Wednesday July 23, 2025 / July 10, 2025
7th Week after Pentecost. Tone five.
Fast. Food with Oil
The Placing of the Precious Robe of the Lord at Moscow (1625).
Holy 45 Martyrs at Nicopolis in Armenia, including Leontius, Maurice, Daniel, Anthony, Alexander, Anicetus, Sisinius, Meneus, and Belerad (Verelad) (319).
Venerable Anthony of the Kiev Caves (1073).
New Hieromartyrs Alexander, Basil, Peter ans Stephen priests, Gregory and Nestor deacons (1918).
Venerables Eumenes (1920) and Parthenius (1905) of Gortyna.
Venerable Silouan of the Far Caves in Kiev (13th-14th c.).
Martyr Apollonius of Sardis (3rd c.).
Martyrs Bianor and Silvanus of Pisidia (4th c.).
10,000 Fathers of the desert and caves of Scetis martyred by the impious Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria (398).
“Konevits” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Translation of the relics (1609) of St. Basil, bishop of Ryazan (1295).
St. Gregory, bishop of Assos near Ephesus (1150) (Greek).
New Hieromartyr Archpriest Joseph of Damascus and Companions (1860).
Synaxis of All Saints of Vatopedi Monastery, Mt. Athos.
The Scripture Readings
Matthew 27:27-32 Matins Gospel
27
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.
28
And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.
29
When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
30
Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.
31
And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.
32
Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.
12
But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.
13
And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.
14
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
15
But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.
16
For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?
17
But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.
18
Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.
19
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.
20
Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.
21
Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.
22
For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.
23
You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
24
Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.
35
And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick,
36
and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.
1
Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,
2
Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.
3
He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
4
For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’
5
But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”-
6
‘then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.
7
Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
8
These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
9
And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
10
When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand:
11
Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.
18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19
For it is written:
20
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
22
For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23
but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
24
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Mark 15:16-32 Robe
16
Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.
17
And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head,
18
and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
19
Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.
20
And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.
21
Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.
22
And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.
23
Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.
24
And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.
25
Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.
26
And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27
With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left.
28
So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.”
29
And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days,
30
save Yourself, and come down from the cross!
31
Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.
32
Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.
Galatians 5:22-6:2 St. Anthony
22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26
Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
1
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Matthew 4:25-5:12 St. Anthony
25
Great multitudes followed Him-from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
1
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
2
Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3
Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4
Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5
Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7
Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8
Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9
Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.