2025

On Saturday | August 23

----------

The Readings from the Regular Cycle

The Epistle

Saturday of the 11th Week

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

1 Cor. 1:3 – 9

Brethren, grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge — even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed among you — so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ; who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. [RSV]

The Gospel

Saturday of the 11th Week of Matthew

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 19:3 – 12

At that time, Pharisees came up to Jesus and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” He said to them, “For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” His disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife; it is not expedient to marry.” But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it.” [RSV]

__________

The Readings for the Commemoration

The Epistle

For the Feast.

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

Phil. 2:5 – 11

Brethren, have this mind among yourselves, which you have in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [RSV]

The Gospel

For the Feast.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Lk. 10:38 – 42; 11:27 – 28

At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.” As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” [RSV]

__________

Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On August 23 we commemorate the holy Martyr Loupos.

On this day we also commemorate the holy priest-Martyr Irineos, Bishop of Sirmio.

On this day we also commemorate the holy priest-Martyr Irineos, Bishop of Lugdunum (modern day Lyon).

On this day we also commemorate our devout Father St. Kallinikos, Patriarch of Constantinople.

On this day, the Holy 38 Martyrs from Thrace died by the sword.

The memory of our Devout Father St. Nicholas the Sicilian who struggled in asceticism on the mountain of Neotakos in Evia.

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

__________

Fasting Rule

Fast Free: All foods allowed.