Sunday, 14 March 2027

Forgiveness Sunday

Sunday of Cheesefare

49 days before Pascha · Tone 8 · Liturgy · Fast (Meat Fast)

Saints commemorated

Saint Euschemon the Confessor, Bishop of Lampsacus

Saint Euschemon lived in the ninth century in Asia Minor, on the Hellespont coast where the city of Lampsacus stood on the eastern shore of the Dardanelles. From his youth he embraced the ascetic life, training himself in fasting, vigil, and unceasing prayer, and his virtues so shone forth that the people of Lampsacus chose him as their bishop. Established on that throne, he proved himself a true shepherd, instructing his flock in the Orthodox faith, distributing his goods to the poor, and adorning his teaching by a life of evangelical simplicity. His episcopate fell during the second outbreak of the iconoclast heresy under the emperor Theophilus, when the holy icons were once again cast down from the churches and those who venerated them suffered persecution. Saint Euschemon stood firmly with the Orthodox party, refusing to surrender the ancient tradition of the Church or to deny the honour due to the sacred images. For this confession he was seized, brought before the emperor, and after enduring imprisonment was driven into exile. Worn down by the rigours of confinement and banishment, the holy bishop reposed in his place of exile, having sealed by his sufferings the office of a confessor of the faith. The Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Euschemon, Bishop of Lampsacus, on 14 March, numbering him with those holy fathers who in their own day defended the veneration of the holy icons against the iconoclasts.

Saint Theognostus, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia

1328

Saint Theognostus, called "the Greek" because of his Byzantine origin, was born at Constantinople and was renowned for his learning, especially in the sacred canons of the Church. In the year 1328, after the repose of Saint Peter the wonderworker, he was sent by the Patriarch of Constantinople to occupy the metropolitan throne of Kiev and All Russia. Following the example of his predecessor, he fixed his actual residence at Moscow, thereby further confirming that city as the spiritual centre of the Russian land.

For twenty-five years Saint Theognostus shepherded the Russian Church amid great difficulties. He travelled extensively through the dioceses, consecrated bishops, opposed simony, settled disputes, and built and adorned churches. Under his blessing the great cathedral of the Dormition in the Moscow Kremlin was completed and the holy Prince Ivan Kalita was supported in his peaceful labours for the gathering of Russia.

When the Tatars of the Golden Horde sought to extort tribute from the Russian clergy, Saint Theognostus was summoned to the Khan Janibeg and pressed to render payment for his episcopal office. With apostolic boldness he replied: "Christ our God has redeemed His Church with His own precious Blood from the bondage of the heathen; for what cause then, and on what ground, should I render tribute to the heathen?" Though he was beaten and tormented for his answer, by the grace of God he was at length set free and returned to his see. He blessed the youth Alexis as his successor, foretold his own departure, and reposed in peace on 14 March in the year 1353.

Venerable Benedict of Nursia

His name, Benedictus, means “Blessed” in Latin. He was born in 480 in Nursia, a small town northeast of Rome. He had only rudimentary schooling: he wrote later of his fear that through book-learning he might ‘lose the great understanding of my soul.’ At an early age he fled to a monastery where he was tonsured; he then withdrew to a remote mountain, where he lived or several years in a cave, perfecting himself in prayer. His only food was some bread brought to him by Romanus, the monk who had tonsured him. When he became known in the area, he fled his cave to escape the attentions of the pious; but flight proved useless, and in time a community of monks formed around him. He was granted many spiritual gifts: he healed the sick and drove out evil spirits, raised the dead, and appeared in visions to others many miles away.

Benedict founded twelve monasteries, most famously that at Monte Cassino. Initially, each monastic house had twelve monks, to imitate the number of the Twelve Apostles. The Rule that he established for his monks was based on the works of St John Cassian and St Basil the Great, and became a standard for western monasteries. Thus he is sometimes called the first teacher of monks in the West.

Six days before his death, the Saint ordered that his grave be opened, gathered all his monks together, gave them counsel, then gave his soul back to God on the day that he had predicted. At the moment of his death, two monks in different places had the same vision: they saw a path from earth to heaven, richly adorned and lined on either side with ranks of people. At the top of the path stood a man, clothed in light and unspeakably beautiful, who told them that the path was prepared for Benedict, the beloved of God. In this way, the monks learned that their abbot had gone to his rest.

Daily readings

8th Matins Gospel

John — John 20.11-18

¹¹But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

¹¹But Mary was standing without at the tomb weeping: so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; ¹²And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. ¹²and she beholdeth two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. ¹³And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. ¹³And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. ¹⁴And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. ¹⁴When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and beholdeth Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. ¹⁵Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. ¹⁵Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. ¹⁶Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. ¹⁶Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turneth herself, and saith unto him in Hebrew, Rabboni; which is to say, Teacher. ¹⁷Jesus saith to her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended unto the Father: but go unto my brethren, and say to them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and my God and your God. ¹⁷Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. ¹⁸Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. ¹⁸Mary Magdalene cometh and telleth the disciples, I have seen the Lord; and that he had said these things unto her.

Epistle

weekly cycle

Romans — Romans 13.11-14.4

¹¹And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

¹¹And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed. ¹²The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. ¹²The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ¹³Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. ¹³Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. ¹⁴But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. ¹⁴But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

¹Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

¹But him that is weak in faith receive ye, yet not for decision of scruples. ²For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. ²One man hath faith to eat all things: but he that is weak eateth herbs. ³Let not him that eateth set at nought him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. ³Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. ⁴Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. ⁴Who art thou that judgest the servant of another? to his own lord he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to stand; for the Lord hath power to make him stand.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 6.14-21

¹⁴For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: ¹⁴For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. ¹⁵But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

¹⁶Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

¹⁶Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. ¹⁷But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; ¹⁷But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; ¹⁸That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. ¹⁸that thou be not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee.

¹⁹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

¹⁹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ²¹for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.