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Friday 2 January 2026

Forefeast of Theophany

Friday of the 30th week after Pentecost

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No Fast — Fast Free Tone 4

Christmastide, day 9

Saints commemorated

Repose of St Seraphim of Sarov

Seraphim of Sarov (1754–1833), born Prochorus Moshnin of Kursk, is among the most beloved saints of the modern Orthodox world — a hieromonk of the Sarov monastery who became the archetype of the Russian starets, the Spirit-bearing elder. After years as a hermit in the forest, in which the tradition sets his thousand nights of prayer upon a rock and his near-murder by robbers, whom he forgave and refused to prosecute, he passed through a long silence and reclusion into an eldership of overflowing joy: he greeted all who came, in every season, with "My joy! Christ is risen!" His conversation with Nicholas Motovilov on the acquisition of the Holy Spirit — and the counsel "Acquire the Spirit of Peace, and thousands around you will be saved" — distilled the whole of his teaching. He guided the women's community at Diveyevo, reposed on his knees before an icon of the Mother of God on January 2, 1833, and was glorified by the Russian Church in 1903.
St Sylvester, Pope of Rome (335)

Silvester of Rome (†335) was bishop of Rome from 314 to 335, through the whole reign of Constantine the Great after the peace of the Church — the pope under whom the persecuted community of the city emerged into freedom, built its great basilicas, and saw the First Ecumenical Council gather at Nicaea in 325, where his legates sat. A confessor who had endured the last of the pagan persecutions, he governed the Roman church for twenty-one years and was remembered in both East and West as a model hierarch of the Constantinian age. Around his name a rich body of legend gathered — the baptism of Constantine, a disputation with the learned Jews before the emperor, the healing of a poisoned bull, and the sealing of a devouring dragon beneath Rome — which shaped his medieval cultus more than the thin historical record. He reposed at Rome and is commemorated on January 2, within the forefeast of the Theophany.
Venerable Juliana of Lazarevskoye (1604)
Holy New Martyr George the Georgian (1770)
Juliana of Lazarevo

Juliana of Lazarevo (c. 1530–1604), called the Merciful, is the great Russian saint of the married state and of works of mercy — a noblewoman of the Murom country, wife of the landowner George Osorgin and mother of many children, who sanctified an ordinary life in the world by ceaseless charity, fasting, and night-long prayer. She gave away all she had to the poor and the sick, tended the plague-stricken, and in the terrible famine at the turn of the seventeenth century sold everything, even to her own goods, to feed the hungry, baking bread of bark and orach that in her hands (the tradition says) tasted sweet. She reposed on January 2, 1604; her relics were found streaming with fragrant myrrh in 1614. Her Life, written by her son, is a landmark of old Russian literature — a rare biography of a laywoman saint by one who knew her — and she is honoured as the pattern of holiness attainable in family life. She is commemorated on January 2, within the forefeast of the Theophany.
Nilus of Erikoussa

Nilus the Erikousian was a prince of the house of Laskaris who became a monk, a wanderer and at last a founder. Born at Constantinople as Nicholas, son of John Laskaris and nephew of the emperor Theodore I Laskaris, he took the habit in flight from the Latin occupation, made a long pilgrimage to Jerusalem, was exiled to Mount Athos by Michael VIII Palaiologos for his opposition to the union with Rome, and after ten years at Iveron and a long voyage through the Mediterranean settled as a hermit on the deserted islet of Erikoussa north-west of Corfu, from which he takes his name. After ten years there he crossed to the mainland and founded in Thesprotia the Monastery of Giromeri, where he reposed in great age. His principal feast is January 2; the Greek synaxaria repeat his memory on August 16.
Theagenes of Parium

Theagenes (Theogenes) of Parium (†c. 320) was a martyr of Parium, a port on the Hellespont in the region of the Troad, put to death by drowning in the sea in the last of the persecutions, under the emperor Licinius. The tradition remembers him as one who, brought before the authorities and pressed to serve the earthly power and to sacrifice to the gods, confessed himself already a soldier of the heavenly King and would not deny Christ; scourged and imprisoned, he was at last cast into the sea and so received his crown. The Slavic and OCA calendars honour him as bishop of Parium — a hieromartyr; the Greek synaxaria present him chiefly as a young soldier-martyr. He is commemorated on January 2, within the forefeast of the Theophany.

British Isles and Ireland

St. Seiriol of Wales (6th C)

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 8

Let all of us who are beset by troubles and sicknesses sing the praises of holy Juliana, the helper swift to hear; for she lived in the world in a manner pleasing to God and showed boundless mercy to the poor — wherefore, by the providence of God, she found the grace of wonders.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Having forsaken the beauty of the world and the corruptible things that are in it, O venerable one, thou didst settle in the monastery of Sarov; and living there like an angel, thou wast a way of salvation to many. Therefore Christ also glorified thee, O father Seraphim, and enriched thee with the gift of healings and of wonders. Wherefore we cry to thee: Rejoice, O Seraphim our venerable father.

Magnification

We call thee blessed, O venerable father Seraphim, and we honour thy holy memory, O instructor of monks and companion of the angels.

Troparion — Tone 3

Taking up thy cross upon thy shoulder, thou didst follow Christ in almsgiving, in fasting, and in prayer, O all-praised and merciful Juliana; and to all who live in the world thou wast shown to be a rule of life. Wherefore, having inherited the Kingdom on high, pray thou unceasingly that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 8

Sprung from a royal house, thou didst choose the poverty of Christ, and forsaking the City thou didst make thy dwelling in the sea's solitude; then, called from the desert island, thou didst raise a house to the Mother of God in the mountains of Epirus, O venerable father Nilus: intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 4

From thy youth thou didst love Christ, O blessed one, and ardently longing to serve him alone, thou didst struggle in the wilderness with unceasing prayer and labour; and having gained the love of Christ with a compunctionate heart, thou wast shown to be the beloved chosen one of the Mother of God. Therefore we cry to thee: Save us by thy prayers, O Seraphim our venerable father.

Readings

Vespers

Wisdom of Solomon 3.1-9

¹But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. ²In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, ³And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. ⁴For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. ⁵And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself. ⁶As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering. ⁷And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. ⁸They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. ⁹They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect.

Wisdom of Solomon 5.15-6.3

¹⁵But the righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the most High. ¹⁶Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with his right hand shall he cover them, and with his arm shall he protect them. ¹⁷He shall take to him his jealousy for complete armour, and make the creature his weapon for the revenge of his enemies. ¹⁸He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment instead of an helmet. ¹⁹He shall take holiness for an invincible shield. ²⁰His severe wrath shall he sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with him against the unwise. ²¹Then shall the right aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they fly to the mark. ²²And hailstones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them. ²³Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty. ¹Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth. ²Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations. ³For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.

Wisdom of Solomon 4.7-15

⁷But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. ⁸For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. ⁹But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. ¹⁰He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated. ¹¹Yea speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. ¹²For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. ¹³He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: ¹⁴For his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked. ¹⁵This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen.

Matins Gospel

Matthew 11.27-30

²⁷All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. ²⁸Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Epistle

Hebrews 11.8, 11-16

⁸By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. ¹¹Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. ¹²Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. ¹³These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. ¹⁵And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. ¹⁶But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Galatians 5.22-6.2 (St Seraphim)

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. ²⁴And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. ²⁵If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. ¹Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. ²Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Gospel

Mark 12.1-12

¹And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. ²And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. ³And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. ⁴And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. ⁵And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. ⁶Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. ⁷But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. ⁸And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. ⁹What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. ¹⁰And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: ¹¹This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? ¹²And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

Luke 6.17-23 (St Seraphim)

¹⁷And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judæa and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; ¹⁸And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. ¹⁹And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all. ²⁰And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. ²¹Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. ²²Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. ²³Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.