Holy Week, day 2 · 7 days until Pascha
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Saints commemorated
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St Theodore the Sykeote
Theodore the Sykeote (†22 April 613) was the greatest of the holy men of Galatia: born in the village of Sykeon, the son of an innkeeper, he was given from childhood to the martyr George, at whose hill-shrine above the village he became first a boy-ascetic, then a hidden cave-dweller, then the founder of a monastery whose fame filled Asia Minor. He was ordained priest at eighteen, tonsured a monk at Choziba in the Judaean desert, and was at last dragged from his cave to be made Bishop of Anastasiopolis, a burden he bore for some years before obtaining release from the Patriarch to return to his cell. He stood in an iron cage through the winter fast, weighed down with irons; he stopped plagues, locusts, hail and rivers; he cast out demons across the Galatian countryside; he foretold the throne to Maurice and the coming of ruin upon the empire, and blessed Heraclius on his march east. His Life, written by his disciple George of Sykeon, is one of the richest documents of provincial Byzantine society that survives.
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Holy Martyr Leonidas (202)
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Our Holy Father, the monk Vitalis
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Apelles, Lucius and Clement of the Seventy
Apelles, Lucius and Clement (1st century) are three of the Seventy Apostles, commemorated together on September 10. All three are greeted by name in the letters of Paul: Apelles, "approved in Christ" (Romans 16:10), became bishop of Heraclea; Lucius (Romans 16:21) — whom the Slavic tradition identifies with the Evangelist Luke, while the Greek synaxaria keep him distinct — became bishop of Laodicea in Syria; and Clement, whose name Paul says is "in the book of life" (Philippians 4:3), became bishop of Sardis. Each finished his course as a preacher of the Gospel; no acts of martyrdom are transmitted. They share the day's synaxis listing with no individual propers, and are commemorated again with all the Seventy on January 4.
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Luke the Evangelist
Luke the Evangelist (first century, reposed in Boeotia at the age of 84 by the most ancient account) is the "beloved physician" of Colossians 4:14, the faithful travelling-companion of the Apostle Paul — "only Luke is with me" (2 Timothy 4:11) — and the author of the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, the largest single contribution to the New Testament and the Church's first written history. The tradition, from Eusebius onward, makes him a native of Antioch in Syria, numbers him among the Seventy Apostles and as one of the two disciples of the road to Emmaus, and — from the sixth century — remembers him as the first painter of icons of the Theotokos. His relics were translated from Thebes to the church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople in 357 and lie today in Padua, from which a rib was returned to his ancient tomb at Thebes in 1998. His feast is October 18.
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Nathanael the Apostle
Nathanael — "Nathanael of Cana in Galilee," the man of whom Christ said "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile" — is known from the Fourth Gospel alone, where Philip brings him to Jesus under the fig tree (John 1:45–51) and where he stands among the seven disciples at the Sea of Tiberias after the Resurrection (John 21:2). April 22 in the Byzantine calendar keeps not his death but "the remembrance of his coming to know Christ" — the day of his calling. Who he was under his other name the Church has never settled: the printed Greek Menaion says outright that Nathanael "is Simon the Zealot"; the Slavonic and Russian books gloss the same commemoration "Apostle Bartholomew (Nathanael)"; Western tradition since the twelfth century, and almost all modern commentary, identifies him with Bartholomew; and Augustine doubted that he was one of the Twelve at all. This entry keeps the name the calendar keeps, and sets out the identifications without adopting one.
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Nearchus
Nearchus is a martyr of the third century whom the Byzantine synaxarion commemorates on April 22 in a single line — "the holy martyr Nearchus is perfected by fire" — with one verse of epigram and nothing more. The Greek synaxaristes and the modern hagiographers identify him, with reserve, as the Nearchus of the Passion of St Polyeuctus: the Christian soldier of the Twelfth Legion at Melitene in Armenia whose grief at the thought of being parted from his unbaptised friend brought Polyeuctus to Christ and to martyrdom, and who gathered up his friend's body afterwards. If the identification holds, Nearchus is the instrument of one of the most beloved conversions in the martyrologies, and himself died in the flames some time after the man he had won.
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Vitalis of Gaza
Vitalis (†c. 620) was a monk of the great coenobium of Abba Seridos near Gaza who, at the age of sixty, went to Alexandria and there undertook the strangest and most deliberately scandalous ascetic labour recorded of any Orthodox saint: he wrote down the names of all the prostitutes of the city, hired himself out as a day-labourer, and every evening carried his wage to one of them, paying her not to sin that night, and passing the night himself in prayer in the corner of her room while she slept — binding each to secrecy, and bearing the contempt of the whole city as a fornicating monk. Many of the women were converted. He was struck down at last by a young man who thought he was defending Christ's honour, and died in his hut on his knees, holding a scroll that read "Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come." Only then did the women he had saved come out and tell the truth, and the Patriarch John the Almsgiver, who had refused all along to condemn him on hearsay, buried him with honour.
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Vsevolod-Gabriel of Pskov
Vsevolod-Gabriel (†1138) was a prince of the house of Kiev — son of Mstislav the Great and grandson of Vladimir Monomakh — who ruled Novgorod and became the first beloved prince of Pskov. Born at Novgorod and given in baptism the name Gabriel, he governed Novgorod for many years as a builder of churches and a protector of the poor, founding the stone Church of Saint John the Forerunner at Opoki and beginning the great works of the city. After a disputed campaign and a falling-out with the turbulent Novgorodians, who expelled him, he was received in Pskov, which took him gladly as its prince; there, in the brief months left to him, he laid the foundation of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the mother-church of Pskov, and reposed on 11 February 1138. His relics, uncovered incorrupt in 1192 and enshrined in the cathedral he had founded, made Pskov's Trinity Cathedral a place of wonders, and Vsevolod-Gabriel its heavenly patron; his sword, inscribed Honorem meum nemini dabo — "I will yield my honour to no one" — was long kept above his tomb.
Readings
Vespers
Genesis 49.1-2, 8-12
1And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. 2Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. 8Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. 9Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. 11Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: 12His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
Zephaniah 3.14-19
14Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 15The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. 16In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. 17The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. 18I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. 19Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
Zechariah 9.9-15
9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. 10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. 11As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. 12Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; 13When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man. 14And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south. 15The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.
Matins Gospel
Matthew 21.1-11, 15-17
1And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. 10And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. 15And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, 16And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? 17And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
Epistle
Philippians 4.4-9
4Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Gospel
John 12.1-18
1Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, 5Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. 9Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 10But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; 11Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus. 12On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. 14And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, 15Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. 16These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. 17The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. 18For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
Troparia & kontakia
Apolytikion — Tone 1
Giving assurance of the common resurrection before thy Passion, thou didst raise up Lazarus from the dead, O Christ God. Wherefore we also, like the children, bear the emblems of victory and cry aloud to thee, the Conqueror of death: Hosanna in the highest; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Apolytikion — Tone 3
O holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, intercede with the merciful God, that He grant unto our souls the forgiveness of offences.
Apolytikion — Tone 4
A rule of faith and an image of meekness, a teacher of temperance, hath the truth of thy deeds revealed thee to be unto thy flock: therefore hast thou attained the heights by humility, and riches by poverty. O Father and Hierarch Theodore, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Kontakion — Tone 6 (plagal of the second)
Borne upon a throne in heaven and upon a colt on earth, O Christ God, thou didst accept the praise of the angels and the hymn of the children as they cried aloud to thee: Blessed art thou that comest to call Adam back again. Since thou hast bound Hades, O Immortal One, and put death to death, and raised up the world, with palms the infants praised thee, O Christ, crying out to thee this day as to a victor: Hosanna to the Son of David! For no longer, he says, shall babes be slain for the sake of the babe of Mary; but for all, infants and elders alike, thou alone art crucified. No longer shall the sword come against us: for thine own side shall be pierced with a lance. Wherefore, rejoicing, we say: Blessed art thou that comest to call Adam back again.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Let us praise the divine Luke, the herald of true piety, the orator of ineffable mysteries, the star of the Church: for the Word, who alone knoweth the hearts of men, chose him, together with the wise Paul, to be a teacher of the nations.
Kontakion — Tone 4
Having become a disciple of God the Word, with Paul thou didst enlighten all the earth and drive away the gloom, having written the divine Gospel of Christ.
Kontakion — Tone 3
Mounted upon the virtues as upon a chariot of fire, O God-bearer, thou didst run up to the dwellings of heaven: an angel keeping company with men, a man dancing in the choir of the angels. Therefore wast thou shown forth a divine vessel of wonders, O Theodore.
Magnification
We magnify thee, O Apostle of Christ and Evangelist Luke, and we honour the pains and labours whereby thou didst toil in the good tidings of Christ.
Second
Buried together with thee through baptism, O Christ our God, we have been accounted worthy of deathless life by thy Resurrection; and singing praise we cry aloud: Hosanna in the highest; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Stichera — Tone 1
Become an initiate of the mysteries of the Word, O father, and shining with the virtues in the radiance of the Spirit, thrice-blessed Theodore, thou bestowest the gifts of healings upon us who draw near on this thy sacred memorial and honour thee.
The
Astride a colt is he who by a word stretched out the vault of heaven; he seeks to loose mortals from unreason.
The
**ὩΣΑΝΝΑ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΥΛΟΓΗΜΕΝΟΣ ΘΕΟΣ** — *Hosanna! Christ, blessed, is God.* God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us: keep the feast, and come, let us exult and magnify Christ, with palms and branches crying aloud in hymns: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, our Saviour.
The
O Lord our God, who sittest upon the Cherubim, who hast raised up thy might and sent thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to save the world by his Cross and burial and Resurrection: when he came to Jerusalem unto his voluntary Passion, the people that sat in darkness and the shadow of death took the emblems of victory, the branches of trees and the fronds of palms, and foretold the Resurrection. Do thou thyself, O Master, preserve us also, who in imitation of them carry palms and branches of trees in our hands on this fore-festal day; and keep us, as those crowds and those children offered thee the Hosanna, that in hymns and spiritual songs we may be counted worthy of the life-giving Resurrection on the third day, in Christ Jesus our Lord…
Troparion — Tone 3
Holy Apostles Apelles, Lucius and Clement, intercede with the merciful God, that he grant to our souls the forgiveness of offences.
Troparion — Tone 5
With sacred songs let us praise the holy apostle Luke, the recounter of the Acts of the Apostles and radiant writer of the Gospel of Christ, glorious in the Church of Christ, the all-praised one: for he is a physician, healing the infirmities of men, the diseases of nature and the wounds of souls, and he prayeth without ceasing for our souls.
Troparion — Tone 3
Holy Apostle Nathanael, intercede with the merciful God, that he grant to our souls the forgiveness of offences.
Troparion — Tone 4
Thy martyr Nearchus, O Lord, in his contest received an incorruptible crown from thee, our God; for possessing thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and shattered the feeble insolence of the demons. By his intercessions save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 8
In thee, O father, was preserved unimpaired that which is according to the image: for taking up the cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds didst teach us to despise the flesh, for it passeth away, but to care for the soul, which is a thing immortal. Wherefore thy spirit, O venerable Vitalis, rejoiceth with the angels.