2025

On Monday | December 29

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The Readings from the Regular Cycle

The Epistle

Monday of the 30th Week

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

Heb. 8:7 – 13

Brethren, if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says: “The days will come, says the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not continue in my covenant, and so I paid no heed to them, says the Lord. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach every one his fellow or every one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” In speaking of a new covenant he treats the first as obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. [RSV]

The Gospel

Monday of the 15th Week of Luke

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Mark.

Mk. 10:46 – 52

At that time, as Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; rise, he is calling you.” And throwing off his mantle he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabboni, let me receive my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. [RSV]

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The Readings for the Commemoration

The Epistle

For the Saints.

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

Heb. 2:11 – 18

Brethren, he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. [RSV]

The Gospel

Post-festal.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 2:13 – 23

When the magi had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the magi, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magi. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.” But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” [RSV]

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Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On December 29, we commemorate the Holy Innocents, the 14,000 infants slaughtered by Herod.

On this day we also commemorate all our Christian brethren who have died by starvation and thirst, or by the sword, or from exposure. The Synaxis in their honor was held at the church of the Most-holy Theotokos in Chalcoprateia, where her holy shrine was.

On this day we also commemorate our devout father Marcellus, Abbot of the Unsleeping.

On this day we also commemorate our devout father Thaddaeus the Confessor.

We also commemorate our devout father George, Bishop of Nicomedia, the composer of various hymnographic Canons and Troparia.

We also commemorate the Consecration of the Church of the Forty Martyrs, near the Bronze Tetrapylon.

By the intercessions of Your saints, O God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.

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Fasting Rule

Fast Free: All foods allowed.

It is the Twelve Days of Christmas