3RD TUESDAY OF LENT
ABSTAIN FROM MEAT, FISH, DAIRY, EGGS, WINE, OLIVE OIL
Titus the Wonderworker, Theodora the Virgin-martyr of Palestine, Amphianos & Aedesios the Martyrs of Lycia
ISAIAH 9:9-10:4
Thus says the LORD: “And all the people will know, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart: ‘The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.'” So the LORD raises adversaries against them, and stirs up their enemies. The Syrians on the east and the Philistines on the west devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away and his hand is stretched out still. The people did not turn to him who smote them, nor seek the LORD of hosts. So the LORD cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day – the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail; for those who lead this people lead them astray, and those who are led by them are swallowed up. Therefore the Lord does not rejoice over their young men, and has no compassion on their fatherless and widows; for every one is godless and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger is not turned away and his hand is stretched out still. For wickedness burns like a fire, it consumes briers and thorns; it kindles the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke. Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts the land is burned, and the people are like fuel for the fire; no man spares his brother. They snatch on the right, but are still hungry, and they devour on the left, but are not satisfied; each devours his neighbor’s flesh, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh, and together they are against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away and his hand is stretched out still. Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! What will you do on the day of punishment, in the storm which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth? Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away and his hand is stretched out still.
GENESIS 7:1-5
Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate; and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive upon the face of all the earth. For in seven days I will send rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.
PROVERBS 8:32-9:11
And now, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.
Happy is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD; but he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death."
Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table. She has sent out her maids to call from the highest places in the town,
Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" To him who is without sense she says,
Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave simpleness, and live, and walk in the way of insight."
He who corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.
Venerable Titus the Wonderworker
From his youth Saint Titus the Wonderworker displayed zeal for the monastic life. He labored in asceticism in the IX century at the Studion Monastery near Constantinople. By his fasting, and meek disposition, Saint Titus gained the love of the brethren, and at their request he was ordained as a Hieromonk.
His soul was filled with fervent love for God and for his neighbor. As the Lord had said to His disciples, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work" (John 4:34). So it was with Saint Titus. His food was to do the will of the heavenly Father in every way, and to utilize his life for the moral and spiritual building of his brethren (I Corinthians 3:9). Because of the purity of his soul and his virtuous life, God rewarded him with the gift of working miracles. Thus, he became the Spiritual Father of many laymen and monks who received benefit from his advice.
Saint Titus defended the Orthodox veneration of the Holy Icons during the Iconoclastic persecution, remaining steadfast in the Faith until the end of his life, then he departed to the Lord.
Martyrs Amphianus and Edesius of Lycia
The Holy Martyrs Amphianus (Apphianus) and Edesius (Aidesius) were brothers. They lived in the city of Patara (province of Lycia) in the family of the pagan governor. They went to the city of Beirut to study the pagan sciences. There they became ardent followers of Christ.
The holy brothers left their pagan parents and went to Alexandrian Caesarea, where they found an instructor, Saint Pamphilius (February 16), and under his guidance they became accomplished in the spiritual life, spending their time in prayer and the study of sacred books.
By decree of the emperor Maximian (305-313), a zealous pagan and cruel persecutor of Christians, all the inhabitants of Caesarea were required to offer public sacrifice. Many Christians, including Saints Amphianus and Edesius, had to hide in order to avoid sacrificing to idols.
When the city prefect of Caesarea was about to offer sacrifice to idols, Saint Amphianus boldly went into the temple, took the prefect’s hand, and urged him to abandon his error and believe in Christ.
By order of the governor, soldiers seized Saint Amphianus, fiercely beat him and then threw him in prison. Two days later they led him to trial, where they beat him with iron rods and burned his body with bundles of flax soaked in oil.
The brave youth, steadfastly confessing his faith in Christ, was then thrown into the sea with a stone about his neck. Suddenly a storm arose, and the waves carried the martyr’s body to shore, where it was buried by Christians.
After a while they freed Saint Edesius and sent him to Alexandria. There he boldly denounced the governor Hierokles for his extreme cruelty towards Christians. Saint Edesius was tortured and then drowned.
Martyr Polycarp of Alexandria
The Holy Martyr Polycarp was killed after he denounced the impious Emperor Maximian (305-313) for shedding the blood of innocent Christians in the city of Alexandria. As a devout Christian who was filled with zeal for God, he could not simply stand by when every day he saw many of the faithful being tortured because they refused to deny Christ.
One day Saint Polycarp saw the ruler sitting in his chair and watching as the blood of Christians flowed like water. The Saint stood before him and questioned him saying, "Why have you so forgotten human nature, you insatiable dog, that you cut down your relatives and fellow countrymen with swords like wood, because they proclaim the one true God and refute the error of idolatry; just as I do, who am a servant of Christ?"
Because he angered the ruler by saying such things, Saint Polycarp was arrested and tortured. Finally, he was beheaded, dying with the name of Christ on his lips. By being cut down like a vine-branch, he offered much fruit to Christ, and received the crown of martyrdom.
Saint George Matskevereli of Georgia
A few biographical details about Saint George of Atsquri have been preserved in the writings of the famous 10th-century Georgian hagiographers George Merchule and Basil of Zarzma.
Saint George of Atsquri lived at the end of the 9th and the beginning of the 10th centuries. A member of the aristocratic and pious Shuartqeli family, Saint George was raised and educated in the environs of Georgia’s renowned Opiza Monastery in Klarjeti.
Four years after the death of the great feudal lord George Chorchaneli, Saint George succeeded him as ruler of the Samtskhe region. At that time a bitter conflict arose over who was the rightful heir to Chorchaneli’s inheritance.
While serving as the chief political leader of Samtskhe, Saint George also directed the region’s spiritual life, wisely administering the ancient Atsquri diocese for many years. According to tradition, the diocese of Atsquri was founded by the holy Apostle Andrew the First-called, who left there the “Not-Made-By-Hands” icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (known as the Atsquri Icon of the Mother of God) as an offering to the Georgian Church.
Though his literary works have not been preserved, Saint George is also commemorated as a great writer of the Church.
In his book The Life of Saint Grigol of Khandzta, Saint George Merchule notes that Saint George of Atsquri made some of the most significant contributions to the biographical writings on Saint Grigol of Khandzta. Saint George of Atsquri was a close companion of Saint Serapion of Zarzma. He was present at his burial and contributed much to the hagiographical writings on his life and works.
Virgin Martyr Theodora of Tyre
Saint Theodora came from Tyre in Phoenicia. When she was seventeen years of age, she was brought before Urban, the ruler of Palestine, who asked her if she really believed in Christ. With remarkable courage, the holy virgin confessed that she truly believed. Then they flayed her sides and her breasts. Afterward, they threw her into the sea, where she surrendered her soul to God, thereby receiving a martyr's crown.
Saint Νikόdēmos of the Holy Mountain thought it very likely that this Saint is the same as Saint Theodosia (May 29), because their Lives are almost identical.
Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church 