Sunday, 7 March 2027

Sunday of the Last Judgment

Sunday of Meatfare

56 days before Pascha · Tone 7 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Hieromartyrs of Cherson: Basileus, Ephraim, Eugene, Capito, Aetherius, Agathodorus and Elpidius

These seven holy Bishops give a vivid picture of the dangers endured by those who traveled to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in the early centuries of the Church. All seven were sent as missionary bishops to Cherson on the Black Sea, and all seven died there as Martyrs. Hermon, Bishop of Jerusalem, first sent Ephraim and Basileus; Basileus raised the son of the prince of Cherson to life, after which many believed and were baptized. The unbelievers, though, bound him by the feet and dragged him through the streets until he died. Ephraim was beheaded when he refused to make sacrifice to the idols. Eugenios, Agathodoros, and Elpidios were then sent by the Bishop of Jerusalem; they were beaten to death with rods and stones. Aetherius was sent during the reign of Constantine the Great, and was able to govern the Church in freedom and peace, and to build a church in Cherson. Capito, the last to be sent, brought the Gospel to the fierce Scythians. To prove the power of his God, they asked him to go into a burning furnace, saying that if he was not consumed, they would believe. Putting all his trust in God, the holy Bishop vested himself, made the sign of the Cross, and entered the furnace. He stood in the flames, fervently praying, for an hour, and came out untouched. The spectators cried out ‘There is one God, the great and powerful God of the Christians, who keeps His servant safe in the burning furnace!’, and all those in the town and the surrounding countryside were baptized. This miracle was spoken of at the Council of Nicea (325). Later, Scythian unbelievers captured Capito and drowned him in the River Dnieper.

The Prologue says that Aetherios ended his life in peace; the Great Horologion, that he was drowned. All these holy missionaries labored around the beginning of the fourth century.

Saint Felicitas of Carthage and Perpetua

Felicitas and Perpetua were Christian martyrs of Carthage (in North Africa) who suffered during the persecutions under the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus in the early third century. Perpetua was a noblewoman and recent convert to Christianity, whilst Felicitas was her servant. Both women were arrested together, imprisoned, and brought to trial for refusing to participate in pagan sacrifices and for their steadfast confession of Christ. The account of their imprisonment, their visions, and their martyrdom has been preserved in the "Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas," one of the most ancient and moving Christian documents. Both women demonstrated extraordinary courage, faith, and spiritual maturity in the face of torture and death. They encouraged one another and the other prisoners, sharing visions of the heavenly glory that awaited them. Their blood-bond of martyrdom—sealed by their shared suffering and executed together—became a powerful testimony to the faith and inspired countless Christians throughout the ages. The Orthodox Church honours Perpetua and Felicitas as holy martyrs and counts their feast among the most venerable commemorations in the liturgical calendar.

Venerable Paul the Simple

Paul the Simple was a fifth-century monastic father of Egypt and a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great. Originally a shepherd of sheep, Paul was led by providence to seek out the great desert saint Anthony and to become his spiritual son. Under Anthony's guidance, Paul was transformed from a simple man into a profound ascetic and mystic. Through obedience, prayer, and the ascetic disciplines taught by his elder, Paul advanced rapidly in the spiritual life and was granted the gift of discernment of spirits. He became known for his simple piety, his unwavering faith, and his ability to heal the spiritually afflicted through his prayers and wise counsel. Paul's simplicity was not a limitation but rather a virtue that allowed him to trust completely in God and to see the divine in all things. After Anthony's repose, Paul continued his monastic labours and became a teacher to others seeking the Orthodox ascetic path. The Church venerates him as a venerable father whose example demonstrates that simplicity of heart and childlike faith are gateways to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Also commemorated: Seven Hieromartyrs of Cherson

Daily readings

7th Matins Gospel

John — John 20.1-10

¹The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

¹Now on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, while it was yet dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from the tomb. ²Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. ²She runneth therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him. ³Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. ³Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. ⁴So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. ⁴And they ran both together: and the other disciple outran Peter, and came first to the tomb; ⁵and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen cloths lying; yet entered he not in. ⁵And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. ⁶Simon Peter therefore also cometh, following him, and entered into the tomb; and he beholdeth the linen cloths lying, ⁶Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, ⁷and the napkin, that was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁷And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. ⁸Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. ⁸Then entered in therefore the other disciple also, who came first to the tomb, and he saw, and believed. ⁹For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. ⁹For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. ¹⁰Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. ¹⁰So the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 8.8-9.2

⁸But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. ⁸But food will not commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better. ⁹But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. ⁹But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to the weak. ¹⁰For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; ¹⁰For if a man see thee who hast knowledge sitting at meat in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols? ¹¹And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? ¹¹For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died. ¹²But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. ¹²And thus, sinning against the brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, ye sin against Christ. ¹³Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. ¹³Wherefore, if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble.

¹Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

¹Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? ²If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. ²If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 25.31-46

³¹When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

³¹But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: ³²And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: ³²and before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats; ³³And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. ³³and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ³⁴Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ³⁵for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; ³⁵For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: ³⁶naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. ³⁶Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. ³⁷Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? ³⁷Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink? ³⁸When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? ³⁸And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? ³⁹And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? ³⁹Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? ⁴⁰And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. ⁴⁰And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me. ⁴¹Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: ⁴¹Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels: ⁴²For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: ⁴²for I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; ⁴³I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. ⁴³I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. ⁴⁴Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? ⁴⁴Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? ⁴⁵Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. ⁴⁵Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me. ⁴⁶And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. ⁴⁶And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.