Isaiah 3.1-14 (6th Hour)

1Behold now, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, will take away from Jerusalem and from Judea the mighty man and mighty woman, the strength of bread, and the strength of water, 2the great and mighty man, the warrior and the judge, and the prophet, and the counsellor, and the elder, 3the captain of fifty also, and the honorable counsellor, and the wise artificer, and the intelligent hearer. 4And I will make youths their princes, and mockers shall have dominion over them. 5And the people shall fall, man upon man, and every man upon his neighbor: the child shall insult the elder man, and the base the honorable. 6For a man shall lay hold of his brother, as one of his father's household, saying, You have raiment, be you our ruler, and let my meat be under you. 7And he shall answer in that day, and say, I will not be your ruler; for I have no bread in my house, nor raiment: I will not be the ruler of this people. 8For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judea has fallen, and their tongues have spoken with iniquity, disobedient as they are towards the Lord. 9Therefore now their glory has been brought low, and the shame of their countenance has withstood them, and they have proclaimed their sin as Sodom, and made it manifest. 10Woe to their soul, for they have devised an evil counsel against themselves, saying against themselves, Let us bind the just, for he is burdensome to us: therefore shall they eat the fruits of their works. 11Woe to the transgressor! evils shall happen to him according to the works of his hands. 12O my people, your exactors strip you, and extortioners rule over you: O my people, they that pronounce you blessed lead you astray, and pervert the path of your feet. 13But now the Lord will stand up for judgment, and will enter into judgment with his people. 14The Lord himself shall enter into judgment with the elders of the people, and with their rulers: but why have you⌃ set my vineyard on fire, and why is the spoil of the poor in your houses?

Genesis 2.20-3.20 (Vespers)

20And Adam gave names to all the cattle and to all the birds of the sky, and to all the wild beasts of the field, but for Adam there was not found a help like to himself. 21And God brought a trance upon Adam, and he slept, and he took one of his ribs, and filled up the flesh instead thereof. 22And God formed the rib which he took from Adam into a woman, and brought her to Adam. 23And Adam said, This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of her husband. 24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

1And the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed. Now the serpent was the most crafty of all the brutes on the earth, which the Lord God made, and the serpent said to the woman, Therefore has God said, Eat not of every tree of the garden? 2And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, 3but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God said, You⌃ shall not eat of it, neither shall you⌃ touch it, lest you⌃ die. 4And the serpent said to the woman, You⌃ shall not surely die. 5For God knew that in whatever day you⌃ should eat of it your eyes would be opened, and you⌃ would be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes to look upon and beautiful to contemplate, and having taken of its fruit she ate, and she gave to her husband also with her, and they ate. 7And the eyes of both were opened, and they perceived that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons to go round them. 8And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the afternoon; and both Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face of the Lord God in the midst of the trees of the garden. 9And the Lord God called Adam and said to him, Adam, where are you? 10And he said to him, I heard your voice as you walked in the garden, and I feared because I was naked and I hid myself. 11And God said to him, Who told you that you were naked, unless you have eaten of the tree concerning which I charged you of it alone not to eat? 12And Adam said, The woman whom you gave to be with me—she gave me of the tree and I ate. 13And the Lord God said to the woman, Why have you done this? And the woman said, The serpent deceived me and I ate. 14And the Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this you are cursed above all cattle and all the brutes of the earth, on your breast and belly you shall go, and you shall eat earth all the days of your life. 15And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed, he shall watch against your head, and you shall watch against his heel. 16And to the woman he said, I will greatly multiply your pains and your groanings; in pain you shall bring forth children, and your submission shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you. 17And to Adam he said, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and eaten of the tree concerning which I charged you of it only not to eat—of that you have eaten, cursed is the ground in your labors, in pain shall you eat of it all the days of your life. 18Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. 19In the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread until you return to the earth out of which you were taken, for earth you are and to earth you shall return. 20And Adam called the name of his wife Life, because she was the mother of all living.

Proverbs 3.19-34 (Vespers)

19God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens. 20By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water. 21My son, let them not pass from you, but keep my counsel and understanding: 22that your soul may live, and that there may be grace round your neck; and it shall be health to your flesh, and safety to your bones: 23that you may go confidently in peace in all your ways, and that your foot may not stumble. 24For if you rest, you shall be undismayed; and if you sleep, you shall slumber sweetly. 25And you shall not be afraid of alarm coming upon you, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men. 26For the Lord shall be over all your ways, and shall establish your foot that you be not moved. 27Forbear not to do good to the poor, whenever your hand may have power to help him. 28Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while you are able to do him good: for you know not what the next day will bring forth. 29Devise not evil against your friend, living near you and trusting in you. 30Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do you some harm. 31Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do you covet their ways. 32For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous. 33The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed. 34The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.

Hebrews 7.7-17 (Epistle, Meeting)

7But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives. 9We can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes, 10for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him.

11Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also in the law. 13For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, about which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15This is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest, 16who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life; 17for it is testified, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Luke 2.22-40 (Gospel, Meeting)

22When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

25Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the custom of the law, 28then he received him into his arms and blessed God, and said, 29“Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace; 30for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31which you have prepared before the face of all peoples; 32a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”

33Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him. 34Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. 35Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

36There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, 37and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day. 38Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.

39When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

Martyr Nicephorus of Antioch

Sapricius the priest and the layman Nicephorus lived in Antioch of Syria. Though they were the closest of friends, a disagreement between them led to estrangement and then to outright enmity. In time, Nicephorus came to himself and realized that reconciliation and love among brethren are precious in the sight of the Lord, and he sent to Sapricius to ask his forgiveness for Christ’s sake. But his messengers were turned away, and Sapricius coldly refused any reconciliation. At the same time he violated the Lord’s commandment by continuing to serve at the altar without seeking to make peace. Nicephorus finally went in person and threw himself at Sapricius’ feet, but even this had no effect.

Soon, persecution of Christians broke out, and Sapricius was arrested. When he confessed Christ without fear or hesitation, and refused to make sacrifice to the idols even under torture, he was condemned to be beheaded. Nicephorus was distressed that Sapricius might give his life in Christ’s name while still at enmity with a brother; and that he himself would lose his chance to make peace. As Sapricius was being led to the place of execution, Nicephorus went on his knees before him and cried ‘Martyr of Christ, forgive me the offences for which you are angry with me!’ Still, Sapricius coldly spurned his former friend’s pleas. For this reason, as the executioner was raising his sword, and the crown of martyrdom was only seconds away, God withdrew his grace from the priest, who turned to the executioner and declared his readiness to adore the idols. Nicephorus, who was among the witnesses, begged him not to apostatise, but his words were of no effect. Nicephorus then turned to the executioner and shouted ‘I am a Christian! I believe in our Lord Jesus Christ whom he has just denied. Let him go and put me to death in his place!’

The Governor agreed, and ordered the release of Sapricius and the execution of Nicephorus. The Martyr laid his neck on the block joyfully and claimed the crown that Sapricius had thrown away. The Synaxarion concludes:

‘When he departed for heaven to receive the crown of glory, Saint Nicephorus left to us Christians a vivid illustration of these words uttered by the Holy Spirit: If I deliver my body to be burned but have no love, I gain nothing (1 Cor. 13:3). If you do not forgive men their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses… For the measure you give will be the measure you get (Matt. 6:15; 7:2).’

Hieromartyr Peter of Damascus, bishop of Damascus (ca. 776)

“Saint Peter was Bishop of Damascus during the reign of Constantine Copronymus (c. 776) and a contemporary of Saint John of Damascus. He was arrested on the orders of the Caliph Walid for castigating the heretical doctrines of the Muslims and the Manichaeans. His tongue was cut out and he was exiled to South Arabia (Arabia Felix), where he continued to teach the true Faith and to serve the holy Mysteries until he entered into the reward of his labours in heaven.’ (Synaxarion)

Peter of Damascus, Hesychast (12th c.)

Little is known of him except by his writings in the Philokalia . Saint Nikodemos, compiler of the Philokalia, writes that his work is ‘a recapitulation of holy watchfulness… a circle within a circle, a concentrated Philokalia within the more extendedPhilokalia.’