Saturday, 8 February 2025

71 days before Pascha · Tone 7 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Great Martyr Theodore the Stratelates

He was a renowned commander in the Imperial army, and dwelt in Heraclea of Pontus. The Emperor Licinius heard of Theodore’s fame as an officer, and also that he was a devout Christian; the Emperor determined to visit the general, officially to honor him, but secretly to turn him from Christ.

When the Emperor came to Heraclea, Saint Theodore met him with all honor, and the Emperor in turn praised him for his service to the state. Licinius then publicly bade Theodore make sacrifice to the gods. Theodore asked that he be given the most venerable gods, made of gold and silver, to attend upon at home, and promised that the following day he would return and honor them before the people. The Emperor, thinking that he had succeeded in restoring Theodore to paganism, gladly agreed.

That night the Saint smashed all the idols he had taken home, and distributed the gold and silver pieces to the poor. When this was discovered, Theodore gladly admitted his deed and confessed Christ boldly. The Emperor, in a fury, had the Saint subjected to many tortures, then crucified. On the cross, he was subject to further torments and mutilations: parts of his body were cut off, his eyes put out, and he was shot with arrows, finally being left on the cross for dead. The next day Licinius sent men to cast his body into the sea, but to their amazement they found the Saint alive, his body perfectly intact. Through this, many spectators and some of the Emperor’s own men turned to Christ. Seeing that the Saint, far from renouncing Christ, was leading others to Him, the Emperor promptly had him beheaded. His holy relics were returned to his family home in Euchaita, where they worked so many miracles that the town came to be known as Theodoropolis.

Holy Prophet Zacharias

Zacharias was a righteous prophet in ancient Israel who spoke God's word to His people. He prophesied during a period of spiritual restoration and called the people to repentance and faithfulness to the covenant. Zacharias' prophecies contained messages of hope, divine restoration, and the coming of the Messiah. He was devoted to the Temple and the worship of God, and his writings were treasured by the Church as an important part of Old Testament Scripture. He is remembered for his unwavering commitment to proclaiming God's truth despite the resistance he faced from those who refused to hear the prophetic word.

Saint Sava II of Serbia

Sava II was a medieval Serbian saint, archbishop, and spiritual leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church. He came from the royal family of Serbia and devoted his life to the Church and to the spiritual welfare of the Serbian people. As archbishop, he worked to strengthen the Orthodox faith among the Serbs and to establish the Serbian Church. He was known for his learning, his ascetic discipline, and his pastoral care. Sava II supported monasticism and the development of Serbian ecclesiastical culture. He is venerated in the Serbian Church as one of the great leaders and fathers of the Serbian Orthodox tradition.

St Sabbas II, Archbishop of Serbia

1271

He was the son of St Stephen the First- Crowned King of Serbia (September 24), and the nephew of St Sabbas (Sava) (January 14), the first Archbishop of Serbia. Like his uncle, he became a monk at the monastery of Chilandar on Mt Athos, where he zealously lived the ascetical life until he was elected Bishop of Zachounios, then Archbishop of Serbia. He fell asleep in peace in 1271, having shepherded his flock with love and wisdom. His holy relics are in the monastery of Pech.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

2 Timothy — 2 Timothy 2.11-19

¹¹It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: ¹¹Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him: ¹²If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: ¹²if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us: ¹³If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. ¹³if we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself. ¹⁴Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

¹⁴Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them in the sight of the Lord, that they strive not about words, to no profit, to the subverting of them that hear. ¹⁵Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth. ¹⁵Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ¹⁶But shun profane babblings: for they will proceed further in ungodliness, ¹⁶But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. ¹⁷And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; ¹⁷and their word will eat as doth a gangrene: of whom is Hymenæus and Philetus; ¹⁸men who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some. ¹⁸Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. ¹⁹Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness. ¹⁹Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 18.2-8

²Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: ²saying, There was in a city a judge, who feared not God, and regarded not man: ³And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. ³and there was a widow in that city; and she came oft unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. ⁴And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; ⁴And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; ⁵Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. ⁵yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest she wear me out by her continual coming. ⁶And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. ⁶And the Lord said, Hear what the unrighteous judge saith. ⁷And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? ⁷And shall not God avenge his elect, that cry to him day and night, and yet he is longsuffering over them? ⁸I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? ⁸I say unto you, that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?