Monday September 28, 2026 / September 15, 2026
18th Week after Pentecost. Tone eight.
Great-martyr Nicetas the Goth (372).
New Hieromartyr John priest and Virgin-martyr Eudocia (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Andrew, Gregory, Gregory, John priests (1921).
Venerable Ignatius confessor (1932).
New Hieromartyr Demetrius priest (1935).
New Hieromartyrs John, Jacob, Peter priests and Nicholas deacon, Martyrs Mary and Ludmila (1937).
Uncovering of the relics of St. Acacius the Confessor, bishop of Melitene (257).
Martyrs Theodotus, Asclepiodotus, and Maximus of Adrianopolis (305-311).
Martyr Porphyrius the Mime of Caesaria (361).
Uncovering of the relics of the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen (415).
Venerable Philotheus the Presbyter of Asia Minor (10th c.).
St. Joseph, abbot, of Alaverdi in Georgia (570) (Georgia).
“Novoniketas” Icon of the Mother of God (372).
St. Symeon, archbishop of Thessalonica (1430).
Sts. Bessarion I and Bessarion II (1540), metropolitans of Larissa (Greek).
New Martyr John of Crete (1811) (Greek).
Venerable Gerasimus, abbot, of Sourvia (1740).
St. Joseph the New of Partos, metropolitan of Timisoara (1656) (Romania).
St. Mirin, abbot of Paisley.
The Scripture Readings
25
Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
26
Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
27
nor give place to the devil.
28
Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
29
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
32
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
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.
2 Timothy 2:1-10 Great-martyr Nicetas
1
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4
No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
5
And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
6
The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.
7
Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
8
Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel,
9
for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.
10
Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Matthew 10:16-22 Great-martyr Nicetas
16
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
17
But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.
18
You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19
But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;
20
for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21
Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
22
And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.