Sunday, 24 March 2024

Sunday of Orthodoxy; Forefeast of Annunciation

First Sunday of Lent

Sunday of Orthodoxy
Forefeast of Annunciation

42 days before Pascha · Tone 1 · Liturgy · Lenten Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

★ Forefeast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos

The Forefeast of the Annunciation prepares the Church for the great feast on 25 March, when the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and bear the Son of God. The hymns of this day proclaim that the eternal mystery of God's incarnation, hidden from the ages, is now drawing near to its revelation. Heaven and earth are summoned to rejoice as the Daughter of David is prepared to receive the Word of the Father in her womb. The Church, gathering at vespers and matins, sings of the joy that is dawning, and calls the faithful to make ready their hearts as a dwelling place for Christ. Together with the feast itself, the Forefeast unfolds the depth of the saving plan whereby God becomes man for our salvation.

Saint Artemon, Bishop of Seleucia

Saint Artemon served as Bishop of Seleucia and was a notable figure in the early Christian Church. He is remembered as an early Church father whose writings and theological work contributed to the development of Christian doctrine. Artemon was involved in the life and succession of apostolic authority, working to preserve the traditions received from the Apostles. His Episcopal ministry centred on pastoral care, teaching, and the establishment of proper Church order. The traditions concerning him indicate his importance in maintaining doctrinal purity and apostolic succession during a crucial formative period of Christian history.

Saint Macarius of Altai, archimandrite and apostle to the Altai

1847

Saint Macarius, in the world Mikhail Yakovlevich Glukharev, was born in 1792 in the Smolensk region, the son of a priest. Educated at the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy under Saint Philaret of Moscow, he was tonsured a monk in 1818 and devoted himself to a life of prayer, learning, and service. In 1830 he was sent to the Altai region of Siberia, where for fourteen years he laboured as a missionary among the indigenous peoples, baptising thousands and translating large portions of the Holy Scriptures and liturgical texts into the Altai language. He founded schools, hospitals, and shelters for the poor, and trained native clergy. Worn down by his labours, he reposed in 1847 at the Bolkhov Monastery. He was glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000 as the apostle of the Altai.

Venerable Zacharias the Recluse

Saint Zacharias was a venerable monastic father who devoted his life to prayer and ascetic practice in a hermit cell. His vocation as a recluse (one who lives in seclusion for the sake of prayer) exemplifies the Desert Fathers tradition of seeking closeness to God through withdrawal from the world. Though isolated physically, his spiritual influence extended to many who sought his counsel and his prayers on their behalf. Zacharias is remembered for his deep mystical experience of prayer and his complete dedication to the contemplative life, demonstrating the spiritual fruitfulness of solitude devoted entirely to communion with God.

Commemoration of the Miracle at the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev

“Two friends, John and Sergius, swore brotherhood before the icon of the holy Mother of God in this monastery. John was a rich man, with a five-year-old son, Zachariah. John fell ill, and at his death commended his son to the care of Sergius, and left in Sergius’ keeping a large sum of silver and gold for him to hand over to Zachariah when he had grown up. When Zachariah came of age, however, Sergius denied receiving anything from the deceased John. Then Zachariah said: ‘Let him swear before the same icon of the most holy Mother of God, in front of which he accepted brotherhood with my late father, that he received nothing from John, and then I will seek nothing more from him.’ Sergius agreed, but when he had sworn this and went up to kiss the icon, some force held him back and would not allow him to come near. Then, tormented all at once by a demon, he began to cry out: ‘Holy fathers Antony and Theodosius, do not let this merciless angel destroy me!’ The demon had attacked him by God’s permission. He then told them of all the money which John had left. But when they opened the box, they found double the amount. Taking it, Zachariah gave it to the monastery and was himself tonsured as a monk. He lived a long time and was worthy of God’s great gifts, entering peacefully into eternity.” (Prologue)

Daily readings

9th Matins Gospel

John — John 20.19-31

¹⁹Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

¹⁹When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. ²⁰And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. ²⁰And when he had said this, he showed unto them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. ²¹Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. ²¹Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. ²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: ²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit: ²³whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. ²³Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. ²⁵The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

²⁶And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

²⁶And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. ²⁷Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. ²⁷Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and see my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. ²⁸Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. ²⁸And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. ²⁹Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. ²⁹Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

³⁰And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

³⁰Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: ³¹but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name. ³¹But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Epistle

weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 11.24-26, 32-12.2

²⁴By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; ²⁴By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; ²⁵choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; ²⁵Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; ²⁶accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward. ²⁶Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

³²And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets: ³²And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: ³³who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³³Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens. ³⁴Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ³⁵Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: ³⁵Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: ³⁶and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: ³⁶And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: ³⁷They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; ³⁷they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated ³⁸(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. ³⁸(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth. ³⁹And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise, ³⁹And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

¹Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ²looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 1.43-51

⁴³The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

⁴³On the morrow he was minded to go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip: and Jesus saith unto him, Follow me. ⁴⁴Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁴Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. ⁴⁵Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. ⁴⁶And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. ⁴⁶And Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. ⁴⁷Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! ⁴⁷Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! ⁴⁸Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. ⁴⁸Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. ⁴⁹Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art King of Israel. ⁴⁹Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. ⁵⁰Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. ⁵⁰Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. ⁵¹And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. ⁵¹And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.