Friday, 26 December 2025

Synaxis of the Most-Holy Theotokos

Friday of the 29th week after Pentecost

250 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Red squigg (doxology typikon symbol) · No Fast (Fast Free)

Saints commemorated

★ Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos

On the day after the Nativity of Christ the Orthodox Church gathers in solemn assembly to glorify the Mother of God, through whom the salvation of the world was made possible. This commemoration, known as a Synaxis, is one of the oldest such gatherings in the Christian tradition. From the fourth century onwards Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus and other Fathers attest to the keeping of this feast on the day immediately following the Nativity.

Combining the hymns of the feast of the Incarnation with those that praise the Theotokos, the Church confesses that the Virgin Mary is the one through whom the Son of God came to dwell among men. She is "the unwedded Mother", "the Bride unbridegroomed", and the living temple of the Most High. To her the Magi offered their gifts, the shepherds came in haste, and through her the angel announced the joy of the Saviour's birth. The hymns of the day proclaim, "What shall we offer Thee, O Christ? Each of Thy creatures bringeth Thee a gift; but we offer Thee a Virgin Mother."

The day is also the second of the three Christmas days that form the Winter Pascha, and stands as a great festal commemoration of the Theotokos in the cycle of feasts.

Holy New Hieromartyr Constantine the Russian of the Lavra on Mount Athos

Saint Constantine the Russian was a young man from Russia who, in the eighteenth century, converted from the Orthodox faith to Islam during a time spent under Turkish rule. Repenting bitterly of his denial of Christ, he travelled to the Holy Mountain of Athos, where he was received as a novice at the Great Lavra of Saint Athanasius. There he gave himself to fasting, vigil and unceasing prayer, longing to wash away by his blood the sin of his apostasy. With the blessing of his spiritual father he set out for Constantinople, where in 1743 he openly confessed Christ before the Turkish authorities and reproved the false religion he had once embraced. After enduring imprisonment and beatings, he was hanged for his confession of the true faith, becoming a new martyr for Christ. His memory is honoured among the New Martyrs under the Turkish yoke.

Saint Euthymius the Confessor, Bishop of Sardis

Bishop Euthymius was one of those assembled at the Seventh Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 787; it was he who formulated the Council’s official declaration on veneration of the holy icons. During the reign of Nicephorus I (802-811),Euthymius’ enemies made false accusations against him that led to his being deposed and exiled for several years. He was called back to Constantinople by the iconoclast Emperor Leo the Armenian (813-820), who sought his support in attacking the icons; but Euthymius refused, and was exiled once more. On Leo’s death, he was summoned before another iconoclast Emperor, Michael II (820-829), who in turn asked the Saint’s support in his blasphemous campaign against the icons. The holy bishop not only refused, but cried out ‘Let anyone who does not worship Our Lord Jesus Christ represented in image according to His humanity, be anathema!’ The enraged Emperor exiled him again (his third exile), imprisoning him in a foul dungeon at the far east of the Black Sea for three years. He was then summoned to appear before his third Emperor in succession, the iconoclast Theophilus (829-42). For holding firm in the Faith once delivered to the saints, the holy bishop was mercilessly flogged with rods, then with the sinews of oxen until his body swelled up ‘like a wineskin.’ He was then thrown into a dungeon where, after eight days in terrible pain, he gave up his soul to God.

The Saint’s precious relics worked many miracles, and were venerated in Constantinople until the City’s fall in 1453, when they were taken to Cherson in the Crimea, then to Chilea near Chalcedon. When most of the Greeks were expelled from Asia Minor in 1922, the people of Chilea brought the Saint’s skull to Greece, where a church was built in his honor in Pireus; the holy relic may be venerated there today.

Saint Joseph the Betrothed, with David the King and James the Brother of the Lord

Together with the Synaxis of the Theotokos, the Orthodox Church on this day also commemorates Saint Joseph the Betrothed, the righteous King David, and Saint James the Brother of the Lord, the three figures most closely connected with the household in which the incarnate Saviour was born. Saint Joseph, of the lineage of David, was the espoused guardian of the Most Holy Theotokos and the protector of the divine Child. By divine command he led the Holy Family into Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod and brought them back to Nazareth at the angel's word. King David is honoured as the prophet and ancestor according to the flesh from whose royal line the Messiah was born. Saint James, the son of Joseph by an earlier marriage, accompanied the Holy Family into Egypt and would afterwards become the first bishop of Jerusalem and a martyr for Christ. In the West this commemoration falls on the Sunday after the Nativity, but in the East it is appointed for 26 December, that the three righteous ones surrounding the Saviour's earthly home may be honoured together with the Mother of God in the joy of the feast.

The Flight into Egypt of the Holy Family

See Matthew ch. 2. Though St Matthew’s account may leave the impression that the flight into Egypt was almost immediate, it would have been at least forty days after Christ’s birth, following His Presentation in the Temple (Luke ch. 2). Christ, his holy Mother and his adoptive father St Joseph probably remained in Egypt for several years, until the death of Herod the Great. St Nikolai Velimirovic (in the Prologue) relates the following tale: the holy family, fleeing into Egypt, were accosted by robbers, one of whom, seeing the Christ Child, was amazed at his supernatural beauty and said ‘If God were to take human flesh Himself, He would not be more beautiful than this child!’. The robber told his companions to take nothing from the family. In gratitude the Mother of God told him ‘This Child will reward you richly for having spared Him today.’ Thirty years later it was this robber who was crucified at Christ’s right hand, and was granted to hear the words ‘Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.’

Our Holy Father Constantine of Synnada

7th c.

His parents were Jews living at Synnada in Phrygia. One day when he was nine years old, he saw a Christian merchant make the sign of the Cross in the marketplace; and in imitation, without understanding its meaning, he began to make the sign. This became a habit with him, and he began to imitate other practices of the Christians around him, still without any understanding of the Christian faith. But by the power of the Cross, the grace of Christ began to grow in him secretly. He began to hear a voice within him revealing some of the mysteries of Christianity, and he began to be filled with a fervent love for the Savior. After the death of his mother, he fled his home town to escape an arranged marriage, and came in time to a monastery in Nicaea. He told his story to the abbot, who baptized him, giving him the name of Constantine. When the sign of the Cross was made on his head at baptism, a cross appeared visibly on his forehead, where it remained for the rest of his life. The holy Constantine devoted the rest of his days to the ascetical life, excelling in every virtue. It is said that a delighful scent would fill any place that he went, and that church doors would open spontaneously at his approach. He comforted many by healing their ailments through his prayers, and was granted the gift of discerning the secrets of hearts. After living for some time in Nicaea, he travelled to Mt Olympus in Bithynia where he lived as a hermit. Seeing that there were many Jews living in that area, he strove for a time to preach the Gospel to them, but was unable to win many of his former brethren to faith in Christ. He foretold the date of his death eight years beforehand. His final words to his disciples were ‘The Lord is coming to invite me to the feast of Joy.’ He then died, and a fragrant scent filled his cell. His relics gave off a healing myrrh for many years.

Also commemorated: Hieromartyr Euthymius of Sardis

Daily readings

Epistle

— Theotokos weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 2.11-18

¹¹For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹¹For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹²saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, In the midst of the congregation will I sing thy praise. ¹²Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

¹³And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold, I and the children whom God hath given me. ¹³And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. ¹⁴Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; ¹⁴Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; ¹⁵and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁵And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁶For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham. ¹⁶For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. ¹⁷Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. ¹⁸For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Gospel

— Theotokos weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 2.13-23

¹³And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

¹³Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. ¹⁴When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: ¹⁴And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; ¹⁵And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. ¹⁵and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son.

¹⁶Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

¹⁶Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men. ¹⁷Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, ¹⁷Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ¹⁸A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not. ¹⁸In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

¹⁹But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

¹⁹But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, ²⁰Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. ²⁰Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child’s life. ²¹And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. ²¹And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. ²²But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: ²²But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judæa in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee, ²³And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. ²³and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene.