Wednesday, 20 March 2024

Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

46 days before Pascha · Tone 8 · Presanctified · Lenten Fast (No overrides)

Great Canon; Presanctified Liturgy

Saints commemorated

Saint Cuthbert, Wonderworker of Lindisfarne

‘Saint Cuthbert was born in Britain about the year 635, and became a monk in his youth at the monastery of Melrose by the River Tweed. After many years of struggle as a true priest of Christ, in the service both of his own brethren and of the neglected Christians of isolated country villages, he became a solitary on Farne Island in 676. After eight years as a hermit, he was constrained to leave his quiet to become Bishop of Lindisfarne, in which office he served for almost two years. He returned to his hermitage two months before he reposed in peace in 687.

‘Because of the miracles he wrought both during his life and at his tomb after death, he is called the “Wonderworker of Britain.” The whole English people honoured him, and kings were both benefactors to his shrine and suppliants of his prayers. Eleven years after his death, his holy relics were revealed to be incorrupt; when his body was translated from Lindisfarne to Durham Cathedral in August of 1104, his body was still found to be untouched by decay, giving off “an odour of the sweetest fragrancy,” and “from the flexibility of its joints representing a person asleep rather than dead.” Finally, when the most impious Henry VIII desecrated his shrine, opening it to despoil it of its valuables, his body was again found incorrupt, and was buried in 1542. It is believed that after this the holy relics of Saint Cuthbert were hidden to preserve them from further desecration.’ (Great Horologion)

Saint Niketas the Confessor, Archbishop of Apollonias

Saint Niketas was Archbishop of Apollonias in Bithynia, on the southern shore of Lake Apolloniatis in Asia Minor, in the late eighth and early ninth centuries. Trained from his youth in the study of the holy Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers, he was raised to the episcopate in his own region for the depth of his learning, the soundness of his faith, and the gentleness of his pastoral care. He governed his see as a tender father to his flock and as a steadfast champion of the Orthodox faith. His ministry fell during the second great outbreak of the iconoclast heresy. When the emperor Leo the Armenian renewed the persecution against the holy icons, demanding that bishops and abbots subscribe to the iconoclast policy of the court, Saint Niketas refused to betray the tradition of the Church. He defended the veneration of the holy images by reference to Holy Scripture and to the teaching of the Fathers, showing that the honour rendered to the icon passes to the prototype. For this confession he was seized, deprived of his see, and sent into exile, where, after enduring many hardships for the sake of Christ and the holy icons, he reposed in peace about the year 813. The Orthodox Church commemorates him on 20 March together with the other holy confessors of his generation, who by their patient suffering preserved the faith of the seven Ecumenical Councils.

Saint Wulfram, Archbishop of Sens

703

Saint Wulfram was born about the year 640 at Milly in the region of Fontainebleau, the son of an officer in the household of King Dagobert. Brought up at the Frankish court, he excelled in piety and learning, and embraced the clerical state. About the year 692 he was elected Archbishop of Sens, but after only a short time on that ancient throne he was drawn by the example of the saints to a more retired life and resigned the see in favour of his successor, Saint Amatus. He withdrew to the great abbey of Fontenelle in Normandy, where he received the monastic habit. There he heard reports of the heathen Frisians and was filled with apostolic zeal to bring them to Christ. With companions from Fontenelle he sailed to Frisia in the days of King Radbod, preaching the Gospel along the coasts and rivers, baptising those who believed, and rescuing children whom the Frisians, by ancient custom, exposed to the rising tide as offerings to the sea. By his prayers more than one such victim was preserved alive. He converted Radbod's son and many of the people, although the king himself in the end drew back from the font. Worn out by his labours, Saint Wulfram returned to Fontenelle, where he reposed in peace on 20 March in the year 703 or thereabouts. His relics were afterwards translated to Abbeville. He is honoured among the apostles of the Frisians and is commemorated on 20 March by the Orthodox Church among the western saints of the undivided faith.

The Holy Fathers Slain at the Monastery of Saint Sabbas

The Martyred Holy Fathers John, Sergius, Patrick and others were slain at the Monastery of Saint Sabbas (also called the Lavra of Saint Sabbas) during the eighth century. The area around Jerusalem was subjected to frequent incursions of the Saracens (Arab raiders).

On Great Thursday, 20 March, the Saracens descended upon the Lavra with a large force and began to assault the monks. The survivors were driven into the church, where they were tortured in order to force them to reveal where any treasure might be hidden.

The barbarians seized Saint John, a young monk who had cared for vagrants and the poor with great compassion. They beat him fiercely, then they cut the sinews of his hands and feet and dragged him over stones by his feet, tearing the skin from his back.

The keeper of the church vessels, Saint Sergius, hid the sacred vessels and attempted to flee, but he was captured and beheaded by the cruel raiders. Saint Patrick and seventeen other monks also fell under the swords of the barbarians. Eighteen men perished in a cave within the monastery.

The wicked Saracens who plundered the monastery and murdered these holy fathers were punished by God with a sudden illness, and they all perished. Their bodies were devoured by wild beasts, demonstrating divine justice.

St Photine the Samaritan Woman

See her commemoration on February 26.

Also commemorated: Holy Fathers Slain at St Sabbas Monastery

Daily readings

6th Hour

weekly cycle

Isaiah — Isaiah 2.3-11

³And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. ³And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. ⁴And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. ⁴And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. ⁵O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

⁵O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of Jehovah.

⁶Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. ⁶For thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they are filled with customs from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. ⁷Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: ⁷And their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots. ⁸Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. ⁸Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: ⁹And the mean man is bowed down, and the great man is brought low: therefore forgive them not. ⁹And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.

¹⁰Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. ¹⁰Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty. ¹¹The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. ¹¹The lofty looks of man shall be brought low, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Genesis — Genesis 1.24-2.3

²⁴And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind: and it was so.

²⁴And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. ²⁵And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind: and God saw that it was good. ²⁵And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ²⁶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

²⁶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. ²⁷And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ²⁷So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ²⁸And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. ²⁸And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

²⁹And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. ²⁹And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food: ³⁰And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. ³⁰and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for food: and it was so. ³¹And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. ³¹And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

¹And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

¹Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. ²And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. ²And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. ³And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made. ³And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Proverbs — Proverbs 2.1-22

¹My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And lay up my commandments with thee;

¹My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; ²So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thy heart to understanding; ²So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; ³Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; ³Yea, if thou cry after discernment, And lift up thy voice for understanding; ⁴If thou seek her as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures: ⁴If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; ⁵Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, And find the knowledge of God. ⁵Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. ⁶For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. ⁶For Jehovah giveth wisdom; Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding: ⁷He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. ⁷He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to them that walk in integrity; ⁸He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. ⁸That he may guard the paths of justice, And preserve the way of his saints. ⁹Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. ⁹Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, yea, every good path.

¹⁰When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; ¹⁰For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul; ¹¹Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee: ¹¹Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: ¹²To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; ¹²To deliver thee from the way of evil, From the men that speak perverse things; ¹³Who forsake the paths of uprightness, To walk in the ways of darkness; ¹³Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; ¹⁴Who rejoice to do evil, And delight in the perverseness of evil; ¹⁴Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; ¹⁵Who are crooked in their ways, And wayward in their paths: ¹⁵Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: ¹⁶To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; ¹⁶To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words; ¹⁷Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. ¹⁷That forsaketh the friend of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God: ¹⁸For her house inclineth unto death, And her paths unto the dead; ¹⁸For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. ¹⁹None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. ¹⁹None that go unto her return again, Neither do they attain unto the paths of life: ²⁰That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous. ²⁰That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. ²¹For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. ²¹For the upright shall dwell in the land, And the perfect shall remain in it. ²²But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it. ²²But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, And the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.