Wednesday, 26 February 2025

Cheesefare Wednesday

53 days before Pascha · Tone 2 · Liturgy · Fast (Meat Fast)

No Liturgy

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Photina, the Samaritan Woman

Holy Martyr Photina was the woman whom our Lord Jesus Christ encountered at the well in Samaria, as recorded in the Gospel of Saint John. When Christ asked her for water, he revealed to her that he knew the secrets of her heart and her sinful past. Rather than condemning her, the Lord offered her forgiveness and the grace of salvation. The woman responded with genuine repentance, cast off her former life of sin, and became a devoted follower of Christ, accepting baptism into the Christian faith and taking the name Photina, which means "the enlightened one." Following Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church, Saint Photina received baptism together with her five sisters, Anatole, Photo, Photida, Paraskeve and Kyriake, and her two sons, Photinus (also known as Victor) and Joseph. She then embarked upon an apostolic mission, travelling throughout the Mediterranean world preaching the Gospel of Christ, proclaiming his incarnation, his redemptive death and his glorious resurrection. Wherever she went, she witnessed fearlessly to her encounter with the living Christ and called people to repentance and faith. During the reign of the Roman emperor Nero (54-68 AD), whilst Photina dwelt in Carthage with her younger son Joses, she continued her bold evangelistic labours, undaunted by the hostility of pagan authorities. In an impotent rage at her refusal to acknowledge the gods of Rome, the emperor Nero issued a cruel edict condemning her to martyrdom. She was flayed of her skin and subsequently cast into a well, thereby consummating her witness with the shedding of her blood. The Orthodox Church venerates her as a Great-Martyr and Apostle-Equal, commemorating her memory on three occasions throughout the liturgical year.

New martyr John Kalphes the apprentice

1575

The holy new martyr John, called Kalphes ("the apprentice"), lived in the suburb of Galata at Constantinople in the sixteenth century, when the city was under Ottoman rule. He was a cabinetmaker by trade and had become so skilled in carpentry and woodwork that the great men of the empire entrusted to him important commissions, and he was even called upon to adorn the inner chambers of the sultan's palace. Saint John was distinguished for his Christian charity, providing for orphans and widows and visiting prisoners. A certain Turkish dignitary, struck by his integrity, asked the saint to take his nephew on as an apprentice. John consented and treated the young man as his own. The youth, perceiving John's faith, often pressed him with questions about Christ and about Mahomet. At last, on the youth's persistent demands, John spoke openly of the truth of Christianity and the falsehood of Islam. Denounced to the authorities, Saint John was brought before the judges and commanded to deny Christ. He refused, confessing the Lord boldly. After enduring tortures and imprisonment without yielding, he was led on 26 February in the year 1575 to the public square known as Ergat-Bazara near the Bezstan, where he was beheaded for the name of Christ. Pious Christians gathered up his relics and gave them honourable burial.

Saint Porphyrius, Bishop of Gaza

395

He was born to a wealthy, noble family in Thessalonica around 347. Filled more and more with a yearning for God, he abandoned his worldly possessions and traveled to Egypt, living for five years as a monk at Sketis. From there he went to Palestine, where he lived for another five years in a cave in the Jordan desert. Suffering from a severe ailment, he was forced to move to Jerusalem; there he was suddenly and completely cured following a vision on Golgotha, in which he saw the Good Thief come down from the cross to lead him to Christ, who gave the Cross into his keeping.

Porphyrius took up the trade of a shoemaker in Jerusalem to provide for his few needs. His humility and charity became so well-known that the Bishop of Jerusalem ordained him to the priesthood at the age of forty-five, and made him Stavrophylax, keeper of the True Cross of the Savior — thus fulfilling Porphyrius’ vision on Golgotha. Three years later, much against his will, he was elected Bishop of Gaza.

Throughout his episcopate he was persecuted by the pagans who still dominated the life of that city — though he was able to convert many of them by his own example of holiness, and by the many miracles that were wrought through his intercessions. Once, when the city was suffering from a long drought, the Saint gathered the city’s Christians (who numbered no more than 280), told them to fast, and celebrated an all-night vigil. The next morning, as the Bishop and his entire flock went in procession through the city it began to rain. At this, 127 pagans were converted. When the pagans’ violent attacks continued, Porphyrius appealed to the Emperor Arcadius for an edict closing of the pagan temples in Gaza. With the support of St John Chrysostom the edict was issued. When the Imperial representatives entered Gaza, accompanied by Bishop Porphyrius bearing the Cross, the statue of Aphrodite in the city’s main temple shattered into pieces. Eight temples were destroyed, and a Church was built on the site of the largest. Hundreds of pagans embraced the Faith and, after instruction, were baptized by the Saint.

After twenty-five years as bishop, during which he had seen his see transformed from a small flock of beleaguered Christians into a Christian territory, Saint Porphyrius reposed in peace in 420.

Venerable Sebastian, abbot of Poshekhonye

Saint Sebastian of Poshekhonye, also called Sebastian of Sokhota, was a Russian ascetic of the fifteenth century. He was tonsured at one of the monasteries of the north and after some years sought the deeper solitude of the dense forests of Poshekhonye, on the river Sokhota, about ninety versts from the town of Romanov in the diocese of Yaroslavl. There, in a small hut amid the woods, he gave himself to unceasing prayer, fasting and manual labour. Other monks soon found their way to him, and against his desire for hidden solitude a community gathered round him. With their help he raised a small wooden church in honour of the Transfiguration of the Lord, and a monastery grew up under his direction, called the Sokhotsk Transfiguration monastery. The brethren lived under a strict cenobitic rule. Saint Sebastian himself, though abbot, was the first in every menial task. He carried water, chopped wood, kneaded the dough, baked the bread and wove ropes by night. He continued in these labours until his repose, which is placed about the year 1492. His relics were laid to rest in the church he had built. Although in 1764 the monastery was closed and reduced to the status of a parish church, the memory of its founder has been preserved among the saints of the Russian Church.

St Photini the Samaritan Woman, and those with her

She was the Samaritan Woman who met Christ at Jacob’s Well (John ch. 4). She repented, and told her townsmen that she had met the Christ, for which she is sometimes called the first to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. She converted her four sisters (Phota, Photis,Parasceva, and Cyriaca), and her sons (Victor and Joses), and all of them became tireless evangelists for Christ. After the martyrdom of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, she traveled to Carthage to proclaim the Gospel there. She, with her Christian sisters and sons, all met martyrdom under the persecutions of Nero. She is also commemorated on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman during the Paschal season.

Daily readings

Sixth Hour

weekly cycle

Joel — Joel 2.12-26

¹²Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

¹²Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: ¹³And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. ¹³and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repenteth him of the evil. ¹⁴Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? ¹⁴Who knoweth whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meal-offering and a drink-offering unto Jehovah your God?

¹⁵Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

¹⁵Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly; ¹⁶gather the people, sanctify the assembly, assemble the old men, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. ¹⁶Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. ¹⁷Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Jehovah, and give not thy heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God? ¹⁷Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

¹⁸Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

¹⁸Then was Jehovah jealous for his land, and had pity on his people. ¹⁹Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: ¹⁹And Jehovah answered and said unto his people, Behold, I will send you grain, and new wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations; ²⁰But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things. ²⁰but I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its forepart into the eastern sea, and its hinder part into the western sea; and its stench shall come up, and its ill savor shall come up, because it hath done great things.

²¹Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice; for Jehovah hath done great things.

²¹Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. ²²Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. ²²Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth its fruit, the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength. ²³Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the former rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first month. ²³Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. ²⁴And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. ²⁴And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. ²⁵And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. ²⁵And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you. ²⁶And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and shall praise the name of Jehovah your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be put to shame. ²⁶And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Joel — Joel 3.12-21

¹²Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. ¹²Let the nations bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about. ¹³Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. ¹³Put ye in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: come, tread ye; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great. ¹⁴Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

¹⁴Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! for the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision. ¹⁵The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. ¹⁵The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. ¹⁶And Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but Jehovah will be a refuge unto his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel. ¹⁶The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. ¹⁷So shall ye know that I am Jehovah your God, dwelling in Zion my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. ¹⁷So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

¹⁸And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of Jehovah, and shall water the valley of Shittim.

¹⁸And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. ¹⁹Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. ¹⁹Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. ²⁰But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. ²⁰But Judah shall abide for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. ²¹For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion. ²¹And I will cleanse their blood, that I have not cleansed: for Jehovah dwelleth in Zion.