Tuesday, 4 March 2025

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

47 days before Pascha · Tone 3 · Liturgy · Lenten Fast (No overrides)

Great Canon

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyrs Paul and his sister Juliana of Ptolemais

Paul and his sister Juliana were Christian siblings of Ptolemais in Egypt who lived during the age of persecution. Despite the dangers, both maintained their faith in Christ with steadfast courage. When brought before pagan magistrates and commanded to participate in idolatrous worship, they steadfastly refused, declaring their allegiance to Jesus Christ alone. Their refusal to comply with the demands of pagan authorities resulted in their arrest and torture. Rather than breaking under duress, brother and sister encouraged each other in faith and glorified God through their sufferings. Their martyrdom became a powerful witness to the triumph of Christian faith over the violence of persecutors. The Orthodox Church commemorates Paul and Juliana as joint martyrs and powerful intercessors, honouring the special grace that unites them as blood siblings united in faith.

Saint Casimir of Poland

Saint Casimir (1458-1484) was a prince of Poland, son of King Casimir IV, who distinguished himself by his piety, virtue, and unwavering commitment to Christian principles despite his position of power and privilege. From his youth, Casimir gave evidence of extraordinary holiness: he devoted himself to prayer, fasting, and the study of Scripture, and he refused to indulge in the pleasures and vanities that typically attracted noble youth. As he matured into manhood, Casimir became an advisor to his father and later served as regent of Poland, but he never allowed political authority to seduce him into worldly ambition or compromise of his principles. He was known for his justice, his defence of the Church's freedom, and his extraordinary generosity towards the poor. Casimir never married, choosing instead to dedicate himself entirely to service of God and neighbour. He spent long hours in prayer, particularly before the Blessed Sacrament, and was known for his mystical devotion to Christ. Though his life was brief—he reposed at only twenty-six years of age—his sanctity left an indelible mark on his age. The Orthodox Church venerates him as a saint and prince who chose the narrow way of ascetic virtue over the broad path of worldly pleasure.

Saint Joasaph, Prince of India

Joasaph (also known as Josaphat or Yudasaf) was a legendary Indian prince whose life story, though historically debated, has profound spiritual significance in Orthodox tradition. According to the sacred narrative, Joasaph was born a prince and heir to his father's kingdom but was shielded from knowledge of human suffering by his earthly parent. When he discovered through a chance encounter the reality of sickness, old age, and death, Joasaph's heart was moved to seek the true remedy for human misery. He secretly renounced his princely estate and sought out a wise Christian hermit named Barlaam, who became his spiritual father and guide. Through their dialogues, recorded in the famous "Barlaam and Joasaph" narrative, Joasaph was instructed in the Christian faith and ascetic discipline. Abandoning all worldly honours and pleasures, he devoted himself entirely to prayer, fasting, and the pursuit of union with God. The Orthodox Church venerates him as a saint and prince who chose the Kingdom of Heaven over all earthly glory.

Venerable Gerasimus of the Jordan

He was from Lycia in Asia Minor. After living there as a hermit for many years, he traveled to the Egyptian Thebaid and lived among the Desert Fathers. He then went to Palestine, where he founded the great Lavra, a community of about seventy monks, that remains to this day. The monastery’s rule was simple and strict: During the five weekdays, the monks would stay in their cells, praying and weaving baskets and mats. On these days they ate only a little dry bread and some dates. On Saturdays and Sundays the monks gathered for worship and ate boiled vegetables with a little wine. Each monk owned only one garment; if he left his cell he was required to leave it open so that anyone else could take whatever he needed from it. Saint Gerasimos himself was an example to all of them, exceeding even the rule that he laid upon them: during the Great Fast, he would eat nothing but what he received in Holy Communion.

In the desert, the Saint once saw a lion in great pain from a thorn in its paw. Moved by compassion, Gerasim approached it, made the sign of the Cross and pulled the thorn out. The lion followed the elder back to the monastery and remained there until the Saint’s death. When Gerasimos died, the lion, overcome by grief, soon died also, lying upon the Saint’s grave.

Saint Gerasimos was present at the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon, where he proved a strong champion of Orthodoxy, though he had inclined toward the Monophysite heresy in his youth. He reposed in peace in 475.

St James the Faster of Phoenecia

6th c.

“He lived in the sixth century. He was so perfected in godliness that he was able to heal the gravest illnesses by his prayers. But the enemy of the human race brought a heavy temptation on him. There was once sent to him a woman who had been corrupted by some mockers. She pretended to weep before him, but enticed him to sin. Seeing that he would fall into sin, James put his left hand into the fire and held it there until it was completely burned. Seeing this, the woman was filled with fear and horror, repented and reformed her life. “But on a second occasion he did not resist and fell with a young girl whom her parents had brought to him to be healed of her madness. He indeed healed her, but then sinned with her and, in order to conceal the sin, killed her and threw her into a river. As always, the path from lust to murder was not very long. James spent ten years after that as a penitent, living in a grave. He learned after that that God had forgiven him, because, when he at one time prayed for rain in a time of great drought from which both men and cattle were suffering, it fell. “Here is an example, similar to that of David, of how wicked the evil demon is; how, by the permission of God, the greatest spiritual giants can topple, and how again, by sincere repentance, God in His compassion will forgive the greatest sins and does not punish those who punish themselves.” (Prologue)

Also commemorated: Rt. Blv. Prince Daniel of Moscow

Daily readings

6th Hour

weekly cycle

Isaiah — Isaiah 1.19-2.3

¹⁹If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: ¹⁹If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: ²⁰But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. ²⁰but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.

²¹How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

²¹How is the faithful city become a harlot! she that was full of justice! righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. ²²Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: ²²Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water. ²³Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. ²³Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

²⁴Therefore saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies; ²⁴Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:

²⁵And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: ²⁵and I will turn my hand upon thee, and thoroughly purge away thy dross, and will take away all thy tin; ²⁶And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. ²⁶and I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness, a faithful town. ²⁷Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness. ²⁷Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

²⁸And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed. ²⁸But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed. ²⁹For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen. ²⁹For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen. ³⁰For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. ³⁰For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. ³¹And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them. ³¹And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

¹The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

¹The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. ²And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

²And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. ³And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. ³And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Genesis — Genesis 1.14-23

¹⁴And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years:

¹⁴And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: ¹⁵and let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. ¹⁵And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. ¹⁶And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. ¹⁶And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. ¹⁷And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth, ¹⁷And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. ¹⁸and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. ¹⁹And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. ¹⁹And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

²⁰And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

²⁰And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. ²¹And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that moveth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind: and God saw that it was good. ²¹And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ²²And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth. ²²And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. ²³And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. ²³And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Proverbs — Proverbs 1.20-33

²⁰Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: ²⁰Wisdom crieth aloud in the street; She uttereth her voice in the broad places; ²¹She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, ²¹She crieth in the chief place of concourse; At the entrance of the gates, In the city, she uttereth her words: ²²How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? ²²How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge? ²³Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. ²³Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you; I will make known my words unto you. ²⁴Because I have called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded;

²⁴Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; ²⁵But ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof: ²⁵But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: ²⁶I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; ²⁶I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; ²⁷When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. ²⁷When your fear cometh as a storm, And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; When distress and anguish come upon you. ²⁸Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me: ²⁸Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: ²⁹For that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of Jehovah, ²⁹For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: ³⁰They would none of my counsel, They despised all my reproof. ³⁰They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. ³¹Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own devices. ³¹Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. ³²For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. ³²For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them. ³³But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, And shall be quiet without fear of evil. ³³But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.