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2026 |
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On Sunday | June 21 |
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The Readings from the Regular Cycle |
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The Epistle |
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Third Sunday |
The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Romans. |
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Rom. 5:1 – 10 |
Brethren, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man — though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. [RSV] |
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The Gospel |
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Third Sunday of Matthew |
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. |
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Mt. 6:22 – 33 |
The Lord said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” [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 the June 21 we commemorate the Holy Martyr Julian of Tarsus in Cilicia. |
On this day we commemorate the holy Martyr Aphrodisios. |
On this day we also commemorate the Holy Hieromartyr Terence, Bishop of Iconium. |
The holy New-Martyr Nikitas from Nisyros, who witnessed on Chios in the year 1732 died by the sword. |
By their holy intercessions, Christ God, have mercy on us. Amen. |
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Fasting Rule |
Fish: fish, oil and wine are allowed. Refrain from meat, dairy and eggs. |
It is the fast of the holy Apostles. |