Christmastide, day 4
Saints commemorated
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Saint of the day
20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia
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Saint of the day Antiochian commemoration
The Twenty Thousand Martyrs burned to death in their church in Nicomedia (ca. 304).
The Twenty Thousand Martyrs of Nicomedia were the great company of Christians who perished in the imperial capital of Bithynia at the opening of the Great Persecution, when — on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, about the year 302 — the emperor's soldiers surrounded the city's church while the faithful were gathered for the Liturgy, heaped it with fuel, and set it ablaze, so that the whole assembly was consumed by fire. Their bishop, Anthimus of Nicomedia, had first baptised the catechumens and given all Communion; he escaped the flames to be beheaded later, on September 3. The synaxaria join to the anonymous multitude a company of named sufferers of the same city and persecution — the priest Glycerius, the deacons Theophilus and Migdonius, Zeno, Dorotheus, Mardonius, Peter, Indes, Gorgonius, Euthymius, the abbess Agapia, and the women Domna and Theophila among them. The Church keeps them together on December 28, within the afterfeast of the Nativity.
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Our Holy Father Simon the Outpourer of Myrrh, Founder of Simonopetra Monastery, Mt Athos (1287)
Simon the Myrrh-gusher (†c. 1287) was a hermit of Mount Athos and the founder of the monastery of Simonopetra — "Simon's Rock" — one of the great houses of the Holy Mountain, built upon a sheer pinnacle of rock above the sea. After years of solitary struggle in a cave, he was granted, on the eve of the Nativity, the vision of a star that came to rest over a neighbouring crag, and the voice of the Mother of God bidding him raise a monastery there; he named it New Bethlehem, and dedicated its church to the Nativity of Christ. His masons faltered before the terrifying site until a miracle — a workman who fell from the cliff yet rose unhurt — confirmed the Mother of God's protection. Renowned as a wonderworker in life, Simon after his repose was glorified by the myrrh that flowed from his tomb, whence his surname. He is commemorated on December 28.
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Ignatius of Lomsk
Ignatius of Lomsk (†1591) was a Russian ascetic of the Vologda–Yaroslavl wilderness who, after monastic struggle in two of the great northern monasteries, withdrew into the forests to live in silence and founded a hermitage on the Lom river, from which he is named. Of his origins nothing is transmitted; the tradition places him first at the Priluki monastery near Vologda and then at the monastery of Saint Cyril of White Lake, before he sought the deeper solitude of the wilds. He reposed at his hermitage on December 28, 1591, and is numbered among the saints of Rostov and Yaroslavl.
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Nicanor the Deacon
Nicanor was one of the seven deacons chosen by the Apostles in the first days of the Church at Jerusalem — the "seven men of good repute, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom" set over the daily ministry to the widows (Acts 6:1–6) — and is numbered by the tradition among the Seventy Apostles. The received account holds that he was among the great company of Christians put to death in the persecution that broke out at the stoning of the Protomartyr Stephen, his fellow deacon, and so won a martyr's crown about the year 34. He is commemorated on December 28, and again on July 28 in the joint feast of the deacons Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, and Parmenas.
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 1
An army twenty thousand strong of martyrs rises like a sun that never sets, enlightening with the faith the hearts and minds of the devout; therefore we honour you, who were crowned in the fire for Christ.
Kontakion — Tone 8
As a chosen branch of the venerable fathers and a follower of the Apostles, equal to them in honour, we hymn thee, O Simon; for thou wast shown a citizen of heaven and a founder upon the rock, pouring forth myrrh and healings. Wherefore we cry to thee: Rejoice, O father Simon, boast of the Holy Mountain.
Troparion — Tone 8 (common of a venerable)
By a flood of tears thou didst make the barren wilderness fruitful, and by thy deep sighing thou didst bring forth fruit a hundredfold in labours; and thou becamest a luminary, shining by thy wonders upon the world, O Ignatius our father. Intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion — Tone 3
A holy army, a consecrated city, a people set apart for the Lord: such were you shown to be, O Twenty Thousand Martyrs; for having finished your contest in the fire, you were led as an offering to him who was born of the Virgin. Entreat him to grant us his great mercy.
Troparion — Tone 3 (common of an apostle)
O holy Apostle Nicanor, intercede with the merciful God that he may grant to our souls the forgiveness of our sins.
Troparion — Tone 4
Let us the faithful praise the far-renowned Myrrh-gusher, the all-precious pearl of Christ and glory of monastics, Simon our God-bearing father, who upon the rock founded a house to the honour of the Master's Nativity; for he pours out healings and streams of myrrh on those who cry: Glory to Christ who glorified thee; glory to him who made thee wondrous; glory to him who through thee works healings for all.
Readings
Epistle
2 Timothy 3.16-4.4
16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Gospel
Mark 11.11-23
11And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. 12And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. 15And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; 16And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. 17And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. 18And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. 19And when even was come, he went out of the city. 20And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. 22And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.