Monday 23rd February 2026
Great Lent begins: strict fast
Today we commemorate:
Holy Hieromartyr Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna (167). SS John the Syrian, Moses, Antioch, Antoninus, Moses, Zebinas, Polychronius, Damian, ascetics of the Syrian desert (5th C). St. Gorgonia, sister of St. Gregory the Theologian (372). St. Damian of Esphigmenou, Mt Athos (1280). New Monk-martyr Damian the New of Philotheou, who suffered at Larissa (1568). Holy Hieromartyr Proterios, patriarch of Alexandria, and six companions (457).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Jurmin of East Anglia, confessor (7th C). St. Milburgh, abbess of Wenlock (7th C). St. Boswell, abbot of Melrose (c.661).
Isaiah 1:1-20; Genesis 1:1-13; Proverbs 1:1-20; Great Compline: Luke 21:8-36
Isaiah 1:1-20
A vision that Isaiah the son of Amos saw, a vision against Judah and against Jerusalem in the reign of Uzziah and Jotham and Ahaz and Hezekiah who ruled over Judah. Hear, O heaven, and listen, O earth, for the Lord has spoken, ‘I fathered children and raised them, but they rejected me. The ox knows its owner and the ass its master’s trough, but Israel does not know me and the people have not understood me.’ Alas, sinful nation, a people full of sins, an evil brood, lawless children, you forsook the Lord and provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel. Why continue to be beaten as you go on transgressing? The whole head is in pain and the whole heart grieves. From head to foot there is no wholeness. There is no wound or bruise or putrefying sore for which there is ointment to apply, or oil or bandages. Your country lies desolate; your cities are burnt with fire; strangers devour your land before your eyes and it is laid waste, destroyed by foreign peoples. The daughter of Zion will be abandoned like a shelter in a vineyard, like a shed in a field of cucumbers, like a city under siege, and if the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring we should have become like Sodom and have resembled Gomorrah. Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of God, you people of Gomorrah. ‘What to me are your many sacrifices?’ says the Lord. ‘I am sated with the whole burnt offerings of rams. I do not want the fat of lambs or the blood of bulls and goats, not even when you come into my presence, for who demanded these things from your hands, for you to set foot in my court. If you should offer fine flour, it would be in vain. Incense is an abomination to me, as are your new moons and Sabbaths and festivals. I cannot endure your fasting and your days of rest. Your new moons and your feasts my soul hates. You have become repugnant to me. I shall no longer forgive your sins. When you stretch out your hands to me, I shall turn away my eyes from you. Even if you make many prayers I shall not listen to you, for your hands are full of blood. Wash and be clean. Purge from your souls the evil that you do in my sight. Cease from doing what is evil, learn to do good. Seek justice and rescue those who have been wronged. Defend the orphan and secure justice for the widow.’
‘Come, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like crimson I shall make them white as snow, and though they are like scarlet I shall make them white as wool. If you are willing and listen to me, you will eat the good produce of the land. But if you are not willing, and do not listen to me, the sword will destroy you.’ For the mouth of the Lord has said this.
Genesis 1:1-13
In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. The earth was invisible and formless, and darkness was upon the deep. Then the Spirit of God surged over the water, and God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw the light, that it was good, and God set apart the light that was good, God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. There was evening and there was morning, one day. And God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water, and let it separate water from water,’ and it was so. God made the firmament, and God separated the water that was under the firmament from the water that was above the firmament. God called the firmament heaven, and God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning, a second day. Then God said, ‘Let the water that is under the heaven be gathered into one mass and let the dry land appear,’ and it was so. The water that was under the heaven was gathered together into their masses and the dry land appeared. God called the dry land earth, and the gatherings of the waters he called seas, and God saw that it was good. And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grassland vegetation that sows seed according to its kind and likeness, and fruit trees bearing fruit whose seed is within it according to its kind on the earth,’ and it was so. The earth brought forth grassland vegetation sowing seed according to its kind and likeness, and fruit trees bearing fruit whose seed is within it according to its kind on the earth, and God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning, a third day.
Proverbs 1:1-20
The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, who reigned in Israel. They give wisdom and instruction so that one may understand knowledge, may have subtlety of speech and discern true righteousness and judge justly, and so that one may give understanding to the simple and perception and insight to the young. By studying these the wise will become wiser, and the knowledgeable will gain direction. They will be able to understand parables and difficult sayings, and also the teaching of the wise and deep mysteries. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom which gives depth of understanding to all those who practise it. Godliness is the beginning of perception, but the ungodly set at nothing wisdom and instruction. My son, listen to the teaching of your father and do not reject your mother’s instructions, for you will receive a crown of graces upon your head and a golden chain around your neck. My son, do not let ungodly men lead you astray, nor agree with them when they entice you, saying, ‘Come with us, let us shed blood for no good reason and bury an innocent man in the ground. As Hades swallows the living, let us swallow him and take away his memory from the earth. Let us seize his valuables and fill our homes with the spoils. Cast your lot in with us and let us all have one purse and a common wallet.’ Do not follow their ways but walk away from their paths, for their feet run towards iniquity and they are quick to shed blood. Not without good reason are nets spread to catch birds. By indulging in murder they store up evil for themselves, for the downfall of lawless men is terrible. This is the destiny of all who do evil deeds, for by ungodliness they destroy their own soul. Wisdom sings aloud in the streets; she strides boldly in the squares.
Great Compline:
Luke 21:8-36
The Lord said, ‘See that you are not led astray, because many will come in my name and say, “I am he” and, “The time has come.” Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened because these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.’ Then he told them, ‘Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes everywhere and famines and plagues, and there will be terrors and mighty signs from heaven. But before all this you will be seized and persecuted, delivered up to the synagogues and prisons, brought before kings and governors on account of my name. You will be called upon to testify, but make up your minds not to rehearse your defence in advance because I shall give you a voice and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to refute or resist. You will be betrayed, even by parents and relatives and friends and brothers and sisters, and they will put some of you to death. Yes, you will be hated by everyone because of my name, but not a hair on your head will perish. Through your endurance you will take possession of your souls. When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that her destruction is near. Those in Judaea should then flee to the mountains, and those in the city should leave, and those out in the countryside should not go there. For these are days of retribution, the fulfilment of everything that has been written. Pity those who are with child and those breast-feeding in those days, for at that time there will be great distress across the land and anger against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away captive to all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled by the nations until the time for the nations is fulfilled. Then there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on earth the distress of nations in turmoil, the roaring of sea and wave. People’s hearts will fail from fear and dread of what is coming upon the world because the powers of the heavens will be toppled. And they will then see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near.’ Then he told them a parable. ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When it is time for them to bud, you notice, and you know that summer is already at hand. In this way, when you see these things happening, you will know that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Truly I say to you that this generation will not pass away until everything has happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Have regard to yourselves so that your minds do not become dulled by overindulgence and drunkenness and life’s cares, for then that Day may creep up on you suddenly because it will spring like a trap upon everyone living on the face of the whole earth. Therefore be vigilant at all times, and pray that you may be counted worthy to escape all that is going to happen and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man.’
The text and chapter and verse references of the Old Testament readings are those of the Septuagint