Thursday 24th April 2025
Bright Thursday
Today we commemorate:
Holy Martyr Sabbas Stratelates (‘the General’) of Rome, and 70 soldiers with him (272). St. Elizabeth the Wonderworker of Constantinople (540). Holy martyr Alexander of Lyons (177). St. Thomas the Fool-for-Christ, of Syria (550). New martyr Luke the tailor of Mytilene (1564). New martyr Doukas of Mitylene (1752). New martyr Nicholas of Magnesia (1795). St. Elias (Iorest) (1678) and St. Sava (Brancovici) (1683), metropolitans of Ardeal, confessors against the Calvinists.
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Mellitus, 3rd archbishop of Canterbury (624). St. Egbert of Lindisfarne (729). St. Dyfnan, son of King Brychan. St. Ivo, hermit of Huntingdonshire (1001).
Acts 2:38-43; John 3:1-15
Readings in bold type are those appointed by the Typikon for use at the Liturgy
Acts 2:38-43
Peter said to the people, ‘Repent and let each of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God shall call.’ With many other words he testified and urged them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this perverse generation.’ Then those who gladly accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand souls were added on that day. They continued to devote themselves to the Apostles’ teaching, and to the fellowship and the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. Fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were performed through the Apostles.
John 3:1-15
There was a man among the Pharisees whose name was Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform the signs that you do if God were not with him.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly, truly I tell you that without being born anew no one can see the Kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus asked him, ‘How can someone who is old be born? Can one enter the mother’s womb a second time and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly I tell you that without being born of water and the Spirit no one can enter the Kingdom of God. What has been born of the flesh is flesh, and what has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I told you that you must be born anew. The wind blows where it wills and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who has been born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus asked him, ‘How can that be?’ And Jesus replied, ‘You are the teacher of Israel. Do you do not understand these things? Truly, truly I tell you that we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. If I speak to you of earthly things and you do not believe, how are you to believe if I speak to you of heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is of heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have everlasting life.’