Wednesday, 17 March 2027

Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

46 days before Pascha · Tone 8 · Red squigg (doxology typikon symbol) · Lenten Fast (No overrides)

Great Canon; Presanctified Liturgy

Saints commemorated

Saint Patrick, Enlightener of Ireland

“Saint Patrick, the Apostle of the Irish, was seized from his native Britain by Irish marauders when he was sixteen years old. Though the son of a deacon and grandson of a priest, it was not until his captivity that he sought out the Lord with his whole heart. In his Confession, the testament he wrote towards the end of his life, he says, ‘After I came to Ireland — every day I had to tend sheep, and many times a day I prayed — the love of God and His fear came to me more and more, and my faith was strengthened. And my spirit was so moved that in a single day I would say as many as a hundred prayers, and almost as many at night, and this even when I was staying in the woods and on the mountain; and I would rise for prayer before daylight, through snow, through frost, through rain, and I felt no harm.”

After six years of slavery in Ireland, he was guided by God to make his escape, and afterwards struggled in the monastic life in Aesir in Gaul [now France], under the guidance of the holy Bishop Germanus. Many years later he was ordained bishop and sent to Ireland once again, about the year 432, to convert the Irish to Christ. His arduous labours bore so much fruit that within seven years, three bishops were sent from Gaul to help him shepherd his flock, ‘my brethren and sons whom I have baptized in the Lord — so many thousands of people,’ he says in his Confession.

His apostolic work was not accomplished without much ‘weariness and painfulness,’ long journeys through difficult country, and many perils; he says his very life was in danger twelve times. When he came to Ireland, as its enlightener, it was a pagan country; when he ended his earthly life some thirty years later, about 461, the Faith of Christ was established in every corner.” (Great Horologion)

The work of St Patrick and his brethren has been called the most successful single missionary venture in the history of the Church.

It is said of St Patrick that he chanted the entire Psalter every day.

The Holy Martyrs Marinus and Theodora

The Holy Martyr Marinus of Caesarea was a soldier at Caesarea in Palestine (262), commemorated on March 17 in the Orthodox Church. According to the Byzantine Synaxaristis, the Holy Martyr lived during a time of persecution against the Church and was a zealous Christian. When he saw pagans offering sacrifices to their false gods, he destroyed the altar and trampled upon the idols, openly confessing that he was a Christian. Marinus was arrested and beaten with whips, suspended by his limbs, his sides raked with iron instruments, and the pagans knocked out his teeth with stones and dragged him along the ground by his hair. Saint Marinus was then bound and brought before the prefect, who ordered him to be beheaded with a sword. Through his martyrdom, Saint Marinus sealed his faith in Christ with his blood. Holy Martyr Theodara is also commemorated alongside Marinus on this feast day as a companion in suffering for the Orthodox faith.

The Venerable Alexis the Man of God

He was born of pious and noble parents in Rome in the time of the Emperor Honorius. His parents, Euphemianus and Agalais, set a high standard of godly living: his father, though wealthy, sat down to dine only once a day, at sunset. By his parents’ arrangement Alexis was married at a young age. However, without ever living with his new wife, he fled to Edessa in Mesopotamia, where he lived in asceticism for eighteen years, presenting himself as a beggar in order to avoid the praise of men. When, despite his efforts, he began to be known as a holy man, he fled the city and took ship for Laodicea. By divine providence, the ship was blown off course and forced to land in Rome. Taking this as a sign, Alexis, still disguised as a beggar, returned to his parents’ house, where he sat at the gates, unrecognized by any of his family. His father, not knowing who he was, allowed him to live in a hut in his courtyard. There Alexis spent another seventeen years, living only on bread and water. He died clutching a piece of paper on which he had revealed his true identity. At the time of his death, the pope of Rome heard a voice saying “Look for the Man of God,” and revealing where he should look. It is said that the Emperor Honorius, the Pope and a large retinue came to the house, where they found Alexis dead in his tiny hut, his face shining like the sun. His parents and wife were at first overcome with grief to learn that their son and husband had been secretly living near them, but they were comforted when they saw that his body healed the sick and exuded a fragrant myrrh. Thus they knew that God had glorified him. His head is preserved at the Church of St Laurus on the Peloponnese.

Also commemorated: Ven. Makary of Kalyazinsk

Daily readings

6th Hour

weekly cycle

Isaiah — Isaiah 2.3-11

³And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. ³And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. ⁴And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. ⁴And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. ⁵O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

⁵O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of Jehovah.

⁶Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. ⁶For thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they are filled with customs from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. ⁷Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: ⁷And their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots. ⁸Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. ⁸Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: ⁹And the mean man is bowed down, and the great man is brought low: therefore forgive them not. ⁹And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.

¹⁰Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. ¹⁰Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty. ¹¹The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. ¹¹The lofty looks of man shall be brought low, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Genesis — Genesis 1.24-2.3

²⁴And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind: and it was so.

²⁴And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. ²⁵And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind: and God saw that it was good. ²⁵And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ²⁶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

²⁶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. ²⁷And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ²⁷So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ²⁸And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. ²⁸And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

²⁹And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. ²⁹And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food: ³⁰And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. ³⁰and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for food: and it was so. ³¹And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. ³¹And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

¹And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

¹Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. ²And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. ²And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. ³And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made. ³And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Proverbs — Proverbs 2.1-22

¹My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And lay up my commandments with thee;

¹My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; ²So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thy heart to understanding; ²So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; ³Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; ³Yea, if thou cry after discernment, And lift up thy voice for understanding; ⁴If thou seek her as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures: ⁴If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; ⁵Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, And find the knowledge of God. ⁵Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. ⁶For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. ⁶For Jehovah giveth wisdom; Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding: ⁷He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. ⁷He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to them that walk in integrity; ⁸He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. ⁸That he may guard the paths of justice, And preserve the way of his saints. ⁹Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. ⁹Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, yea, every good path.

¹⁰When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; ¹⁰For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul; ¹¹Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee: ¹¹Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: ¹²To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; ¹²To deliver thee from the way of evil, From the men that speak perverse things; ¹³Who forsake the paths of uprightness, To walk in the ways of darkness; ¹³Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; ¹⁴Who rejoice to do evil, And delight in the perverseness of evil; ¹⁴Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; ¹⁵Who are crooked in their ways, And wayward in their paths: ¹⁵Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: ¹⁶To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; ¹⁶To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words; ¹⁷Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. ¹⁷That forsaketh the friend of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God: ¹⁸For her house inclineth unto death, And her paths unto the dead; ¹⁸For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. ¹⁹None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. ¹⁹None that go unto her return again, Neither do they attain unto the paths of life: ²⁰That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous. ²⁰That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. ²¹For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. ²¹For the upright shall dwell in the land, And the perfect shall remain in it. ²²But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it. ²²But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, And the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.