Sunday February 8, 2026 / January 26, 2026
Sunday of the Prodigal Son. Tone two.
New Martyrs and Confessors of Russian Church (movable holiday on the Sunday closest to January 25th).
Remembrance of all the departed who suffered in the years of persecution for faith in Christ.
The Enthronement of Saint Job, Patriarch of Moscow, and the Beginning of the Patriarchate in Russia (1589).
St. Xenophon and his wife, St. Mary, and their two sons, Sts. Arcadius and John, of Constantinople (6th c.).
New Martyr Matushka Maria of Gatchina (1930).
New Hieromartyr Cyril, metropolitan of Kazan (1937).
New Hieromartyr Arcadius (1938).
Martyr John (1938).
Venerable Xenophon, abbot of Robeika (Novgorod) (1262).
Martyrs Ananias presbyter, Peter, and seven soldiers, in Phoenicia (295).
Venerable Symeon “the Ancient” of Mt. Sinai (ca. 390).
Translation of the relics of Venerable Theodore, abbot of the Studion (845).
St. Joseph, bishop of Thessalonica, brother of St. Theodore of the Studion (830).
St. David IV the Builder, king of Georgia and Abkhazeti (1125) (Georgia).
St. Ammon, of Egypt, disciple of St. Anthony the Great (350), and St. Gabriel, abbot at Jerusalem (490).
St. Conon, bishop and monastic founder on the Isle of Man (648) (Celtic & British).
Two Martyrs of Phrygia (Greek).
Venerable Clement of Mt. Sagmation (12tK c.) (Greek).
St. Paula of Palestine (404).
The Scripture Readings
Mark 16:1-8 (2nd Matins Gospel)
1
Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
2
Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
3
And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”
4
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away-for it was very large.
5
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6
But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.
7
But go, tell His disciples-and Peter-that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.
8
So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
12
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13
Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
14
And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.
15
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!
16
Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.”
17
But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
18
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
19
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
11
Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.
12
And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.
13
And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
14
But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
15
Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16
And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17
But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18
‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
19
and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants. ‘
20
And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21
And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22
But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23
‘And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
24
‘for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
25
Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26
So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27
And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
28
But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
29
So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
30
‘But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
31
And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
32
‘It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”
Romans 8:28-39 Martyrs
28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
29
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30
Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
31
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
33
Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34
Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36
As it is written:”For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39
nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Luke 21:8-19 Martyrs
8
And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.
9
But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.
10
Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
11
And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
12
But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake.
13
But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.
14
Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer;
15
for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
16
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.
17
And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
18
But not a hair of your head shall be lost.
19
By your patience possess your souls.