Saturday, 22 March 2025

Memorial Saturday

Third Saturday of Lent

29 days before Pascha · Tone 5 · Liturgy · Lenten Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Basil of Ancyra

St Basil labored for the Church during the reign of Julian the Apostate, who briefly attempted to return the Roman empire to paganism after the reign of St Constantine. The Saint had already suffered for the Faith as bishop of Anycra (now Ankara,the capital of Turkey), and when Julian came to power, fresh persecutions began. Basil openly denounced the Emperor’s anti-Christian policies, for which he was tortured and thrown in prison.

When the Emperor came to Ancyra, Basil was brought before him, and Julian urged the bishop to renounce the Faith, promising him wealth and position if he would do so. Basil replied, ‘I believe in my Christ, whom you have denied and who gave you this earthly kingdom, but He will shortly take this from you. How can you have no shame before the altar under which you were saved from death as an eight-year-old child when they sought to kill you? Therefore He will soon make this earthly kingdom from you, and your body shall not be buried when you have spewed forth your soul in bitter torments.’ The enraged Emperor ordered that seven strips be torn from Basil’s body every day, a torture which was carried out for seven days. When the Saint was once again brought before the Emperor, he tore off a strip of his own flesh and threw it to Julian, saying ‘Take this and eat it, Julian, if such food is sweet to you, but Christ is life for me.’ At this the Emperor ordered that red-hot iron spits be driven through Basil; and thus the holy bishop at last received the crown of martyrdom.

Holy Martyr Drosis, daughter of Emperor Trajan

Saint Drosis was the daughter of the Roman Emperor Trajan. According to hagiographic tradition, she became a devoted Christian and renounced the luxuries and privileges of imperial life to serve Christ. During the period of persecution, she refused to participate in pagan religious practices and rejected the honour that her rank might have afforded her. Rather than forsake her faith, she endured martyrdom. Her example represents the radical commitment required to follow Christ, transcending worldly power and privilege in favour of eternal truth.

Venerable Isaac the Confessor, founder of Dalmaton Monastery

Saint Isaac was a venerable monastic father of the Caucasus region who founded the monastery of Dalmaton (also known as Dalmatos). He lived in the early centuries of the Christian era and dedicated his life to ascetic endeavour and the establishment of monastic communities. His spiritual wisdom and example influenced many who sought the monastic life. The monastery he established became a centre of Orthodox spirituality and learning, preserving the faith through difficult periods. Isaac's legacy includes his contribution to the development of monastic traditions and his mentorship of numerous disciples.

Martyr Drosida of Antioch, and five nuns

104

‘The daughter of the Emperor Trajan, she was seized with five other women when they were gathering the bodies of the martyrs who had suffered for Christ by night, and was for this cruelly mutilated by the Emperor. The five women were terribly tortured and at last thrown into molten copper, where they surrendered their souls to their Lord. But Drosida remained under strict imperial guard. However, she escaped from the court and baptised herself in a river. After eight days she gave her soul into God’s hands.’ (Prologue)

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 10.32-38

³²But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great conflict of sufferings; ³²But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; ³³partly, being made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, becoming partakers with them that were so used. ³³Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. ³⁴For ye both had compassion on them that were in bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your possessions, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one. ³⁴For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. ³⁵Cast not away therefore your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward. ³⁵Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. ³⁶For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise. ³⁶For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. ³⁷For yet a very little while, He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry. ³⁷For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. ³⁸But my righteous one shall live by faith: And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him. ³⁸Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Epistle

— Departed

1 Thessalonians — 1 Thessalonians 4.13-17

¹³But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.

¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. ¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; ¹⁷then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 2.14-17

¹⁴And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphæus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. ¹⁴And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphæus sitting at the place of toll, and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

¹⁵And it came to pass, that he was sitting at meat in his house, and many publicans and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. ¹⁵And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. ¹⁶And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? ¹⁶And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and publicans, said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? ¹⁷When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. ¹⁷And when Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

Gospel

— Departed

John — John 5.24-30

²⁴Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. ²⁴Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life. ²⁵Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. ²⁵Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. ²⁶For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; ²⁶For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself: ²⁷And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. ²⁷and he gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. ²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, ²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, ²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. ²⁹and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment. ³⁰I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

³⁰I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.