St. James the Confessor, bishop, of the Studion (8th c.-9th c.). St. Seraphim of Vyritsa (1949).
St. Cyril, bishop of Catania (1st c.-2nd c.). St. Thomas, patriarch of Constantinople (610).
St. Beryllus, bishop of Catania (2nd c.). St. Serapion, bishop of Thmuis, Egypt (ca. 358). St. Lupicinus, desert-dweller, of the Jura Mountains (Gaul) (480). St. Enda, monk, of Aran (Ireland) (530). St. Sophronius, abbot, of the monastery of St. Theodosius in Palestine (542). St. Pachomius, abbot, of Nerekhta (1384). New Martyr Michael of Agrapha, at Thessalonica (1544). Martyrs Philemon and Domninus of Rome. St. Serapion the Sindonite, monk, of Egypt (5th c.) (Gr. Cal).
Friday.
The holy 40 days of Great Lent have come to an end! Now
each of you sit and calculate the result—what was
there in the beginning and what is there now? There was
buying, so what are the gains? Is there at least a small
profit? We have stepped into the arena: so, did we run,
and having run, did we achieve what we expected? A
struggle was announced: so, did we arm ourselves, did we
fight, and having fought did we fall, or conquer?
Attentive and vigilant fasters, having laboured with
contrite and humbled hearts, upon looking back cannot but
rejoice. However, for us, careless and flesh-pleasing,
concerned only with fleshly comforts and things that
please us, there is always only shame. But even this is
lacking. Some take a beating but feel no pain, because
they have a copper forehead and an iron neck.