2025

On Thursday | August 7

----------

The Readings from the Regular Cycle

The Epistle

Thursday of the 9th Week

The reading is from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians.

1 Cor. 14:6 – 19

Brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how shall I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will any one know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves; if you in a tongue utter speech that is not intelligible, how will any one know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning; but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. So with yourselves; since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. Therefore, he who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with spirit and I will sing with the mind also. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how can any one in the position of an outsider say the “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may give thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all; nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. [RSV]

The Gospel

Thursday of the 9th Week of Matthew

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 20:17 – 28

At that time, as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will drink my cup, and you will be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” [RSV]

__________

The Readings for the Commemoration

The Epistle

For the Martyr.

The reading is from Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy.

2 Tim. 1:8 – 18

Timothy, my son, do not be ashamed of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among them Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me — may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day — and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. [RSV]

The Gospel

Post-festal.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Mark.

Mk. 9:2 – 9

At that time, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them, and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” And suddenly, looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead. [RSV]

__________

Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On August 7, we commemorate the devout Martyr Dometius the Persian.

On this day, devout St. Or died in peace.

On this day the devout Theban ascetics died in peace.

On this day the devout woman Potamia the Wonderworker died by the sword.

On this day St. Narcissus, Archbishop of Jerusalem, reposed in peace.

On this day devout St. Asterius the Wonderworker died by the sword.

On this day Saint Sozon of Nicomedia died in peace after he was thrown into fire and came out uninjured.

On this day Saint Hyperechius died in peace.

On this day we commemorate the perfect help which Christ our true God granted us, beyond all hope and reason, against our godless enemies who had surrounded us on every side by land and sea, which help came when our all-holy and immaculate Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, who without seed gave birth to Him, interceded for the salvation of the God-protected imperial City [of Constantinople].

On this day the devout healer Theodosius the New died in peace.

On this day devout St. Dometius, the worker of signs, who lived as an ascetic in the area of Philotheou Monastery [on Mt. Athos] died in peace.

On this day devout St. Nicanor, who was illustrious on Mt. Callistratus, died in peace.

By the intercessions of Your Saints, O God, have mercy on us. Amen.

__________

Fasting Rule

Strict: Refrain from meat, fish, oil, dairy, and eggs.

It is the Dormition fast.