Luke 22.1-39 (Gospel, Bridegroom)

1Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death, for they feared the people.

3Satan entered into Judas, who was also called Iscariot, who was counted with the twelve. 4He went away and talked with the chief priests and captains about how he might deliver him to them. 5They were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6He consented and sought an opportunity to deliver him to them in the absence of the multitude.

7The day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed. 8Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”

9They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare?”

10He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him into the house which he enters. 11Tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 12He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations there.”

13They went, found things as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

14When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles. 15He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, 16for I tell you, I will no longer by any means eat of it until it is fulfilled in God’s Kingdom.” 17He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves, 18for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until God’s Kingdom comes.”

19He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” 20Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22The Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man through whom he is betrayed!”

23They began to question among themselves which of them it was who would do this thing.

24A dispute also arose among them, which of them was considered to be greatest. 25He said to them, “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ 26But not so with you. Rather, the one who is greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves. 27For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn’t it he who sits at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

28“But you are those who have continued with me in my trials. 29I confer on you a kingdom, even as my Father conferred on me, 30that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. You will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

31The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have all of you, that he might sift you as wheat, 32but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers.”

33He said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!”

34He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will by no means crow today until you deny that you know me three times.”

35He said to them, “When I sent you out without purse, bag, and sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.”

36Then he said to them, “But now, whoever has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a bag. Whoever has none, let him sell his cloak, and buy a sword. 37For I tell you that this which is written must still be fulfilled in me: ‘He was counted with transgressors.’ For that which concerns me is being fulfilled.”

38They said, “Lord, behold, here are two swords.” He said to them, “That is enough.”

39He came out and went, as his custom was, to the Mount of Olives. His disciples also followed him.

Jeremiah 11.18-12.5, 9-11, 14-15 (1st Hour)

18O Lord, teach me, and I shall know: then I saw their practices. 19But I as an innocent lamb led to the slaughter, knew not: against me they devised an evil device, saying, Come and let us put wood into his bread, and let us utterly destroy him from off the land of the living, and let his name not be remembered any more. 20O Lord, that judge righteously, trying the reins and hearts, let me see your vengeance taken upon them, for to you I have declared my cause. 21Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek my life, that say, You shall not prophesy at all in the name of the Lord, but if you do, you shall die by our hands: 22behold, I will visit them: their young men shall die by the sword; and their sons and their daughters shall die of famine: 23and there shall be no remnant left of them; for I will bring evil upon the dwellers in Anathoth, in the year of their visitation.

1Righteous are you, O Lord, that I may make my defence to you, yes, I will speak to you of judgments. Why is it that the way of ungodly men prospers? that all that deal very treacherously are flourishing? 2You have planted them, and they have taken root; they have begotten children, and become fruitful; you are near to their mouth, and far from their reins. 3But you, Lord, know me; you have proved my heart before you; purify them for the day of their slaughter. 4How long shall the land mourn, and the grass of the field wither, for the wickedness of them, that dwell in it? the beasts and birds are utterly destroyed; because the people said, God shall not see our ways. 5Your feet run, and they cause you to faint; how will you prepare to ride upon horses? and you have been confident in the land of your peace? how will you do in the roaring of Jordan? 9Is not my inheritance to me a hyaena's cave, or a cave round about her? Go you⌃, gather together all the wild beasts of the field, and let them come to devour her. 10Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have defiled my portion, they have made my desirable portion a trackless wilderness; 11it is made a complete ruin: for my sake the whole land has been utterly ruined, because there is none that lays the matter to heart. 14For thus says the Lord, concerning all the evil neighbors that touch my inheritance, which I have divided to my people Israel; Behold, I will draw them away from their land, and I will cast out Juda from the midst of them. 15And it shall come to pass, after I have cast them out, that I will return, and have mercy upon them, and will cause them to dwell every one in his inheritance, and every one in his land.

Exodus 19.10-19 (Vespers)

10And the Lord said to Moses, Go down and solemnly charge the people, and sanctify them today and to-morrow, and let them wash their garments. 11And let them be ready against the third day, for on the third day the Lord will descend upon mount Sina before all the people. 12And you shall separate the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves that you⌃ go not up into the mountain, nor touch any part of it: every one that touches the mountain shall surely die. 13A hand shall not touch it, for every one that touches shall be stoned with stones or shot through with a dart, whether beast or whether man, it shall not live: when the voices and trumpets and cloud depart from off the mountain, they shall come up on the mountain. 14And Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified them, and they washed their clothes. 15And he said to the people, Be ready: for three days come not near to a woman. 16And it came to pass on the third day, as the morning drew near, there were voices and lightnings and a dark cloud on mount Sina: the voice of the trumpet sounded loud, and all the people in the camp trembled. 17And Moses led the people forth out of the camp to meet God, and they stood by under the camp. 18The mount of Sina was altogether on a smoke, because God had descended upon it in fire; and the smoke went up as the smoke of a furnace, and the people were exceedingly amazed. 19And the sounds of the trumpet were waxing very much louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with a voice.

Job 38.1-23; 42.1-5 (Vespers)

1And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, saying, 2Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in his heart, and thinks to conceal them from me? 3Gird your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and do you answer me. 4Where were you when I founded the earth? tell me now, if you have knowledge, 5who set the measures of it, if you know? or who stretched a line upon it? 6On what are its rings fastened? and who is he that laid the corner-stone upon it? 7When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud voice. 8And I shut up the sea with gates, when it rushed out, coming forth out its mother's womb. 9And I made a cloud its clothing, and swathed it in mist. 10And I set bounds to it, surrounding it with bars and gates. 11And I said to it, Hitherto shall you come, but you shall not go beyond, but your waves shall be confined within you. 12Or did I order the morning light in your time; and did the morning star then first see his appointed place; 13to lay hold of the extremities of the earth, to cast out the ungodly out of it? 14Or did you take clay of the ground, and form a living creature, and set it with the power of speech upon the earth? 15And have you removed light from the ungodly, and crushed the arm of the proud? 16Or have you gone to the source of the sea, and walked in the tracks of the deep? 17And do the gates of death open to you for fear; and did the porters of hell quake when they saw you? 18And have you been instructed in the breadth of the whole earth under heaven? tell me now, what is the extent of it? 19And in what kind of a land does the light dwell? and of what kind is the place of darkness? 20If you could bring me to their utmost boundaries, and if also you know their paths; 21I know then that you were born at that time, and the number of your years is great. 22But have you gone to the treasures of snow? and have you seen the treasures of hail? 23And is there a store of them, for you against the time of your enemies, for the day of wars and battle?

1Then Job answered and said to the Lord, 2I know that you can do all things, and nothing is impossible with you. 3For who is he that hides counsel from you? or who keeps back his words, and thinks to hide them from you? and who will tell me what I knew not, great and wonderful things which I understood not? 4But hear me, O Lord, that I also may speak: and I will ask you, and do you teach me. 5I have heard the report of you by the ear before; but now my eye has seen you.

Isaiah 50.4-11 (Vespers)

4The Lord even God gives me the tongue of instruction, to know when it is fit to speak a word: he has appointed for me early, he has given me an ear to hear: 5and the instruction of the Lord, even the Lord, opens my ears, and I do not disobey, nor dispute. 6I gave my back to scourges, and my cheeks to blows; and I turned not away my face from the shame of spitting: 7but the Lord God became my helper; therefore I was not ashamed, but I set my face as a solid rock; and I know that I shall never be ashamed, 8for he that has justified me draws near; who is he that pleads with me? let him stand up against me at the same time: yes, who is he that pleads with me? let him draw near to me. 9Behold, the Lord, the Lord, will help me; who will hurt me? behold, all you⌃ shall wax old as a garment, and a moth shall devour you. 10Who is among you that fears the Lord? let him listen to the voice of his servant: you⌃ that walk in darkness, and have no light, trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon God. 11Behold, you⌃ all kindle a fire, and feed a flame: walk in the light of your fire, and in the flame which you⌃ have kindled. This has happened to you for my sake; you⌃ shall lie down in sorrow.

Wisdom of Solomon 3.1-9 (Vespers, St Tikhon)

1But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. 2In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, 3And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. 4For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. 5And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself. 6As gold in the furnace has he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering. 7And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. 8They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. 9They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he has care for his elect.

Wisdom of Solomon 5.15-6.3 (Vespers, St Tikhon)

15But the righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the most High. 16Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord's hand: for with his right hand shall he cover them, and with his arm shall he protect them. 17He shall take to him his jealousy for complete armor, and make the creature his weapon for the revenge of his enemies. 18He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment instead of an helmet. 19He shall take holiness for an invincible shield. 20His severe wrath shall he sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with him against the unwise. 21Then shall the right aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they fly to the mark. 22And hailstones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them. 23Yes, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty.

1Hear therefore, O you⌃ kings, and understand; learn, you⌃ that be judges of the ends of the earth. 2Give ear, you⌃ that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations. 3For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.

Wisdom of Solomon 4.7-15 (Vespers, St Tikhon)

7But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. 8For honorable age is not that which stands in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. 9But wisdom is the gray hair to men, and an unspotted life is old age. 10He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated. 11Yes speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit decieve his soul. 12For the bewitching of naughtiness does obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence does undermine the simple mind. 13He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: 14For his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked. 15This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he has respect to his chosen.

John 10.1-9 (Matins Gospel, St Tikhon)

1“Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.” 6Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them.

7Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door. 8All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out and will find pasture.

1 Corinthians 11.23-32 (Epistle)

23For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread. 24When he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” 25In the same way he also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

27Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body. 30For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. 31For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged. 32But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

Hebrews 7.26-8.2 (Epistle, St Tikhon)

26For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27who doesn’t need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself. 28For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son forever who has been perfected.

1Now in the things which we are saying, the main point is this: we have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2a servant of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, not man.

Matthew 26:2-20; John 13:3-17; Matt 26:21-39; Luke 22:43-45; Matt 26:40-27:2 (Gospel, Composite)

2“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

3Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas. 4They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit and kill him. 5But they said, “Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people.”

6Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. 8But when his disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9For this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”

10However, knowing this, Jesus said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for me. 11For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me. 12For in pouring this ointment on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of as a memorial of her.”

14Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?” So they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16From that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

17Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

18He said, “Go into the city to a certain person, and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’”

19The disciples did as Jesus commanded them, and they prepared the Passover.

20Now when evening had come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God and was going to God, 4arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”

7Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”

8Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

10Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11For he knew him who would betray him; therefore he said, “You are not all clean.” 12So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. 14If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you. 16Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 21As they were eating, he said, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.”

22They were exceedingly sorrowful, and each began to ask him, “It isn’t me, is it, Lord?”

23He answered, “He who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me. 24The Son of Man goes even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”

25Judas, who betrayed him, answered, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You said it.”

26As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it, 28for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins. 29But I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

30When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

31Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32But after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.”

33But Peter answered him, “Even if all will be made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble.”

34Jesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you that tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

35Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.” All of the disciples also said likewise.

36Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go there and pray.” 37He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and severely troubled. 38Then Jesus said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me.”

39He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.”

43An angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. 44Being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.

45When he rose up from his prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief,

40He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What, couldn’t you watch with me for one hour? 41Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42Again, a second time he went away and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup can’t pass away from me unless I drink it, your desire be done.”

43He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44He left them again, went away, and prayed a third time, saying the same words. 45Then he came to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Arise, let’s be going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand.”

47While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, “Whoever I kiss, he is the one. Seize him.” 49Immediately he came to Jesus, and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

50Jesus said to him, “Friend, why are you here?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. 51Behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

52Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for all those who take the sword will die by the sword. 53Or do you think that I couldn’t ask my Father, and he would even now send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so?”

55In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and you didn’t arrest me.

56But all this has happened that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

57Those who had taken Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. 58But Peter followed him from a distance to the court of the high priest, and entered in and sat with the officers, to see the end.

59Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death, 60and they found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward 61and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.’”

62The high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that these testify against you?” 63But Jesus stayed silent. The high priest answered him, “I adjure you by the living God that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.”

64Jesus said to him, “You have said so. Nevertheless, I tell you, after this you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky.”

65Then the high priest tore his clothing, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy.

66What do you think?” They answered, “He is worthy of death!” 67Then they spat in his face and beat him with their fists, and some slapped him, 68saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who hit you?”

69Now Peter was sitting outside in the court, and a maid came to him, saying, “You were also with Jesus, the Galilean!”

70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

71When he had gone out onto the porch, someone else saw him and said to those who were there, “This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72Again he denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man.”

73After a little while those who stood by came and said to Peter, “Surely you are also one of them, for your speech makes you known.”

74Then he began to curse and to swear, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately the rooster crowed. 75Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Then he went out and wept bitterly.

1Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2They bound him, led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.

John 10.9-16 (Gospel, St Tikhon)

9I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out and will find pasture. 10The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own; 15even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.

John 13.1-11 (Gospel, At the Washing of the Feet)

1Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God and was going to God, 4arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”

7Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”

8Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

10Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11For he knew him who would betray him; therefore he said, “You are not all clean.”

John 13.12-17 (Gospel, After the Washing of the Feet)

12So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. 14If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you. 16Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

St Justin (Popovic) of Chelije in Serbia (1979) (March 25 OC)

He was born on the Feast of the Annunciation 1894, in Vranje, South Serbia, to a family whose seven previous generations had been headed by priests (Popovich means ‘family or son of a priest’ in Serbian). He began reading the scriptures at a young age, and as an adult carried a New Testament with him, reading three chapters every day. He studied at the Seminary of St Sava in Belgrade while St Nikolai Velimirovic (March 18) was on the faculty. In 1914, Blagoje (as he was called before his tonsure) completed the nine-year seminary program. He desired to become a monk, but postponed entry into the monastic ranks due to the outbreak of war and the poor health of his parents. He spent the war caring for his parents and serving as a student nurse.

In 1915 he was tonsured a monk under the name Justin, after St Justin the Philosopher. Shortly thereafter he traveled to Petrograd to study at the seminary; there he acquired a deep, first-hand knowledge of the Russian ascetical tradition and a lifelong love of Russian spirituality, especially that of the common people. He then attended Oxford University from 1916 to 1919, writing a doctoral dissertation which was rejected. After a brief return to Belgrade, he entered the Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Athens. As in Russia, he used his time there not merely to study but to drink in the Orthodox spirituality of the Greek people. He was ordained to the diaconate while in Greece, then to the priesthood after returning to Belgrade in 1922. He wept ‘as a newborn babe’ throughout his ordination service. One of his first labors as a priest was to translate the Divine Liturgy into modern Serbian. During this period he came to know Metropolitan Anthony Khrapovitsky (later first hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad) and St John Maximovich, both of whom were living in Serbia as exiles from the Russian Revolution.

Father Justin’s preaching, writing and spiritual counsel became known throughout his country. In 1931 he was sent to Czechoslovakia to help in reorganizing the Church there (then under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Church), which was greatly tried and weakened by Uniatism. Realizing the people’s crying need a clear exposition of the Faith in their own language, he began in 1932 his three-volume Dogmas of the Orthodox Church. The first volume was so well-received that Fr Justin was made Professor of Dogmatics at the Seminary of St Sava, where he remained, completing the Dogmas and several other books, until the end of World War II. The new atheistic Communist regime then banned him from the university system, and Fr Justin lived from that time on in various Serbian monasteries.

In 1948 he entered Chelije Monastery, where he remained until his repose in 1979. He became Archimandrite and spiritual head of the Monastery. It was during this period that he emerged as a great light of Orthodoxy: pious believers from all parts of Yugoslavia, from Greece, and from all over the world traveled to Chelije to hear the holy Justin’s preaching and seek his counsel.

Saint Justin reposed in peace in 1979 at the age of 85, on the Feast of the Annunciation — the date of his birth. Since his repose, many miracles have been witnessed at his grave: healings, flashes of unearthly light from his tomb, and conversions of unbelievers by his prayers. His many writings are increasingly recognized as a fount of pure Orthodox teaching in the midst of our dark time.

Note: St Justin is commemorated on the anniversary of his repose, so his commemoration only coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation on the Old Calendar.

Holy Martyr Calliopius, with his mother Theoclea (304)

Calliopius was the only son of a senator from Pamphylia and his wife Theoclea, who had long prayed to God for a child. The devout Theoclea reared her son in purity of life and love for God from infancy. When persecution of Christians broke out under Maximian, Theoclea put Calliopius aboard a ship bound for Pompeiopolis to save him from the persecutors. But Calliopius, as soon as he disembarked, encountered a pagan festival, where he was arrested when he refused to make sacrifice to the idols. Brought before the governor Maximus, he freely confessed that he was a Christian. For this he was cruelly tortured and thrown into prison. His mother, hearing of his torments, sold her goods and hurried to comfort him and encourage him in his martyrdom.

Calliopius was sentenced to death by crucifixion, as it happened on Holy Thursday; but the holy Theoclea bribed the officials to postpone the execution by one day, so that her son might imitate the Lord’s Crucifixion on the day that He endured it; she also prevailed upon the torturers to crucify Calliopius upside-down (like St Peter) in humility toward the Lord. When her son’s lifeless body was taken down from the cross, Theoclea cast herself upon it and died.

St George the Confessor, bishop of Mitylene (ca. 820)

The righteous George was Metropolitan of Mitylene. In his old age, a persecution was unleashed against the Church by the iconoclast Emperor Leo V (the Armenian). To further his plans, the Emperor summoned a Council of bishops which he expected to support his iconoclasm. At the Council, George and some other faithful bishops refused to follow the Emperor’s wishes, and openly stood in defense of the icons. For his stance, George was publicly humiliated, then sent into exile at Cherson on the Black Sea. There, after many years of extreme privation, the holy bishop died. By his prayers many were healed, both during his life and after his repose.

St Nilus (Nil Sorsky), abbot of Sora (1508)

St Nilus established the monastic skete (a community of monks living separately like hermits, but sharing some common life) in Russia. He took one side of a religious controversy that troubled the Russian Church’s life for many years. St Nilus and his disciples claimed that prayer and ascetic struggle are the whole purpose of monastic life, and opposed monastic ownership of property, or involvement in works such as almshouses, hospitals, and orphanages. Joseph, abbot of Volokalamsk, took up the argument on the other side, insisting that the Church and its monks should be involved in good works (and have the means to do those works) as well as in prayer. The two groups became known as the “Possessors” (Joseph’s side) and the “Non-Possessors” (Nilus’ side). Each group had reason to be troubled by the other’s extremes: Monasteries owned huge amounts of land, kept serfs, and were subject to corruption by involvement in finance; at the same time, the Church formed most of the ‘welfare’ system of Russia, and the Non-possessors did not suggest how the poor were to be tended, or orphans cared for, without the monasteries’ charity. Many of the Non-possessors tended toward a non-Russian and almost un-Orthodox puritanism, condemning beautiful churches and icons as diversions from true spirituality.

The Possessors (not surprisingly) were favored by the Tsarist government, and eventually won out. The artificial division of the Church into mystical and practical ‘parties,’ and the victory of one of the parties, led to a period of stagnation in the Russian church that was only corrected two hundred years later, when a great renewal of religious life, characterized by such holy Fathers as St Paisios Velichkovsky and St Seraphim of Sarov, restored the fullness and balance of Orthodox life to the Russian church.

An indication of the fullness of Orthodoxy: the Church has glorified not only St Nilus but his opponent St Joseph of Volokalamsk, who is commemorated on Sept. 9.

Saint Savvas the New of Kalymnos (1948) (March 25 OC)

He was born in Thrace to a poor family. Early in life he desired to become a monk and, failing to get his parents’ consent, left secretly for Mt Athos. After several years there, he traveled to Palestine, where he entered the Monastery of St George the Chozebite. In 1903 he was ordained to the priesthood. From 1907–1916 he lived in severe asceticism as a hermit on the banks of the Jordan. After living in several monasteries in Greece, he served with St Nektarios of Aegina for the last year of the Saint’s life (he reposed in 1920). After six more years on Aegina, Fr Savvas moved to the island of Kalymnos, where he spent the remainder of his life. He lived in quietness and asceticism, acquiring a reputation throughout the island as a confessor and spiritual father. He slept only a few hours each night, and gave away any money that came to him the same day, since he believed that it was wrong for a monk to have money in his cell after nightfall.

Saint Savvas reposed on the Old Calendar feast of the Annunciation in 1948. Innumerable miracles and healings have been wrought through his intercession. A striking example occurred in 1957: A group of young islanders were talking about the Saint, and one of them, who doubted his sanctity, said ‘If this lamp breaks I’ll believe.’ At that moment the lamp shattered spontaneously.

The following account is from Mother Nectaria McLees’ Evlogeite! A pilgrim’s guide to Greece: ‘His last words of counsel to his nuns were, “…love… is the bond of perfection,” and to the abbess he said, “Love, love, love (Agapa, agapa, agapa).” Then he clapped his hands six times, saying “The Lord, the Lord, the Lord…”

‘In 1957 his relics were uncovered in the presence of Metropolitan Isidoros of Kalymnos, who described them as “the bones being perfectly joined, and the vestments intact.” When the sepulchre was opened a divine and otherworldly fragrance covered the area, even to the outskirts of town far below. In 1961, an iconographer of the Skete of Kapsokalyvia on Mount Athos painted an icon of St. Savvas at Abbess Philothei’s request. The icon arrived by ferry, and as it was being transferred from the post office to the customs house where the nuns would pick it up, the convent bell began ringing by itself and continued until the icon was brought to the monastery.’