Tuesday, 11 March 2025

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

40 days before Pascha · Tone 4 · Red squigg (doxology typikon symbol) · Lenten Fast

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Pionius, Presbyter of Smyrna

250

Saint Pionius was a presbyter of the Church of Smyrna who suffered for Christ during the persecution of the emperor Decius in the year 250. A learned man and a faithful pastor, he had carefully transcribed the older account of the martyrdom of his predecessor Saint Polycarp, preserving for the Church the memory of that glorious witness. By a heavenly revelation Pionius foreknew that he would be arrested on 23 February, the very feast on which the Christians of Smyrna kept the memory of Saint Polycarp. On that day, having spent the night in prayer with his disciples Sabina and Asclepiades, he placed about his own neck and theirs woven cords as a sign of their willing readiness for martyrdom, that no one might think they were being led away by force. They were brought before the magistrates and exhorted to sacrifice to the gods, but Pionius answered with a long and noble defence of the faith, recorded in one of the most ancient and authentic acts of the martyrs that has come down to us. After many torments and a long imprisonment, Saint Pionius was at length condemned to be burned alive. On 11 March of the year 250 he was nailed to a stake in the amphitheatre of Smyrna, and giving thanks to God in the midst of the flames, he yielded up his soul. With him are commemorated his fellow-martyrs Limnus the presbyter, the women Sabina and Macedonia, and Asclepiades.

Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem

He was born in Damascus to an eminent family, and was well educated in his youth. Discontented with the wisdom of the world, he entered monastic life in the monastery of St Theodosius, where he became the lifelong friend and disciple of John Moschos. Together they visited the monasteries and hermitages of Egypt; they later wrote down their discoveries among the holy monks in the classic Spiritual Meadow. After the death of his teacher, St Sophronius traveled to Jerusalem, which had just been liberated from the Persians. He was there to see the Precious Cross returned from Persia by the Emperor Heraclius, who carried it into Jerusalem on his back. A few years later, in 634, St Sophronius was elected Patriarch of Jerusalem, where he served his flock wisely for three years and three months. He was zealous in the defense of Orthodoxy against the Monothelite heresy: He convoked a Council in Jerusalem which condemned it before it was condemned at the Sixth Ecumenical Council. The holy Patriarch even traveled to Constantinople to rebuke the Patriarch Sergius and Emperor Heraclius, who had embraced the Monothelite error.

The years of peace were few for the Holy Land; for just as the Persian Empire was decisively defeated by Heraclius, the followers of Islam erupted out of Arabia, conquering most of North Africa and the Middle East in a few years. The Saint was so grieved by the capture of Jerusalem in 637 by the Caliph Omar that begged God to take him, so that he might not live to see the desecration of the holy places. His prayer was granted, and he reposed in peace less than a year later.

St Sophronios is the author of the Life of Saint Mary of Egypt, appointed to be read in the churches during every Great Lent. He also wrote the service of the Great Blessing of the Waters. Some have attributed the Vesperal hymn “Gladsome Light” to him, but we know that it dates from before the time of St Basil the Great, who mentions it in his writings. It seems though, that St Sophronios supplemented the hymn, and that its present form is due to him.

Venerable Sophronius the Recluse of the Kiev Caves

Saint Sophronius was an ascetic of the Far Caves of the Kiev Caves Lavra, also called the caves of Saint Theodosius, where he laboured in the thirteenth century. Of his earlier life little is recorded, save that having renounced the world he embraced the strictest form of monastic struggle, withdrawing into the silence of the underground caves to give himself wholly to prayer and the contemplation of God. The tradition of the Lavra remembers him as a man of severe self-denial, who wore upon his bare flesh a coarse hairshirt and bound himself with a heavy iron belt. Day by day, in the unbroken stillness of his cell, he would read through the entire Psalter, weeping over the verses and offering them as incense to the Lord. By such hidden labours he attained great purity of heart and was found worthy of unceasing prayer. After a life pleasing to God, Saint Sophronius reposed in peace, and his incorrupt relics were laid to rest in the Far Caves of the Kiev Caves Lavra, where they remain to this day, a source of healing and grace to those who venerate them. He is commemorated on 11 March, on the day of his repose, and again on 11 May, and is also numbered among the Synaxis of the venerable fathers whose relics rest in the Far Caves of Saint Theodosius, kept on 28 August.

St John Moschos, author of the Spiritual Meadow

622

He is commemorated today along with his disciple and friend St Sophronius (see above).

Holy Martyr Pionius

250

“A priest of Smyrna, he suffered there in the time of Decius’ persecution. They condemned him to be crucified, which was a great joy to him. And as soon as the soldiers assembled the cross and laid it on the ground, Pionius laid himself on it and stretched out his arms, calling to the soldiers to put the nails into his hands. The cross was inserted into the ground upside down, and a fire lit under the martyr’s head. There were many bystanders. Pionius closed his eyes and prayed to God within himself. The flames could not succeed in igniting even his hair, and when the fire had at last gone out and everyone thought that he was dead, Pionius opened his eyes and cried out joyfully: ‘O Lord, receive my spirit!’, and breathed his last. This saint wrote the life of St Polycarp of Smyrna, together with whom he now makes merry in the Kingdom of Christ. He suffered and was glorified in 250.” (Prologue)

Also commemorated: St Euthymius, Bishop of Novgorod

Daily readings

6th Hour

weekly cycle

Isaiah — Isaiah 5.7-16

⁷For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. ⁷For the vineyard of Jehovah of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but, behold, oppression; for righteousness, but, behold, a cry.

⁸Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no room, and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land!

⁸Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! ⁹In mine ears saith Jehovah of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. ⁹In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. ¹⁰Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah. ¹⁰For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield but an ephah.

¹¹Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! ¹¹Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that tarry late into the night, till wine inflame them! ¹²And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands. ¹²And the harp and the lute, the tabret and the pipe, and wine, are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of Jehovah, neither have they considered the operation of his hands.

¹³Therefore my people are gone into captivity for lack of knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude are parched with thirst.

¹³Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. ¹⁴Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. ¹⁴Therefore Sheol hath enlarged its desire, and opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth among them, descend into it. ¹⁵And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: ¹⁵And the mean man is bowed down, and the great man is humbled, and the eyes of the lofty are humbled: ¹⁶But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. ¹⁶but Jehovah of hosts is exalted in justice, and God the Holy One is sanctified in righteousness.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Genesis — Genesis 4.8-15

⁸And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. ⁸And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

⁹And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother’s keeper?

⁹And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? ¹⁰And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. ¹⁰And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. ¹¹And now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened its mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; ¹¹And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; ¹²when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth. ¹²When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. ¹³And Cain said unto Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

¹³And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. ¹⁴Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. ¹⁴Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me. ¹⁵And Jehovah said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And Jehovah appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should smite him. ¹⁵And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Proverbs — Proverbs 5.1-15

¹My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: ¹My son, attend unto my wisdom; Incline thine ear to my understanding: ²That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. ²That thou mayest preserve discretion, And that thy lips may keep knowledge.

³For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: ³For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil: ⁴But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword. ⁴But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. ⁵Her feet go down to death; Her steps take hold on Sheol; ⁵Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. ⁶So that she findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, and she knoweth it not. ⁶Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. ⁷Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. ⁷Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me, And depart not from the words of my mouth. ⁸Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: ⁸Remove thy way far from her, And come not nigh the door of her house; ⁹Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: ⁹Lest thou give thine honor unto others, And thy years unto the cruel; ¹⁰Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, And thy labors be in the house of an alien, ¹⁰Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; ¹¹And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, ¹¹And thou mourn at thy latter end, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed, ¹²And say, How have I hated instruction, And my heart despised reproof; ¹²And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; ¹³Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! ¹³And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! ¹⁴I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. ¹⁴I was well-nigh in all evil In the midst of the assembly and congregation. ¹⁵Drink waters out of thine own cistern, And running waters out of thine own well.

¹⁵Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.