Friday 2nd January 2026
Fast free
Forefeast of the Theophany
Today we commemorate:
St. Sylvester, pope of Rome (335). St. Cosmas of Constantinople (1081). Repose (1833) and Second Uncovering of the Relics (1991) of St. Seraphim, Wonderworker of Sarov. Righteous Juliana of Lazarevsk (1604). St. Theodata, mother of the first SS Cosmas and Damian (3rd C). Hieromartyr Theogenes, bishop of Parium on the Hellespont (c.320). New Martyr George the Georgian (1770)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Seiriol of Wales (6th C).
Hebrews 11:8-16; Mark 12:1-12
Readings in bold type are those appointed by the Typikon for use at the Liturgy
Hebrews 11:8-16
Brothers and sisters, by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for the place that he was to receive as an inheritance, and he went not knowing where he was going. By faith he settled as a foreigner in the promised land. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise, because he was waiting for the city with foundations whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received the ability to conceive, and although she was over the age she gave birth, because she considered the one who made the promise to be faithful. And so from one person, and one as good as dead, came the multitude, numberless as the stars of heaven and as the sand of the sea shore. In faith all these died. They did not receive the promises, but they saw them from afar and embraced them, acknowledging that they were strangers and pilgrims upon the earth. And those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a homeland. If they were thinking of the one from which they came, they would have the opportunity to return, but now they yearn for a better one, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he prepared a city for them.
Mark 12:1-12
The Lord told this parable. ‘A man planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it and dug a wine vat and built a tower; he then let it to vine-growers and went abroad. At the appropriate time he sent a servant to the vine-growers to collect some of the produce of the vineyard, but they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again, he sent to them another servant. They threw stones at him, wounding him in the head, and sent him away, shamefully treated. Again he sent another, and that one they killed. There were many others: some were beaten and others were killed; but he still had one son, his beloved. Finally he sent him to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But those vine-growers saw him coming and said to themselves, “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” They seized him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the master of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those vine-growers and give the vineyard to others. Have you never read this Scripture? “The stone that the builders rejected is the one that became the main cornerstone. That was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.”’ They were looking for a way to arrest him because they knew that he had spoken the parable against them, but they were afraid of the crowd. And so they left him and went away.