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2025 |
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On Monday | December 22 |
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The Readings from the Regular Cycle |
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The Epistle |
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Monday of the 29th Week |
The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews. |
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Heb. 3:5 – 11, 17 – 19 |
Brethren, Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ was faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if we hold firm to the end our confidence and pride in our hope. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their hearts; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” And with whom was he provoked forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they should never enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. [RSV] |
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The Gospel |
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Monday of the 14th Week of Luke |
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Mark. |
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Mk. 9:42 – 50; 10:1 |
The Lord said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell, to the unquenchable fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. For every one will be salted with fire and every sacrifice will be salted with salt. Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its saltness, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again; and again, as his custom was, he taught them. [RSV] |
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The Readings for the Commemoration |
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Memory of the St. Anastasia Pharmakolytria |
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The Epistle |
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For the Holy Woman. |
The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. |
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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. |
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Synaxarion |
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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. |
By the intercessions of Your saints, O God, have mercy on us and save us. |
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Fasting Rule |
Strict: Refrain from meat, fish, oil, dairy, and eggs. |
It is the Christmas fast. |