Great Lent, day 27 · 22 days until Pascha
Memorial Saturday
Saints commemorated
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St Methodius, Enilightener of the Slavs
Methodius (c. 815–885) was, with his younger brother Cyril the Philosopher, the apostle of the Slavs — the elder of the two "Thessalonian brothers" who devised the Slavonic letters, translated the Scriptures and the services of the Church into the Slavonic tongue, and carried the Gospel to Great Moravia and the peoples of central Europe. After Cyril's death Methodius laboured on for sixteen years as archbishop, translating almost the whole Bible into Slavonic, defending the right of the Slavs to worship God in their own language against fierce opposition, and enduring imprisonment for the faith. He is honoured as Equal-to-the-Apostles; from the work of the two brothers and their disciples flows the whole tradition of Slavonic Orthodoxy.
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St Eutychius, patriarch of Constantinople (582)
Eutychius (c. 512–582) was twice Patriarch of Constantinople, presiding at the Fifth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople II, 553) which condemned the "Three Chapters" and confirmed the Christology of Chalcedon against the Nestorianizing tendency. For resisting the aged emperor Justinian's late adoption of the heresy of Aphthartodocetism (that the Lord's body was incorruptible and impassible even before the Resurrection) he was deposed and exiled, and lived twelve years as a monk before being restored to his throne under Justin II. He is honoured as a confessor and a defender of the Orthodox faith.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Elfstan of Abingdon (981)
- St. Berthanc of Iona (c.840)
- St. Ulched of Llechulched
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 3
Let us honour the sacred pair, our enlighteners, who by translating the divine writings poured forth for us a fountain of the knowledge of God, from which even to this day we draw abundantly; and we call thee blessed, O Methodius, together with Cyril, thou intercessor before the throne of the Most High for our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4 (common of a hierarch)
O God of our fathers, ever dealing with us according to Thy gentleness: take not Thy mercy from us, but by the prayers of Thy hierarch Eutychius guide our life in peace.
Troparion — Tone 4
Equals of the Apostles and teachers of the Slavonic lands, Cyril and Methodius inspired of God: entreat the Master of all to establish all the Slavonic peoples in Orthodoxy and concord, to grant peace to the world, and to save our souls.
Readings
Epistle
Hebrews 6.9-12
9But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
1 Corinthians 15.47-57 (Departed)
47The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel
Mark 7.31-37
31And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 32And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 33And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 36And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.
John 5.24-30 (Departed)
24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 30I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.