Friday September 25, 2026 / September 12, 2026
17th Week after Pentecost. Tone seven.
Fast. Food with Oil3Apodosis of the Nativity of the Theotokos.
Hieromartyr Autonomus, bishop in Italy (313).
Venerable Athanasius (1401), disciple of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and abbot of the Vysotsk Monastery in Serpukhov, and his disciple Venerable Athanasius (1395).
New Hieromartyrs Theodore, John, Nicholas priests and Martyr Alexis (1937).
Translation of the relics (1704) of Righteous Simeon of Verkhoturye (1642).
Venerable Bassian of Tiksna (Vologda) (1624).
Martyr Julian of Galatia, and forty martyrs with him (4th c.).
Hieromartyr Theodore, archbishop of Alexandria (606).
St. Coronatus, bishop of Iconium (3rd c.).
Martyr Macedonius in Phrygia, and with him Martyrs Tatian and Theodulus (4th c.).
St. Sacerdos, bishop of Lyons in Gaul (Gaul).
Venerable Daniel of Thassos, monk (843) (Greek).
St. Andronicus of Atroa (9th c.) (Greek).
Hieromartyr Dositheus of Tbilisi, Georgia (1795) (Georgia).
St. Ailbhe (Elvis) of Emly (527) (Celtic & British).
The Scripture Readings
17
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18
having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
19
who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20
But you have not so learned Christ,
21
if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22
that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23
and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24
and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
25
Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
Mark 12:1-12
1
Then He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.
2
Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.
3
And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
4
Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.
5
And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.
6
Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
7
But those vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
8
So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.
9
Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.
10
Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.
11
This was the LORD’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
12
And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.
Saturday Reading
1 Corinthians 14:20-25
20
Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
21
In the law it is written: “With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord.
22
Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
23
Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
24
But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all.
25
And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
Matthew 25:1-13
1
Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2
Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3
Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4
but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5
But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6
And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7
Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8
And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9
But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11
Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
12
But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Philippians 2:5-11 Epistle, Theotokos
5
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6
who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7
but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28 Gospel, Theotokos
38
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
39
And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
40
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
41
And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
42
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
27
And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”
28
But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”