Monday September 8, 2025 / August 26, 2025
14th Week after Pentecost. Tone four.
Commemoration of the Meeting of the “Vladimir” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and the deliverance of Moscow from the Invasion of Tamerlane in 1395.
Martyrs Adrian and Natalia and 23 companions of Nicomedia (4th c.).
New Hieromartyr Peter priest and St. Gregory confessor, priest (1938).
Blessed Mary Diveyevo (1931).
New Hieromartyr Victor priets, Martyr Demetrius, Peter and New Hiero-confessor Archpriest Roman Medved of Moscow (1937).
New Hieromartyr Nectarius (Trezvinsky), bishop of Yaransk (1937).
Uncovering of the relics of St. Nicholas the Confessor, metropolitan of Almaty (2000).
Venerable Adrian, abbot of Ondrusov (Valaam) (1549).
Synaxis of Saints of Central Asian Metropolitan District.
Synaxis of Saints of Oryol Metropolia.
The Pskov Caves Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, named the “Tenderness” (1542).
Blessed Cyprian of Storozhev, former outlaw (16th c.).
Venerable Adrian, abbot of Poshekhonye (1550).
Vladimir-Eletsk Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God (1395).
Venerable Tithoes of the Thebaid (4th c.), disciple of St. Pachomius the Great (4th c.).
Venerable Ibestion the Confessor, Egyptian ascetic.
St. Zer-Jacob, missionary of Ethiopia.
Venerable Adrian of Uglich (1504), disciple of St. Paisius of Uglich.
Finding of the relics of Venerable Bassian of Alatyr Monastery (17th c.).
Monk Ioasaph, prince of India (Greek).
Martyrs Atticus and Sisinnius (Greek).
The miraculous renewal of the Vladimir Icon of the Theotokos in Harbin (Manchuria) (1925).
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.
10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
11
I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing.
12
Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.
13
For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!
14
Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
16
But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning!
17
Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you?
18
I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?
19
Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification.
10
But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.
11
And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,
12
so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”
13
And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
14
The sower sows the word.
15
And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16
These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17
and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.
18
Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,
19
and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20
But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.
21
Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?
22
For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.
23
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
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!”