This Month's Saints and Readings
... or view next month's Saints and ReadingsDecember 2024
FROM THE FATHERS
“A FIRM and trustworthy basis for hope of the deification of human nature is God’s incarnation, which makes man a god in the same measure as God Himself became man. For it is clear that He Who became man without sin can also deify nature, without transforming it into the Deity, raising it to Himself in the measure that he humbled Himself for man’s sake. Speaking of this mystery, the great Apostle says, ‘That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His Grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus’ (Eph. 2:7).”
Venerable Maximus the Confessor + AD 662
“AS THE GOOD SHEPHERD, leaving the ninety and nine sheep in the mountains, goes to seek the one that has gone astray, so the Lord, not sated with the never-silent doxologies of the countless assemblies of the Angels, comes to call to His glorification the one who was ‘made a little lower than the Angels,’ the race of man which had gone astray.”
St. John of Shanghai the Wonder-worker + AD 1966
“FOR AS, when the likeness painted on a panel has been effaced by stains from without, he whose likeness it is must needs come once more to enable the portrait to be renewed on the same wood: for, for the sake of his picture, even the mere wood on which it is painted is not thrown away, but the outline is renewed upon it; in the same way also the most holy Son of the Father, being the Image of the Father, came to our region to renew man once made in His likeness, and find him, as one lost, by the remission of sins; as He says Himself in the Gospels: ‘I came to find and to save the lost’."
St. Athanasius the Great + AD 373
“BEHOLD on Christmas a new and wondrous reality. The angels sing and the archangels blend their voices in harmony. The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The Seraphim exalt Christ’s glory. All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth and man in heaven. He Who is above now for our redemption dwells here below, and we who are lowly are by divine mercy raised up. Bethlehem this day resembles heaven, hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices. Ask not how. For where God wills, nature yields. For He willed. He had the power. He descended. He redeemed. All things move in obedience to God. This day He Who is born and He Who is becomes what He is not. He is God become man, yet not departing from His Godhead.”
St. John Chrysostom + AD 407
Fasting Guidelines:On days designated strict fast we abstain from dairy products, meat, fish, oil and wine. Some seafoods, e.g. squid, crab, roe and prawn, are permitted.
Readings in bold type are those appointed by the Typikon for use at the Liturgy
Sunday 1st December 2024
Nativity Fast: fish, wine and oil allowedTone 6 - Eothinon 1
23rd after Pentecost, 14th of Luke
Commemorations:
Prophet Nahum (7th C. BC). Righteous Philaret the Merciful of Amnia (792). Holy Martyr Ananias of Persia. St. Porphyrios, patriarch of Antioch (413). St. Theoclites, archbishop of Lakedaimonia (870). SS Ananias and Solochonus, archbishops of Ephesus.
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Grwst of Llanrwst (7th C).
Readings:
Ephesians 2:4-10; Luke 18:35-43
Monday 2nd December 2024
Nativity Fast: fish, wine and oil allowedCommemorations:
Prophet Avakkum (Habakkuk) (7th C. BC). Holy Martyrs Abibus the New and Myrope of Chios (251). St. Ioannicius of Devich, monk (1430). St. Cyril of Phileus (1110). SS John, Heraclemon, Andrew, and Theophilus of Egypt (4th C). St. Stephen-Urosh V, King of Serbia (1371) and St. Helen of Serbia. St. Ise (Jesse), bishop of Tsilkani in Georgia (6th C).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Trumwine of Abercorn, (late 7th C).
Readings:
1 Thessalonians 2:20-3:8; Luke 20:27-44
Tuesday 3rd December 2024
Nativity Fast: fish, wine and oil allowedCommemorations:
Prophet Sophonias (Zephaniah) (635 BC). St. John the Silent of St. Sabbas’ Monastery (558). Hieromartyr Theodore, archbishop of Alexandria (606). Holy Martyrs Agapius and Seleucius. St. Theodoulos, eparch of Constantinople (c.440). New Martyr Angelos of Chios (1813). Monk-martyr Cosmas of St. Anne’s Skete. St. Sabbas, abbot of Zvenigorod, disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh (1406).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Birinus, bishop of Dorchester and Apostle of Wessex (650). St. Lucius of Britain (c.200). St. Ethernan (c.699). St. Sola, disciple of St. Boniface (794).
Readings:
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:12-19
Wednesday 4th December 2024
Nativity Fast: wine and oil allowedGreat Martyr Barbara and Martyr Juliana, at Heliopolis in Syria (306)
Commemorations:
St. John the Righteous, of Damascus (776). New Hieromartyr Bishop Seraphim at the Phanar (1601). New Martyrs Protopresbyter Alexander Hotovitzky of New York (1937), and Priest Alexis Benemansky of Tver (1937).
Readings:
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12; Luke 21:5-8, 10-11, 20-24
For the Commemoration: Galatians 3:23-4:5; Mark 5:24-34
Thursday 5th December 2024
Nativity Fast: fish, wine and oil allowedSaint Sabbas the Sanctified (532)
Commemorations:
Holy Martyr Diogenes (435). Philotheos the Righteous of Mount Athos. St. Nectarius of Bitol (1500), and his Elder, St. Philotheus, of Karyes Skete. Commemoration of St. Cosmas of Vatopedi (1276) and the monks of Karyes Skete, martyred by the Latins. St. Gurias, archbishop of Kazan (1563).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Cawrdaf, monk and disciple of St. Illtyd (5th C). St. Justinian (Iestin), hermit of Ramsey (560).
Readings:
1 Thessalonians 5:1-8; Luke 21:28-33
For the Commemoration: Galatians 5:22-6:2; Matthew 11:27-30
Friday 6th December 2024
Nativity Fast: wine and oil allowedSaint Nicholas the Wonderworker, archbishop of Myra in Lycia (c.345)
Commemorations:
St. Nicholas, bishop of Patara (c.3rd C). New Martyr Nicholas of Karamania in Asia Minor (1657). St. Theophilus, bishop of Antioch (181). Blessed Maximus, metropolitan of Kiev (1305).
British Isles and Ireland:
SS Auxilius, Isserninus and Secundinus, workers with St. Patrick (5th C).
Readings:
1 Thessalonians 5:9-13,24-28; Luke 21:37-22:8
For the Commemoration: Hebrews 13:17-21; Luke 6:17-23
Saturday 7th December 2024
Nativity Fast: fish, wine and oil allowedCommemorations:
St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan (397). Holy martyr Athenodorus of Mesopotamia (304). St. Gregory the Silent of Serbia , founder of Grigoriou monastery, Mt. Athos (14th C). St. Nilus of Stolbensk Lake (1554). St. Anthony, abbot of Siya, Novgorod (1558). St. John, Faster of the Kievan Caves (12th C). Holy Martyr Philothea of Arges (13th C). Venerable Gerasimos.
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Buithe, missionary (521). St. Diuma, bishop and missionary (658).
Readings:
2 Corinthians 11:1-6; Luke 13:18-29
Sunday 8th December 2024
Nativity Fast: fish, wine and oil allowedTone 7 - Eothinon 2
24th after Pentecost, 10th of Luke
Forefeast of the Conception of the Theotokos
Commemorations:
St. Patapius of Thebes (8th C). Holy Apostles of the Seventy: Sosthenes, Apollos, Cephas, Tychicus, Epaphroditus, and Onesiphorus (1st C). St. Sophronius, archbishop of Cyprus (6th C).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Gunthild of Wimborne (748).
Readings:
Ephesians 2:14-22; Luke 13:10-17
Monday 9th December 2024
Nativity Fast: fish, wine and oil allowedThe Conception by the Righteous Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos
Commemorations:
Prophetess Anna (Hannah), mother of the Prophet Samuel (1100 BC). Holy Martyr Narses of Persia. St. Stephen the ‘New Light’ of Constantinople (912).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Budoc, abbot of Youghal (7th C). St. Ethelgif (Æthelgifu), abbess of Shaftesbury (896). St. Wolfeius, hermit of St. Benet Hulme, Norfolk (1000).
Readings:
2 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Mark 8:11-21
For the Commemoration: Galatians 4:22-27; Luke 8:16-21
Tuesday 10th December 2024
Nativity Fast: fish, wine and oil allowedCommemorations:
Holy martyrs Menas, Hermogenes, and Eugraphus of Alexandria (313). St. Thomas of Bithynia (10th C). St. Joasaph, bishop of Belgorod (1754). Holy Martyr Gemellus of Paphlagonia (361). Blessed John, King of Serbia (1503), and his parents Stephen (1468) and Angelina Brancovich (16th C).
Readings:
2 Thessalonians 1:10-2:2; Mark 8:22-26
Wednesday 11th December 2024
Nativity Fast: strict fastCommemorations:
St. Daniel the Stylite of Constantinople (490). St. Luke the New Stylite of Chalcedon (980). St. Nikon the Dry of the Kievan Caves (12th C). Monk-martyr Barsabas, abbot of Ishtar and 10 companions in Persia (342). St. Leontius, Monk, of Monembasia in the Peloponnese (1450). Holy martyrs Acepsius and Aeithalas at Arbelus (534).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Cian the Hermit (6th C). St. Peris of Llanberis (c.6th C).
Readings:
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Mark 8:30-34
Thursday 12th December 2024
Nativity Fast: wine and oil allowedSaint Spyridon the Wonderworker, bishop of Tremithus (c.348)
Commemorations:
St. John, metropolitan of Zichon, founder of the monastery of the Forerunner on Mt. Menikion (1333). Hieromartyr Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem (251). Holy martyr Synesius of Rome (275).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Finnian, bishop of Clonard and founder of Skellig Michael (c.549). St. Colman of Glendalough (659). St. Columba of Leinster (548). St. Cormac, abbot (6th C). St. Agatha of Wimborne (790).
Readings:
2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5; Mark 9:10-15
For the Commemoration: Ephesians 5:8-19; John 10:9-16
Friday 13th December 2024
Nativity Fast: strict fastCommemorations:
Virgin-martyr Lucy of Syracuse (304). Holy Martyrs Eustratius, Auxentius, Eugene, Mardarius, and Orestes, at Sebaste (4th C). Repose of St. Herman of Alaska (1836). St. Arsenios of Latros (9th C). Hieromartyr Gabriel I, patriarch of Serbia (1659).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Edburgh (Eadburh), abbess of Minster-in-Thanet (751).
Readings:
2 Thessalonians 3:6-18; Mark 9:33-41
Saturday 14th December 2024
Nativity Fast: wine and oil allowedCommemorations:
Holy Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucis and Callinicus of Apollonia (250). St. Venantius Fortunatus, hymnographer and bishop of Poitiers (7th C). Holy martyrs Apollonius, Philemon, Arianus, and Theoctychus of Alexandria (3rd C)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Hygbald, abbot of Hibaldstow (7th C). SS. Fingar and Phiala, and 770 other martyr companions (5th C).
Readings:
Galatians 1:3-10; Luke 14:1-11
Sunday 15th December 2024
Nativity Fast: wine and oil allowedTone 8 - Eothinon 3
Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, 11th of Luke
Hieromartyr Eleutherius, bishop of Illyria
Commemorations:
Martyr Anthia, mother o St Eleutherius, and Corivus the Eparch (126). Holy martyr Susanna the deaconess of Palestine (4th C). Monk-martyr Bacchus of Mar Sabba (8th C). St. Stepan (Stephen) the Confessor, bishop of Sourozh in the Crimea (790). St. Tryphon, of Pechenga (1583), and his martyred disciple Jonah. Venerable Paul of Latros (955)
British Isles and Ireland:
Offa, King of Essex, monk (c.709). St. Florentius (Flann), abbot of Bangor (7th C).
Readings:
Colossians 3:4-11; Luke 14:16-24; Matthew 22:14
For the Commemoration: 2 Timothy 1:8-18; Mark 2:23-3:5
Monday 16th December 2024
Nativity Fast: strict fastCommemorations:
Prophet Aggaeus (Haggai) (520 BC). Hieromartyr Modestus II, patriarch of Jerusalem (634). Blessed Empress Theophania of Constantinople (894). St. Memnon, archbishop of Ephesus (5th C). St. Nicholas Chrysoberges, patriarch of Constantinople (10th C)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Beoc of Lough Derg (5th C).
Readings:
1 Timothy 1:1-7; Mark 9:42-10:1
Tuesday 17th December 2024
Nativity Fast: wine and oil allowedHoly Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Children: Ananias, Azarias, and Misael
Commemorations:
St. Dionysius of Zakynthos, bishop of Aegina, the Wonderworker (1624). New Martyrs Paisus of Serbia, abbot, and Abbacum, deacon, of Serbia (1814)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Tydecho (6th C). St. Briach, disciple of St. Tudwal (6th C).
Readings:
1 Timothy 1:8-14; Mark 10:2-12
For the Commemoration: Hebrews 11:33-12:2; Luke 11:47-12:1
Wednesday 18th December 2024
Nativity Fast: strict fastCommemorations:
Holy Martyr Sebastian at Rome and his companions, Nicostratus, Zoe, Castorius, Tranquillinus, Marcellinus, Mark, Claudius, Symphorian, Victorinus, Tiburtius, and Castulus (287). Our Holy Father Michael Syngellon the Confessor at Constantinople (845)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Winebald, abbot and missionary in England and Heidenheim (761). St. Samthan, foundress of Clonbroney Convent (6th C). St. Flannan, 1st bishop of Killaloe (7th C).
Readings:
1 Timothy 1:18-20,2:8-15; Mark 10:11-16
Thursday 19th December 2024
Nativity Fast: strict fastCommemorations:
Holy martyr Boniface and his Companions, at Tarsus in Cilicia, and the Righteous Aglais (Aglaida) of Rome (290). Holy martyr Eutyches of Thessalonica and with him 200 men and 70 women. Righteous Gregentius, archbishop of Omirits in Ethiopia (552)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Manirus, bishop and Apostle of the north of Scotland.
Readings:
1 Timothy 3:1-13; Mark 10:17-27
Friday 20th December 2024
Nativity Fast: wine and oil allowedHieromartyr Ignatius the Godbearer, bishop of Antioch
Forefeast of The Nativity of Christ
Commemorations:
Repose of Righteous John of Kronstadt (7th December O.S.) (1908). St. Philogonius, bishop of Antioch (323). New Martyr John of the Isle of Thasos. St. Daniel II, archbishop of Serbia (1338)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Urscinus, disciple of St. Columbanus and abbot of St. Ursanne (625).
Readings:
1 Timothy 4:4-8, 16; Mark 10:24-32
For the Commemoration: Hebrews 10:32-38; Mark 9:33-41
Saturday 21st December 2024
Nativity Fast: wine and oil allowedSaturday before the Nativity of Our Lord
Forefeast of The Nativity of Christ
Commemorations:
Virgin-Martyr Juliana of Nicomedia, and with her 500 men and 130 women (304). Repose of St. Peter, metropolitan of Moscow and Wonderworker of All Russia (1326). Holy martyr Theomistocles of Myra in Lycia (251)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Bernwald of Bampton (8th C).
Readings:
Galatians 3:8-12; Luke 13:18-29
Sunday 22nd December 2024
Nativity Fast: wine and oil allowedTone 1 - Eothinon 4
Sunday before the Nativity of Our Lord
Forefeast of The Nativity of Christ
Commemorations:
Great Martyr Anastasia, ‘Deliverer From Bonds’, and her teacher, Martyr Chrysogonus, and with them Martyrs Theodota, Evodias, Eutychianus, and others, who suffered under Diocletian (304).
Readings:
Hebrews 11:9-10,32-40; Matthew 1:1-25
Monday 23rd December 2024
Nativity Fast: strict fastForefeast of The Nativity of Christ
Commemorations:
Holy Ten Martyrs of Crete: Theodulus, Saturninus, Euporus, Gelasius, Eunician, Zoticus, Pompeius, Agathopus, Basilides, and Evaristus (3rd C). Dedication of the Church of the Holy Wisdom (Agia Sophia) in Constantinople (360). St. Nahum of Ochrid, Enlightener of the Bulgarians (10th C). St. Paul, bishop of Neo-Caesarea (4th C). New Hieromartyrs John Piankov and Nicholas Yakhontov, priests (1918)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Frithebert, bishop of Hexham (766). St. Mazota of Abernethy (8th C).
Readings:
1 Timothy 5:1-10; Mark 10:46-52
Tuesday 24th December 2024
Nativity Fast: strict fastLiturgy of St Basil
The Eve of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
Commemorations:
Virgin-Martyr Eugenia of Rome, and with her the Martyrs Philip, her father, Protus, Hyacinth, Basilla and Claudia (c.262). New Martyr Achmed (Ahmet) the Calligrapher of Constantinople (1682)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Caran, missionary (7th C).
Readings:
1 Timothy 5:11-21; Mark 11:11-23
For the Commemoration: Hebrews 1:1-12; Luke 2:1-20
Wednesday 25th December 2024
Fast freeThe Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
Commemorations:
The Commemoration of the Adoration of the Magi: Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar. The Commemoration of the Shepherds in Bethlehem who were watching their flocks and went to see the Lord. St. Constantine the Jew
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Alburgh (Æthelburh) of Wilton, nun (810).
Readings:
For the Commemoration: Galatians 4:4-7; Matthew 2:1-12
Thursday 26th December 2024
Synaxis of Our Most Holy Lady, Theotokos and Ever-virgin, MaryAfterfeast of The Nativity of Christ
Commemorations:
Hieromartyr Euthymius, bishop of Sardis (840). New Hieromartyr Constantine the Russian, at Constantinople (1743). St. Archelaus, bishop of Kaskhara in Mesopotamia (3rd C). St. Zenon, bishop of Maiuma in Palestine (4th C)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Tathai of Glamorgan (6th C). St. Maethlu of Anglesey (6th C).
Readings:
1 Timothy 6:17-21; Mark 11:27-33
For the Commemoration: Hebrews 2:11-18; Matthew 2:13-23
Friday 27th December 2024
Fast freeHoly Protomartyr and Protodeacon Stephen (34)
Afterfeast of The Nativity of Christ
Commemorations:
St. Theodore the Confessor, archbishop of Constantinople (686). St. Theodore Graptus (‘the branded’), Confessor and brother of Theophanes the Hymnographer (840).
Readings:
2 Timothy 1:1-2, 8-18; Mark 12:1-12
For the Commemoration: Acts 6:8-7:5,57-60; Matthew 21:33-42
Saturday 28th December 2024
Saturday after the Nativity of Our LordAfterfeast of The Nativity of Christ
Commemorations:
The 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia including Glycerius the presbyter, Zeno, Theophilus, Dorotheus, Mardonius, Migdonius, Indes, Gorgonius, Peter, Euthymius, and the virgins Agape, Domna, Theophila and others (302). St. Nicanor the deacon, Apostle of the Seventy (38). St. Simon the Myrhh-streaming, founder of Simonopetra monastery on Mt Athos (14th C).
Readings:
1 Timothy 6:11-16; Matthew 12:15-21
Sunday 29th December 2024
Tone 2 - Eothinon 5Sunday After the Nativity of Our Lord, The Holy Righteous Ones: Joseph the Betrothed, David the Prophet and King and James, the brother of the Lord
Afterfeast of The Nativity of Christ
Commemorations:
St. Joseph the Betrothed. St. David the Psalmist. St. James the brother of the Lord. The 14,000 Infants (Holy Innocents) slain by Herod at Bethlehem. St. Marcellus, abbot of the monastery of the Unsleeping Ones (485). St. Anthony of Damascus, martyred at Ar-Raqqa (799). Righteous Father Thaddeus the Confessor (818). Commemoration of all Orthodox Christians who died from Hunger, Thirst, the Sword, and Freezing.
Readings:
Galatians 1:11-19; Matthew 2:13-23
Monday 30th December 2024
Afterfeast of The Nativity of ChristCommemorations:
Virgin-Martyr Anysia at Thessalonica (305). St. Timon the deacon, of the Seventy (1st C). New Martyr Gideon of Karakallou, Mt. Athos (1818). Holy martyr Philoterus of Nicomedia, and with him Six Soldiers and One Count (311). Righteous Father Leondus the Archimandrite
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Egwin, bishop of Worcester and founder of Evesham Abbey (717).
Readings:
2 Timothy 2:20-26; Mark 12:13-17
Tuesday 31st December 2024
Leavetaking of The Nativity of ChristCommemorations:
St. Melania the Younger, Nun, of Rome (439). Hieromartyr Zoticus, Guardian of the Orphans (4th C). St. Gelasius, monk, of Palestine (5th C). St. Theophylact of Ochrid (1126). St. Peter Mogila, metropolitan of Kiev (1646).
Readings:
2 Timothy 3:16-4:4; Mark 12:18-27
A copy of this calendar, suitable for printing, is available here in PDF format. For those with appropriate printing facilities a version is available here as an A5 booklet.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In developing the software to generate this monthly calendar we gratefully acknowledge our dependence on many sources, prominent among them being :-
For the synaxaria of the Saints: Michael Purcell (of the Saint John (Maximovich) the Wonderworker Orthodox Church, Atlanta, GA.) and his very impressive software program Menologion; and Father Andrew Phillips whose web site Orthodox England has, amongst its many jewels, a list of the Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome. Thank you, both – and Many Years!
For the ranking of the major commemorations and related guidance: The Typikon Charts published by the St Raphael Brotherhood of the Antiochian Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America.
For the matters relating to the Lectionary: The admirably detailed notes included in the Epistle and Gospel Lectionaries published by the Centre for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, Etna, Ca.; together with the annual Kanonion issued by the Phanar.
For the Fasting rules and many other details: The Antiochian Book of the Typikon as translated by Bishop Khoury and edited by Archpriest John W Morris.
Errors in the calendar will inevitably emerge, and for these we apologise. We should be grateful if you would inform us of any you discover.