Monday August 10, 2026 / July 28, 2026
11th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Appearance of the “Smolensk” “Directress” Icon of the Mother of God brought from Constantinople in 1046.
Holy Apostles of the Seventy and Deacons: Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, and Parmenas (1st c.).
St. Pitirim, bishop of Tambov (1698).
Synaxis of All Saints of Tambov.
New Hieromartyr Nicholas deacon (1918).
New Hieromartyr Basil, Virgin-martyrs Anastasia and Hellen, Martyrs Aretha, John, John, John and Virgin-martyr Maura (1937).
New Hieromartyr Ignatius of Jablechna (Chelm and Podlasie, Poland) (1942).
Venerable Moses, wonderworker of the Kiev Caves (14th c.).
Martyr Julian of Dalmatia (2nd c.), Martyr Eustathius (Eustace) the Soldier of Ancyra (316) and Martyr Acacius of Apamea (321).
Venerable Paul of Xeropotamou, Mt. Athos (820).
“Grebensk” (1380), “Kostroma” (1672) and “Umileniye” (“of Tender Feeling”) (1885) of Diveyevo, before which St. Seraphim reposed.
Reverence list of an “Smolensk” Icon of the Mother of God: “Ustiuzh” (1290), “Vydropussk” (15th c.), “Voronin” (1524), “Xristopor” (16th c.), “Supralsk” (16th c.), “Yug” (1615), “Igritsky” (1624), “Shuysk” (1654-16-55), “Sedmiezersk” (17th c.), “Sergievsk” (Troitsk-Sergievsky Lavra) (1730).
“Tambov” (1692) Icon of the Mother of God.
Venerable Irene Chrysoyolantou of Cappadocia (912).
Venerables Ursus and Leobatius (Leubais), brother-abbots (500) (Gaul).
St. Samson, bishop of Dol in Brittany (565) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr Christodoulos of Kassandra (1777) (Greek).
New Martyr Anastasius of Ancyra (1777) (Greek).
Venerable George of Mt. Athos, the Builder (1033) (Georgia).
The Scripture Readings
Luke 1:39-49, 56 Matins Gospel
39
Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
40
and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41
And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42
Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43
But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44
For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46
And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.
56
And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
2 Corinthians 2:3-15
3
And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all.
4
For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.
5
But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent-not to be too severe.
6
This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man,
7
so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow.
8
Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
9
For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.
10
Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,
11
lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
12
Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,
13
I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.
14
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
15
For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
Matthew 23:13-22
13
But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
14
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
15
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
16
Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’
17
Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
18
And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’
19
Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
20
Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.
21
He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.
22
And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.
Philippians 2:5-11 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 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!”