Monday, 10 February 2025

69 days before Pascha · Tone 8 · Liturgy · No Fast (Fast Free)

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Charalampus, Bishop of Magnesia

“This great saint was bishop in Magnesia, and suffered for Christ at the age of 113. When a violent persecution broke out under the Emperor Septimus Severus, the aged Charalampus did not hide from his persecutors, but freely and openly preached the Christian faith. He endured all tortures as though not in the body, and when they flayed the living flesh from him, the godly saint said to the Emperor’s soldiers: ‘Thank you, my brethren, for scraping off the old body and renewing my soul for new and eternal life.’ He performed many wonders and brought many to the Faith. Even the Emperor’s daughter, Gallina, repudiated the paganism of her father and became a Christian. Condemned to death and led to the place of execution, St Charalampus raised his arms to heaven and prayed for all men, that God would give them bodily health and salvation of soul, and that He would grant them the fruits of the earth in abundance: ‘Lord, Thou knowest that men are flesh and blood; forgive them their sins and pour out Thy blessing on all.’ After praying thus, the saintly elder gave his soul to God before the executioner had laid his sword to his neck. He suffered in 202. Gallina took his body and buried it.” (Prologue)

The Great Horologion puts his age at 103.

Holy Martyrs Porphyrius and Baptus

Porphyrius and Baptus were early Christian martyrs who gave their lives in witness to Christ. They refused to participate in pagan idolatry and steadfastly confessed the Christian faith despite threats and torture. Their martyrdom represents the commitment of the early Church to proclaim Christ as Lord and Saviour, regardless of the cost. Through their faithful witness and willingness to die for their faith, they strengthened the resolve of other believers and became witnesses to the power of Christ's redemption. They are remembered in the Orthodox Church as faithful confessors whose martyrdom testified to the truth of the Gospel.

Saint Anastasius II of Jerusalem

Anastasius II was a patriarch of Jerusalem and a venerable father of the Church. He served as a bishop in the Holy Land and was devoted to the spiritual welfare of the Christian communities there. Anastasius was known for his learning, his piety, and his commitment to upholding Orthodox doctrine and tradition. He worked to preserve the sacred sites and to guide the faithful in the way of salvation. He is remembered as a faithful shepherd of the Church in the holy city of Jerusalem.

Saint Scholastica of Nursia

Scholastica was the sister of Saint Benedict of Nursia, the founder of Western monasticism. She lived in the sixth century and devoted her life to the contemplative life and the service of God. Scholastica founded a convent near Monte Cassino and led it with great wisdom and spiritual discipline. She is remembered for her deep piety, her commitment to the monastic life, and her close relationship with her brother Benedict. According to tradition, she had the gift of prophetic foresight and was visited by her brother regularly. She exemplified the virtues of humility, obedience, and devotion to prayer, becoming a model for women monastics throughout the Church. Her memory is venerated as a foundress of women's monastic life in the Western Church.

St Scholastica of Italy, sister of St Benedict

543

She was the twin sister of St Benedict, patriarch of monasticism in the West (March 14), and his constant fellow-laborer in the vineyard of Christ. They lived in neighboring monasteries; though they loved one another dearly, they met only once a year, spending the day in prayer and spiritual conversation, then parting after sharing a simple meal. At their meeting in 543, she prevailed on her brother (and the monk who accompanied him) to break his own monastic rule and stay with her in vigil through the night. Three days later, as Benedict looked out his cell window, he saw his sister’s soul in the form of a dove ascending to heaven. Recommended: The Holy Twins: Benedict and Scholastica, a beautifully illustrated children’s book about the two Saints; by Kathleen Norris, illustrated by Tomie dePaola.

Our Venerable Father Prochorus of the Kiev Caves

1107

“A wonder-worker of the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev, he was named the Orach-eater because the whole time he lived in the monastery, he never tasted bread but fed himself on orach [a kind of wild spinach] prepared according to his own particular method as a sort of bread. When he gave someone some of this bread with his blessing, it was as sweet as honey, but if someone stole some, it was as bitter as wormwood. “At one time, when there was a dearth of salt in Russia, Prochorus distributed ashes to the people for salt. The ashes that he distributed with his blessing became salt; ashes, however, that anyone took for himself remained ordinary ashes. Prince Svyatopolk ordered that all the ashes from Prochorus’ cell be brought to the court without his permission, let alone his blessing. When the ashes were brought there, it was obvious to everyone that they were ashes and not salt. Then Prochorus told all the people who came to him for salt to go to the prince’s court, and, when the prince threw the ashes away, to take them and use them as salt. This they did, and the ashes again became salt. The prince himself, learning of this, was filled with a deep respect and love for him and, when Prochorus died in 1107, placed him with his own hands in a grave near the great Russian saints, Antony and Theodosius.” (Prologue).

Also commemorated: Hieromartyr Haralambos

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

2 Peter — 2 Peter 1.20-2.9

²⁰knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. ²⁰Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. ²¹For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit. ²¹For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

¹But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

¹But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. ²And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of. ²And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. ³And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not. ³And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. ⁴For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; ⁴For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; ⁵And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁵and spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁶and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly; ⁶And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; ⁷and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked ⁷And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: ⁸(for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds): ⁸(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) ⁹the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment; ⁹The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 13.9-13

⁹But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.

⁹But take ye heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in synagogues shall ye be beaten; and before governors and kings shall ye stand for my sake, for a testimony unto them. ¹⁰And the gospel must first be published among all nations. ¹⁰And the gospel must first be preached unto all the nations. ¹¹But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. ¹¹And when they lead you to judgment, and deliver you up, be not anxious beforehand what ye shall speak: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit. ¹²And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. ¹²Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. ¹³And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. ¹³And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.