Sunday, 16 February 2025

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

63 days before Pascha · Tone 1 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Pamphilus the Presbyter

Saint Pamphilus the Presbyter was among the holy martyrs of Caesarea in Palestine who suffered persecution for the Orthodox faith. He is commemorated with other faithful witnesses including Valens, Paul, Seleucus, Porphyry, Julian, Theodulus, Elias, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Samuel, Daniel and others who together underwent torments and death rather than deny their faith in Christ. These martyrs remain exemplars of Christian perseverance and fidelity to the Gospel. Their collective witness during periods of persecution strengthened the Church and inspired countless believers to endure hardship for Christ's sake.

Martyrs Pamphilius and those with him, at Caesarea in Palestine

308

These twelve holy Martyrs suffered in the reign of Diocletian. “The first of these, Pamphilius, was priest in the church at Caesarea in Palestine; a learned and devout man, he corrected the mistakes of various copiers in the text of the New Testament. He himself copied this saving Book and gave it to any who desired it. The second was a deacon, Valentine, old in years and white with wisdom. He was a great expert in the Holy Scriptures, knowing them by heart. The third was Paul, a respected and eminent man, who had on a previous occasion been cast into the fire for the sake of Christ. With them were five Egyptians, brothers both in blood and soul, who were returning to their native land from serving a sentence in the mines of Cilicia. As they reached the gate of the town of Caesarea they said that they were Christians, and were therefore brought to trial. When asked their names, they replied: ‘We have cast away the pagan names given us by our mother, and are called Elias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Samuel and Daniel.’ when asked where they were from, they replied: ‘From Jerusalem that is above.’ They were all beheaded, and a young man called Porphyrius, who had searched for their bodies to give them burial, suffered soon afterwards. Him they burned. An officer, Seleucus, who had come up to the martyrs and embraced them before the sword descended on their heads, was also burned, and an old man, Theodulus, a servant of the Roman judge, who had embraced one of the martyrs while they were under escort. Lastly Julian, who had kissed the dead bodies of the martyrs and honoured them, followed them in death. So they exchanged the small for the greater, the tawdry for the precious and death for immortality, and went to the Lord in 308.” (Prologue) The Synaxarion concludes, “After the martyrdom of Pamphilius, the leader of the glorious cohort, the impious governor gave orders that his body and those of his companions should be left where they lay as food for carnivorous animals. However by God’s Providence, no animal came near their holy relics, which the Christians were able to lay to rest with due honour.” The account of these Martyrs was written by Eusebius of Caeserea, Pamphilius’ disciple.

Saint Flavian the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Flavian served as Patriarch of Constantinople from 446 to 449 during a tumultuous period marked by the spread of heretical doctrines. He convened a local council at Constantinople in 448 to examine the teachings of Eutyches, an archimandrite who denied the full humanity of Christ by asserting that the Lord possessed only a divine nature. Saint Flavian's council clearly condemned this heresy and affirmed the orthodox understanding that Christ is both fully divine and fully human, united in one Person. Dioscorus, a patriarch hostile to Orthodox theology, opposed Saint Flavian with threats and force, compelling the patriarch to suffer grievous injury. Saint Flavian died from these wounds shortly after the council, becoming a confessor for his steadfast defence of the true faith. Though he fell victim to false accusation in his own time, the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon in 451 vindicated him completely, condemning the Eutychian heresy and proclaiming Saint Flavian a holy martyr and confessor of the Orthodox faith.

Saint Maruthas, Bishop of Martyropolis in Mesopotamia

381

Saint Maruthas was a learned ecclesiastic and bishop of Martyropolis (also known as Tagrith), a city he founded between the Byzantine Empire and Persia to serve as a refuge for persecuted Christians. He was renowned for his knowledge, piety, and literary works, composing a Commentary on the Gospel, Verses of Maruthas, and a Liturgy that bears his name. He also produced an authoritative account of the First Ecumenical Council held at Nicea in 325. In the year 381, Saint Maruthas participated in the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople against the heresy of Macedonius. Under the Persian ruler Sapor's persecution, he suffered greatly, yet he laboured tirelessly to rebuild churches that had been destroyed and to collect the relics of martyrs, transferring them to Martyropolis for veneration. He served as an envoy to the court of the Byzantine emperor and also petitioned the Persian Shah on behalf of persecuted Christians. After decades of faithful service, Saint Maruthas departed to the Lord in the year 422, having established Martyropolis as a centre of Orthodox faith and learning.

Venerable Romanus of Cilicia, the Wonderworker

Saint Romanus was born in the city of Roson in Cilicia but devoted his life to strict asceticism and prayer in the harsh deserts of Syria. During the fifth century, he built a small cell in a mountain cave near Antioch, where he pursued the monastic life with rigorous fasting and constant prayer, separating himself from the distractions of the world to commune with God alone. Because of his holy life and his fervent prayers, God granted Saint Romanus the gift of working miracles. His reputation for holiness attracted many faithful who sought his blessing and spiritual counsel. He healed those afflicted with grave illnesses through his intercessions, and by his prayers, many infertile women were enabled to bear children. Though he sought solitude in the desert, his compassionate heart moved him to help those in need, and his prayers became a source of healing and hope for the suffering. Saint Romanus departed this life leaving behind a legacy of faithfulness and the memory of one who truly lived as a servant of God's healing grace.

Also commemorated: Martyr Pamphylius and His Companions

Daily readings

1st Matins Gospel

Matthew — Matthew 28.16-20

¹⁶Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

¹⁶But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. ¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ¹⁸And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ²⁰teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 6.12-20

¹²All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

¹²All things are lawful for me; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under the power of any. ¹³Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. ¹³Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall bring to nought both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body: ¹⁴And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. ¹⁴and God both raised the Lord, and will raise up us through his power. ¹⁵Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. ¹⁵Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then take away the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid. ¹⁶What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. ¹⁶Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh. ¹⁷But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. ¹⁷But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. ¹⁸Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. ¹⁸Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. ¹⁹What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? ¹⁹Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; ²⁰For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. ²⁰for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 15.11-32

¹¹And he said, A certain man had two sons:

¹¹And he said, A certain man had two sons: ¹²and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of thy substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. ¹²And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. ¹³And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. ¹³And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living. ¹⁴And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. ¹⁴And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want. ¹⁵And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁵And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. ¹⁶And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. ¹⁷And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ¹⁷But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! ¹⁸I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: ¹⁸I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, ¹⁹I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. ¹⁹And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. ²⁰And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. ²⁰And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. ²¹And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. ²¹And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son. ²²But the father said to his servants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: ²²But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: ²³and bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry: ²³And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: ²⁴For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. ²⁴for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. ²⁵Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. ²⁵Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired what these things might be. ²⁶And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. ²⁷And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. ²⁷And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. ²⁸But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and entreated him. ²⁸And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. ²⁹But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: ²⁹And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: ³⁰But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. ³⁰but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf. ³¹And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. ³¹And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine. ³²But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. ³²It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.