last beheaded on February 8, 319. His faithful servant Varus wrote down the acts of his passion. He is closely associated with, and in the calendars and iconography often paired with, Theodore the Recruit (Tyron), commemorated on February 17; the two Theodores are distinct saints. His relics were translated to his estate at Euchaita, kept as a second feast on June 8.
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Holy Prophet Zechariah (6th c. BC)
Zachariah (Hebrew Zekharyah, "the Lord has remembered") was the eleventh of the Twelve Minor Prophets and, with Haggai, one of the two prophets of the return from Babylon, active in Jerusalem from the second year of Darius (520 BC) as the exiles rebuilt the Temple. The son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, and by the Church's tradition of priestly (Levitical) descent, he received in a single night a sequence of eight symbolic visions — the horsemen, the four horns and the four smiths, the man with the measuring line, the cleansing of Joshua the high priest, the golden lampstand and the two olive trees, the flying scroll, the woman in the ephah, and the four chariots — and prophesied the coming of the Messiah with a clarity the Church reads at the heart of Holy Week: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion… behold, thy King cometh unto thee… lowly, and riding upon an ass" (9:9); the thirty pieces of silver (11:12–13); "they shall look upon me whom they have pierced" (12:10); and "smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered" (13:7). From a vision of a flying scroll curved like a sickle he is surnamed the Sickle-seer. He is commemorated on February 8.
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St Sabbas II, Archbishop of Serbia (1271)
Sava the Second (c. 1201 – 1271), born Predislav Nemanjić, was the third Archbishop of Serbia, a prince of the Nemanjić house who followed his great uncle Sava the First into the monastic and hierarchical life. He was a son of the Serbian king Stefan the First-Crowned and thus a nephew of Sava I, the founder of the Serbian Church whose name he took in religion. Renowned for the austerity of his ascetic life, he made the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, was consecrated bishop of Hum (Zahumlje), and about 1263 succeeded to the throne of the Serbian Church as archbishop, which he governed until his death in 1271. He is venerated in the Serbian Church as one of the line of holy first-hierarchs of the Nemanjić age, and is commemorated on February 8.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Kegwe of Monmouthshire (6th C)
- St. Oncho of Clonmore, poet and pilgrim (600)
- St. Cuthman of Steyning, hermit (8th C)
- St. Elfleda, abbess of Whitby (714)
- SS. Jacut and Guethenoc (5th C)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 2
Following thy sainted uncle in the narrow way of the ascetics and in the care of the flock, thou wast shown a worthy third shepherd of the Serbian Church, O father Sava; and now, standing before the Lord, remember them that honour thy memory.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Having armed thy soul with faith through courage, and wielding the word of God as a spear, thou didst strike down the enemy, O Theodore, glory of the martyrs. With them cease thou never to intercede with Christ our God on behalf of us all.
Kontakion — Tone 4
Thy pure heart, made radiant by the Spirit, became the dwelling-place of most luminous prophecy; for thou dost behold things far off as though they were near. Wherefore we honour thee, O blessed prophet Zechariah, glory of the Twelve.
Magnification
We magnify thee, O passion-bearer and holy Great-Martyr Theodore, and we honour thy precious sufferings, which thou didst endure for Christ.
Troparion — Tone 8
As an heir of the first Sava in name and in grace, thou didst take upon thee his ascetic labours and his archpastoral throne, O holy hierarch Sava; wherefore, shepherding the Church of the Serbs in holiness, thou dost intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4
By true enlistment in the army of the heavenly King thou didst become his most comely commander, O Theodore; for with the weapons of faith thou didst wisely array thyself for battle and didst utterly rout the hordes of the demons, and wast shown to be a victory-bearing champion. Wherefore with faith we ever call thee blessed.
Troparion — Tone 2
As we celebrate the memory of thy prophet Zechariah, O Lord, through him we entreat thee: 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
1 Corinthians 6.12-20
12All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 14And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. 15Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Gospel
Luke 15.11-32
11And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.