Thursday, 18 March 2027

Thursday of the First Week of Lent

45 days before Pascha · Tone 8 · Liturgy · Lenten Fast (No overrides)

Great Canon

Saints commemorated

Saint Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem

386

Saint Cyril was a great ascetic and a steadfast champion of Orthodoxy who lived during a time of intense theological struggle in the Church. He died in the year 386.

In 351 at Jerusalem, the Holy Cross appeared in the heavens on the Feast of Pentecost, stretching from Golgotha above the Mount of Olives. Saint Cyril reported this portent to the Arian Emperor Constantius, hoping through this miracle to convert him to the Orthodox faith. This miraculous sign strengthened the faith of the Orthodox people and testified to the power of Christ.

During an intense famine in Jerusalem, Saint Cyril expended all his personal wealth in charitable works for the suffering. When the famine did not abate, he pawned church utensils and used the money to purchase wheat for the starving people. His compassion for the poor reflected his deep commitment to Christ's commandment to love one's neighbour.

Saint Cyril is venerated as a Doctor of the Church for his theological teaching and pastoral wisdom.

Saint Edward the Martyr, King of England

978

Edward the Martyr (c. 962-978) was King of the English from 8 July 975 until he was killed in 978. He was the eldest son of King Edgar (r. 959-975). Though his reign was brief, Edward became a martyr saint, glorified as Saint Edward the Martyr in 1001. On 18 March 978, while hunting with dogs and horsemen near Wareham in Dorset, King Edward decided to visit his younger half-brother Ethelred who was staying at Corfe Castle near Wareham. Separating from his royal retinue, Edward arrived alone at the castle. As he remained mounted at the lower part of the castle, Queen Elfrida, his stepmother, offered him a glass of mead in welcome. Whilst Edward drank from the cup, one of the queen's attendants stabbed him in the back with a knife, mortally wounding him. He fell from his horse and died from his wound. The perpetrators of this foul deed acted at the instigation of Queen Elfrida, who sought the throne for her own son Ethelred. Edward soon came to be revered as a saint and martyr. His feast of 18 March is listed in the festal calendar of the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England. The Eastern Orthodox Church venerates him as a holy martyr. His authentic relics were uncovered in 1931 at Shaftesbury Abbey.

The Holy Martyrs Trophimus and Eucarpus of Nicomedia

The Holy Martyrs Trophimus and Eucarpus were soldiers at Nicomedia during the persecution against Christians under Emperor Diocletian (284-305). They distinguished themselves by their great ferocity in carrying out all of the emperor's cruel decrees against the faithful. One day, when these soldiers caught up with some Christians whom they were pursuing, they suddenly saw a large fiery cloud descend from the heavens. From within the cloud came forth a Voice calling them to stop threatening God's servants. The soldiers fell to the ground in fright, overwhelmed by the divine manifestation. Spiritually reborn after this miraculous encounter with God's power, the soldiers experienced a complete transformation of heart. They released all the jailed Christians from the prisons where they had been detained. For this righteous act of mercy, Saints Trophimus and Eucarpus were handed over to terrible torments: they were suspended by their limbs and their bodies were torn with iron hooks. When a great fire was kindled, the holy martyrs went willingly into the flames and there gave up their souls to God, sealing their witness to Christ with their blood and suffering.

St Ananias the Wonderworker

“Born in Chalcedon, he was little of stature, like Zaccheus, but great in spirit and faith. He denied himself to the world at the age of fifteen and settled near the River Euphrates in a little hut, where he atoned for his sins, and prayed to God, at first with his teacher Mayum and then, after Mayum’s death, alone. By the power of his prayers he filled an empty well with water, healed the sick of various pains and tamed wild beasts. There was a tamed lion with him as his servant. He had insight into distant happenings. When robbers attacked a stylite, Pionius, at some distance from him, and beat him up to such an extent that he decided to come down from his pillar and go to complain to the judges, St Aninus saw his intention in his soul and sent him a letter by means of his lion, telling him to set aside his intention, to forgive his assaulters and to continue in his asceticism. He was inexpressibly generous. The bishop of Neo-Caesarea made a gift to him of a donkey, to ease his carrying of water from the river, but he gave this donkey to some poor man who had complained to him of his poverty. The bishop gave him a second donkey, but he gave that away. Then the bishop gave him a third donkey, not for his own but only to serve as a water-carrier, to be kept and returned. At the time of his death, he saw Moses, Aaron and Or coming to him and calling: ‘Aninus, the Lord is calling you. Get up and come with us.’ This he revealed to his disciples, and gave his spirit to the Lord whom he had served so faithfully. He was 110 years old when he finished his earthly course.” (Prologue)

Saint Nikolai, Bishop of Ochrid and Zica, Serbia

1956

He has been called ‘The New Chrysostom’ for his many grace-filled sermons and writings. He was born in 1880 in the Serbian village of Lelich. After attending the Seminary of St Sava in Belgrade, he obtained doctoral degrees from both the University of Berne and Oxford University. In 1919, Archimandrite Nikolai was made Bishop of Zica. In 1941 Bishop Nikolai was arrested by the Nazis and, after three years’ imprisonment in Ljubostir Vojlovici Monastery, was sent to the infamous Dachau concentration camp along with the Serbian Patriarch Gavrilo. He both witnessed and personally underwent many tortures there until the camp was liberated by the US army in 1945. After the war he fled Communist-controlled Yugoslavia and emigrated to the United States, where he taught at St Sava’s Seminary, St Vladimir Seminary and St Tikhon seminary. It was at St Tikhon Seminary that he reposed in 1956. His relics rested for awhile at St Sava’s Seminary in Libertyville IL, then were returned to Serbia, where they now reside. Throughout his adult life, the holy monk and bishop poured forth a steady stream of beautiful homilies and theological and spiritual writings. He is the author of the Prologue from Ochrid, a Slavic Synaxarion. The luminous homilies included therein, one for each day of the year, give a good sample of his inspired writing. His feast is kept on this day (March 5 OC, March 18 NC) by Orthodox Christians on both the Old and New Calendars. Note: With the blessing of Bishop Jovan of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Mitrophan Chin is engaged in a project to translate St Nikolai’s Prologue into Chinese. To learn more about this worthy project, see his web site: http://chineseorthodox.n3.net

Also commemorated: Rep. St Nikolaj of Zhicha

Daily readings

6th Hour

weekly cycle

Isaiah — Isaiah 2.11-21

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. ¹²For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

¹²For there shall be a day of Jehovah of hosts upon all that is proud and haughty, and upon all that is lifted up; and it shall be brought low; ¹³And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, ¹³and upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, ¹⁴And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, ¹⁴and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, ¹⁵And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, ¹⁵and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fortified wall, ¹⁶and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant imagery. ¹⁶And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. ¹⁷And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day. ¹⁷And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. ¹⁸And the idols he shall utterly abolish. ¹⁸And the idols shall utterly pass away. ¹⁹And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. ¹⁹And men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth. ²⁰In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; ²⁰In that day men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for them to worship, to the moles and to the bats; ²¹To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. ²¹to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Genesis — Genesis 2.4-19

⁴These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

⁴These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven. ⁵And no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Jehovah God had not caused it to rain upon the earth: and there was not a man to till the ground; ⁵And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. ⁶But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. ⁶but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. ⁷And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. ⁷And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. ⁸And Jehovah God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

⁸And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. ⁹And out of the ground made Jehovah God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. ⁹And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. ¹⁰And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. ¹⁰And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became four heads. ¹¹The name of the first is Pishon: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; ¹¹The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; ¹²And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. ¹²and the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. ¹³And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. ¹³And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Cush. ¹⁴And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. ¹⁴And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth in front of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. ¹⁵And Jehovah God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. ¹⁵And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. ¹⁶And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

¹⁶And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: ¹⁷But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. ¹⁷but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

¹⁸And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

¹⁸And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him. ¹⁹And out of the ground Jehovah God formed every beast of the field, and every bird of the heavens; and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them: and whatsoever the man called every living creature, that was the name thereof. ¹⁹And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

Vespers

weekly cycle

Proverbs — Proverbs 3.1-18

¹My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: ¹My son, forget not my law; But let thy heart keep my commandments: ²For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. ²For length of days, and years of life, And peace, will they add to thee. ³Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: ³Let not kindness and truth forsake thee: Bind them about thy neck; Write them upon the tablet of thy heart: ⁴So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. ⁴So shalt thou find favor and good understanding In the sight of God and man. ⁵Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, And lean not upon thine own understanding:

⁵Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths. ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

⁷Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. ⁷Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil: ⁸It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. ⁸It will be health to thy navel, And marrow to thy bones. ⁹Honor Jehovah with thy substance, And with the first-fruits of all thine increase: ⁹Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: ¹⁰So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, And thy vats shall overflow with new wine. ¹⁰So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. ¹¹My son, despise not the chastening of Jehovah; Neither be weary of his reproof:

¹¹My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: ¹²For whom Jehovah loveth he reproveth, Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. ¹²For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

¹³Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. ¹³Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, And the man that getteth understanding. ¹⁴For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. ¹⁴For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, And the profit thereof than fine gold. ¹⁵She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. ¹⁵She is more precious than rubies: And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her. ¹⁶Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. ¹⁶Length of days is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. ¹⁸She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. ¹⁸She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: And happy is every one that retaineth her.