Wednesday 17th December 2025
Nativity Fast: wine and oil allowed
Holy Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Children: Ananias, Azarias, and Misael
Today we commemorate:
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).
2 Timothy 4:9-22; Mark 8:30-34
For the Commemoration: Hebrews 11:33-12:2; Luke 11:47-12:1
Readings in bold type are those appointed by the Typikon for use at the Liturgy
2 Timothy 4:9-22
Timothy, my son, make an effort to come to me soon, for Demas, in love with the present age, deserted me. He went away to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia; only Luke is with me. Get hold of Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me in the ministry. Tychicus I sent to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, as well as the texts, and particularly the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; may the Lord repay him for what he has done. Beware of him, for he is bitterly opposed to our message. At my first defence no one stood by me; yes, everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the preaching might be completed and all the nations might hear. I was plucked from the lion’s mouth, and the Lord will rescue me from all kinds of trouble and keep me safe for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be glory to the ages of ages. Amen. Greet Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained in Corinth, and I left Trophimus ill at Miletus. Try to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens and Linus and Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters. The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
Mark 8:30-34
At that time Jesus cautioned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke about it plainly, and Peter took hold of him and began to remonstrate with him. But he turned around, looked at his disciples and rebuked Peter, saying, ‘Get behind me, Satan. For you are not thinking God’s thoughts but human thoughts.’ Then he called forward the crowd with his disciples and told them, ‘If any want to follow me, let them disown themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’
Hebrews 11:33-12:2
Brothers and sisters, through faith the holy ones of old overcame kingdoms; they laboured for righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped from the edge of the sword, grew strong out of weakness, became powerful in battle, put to flight foreign armies. Women received their dead by resurrection, and others were beaten to death, not accepting deliverance so that they might gain a better resurrection. Others were tested by mockery and scourgings, yet others by shackles and imprisonment. They were stoned; they were sawn in two; they were subjected to ordeals; they were put to the sword. They went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, tormented. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and were in caves and holes in the ground. All these who received a testimony through faith did not receive the promise, because God had already provided something better for us so that they would not attain perfection without us. Since we have so great a cloud of witnesses around us, let us lay aside every burden and the sin that so easily entangles us and run with perseverance the race set before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the initiator and completer of faith.
Luke 11:47-12:1
The Lord said to the Jews who came to him, ‘Woe to you because you build the tombs of the prophets, but it was your ancestors who killed them. Yes, you acknowledge and celebrate the actions of your ancestors even though they killed those whose tombs you build. And for this reason the wisdom of God declared, “I shall send them prophets and apostles and some of them they will kill and persecute,” so that the blood of all the prophets spilt since the foundation of the world might be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah who perished between the altar and the building. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers because you took away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you obstructed those who were entering.’ As he was telling them these things, the scribes and Pharisees began furiously to confront and interrogate him about many matters, ambushing him, trying to catch something from his lips with which they might accuse him. Meanwhile, as a crowd of tens of thousands came together, even trampling upon each other, he began to speak to his disciples. ‘Above all, guard yourselves from the yeast, that is, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.’