Wednesday, 27 March 2024

Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent

39 days before Pascha · Tone 1 · Presanctified · Lenten Fast

Presanctified Liturgy

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Matrona of Thessalonica

Saint Matrona was a holy martyr who suffered and died for her confession of Christian faith during a period of persecution. She came from the city of Thessalonica (Salonica) in Greece, which was an important centre of early Christianity where Saint Paul had preached. Matrona's faith remained unwavering when faced with threats and torture, and she ultimately surrendered her life rather than deny Christ. Her martyrdom represents the courage and steadfastness of early Christian believers who considered their faith more precious than life itself. The Church honours her memory as an example of martyrdom and as an intercessor for those who face trials of faith.

Holy martyr Philetus the senator and his family

Saint Philetus was a Roman senator who, together with his wife Lydia and their sons Macedon and Theoprepius, suffered martyrdom for Christ in the second century during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Their household servants Amphilochius the captain and Cronides the notary were also brought to the faith and shared in their witness. Refusing to deny Christ before the imperial authorities, they were subjected to terrible tortures, including being cast into a cauldron of boiling oil, in which they remained unharmed by divine power and gave up their souls in prayer. Their memory has been kept by the Church as a model of an entire household standing together in confession of the true God.

Holy new martyr Manuel of Crete

Saint Manuel was a young Christian of Crete who suffered for Christ at the hands of the Turks in 1792. Falsely accused of having abandoned the Christian faith for Islam, he was seized by the authorities of his town in Sfakia and pressed to confirm the apostasy attributed to him. Manuel firmly refused, openly confessing himself a Christian and declaring that he would never deny the Lord Jesus Christ. After cruel tortures he was beheaded, sealing his confession with his blood and joining the company of the new martyrs of Greece who, in the long centuries of Ottoman rule, kept alive the faith of their fathers by the witness of their lives.

Venerable Cyriacus the Anchorite

Saint Cyriacus was a venerable desert father and anchorite (hermit) who embraced the ascetic life in pursuit of union with God through constant prayer and self-denial. As an anchorite, Cyriacus lived in solitude, dedicating himself entirely to contemplation and spiritual warfare against the passions. Though physically separated from human society, his prayers and intercessions were understood to benefit the Church and the world. The tradition concerning him indicates that he experienced profound mystical states and received divine gifts as rewards for his labour. Anchorites such as Cyriacus exemplify the Orthodox understanding that withdrawal from the world can be a powerful form of apostolic witness and pastoral care exercised through prayer.

Daily readings

6th Hour

weekly cycle

Isaiah — Isaiah 5.16-25

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. ¹⁷Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat. ¹⁷Then shall the lambs feed as in their pasture, and the waste places of the fat ones shall wanderers eat.

¹⁸Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:

¹⁸Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and sin as it were with a cart rope; ¹⁹That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it! ¹⁹that say, Let him make speed, let him hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!

²⁰Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! ²⁰Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! ²¹Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! ²¹Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! ²²Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: ²²Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink; ²³Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! ²³that justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! ²⁴Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

²⁴Therefore as the tongue of fire devoureth the stubble, and as the dry grass sinketh down in the flame, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust; because they have rejected the law of Jehovah of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. ²⁵Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. ²⁵Therefore is the anger of Jehovah kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them; and the mountains tremble, and their dead bodies are as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Genesis — Genesis 4.16-26

¹⁶And Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

¹⁶And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. ¹⁷And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. ¹⁷And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. ¹⁸And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael; and Mehujael begat Methushael; and Methushael begat Lamech. ¹⁸And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. ¹⁹And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

¹⁹And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. ²⁰And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents and have cattle. ²⁰And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. ²¹And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. ²¹And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe. ²²And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. ²²And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. ²³And Lamech said unto his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: For I have slain a man for wounding me, And a young man for bruising me:

²³And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. ²⁴If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold. ²⁴If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

²⁵And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For, said she, God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel; for Cain slew him.

²⁵And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. ²⁶And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh. Then began men to call upon the name of Jehovah. ²⁶And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Proverbs — Proverbs 5.15-6.3

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. ¹⁶Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. ¹⁶Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, And streams of water in the streets? ¹⁷Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. ¹⁷Let them be for thyself alone, And not for strangers with thee. ¹⁸Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. ¹⁸Let thy fountain be blessed; And rejoice in the wife of thy youth. ¹⁹As a loving hind and a pleasant doe, Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; And be thou ravished always with her love. ¹⁹Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. ²⁰And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? ²⁰For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, And embrace the bosom of a foreigner? ²¹For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah; And he maketh level all his paths. ²¹For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

²²His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. ²²His own iniquities shall take the wicked, And he shall be holden with the cords of his sin. ²³He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. ²³He shall die for lack of instruction; And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

¹My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, ¹My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbor, If thou hast stricken thy hands for a stranger; ²Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. ²Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. ³Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, Seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor: Go, humble thyself, and importune thy neighbor; ³Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.