Friday, 15 March 2024

Cheesefare Friday

51 days before Pascha · Tone 7 · Liturgy · Fast (Meat Fast)

No Liturgy

Saints commemorated

Martyr Agapius and seven with him

303

These holy Martyrs contested during the reign of Diocletian 284-305), in Palestinian Caesarea. All eight were very young; only Agapius was a baptized Christian. Urbanus, the governor of the region, observed a pagan festival by having some Christians publicly tortured and executed: some by fire, others on the gallows, some by being thrown to wild beasts in the arena. Six of the youths (Timolaus, Dionysius, Romulus, Plesius, and two named Alexander), seeing the patience and serenity with which the Christians endured their torments, were reached by the Holy Spirit and, tying their own hands, presented themselves to Urbanus saying ‘We too are Christians!’ They were immediately cast into prison. A few days later Agapius, a prominent Christian in that town, also presented himself along with a second Dionysius. All eight were beheaded together at Caesarea. Their martyrdom is recorded in Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History.

The Apostle Aristobulus of the Seventy, Bishop of Britain

Saint Aristobulus, a native of Cyprus and one of the Seventy Apostles, was the brother of the Apostle Barnabas and a companion of Saint Paul on his missionary journeys. Saint Paul mentions him in his Epistle to the Romans (Romans 16:10). Saint Paul made Aristobulus a bishop and sent him to preach the Gospel in Britain, Scotland, and Ireland, where he converted many people to Christ. He built churches, baptised converts, and ordained clergy—presbyters and deacons—for the spiritual wellbeing of his flock. He had to endure many torments and afflictions from hostile pagans, who beat him and mocked him. Eventually, he won them over and brought them to the Christian faith. Saint Aristobulus preached and died in Roman Britain. Whilst some Orthodox traditions say he died in peace, others say he was martyred in Wales.

The Hieromartyr Alexander of Side, Pamphylia

The Hieromartyr Alexander was a priest from Sidi (Side) in Pamphylia. He suffered for Christ during a time of persecution in the reign of Emperor Aurelian (270-275). When the prefect Antoninus arrived at Sidi he ordered Alexander to be brought before him for interrogation. During his interrogation, the Saint replied, "I am a Christian, a priest, a shepherd of Christ's rational flock." Alexander endured various tortures. He was beaten and tormented on a wheel, and plunged into a vessel of boiling resin and oil. He was then placed in a fiery furnace, where the tormentors saw in the flames two young men with handsome faces, praising God alongside the Holy Martyr. These were Angels, cooling the flames of the furnace. His body was pierced with iron needles and his intestines fell out. He was then thrown to wild animals to be devoured, but the beasts did not touch him. Finally, the Hieromartyr Alexander was beheaded with a sword.

The Holy Martyr Agapius and Seven Companions

The holy martyrs Agapius, Publius, Timolaus, Romulus, and two each named Alexander and Dionysius suffered together in Caesarea, Palestine. All eight were very young at the time of their martyrdom. Only Agapius was initially a baptised Christian. Six of the youths (Timolaus, Dionysius, Romulus, and two named Alexander), witnessing the patience and serenity of the Christians under torment, were reached by the Holy Spirit and, binding their own hands, presented themselves to the prefect Urbanus, declaring "We too are Christians!" He cast them into prison alongside the already imprisoned Agapius and his servant Dionysius. All eight were beheaded together at Caesarea under the persecution of Emperor Diocletian.

Holy Martyr Alexander

c. 275

“He was from the town of Side in Pamphylia. The Emperor Aurelian’s governor asked him who he was, to which Alexander replied that he was a pastor of the flock of Christ. ‘And where is this flock of Christ’, further enquired the evil and suspicious governor. Alexander replied: ‘Over the whole world live the people whom Christ the Lord created, among whom those who believe in Him are His sheep, but those who have fallen away from their Creator, who are enslaved to creation and the work of men’s hands, to dead idols, such as you, are strangers to His flock, and at the Dreadful Judgement of God will be put to the left with the goats.’ The wicked judge first commanded that he be whipped with iron flails and then thrown into a burning furnace. But the fire could in no way harm him. Then he was flayed and after that thrown to the wild beasts. But the beasts would not touch him. At last the governor ordered that he be beheaded. But as soon as the judge pronounced the sentence, an evil spirit took hold of him and made him rabid. He was led howling to his gods, the idols, but on the way the evil spirit wrested his wicked soul from him. St Alexander suffered between 270 and 275.’ (Prologue) He is commemorated March 14 on the Greek calendar.

Daily readings

6th Hour

weekly cycle

Zechariah — Zechariah 8.7-17

⁷Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; ⁷Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; ⁸And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. ⁸and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

⁹Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

⁹Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets that were in the day that the foundation of the house of Jehovah of hosts was laid, even the temple, that it might be built. ¹⁰For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour. ¹⁰For before those days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in, because of the adversary: for I set all men every one against his neighbor. ¹¹But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. ¹¹But now I will not be unto the remnant of this people as in the former days, saith Jehovah of hosts. ¹²For there shall be the seed of peace; the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. ¹²For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. ¹³And it shall come to pass that, as ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong. ¹³And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. ¹⁴For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:

¹⁴For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: As I thought to do evil unto you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I repented not; ¹⁵So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not. ¹⁵so again have I thought in these days to do good unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.

¹⁶These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: ¹⁶These are the things that ye shall do: Speak ye every man the truth with his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates; ¹⁷And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD. ¹⁷and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith Jehovah.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Zechariah — Zechariah 8.19-23

¹⁹Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. ¹⁹Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love truth and peace. ²⁰Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: ²⁰Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities; ²¹And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. ²¹and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of Jehovah, and to seek Jehovah of hosts: I will go also. ²²Yea, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Jehovah. ²²Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. ²³Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. ²³Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.