Monday, 22 December 2025

Monday of the 29th week after Pentecost

246 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Liturgy · Nativity Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Holy Great Martyr Anastasia the Deliverer-from-Bonds

290

Saint Anastasia was a Roman by birth who suffered for Christ during the persecutions of Diocletian, around the year 304. Her father Praetextatus was a pagan, but her mother Fausta was a secret Christian who, with the help of an educated and pious teacher named Chrysogonus, raised Anastasia in the Christian faith. After her mother's death, her father married her against her will to a pagan named Publius, but Anastasia preserved her virginity by feigning illness. Clothing herself in the garb of a beggar and accompanied by only one servant, she went about the prisons of Rome and beyond, feeding, tending to and often ransoming captives who were suffering for their faith in Christ. Through her prayers many were healed of the effects of poisons and harmful potions, and for this reason she was given the title Pharmakolytria, the Deliverer-from-Potions or Deliverer-from-Bonds. Following the martyrdom of her teacher Chrysogonus, she continued her ministry to imprisoned Christians in Macedonia and Illyricum. She was eventually arrested, brought before the prefect, and after enduring many torments was stretched between four pillars and burned alive at Sirmium. In the fifth century her relics were translated to Constantinople, where a great church was built in her honour, and a portion of her relics is now venerated at the Monastery of Saint Anastasia near Mount Athos.

Holy Martyr Chrysogonus of Aquileia

Saint Chrysogonus was a Roman Christian teacher of high learning and great piety who instructed the young Anastasia in the faith of Christ after the death of her mother Fausta. During the persecution of Diocletian he was imprisoned for his confession of Christ, and from his cell he continued to encourage and counsel Anastasia by letter as she ministered to imprisoned believers. After two years in prison Chrysogonus was brought before the emperor at Aquileia, where he was commanded to offer sacrifice to the idols. He boldly refused, and was beheaded by the seashore around the year 304. His body was cast into the sea but was recovered by a presbyter named Zoilus, who buried it with honour. A church was later built over the site of his tomb, and his memory has been kept by the Church together with that of his disciple Anastasia.

Holy Martyr Theodota and her three sons at Nicaea

Saint Theodota was a young widow of Nicaea, a friend and companion of Saint Anastasia in her labours of mercy among the imprisoned Christians. Together with Anastasia she encouraged believers held in chains during the persecution of Diocletian. Betrayed for her faith, she was arrested with her three small sons and brought before the governor. When the eldest of her sons, Evodius, was beaten with rods, he endured his sufferings with such courage that the prefect was astonished. Theodota and her children were finally cast into a heated furnace, where they all gave up their souls to God. The Church remembers her bold confession alongside that of Anastasia the Deliverer-from-Bonds.

Also commemorated: Greatmartyr Anastasia and Companions

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 3.5-11, 17-19

⁵And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken; ⁵And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; ⁶but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end. ⁶But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. ⁷Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit saith, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, ⁷Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, ⁸Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, Like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness, ⁸Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: ⁹Where your fathers tried me by proving me, And saw my works forty years. ⁹When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. ¹⁰Wherefore I was displeased with this generation, And said, They do always err in their heart: But they did not know my ways; ¹⁰Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. ¹¹As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest. ¹¹So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) ¹⁷But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? ¹⁷And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? ¹⁸And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient? ¹⁹So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. ¹⁹And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 9.42-10.1

⁴²And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. ⁴²And whosoever shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it were better for him if a great millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. ⁴³And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: ⁴³And if thy hand cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire. ⁴⁴Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. ⁴⁴ ⁴⁵And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: ⁴⁵And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell. ⁴⁶ ⁴⁶Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. ⁴⁷And if thine eye cause thee to stumble, cast it out: it is good for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell; ⁴⁷And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: ⁴⁸where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. ⁴⁸Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. ⁴⁹For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. ⁴⁹For every one shall be salted with fire. ⁵⁰Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. ⁵⁰Salt is good: but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another.

¹And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judæa by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.

¹And he arose from thence, and cometh into the borders of Judæa and beyond the Jordan: and multitudes come together unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.