--- title: "December 24, 2022 (New Style) — Eve of the Nativity of Christ" description: "Saturday, December 24, 2022. 24 December (Revised Julian). Eve of the Nativity of Christ. Fast day" url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2022-12-24" language: "en" --- Saturday # December 24, 2022 24 December (Revised Julian) · 28th week after Pentecost New Calendar (Revised Julian) [Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2022-12-24) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2022-12-24) [Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2022-12) [← December 23](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2022-12-23) [December 25 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2022-12-25) ## Events of the day - [Eve of the Nativity of Christ](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/basics-fasting) Informational A strict fast day. - Forefeast: Nativity of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ ## Fasting Fast day · Eve of the Nativity Eve of the Nativity: strict fast (xerophagy); with oil on Saturday or Sunday. - Meat: not allowed - Dairy & eggs: not allowed - Fish: not allowed - Oil: allowed - Wine: 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 · Saturday before Nativity Galatians 3:8–12 **Show the text** 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations will be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.” - Gospel · Saturday before Nativity Luke 13:18–29 **Show the text** 18 He said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? To what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and put in his own garden. It grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky live in its branches.” 20 Again he said, “To what shall I compare God’s Kingdom? 21 It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.” 22 He went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and traveling on to Jerusalem. 23 One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?” He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen up, and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ then he will answer and tell you, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s Kingdom, and yourselves being thrown outside. 29 They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in God’s Kingdom. - Vespers Genesis 1:1–13 - Vespers Numbers 24:2–3, 5–9, 17–18 - Vespers Micah 4:6–7; 5:2–4 - Vespers Isaiah 11:1–10 - Vespers Jeremiah (Baruch) 3:35–4:4) - Vespers Daniel 2:31–36, 44–45 - Vespers Isaiah 9:6–7 - Vespers Isaiah 7:10–16; 8:1–4, 9–10 - Epistle · at Vespers Galatians 3:15–22 **Show the text** 15 Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void or adds to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn’t say, “To descendants”, as of many, but as of one, “To your offspring”, which is Christ. 17 Now I say this: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by promise. 19 Then why is there the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. - Gospel · at Vespers Luke 2:1–20 **Show the text** 1 Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; 5 to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant. 6 While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. 9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. 11 For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” 13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” 15 When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. 17 When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. 18 All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them. Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, New Calendar (OCA practice). Text: World English Bible. ## Saints and icons - Prayer of the day: [Prayer for the departed](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/prayers/departed)