Thursday

Midnight Office

December 9, 2010

29^th Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Fish Allowed

Venerable Alypius the Stylite of Adrianopolis (640).
Dedication of the Church of St. George at Kiev (1051).
Repose of St. Innocent, first bishop of Irkutsk (1731).
New Hieromartyrs Nicholas, John, Gregory and Nazarius, Basil, Basil, Ilia, Basil, Daniel, Michael, Nicholas priests, New Hieromartyr Tikhon (1937).
New Hieromartyr Piter (after 1937).
Venerable James the Solitary of Syria (457).
Venerable Nicon Metanoeite (“Preacher of Repentance”) of Armenia (998).
New Martyr George of Chios (1807) (Greek).
Venerables Athanasius and Theodosius of Cherepovets (1382), disciples of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
Venerable Stylianos of Paphlagonia, monk (Greek).
St. Silas, bishop of Persidos (Greek).
St. Peter, patriarch of Jerusalem (552).
St. Acacius of Mt. Latros (6th c.) (Greek).

Quote of the Day

“Thus, while you are neglecting yourself and hardly taking stock of yourself,
the evil spirits enter into you and destroy and lay barren your mind,
dissipating your thoughts on things of this world.”

Saint Macarius of Egypt

Scripture Readings for the Day

Hebrews 7:1-6

The King of Righteousness

¹ For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” ³ without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
⁴ Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. ⁵ And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; ⁶ but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

Luke 18:31-34

Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection³¹ Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. ³² For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. ³³ They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
³⁴ But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.