The more accurate and exacting of the commentators on the four Gospels say that two women anointed the Lord, one long before His Passion, and one a few days before. One of these was a harlot, while the other was a chaste, virtuous woman. On this day the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates this act of piety and righteousness which proceeded from the harlot, contrasting it with the treachery of Judas and his betrayal of Christ. Both of these acts fell on Wednesday, corresponding to the twenty-first of March, two days before the Mosaic Passover, as it appears from the course of the account of Saint Matthew the Evangelist.

The above mentioned harlot anointed the head and feet of Jesus with spikenard, and wiped them with the hair of her head. The precious ointment was worth three hundred dinars, or about fifteen pieces of Venetian gold. When the disciples saw this they stumbled, especially Judas, the money-lover, and were angry because of the wasting of such an amount of ointment. Jesus rebuked them, lest the woman be embarrassed. Judas was wroth, and went to the high priests, where they were gathered in the house of Caiaphas, taking counsel against Jesus, and agreed with them to deliver the Master for thirty pieces of silver. From that time Judas sought an opportunity to deliver Him. Because of this the fast of Wednesday was instituted from the days of the apostolic age itself.

Wherefore, O Christ God, anointed with the supersensuous ointment, deliver us from suffering, and have mercy upon us.