Pre-Lenten Triodion, day 1 · 70 days until Pascha
Beginning of the Lenten Triodion
Saints commemorated
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Ven. Timothy of Symbola
Timothy (died c. 795) was a monk and ascetic of the monastery called Symbola on Mount Olympus in Bithynia — the "holy mountain" of Asia Minor, thick in that age with monasteries and hermits. Of Italian descent, he entered the monastic life young and gave himself so wholly to fasting, vigil, and unceasing prayer under the guidance of the archimandrite Theoctistus that he attained a great purity and dispassion of soul, and with it the grace of wonderworking: he healed diseases of body and soul and drove out unclean spirits, so that the Church remembers him as a healer and a "star of many lights risen from the East." He reposed in peace in extreme old age about the year 795 and is commemorated on February 21, the day on which his office leads the Menaion.
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St Eustathius, archbishop of Antioch (337)
Eustathius (c. 270 – c. 337) was Archbishop of Antioch and one of the chief defenders of the Nicene faith at the First Ecumenical Council of 325, where he stood in the front rank of the fathers who confessed the Son to be consubstantial (homoousios) with the Father against the teaching of Arius. A native of Side in Pamphylia, he was bishop of Beroea before the council raised him to the great Syrian see. His unyielding opposition to Arianism made him the first casualty of the Arian reaction: about the year 330 a synod at Antioch, packed by the party of Eusebius of Nicomedia, deposed him on a fabricated charge of immorality and the pretext of Sabellianism, and the emperor Constantine exiled him to Thrace, where he died. His fall did not silence his flock: the Nicene Christians loyal to his memory — the Eustathians — refused communion with the Arianising bishops set over Antioch, and their separation grew into the long Antiochene schism that troubled the Church for the better part of a century. The tradition honours him as a confessor and pillar of Orthodoxy; his relics were carried home to Antioch in 482.
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St John the Scholastic, patriarch of Constantinople (577)
John Scholasticus (early sixth century – 577) was Patriarch of Constantinople from 565 to 577 and one of the founders of Byzantine canon law. Born at Sirimis near Antioch and trained as an advocate — whence his surname Scholasticus, "the lawyer" — he was ordained priest at Antioch and sent as its representative (apocrisiarius) to the imperial capital, where the emperor Justin II raised him to the patriarchal throne on the death of Eutychius. As a presbyter he had compiled the first systematic Greek collection of the Church's canons, the Synagoge in fifty titles, and afterward a Nomocanon, joining the sacred canons to the relevant civil laws — works that shaped the whole later tradition of Eastern church law. His patriarchate fell in the reign of Justin II and Tiberius; the introduction of the hymn of the Cherubikon into the Divine Liturgy is associated with these years. He reposed in 577 and is commemorated on February 21.
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Saint Zachariah, Patriarch of Jerusalem (632)
Zacharias (sixth century – c. 632) was Patriarch of Jerusalem through the catastrophe of the Persian conquest of the Holy City. Raised to the throne of James about the year 609, he saw Jerusalem stormed and sacked in 614 by the armies of the Persian king Chosroes II, its churches burned, its people slaughtered, and the Precious and Life-giving Cross carried off into Persia — and he himself was taken captive with it, and led away into a long exile of some fourteen years, from which he wrote letters of consolation and exhortation to his bereaved flock. When the emperor Heraclius at last broke the Persian power, the Cross and the captive patriarch were restored; Zacharias returned to Jerusalem and lived to see the holy Cross set up again in the city, before reposing about the year 632. The Church keeps him as a confessor for all that he endured for Christ, and commemorates him on February 21.
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George of Amastris
George (c. 750 – c. 807) was Bishop of Amastris, the port-city of Paphlagonia on the southern shore of the Black Sea, and one of the shepherd-wonderworkers of the Byzantine East on the eve of the second Iconoclasm. Born at Kromna near Amastris of pious parents, he spent his youth as a hermit on a mountain and then in a monastery before he was drawn, against his will, to the episcopate and consecrated by the Patriarch Tarasius of Constantinople. As bishop he was a tireless pastor — teaching his people, adorning the churches, defending the widow and the orphan, feeding the poor — and a worker of wonders, who by his prayer turned away the raids of the Saracens and other barbarians from his coast and delivered innocent men from death. He reposed in peace in the reign of Nicephorus I and is commemorated on February 21; his ancient Life is a document of note both for his sanctity and for its report of an early raid of the Rhōs upon his city.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Erkengota, Princess of Kent (660)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 4
Enthroned upon the summit of the true confession, thou didst shepherd the flock of Antioch in the faith of Nicaea; and driven out for the sake of the consubstantial Word, thou didst endure thy long exile as a confessor. O steadfast Eustathius, entreat Christ God to grant us his great mercy.
Kontakion — Tone 4
Risen like a many-lighted star out of the East, thou hast shone into the hearts of the faithful the excellences of thy wonders, O God-minded Timothy, bearer of miracles.
Stichera
O God-minded father Timothy, by much abstinence and by strained and constant prayer thou didst utterly still the leapings of the passions, and being made pure wast filled with the gifts of the Spirit — to heal the sick and to drive out unclean spirits from those who ran to thee with faith.
Synaxarion
George, having left behind the little body, cultivates for many the salvation of souls.
Troparion — Tone 4
O guide of Orthodoxy, teacher of piety and holiness, luminary of the whole world, God-inspired adornment of hierarchs: by thy teachings thou hast enlightened all, O harp of the Spirit. O righteous father Eustathius, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4
A rule of faith and an image of gentleness, a teacher of temperance, the truth of things showed thee to thy flock; therefore by humility thou didst gain the heights, and by poverty riches. O Father and Hierarch George, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4
A rule of faith and an image of gentleness, a teacher of temperance, the truth of things showed thee to thy flock; therefore by humility thou didst gain the heights, and by poverty riches. O Father and Hierarch John, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 4
O God of our fathers, who dealest ever with us according to thy gentleness: withdraw not thy mercy from us, but by their supplications guide our life in peace.
Troparion — Tone 4
O God of our fathers, thou didst make thy patriarch Zacharias a confessor of thy Cross: for when the enemy carried away the Wood of our salvation, he too was led into bonds, and shepherded his flock from exile; and thou didst bring back both the Cross and thy servant with rejoicing. By his intercessions, O Christ God, save our souls.
Readings
5th Matins Gospel
Luke 24.12-35
12Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. 13And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? 33And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. 35And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
Epistle
2 Timothy 3.10-15
10But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Gospel
Luke 18.10-14
10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.