Friday, 12 February 2027

Friday of the 37th week after Pentecost

306 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Red cross (polyeleos typikon symbol) · Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Christos

Christos was a Christian martyr of the early Church who gave his life in witness to Christ. He steadfastly refused to deny his faith or to offer sacrifice to idols, remaining firm in his confession of Christ despite persecution and torture. His unwavering commitment to the Gospel and his willingness to die for his faith made him a powerful witness to the redemptive power of Christ. Christos exemplified the virtues of faithfulness and courage in the face of suffering. He is remembered in the Orthodox Church as a holy martyr whose blood cried out as a testimony to Christ's victory over sin and death.

Saint Alexis of Moscow, Wonderworker

Alexis was a Metropolitan of Moscow and one of the most venerated saints of the Russian Church. He lived in the fourteenth century and was renowned for his holiness, his spiritual discernment, and his miraculous powers of healing and intercession. Alexis served the Church with great devotion and was instrumental in strengthening the Orthodox faith among the Russian peoples. He was known for his ascetic life, his pastoral care, and his miraculous deeds. According to tradition, Alexis was healed of blindness through prayer and intercession of the Mother of God. He spent his later years in the Simonov Monastery, where he continued his spiritual labours. He is deeply venerated in the Russian Church and is invoked for healing and protection.

Saint Anthony II of Constantinople

Anthony II was a patriarch of Constantinople and a prominent ecclesiastical figure of the Byzantine Church. He was known for his theological learning, his pastoral care, and his leadership of the Church during a significant period of Byzantine history. Anthony served faithfully as patriarch, guiding the flock entrusted to him and maintaining Orthodox doctrine against heretical threats. He is remembered as a devoted servant of the Church and an upholder of the apostolic traditions.

Saint Meletius of Antioch, Patriarch of Antioch

Meletius was a patriarch of Antioch and one of the great theologians of the fourth century. He served as bishop during a complex period of theological controversy and ecclesiastical division. Known for his Orthodox theology and pastoral wisdom, Meletius worked to maintain the integrity of the Nicene Faith against the Arian heresy. He was twice exiled from his see due to his unwavering commitment to Orthodox doctrine. Despite the difficulties of his episcopate, he remained steadfast in his faith and served faithfully as a shepherd of his people. He is remembered for his theological contributions and his commitment to guiding the Church through a period of theological turmoil.

St Meletios, archbishop of Antioch

381

Our holy father Meletios, an Armenian by birth, became archbishop of Antioch at the height of the Arian controversy. Though he was appointed by influential Arians who thought that he shared their views, as soon as he was raised to the throne he began to preach the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father. “At this, the archdeacon, an Arian, put his hand over the bishop’s mouth; Meletios then extended three fingers towards the people, closed them, and extended one only, showing by signs the equality and unity of the Trinity. The embarrassed archdeacon then seized his hand, but released his mouth, and Meletios spoke out even more forcibly in defense of the Council of Nicea” (Great Horologion). It was St Meletios who ordained St John Chrysostom reader and deacon in Antioch. He presided at the Second Ecumenical Council in 381. At his repose, St Gregory of Nyssa gave his funeral oration, lamenting: “Our Elijah has been caught up, and no Elisha is left behind in his place.”

St Alexis, metropolitan of Moscow and wonder-worker of all Russia

1378

He was born early in the 14th century to a family of court dignitaries in Moscow. Despite a fine education, he was not drawn to worldly success and became a monk at the age of twenty. In time Alexis was consecrated Bishop of Vladimir, then Metropolitan of Moscow, at that time the highest rank in the Russian church (which was still under the Patriarchate of Constantinople). Russia was then under the cruel domination of the Tatars. Saint Alexis traveled twice to the Golden Horde, where the Tatar Khan kept court. On his first visit (1359), he healed the Khan’s wife of a blindness which had afflicted her for three years — a miracle that did much to soften the Tatars’ treatment of their Russian vassals, and to preserve the liberty of the Church. His ceaseless labors in the world did not deprive the Saint of his love for monasticism: he conferred with holy monks at every opportunity, and founded many new monasteries. As he neared the end of his life he tried without success to persuade his friend St Sergius of Radonezh (September 25) to succeed him. He reposed in peace in 1378. His incorrupt relics are venerated in the Cathedral of the Theophany in Moscow.

Also commemorated: St Aleksy, Metr. of All Russia

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Peter — 1 Peter 1.1-2, 10-12, 2.6-10

¹Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

¹Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ²according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. ²Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. ¹⁰Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: ¹⁰Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: ¹¹searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them. ¹¹Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. ¹²To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into. ¹²Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. ⁶Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. ⁶Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

⁷For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; ⁷Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

⁸and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. ⁸And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. ⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: ⁹But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: ¹⁰who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. ¹⁰Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 12.1-12

¹And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

¹And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country. ²And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. ²And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard. ³And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. ³And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. ⁴And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. ⁴And again he sent unto them another servant; and him they wounded in the head, and handled shamefully. ⁵And he sent another; and him they killed: and many others; beating some, and killing some. ⁵And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. ⁶Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. ⁶He had yet one, a beloved son: he sent him last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. ⁷But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. ⁷But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. ⁸And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. ⁸And they took him, and killed him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard. ⁹What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. ⁹What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. ¹⁰And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: ¹⁰Have ye not read even this scripture: The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; ¹¹This was from the Lord, And it is marvellous in our eyes? ¹¹This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

¹²And they sought to lay hold on him; and they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spake the parable against them: and they left him, and went away. ¹²And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.