Nativity Fast, day 32
Sunday of the Forefathers
Saints commemorated
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Prophet Haggai
Haggai was the tenth of the Twelve Minor Prophets and, with Zechariah, the prophet of the return from Babylon: in the second year of the Persian king Darius (520 BC) his short book records four dated oracles urging the discouraged remnant to rebuild the Temple of the Lord, which had lain in ruins since its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar. His preaching roused Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest to resume the work, and his central promise — that the glory of this second house would surpass the first, and that in it "the Desire of all nations" would come — the Church reads as a prophecy of Christ, who entered that very Temple. He is commemorated on December 16, in the weeks of the Nativity Fast that look toward the Lord's coming.
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Holy Empress and Wonderworker Theophano (893)
Theophano (c. 866 – c. 893/897) was the first wife of the Byzantine emperor Leo VI the Wise and one of the most beloved of the imperial saints of Constantinople — venerated not for her rank but for the piety, humility and charity by which she sanctified life in the palace. Chosen from the noble Martinakios family to marry the heir to the throne, she shared his three years' imprisonment under his father Basil I and, once freed, gave herself to prayer, fasting and unwearied mercy: building and restoring churches, feeding the poor, and visiting the afflicted in plain dress. Reputed a wonderworker in her own lifetime, she died young, and her incorrupt relics rest to this day in the Patriarchal Church of St George at the Phanar in Constantinople. She is commemorated on December 16.
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Marinus of Rome
Marinus (†c. 283) was a young Roman of senatorial family who confessed Christ in the City itself in the reign of the emperor Carinus and was crowned with martyrdom. Arrested and pressed to sacrifice to the idols, he refused; the synaxarion tells that he was hung up and cut with swords, laid on fire, set on a red-hot griddle and plunged into a boiling cauldron, yet by God's grace remained unharmed, and that the wild beasts loosed upon him — lions and bears — would not touch him. Brought at last into a pagan temple to sacrifice, he prayed instead, and the idols fell and were shattered; the enraged ruler ordered him beheaded, and so he gave up his soul to God. He is commemorated on December 16.
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Memnon of Ephesus
Memnon (†c. 440) was archbishop (metropolitan) of Ephesus at the time of the Third Ecumenical Council, which met in his city in 431 to condemn the heresy of Nestorius. As host and one of the leaders of the Council, he stood with Cyril of Alexandria in the defence of the Theotokos and the unity of Christ, and for it he shared Cyril's deposition and imprisonment at the hands of the emperor Theodosius II, before both were vindicated and restored. He reposed in peace, and the Church honours him among the confessing hierarchs on December 16.
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Nicholas Chrysoberges
Nicholas Chrysoberges was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in the last decades of the tenth century, under the emperor Basil II. His patriarchate is remembered for events of lasting consequence: he is held to have received the hymn "It is Truly Meet" (Axion Estin), revealed — the Athonite tradition says — by the Archangel Gabriel; in his time the newly baptised Rus' were given their first metropolitan, Michael, sent to Kiev; and he ordained and encouraged the young Symeon, afterward the New Theologian, as abbot of the monastery of St Mamas in the capital. He reposed in peace and is commemorated on December 16.
British Isles and Ireland
- St. Beoc of Lough Derg (5th C)
Troparia & kontakia
Kontakion — Tone 4
Enlightened by the Spirit, thy pure heart became a most radiant vessel of prophecy: for thou seest things far off as though near at hand. Therefore we all faithfully honour thee, O blessed and glorious prophet Haggai.
Kontakion — Tone 2
Crowned on earth with a royal crown, O blessed Theophano, thou didst long for the crown of heaven; therefore thou didst chasten thy flesh with vigil and fasting, covering the royal purple with sackcloth of hair, and offering warm prayers to God at every hour, doing thy struggles in secret. Wherefore Christ our God, the Giver of the prize, made thee manifestly glorious; and now we all cry to thee: Rejoice, O blessed empress, for thou hast been counted worthy of the Kingdom of heaven.
Troparion — Tone 2
Celebrating the memory of thy prophet Haggai, O Lord, through him we entreat thee: save our souls.
Troparion — Tone 8
Hymning thee, the empress made manifest of God, and praising thy life like a nun's, blessing thy patience and humility of wisdom, with love we cry to thee without ceasing: Remember us also, O blessed Theophano, in thine unsleeping prayers to Christ.
Readings
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
Colossians 3.4-11 (Forefathers)
4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Gospel
Luke 14.16-24 (Forefathers)
16Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.