Friday, 19 April 2024

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

16 days before Pascha · Tone 4 · Presanctified · Lenten Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Presanctified Liturgy

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Paphnutius of Jerusalem

Saint Paphnutius was a bishop who suffered for Christ during the great persecution. The hagiographical tradition is divided as to his exact see: some sources speak of him as a hierarch of Jerusalem, while others identify him with an Egyptian bishop who suffered with many other Egyptian Christians who had been condemned to the mines of Palestine during the persecution of Diocletian (284 to 305). The two traditions probably reflect a single martyr, exiled from Egypt to Palestine and there put to death. Paphnutius was tortured by being burned with fire, exposed to wild beasts, and at last beheaded with the sword. After his repose his relics streamed forth fragrant myrrh and were glorified by many miracles, becoming a place of pilgrimage for the faithful. The canon for his feast preserved in the Menaion was composed during the iconoclast period before the Triumph of Orthodoxy in 842, attesting to the antiquity of his commemoration. He is honoured among the bishops who preferred to lay down their lives rather than betray the faith of Christ.

Saint George the confessor, bishop of Antioch in Pisidia

Saint George the Confessor lived during the iconoclast persecution of the early ninth century. From his youth he embraced the monastic life, and was renowned for his ascetic struggles, his learning in the holy Scriptures and his unblemished holiness of life. On account of these virtues he was raised to the episcopal throne of Antioch in Pisidia, where he shepherded his flock with apostolic care, teaching the people in the way of Orthodoxy and adorning his see by his prayer and almsgiving. When the emperor Leo V the Armenian (813 to 820) revived the iconoclast heresy and decreed that the holy icons should be cast down from the churches, George went to Constantinople and openly denounced the emperor's impiety at a council of bishops, calling on Leo to abandon the heresy and to confess the truth that God the Word had truly become man and could therefore truly be depicted. When he refused to remove the holy icons from the churches of his diocese, he was driven from his see and exiled to imprisonment, where he remained until the end of Leo's reign. There he ended his earthly course in confession of the holy icons, and the Church numbers him among those bishops who suffered for the truth and is therefore called Confessor.

Saint Tryphon, patriarch of Constantinople

928

Saint Tryphon was a monk from his youth, distinguished by his meekness, lack of malice, full submission to the will of God, and his firm faith and burning love for the Church. At the time of his patriarchate the emperor Romanus I Lecapenus (919 to 944) was ruling in Constantinople. The emperor wished to elevate his younger son Theophylact to the patriarchal throne, but when the patriarch Stephen reposed in 928 Theophylact was only sixteen, too young to be consecrated. The emperor therefore proposed that Saint Tryphon should be made locum tenens, holding the patriarchal office until the boy came of age. Tryphon meekly accepted the burden and for nearly three years governed the Church wisely, ordering its affairs with sobriety and zeal. When Theophylact reached the age of twenty in the year 931, the emperor told Tryphon to lay down his office. Tryphon, judging that it would be unworthy to entrust the helm of the Church to so young and inexperienced a youth, refused. Then a certain bishop Theophilus, by an unworthy stratagem, obtained from Tryphon his signature on a blank sheet, ostensibly to test his handwriting, and over that signature wrote out a letter of abdication declaring Tryphon unworthy of his throne. When this was presented to the emperor, the saint was deposed. Patiently bearing the injustice, Tryphon returned to his monastery and lived out his last days as a simple monk, reposing in peace in the year 933.

Venerable John of the Ancient Caves in Palestine

Saint John was called "of the Ancient Caves" because he made his abode in the eighth century at the Lavra of Saint Chariton, the oldest of the Palestinian cave monasteries, founded by Saint Chariton the Confessor in the fourth century and known as the "Old," or ancient cave. The Lavra was situated near the wilderness of Judaea, not far from Bethlehem and the Dead Sea, in a steep ravine carved by the winter torrents. In his early years John went up to Jerusalem to venerate the holy places of the Lord's life, passion and resurrection, and afterwards he settled at the Lavra of Chariton, where he laboured in fasting, vigils and unceasing prayer. He was found worthy to be ordained to the holy priesthood and was glorified by his ascetic life and gifts of grace. He shone in the lavra as a beacon of the older monastic tradition at a time when Palestinian monasticism was suffering the heavy hand of Saracen rule. Many disciples gathered around him, and he was a teacher of stillness and of the prayer of the heart. He reposed in peace in his cell in extreme old age, in the latter half of the eighth century.

Our Holy Father Agathangelos

1819

“From Thrace, his worldly name being Anastasios, he was a slave to some Turks, and they compelled him to embrace Islam in Smyrna. As a penitent, he was tonsured at the monastery of Esphigmenou on the Holy Mountain. Tormented by his conscience, he desired to wash his sins in his own blood, so he went to Smyrna, where he showed a Cross and an icon of Christ’s Resurrection to the Turks. He was beheaded on April 19th, 1819, at the age of nineteen. He appeared to his spiritual father, Germanos, after his death.” (Prologue)

Daily readings

6th Hour

weekly cycle

Isaiah — Isaiah 45.11-17

¹¹Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

¹¹Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask me of the things that are to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me. ¹²I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. ¹²I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens; and all their host have I commanded. ¹³I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts. ¹³I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make straight all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let my exiles go free, not for price nor reward, saith Jehovah of hosts. ¹⁴Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.

¹⁴Thus saith Jehovah, The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall go after thee, in chains they shall come over; and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God. ¹⁵Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour. ¹⁵Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour. ¹⁶They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols. ¹⁶They shall be put to shame, yea, confounded, all of them; they shall go into confusion together that are makers of idols. ¹⁷But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. ¹⁷But Israel shall be saved by Jehovah with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be put to shame nor confounded world without end.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Genesis — Genesis 22.1-18

¹And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

¹And it came to pass after these things, that God did prove Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham; and he said, Here am I. ²And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. ²And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

³And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. ³And Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he clave the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. ⁴Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. ⁴On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. ⁵And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship, and come again to you. ⁵And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. ⁶And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife; and they went both of them together. ⁶And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. ⁷And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? ⁷And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold, the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering? ⁸And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. ⁸And Abraham said, God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son: so they went both of them together.

⁹And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. ⁹And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. ¹⁰And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. ¹⁰And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹And the angel of Jehovah called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

¹¹And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. ¹²And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me. ¹²And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. ¹³And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. ¹³And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son. ¹⁴And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. ¹⁴And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of Jehovah it shall be provided.

¹⁵And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, ¹⁵And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, ¹⁶And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: ¹⁶and said, By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, ¹⁷That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; ¹⁷that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; ¹⁸And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. ¹⁸and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Proverbs — Proverbs 17.17-18.5

¹⁷A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. ¹⁷A friend loveth at all times; And a brother is born for adversity. ¹⁸A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend. ¹⁸A man void of understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor. ¹⁹He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction. ¹⁹He loveth transgression that loveth strife: He that raiseth high his gate seeketh destruction. ²⁰He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief. ²⁰He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief. ²¹He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; And the father of a fool hath no joy. ²¹He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy. ²²A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones. ²²A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. ²³A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment. ²³A wicked man receiveth a bribe out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice. ²⁴Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. ²⁴Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. ²⁵A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him. ²⁵A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him. ²⁶Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity. ²⁶Also to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to smite the noble for their uprightness.

²⁷He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. ²⁷He that spareth his words hath knowledge; And he that is of a cool spirit is a man of understanding. ²⁸Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; When he shutteth his lips, he is esteemed as prudent. ²⁸Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. ¹He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, And rageth against all sound wisdom.

¹Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. ²A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. ²A fool hath no delight in understanding, But only that his heart may reveal itself. ³When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach. ³When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, And with ignominy cometh reproach. ⁴The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook. ⁴The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is as a flowing brook. ⁵It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment. ⁵To respect the person of the wicked is not good, Nor to turn aside the righteous in judgment.