Pre-Lenten Triodion, day 9 · 62 days until Pascha
Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
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)
Readings
Epistle
1 John 2.18-3.10
18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 20But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 24Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. 1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Gospel
Mark 11.1-11
1And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 2And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. 3And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. 4And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. 5And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? 6And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. 7And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. 8And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 10Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. 11And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
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.