Tuesday, 30 December 2025

Tuesday of the 30th week after Pentecost

254 days after Pascha · Tone 4 · Liturgy · No Fast (Fast Free)

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyrs Philetaerus, Theonas, Eubulus, Theotimus, Hilarian, Jacob and Comasius of Nicomedia

Saint Philetaerus was a young nobleman of Nicomedia who suffered for Christ during the persecution under the emperor Diocletian (284 to 305). Brought before the imperial tribunal in his native city, he confessed Christ before the emperor himself and could not be turned aside from his confession by either flattery or torment. He was scourged, his face was beaten, and he was stretched upon a wheel of torture and cast into a fiery furnace, but in each ordeal he was preserved by the power of God. Beholding these wonders, several of his companions, including the soldiers Theonas and Eubulus, and the men Theotimus, Hilarian, Jacob and Comasius, came forward to confess Christ. They too were tortured and crowned with martyrdom, some by the sword and some by drowning. Saint Philetaerus himself, after long sufferings, was brought to a place of execution, where he prayed and quietly fell asleep in the Lord without a fresh blow being struck.

Holy Virgin Martyr Anysia of Thessalonica

She was born to a pious, noble and very wealthy family in Thessalonica. When both her parents died while she was an adolescent, Anysia consecrated herself to Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom. She cast off all her jewels and fine clothing, dressing herself as a commoner. She freed all her many slaves, giving each of them a generous sum of money to establish themselves. She gave away all of her inheritance, which included large estates. Thenceforth she spent her days visiting the sick, helping widows and orphans, and, especially, aiding Christians suffering under persecution. She would visit those in prison, bringing them food and water and tending their wounds. All the time not devoted to aiding the poor or oppressed she spent in prayer in a small cell. One of her prayers was that she, like those that she helped, would be granted the crown of martyrdom.

One day, while she was walking to church, an imperial soldier accosted her and roughly questioned her. When she plainly declared herself a Christian, the soldier seized her and dragged her to a temple of the idols, where he commanded her to make sacrifice. In response, she only spat in his face. The enraged soldier drew his sword and thrust it into her side, slaying her. Some pious Christians took her body and buried it outside the city. When the persecutions had ended, a church was built in her honor at the place of her burial.

Saint Egwin of Worcester, Bishop and Founder of Evesham

Saint Egwin was an Anglo-Saxon of royal Mercian descent, born in the seventh century. From his youth he was raised in the Christian faith and embraced the monastic life. In 692 he was consecrated the third Bishop of Worcester, where he laboured tirelessly to root out vice among clergy and people, to defend the rights of widows and orphans, and to enforce the canons of the Church on the sanctity of marriage. His strict pastoral discipline made him many enemies, who slandered him to the king and even to the Pope. According to the venerable tradition of his life, the saint went to Rome to clear his name, having first locked his feet in iron fetters and cast the key into the river Avon. While at Rome a fish was brought to him for his table, and within it was found the very key, by which God Himself bore witness to his innocence. Returning vindicated, Saint Egwin received from a swineherd named Eoves the report of a vision of the Mother of God in a forest clearing, and there in 701 he founded the great monastery of Evesham, dedicated to the Theotokos. He governed both the see of Worcester and the new monastery until shortly before his death, when he resigned his bishopric to live as a simple monk. He reposed at Evesham on 30 December 717 and was buried there. His tomb became a place of many miracles.

Venerable Melania the Younger, anticipated commemoration

Although the principal feast of Saint Melania the Younger of Rome falls on 31 December, in the Greek liturgical tradition her hymns are transferred to 30 December and chanted together with those of the Holy Virgin Martyr Anysia. This is because 31 December is the Apodosis, or Leavetaking, of the Nativity, on which day the festal hymns of the Lord's Nativity take precedence over the offices of any saint. Thus on 30 December the Church anticipates the memory of the great Roman ascetic, joining her to the witness of the virgin martyr Anysia of Thessalonica, so that her struggles and labours are not passed over in silence. Her full life and feast are kept on the following day, when the joy of the great feast of the Nativity is concluded.

Our Holy Father Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia

1563

He was born in Moscow in 1492. When his father died, his mother became a nun and he a monk, receiving the monastic name Macarius. He became an iconographer of rare talent. In 1523 he was ordained to the priesthood and made Abbot of the Monastery of Luchski; three years later he was consecrated Archbishop of Novgorod and Pskov, a see which had been vacant for many years. As Archbishop, he sent missionaries to the native peoples of the far north of Russia and, within his own diocese strove against the paganism still common among the people. He regularized life in the monasteries of his diocese, which had fallen into self-indulgence. In 1542 he was elected Metropolitan of Moscow and head of the Russian Church. Five years later he crowned the first Tsar of Russia, Ivan Vassilievich. In 1551 he summoned the Council of the Hundred Chapters, which condemned various heresies prevalent at that time, laid down principles of Christian conduct and education, and established rules for iconography and Church art. Throughout his time as a hierarch, he continued to paint icons, and in 1553 he brought about the production of the first books to be printed in Russian. When the Khanate of Kazan fell, he immediately sent missionaries to convert the Tatars. When the Tsar, who revered Saint Macarius, asked him for a spiritual book, he was surprised and displeased to be given a copy of the funeral service; but the Saint told him that anyone who read this book carefully and applied its words would never sin. Saint Macarius reposed in peace in Moscow in 1563, and his popular veneration began immediately. In 1988 he was officially glorified by the Church of Russia.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Hebrews — Hebrews 9.8-10, 15-23

⁸the Holy Spirit this signifying, that the way into the holy place hath not yet been made manifest, while the first tabernacle is yet standing; ⁸The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: ⁹which is a figure for the time present; according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshipper perfect, ⁹Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; ¹⁰being only (with meats and drinks and divers washings) carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation. ¹⁰Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. ¹⁵And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. ¹⁵And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. ¹⁶For where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him that made it. ¹⁶For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. ¹⁷For a testament is of force where there hath been death: for it doth never avail while he that made it liveth. ¹⁷For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. ¹⁸Wherefore even the first covenant hath not been dedicated without blood. ¹⁸Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. ¹⁹For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses unto all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, ¹⁹For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, ²⁰Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. ²⁰saying, This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded to you-ward. ²¹Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. ²¹Moreover the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry he sprinkled in like manner with the blood. ²²And according to the law, I may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission. ²²And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

²³It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²³It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 11.11-23

¹¹And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

¹¹And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple; and when he had looked round about upon all things, it being now eventide, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

¹²And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

¹²And on the morrow, when they were come out from Bethany, he hungered. ¹³And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. ¹³And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season of figs. ¹⁴And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. ¹⁴And he answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit from thee henceforward for ever. And his disciples heard it.

¹⁵And they come to Jerusalem: and he entered into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and them that bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves;

¹⁵And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; ¹⁶and he would not suffer that any man should carry a vessel through the temple. ¹⁶And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. ¹⁷And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. ¹⁷And he taught, and said unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? but ye have made it a den of robbers. ¹⁸And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. ¹⁸And the chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, for all the multitude was astonished at his teaching. ¹⁹And when even was come, he went out of the city.

¹⁹And every evening he went forth out of the city.

²⁰And as they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.

²⁰And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. ²¹And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. ²¹And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. ²²And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. ²²And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. ²³Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. ²³For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.