Sunday, 23 August 2026

12th Sunday after Pentecost

133 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Leavetaking of the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos

The twenty third of August is observed in the Orthodox Church as the leavetaking, or apodosis, of the great feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos celebrated on the fifteenth of the month. On this day the Church repeats the hymns and readings of the festal day, bringing to a close the eight day period in which the Mother of God's translation in body and soul to the heavenly Kingdom is solemnly proclaimed. The faithful are exhorted to give thanks for the maternal protection of the Theotokos and to take up afresh in their own lives the labour of imitating her humility, faith, and love.

Holy Hieromartyr Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons

177

Saint Irenaeus was born about the year 130 in the city of Smyrna in Asia Minor. As a young man he sat at the feet of Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, himself a disciple of the Apostle John the Theologian, who baptised him, ordained him presbyter, and sent him to Gaul. There he served the elderly Bishop Pothinus of Lugdunum, the present day Lyons, and after the bishop's martyrdom in 178 was chosen to succeed him on the cathedra. Saint Irenaeus laboured to confirm the faith of his people, to evangelise the surrounding pagan tribes, and above all to refute the rising heresies of his day. His great work Against Heresies remains a foundational witness to the apostolic tradition, the canon of Scripture, and the apostolic succession of bishops. He was crowned with martyrdom about the year 202 during the persecution of the Emperor Septimius Severus.

Holy Martyr Lupus the Slave

Saint Lupus lived at the close of the third and beginning of the fourth century and was the faithful servant of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica. Standing close by his master at the moment of his martyric death, he soaked his garment with the saint's blood and took from his hand a ring; through these relics he afterwards wrought many miracles, healing the sick and casting out demons in Thessalonica. Hearing of these signs, the Emperor Maximian Galerius gave orders that Lupus be seized. Strengthened by holy baptism, which he received only shortly before his death, the saint freely delivered himself into the hands of the soldiers and was beheaded with the sword for his confession of Christ.

Leavetaking of Dormition

On the Holy Mountain, the Feast of the Dormition is extended to August 28, thus consecrating almost the entire month of August to the Most Holy Theotokos.

Saint Callinicus, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Callinicus served as Patriarch of Constantinople from 693 to 705. Before his elevation he was a presbyter of the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos at Blachernae. On the death of Patriarch Paul in 693 he was raised to the patriarchal throne, where he distinguished himself by his pastoral zeal and his courage in defence of the Church. When the Emperor Justinian II demanded that he bless the demolition of a church to make way for a palace, the patriarch replied that he had prayers for the building of churches but none for their destruction. After Justinian was deposed in 695, he was sent into exile; on regaining the throne in 705 the emperor took revenge on Callinicus by having his eyes put out and banishing him to Rome, where Pope John VII received him with honour. There he reposed in peace about the year 705, having borne his sufferings with patience and meekness for the sake of Christ.

Martyr Lupus, slave of St Demetrios of Thessalonica

306

He was the servant of the Great Martyr Demetrius, and was present at his martyrdom. He dipped the hem of his garment in the martyr’s blood, and later worked many miracles with the garment, healing many illnesses. At the order of the Emperor Maximian, he was then himself arrested, tortured and, like his earthly master, beheaded for Christ. It is said that, as his death approached, he prayed to be baptized before his death, for, though a believer in Christ, he had never been able to be baptized. A cloud suddenly poured down a torrent of water upon him, answering his prayer.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 15.1-11

¹Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; ²By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. ³For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ⁴And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: ⁵And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: ⁶After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. ⁷After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. ⁸And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ⁹For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. ¹¹Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 19.16-26

¹⁶And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? ¹⁷And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. ¹⁸He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, ¹⁹Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ²⁰The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? ²¹Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. ²²But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

²³Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ²⁵When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? ²⁶But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

1st Matins Gospel

Matthew — Matthew 28.16-20

¹⁶Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Epistle

— Theotokos

Philippians — Philippians 2.5-11

⁵Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁷But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. ⁹Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel

— Theotokos

Luke — Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28

³⁸Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. ⁴⁰But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. ⁴¹And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: ⁴²But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

²⁷And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. ²⁸But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.