Tuesday 22 December 2026
Greatmartyr Anastasia and Companions
Tuesday of the 30th week after Pentecost
Nativity Fast, day 38
Saints commemorated
-
Saint of the day
Greatmartyr Anastasia and Companions
-
Anastasia the Deliverer-from-Bonds
Anastasia the Deliverer-from-Bonds (†c. 304) is one of the great virgin-martyrs of the Church, a noble Roman woman of the persecution of Diocletian who gave her wealth and her freedom to the service of the confessors filling the prisons of the empire. Disguised as a beggar, she went from city to city feeding, tending, ransoming and burying imprisoned Christians, and was herself at last seized, starved, and burned alive. Because her intercession heals the effects of poisons, potions and every noxious thing, the Greek Church surnames her Pharmakolytria, "deliverer from potions"; the Slavs, remembering her ministry to prisoners, call her Uzoreshitelnitsa, "loosener of bonds." Her relics were translated to Constantinople in the fifth century. She is commemorated on December 22, within the forefeast of the Nativity.
-
Chrysogonus of Aquileia
Chrysogonus (†c. 304) was a learned and devout Roman Christian, the teacher and lifelong spiritual guide of the great-martyr Anastasia the Deliverer-from-Bonds, who sustained her by his counsel through the persecution of Diocletian. Himself imprisoned for the faith, he was brought before the emperor at Aquileia, refused to sacrifice, and was beheaded, his body cast into the sea and recovered by the presbyter Zoilus. He is commemorated on December 22, together with Anastasia, whose passion is bound up with his own.
-
Theodota of Bithynia
Theodota (†c. 304) was a young Christian widow of Nicaea in Bithynia, a friend and helper of the great-martyr Anastasia the Deliverer-from-Bonds, who with her three small sons suffered martyrdom in the persecution of Diocletian. Refusing a pagan official who sought to marry her and preserving her purity, she was sent for judgment to Bithynia; her eldest son Evodus confessed Christ boldly under beating, and mother and children together were cast into a burning furnace. She is commemorated on July 29 and, with Anastasia and her companions, on December 22.
-
Zoilus of Aquileia
Zoilus (†c. 304) was a Christian presbyter near Aquileia who reverently recovered from the sea the body and severed head of the martyr Chrysogonus and hid the relics in his house. Granted a vision in which Chrysogonus foretold the martyrdom of three holy sisters and the presbyter's own approaching repose, Zoilus fell asleep in the Lord nine days later, as had been foretold. He is numbered among the martyrs commemorated with the great-martyr Anastasia the Deliverer-from-Bonds on December 22.
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 2
They that are in trials and afflictions, fleeing for refuge to thy temple, receive the sacred gifts of healing from the divine grace that dwelleth in thee; for thou, O Anastasia, dost ever pour forth healings upon the world.
Troparion — Tone 4
Named truly after the victorious Resurrection, O martyr of Christ, thou didst raise up trophies of victory over the enemy by thine endurance of torments, for the sake of Christ thy Bridegroom, whom thou didst love. Entreat him, then, to save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a martyr)
Thy martyr Chrysogonus, O Lord, in his sufferings hath received an incorruptible crown from thee our God; for, possessed of thy might, he cast down the tyrants and broke in pieces the powerless boldness of the demons. By his intercessions save thou our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a woman martyr)
Thy lamb Theodota, O Jesus, crieth out with a great voice: Thee, my Bridegroom, do I love, and seeking Thee I contend, and am crucified and buried with Thee in Thy baptism; I suffer for Thy sake, that I may reign with Thee, and I die for Thee, that I may live in Thee. As a spotless sacrifice receive her who with longing is slain for Thee. By her intercessions, as Thou art merciful, save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 4 (from the common of a martyr)
Thy martyr Zoilus, O Lord, in his contest hath received an incorruptible crown from thee our God; for, possessed of thy might, he cast down the tyrants and broke in pieces the powerless boldness of the demons. By his intercessions save thou our souls.
Readings
Epistle
Hebrews 9.8-10, 15-23
8The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. 15And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 18Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. 19For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Gospel
Mark 10.2-12
2And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 3And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. 6But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 10And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. 11And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. 12And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.