Sunday 20 December 2026

29th Sunday after Pentecost

Nativity Fast, day 36

Sunday before Nativity; Repose of St. John of Kronstadt

Saints commemorated

  • Antiochian commemoration

    Ignatius of Antioch

    Ignatius the God-bearer (c. 35 – c. 107) was bishop of Antioch — the third to hold the see, after the Apostle Peter and Evodus — and, with Polycarp of Smyrna, a disciple of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. Tradition identifies him with the child whom Christ set in the midst of the disciples, and reads his name "Theophoros," God-bearer, in both its senses: one borne in the arms of God, and one who bore God in his heart. Arrested under the emperor Trajan and condemned to the beasts, he was sent under military guard across Asia Minor to Rome — a journey on which, chained to "ten leopards," he wrote the seven letters that are his enduring monument: a foundational witness to the bishop's office, to the Eucharist as "the medicine of immortality," and to a martyrdom he embraced with longing — "I am the wheat of God, and I am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of Christ." He was devoured by beasts in the amphitheatre at Rome about the year 107. His relics were carried back to Antioch — the first stage of their journey — and later translated to Rome, to the Basilica of San Clemente, where they rest. He is kept on December 20, and on January 29 for the translation of his relics.

  • Forefeast of Nativity

  • Hieromartyr Ignatius the Godbearer

  • Repose of Our Holy Father John of Kronstadt (1908)

    John of Kronstadt (1829–1908) was the most celebrated Russian pastor of his age — a married parish priest of the naval city of Kronstadt, near Saint Petersburg, who for over half a century served the daily Liturgy, gave himself without reserve to the poor and the outcast, and became known across the Russian Empire as a wonderworker whose prayers healed the sick and to whom thousands came for confession and counsel. From his cathedral of Saint Andrew he founded a great House of Industry for the destitute, drew crowds so vast that he introduced a form of general confession aloud, and made frequent Communion the heart of his teaching; his spiritual diary, My Life in Christ, became a classic of Orthodox devotion. He reposed on December 20, 1908, and was glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia in 1964 and by the Moscow Patriarchate in 1990.

  • Philogonius of Antioch

    Philogonius (†c. 324) was bishop of Antioch from about 319 to 324, a defender of the Nicene faith at the very outset of the Arian controversy and a confessor who had stood firm through the last of the pagan persecutions. A lawyer before his episcopate — famed, the tradition says, for defending the poor, the widow, and the orphan — he was raised to the See of Antioch after the death of his wife, and governed it in the difficult years when Arius's teaching first divided the East, opposing the heresy before the Council of Nicaea had met. He is remembered above all because John Chrysostom, preaching at Antioch some sixty years later, delivered a celebrated homily in his praise. He is commemorated on December 20, together with Ignatius the God-bearer.

British Isles and Ireland

  • St. Urscinus, disciple of St. Columbanus and abbot of St. Ursanne (625)

Troparia & kontakia

Kontakion — Tone 3

The radiant day of thy shining contests proclaims to all men Him who was born of the Virgin; for thirsting to delight in him out of love, thou didst hasten to be devoured by the wild beasts. Therefore wast thou called God-bearer, O glorious Ignatius.

Sticheron

A living pillar and a breathing icon — thy yearly feast is come, O God-bearer Ignatius, proclaiming thy hidden mysteries and thy noble deeds, thy standing for the faith even unto blood, and that blessed and famous cry of thine, which said: **"I am the wheat of God, and I am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts."** Wherefore, having become an imitator of Christ, intercede that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 4

As one who shared in the ways of the Apostles and succeeded to their thrones, thou didst find in thy labours, O God-inspired one, an ascent to divine vision; wherefore, rightly dividing the word of truth, thou didst contend for the faith even unto blood, O Hieromartyr Ignatius. Intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion — Tone 4

O God of our fathers, who dealest ever with us according to thy gentleness, take not thy mercy from us, but through the prayers of Philogonius the hierarch guide our lives in peace.

Readings

Vespers

Genesis 14.14-20

14And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. 15And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. 16And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. 17And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale. 18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Deuteronomy 1.8-11, 15-17

8Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them. 9And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone: 10The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. 11(The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!) 15So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. 16And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. 17Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

Deuteronomy 10.14-21

14Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’s thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. 15Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. 16Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. 17For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 18He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. 19Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 20Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. 21He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

7th Matins Gospel

John 20.1-10

1The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. 3Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. 10Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Epistle

Hebrews 11.9-10, 17-23, 32-40 (Sunday before Nativity)

9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 17By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. 22By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. 23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. 32And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Gospel

Matthew 1.1-25 (Sunday before Nativity)

1The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 7And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 9And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. 18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.