Tuesday, 26 March 2024

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

40 days before Pascha · Tone 1 · Red squigg (doxology typikon symbol) · Lenten Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

★ Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel

Each of the Great Feasts of the Church is followed by a commemoration of some holy one who figures in the events of the Feast. So, today we commemorate the Holy Archangel Gabriel, who brought the glad news of the conception of Christ to Mary, the Theotokos. The Prologue gives the following teaching:

“The herald of the incarnation of the Son of God, he is one of the seven great angels who stand before the throne of God. He revealed to Zacharias the birth of the Forerunner, and said of himself: ‘I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God’ (Lk. 1:19). His name, Gabriel, signifies ‘man of God’. Speaking about the Annunciation, the holy Fathers comment that an angel with such a name was sent to signify who He was, and of what nature He was, who would be born of the most pure Virgin. He would be the Man of God, the Man-God, the strong and mighty God. Others have found that it was this same Gabriel who announced the conception of the Virgin Mary to Joachim and Anna, and that it was he who taught Moses in the wilderness to write the Book of Genesis. The holy Fathers consider that Gabriel belongs to the foremost and highest order of the heavenly powers, the seraphim, since the seraphim stand closest to God. And so he is one of the seven seraphim closest to God. The names of these seven are: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selathiel, Jegudiel and Barachiel. Some would add Jeremiel to this number. Each has his own particular service, but all are equal in honour. Why did God not send Michael? For the reason that Michael’s service is the suppression of the enemies of God’s truth, while Gabriel’s is the annunciation of the salvation of the human race.”

Hieromartyr Irenaeus, bishop of Sirmium

Saint Irenaeus was bishop of Sirmium in Pannonia, in present-day Sremska Mitrovica in Serbia. A young hierarch, married and esteemed for his learning and holiness of life, he was arrested during the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian around 304. Brought before the prefect Probus, he refused both flattery and torture, declaring that he had no kindred dearer to him than Christ. Though his family pleaded with him to spare himself for their sake, he answered that he who loves father, mother, wife or children more than the Lord is not worthy of him. After repeated interrogations he was beheaded and his body cast into the river Sava. His Acts are among the earliest authentic martyr texts of the Latin-speaking Balkans, and his memory is honoured in both the Eastern and Western Churches.

Holy 26 martyrs of the Goths

The Holy 26 Martyrs of the Goths suffered for Christ in the late fourth century, during the reign of the Gothic king Athanaric, who unleashed a fierce persecution against the Christians among his people. Among them were the priests Bathuses and Verkas, with their two sons and three daughters, the priest Arpilus, the laymen Abibus, Agnus, Reasus, Igathrax, Iscoeus, Silas, Signitsus, Sonerilus, Suimblus, Thermas and Phillus, and the women Anna, Alla, Larissa, Moiko, Mamica, Uirko, and another Anna. They were burned alive in a church together with many of the faithful. Through the labour of Junius Soranus, governor of Scythia, their relics were translated to Cappadocia, where Saint Basil the Great honoured them. Their feast remains a witness to the early flowering of Christianity among the Gothic peoples.

Saint Stephen the Confessor, Abbot of Trigleia

Saint Stephen was the abbot of the monastery of Trigleia (also transliterated as Trigleia) and lived during a significant period of the Christian Church. As an abbot, he governed a monastic community with wisdom and led his monks in the ascetic life. Stephen is venerated as a confessor, which indicates his steadfast faith and witness to Christ through trials and difficulties, particularly during periods of theological controversy. His leadership preserved Orthodox tradition and his spiritual guidance brought many to a deeper understanding of the faith. Stephen's legacy includes his preservation of monastic discipline and his role in maintaining proper Orthodox theology within his community.

Also commemorated: Leavetaking of Annunciation

Daily readings

6th Hour

weekly cycle

Isaiah — Isaiah 5.7-16

⁷For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. ⁷For the vineyard of Jehovah of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but, behold, oppression; for righteousness, but, behold, a cry.

⁸Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no room, and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land!

⁸Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! ⁹In mine ears saith Jehovah of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. ⁹In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. ¹⁰Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah. ¹⁰For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield but an ephah.

¹¹Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! ¹¹Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that tarry late into the night, till wine inflame them! ¹²And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands. ¹²And the harp and the lute, the tabret and the pipe, and wine, are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of Jehovah, neither have they considered the operation of his hands.

¹³Therefore my people are gone into captivity for lack of knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude are parched with thirst.

¹³Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. ¹⁴Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. ¹⁴Therefore Sheol hath enlarged its desire, and opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth among them, descend into it. ¹⁵And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: ¹⁵And the mean man is bowed down, and the great man is humbled, and the eyes of the lofty are humbled: ¹⁶But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. ¹⁶but Jehovah of hosts is exalted in justice, and God the Holy One is sanctified in righteousness.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Genesis — Genesis 4.8-15

⁸And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. ⁸And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

⁹And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother’s keeper?

⁹And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? ¹⁰And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. ¹⁰And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. ¹¹And now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened its mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; ¹¹And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; ¹²when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth. ¹²When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. ¹³And Cain said unto Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

¹³And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. ¹⁴Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. ¹⁴Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me. ¹⁵And Jehovah said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And Jehovah appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should smite him. ¹⁵And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Proverbs — Proverbs 5.1-15

¹My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: ¹My son, attend unto my wisdom; Incline thine ear to my understanding: ²That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. ²That thou mayest preserve discretion, And that thy lips may keep knowledge.

³For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: ³For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil: ⁴But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword. ⁴But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. ⁵Her feet go down to death; Her steps take hold on Sheol; ⁵Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. ⁶So that she findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, and she knoweth it not. ⁶Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. ⁷Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. ⁷Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me, And depart not from the words of my mouth. ⁸Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: ⁸Remove thy way far from her, And come not nigh the door of her house; ⁹Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: ⁹Lest thou give thine honor unto others, And thy years unto the cruel; ¹⁰Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, And thy labors be in the house of an alien, ¹⁰Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; ¹¹And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, ¹¹And thou mourn at thy latter end, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed, ¹²And say, How have I hated instruction, And my heart despised reproof; ¹²And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; ¹³Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! ¹³And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! ¹⁴I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. ¹⁴I was well-nigh in all evil In the midst of the assembly and congregation. ¹⁵Drink waters out of thine own cistern, And running waters out of thine own well.

¹⁵Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.