Saturday, 9 January 2027

Saturday after Theophany

Saturday of the 32nd week after Pentecost

272 days after Pascha · Tone 6 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Blessed Theosebia

Blessed Theosebia was a deaconess of the Orthodox Church, venerated for her service and spiritual devotion. She flourished around 395 and is remembered as a woman of piety who devoted herself to the work of the Church. In the early Church, deaconesses were ordained to assist in the liturgical life and pastoral care of the Christian community. Theosebia's commemoration on 9 January reflects the Church's recognition of faithful women servants who laboured in ministry and prayer.

Martyr Polyeuktos

Martyr Polyeuktos was an early Christian martyr venerated in the Orthodox Church. He suffered persecution for his faith in Christ during the early centuries of Christianity. His commemoration on 9 January reflects the Church's remembrance of those who witnessed to the Gospel through their martyrdom and sacrifice. Though detailed biographical information is limited in available sources, his memory is preserved in the liturgical calendar of the Orthodox Church as a faithful witness to Christ.

New Martyr Parthena

New Martyr Parthena is commemorated in the Orthodox Church on 9 January. She is numbered among the New Martyrs, those who suffered and died for their Orthodox faith during later periods of persecution, particularly under Ottoman rule or other adversarial regimes. Her memory is preserved in the Orthodox Church's calendar of saints who gave their lives in witness to Christ.

Righteous Eustratios

Righteous Eustratios is commemorated in the Orthodox Church on 9 January as a righteous soul who walked in holiness and virtue before God. The Orthodox liturgical tradition preserves his memory amongst the saints celebrated on this feast day. His life exemplified the Christian calling to righteousness and devotion to the Lord.

Saint Peter, Bishop of Sebaste

Saint Peter, Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia, was the brother of several renowned Church Fathers, including Saints Macrina the Younger, Basil the Great, Naucratius, and Gregory of Nyssa. Born in the fourth century, Peter was part of a remarkable family devoted to ascetic life and Christian service. Like his siblings, he was influenced by his mother, Saint Emmelia, and the spiritual environment of their household in Cappadocia. Saint Peter became a bishop and served the Church faithfully. He is commemorated on 9 January in the Orthodox Church calendar as a holy bishop and brother of the great Cappadocian Fathers, whose family produced some of the most influential theological and spiritual leaders of the early Church.

Venerable Eustratius the Wonderworker

9th c.

He was born to pious parents in Tarsia in Bithynia. At the age of twenty he entered monastic life at the Monastery of Agaures near his home. There he became a model of prayer, ascesis and zeal for holiness — he possessed nothing but the cloak he wore, and did not even have his own cell, choosing instead to sleep on the bare ground. When he slept he would not lie on his back or his left side, but always on his right side. In church, he stood repeating ‘Lord, have mercy!’ to himself throughout the services. He was ordained to the priesthood, and in time was made abbot of the community. But just at that time, Leo the Armenian became Emperor and revived the iconoclast heresy. The monks of Agaures, who held to the Orthodox Faith, scattered to caves and forests to escape persecution. Eustratius himself was imprisoned for a time, and was only able to re-gather the community and resume its direction when Leo died and Orthodoxy was restored in 842. As abbot, Eustratius continued to live as the humblest of the brethren, spending the day sharing in their manual labor, and most of the night in prayer and prostrations. He often traveled among the dependencies of his large monastery to offer counsel and encouragement to the brethren. While traveling he would often give his coat or even his horse to anyone in need whom he met on the way. Once he gave the monastery’s only ox to a peasant who had lost his own. Once, on a visit to Constantinople, he was given a large sum of money by the Emperor for the monastery; on the way back he distributed all of it to the poor. Once, on the road, he met a man who had despaired because of his sins and was about to hang himself. The Saint took the man’s hand and said ‘My child, may the weight of your sins lie on me from now on. On the day of Judgment, I will answer for them instead of you. Only throw away this rope and hope in God.’ During his own life, Saint Eustratius performed countless miracles by his prayers: healing the sick, quenching fires, raising the dead. He reposed in peace in Constantinople at the age of ninety-five, having spent seventy-five years in monastic life.

Saint Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow

1569

He was born in 1507 to a noble family, and served briefly in the royal court. At the age of thirteen he entered the Solovki Monastery on the White Sea, within the Arctic circle. Here he lived in great austerity and eventually became Abbot. Through his labors and prayers the monastery soon became a center of spirituality and culture throughout the region. His fame reached the attention of Tsar Ivan IV (“the Terrible”), who in 1566 made him Metropolitan of Moscow, much against the Abbot’s desire. Tsar Ivan revered Philip (“even as Herod had revered Saint John the Baptist,” says the Great Horologion), and had been a generous benefactor of Solovki Monastery. But no sooner was Metropolitan Philip installed than he began to reprimand the Tsar for the brutal reign that he had imposed upon the people. Despite many warnings and threats from the Tsar, the holy bishop refused to be silent in the face of massive injustice, telling Ivan that he had never sought to be Metropolitan, that he had desired only to live quietly in Solovki, but now that he was shepherd of his flock, he was unable to remain silent. “I cannot obey your command rather than God’s. I stand for what is true and right and shall continue to do so, even though I be deprived of my office and suffer the worst of torments; otherwise our faith would be vain, and in vain too would be the apostolic office.” Finally the Tsar gathered various false witnesses against the Metropolitan, and called a council against him in 1568. Saint Philip was condemned and imprisoned in Moscow, but soon the Tsar, fearful of the people’s love for their bishop, sent him to a monastery in Tver, where he lived confined and in great hardship. “On December 23, 1569, a royal messenger came, asking the Metropolitan’s blessing for the Tsar’s expedition to Novgorod. Saint Philip told him to do that which he came to do, then raised his hands in prayer to God. The Tsar’s messenger fell upon him and suffocated the holy hierarch with a pillow. In 1591 his relics were transferred to Solovki, and in 1652 to the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow; many miracles were wrought through his holy relics.” (Great Horologion)

Also commemorated: Martyr Polyeuctus of Melitene in Armenia

Daily readings

Epistle

— Saturday after Theophany weekly cycle

Ephesians — Ephesians 6.10-17

¹⁰Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹¹Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ¹²For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. ¹³Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁴Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁵And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. ¹⁶Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Epistle

1 Thessalonians — 1 Thessalonians 5.14-23

¹⁴And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all. ¹⁴Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. ¹⁵See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but always follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all. ¹⁵See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. ¹⁶Rejoice always; ¹⁶Rejoice evermore. ¹⁷pray without ceasing; ¹⁷Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ¹⁸in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward. ¹⁹Quench not the Spirit. ¹⁹Quench not the Spirit; ²⁰Despise not prophesyings. ²⁰despise not prophesyings; ²¹prove all things; hold fast that which is good; ²¹Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. ²²abstain from every form of evil. ²²Abstain from all appearance of evil.

²³And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²³And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel

— Saturday after Theophany weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 4.1-11

¹Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

¹Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. ²And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. ²And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. ³And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. ³And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. ⁴But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. ⁴But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. ⁵Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, ⁵Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple,

⁶and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. ⁶And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

⁷Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God. ⁷Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. ⁸Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; ⁸Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; ⁹And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. ⁹and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. ¹⁰Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. ¹⁰Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. ¹¹Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. ¹¹Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Gospel

Luke — Luke 10.16-21

¹⁶He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. ¹⁶He that heareth you heareth me; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me.

¹⁷And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

¹⁷And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name. ¹⁸And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. ¹⁸And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. ¹⁹Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. ¹⁹Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. ²⁰Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. ²⁰Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

²¹In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

²¹In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes: yea, Father; for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight.