Tuesday December 30, 2025 / December 17, 2025
30th Week after Pentecost. Tone four.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Fish Allowed
Holy Prophet Daniel (600 B.C.) and the Three Holy Youths: Ananias, Azarias, and Misael.
New Hieromartyrs Alexander, Nicholas and Sergius priests (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Peter and John priests (1937).
Venerable Daniel the Confessor (in schema Stephen) of Spain and Egypt (10th c.).
St. Dionysius of Zakynthos, archbishop of Aegina (1622).
New Hieromartyr Paisius, abbot of Turnovo, and Martyr Abbacum the Deacon at Belgrade (1814).
Martyrs Patermuthius, Coprius and Alexander the Soldier of Egypt (361).
St. Sturm, abbot and founder of Fulda monastery (779) (Germany).
Sts. Athanasius, Nicholas, and Anthony, founders of Vatopedi Monastery (10th c.).
New Martyr Nicetas of Nyssa (1300).
St. Misael of Abalatsk, hieromonk (1797).
The Scripture Readings
8
the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.
9
It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience-
10
concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
15
And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
16
For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17
For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.
18
Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood.
19
For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
20
saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.”
21
Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry.
22
And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.
23
Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
2
The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him.
3
And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?”
4
They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”
5
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
6
But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’
7
‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
8
‘and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.
9
Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.
10
In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.
11
So He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.
12
And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.
Hebrews 11:33-12:2 Prophet
33
who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35
Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
36
Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.
37
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-
38
of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
39
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
40
God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Luke 11:47-12:1 Prophet
47
Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
48
In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.
49
Therefore the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’
50
that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation,
51
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.
52
Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.
53
And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things,
54
lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.
1
In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.