2024

On Sunday | December 22

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The Readings for the Commemoration

2024

December 22

Sunday Before Christmas

The Readings from Vespers the Previous Evening

From Menaion - - -

Gn 14:14 – 20a

Now when Abram heard his brother Lot was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants, born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. So he divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked and pursued them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. So he brought back all the cavalry of Sodom, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. Then the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings with him. Now Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. He blessed Abram and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hands.” [SAAS]

Dt 1:8 – 11, 15 – 17

Moses spoke to the sons of Israel: Behold, I am delivering the land in your presence; go in and inherit the land I swore to your fathers – to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – to give it to them and their seed after them. So I spoke to you at that time, saying, ‘I alone am not able to bear you. The Lord your God multiplied you, and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude. May the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you, just as He said.’ So I took from you wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men and made them leaders over you: leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens; judges to interpret the law for you. Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the resident alien with him. You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall judge the small and the great; you shall not shrink before any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s.’ [SAAS]

Dt 10:14 – 18, 20 – 21

Moses spoke to the sons of Israel: Indeed, heaven and heaven of heaven belong to the Lord your God, also the earth and everything in it. The Lord chose your fathers to love them; and He chose their seed after them, you above all nations, as it is this day. Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, and loves the resident alien, giving him food and clothing. You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and hold fast to Him, and take oaths in His name. He is your boast and your God, who did these great and glorious things for you, the things you saw with your own eyes. [SAAS]

The Epistle

Sunday Before Christmas

The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews.

Heb. 11:9 – 10, 32 – 40

Brethren, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets — who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated — of whom the world was not worthy — wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. [RSV]

The Gospel

Sunday Before Christmas

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 1:1 – 25

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Ammin′adab, and Ammin′adab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Bo′az by Rahab, and Bo′az the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uri′ah, and Solomon the father of Rehobo′am, and Rehobo′am the father of Abi′jah, and Abi′jah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehosh′aphat, and Jehosh′aphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzzi′ah, and Uzzi′ah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezeki′ah, and Hezeki′ah the father of Manas′seh, and Manas′seh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josi′ah, and Josi′ah the father of Jechoni′ah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoni′ah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerub′babel, and Zerub′babel the father of Abi′ud, and Abi′ud the father of Eli′akim, and Eli′akim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eli′ud, and Eli′ud the father of Elea′zar, and Elea′zar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne her firstborn son; and he called his name Jesus. [RSV]

Memory of the St. Anastasia Pharmakolytria

The Epistle

For the Holy Woman.

The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians.

Gal. 3:23 – 29; 4:1 – 5

Brethren, before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental principles of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. [RSV]

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Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On December 22, we commemorate the holy Great-martyr Anastasia Pharmacolytria.

On this day we also commemorate the holy Martyr Chrysogonos.

On this day we also commemorate the holy Martyr Theodota and her children.

On this day we also commemorate the holy Martyr Zoilos.

On this day was the door-opening of the Great Church of God.

On this day was the procession with lights at the Church of God.

On this day, the Sunday before the Nativity of Christ, we have been enjoined by our holy and God-bearing Fathers to commemorate all those who from the beginning of time were well-pleasing to God, from Adam to Joseph the Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos, according to the genealogy, as the Evangelist Luke enumerated in historical order; and also the Prophets and Prophetesses.

We commemorate Adam and Eve, the first fashioned.

We commemorate the righteous Abel, the son of Adam.

We commemorate the righteous Seth, the son of Adam.

We commemorate the righteous Enosh, the son of Seth.

We commemorate the righteous Cainan, the son of Enosh.

We commemorate the righteous Mahalalel, the son of Cainan.

We commemorate the righteous Jared, the son of Mahalalel.

We commemorate the righteous Enoch, the son of Jared.

We commemorate the righteous Methuselah, the son of Enoch.

We commemorate the righteous Lamech, the son of Methuselah.

We commemorate the righteous Noah, the son of Lamech.

We commemorate the righteous Shem, the son of Noah.

We commemorate the righteous Japheth, the son of Noah.

We commemorate the righteous Arphaxad, the son of Shem.

We commemorate the righteous Cainan, the son of Arphaxad.

We commemorate the righteous Shelah, the son of Cainan.

We commemorate the righteous Eber, from whom the Jews were called Hebrews.

We commemorate the righteous Peleg, the son of Eber.

We commemorate Reu, the son of Peleg.

We commemorate the righteous Serug, the son of Reu.

We commemorate the righteous Nahor, the son of Serug.

We commemorate the righteous Terah, the son of Nahor.

We commemorate the righteous Patriarch Abraham, the son of Terah.

We commemorate the Patriarch Isaac, the son of Abraham.

We commemorate the Patriarch Jacob, the son of Isaac.

We commemorate the Patriarch Reuben, the son of Jacob.

We commemorate the Patriarch Simeon, the son of Jacob.

We commemorate the Patriarch Levi, the son of Jacob.

We commemorate the Patriarch Judah, the son of Jacob, from whose tribe Christ was born.

We commemorate the Patriarch Zebulun, the son of Jacob, whose tribe was by the sea.

We commemorate the Patriarch Issachar, the son of Jacob, whose tribe cultivated the earth.

We commemorate the Patriarch Dan, the son of Jacob, whose tribe was the tribe of Judges.

We commemorate the Patriarch Gad, the son of Jacob, whose tribe is plundered and plundering.

We commemorate the Patriarch Asher, the son of Jacob, whose tribe was wealthy in wheatlands.

We commemorate the Patriarch Naphtali, the son of Jacob, whose tribe became a great multitude.

We commemorate the Patriarch Joseph, the son of Jacob, whose tribe was right glorious and illustrious.

We commemorate the Patriarch Benjamin, the son of Jacob, whose tribe, though once fierce, became gentle.

We commemorate Perez and Zerah, the twins, the sons of Judah the Patriarch.

We commemorate Hezron, the son of Perez.

We commemorate Ram, the son of Hezron.

We commemorate Amminadab, the son of Ram.

We commemorate Nahshon, the son of Amminadab.

We commemorate Salmon, the son of Nahshon.

We commemorate Boaz, the son of Salmon.

We commemorate Obed, the son of Boaz by Ruth.

We commemorate Jesse, the son of Obed.

We commemorate David the King, the son of Jesse.

We commemorate Solomon the King, the son of David.

We commemorate Rehoboam the King, the son of Solomon.

We commemorate Abijah the King, the son of Rehoboam.

We commemorate Asa the King, the son of Abijah.

We commemorate Jehoshaphat the King, the son of Asa.

We commemorate Joram the King, the son of Jehoshaphat.

We commemorate Uzziah the King, the son of Joram.

We commemorate Jotham the King, the son of Uzziah.

We commemorate Ahaz the King, the son of Jotham.

We commemorate Hezekiah the King, the son of Ahaz.

We commemorate Manasseh the King, the son of Hezekiah.

We commemorate Amon the King, the son of Manasseh.

We commemorate Josiah the King son of Amon.

We commemorate Jeconiah the King, the son of Josiah.

We commemorate Shealtiel, the son of Jeconiah.

We commemorate Zerubbabel, who again raised up the Temple in Jerusalem when it had been burned.

We commemorate Abiud, the son of Zerubbabel.

We commemorate Eliakim, the son of Abiud.

We commemorate Azor, the son of Eliakim.

We commemorate Zadok, the son of Azor.

We commemorate Achim, the son of Zadok.

We commemorate Eliud, the son of Achim.

We commemorate Eleazar, the son of Eliud.

We commemorate Matthan, the son of Eleazar.

We commemorate Jacob, the son of Matthan.

We commemorate Joseph the Betrothed, the son of Jacob.

We commemorate the righteous Melchizedek.

We commemorate the righteous Job.

We commemorate the Prophet Moses, and Hur and Aaron the Priests.

We commemorate Joshua the son of Nun.

We commemorate the holy Prophet Samuel.

We commemorate the Prophet Nathan.

We commemorate the holy Prophet Daniel.

We commemorate the holy Three Servants.

We commemorate the righteous Sarah, the wife of Abraham.

We commemorate the righteous Rebecca, the wife of Isaac.

We commemorate the righteous Leah, the first wife of Jacob.

We commemorate the righteous Rachel, the second wife of Jacob.

We commemorate the righteous Asenath, the wife of Joseph the All-comely.

We commemorate the righteous Miriam, the sister of Moses.

We commemorate the righteous Deborah, who judged Israel.

We commemorate the righteous Ruth.

We commemorate the righteous Widow of Zarephath, unto whom Elijah was sent.

We commemorate the righteous Shunammite Woman, the gave hospitality to Elisha.

We commemorate the righteous Judith, who slew Holofernes.

We commemorate the righteous Esther, who delivered Israel from death.

We commemorate the righteous Hannah, the mother of Samuel the Prophet.

We commemorate the righteous Susanna.

By their holy intercessions, O God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.

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Fasting Rule

Wine: Wine and oil are allowed. Refrain from meat, fish, dairy, and eggs.

It is the Christmas fast.