Saturday, 8 March 2025

St Theodore Tyro (the Recruit)

First Saturday of Lent

43 days before Pascha · Tone 3 · Liturgy · Lenten Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

Apostle Hermas of the Seventy

Hermas was one of the seventy apostles chosen and sent out by our Lord Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Gospel according to Luke. Along with the other seventy disciples, Hermas was commissioned by the Saviour to go before Him into every city and place to which He Himself would come, to heal the sick and to proclaim the kingdom of God. Saint Paul makes mention of Hermas in his Epistle to the Romans, greeting him and noting his labour in the Lord. The seventy apostles are commemorated in the Orthodox Church as faithful followers who spread the Gospel in the early centuries of Christianity, suffering persecutions and trials for the faith.

Hieromartyr Theodoritus, Presbyter of Antioch

Saint Theodoritus was a presbyter and the keeper of sacred vessels at the great cathedral church of Antioch, a magnificent edifice built and richly adorned by the holy emperor Constantine the Great and his son Constantius. Because of its splendour the people called it "the Golden Church". After the death of Constantius, Julian the Apostate ascended the imperial throne and resolved to restore paganism throughout the Roman Empire. He sent his uncle, also named Julian, as governor to Antioch, with orders to close the Christian churches and to seize their treasures for the imperial coffers. Arriving in Antioch with the dignitary Felix, the governor commanded that the priest Theodoritus be locked under guard. He accused the holy man of concealing the church valuables, but Theodoritus denied the false charge and openly denounced Julian for his apostasy from Christ. Despite cruel tortures, the holy martyr maintained his confession of faith. The very soldiers tasked with torturing him were so struck by his firmness and by the power of the word of God on his lips that they confessed Christ themselves, and for this they were drowned in the sea. The holy confessor was at last beheaded. The persecutor Julian shortly afterwards died in agony from a grievous illness, and the emperor Julian perished in his ill-fated campaign against the Persians.

Saint Felix of Burgundy, Apostle of East Anglia

647

Saint Felix was born in Burgundy, in what is now eastern France, and was already a bishop when he came to Britain in the seventh century to preach the Gospel among the East Angles. While King Sigebert of East Anglia was in exile in Gaul, Felix instructed him in the Christian faith and baptised him. When Sigebert returned to claim his kingdom, he invited Felix to follow him in order to bring the Christian faith to his people. Sailing to Canterbury, Felix was sent on by Saint Honorius, Archbishop of Canterbury, to East Anglia, where he established his episcopal see at Dommoc, identified by tradition with Dunwich on the Suffolk coast. From this base he laboured for seventeen years, founding churches, instituting schools after the Frankish manner, and bringing the whole kingdom into the obedience of Christ. The Venerable Bede praises him as one who freed his people "from long-standing wickedness and unhappiness". Saint Felix reposed in peace on 8 March, in the year 647 or 648, and was buried at Dunwich. His relics were later translated to Soham and afterwards to Ramsey Abbey. His name lives on in the Suffolk towns of Felixstowe and Flixton, and in Felixkirk in Yorkshire.

Saint Theophylact the Confessor, Bishop of Nicomedia

“Theophylact was from the east; his native city is unknown. In Constantinople he became a close friend of Tarasius, who afterwards became Patriarch of Constantinople (see Feb. 25). Theophylact was made Bishop of Nicomedia. After the death of Saint Tarasius, his successor Nicephorus (see June 2) called together a number of Bishops to help him in fighting the iconoclasm of Emperor Leo the Armenian, who reigned from 813 to 820. Among them was Euthymius, Bishop of Sardis (celebrated Dec. 26), who had attended the holy Seventh Ecumenical Council in 787 — he was exiled three times for the sake of the holy icons, and for defying the Emperor Theophilus’ command to renounce the veneration of the icons, was scourged from head to foot until his whole body was one great wound, from which he died eight days later, about the year 830; Joseph of Thessalonica (see July 14); Michael of Synnada (see May 23); Emilian, Bishop of Cyzicus (see Aug. 8); and Saint Theophylact, who boldly rebuked Leo to his face, telling him that because he despised the long-suffering of God, utter destruction was about to overtake him, and there would be none to deliver him. For this, Theophylact was exiled to the fortress of Strobilus in Karia of Asia Minor, where after 30 years of imprisonment and hardship, he gave up his holy soul about the year 845. Leo the Armenian, according to the Saint’s prophecy, was slain in church on the eve of our Lord’s Nativity, in 820.” (Great Horologion)

Hieromartyr Theodoretus

362

The priest Theodoretus was custodian of a great cathedral in Antioch, built by the Emperor Constantine and known in its time as ‘the golden church’ for the beauty and luxury of its appointments. When Julian the Apostate came to the throne, he denied Christ and launched a persecution of Christians. The Emperor’s uncle, also named Julian, came to Antioch to prosecute the persecution there. After plundering the church he brought Theodoretus to trial and demanded that he deny Christ. Instead, the faithful priest confessed Christ fervently and rebuked the Emperor for having denied the faith and returned to idol-worship ‘as a dog returns to its vomit.’ In spite, the judge urinated in the golden church, for which Theodoretus prophesied that he would die a terrible death. Theodoretus was beheaded, and Julian his judge was seized with terrible abdominal pain from the moment he defiled the church until he died in torment. Note: Theodoretus is commemorated on March 3 in the Greek Calendar.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 1.1-12

¹God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

¹God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, ²hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds; ²Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; ³who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; ³Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; ⁴Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. ⁴having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they.

⁵For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten thee? and again, I will be to him a Father, And he shall be to me a Son? ⁵For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

⁶And when he again bringeth in the firstborn into the world he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. ⁶And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. ⁷And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels winds, And his ministers a flame of fire: ⁷And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

⁸but of the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. ⁸But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. ⁹Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. ⁹Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

¹⁰And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands: ¹⁰And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: ¹¹They shall perish; but thou continuest: And they all shall wax old as doth a garment; ¹¹They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; ¹²And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. ¹²And as a mantle shalt thou roll them up, As a garment, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, And thy years shall not fail.

Epistle

— St Theodore

2 Timothy — 2 Timothy 2.1-10

¹Thou therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

¹Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. ²And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. ³Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ³Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. ⁴No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier. ⁵And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowned, except he have contended lawfully. ⁵And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. ⁶The husbandman that laboreth must be the first to partake of the fruits. ⁶The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. ⁷Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. ⁷Consider what I say; for the Lord shall give thee understanding in all things. ⁸Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel: ⁸Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: ⁹Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. ⁹wherein I suffer hardship unto bonds, as a malefactor; but the word of God is not bound. ¹⁰Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. ¹⁰Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 2.23-3.5

²³And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

²³And it came to pass, that he was going on the sabbath day through the grainfields; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears. ²⁴And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? ²⁴And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? ²⁵And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? ²⁵And he said unto them, Did ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry, he, and they that were with him? ²⁶How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? ²⁶How he entered into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the showbread, which it is not lawful to eat save for the priests, and gave also to them that were with him? ²⁷And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: ²⁷And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: ²⁸so that the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath. ²⁸Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

¹And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there who had his hand withered.

¹And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. ²And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. ²And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. ³And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. ³And he saith unto the man that had his hand withered, Stand forth. ⁴And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. ⁴And he saith unto them, Is it lawful on the sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? to save a life, or to kill? But they held their peace. ⁵And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. ⁵And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their heart, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and his hand was restored.

Gospel

— St Theodore

John — John 15.17-16.2

¹⁷These things I command you, that ye love one another. ¹⁷These things I command you, that ye may love one another. ¹⁸If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁸If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. ¹⁹If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. ²⁰Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. ²⁰Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. ²¹But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. ²¹But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. ²²If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²²If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. ²³He that hateth me hateth my Father also. ²³He that hateth me hateth my Father also. ²⁴If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. ²⁴If I had not done among them the works which none other did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. ²⁵But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. ²⁵But this cometh to pass, that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. ²⁶But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me: ²⁶But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: ²⁷and ye also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. ²⁷And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

¹These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

¹These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be caused to stumble. ²They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God. ²They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.