Friday, 16 February 2024

Friday of the 37th week after Pentecost

306 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Liturgy · Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Pamphilus the Presbyter

Saint Pamphilus the Presbyter was among the holy martyrs of Caesarea in Palestine who suffered persecution for the Orthodox faith. He is commemorated with other faithful witnesses including Valens, Paul, Seleucus, Porphyry, Julian, Theodulus, Elias, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Samuel, Daniel and others who together underwent torments and death rather than deny their faith in Christ. These martyrs remain exemplars of Christian perseverance and fidelity to the Gospel. Their collective witness during periods of persecution strengthened the Church and inspired countless believers to endure hardship for Christ's sake.

Martyrs Pamphilius and those with him, at Caesarea in Palestine

308

These twelve holy Martyrs suffered in the reign of Diocletian. “The first of these, Pamphilius, was priest in the church at Caesarea in Palestine; a learned and devout man, he corrected the mistakes of various copiers in the text of the New Testament. He himself copied this saving Book and gave it to any who desired it. The second was a deacon, Valentine, old in years and white with wisdom. He was a great expert in the Holy Scriptures, knowing them by heart. The third was Paul, a respected and eminent man, who had on a previous occasion been cast into the fire for the sake of Christ. With them were five Egyptians, brothers both in blood and soul, who were returning to their native land from serving a sentence in the mines of Cilicia. As they reached the gate of the town of Caesarea they said that they were Christians, and were therefore brought to trial. When asked their names, they replied: ‘We have cast away the pagan names given us by our mother, and are called Elias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Samuel and Daniel.’ when asked where they were from, they replied: ‘From Jerusalem that is above.’ They were all beheaded, and a young man called Porphyrius, who had searched for their bodies to give them burial, suffered soon afterwards. Him they burned. An officer, Seleucus, who had come up to the martyrs and embraced them before the sword descended on their heads, was also burned, and an old man, Theodulus, a servant of the Roman judge, who had embraced one of the martyrs while they were under escort. Lastly Julian, who had kissed the dead bodies of the martyrs and honoured them, followed them in death. So they exchanged the small for the greater, the tawdry for the precious and death for immortality, and went to the Lord in 308.” (Prologue) The Synaxarion concludes, “After the martyrdom of Pamphilius, the leader of the glorious cohort, the impious governor gave orders that his body and those of his companions should be left where they lay as food for carnivorous animals. However by God’s Providence, no animal came near their holy relics, which the Christians were able to lay to rest with due honour.” The account of these Martyrs was written by Eusebius of Caeserea, Pamphilius’ disciple.

Saint Flavian the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Flavian served as Patriarch of Constantinople from 446 to 449 during a tumultuous period marked by the spread of heretical doctrines. He convened a local council at Constantinople in 448 to examine the teachings of Eutyches, an archimandrite who denied the full humanity of Christ by asserting that the Lord possessed only a divine nature. Saint Flavian's council clearly condemned this heresy and affirmed the orthodox understanding that Christ is both fully divine and fully human, united in one Person. Dioscorus, a patriarch hostile to Orthodox theology, opposed Saint Flavian with threats and force, compelling the patriarch to suffer grievous injury. Saint Flavian died from these wounds shortly after the council, becoming a confessor for his steadfast defence of the true faith. Though he fell victim to false accusation in his own time, the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon in 451 vindicated him completely, condemning the Eutychian heresy and proclaiming Saint Flavian a holy martyr and confessor of the Orthodox faith.

Saint Maruthas, Bishop of Martyropolis in Mesopotamia

381

Saint Maruthas was a learned ecclesiastic and bishop of Martyropolis (also known as Tagrith), a city he founded between the Byzantine Empire and Persia to serve as a refuge for persecuted Christians. He was renowned for his knowledge, piety, and literary works, composing a Commentary on the Gospel, Verses of Maruthas, and a Liturgy that bears his name. He also produced an authoritative account of the First Ecumenical Council held at Nicea in 325. In the year 381, Saint Maruthas participated in the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople against the heresy of Macedonius. Under the Persian ruler Sapor's persecution, he suffered greatly, yet he laboured tirelessly to rebuild churches that had been destroyed and to collect the relics of martyrs, transferring them to Martyropolis for veneration. He served as an envoy to the court of the Byzantine emperor and also petitioned the Persian Shah on behalf of persecuted Christians. After decades of faithful service, Saint Maruthas departed to the Lord in the year 422, having established Martyropolis as a centre of Orthodox faith and learning.

Venerable Romanus of Cilicia, the Wonderworker

Saint Romanus was born in the city of Roson in Cilicia but devoted his life to strict asceticism and prayer in the harsh deserts of Syria. During the fifth century, he built a small cell in a mountain cave near Antioch, where he pursued the monastic life with rigorous fasting and constant prayer, separating himself from the distractions of the world to commune with God alone. Because of his holy life and his fervent prayers, God granted Saint Romanus the gift of working miracles. His reputation for holiness attracted many faithful who sought his blessing and spiritual counsel. He healed those afflicted with grave illnesses through his intercessions, and by his prayers, many infertile women were enabled to bear children. Though he sought solitude in the desert, his compassionate heart moved him to help those in need, and his prayers became a source of healing and hope for the suffering. Saint Romanus departed this life leaving behind a legacy of faithfulness and the memory of one who truly lived as a servant of God's healing grace.

Also commemorated: Martyr Pamphylius and His Companions

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Peter — 1 Peter 1.1-2, 10-12, 2.6-10

¹Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

¹Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ²according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. ²Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. ¹⁰Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: ¹⁰Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: ¹¹searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them. ¹¹Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. ¹²To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into. ¹²Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. ⁶Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. ⁶Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

⁷For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; ⁷Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

⁸and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. ⁸And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. ⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: ⁹But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: ¹⁰who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. ¹⁰Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 12.1-12

¹And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

¹And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country. ²And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. ²And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard. ³And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. ³And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. ⁴And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. ⁴And again he sent unto them another servant; and him they wounded in the head, and handled shamefully. ⁵And he sent another; and him they killed: and many others; beating some, and killing some. ⁵And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. ⁶Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. ⁶He had yet one, a beloved son: he sent him last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. ⁷But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. ⁷But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. ⁸And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. ⁸And they took him, and killed him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard. ⁹What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. ⁹What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. ¹⁰And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: ¹⁰Have ye not read even this scripture: The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; ¹¹This was from the Lord, And it is marvellous in our eyes? ¹¹This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

¹²And they sought to lay hold on him; and they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spake the parable against them: and they left him, and went away. ¹²And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.