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2025 |
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On Wednesday | August 20 |
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The Readings from the Regular Cycle |
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The Epistle |
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Wednesday of the 11th Week |
The reading is from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. |
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2 Cor. 3:4 – 11 |
Brethren, such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the dispensation of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not look at Moses’ face because of its glory, fading as this was, will not the dispensation of the Spirit be attended with greater glory? For if there was glory in the dispensation of condemnation, the dispensation of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what faded away came with glory, what is permanent must have much more glory. [RSV] |
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The Gospel |
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Wednesday of the 11th Week of Matthew |
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. |
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Mt. 23:29 – 39 |
The Lord said to the Jews who had come to him, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly, I say to you, all this will come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” [RSV] |
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The Readings for the Commemoration |
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The Epistle |
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For the Prophet. |
The reading is from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. |
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1 Cor. 14:20 – 25 |
Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; however, in evil be babes, but in thinking be mature. In the law it is written, “By men of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. If, therefore, the whole church assembles and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. [RSV] |
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Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion. |
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Synaxarion |
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From the Menaion. |
On August 20 we commemorate the holy and glorious Prophet Samuel. |
On this day we also commemorate the holy 37 Martyrs who witnessed in Viza of Thrace. |
On this day we also commemorate the holy Martyrs Severus and Memnon the Centurion. |
On this day we also commemorate the holy Martyr Fotini, outside the gates of Blachernae, and we commemorate the holy Martyr Lucius the Counselor. |
On this day we also commemorate the holy Martyrs Hiliodoros and Dosai (or Dosa or Soda). |
By the intercessions of Your Saints, O God, have mercy and save us. Amen. |
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Fasting Rule |
Strict: Refrain from meat, fish, oil, dairy, and eggs. |
It is a Wednesday or Friday. |