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Sunday, 27 December 2026

30th Sunday after Pentecost

259 days after Pascha · Tone 5 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · No Fast (Fast Free)

Saints commemorated

★ Holy Apostle, Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen

Saint Stephen, the first martyr for Christ, was a Hellenistic Jew of the early Church and the eldest of the seven deacons appointed by the Apostles to serve the daily distribution to widows in Jerusalem, as recorded in the sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Because he was first among them, he is called the Archdeacon. He is also numbered among the Seventy whom the Lord sent forth. Full of grace and power, Stephen wrought great wonders and signs among the people. When members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen disputed with him and could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke, they suborned false witnesses and brought him before the Sanhedrin. Standing before the council with a face like that of an angel, Stephen rehearsed the long history of God's mercy to Israel from Abraham to Solomon, and reproved his hearers as those who had betrayed and murdered the Just One whom the prophets had foretold. When the council heard this they were cut to the heart and gnashed at him with their teeth. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and beheld the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and confessed what he saw. They cast him out of the city and stoned him while he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," and again, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge", and so fell asleep in Christ around the year 34. The young Saul of Tarsus, who would later become the Apostle Paul, kept the cloaks of those who stoned him. His relics were discovered in 415 by the priest Lucian and transferred with great honour to Constantinople and Rome. The Church glorifies him as the first to follow Christ in martyrdom, the head of the army of martyrs.

Saint Maurus of Subiaco

Saint Maurus was born around the year 512 in Rome, the son of a Roman nobleman named Equitius. At the age of about twelve he was entrusted by his parents to the care of Saint Benedict of Nursia at Subiaco, becoming the first and most beloved of his disciples. Together with Saint Placid he grew up under Benedict's spiritual fatherhood, becoming an example of obedience and humility. The most famous incident of his life is recorded by Saint Gregory the Great in the Dialogues. When the young Placid fell into the lake while drawing water and was being carried away by the current, Saint Benedict, beholding the danger by the Spirit, commanded Maurus to run and save him. Maurus, in the strength of holy obedience, ran upon the surface of the water and brought Placid back unharmed, attributing the miracle to his master's prayers. He later became Benedict's chief assistant and was sent on missions to other communities. He reposed in peace around the year 584 and is venerated in both East and West. While the Latin Church keeps his memory chiefly on 15 January, in the Orthodox tradition he is also remembered on 27 December.

Venerable Theodore the Confessor and his brother Theophanes the Branded

Saints Theodore and Theophanes were brothers born in Jerusalem of pious Christian parents. From their youth they embraced the monastic life in the great Lavra of Saint Sabbas, where they were instructed in the Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers. Both were ordained, Theodore being noted for his learning and Theophanes for his gift of writing hymns. When the iconoclast persecution broke out under the emperor Leo V the Armenian (813 to 820), the Patriarch of Jerusalem entrusted them with a mission to Constantinople, where they boldly defended the veneration of holy icons before the emperor. They were beaten and exiled, suffering also under the emperors Michael II and Theophilus. Under Theophilus they were brought before the throne, scourged and finally subjected to the cruellest of indignities: twelve lines of insulting verse were inscribed upon their faces with red-hot needles. From this they came to be known as Graptoi, "the Branded". After this torment they were sent to Apamea in Bithynia, where Saint Theodore reposed around the year 840 in his place of exile. Saint Theophanes survived to see the restoration of the icons in 843, and was raised to the see of Nicaea, where he composed many beautiful canons and hymns before his repose around 845.

Our Righteous Father Theodore the Branded, brother of St Theophanes the Hymnographer

See the account of his life on October 11, when his brother St Theophanes is Commemorated.

Daily readings

Epistle

— St Stephen weekly cycle

Acts — Acts 6.8-7.5, 47-60

8And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

9Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. 10And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. 11Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. 12And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, 13And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 14For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. 15And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

1Then said the high priest, Are these things so? 2And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. 4Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. 5And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. 47But Solomon built him an house. 48Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? 50Hath not my hand made all these things?

51Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

54When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. 59And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Gospel

— St Stephen weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 21.33-42

33Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

8th Matins Gospel

John — John 20.11-18

11But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Epistle

— Sunday after Nativity

Galatians — Galatians 1.11-19

11But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, 16To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. 19But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.

Gospel

— Sunday after Nativity and Theotokos

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. 14When he arose, he 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.

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. 17Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 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, 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. 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: 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.