---
title: "December 18, 2024 — St Sabbas the Sanctified"
description: "Wednesday, December 18, 2024. 5 December (Old Style). St Sabbas the Sanctified. Fast day"
url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2024-12-18"
language: "en"
---

Wednesday

# December 18, 2024

5 December (Old Style) · 26th week after Pentecost

Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar)

[Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2024-12-18) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2024-12-18)

[Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2024-12)

[← December 17](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2024-12-17) [December 19 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2024-12-19)

## Events of the day

- St Sabbas the Sanctified

  Polyeleos rank

## Fasting

Fast day · Nativity Fast

Nativity Fast, Wednesday and Friday: xerophagy.

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

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

- Vespers

  Wisdom of Solomon 3:1–9

- Vespers

  Wisdom of Solomon 5:15–6:3

- Vespers

  Wisdom of Solomon 4:7–15

- Matins Gospel

  Luke 6:17–23

  **Show the text**

  17 He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;

  18 as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed.

  19 All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out of him and healed them all.

  20 He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said, “Blessed are you who are poor, God’s Kingdom is yours.

  21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

  22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.

  23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.

- Epistle

  1 Timothy 1:18–20, 2:8–15

  **Show the text**

  18 I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

  19 holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith,

  20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

  8 I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting.

  9 In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety, not just with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing,

  10 but with good works, which is appropriate for women professing godliness.

  11 Let a woman learn in quietness with full submission.

  12 But I don’t permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.

  13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

  14 Adam wasn’t deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience;

  15 but she will be saved through her childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and sanctification with sobriety.

- Epistle · St Sabbas

  Galatians 5:22–6:2

  **Show the text**

  22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

  23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

  24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

  25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.

  26 Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

  1 Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted.

  2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

- Gospel

  Luke 21:5–7, 10–11, 20–24

  **Show the text**

  5 As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts, he said,

  6 “As for these things which you see, the days will come, in which there will not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down.”

  7 They asked him, “Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?”

  10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

  11 There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

  20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.

  21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the middle of her depart. Let those who are in the country not enter therein.

  22 For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

  23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people.

  24 They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

- Gospel · St Sabas

  Matthew 11:27–30

  **Show the text**

  27 All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

  28 “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.

  29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.

  30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

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

## Saints and icons

- Prayer of the day: [The Trisagion](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/prayers/trisagion)
