Saturday, 29 March 2025

Memorial Saturday

Fourth Saturday of Lent

22 days before Pascha · Tone 6 · Liturgy · Lenten Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Mark, Bishop of Arethusa

“Saint Mark was Bishop of Arethusa in Syria. In the days of Saint Constantine the Great, Saint Mark, moved with divine zeal, destroyed a temple of the idols and raised up a church in its stead. When Julian the Apostate reigned, in 361, as the pagans were now able to avenge the destruction of their temple, Saint Mark, giving way to wrath, hid himself; but when he saw that others were being taken on his account, he gave himself up. Having no regard to his old age, they stripped him and beat his whole body, cast him into filthy sewers, and pulling him out, had children prick him with their iron writing-pens. Then they put him into a basket, smeared him with honey and a kind of relish of pickled fish, and hung him up under the burning sun to be devoured by bees and wasps. But because he bore this so nobly, his enemies repented, and unloosed him.

“Saint Cyril was a deacon from Heliopolis in Phoenecia. During the reign of the Emperor Constantius, son of Saint Constantine, he had also broken the idols in pieces. When Julian came to power, Saint Cyril was seized by the idolators and his belly was ripped open. The other holy Martyrs celebrated today, martyred in Gaza and Ascalon during the reign of Julian, were men of priestly rank and consecrated virgins; they were disemboweled, filled with barley, and set before swine to be eaten. The account of all the above Saints is given in Book III, ch. 3, of Theodoret of Cyrrhus’ Ecclesiastical History. (Great Horologion)

Saint Diadochus, bishop of Photike

Saint Diadochus was bishop of Photike in Old Epirus in the fifth century, one of the great teachers of the inner life in the early Byzantine East. A participant in the doctrinal struggles after the Council of Chalcedon, he upheld the Orthodox confession of two natures in the one Christ. He is best known for his Hundred Chapters on Spiritual Knowledge, a foundational text of the Christian ascetic tradition included in the Philokalia, in which he sets out the path of repentance, watchfulness, and the prayer of the heart, and teaches the discernment of spirits and the experience of divine light in the soul. Through these writings he has continued to instruct generations of monks and lay people, and his memory is honoured among the holy fathers of the Church.

Saint Eustathius the confessor, bishop of Kios in Bithynia

Saint Eustathius was bishop of Kios in Bithynia in the eighth and early ninth centuries, a hierarch known for his learning, his asceticism, and his fearless defence of the holy icons during the second period of iconoclast persecution. When the iconoclast emperors renewed their war on the veneration of images, Eustathius refused to subscribe to their decrees and openly taught his flock that to honour the image is to honour the prototype. For his confession he was deposed from his see, beaten, and sent into harsh exile, where he endured many years of privation. He reposed in exile, his body worn out by suffering, and is numbered with the holy confessors of the Orthodox faith whose witness prepared the triumph of the icons in 843.

Venerable John the Anchorite of Egypt

Saint John was a venerable desert father and anchorite who lived in the monasteries of Egypt, a region renowned for its monastic traditions and the achievements of the Desert Fathers. John devoted his entire life to ascetic practice and the pursuit of perfection in Christ through solitude and prayer. The Egyptian desert became his wilderness sanctuary where, like the ancient Desert Fathers, he engaged in spiritual warfare against the passions. Through his labours and prayers, John achieved a high degree of sanctity and was regarded as a guide and spiritual father to other monastics. His vocation as an anchorite represents the Orthodox understanding that withdrawal into solitude for prayer is a valid and powerful form of Christian witness and service to the Church.

Our Holy Father John the Hermit

4th c.

“He was the son of Juliana, a Christian woman of Armenia. While still a child, he left his mother and ran off to the desert. He was utterly aflame with love for Christ the Lord. In the beginning he entrusted himself to the guidance of a spiritual father, Pharmutius, who was so pleasing to God that an angel brought him bread every day. John later left him and withdrew into solitude. He let himself down into a dry well and lived there for a full ten years in fasting, prayer and vigils. St Pharmutius used to bring him some of the angel’s bread, for the angel of God did not wish to bring bread to the young John in person, lest he grow proud through this, so sent it through Pharmutius his spiritual father. After ten years of arduous asceticism in his well, St John went to the Lord and his relics revealed wonderworking power. He lived and was glorified by God and men in the 4th century.” (Prologue)

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 6.9-12

⁹But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak: ⁹But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. ¹⁰For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. ¹⁰for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister. ¹¹And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: ¹¹And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fulness of hope even to the end: ¹²that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. ¹²That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Epistle

— Departed

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 15.47-57

⁴⁷The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven. ⁴⁷The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. ⁴⁸As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. ⁴⁸As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. ⁴⁹And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. ⁴⁹And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

⁵⁰Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵⁰Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵¹Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵²in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? ⁵⁵O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 7.31-37

³¹And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

³¹And again he went out from the borders of Tyre, and came through Sidon unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis. ³²And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. ³²And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him. ³³And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; ³³And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue; ³⁴And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. ³⁴and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. ³⁵And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. ³⁵And his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. ³⁶And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; ³⁶And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it. ³⁷And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. ³⁷And they were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well; he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

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.