Thursday, 27 March 2025

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent

24 days before Pascha · Tone 6 · Liturgy · Lenten Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Matrona of Thessalonica

Saint Matrona was a holy martyr who suffered and died for her confession of Christian faith during a period of persecution. She came from the city of Thessalonica (Salonica) in Greece, which was an important centre of early Christianity where Saint Paul had preached. Matrona's faith remained unwavering when faced with threats and torture, and she ultimately surrendered her life rather than deny Christ. Her martyrdom represents the courage and steadfastness of early Christian believers who considered their faith more precious than life itself. The Church honours her memory as an example of martyrdom and as an intercessor for those who face trials of faith.

Holy martyr Philetus the senator and his family

Saint Philetus was a Roman senator who, together with his wife Lydia and their sons Macedon and Theoprepius, suffered martyrdom for Christ in the second century during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Their household servants Amphilochius the captain and Cronides the notary were also brought to the faith and shared in their witness. Refusing to deny Christ before the imperial authorities, they were subjected to terrible tortures, including being cast into a cauldron of boiling oil, in which they remained unharmed by divine power and gave up their souls in prayer. Their memory has been kept by the Church as a model of an entire household standing together in confession of the true God.

Holy new martyr Manuel of Crete

Saint Manuel was a young Christian of Crete who suffered for Christ at the hands of the Turks in 1792. Falsely accused of having abandoned the Christian faith for Islam, he was seized by the authorities of his town in Sfakia and pressed to confirm the apostasy attributed to him. Manuel firmly refused, openly confessing himself a Christian and declaring that he would never deny the Lord Jesus Christ. After cruel tortures he was beheaded, sealing his confession with his blood and joining the company of the new martyrs of Greece who, in the long centuries of Ottoman rule, kept alive the faith of their fathers by the witness of their lives.

Venerable Cyriacus the Anchorite

Saint Cyriacus was a venerable desert father and anchorite (hermit) who embraced the ascetic life in pursuit of union with God through constant prayer and self-denial. As an anchorite, Cyriacus lived in solitude, dedicating himself entirely to contemplation and spiritual warfare against the passions. Though physically separated from human society, his prayers and intercessions were understood to benefit the Church and the world. The tradition concerning him indicates that he experienced profound mystical states and received divine gifts as rewards for his labour. Anchorites such as Cyriacus exemplify the Orthodox understanding that withdrawal from the world can be a powerful form of apostolic witness and pastoral care exercised through prayer.

Daily readings

6th Hour

weekly cycle

Isaiah — Isaiah 28.14-22

¹⁴Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.

¹⁴Wherefore hear the word of Jehovah, ye scoffers, that rule this people that is in Jerusalem: ¹⁵Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: ¹⁵Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

¹⁶Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. ¹⁶therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone of sure foundation: he that believeth shall not be in haste. ¹⁷Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. ¹⁷And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.

¹⁸And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. ¹⁸And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. ¹⁹As often as it passeth through, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night: and it shall be nought but terror to understand the message. ¹⁹From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. ²⁰For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. ²⁰For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. ²¹For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. ²¹For Jehovah will rise up as in mount Perazim, he will be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act. ²²Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth. ²²Now therefore be ye not scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for a decree of destruction have I heard from the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, upon the whole earth.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Genesis — Genesis 10.32-11.9

³²These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

³²These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and of these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

¹And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

¹And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech. ²And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. ²And it came to pass, as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. ³And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. ³And they said one to another, Come, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. ⁴And they said, Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. ⁴And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. ⁵And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

⁵And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. ⁶And Jehovah said, Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do: and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do. ⁶And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. ⁷Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. ⁷Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. ⁸So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. ⁸So Jehovah scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off building the city. ⁹Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. ⁹Therefore was the name of it called Babel; because Jehovah did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did Jehovah scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Proverbs — Proverbs 13.19-14.6

¹⁹The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil. ¹⁹The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul; But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil. ²⁰He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. ²⁰Walk with wise men, and thou shalt be wise; But the companion of fools shall smart for it. ²¹Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed. ²¹Evil pursueth sinners; But the righteous shall be recompensed with good. ²²A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. ²²A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children; And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous. ²³Much food is in the tillage of the poor; But there is that is destroyed by reason of injustice. ²³Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment. ²⁴He that spareth his rod hateth his son; But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. ²⁴He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. ²⁵The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want. ²⁵The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul; But the belly of the wicked shall want.

¹Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. ¹Every wise woman buildeth her house; But the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands. ²He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. ²He that walketh in his uprightness feareth Jehovah; But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. ³In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his pride; But the lips of the wise shall preserve them. ³In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them. ⁴Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; But much increase is by the strength of the ox. ⁴Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. ⁵A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies. ⁵A faithful witness will not lie; But a false witness uttereth lies. ⁶A scoffer seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not; But knowledge is easy unto him that hath understanding. ⁶A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.