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Sunday 3 March 2030

Sunday of Meatfare

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No Fast Tone 7

Pre-Lenten Triodion, day 15 · 56 days until Pascha

Sunday of the Last Judgment

Saints commemorated

  • Martyrs Eutropius, Cleonicus and Basiliscus

    Eutropius, Cleonicus and Basiliscus (†c. 308) were three martyrs of Amasea in Pontus, fellow-soldiers, kinsmen and companions of the great-martyr Theodore the Recruit (Tyron) — Basiliscus, the tradition holds, being Theodore's own nephew, and Eutropius and Cleonicus his brothers-in-arms. Left in prison after Theodore's death by fire, they were brought before the governor Asclepiodotus in the last great persecution, and neither flattery, bribes, nor torture could move them from Christ. When they were led to sacrifice, the idols were shattered — the tradition says — at Eutropius's prayer. Eutropius and Cleonicus were crucified at Amasea, in imitation of their Lord; Basiliscus was held back and put to death later at Comana, where his own feast is kept on May 22. Their memory is kept together on March 3.

  • An Unknown Girl in Alexandria (?)

  • Basiliscus of Comana

    Basiliscus (†c. 308) was a young Christian of the Pontic country, nephew of the great-martyr Theodore the Recruit, who confessed Christ at Amasea together with Eutropius and Cleonicus and was left alive in prison when they were crucified. Driven at last in iron sandals studded with nails to Comana in Pontus, he prayed beside a withered plane-tree that put out leaves while a spring broke from its root, saw the idols of the city fall at his word, and was beheaded, his body thrown into the river and recovered by the faithful. Over his grave outside Comana a martyrium arose — and it was there, ninety-nine years later, that John Chrysostom, dying on the forced march into his last exile, was met in a night vision by Basiliscus with the words, "Take courage, brother John; tomorrow we shall be together." Chrysostom died the next day and was buried beside him.

  • Theodoretus of Antioch

    Theodoretus (†c. 362) — Theodoret the Presbyter — was a priest of the church of Antioch and keeper of its sacred vessels, martyred under Julian the Apostate. When Julian's uncle, also named Julian, Count of the East, came to Antioch to seize and plunder the treasures of the Christian churches and shut their doors, the priest Theodoret refused to abandon his flock, gathering and strengthening the faithful in secret. Arrested and brought before the Count, he confessed Christ boldly, denounced the emperor's apostasy, and endured the rack, the tearing of his flesh, and burning torches without flinching, foretelling the wretched deaths that soon overtook both the Count and the emperor. He was beheaded about the year 362. An Antiochian martyr of the last pagan persecution, he is commemorated on March 3.

  • Zeno and Zoilus

    Zeno and Zoilus are two saints named together in the Byzantine synaxaria on March 3, of whom the tradition transmits almost nothing beyond that they lived righteously and reposed in peace while still in the world — that is, they were not martyrs nor, seemingly, monastics, but laymen glorified in an ordinary life of piety. No account of their lives, place, or century survives; they are known from a single synaxarion line.

British Isles and Ireland

  • St. Nonna (Non), mother of St. David of Wales (6th C)
  • St. Winwaloe, abbot (6th C)
  • St. Foila of Kilfaile (6th C)
  • St. Sacer, abbot of Saggard, Dublin (7th C)
  • St. Cele-Christ, hermit and bishop (c.728)
  • St. Lamalisse, hermit of Arran (7th C)

Troparia & kontakia

Apolytikion — Tone 4 (common of a martyr)

Thy martyr Basiliscus, O Lord, has received from Thee, our God, an incorruptible crown for the contest he endured; for, having Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and broke in pieces the powerless insolence of the demons. At his supplications, O Christ God, save our souls.

Kontakion — Tone 8

Shod in iron and bound to a withered tree, thou didst pray, and the dry wood put forth leaves and a spring of living water broke from its root; wherefore, when thy head was struck off at Comana, thou didst become thyself a fountain of healings, O Basiliscus, and a comfort to the exiled.

Kontakion — Tone 2

As three unconquered soldiers of the Trinity, bound together in the one faith, you trod down the pride of the enemy and were lifted up upon the Cross with Christ; wherefore, O Eutropius, Cleonicus and Basiliscus, you have received the unfading crown.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Guarding the treasure of the true faith, O wise Theodoretus, you counted the wealth of the world as nothing; and when the apostate stretched out his hand against the Church, you were revealed a fearless priest and martyr, laying down your head for Christ. Wherefore we honour your holy memory.

Troparion — Tone 4

Your martyrs, O Lord, in their contest received from you, our God, the crowns of incorruption; for, armed with your strength, they cast down the tyrants and shattered the powerless insolence of the demons. By their supplications, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 4

Your martyr Theodoretus, O Lord, in his contest received from you, our God, the crown of incorruption; for, armed with your strength, he cast down the persecutors and shattered the powerless insolence of the demons. By his supplications, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion — Tone 8

O God of our fathers, who deal with us ever according to your gentleness: take not your mercy from us, but by the prayers of your righteous ones Zeno and Zoilus, guide our life in peace.

Readings

7th Matins Gospel

John 20.1-10

1The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. 3Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. 10Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Epistle

1 Corinthians 8.8-9.2

8But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. 9But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 10For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; 11And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. 1Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 2If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

Gospel

Matthew 25.31-46

31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.