Wednesday October 29, 2025 / October 16, 2025
21st Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Fast
Venerable Longinus the Centurion, who stood at the Cross of the Lord (1st c.).
St. Gregory confessor, priest (1931).
New Hieromartyr Eugene priest (1918).
New Hieromartyr Alexis priest (1938).
New Hieromartyr John priest (1942).
Venerable Longinus the Gate-keeper of the Kiev Caves (13th c.).
St. Longinus of Yaranga (1544).
Venerable Longinus, monk, of Koryazhemka (Vologda) (1540).
Venerable Eupraxia, abbess, before tonsure Princess Euphrosyne of Pskov (1243).
Venerable Malus the Hermit.
Venerable Gall, Irish monk and enlightener of Switzerland (646) (Celtic & British).
Venerable Sabinus, monk (Greek).
Martyrs Isaurus and Aphrodisius, who suffered with St. Longinus (1st. c.).
St. Domna, fool-for-Christ of Tomsk (1872).
The Scripture Readings
18
And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19
For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20
and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
21
And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22
in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-
23
if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
44
Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.
45
But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.
46
Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.
47
And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him,
48
and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”
49
Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”
50
But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.”
2 Timothy 2:1-10 Martyr
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 27:33-54 Martyr
33
And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull,
34
they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.
35
Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:”They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”
36
Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.
37
And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38
Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.
39
And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads
40
and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
41
Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,
42
He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.
43
He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’
44
Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.
45
Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.
46
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
47
Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!”
48
Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.
49
The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”
50
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
51
Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
52
and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
53
and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
54
So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”