Friday 9th January 2026
Fast day: strict fast
Afterfeast of The Theophany
Today we commemorate:
Holy martyr Polyeuctus of Melitene in Armenia (259). Hieromartyr Philip, metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia (1569). St. Peter, bishop of Sebaste in Armenia (4th C). St. Eustratius the Wonderworker (9th C). New Martyr Parthena of Edessa in Macedonia (1375)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Adrian of Canterbury, abbot and scholar (710). St. Berhtwald, 8th archbishop of Canterbury (731). St. Foellan of Strathfillan (8th C).
James 2:1-13; Mark 13:1-8
Readings in bold type are those appointed by the Typikon for use at the Liturgy
James 2:1-13
Brothers and sisters, do not hold the faith of Jesus Christ, our Lord of glory, with partiality. For if a man wearing a gold ring and splendid clothes comes into your assembly, and a beggar in filthy clothes comes in as well, and you look with respect at the one wearing the splendid clothes and say to him, ‘Sit here in a good seat,’ but you tell the poor man, ‘Stand there’ or ‘Sit here, below my footstool,’ are you not creating distinctions among yourselves and being wrong-headed judges? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Did God not chose the poor of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom that he promised to those who love him? Yet you dishonour the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you, they who drag you before the courts? Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was bestowed upon you? If you fulfil the royal law in accordance with the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself,’ you do well. But if you are showing partiality, you commit sin and stand convicted by the law as transgressors, because those who keep the whole law but offend in one respect are guilty in every respect. For he who said, ‘Do not commit adultery’ also said, ‘Do not commit murder.’ If then you do not commit adultery but you do commit murder, you are a transgressor of the law. And so speak and act like those who are about to be judged by the law of freedom. Although condemnation without mercy is for those who showed no mercy, mercy is triumphant over condemnation.
Mark 13:1-8
At that time, as Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher. Such stones and such buildings!’ And in reply Jesus told him, ‘You gaze at these great buildings, but there will not remain here a stone on a stone that will not be brought down.’ When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, facing the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew questioned him privately. ‘Tell us when these things will happen and what sign there will be that everything is about to be brought to an end.’ Jesus began by saying to them, ‘Watch out that no one leads you astray, because many will come in my name saying, “I am he,” and they will lead many astray. And do not be frightened when you hear of wars and news of battles because they are bound to happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and disturbances. These are the beginning of the birth pains.’