(Photo: two of our day visitors on the left, and on the right, our overnight guest, Nektarios)
Sunday January 12, 2025 / December 30, 2024
29th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone four.
Sviatki. Fast-free
Sunday after the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, holy ancestors.
Righteous Joseph the Betrothed, Holy Righteous David the King, and James the Brother of the Lord (movable holiday on the Sunday after the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ).
St. Macarius, metropolitan of Moscow (1563).
Virgin-martyr Anysia at Thessalonica (298).
Martyr Zoticus of Constantinople, feeder of orphans (4th c.).
New Hieromartyr Priest Sergius Florinsky of Rakvere, Estonia (1918).
Virgin-martyr Mary (1946).
Apostle Timon the Deacon (1st c.).
Martyr Philoterus of Nicomedia, and with him six soldiers and one count (311).
Venerable Theodora, nun of Caesarea in Cappadocia (8th cen.).
Venerable Theodora, nun, of Constantinople (940).
New Martyr Gideon of Karakallou, Mt. Athos (1818) (Greek).
Martyrs Magistrianus, Paulinus, Umbrius, Verus, Severus, Callistratus, Florentius, Arianus, Anthimus, Ubricius, Isidore, Euculus, Sampson, Studius, and Thespesius, who suffered under Julian the Apostate (4th c.).
Opening of the relics (1652) of Venerable Daniel of Pereyaslavl (1540).
St. Egwin, bishop of Worcester (717) (Celtic & British).
St. Tryphon, bishop of Rostov (1468).
St. Leo the Archimandrite (Greek).
St. Isaacius of Dalmaton (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
John 20:1-10 (7th Matins Gospel)
1
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
2
Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
3
Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.
4
So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.
5
And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.
6
Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,
7
and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.
8
Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.
9
For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
10
Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
Galatians 1:11-19 Sunday After
11
But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
12
For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13
For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
14
And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
15
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,
16
to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
17
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.
19
But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
Matthew 2:13-23 Sunday After
13
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
14
When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,
15
and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
16
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
17
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
18
A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.”
19
Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20
saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.”
21
Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.
23
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”