2024

On Saturday | February 17

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The Readings from the Regular Cycle

The Epistle

Saturday of the 32nd Week

The reading is from Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians.

1 Th. 5:14-23

Brethren, we exhort you, admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophesying, but test everything; hold fast what is good, abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [RSV]

The Gospel

Saturday of the 15th Week of Luke

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Lk. 17:3-10

The Lord said, “Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, ‘Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down at table?’ Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink?’ Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” [RSV]

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The Readings for the Commemoration

The Epistle

For the Martyr.

The reading is from Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy.

2 Tim. 2:1-10

Timothy, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to satisfy the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hardworking farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will grant you understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel, the gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal. But the word of God is not fettered. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with its eternal glory. [RSV]

The Gospel

For the Martyr.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Lk. 20:46-47; 21:1-4

The Lord said to his disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go about in long robes, and love salutations in the market places and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had.” Having said this, he proclaimed, “He who has ears let him hear.” [RSV]

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Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On February 17 we commemorate the holy Great-martyr Theodore the Tyro.

On this day we also commemorate St. Mariamne, sister of St. Phillip the Apostle.

On this day we also commemorate our devout father Afxivios.

On this day we also commemorate our devout father Theostiriktos and also the finding of the relics of St. Menas the most eloquent.

On this day we also commemorate the Emperors Marcian and Pulcheria. The services in their honor were held in the Great Church.

The holy new martyr Theodore the Byzantine, who witnessed in Mytilene in the year 1795, died by hanging.

By the intercessions of Your Saints, O God, have mercy on us. Amen.

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Fasting Rule

Fast Free: All foods allowed.