Great Lent, day 37 · 12 days until Pascha
About Cyprus Icon of the Mother of God →
Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
Ven. Theodore Trichinas
Theodore, called Trichinas ("the Hairy" or "the Hair-shirt Wearer"), was an ascetic of the region of Constantinople who, for love of Christ, wore only a rough garment of animal hair next to his skin throughout his life, enduring cold and hardship in the extremity of his self-denial. A great faster and man of prayer, he received the gift of wonderworking; from his relics flowed a healing myrrh that drove out demons and cured the sick, and he is honoured on April 20.
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Holy Apostle Zaccheus
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Anastasius of Antioch
Anastasius I, called the Sinaite, was Patriarch of Antioch in the later sixth century — a theologian and defender of Orthodoxy who withstood the emperor Justinian's late heresy of aphthartodocetism, was for this deposed and exiled for some twenty-three years, and at last restored to his throne. Learned, ascetic and steadfast, the friend and correspondent of St Gregory the Great of Rome, he governed the great see of Antioch with distinction and reposed in peace in 599. The Church of Antioch keeps him with especial honour, together with St Gregory, his successor, on April 20.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Caedwalla, King of Wessex (689)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 6
Enthroned thou art shown in thine image, O Queen, with the angels standing about thee and the Word upon thine arm; the impious arrow drew blood from thee and the wound became a wonder, and to this day thou dost cleanse the eyes of them that look on thee. Wherefore we cry: hail, O thou refuge of the islands and of the Russian land.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of an icon of the Mother of God)
Today the faithful keep radiant festival, overshadowed by thy coming, O Mother of God; and looking upon thy most pure image we cry with compunction: shelter us beneath the precious veil of thy protection, and deliver us from every evil, entreating thy Son, Christ our God, to save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a hierarch)
The truth of things revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an image of meekness and a teacher of temperance; therefore thou hast achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty. O Father and hierarch Anastasius, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 8 (common of an ascetic)
By a flood of tears thou didst make the barren desert fruitful, and by thy sighs from the depths thou didst bear fruit a hundredfold in labours; and thou becamest a beacon, shining upon the world by thy miracles, O Theodore our father: intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Readings
6th Hour
Isaiah 49.6-10
6And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. 7Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. 8Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; 9That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. 10They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
Vespers
Genesis 31.3-16
3And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. 4And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, 5And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me. 6And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. 7And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. 8If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked. 9Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me. 10And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled. 11And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I. 12And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. 13I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. 14And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 15Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money. 16For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.
Proverbs 21.3-21
3To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. 4An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. 5The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. 6The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. 7The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment. 8The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right. 9It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house. 10The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes. 11When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge. 12The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness. 13Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. 14A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath. 15It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. 16The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. 17He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. 18The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. 19It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. 20There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. 21He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.