Thursday 26th February 2026
Lenten Fast: strict fast
Today we commemorate:
St. Porphyrios, bishop of Gaza (420). Holy Martyr Sebastian (66). Great-martyr Photini the Samaritan Woman and her martyred sisters Anatola, Phota, Photis, Parasceva, and Cyriaca; her sons Photinus and Joses; and Sebastian the Duke, Victor, and Christodulus; martyrs under Nero (66). Holy Martyr Theoclitas, martyred with St. Photina. New Martyr John Calphas (‘the Apprentice’) at Constantinople (1575).
Isaiah 2:11-21; Genesis 2:4-19; Proverbs 3:1-18; Great Compline: Matthew 7:7-11
Isaiah 2:11-21
On that day the Lord alone will be exalted. For the day of the Lord of hosts will come upon everyone who is insolent and proud, upon all who are arrogant and haughty, and they will be humbled; upon every cedar of Lebanon, those who are arrogant and haughty, and upon every oak tree of Bashan; upon every mountain and upon every high hill; upon every high tower and upon every high wall; upon every sea-going vessel and upon every spectacle of fine ships. Every individual will be humbled and the pride of human beings brought low. The Lord alone will be exalted on that day. They will hide everything their hands have made, carrying them into caves, into clefts in the rocks and into caverns beneath the ground, in the face of the fear of the Lord and of the glory of his strength when he arises to crush the earth. On that day people will throw out their abominations of silver and gold, the objects they made for the worship of phantoms and creatures of the night; they will go into caves of solid rock, into clefts in the rocks, in the face of the fear of the Lord and of the glory of his strength when he arises to crush the earth.
Genesis 2:4-19
This is the book of the genesis of heaven and earth when they came to be on the day that the Lord God made heaven and earth and all the plants of the field before they appeared on earth, and all the grasslands before they sprang up. For God had not sent rain upon the earth and there was no one to till it, but a spring welled up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the earth. Then God formed man from the dust of the earth and breathed into his face the breath of life, and the man became a living being. And God planted a garden towards the east in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground God caused to spring up every tree that is pleasant to look at and good for food, and also, in the middle of the garden, the tree of life and the tree of knowing all that is to be known of good and evil. A river went out from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided into four headwaters. The name of the first is Phison: this encircles the whole land of Havilah where there is gold, and the gold of that land is good, and carbuncle and emerald are there. The name of the second river is Gihon: this encircles the whole land of Ethiopia. The third river is the Tigris: this one flows down beside Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. The Lord God took the man whom he had formed and put him in the garden of delight to work it and to care for it. And the Lord God commanded Adam, saying, ‘From every tree that is in the garden you may eat, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you may not eat; if you do eat from it, on that day you will certainly die.’ The Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone. Let us make a suitable helper for him.’ And from earth God formed all the wild animals of the field and all the birds of the air. He then brought them to Adam to see what he would call them, and whatever it was that Adam called any living creature, that was its name.
Proverbs 3:1-18
My son, do not forget my law but let your heart guard my words. For length of days and years of life and peace will be added to you. Do not let mercy and faith forsake you. Bind them around your neck and write them on the tablets of your heart. By so doing you will find grace and think of what is noble in the sight of the Lord and of men. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not be exalted in your own estimation. In all your ways acquaint yourself with her so that you may rightly direct your paths, and so that your feet do not stumble. And do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear God and keep yourself from every wickedness. Then there will be healing for your body and care for your bones. Honour the Lord with your righteous labours and give him the firstfruits of your righteousness so that your barns may be filled with abundance of grain and your presses overflow with wine. My son, do not despise the correction of the Lord nor faint when you are rebuked by him. For whom the Lord loves he corrects, and he disciplines every son whom he receives. Blessed is the one who has found wisdom and those who understand discernment, for it is better to trade for her than for treasures of gold and silver. She is more precious than valuable stones. No evil can withstand her. She is well known to all who draw near to her. No precious thing is her equal, for length of days and years of life are in her right hand, and in her left hand are riches and glory. Out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy on her tongue. Her ways are good ways and all her paths are of peace. She is a tree of life to all who lay hold of her, and she is a protection to those who anchor themselves to her, as to the Lord.
Great Compline:
Matthew 7:7-11
The Lord said, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks, receives; and everyone who seeks, finds; and for everyone who knocks, it will be opened. Who among you, if your children ask for bread, would offer them a stone? Or if they ask for a fish, would offer them a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.’
The text and chapter and verse references of the Old Testament readings are those of the Septuagint