Saturday, 12 April 2025

Lazarus Saturday

8 days before Pascha · Liturgy · Lenten Fast (Wine, Oil and Caviar are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyr Zeno, Bishop of Verona

558

Saint Zeno of Verona, who flourished in the fourth century, is venerated as a saint by both the Eastern Orthodox and the Latin Church. According to his Greek synaxarion he was a Greek by descent, born in Syria, who in his youth embraced the monastic life and devoted himself to the study of Holy Scripture. After visiting several monasteries he came to the city of Verona in Italy and settled there, and the people, recognising his holiness, chose him as their bishop after the death of Bishop Gricinus, around the year 362. As shepherd of Verona he laboured for the salvation of his flock, baptising many new converts from paganism and reclaiming many who had been led away by the Arian heresy. The reigns of the emperors Constantius and Valens, who supported Arianism, brought renewed oppression upon the Orthodox, and Saint Zeno bore his share of suffering with apostolic patience. His ten years of episcopal ministry were marked by powerful preaching, of which a substantial collection of homilies survives. Saint Gregory the Dialogist records the great miracle that took place in the year 558, when on the feast day of Saint Zeno the river Adige overflowed and surrounded the church built in his honour at Verona. Although the doors stood open the water did not enter, but stopped at the threshold, and so the church was kept dry and unharmed. Saint Zeno reposed in peace around the year 371.

Holy Martyr Sabbas the Goth

372

Saint Sabbas was born around the year 334 in a village of the Buzau river valley, in what is now Romania. A Goth by race, he embraced the Faith of Christ in his youth and lived an exemplary Christian life among his pagan kinsmen, serving the church of his village as a reader and singer. He was known for his strict refusal to eat meat that had been offered to the gods of the Goths, and on more than one occasion he openly rebuked his fellow villagers who tried to disguise the source of such food in order to spare him. Twice he was driven from his home, and each time he returned and continued his witness. Under the persecution unleashed by Athanaric, king of the Goths, in the year 372, Saint Sabbas spent Easter with the priest Sansalas. Three days after the feast Atharid, son of the sub-king Rothesteus, came to the village and arrested both Sansalas and Sabbas. Sabbas was dragged naked through thorns, racked upon the wheel and beaten with rods, but his joy in suffering remained unshaken. Finally he was condemned to be drowned in the river Mousaios (the modern Buzau), a tributary of the Danube. As his executioners reached the river Sabbas exclaimed, "Why do you delay? I see what you cannot see, the saints standing there in glory who have come to receive me." A heavy beam was pressed against his neck and he was thrust beneath the water, receiving the crown of martyrdom on 12 April 372 at the age of thirty-eight. His relics were translated to Caesarea in Cappadocia at the request of Saint Basil the Great.

Saint Basil the Confessor, Bishop of Parium

Saint Basil the Confessor lived during the eighth century and was the holy bishop of Parium on the Hellespont. From his youth he embraced the monastic life, devoting himself to fasting, vigil and prayer, and he was elected by the people of Parium as their shepherd because of his manifest virtue and learning. He took up the pastoral office during the bitter persecution of the holy icons by the iconoclast emperors, and resolutely came forward as a champion of the veneration of the sacred images. When the Iconoclast Council convened in 754 under the Emperor Constantine V Copronymus drew up its decree against the holy icons, Saint Basil refused to set his hand to the so-called "Iniquitous Scroll", and would have no communion with the heretical bishops. He kept the iconoclasts out of his diocese, suffering for this much persecution, hunger and want, but never bending in his confession of the truth. By his teaching, his example and his unbroken endurance he kept his flock firm in the Orthodox Faith, and so reposed in peace, having earned the title of Confessor.

Saint Nicephorus the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Nicephorus was born around the year 758 in Constantinople. His father Theodore had served as imperial secretary under the iconoclast Emperor Constantine V Copronymus, but had been scourged, tortured and exiled for defending the holy icons; from him the young Nicephorus inherited a deep devotion to Orthodoxy. After receiving an excellent education he served the empire as a civil official and represented the Empress Irene at the Seventh Ecumenical Council in 787. Withdrawing afterwards to a monastery he had founded on the Bosporus, he lived for years in monastic asceticism. On the death of Saint Tarasius in 806 he was chosen Patriarch of Constantinople. As patriarch he laboured for peace in the Church, defended the canons, and took up his pen and his pastoral staff against the new outbreak of iconoclasm under the Emperor Leo the Armenian. When Leo demanded the removal of the icons, Saint Nicephorus stood firm, and in 815 he was deposed by an iconoclast synod and exiled to a monastic retreat near Chalcedon. From his exile he composed a series of profound treatises against the iconoclasts and a chronicle of Byzantine history. Under Leo's successor Michael II the Stammerer the persecution continued, and Saint Nicephorus remained in banishment until his death in the Monastery of Saint Theodore on 2 June 828. He is commemorated by the Orthodox Church both on 13 March (the translation of his relics to Constantinople in 846) and on 2 June, but his memory is also kept in many Synaxaria on this day.

St Isaac the Syrian, abbot of Spoleto, Italy

c. 550

This is not the famed Isaac of Syria (commemorated Jan 28) who wrote the Ascetical Homilies, but a monk who settled in Spoleto and was famed for his holy, solitary life, his miracles, and his discernment. The people of Spoleto sought to honor him with money and other gifts, but he refused everything and withdrew to a cell in the forest. Soon a large monastery grew up there as others joined him in his life of prayer. Once, two nearly naked men came begging clothing from Isaac. He told a monk to go to a hollow tree some distance away, and to bring back what he found there. The monk returned with some clothing, and gave it to the beggars. They were shamed to find that it was their own clothing, which they had hidden in the tree. A man gave two beehives to the monastery. A monk hid one of them and brought the other to the abbot. Isaac said to him, ‘Be careful when you go back to the beehive that you hid: it has been taken over by poisonous snakes. Be careful that they do not bite you.’

Our Holy Mother Athanasia

860

“Born on the island of Aegina of rich and eminent parents, she gave her goods to the poor and went off to a monastery, where she heaped greater and greater asceticism on herself. She took food only once a day, and that only bread and water, and in the Great Fast only once every two days. Only at Christmas and Easter did she taste flesh and oil. Although she was abbess of the monastery, she was the servant of all the other sisters and was ashamed that any should wait on her. She was made worthy of the great gift of wonderworking, both during her lifetime and after her death.” (Prologue)

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 12.28-13.8

²⁸Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: ²⁸Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: ²⁹for our God is a consuming fire. ²⁹For our God is a consuming fire.

¹Let love of the brethren continue.

¹Let brotherly love continue. ²Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. ²Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. ³Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. ³Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are ill-treated, as being yourselves also in the body. ⁴Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. ⁴Let marriage be had in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. ⁵Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. ⁵Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee. ⁶So that with good courage we say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear: What shall man do unto me? ⁶So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

⁷Remember them that had the rule over you, men that spake unto you the word of God; and considering the issue of their life, imitate their faith.

⁷Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. ⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to-day, yea and for ever. ⁸Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Gospel

weekly cycle

John — John 11.1-45

¹Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

¹Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. ²And it was that Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. ²(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) ³Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. ³The sisters therefore sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. ⁴When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. ⁴But when Jesus heard it, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby. ⁵Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. ⁵Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. ⁶When therefore he heard that he was sick, he abode at that time two days in the place where he was. ⁶When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. ⁷Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judæa again. ⁷Then after this he saith to the disciples, Let us go into Judæa again. ⁸The disciples say unto him, Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? ⁸His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? ⁹Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. ⁹Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. ¹⁰But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. ¹⁰But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. ¹¹These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. ¹¹These things spake he: and after this he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. ¹²Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. ¹²The disciples therefore said unto him, Lord, if he is fallen asleep, he will recover. ¹³Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. ¹³Now Jesus had spoken of his death: but they thought that he spake of taking rest in sleep. ¹⁴Then Jesus therefore said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. ¹⁴Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. ¹⁵And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. ¹⁵And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. ¹⁶Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. ¹⁶Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said unto his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

¹⁷So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already. ¹⁷Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. ¹⁸Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: ¹⁸Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off; ¹⁹And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. ¹⁹and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. ²⁰Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary still sat in the house. ²⁰Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. ²¹Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. ²¹Martha therefore said unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. ²²And even now I know that, whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, God will give thee. ²²But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. ²³Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. ²³Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. ²⁴Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. ²⁴Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. ²⁵Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: ²⁵Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live; ²⁶And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? ²⁶and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this? ²⁷She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I have believed that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, even he that cometh into the world. ²⁷She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. ²⁸And when she had said this, she went away, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Teacher is here, and calleth thee. ²⁸And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. ²⁹And she, when she heard it, arose quickly, and went unto him. ²⁹As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. ³⁰Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. ³⁰(Now Jesus was not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met him.) ³¹The Jews then who were with her in the house, and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going unto the tomb to weep there. ³¹The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. ³²Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. ³²Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, and saw him, fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. ³³When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, ³³When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, ³⁴and said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, Lord, come and see. ³⁴And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. ³⁵Jesus wept. ³⁵Jesus wept. ³⁶Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! ³⁶The Jews therefore said, Behold how he loved him! ³⁷And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? ³⁷But some of them said, Could not this man, who opened the eyes of him that was blind, have caused that this man also should not die? ³⁸Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. ³⁸Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it. ³⁹Jesus saith, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time the body decayeth; for he hath been dead four days. ³⁹Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. ⁴⁰Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst, thou shouldest see the glory of God? ⁴⁰Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? ⁴¹So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou heardest me. ⁴¹Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. ⁴²And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. ⁴²And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the multitude that standeth around I said it, that they may believe that thou didst send me. ⁴³And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. ⁴³And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. ⁴⁴And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. ⁴⁴He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. ⁴⁵Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

⁴⁵Many therefore of the Jews, who came to Mary and beheld that which he did, believed on him.