December 25, 2024

Events of the day

• St Spyridon the Wonderworker, Bishop of Tremithus

  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

• Epistle

  1 Timothy 5:22–6:11

  Show the text

  ²²Lay hands hastily on no one. Don’t be a participant in other people’s sins. Keep yourself pure.

  ²³Be no longer a drinker of water only, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.

  ²⁴Some men’s sins are evident, preceding them to judgment, and some also follow later.

  ²⁵In the same way also there are good works that are obvious, and those that are otherwise can’t be hidden.

  ¹Let as many as are bondservants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine not be blasphemed.

  ²Those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brothers, but rather let them serve them, because those who partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

  ³If anyone teaches a different doctrine, and doesn’t consent to sound words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness,

  ⁴he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, insulting, evil suspicions,

  ⁵constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.

  ⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain.

  ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly can’t carry anything out.

  ⁸But having food and clothing, we will be content with that.

  ⁹But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation, a snare, and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction.

  ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

  ¹¹But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

• Gospel

  Mark 8:30–34

  Show the text

  ³⁰He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.

  ³¹He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

  ³²He spoke to them openly. Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

  ³³But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”

  ³⁴He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

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

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: The Trisagion