Saturday, 17 February 2024

Saturday of the 37th week after Pentecost

307 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit

Saint Theodore the Recruit, known as Theodore Tyro, was a young Roman soldier of the third century who became a martyr for Christ. When ordered to renounce his Orthodox faith, Theodore refused and confessed his unwavering devotion to the Lord Jesus. Rather than submit to idolatrous practices, he endured torture and ultimately martyrdom. His steadfast courage in the face of persecution made him a witness celebrated throughout the Eastern Orthodox Church. Saint Theodore remains a patron protector invoked by the faithful for intercession and aid, and his feast is observed with special reverence in Orthodox tradition.

Saint Marcellus, Pope of Rome

Saint Marcellus served as Pope of Rome during the early centuries of the Church. He laboured to strengthen the Church in Rome and to guide the faithful in Orthodox doctrine and practice. As a successor to Saint Peter, Marcellus wielded pastoral authority with care and wisdom. He maintained communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church and worked to preserve the apostolic faith passed down through the centuries. Saint Marcellus is remembered in the Orthodox Church as a righteous bishop who served Christ and His people with dedication and holiness.

Saint Mariamne, sister of the Apostle Philip

Saint Mariamne was the sister of the Apostle Philip and devoted herself to the service of Christ from the earliest days of the Church. She stood with the apostles in their proclamation of the Gospel and shared in their labours and sufferings. According to Church tradition, she preached the Word of God and brought many to the Orthodox faith. As a woman of great spiritual strength and virtue, Mariamne participated fully in the apostolic ministry and became a faithful witness to the resurrection of Christ. The Orthodox Church venerates her as an example of women saints who laboured alongside the apostles in building the early Church.

Also commemorated: Hieromartyr Germogen, Patriarch of Moscow

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Thessalonians — 1 Thessalonians 5.14-23

¹⁴And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all. ¹⁴Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. ¹⁵See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but always follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all. ¹⁵See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. ¹⁶Rejoice always; ¹⁶Rejoice evermore. ¹⁷pray without ceasing; ¹⁷Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ¹⁸in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward. ¹⁹Quench not the Spirit. ¹⁹Quench not the Spirit; ²⁰Despise not prophesyings. ²⁰despise not prophesyings; ²¹prove all things; hold fast that which is good; ²¹Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. ²²abstain from every form of evil. ²²Abstain from all appearance of evil.

²³And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²³And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 17.3-10

³Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. ³Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. ⁴And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. ⁴And if he sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. ⁵And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

⁵And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. ⁶And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. ⁶And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye would say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou rooted up, and be thou planted in the sea; and it would obey you. ⁷But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? ⁷But who is there of you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say unto him, when he is come in from the field, Come straightway and sit down to meat; ⁸And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? ⁸and will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? ⁹Doth he thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded? ⁹Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. ¹⁰So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. ¹⁰Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do.