---
title: "December 11, 2023 — Monk-martyr Stephen the New"
description: "Monday, December 11, 2023. 28 November (Old Style). Monk-martyr Stephen the New; Martyr Irenarchus. Fast day"
url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2023-12-11"
language: "en"
---

Monday

# December 11, 2023

28 November (Old Style) · 28th week after Pentecost

Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar)

[Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2023-12-11) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2023-12-11)

[Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2023-12)

[← December 10](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2023-12-10) [December 12 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2023-12-12)

## Events of the day

- Monk-martyr Stephen the New; Martyr Irenarchus

  Commemoration

## Fasting

Fast day · Nativity Fast

Nativity Fast, Monday: cooked food without oil.

- Meat: not allowed
- Dairy & eggs: not allowed
- Fish: not allowed
- Oil: not allowed
- Wine: not allowed

Food rules are reference church information. Agree your personal measure of fasting with a priest; consult a doctor if you are ill.

## Readings of the day

- Epistle

  2 Timothy 2:20–26

  **Show the text**

  20 Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor, and some for dishonor.

  21 If anyone therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.

  22 Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

  23 But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

  24 The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, able to teach, patient,

  25 in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth,

  26 and they may recover themselves out of the devil’s snare, having been taken captive by him to his will.

- Gospel

  Luke 19:37–44

  **Show the text**

  37 As he was now getting near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen,

  38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!”

  39 Some of the Pharisees from the multitude said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

  40 He answered them, “I tell you that if these were silent, the stones would cry out.”

  41 When he came near, he saw the city and wept over it,

  42 saying, “If you, even you, had known today the things which belong to your peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes.

  43 For the days will come on you, when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, surround you, hem you in on every side,

  44 and will dash you and your children within you to the ground. They will not leave in you one stone on another, because you didn’t know the time of your visitation.”

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible.

## Saints and icons

- Prayer of the day: [Morning prayer of St Macarius the Great](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/prayers/morning-macarius)