Saturday, 5 April 2025

Saturday of the Akathist to the Most-Holy Theotokos

Fifth Saturday of Lent

15 days before Pascha · Tone 7 · Liturgy · Lenten Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Pollio the Reader

304

The Holy Martyr Pollio (Pullio) was the chief reader (primicerius lectorum) of the church of Cibalae (modern Vinkovci) in the Roman province of Pannonia. He suffered for his confession of Christ in the year 304, in the great persecution of the emperor Diocletian, after his bishop, the holy hieromartyr Eusebius of Cibalae, had also been martyred. The acts of his passion (Passio Pollionis), composed in late antiquity in Pannonia, relate that the prefect Probus, on a tour of inspection of the Pannonian frontier, summoned Pollio and questioned him as to whether he was a Christian and what his office was. Pollio answered that he was a Christian and a reader of the divine Scriptures. Pressed to deny Christ and threatened with death by fire, he replied that he was ready to suffer all things rather than betray the truth, and so he was led outside the walls of the city and burnt alive on 28 April 304. Although his proper feast in the Hieronymian Martyrology is 28 April, in some Eastern synaxaria, including the calendar followed by the OCA for Pannonian and Sirmian martyrs, his memory is kept on 5 April with other holy martyrs of the western parts of the empire.

Holy Martyrs Agathopodes the Deacon and Theodulus the Reader

The Holy Martyrs Agathopodes (Agathopous) the Deacon and Theodulus (Theodoulos) the Reader of the church of Thessalonica suffered together in the persecution of the emperors Diocletian and Maximian, around the year 303. Saint Agathopodes was a deacon of advanced years who had laboured long in the service of the altar; Saint Theodulus, by contrast, was very young, the son of devout parents who had dedicated him to God from childhood. From his youth he was a reader of the holy Scriptures in the assembly of the faithful.

The Life relates that Saint Theodulus saw in his sleep a man clothed in shining garments who placed in his hand a precious object; awakening, he found in his palm a beautiful ring engraved with the sign of the Cross, and understood that this was a token of his coming martyrdom. When the imperial edict of persecution was published (303), many fled or hid themselves, but the deacon and the reader continued openly to preach the Gospel. They were seized and brought before the eparch Faustinus.

Faustinus pressed them to sacrifice to the gods, alternately offering rewards and threatening tortures, but they answered with one voice, "We are Christians, and we are ready to suffer all things for Christ." Brought next morning before him a second time, they confessed Christ again, and the eparch ordered them to be cast into the sea with stones tied around their necks. As the wave bore Saint Agathopodes against the rocks he cried, "This shall be for us a second baptism, by which we shall be cleansed of our sins and shall come to Christ in purity." Saint Theodulus was likewise drowned. Their bodies were cast up upon the shore and buried by the Christians of Thessalonica. Their tomb in the church of Saints Agathopodes and Theodulus at Thessalonica became a place of healings.

Venerable Mark the Anchorite of Athens

Saint Mark the Anchorite was born at Athens, where in his youth he studied philosophy. After the death of his parents he distributed his inheritance to the poor and withdrew into Egypt, and from there into the deeper wilderness of Ethiopia, where he settled in a cave on Mount Trache (Tracian) above the sea. There he lived in absolute solitude for ninety-five years, seeing during all that time no human face, no beast and no bird. The first thirty years of his struggle were the most severe. Naked, he suffered from cold in winter and burning heat in summer; the desert plants served him for food, and at times he ate the dust and drank the bitter water of the sea. After this long battle the grace of God came upon him: angels brought him bread and water from above, and his hair grew long and clothed his body, sheltering him from the elements. In his old age he was sought out by the elder Abba Serapion, the disciple of Saint Antony, who came to him in the desert by divine prompting. As Mark spoke with Serapion of the wonders of faith, the mountain on which they stood moved more than five thousand cubits towards the sea; Saint Mark gently rebuked it, saying that he had not commanded it to leave its place but was only conversing with his brother, and at his word the mountain returned. He communed Mark of the Holy Mysteries (which were brought by an angel), and an angel-borne loaf of bread was set before them. Saint Mark, after revealing to Serapion that this was the day of his joy, raised his hands in prayer and reposed at the age of one hundred and thirty years, around the year 400. Serapion saw his soul received by angels into heaven, and lions came and dug a grave for him with their paws.

Venerable Theodora of Thessalonica

Saint Theodora of Thessalonica (812 to 892), known in the world as Agape, was born on the island of Aegina, the third child of the priest Anthony and his wife Chrysanthe. Saracen raids forced the family to flee to Thessalonica, where Agape, having lost her husband and two of her three children at a young age, distributed her belongings to the poor and entered the Monastery of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr. There she received the great schema with the name Theodora, and lived in obedience, fasting and silence for fifty-five years. The longest hagiography ever written in Byzantium of a holy woman, composed shortly after her repose by the priest Gregory of Thessalonica, records her ascetic struggles, her meekness and her gift of tears. She was renowned for hiding her virtues from her sisters, for performing the lowliest tasks of the convent and for spending whole nights in prayer. She reposed in peace on 29 August 892. A year after her repose myrrh began to flow from her tomb and from her icon, healing the sick. The convent was renamed for her. The OCA synaxarion and several Slavonic and Antiochian usages keep her memory on 5 April; this commemorates the wonders worked at her tomb and especially the streaming of myrrh from her icon during the rebuilding of her monastery, which began on this date. Her primary feast in the Greek tradition remains 29 August.

Our Holy Father Mark of Trache

c. 400

He is also called ‘Mark the Athenian’ because he was born in Athens. When his parents died, he pondered the transience of all earthly things, gave his goods to the poor, and embarked on a plank in the sea, asking God to lead him wherever He desired. By God’s providence, Mark was cast up on the shores of Libya, where he settled as a hermit on a mountain called Trache. (Some say it was in Ethiopia, but this seems less likely.) There he lived for ninety-five years, never seeing another human being. Saint Serapion visited him before his death and recorded his life. Serapion asked Mark if there were any Christians whose faith was so great that they could say to a mountain ‘Get up and cast yourself into the sea,’ and it would be so. Immediately the mountain on which they stood began to move like a wave, but Mark raised his hand and stilled it. On his deathbed, St Mark prayed for the salvation of all men and gave up his soul to God. Saint Serapion saw an angel carrying Mark’s soul, and a hand extended from heaven to receive it. Saint Mark was about 130 years old when he reposed.

Also commemorated: Martyrs Agathopedes, Theodulus and Their Companions

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 9.24-28

²⁴For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us: ²⁴For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: ²⁵nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not his own; ²⁵Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; ²⁶else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁶For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: ²⁷And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment; ²⁸so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation. ²⁸So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Epistle

— Theotokos

Hebrews — Hebrews 9.1-7

¹Now even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service, and its sanctuary, a sanctuary of this world.

¹Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. ²For there was a tabernacle prepared, the first, wherein were the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the Holy place. ²For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. ³And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holy of holies; ³And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; ⁴having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; ⁴Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; ⁵and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat; of which things we cannot now speak severally. ⁵And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. ⁶Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services; ⁶Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. ⁷but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the errors of the people: ⁷But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 8.27-31

²⁷And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Cæsarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?

²⁷And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, into the villages of Cæsarea Philippi: and on the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Who do men say that I am? ²⁸And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. ²⁸And they told him, saying, John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but others, One of the prophets. ²⁹And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. ²⁹And he asked them, But who say ye that I am? Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. ³⁰And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. ³⁰And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. ³¹And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

³¹And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Gospel

— Theotokos

Luke — Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28

³⁸Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

³⁸Now as they went on their way, he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet, and heard his word. ⁴⁰But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. ⁴⁰But Martha was cumbered about much serving; and she came up to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. ⁴¹But the Lord answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things: ⁴¹And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: ⁴²But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. ⁴²but one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

²⁷And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

²⁷And it came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck. ²⁸But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. ²⁸But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.