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Thursday 11 March 2027

St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem; St Euthymius, Bishop of Novgorod

Cheesefare Thursday

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Fast — Meat Fast Tone 7

Pre-Lenten Triodion, day 19 · 52 days until Pascha

Saints commemorated

  • Saint of the day

    St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem

    Sophronius the Sophist (c. 560 – 638) was Patriarch of Jerusalem in the last years before the Arab conquest, and one of the towering figures of seventh-century Orthodoxy. A rhetorician of Damascus turned monk, he was for decades the companion and disciple of John Moschus, with whom he wandered the monasteries of Palestine, Egypt, Sinai and the West gathering the sayings that became the Spiritual Meadow; healed of an eye disease at the shrine of Cyrus and John, he wrote their Miracles, and he composed the Life of John the Almsgiver of Alexandria. As a hymnographer he gave the Church a wealth of stichera and the learned anacreontic odes, and above all the great consecratory prayer of the Great Blessing of the Waters at Theophany, "Great art thou, O Lord." Raised to the throne of Jerusalem in 634, he spent his brief patriarchate as the first and most formidable opponent of Monotheletism — his Synodical Letter is the founding document of the Orthodox defence of the two wills of Christ, the cause Maximus the Confessor would carry to martyrdom. He lived to see Islam overwhelm the Holy Land, preached the Saracens' seizure of Bethlehem at the very Nativity, and negotiated the surrender of Jerusalem to the Caliph Umar; he died soon after, on March 11, 638.

  • Saint of the day

    St Euthymius, Bishop of Novgorod

    Euthymius II (c. 1380s – 1458), Archbishop of Novgorod from 1434 to his death, was the great builder-hierarch of the last age of the Novgorod Republic. Born in the city and baptized John, given by his parents to God in fulfilment of a vow, he was tonsured young at the Vyazhishchi monastery of Saint Nicholas, served as its steward under Archbishop Symeon, and after a long delay — for there was then no metropolitan resident in Rus' — was consecrated archbishop in 1434. Through fires, Muscovite pressure, and the last decades of Novgorod's freedom he adorned the city with churches and rebuilt its cathedral of Holy Wisdom; his most famous monument is the Faceted (Vladychny) Chamber of the archbishop's court, raised in 1433 with Western masters. A defender of his Church's ancient liberties and a lover of learning who fostered the copying of books, he reposed at Vyazhishchi on March 11, 1458; his relics were found incorrupt, and he was numbered among the saints at the Council of 1549.

  • St Sophronios, patriarch of Jerusalem (638)

  • St John Moschos, author of the Spiritual Meadow (622)

  • Holy Martyr Pionius (250)

    Pionius (third century, †c. 250) was a learned presbyter of the church of Smyrna who was arrested, tried, and burned alive in the persecution of the emperor Decius, about the year 250. His martyrdom is preserved in the Martyrdom of Pionius, one of the most vivid and historically trustworthy of all the early acts of the martyrs, which records that he was seized on a Saturday, the anniversary of the martyrdom of Polycarp of his own city, together with the Christian woman Sabina and Asclepiades; that he bound ropes about his own neck and theirs so the crowd would know they went to prison and not to sacrifice; and that he answered his judges with long and fearless speeches before he was fastened to the stake and given to the flames. He gave up his spirit with joy, and the Church keeps him with his companions on March 11.

  • Epimachus of Pelusium

    Epimachus of Pelusium (†c. 250) was an Egyptian martyr of the Decian persecution. A native of Egypt, he lived for a long time as a solitary on Mount Pelusium; hearing that Christians were being persecuted at Alexandria, he came down to the city, publicly smashed a number of pagan idols, and confessed himself a Christian. Brought before the eparch, he refused to sacrifice and was subjected to prolonged and savage torture — during which a drop of his blood, falling into the blind eye of a watching woman, restored her sight and brought her to faith — before being beheaded. He is distinguished in the calendars as Epimachus "the New," and is commemorated on October 31, with a further commemoration of the transfer of his relics on March 11.

  • Sophronius of the Kiev Caves

    Sophronius was a recluse of the Far Caves of the Kiev Caves Lavra, one of the monks of that house whose ascetic life is known only from the liturgical commemoration of the Caves fathers and whose relics rest in the Far (Theodosian) Caves. The Canon to the Venerable Fathers of the Far Caves remembers his solitary struggle in enclosure and says that he was counted worthy to hear the singing of angels. He is usually placed in the thirteenth century, but nothing of his history survives; his memory is kept on May 11, again on March 11 in Kievan usage, and with the whole company of the Far Caves fathers on August 28.

  • Sophronius of Vratsa

    Sophronius of Vratsa (1739–1813), born Stoyko Vladislavov, was a bishop of the Church of Bulgaria and one of the fathers of the Bulgarian National Revival. A priest of Kotel who copied out Paisius of Hilendar's Slavo-Bulgarian History and carried its call for national awakening, he was made Bishop of Vratsa in 1794, taking the name Sophronius; driven from his see by the lawlessness of the age, he withdrew at last to Wallachia, where he wrote and printed the Nedelnik (Kyriakodromion, "the Sunday Book," 1806) — the first printed book in modern Bulgarian — and his celebrated autobiography, The Life and Sufferings of Sinful Sophronius. A tireless labourer for the enlightenment and the liberation of his people, he died in Bucharest about 1813 and was glorified by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in 1964; he is commemorated on March 11.

  • Trophimus and Thalus

    Trophimus and Thalus (Thallus) were two brothers, martyrs of Laodicea, who suffered for Christ in the persecution of Diocletian about the year 300. Seized as Christians and refusing to sacrifice to the idols, they were beaten and stoned, and at the last crucified, giving up their spirits upon the cross in imitation of their Lord. The tradition remembers that even in their torments they praised God and prayed for their persecutors, and that wonders attended their deaths. They are commemorated together on March 11.

British Isles and Ireland

  • St. Oengus the Culdee, compiler of the first Irish Martyrology (824)

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 8

Moved by divine zeal, and opening thy lips to declare the true commandments, thou didst well order the foundations of the Church and deliver them to the monastic company that dwelt there; O all-wise Sophronius of Jerusalem, chief among patriarchs, thou hast brought thy most wise words forth into the light, and, guided by them, we cry to thee: Rejoice, O radiant boast of the Orthodox.

Troparion — Tone 4

Your martyr Epimachus, O Lord, in his contest has received from you our God the crown of incorruption; for possessed of your strength, he cast down the tyrants and shattered the feeble insolence of the demons. By his prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 4

A rule of faith and an image of meekness, a teacher of temperance, the truth of things revealed thee to thy flock; therefore by humility thou hast gained the heights, and by poverty the things of wealth. O Father and Hierarch Sophronius, intercede with Christ our God, that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable father)

Walled in the darkness of the cave, thou didst find the unwaning light, O Sophronius our father; for in silence and enclosure thy prayer was made unceasing, and thou wast granted to hear the angels praising God: pray for us who honour thy memory.

Readings

Epistle

Jude 11-25

11Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 12These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. 14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. 17But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 20But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Gospel

Luke 23.2-34, 44-56

2And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. 3And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. 4Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. 5And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. 6When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. 7And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. 8And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. 9Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. 10And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 11And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. 12And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves. 13And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 15No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. 16I will therefore chastise him, and release him. 17(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) 18And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: 19(Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 20Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. 21But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. 22And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. 23And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. 24And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. 25And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will. 26And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. 27And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. 28But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 29For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. 30Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. 31For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? 32And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. 33And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 44And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. 47Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. 48And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. 49And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. 50And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: 51(The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. 52This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 53And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. 54And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. 55And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. 56And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.