Saturday, 21 December 2024

Saturday before Nativity

Saturday of the 26th week after Pentecost

230 days after Pascha · Tone 8 · Liturgy · Nativity Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

Holy martyr Themistocles of Myra

Saint Themistocles lived in the city of Myra in Lycia during the reign of the persecutor Decius, around the year 251. As a young man he tended sheep in the fields outside Myra. When the persecution against the Christians arose, a fellow believer named Dioscorus fled into the hills to escape arrest and took refuge among the rocks where Themistocles was pasturing his flock. The soldiers, seeking the fugitive, came to the shepherd and demanded to know where Dioscorus was hiding. To save his brother in Christ, Themistocles confessed himself to be the Christian they sought. He was led to the tribunal, where he firmly declared his faith. The governor commanded him to be cruelly beaten, scraped with iron hooks, and dragged over a path strewn with sharp thorns and stones. Throughout these torments the saint glorified God. He was at last pierced through with a sword and so received the crown of martyrdom.

Holy virgin martyr Juliana of Nicomedia

She was the daughter of a prominent family in Nicomedia during the reign of the persecutor Maximian (286-305). Her parents betrothed her to a nobleman named Eleusius, but without his knowledge, or that of her parents, she had already committed her life to Christ, and consecrated her virginity to him. To put off her suitor, she told him that she would not marry him until he became Prefect. Eleusius went to work using his fortune to bribe and influence those in power, and succeeded in being appointed Prefect of Nicomedia. When he went to Juliana to claim her as his wife, she was forced to confess herself a Christian, saying that she would never marry him unless he gave up the worship of idols and embraced the faith of Christ. For her confession, she was arrested and taken before the Prefect: Eleusius, her once-ardent suitor. He was now filled with an ardent rage toward her and, when she would not renounce her faith, had her subjected to the most sadistic tortures imaginable. Miraculously, she endured these without harm. Witnessing this wonder, 500 men and 130 women from among the pagans confessed Christ. The enraged Prefect had all of them beheaded immediately, followed by Juliana herself. She was eighteen years old when she won the Martyr’s crown.

Saint Peter, metropolitan of Moscow, wonderworker

“Saint Peter was born in Volhynia in 1260 and entered a monastery there at the age of thirteen. Making the Ladder of Saint John Climacus his guide in the monastic life, his obedience, meekness and willingness to undertake tasks that were repugnant to his brethren made him beloved of them all. He also painted icons and was the originator of the Muscovite style of Russian iconography. After some years, he left for the small Monastery of the Transfiguration in order to find the quiet favourable to prayer. Saint Maximus, the metropolitan of Kiev (6 Dec.) visited this monastery and was greatly edified by the virtues of Peter, whom he decided should be his successor as head of the Russian Church. He was confirmed in this resolve by an apparition of the Mother of God, and he made the request to the Patriarch of Constantinople on whom the Russian Church depended. In 1325 therefore Saint Peter was consecrated Metropolitan of Kiev, of which the see had been transferred to Vladimir by Saint Maximus, after the sack of Kiev by the Tatars. Peter’s election was confirmed by a Council, but he immediately encountered opposition from the Russian princes, who were vying with one another for influence over the leader of the Church. Peter’s meekness and charity towards his enemies won him their respect; but although conciliatory in all that concerned himself personally, he was nonetheless strict as regards the faith and moral uprightness. He energetically opposed intense Muslim propaganda, and travelled throughout Russia to confirm the faith. He did not hesitate to risk his life for the sake of making peace among the princes and, foreseeing that Russia would reunite around the principality of Moscow, he transferred his Metropolitanate see to that city and began the construction of the renowned Cathedral of the Dormition in the Kremlin. He gave up his soul to God while at prayer on 21 December 1326, and many miracles of healing were wrought at his tomb.” (Synaxarion)

Sunday of the Holy Forefathers

When 21 December falls on the Sunday before the Nativity of Christ, the Orthodox Church commemorates the holy Forefathers and Foremothers of the Lord, that is, the genealogy of Christ "according to the flesh" reaching from Adam through Abraham, the patriarchs, kings and prophets, to Joseph the betrothed, the all-holy Theotokos and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel reading for the day is the genealogy from the first chapter of Saint Matthew, and the hymns of the day praise Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, David, Daniel and the three holy youths in the furnace, together with all the righteous men and women of the Old Covenant who looked forward in faith to the coming of the Saviour. This commemoration is also observed on the second Sunday before Christmas as the Sunday of the Forefathers, but when it falls on this date it carries the title "Sunday before the Nativity" and continues the preparation begun in the Forefeast.

Saint Procopius of Vyatka, Fool for Christ

1627

“Saint Procopius, the son of devout peasants, first feigned madness to escape a marriage that was being urged on him. He spent his life in the streets half-naked, slept wherever night overtook him and would never accept the shelter of a house. He used signs to make himself understood and never spoke a word, except to his spiritual father, with whom he would converse normally as a man in possession of all his faculties. When he was given an article of clothing, he wore it for a while out of obedience and then give it away to someone poor. When he visited the sick, he set fire to the beds of those who were going to get better, and rolled up in their sheets those who were going to die. He made many predictions, often by means of disconcerting prophetic signs, whose meaning became clear with the event. He spent thirty years in foolishness for Christ and, having foretold his death, fell asleep in peace in 1627.” (Synaxarion)

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Galatians — Galatians 3.8-12

⁸And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed. ⁸And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. ⁹So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. ⁹So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. ¹⁰For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them. ¹⁰For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. ¹¹But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. ¹¹Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith; ¹²and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them. ¹²And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

Epistle

— Saturday before Nativity weekly cycle

Galatians — Galatians 3.8-12

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 16.10-15

¹⁰He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. ¹⁰He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much. ¹¹If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? ¹¹If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? ¹²And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? ¹²And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

¹³No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. ¹³No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. ¹⁴And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

¹⁴And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things; and they scoffed at him. ¹⁵And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. ¹⁵And he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Gospel

— Saturday before Nativity

Luke — Luke 13.18-29

¹⁸Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?

¹⁸He said therefore, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I liken it? ¹⁹It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. ¹⁹It is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his own garden; and it grew, and became a tree; and the birds of the heaven lodged in the branches thereof. ²⁰And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?

²⁰And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? ²¹It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. ²¹It is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.

²²And he went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and journeying on unto Jerusalem. ²²And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. ²³Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, ²³And one said unto him, Lord, are they few that are saved? And he said unto them, ²⁴Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

²⁴Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ²⁵When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: ²⁵When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not whence ye are; ²⁶Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. ²⁶then shall ye begin to say, We did eat and drink in thy presence, and thou didst teach in our streets; ²⁷But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. ²⁷and he shall say, I tell you, I know not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. ²⁸There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast forth without. ²⁸There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. ²⁹And they shall come from the east and west, and from the north and south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. ²⁹And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.