Wednesday, 10 December 2025

Wednesday of the 27th week after Pentecost

234 days after Pascha · Tone 1 · Liturgy · Nativity Fast

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Gemellus of Paphlagonia

The Holy Martyr Gemellus suffered for Christ at Ancyra in the time of the apostate emperor Julian (361-363). A native of Edessa in Mesopotamia, he confessed Christ openly and was seized while travelling, being brought before the emperor himself, who was then in Cappadocia. Gemellus rebuked the emperor for his apostasy and refused all entreaties to offer sacrifice. He was scourged, his sides torn with iron hooks, and his body lacerated, but he persevered without yielding. Finally he was crucified at Ancyra in Galatia, becoming, as the Greek synaxarion records, the only martyr to be crucified after the death of Christ. By this death he received a crown like that of the holy thief, and the Church honours his memory each year on this day.

Holy Martyrs Menas Kallikelados, Hermogenes and Eugraphus

Menas was an Athenian, a courtier of the Emperor Maximinus, and a secret Christian. Once there was an outbreak of civil unrest in Alexandria, brought about by various political factions, and by the increasing success of Christian missionaries in turning the Alexandrian people from the idols. The Emperor sent Menas to reconcile the parties and settle the dispute. On his arrival, Menas quickly resolved the political troubles and restored peace to the city; but instead of putting down Christianity as the Emperor had desired, he did everything in his power to protect the Christians and encourage the spread of the Gospel. When word of this came to the Emperor, he sent another trusted courtier, Hermogenes, to re-establish Imperial authority and to execute Menas if he would not renounce Christ. Hermogenes followed these orders scrupulously: he subjected the godly Menas to various horrid tortures in the public arena. But Menas was miraculously preserved through them all, and when he finally appeared in the arena, flanked by two shining Angels, Hermogenes repented and confessed Christ. He in turn became such a fervent advocate for the Gospel that he was soon made a Bishop (!). Finally the Emperor decided that the only solution was to come to Alexandria himself. There he had both Menas and Hermogenes cruelly tortured to death in secret, lest they perform any public miracles; but when the Emperor presented himself before the people at the arena the following day, the two Saints, miraculously preserved, appeared there also, causing the people to cry out “Christ is the only true God!” At the sight, Menas’ scribe Eugraphus declared himself a Christian, leaped into the arena and publicly demanded the honor of dying with them. All three were beheaded. Their precious relics were later taken to Constantinople, where they worked many miracles.

Saint Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod

Saint Joasaph of Belgorod was born Joachim Andreyevich Gorlenko at Priluki in Little Russia on 8 September 1705 to a noble Cossack family. From his early youth he longed for the monastic life, and at the age of sixteen he secretly entered the Kiev Caves Lavra, where he was tonsured a rasophore in 1725 and then to the great schema with the name Joasaph in 1727. He served as teacher and preacher at the Kiev Theological Academy and as abbot of several monasteries before being raised in 1748 to the episcopate as Bishop of Belgorod and Oboyan. As bishop he was unsparing of himself in his pastoral labours, travelling continually about his vast diocese, examining clergy, ordering the proper celebration of the divine services, restoring churches and demanding strictness of life from priests and monks alike. He was famed for his hidden almsgiving and care for the poor, often giving away even his own clothes. Foreseeing his repose, he set out for his native Priluki to bid farewell to his parents, fell ill on the return journey and reposed at Grayvoron on 10 December 1754. His relics were uncovered incorrupt and have been a wellspring of healings; he was glorified by the Russian Church in 1911.

Saint Thomas the New of Bithynia

Saint Thomas, called Dephourkinos and "the New," was a Byzantine ascetic of the tenth century who laboured on Mount Kyminas in Bithynia. From childhood he was drawn to the things of God, and after a brief period of life in the world entered a monastery, where he distinguished himself by humility and obedience. Seeking deeper solitude, he withdrew to a cave on the slopes of Mount Kyminas, where he lived for many years in silent prayer and severe asceticism, struggling with the assaults of demons. The Lord granted him the gifts of clairvoyance, healing and discernment of spirits, and many came from afar for his counsel, including the renowned Saint Michael Maleinos. He gathered a small brotherhood about himself and reposed in peace, leaving a memory of strict ascetic order on the holy mountain that would later nourish Athanasius the Athonite and the founders of organised cenobitic life on Mount Athos.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Timothy — 1 Timothy 5.22-6.11

²²Lay hands hastily on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. ²²Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. ²³Be no longer a drinker of water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities. ²³Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities. ²⁴Some men’s sins are evident, going before unto judgment; and some men also they follow after. ²⁴Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. ²⁵In like manner also there are good works that are evident; and such as are otherwise cannot be hid. ²⁵Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.

¹Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

¹Let as many as are servants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine be not blasphemed. ²And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. ²And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but let them serve them the rather, because they that partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. These things teach and exhort.

³If any man teacheth a different doctrine, and consenteth not to sound words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

³If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; ⁴he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but doting about questionings and disputes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, ⁴He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, ⁵wranglings of men corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, supposing that godliness is a way of gain. ⁵Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. ⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain: ⁷for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out; ⁷For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. ⁸And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. ⁸but having food and covering we shall be therewith content. ⁹But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. ⁹But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. ¹⁰For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. ¹¹But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

¹¹But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 21.5-7, 10-11, 20-24

⁵And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,

⁵And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, he said, ⁶As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. ⁶As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. ⁷And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? ⁷And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass? ¹⁰Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

¹⁰Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; ¹¹And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. ¹¹and there shall be great earthquakes, and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven. ²⁰And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

²⁰But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand. ²¹Then let them which are in Judæa flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. ²¹Then let them that are in Judæa flee unto the mountains; and let them that are in the midst of her depart out; and let not them that are in the country enter therein. ²²For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. ²²For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. ²³Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people. ²³But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. ²⁴And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. ²⁴And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.