Wednesday, 10 April 2024

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

25 days before Pascha · Tone 3 · Presanctified · Lenten Fast

Presanctified Liturgy

Saints commemorated

Holy Hieromartyr Gregory V, Patriarch of Constantinople

He was born on the Peloponnese, and became Archbishop of Smyrna in 1785. He served at a time when revolutionary feeling and activity was increasing among the Greek people, and witnessed the cruel retribution that the Ottoman Turks visited on any evidence of rebellion among their subject people.

Once in Smyrna, seeing that an action he had taken was causing discord in his dioceses, he came down from the hierarchical throne during a service, prostrated himself before the faithful and asked their forgiveness.

He was elected Patriarch of Constantinople in 1797. Under the Turkokratia, the Patriarch was not only the head of the Greek churches but the secular ruler of the Greek people, bound by oath to respect the authority of the Sultan. This, combined with Gregory’s personal experience of the treatment of Greek rebels, made him a staunch opponent of revolutionary activity among his people. Still, when revolutionaries on the Peloponnese declared Greek independence from Turkey on March 25, 1821, Turkish retribution was harsh: On Pascha, April 10, after serving the Paschal Liturgy, the aged Patriarch was arrested by the Turkish authorities. He was tortured in an effort to have him reveal the names of those heading the revolution, then was offered his freedom if he would convert to Islam. Gregory answered, ‘You ask in vain: the Patriarch of Christians dies a Christian.’ He (along with other clergy and hierarchs) was hanged as a traitor on the gate of the patriarchal compound. An eyewitness, a British clergyman visiting Constantinople, wrote: ‘His body, attenuated by abstinence and emaciated by age, had not sufficient weight to cause immediate death. He continued for a long time in pain which no friendly hand dared abridge, and the darkness of night came on before his final convulsions were over.’ His body was left hanging for three days, then sold by the Turkish authorities to a Jewish mob, who mutilated the body, then weighted it about the neck with a stone and threw it into the sea. Despite this, the body was found floating at sea by a Greek merchant ship captain. When the body was identified as that of the martyred Patriarch, it was secretly taken to Odessa, where Orthodox church leaders took it under their care. Tsar Alexander I ordered a state funeral for the holy hierarch, which was celebrated on June 17 1821 in Odessa.

In 1871 the relics were returned to Greece by Tsar Alexander III. They were incorrupt, though fifty years had passed since his death. Saint Gregory was officially glorified in 1921. His relics may be venerated at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Athens.

Holy Martyrs Maximus, Quintilian and Dadas

Saints Maximus, Quintilian and Dadas were natives of Dorostolum, on the Danube in modern Bulgaria, and suffered for Christ around the year 303, during the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian. According to tradition Maximus was a presbyter, and Dadas and Quintilian his disciples. When the imperial decree was issued requiring all subjects to take part in the public sacrifices to the gods, the three brethren refused to comply and were brought before the governors Tarquinius and Gabinius, before whom they openly confessed themselves Christians. Threats and promises proved equally useless against their resolve. After being scourged and tormented in various ways for the Name of Christ, they were finally beheaded together at Ozobia, near Dorostolum, and so received the unfading crown of martyrdom. Some Orthodox synaxaria commemorate them on 13 April and others on 28 April, while their names are kept on this day in many menologia.

Holy Martyrs Terence, Africanus, Maximus, Pompeius and the Forty with them

These holy martyrs suffered at Carthage during the persecution of the Emperor Decius (249-251). When the imperial decree commanded all citizens of the empire to offer sacrifice to the idols, the governor Fortunianus had Christians arrested and brought before him in chains. About forty of them were assembled, with Saint Terence at their head. The governor, struck by Terence's noble bearing and eloquent profession of Christ as the Saviour who had freely accepted death on the Cross and had risen on the third day, separated him from the others. Thirty-six of the company were beheaded after refusing to renounce Christ. Fortunianus then concentrated his efforts on Terence and his three closest companions, Africanus, Maximus and Pompeius. He had them weighed down with heavy chains and confined in prison, where he gave orders that they should be starved to death. By night, however, an angel of the Lord came into the dungeon, loosed their chains and fed them, so that the guards in the morning found them cheerful and full of strength. Sorcerers were then summoned, who carried snakes, scorpions and every kind of poisonous creature into the cell; through an opening in the ceiling the soldiers saw the saints standing at prayer, untouched, the venomous beasts crawling harmlessly at their feet. When the prison door was opened, the snakes turned and bit the sorcerers themselves. Enraged at his failure, Fortunianus finally ordered the four to be beheaded by the sword, and so they received their crowns together with the rest of their company.

Six Thousand Holy Martyrs in Georgia

1615

“In the wilderness of David-Garejeli in Georgia there were twelve monasteries, in which monks had lived the ascetic life for centuries. In 1615, Shah Abbas I invaded Georgia, laid it waste and slew innumerable Christians. One day, while out hunting at dawn on Easter Day intself, he saw the light of many candles shining in the hills. This was the monks of all twelve monasteries in procession all round the Church of the Resurrection, walking with candles in their hands. When the Shah discovered that it was monks, he asked in disbelief: ‘Isn’t the whole of Georgia put to the sword by now?’, and ordered his generals to go and slaughter the monks at once. An angel of God appeared to Abbot Arsenius, and revealed their imminent death to him, and Arsenius informed the brethren. They then all received Communion in the Holy Mysteries and prepared for death. Then the attackers arrived, hacked the abbot to pieces when he came out ahead of the others, and then killed all the rest. They all suffered with honour and were crowned with unfading wreaths in 1615. Thus ended the history of these famous monasteries, which had been like a flame of spiritual enlightenment in Georgia for more than 1,000 years. There remain just two today: St David and St John the Baptist. The King of Georgia, Archil, gathered the remains of all the martyrs and buried them. Their relics are to this day full of myrrh for the healing of those in sickness.” (Prologue)

Also commemorated: Martyrs Terence, Pompeius, Africanus and Companions

Daily readings

6th Hour

weekly cycle

Isaiah — Isaiah 26.21-27.9

²¹For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. ²¹For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

¹In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

¹In that day Jehovah with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the swift serpent, and leviathan the crooked serpent; and he will slay the monster that is in the sea. ²In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine.

²In that day: A vineyard of wine, sing ye unto it. ³I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. ³I Jehovah am its keeper; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. ⁴Wrath is not in me: would that the briers and thorns were against me in battle! I would march upon them, I would burn them together. ⁴Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. ⁵Or else let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; yea, let him make peace with me. ⁵Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me. ⁶In days to come shall Jacob take root; Israel shall blossom and bud; and they shall fill the face of the world with fruit. ⁶He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.

⁷Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him?

⁷Hath he smitten them as he smote those that smote them? or are they slain according to the slaughter of them that were slain by them? ⁸In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind. ⁸In measure, when thou sendest them away, thou dost contend with them; he hath removed them with his rough blast in the day of the east wind. ⁹By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up. ⁹Therefore by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be forgiven, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: that he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, so that the Asherim and the sun-images shall rise no more.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Genesis — Genesis 9.18-10.1

¹⁸And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.

¹⁸And the sons of Noah, that went forth from the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. ¹⁹These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread. ¹⁹These three were the sons of Noah: and of these was the whole earth overspread. ²⁰And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

²⁰And Noah began to be a husbandman, and planted a vineyard: ²¹And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. ²¹and he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. ²²And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. ²²And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. ²³And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. ²³And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.

²⁴And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. ²⁴And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done unto him. ²⁵And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. ²⁵And he said, Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. ²⁶And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

²⁶And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant. ²⁷God enlarge Japheth, And let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant. ²⁷God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

²⁸And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.

²⁸And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. ²⁹And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died. ²⁹And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

¹Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, namely, of Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

¹Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Proverbs — Proverbs 12.23-13.9 (LXX)

²³A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. ²³A prudent man concealeth knowledge; But the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. ²⁴The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. ²⁴The hand of the diligent shall bear rule; But the slothful shall be put under taskwork. ²⁵Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. ²⁵Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop; But a good word maketh it glad. ²⁶The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them. ²⁶The righteous is a guide to his neighbor; But the way of the wicked causeth them to err. ²⁷The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting; But the precious substance of men is to the diligent. ²⁷The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious. ²⁸In the way of righteousness is life; And in the pathway thereof there is no death. ²⁸In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

¹A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke. ¹A wise son heareth his father’s instruction; But a scoffer heareth not rebuke. ²A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. ²A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth; But the soul of the treacherous shall eat violence. ³He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. ³He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life; But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. ⁴The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. ⁴The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. ⁵A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame. ⁵A righteous man hateth lying; But a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame. ⁶Righteousness guardeth him that is upright in the way; But wickedness overthroweth the sinner. ⁶Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner. ⁷There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth. ⁷There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. ⁸The ransom of a man’s life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke. ⁸The ransom of a man’s life is his riches; But the poor heareth no threatening. ⁹The light of the righteous rejoiceth; But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. ⁹The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.