Saturday 15th November 2025
Nativity Fast begins: fish, wine and oil allowed
Today we commemorate:
Holy Martyrs and Confessors Gurias (299), Samonas (306), and Abibus (Habib) (322), of Edessa. Holy Martyrs Elpidius, Marcellus, and Eustochius, who suffered under Julian the Apostate (4th C). St. Thomas the New, patriarch of Constantinople (668). St. Paisius (Velichkovsky) of Moldavia and Mt. Athos (1794).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Machell, founder of the monastery of Llanfechell (7th C). St. Fintan, monk and hermit (879).
2 Corinthians 8:1-5; Luke 9:37-43
Readings in bold type are those appointed by the Typikon for use at the Liturgy
2 Corinthians 8:1-5
Brothers and sisters, I am letting you know about God’s gift that has been offered by the churches of Macedonia, of how the abundance of their joy through great trials and tribulation has overflowed into the richness of their generosity despite their deep poverty. It was what they themselves wanted in so far as it was possible and, as I can testify, beyond what was possible. With many appeals they begged us for the privilege of sharing in the ministry for the saints. It was not what we expected, but by God’s will they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us.
Luke 9:37-43
At that time, when they came down from the mountain, a great crowd met Jesus. There was a man in the crowd who shouted out. He was saying, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him and he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and it is destroying him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ And Jesus said, ‘Faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.’ As the boy was coming forward, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.