From the calendar 2027

Saturday, February 20

St Leo, Bishop of Catania

Appointed readings

2 passages

Epistle

2 Timothy 2:11–19

Open Reader ↗

11For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.

12If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.

13He cannot deny Himself.

14Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.

15Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

16But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.

17And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,

18who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.

19Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.'

Gospel

Luke 18:2–8

Open Reader ↗

2saying: 'There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.

3Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'

4And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man,

5yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.' '

6Then the Lord said, 'Hear what the unjust judge said.

7And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

8I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?'

The rhythm of the day

Fasting: Fast-free
Weekly tone: Tone 4

In remembrance

The saints commemorated this day

St Leo, Bishop of CataniaRead the life

He lived at the time of the first persecutions of the holy icons. He was born in Ravenna to a noble family, and became bishop of his native city. Soon his reputation as a true shepherd of Christ’s flock spread, and he was elected Bishop of Catania in Sicily. As is so often true even today, the city, though nominally Christian, was plagued by superstition and paganism. The holy bishop set about to turn the people away from error: by his prayers he caused a pagan temple to collapse and built a church on its site, dedicated to the Forty Maryrs of Sebaste. At that time the entire island was under the oppressive rule of a magus named Heliodorus, who used all his magical skills to oppress the people and advance himself. Though he had been taken captive by Imperial order, and condemned to death, he was always able to escape his captors by his occult skills.

Read the full life

St Bessarion the Great, wonder-worker of Egypt (466)Read the life

“An Egyptian by birth, Abba Bessarion was initiated into the angelic life by Saint Anthony the Great. He later became a disciple of Saint Macarius, the founder of Scetis (19 Jan.), and then set out to lead the life of a wanderer, borne hither and thither by Providence like a bird by the wind. All his wealth lay in the Gospel, which he always had in his hand. Living in the open air, he patiently endured all weathers, untroubled by care for a dwelling or for clothing. Fortified by the strength of the faith, he thus remained untouched by all the passions of the flesh.

Read the full life

Thirty-four Holy Martyrs of the Monastery of Valaam (1578)Read the life

These thirty-four venerable fathers of the Monastery of the Transfiguration at Valaam on Lake Ladoga were massacred by a party of converts to Lutheranism who besieged the monastery and attempted to make the brethren renounce the Orthodox Faith.