ORTHROS

Friday, December 31, 2027

The Orthodox liturgical day, its saint, its tone, and its fast.

New Calendar

Commemorated today

  • Saturday after Nativity is read on this day
  • Ven. Melania the Younger of Rome
  • Our Holy Mother Melania the Younger of Rome (439)
  • Saint Zoticus, Cherisher of the Poor and Servant of Lepers (4th c)
  • St Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid (ca. 1126)

Today is a fast-free day, all foods are permitted.

Old Calendar

Commemorated today

  • Martyr Sebastian and Companions at Rome
  • Holy Hieromartyr Modestus I, Archbishop of Jerusalem (634)

Today is a strict fast, no meat, dairy, fish, wine, or oil.

  • Tone 2 of the Octoechos
  • 27th Sunday after Pentecost

Readings, New Calendar

Epistle1 Timothy 6.11-16

6:11But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. 13I command you before God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession, 14that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which at the right time he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

WEB, public domain

EpistleTitus 1.15-2.10

1:15To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work. 2:1But say the things which fit sound doctrine, 2that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober minded, sound in faith, in love, and in perseverance, 3and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good, 4that they may train the young wives to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be sober minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God’s word may not be blasphemed. 6Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober minded. 7In all things show yourself an example of good works. In your teaching, show integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility, 8and soundness of speech that can’t be condemned, that he who opposes you may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us. 9Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters and to be well-pleasing in all things, not contradicting, 10not stealing, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, in all things.

WEB, public domain

GospelMatthew 12.15-21

12:15Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all, 16and commanded them that they should not make him known, 17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 18“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations. 19He will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets. 20He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory. 21In his name, the nations will hope.”

WEB, public domain

GospelMark 12.1-12

12:1He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country. 2When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard. 3They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty. 4Again, he sent another servant to them; and they threw stones at him, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5Again he sent another, and they killed him, and many others, beating some, and killing some. 6Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7But those farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others. 10Haven’t you even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner. 11This was from the Lord. It is marvelous in our eyes’?” 12They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him and went away.

WEB, public domain

The order and appointment of the readings follow the Orthodox lectionary. Come to the Liturgy to hear them proclaimed.

Readings, Old Calendar

EpistleTitus 1.15-2.10

1:15To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work. 2:1But say the things which fit sound doctrine, 2that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober minded, sound in faith, in love, and in perseverance, 3and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good, 4that they may train the young wives to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be sober minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God’s word may not be blasphemed. 6Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober minded. 7In all things show yourself an example of good works. In your teaching, show integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility, 8and soundness of speech that can’t be condemned, that he who opposes you may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us. 9Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters and to be well-pleasing in all things, not contradicting, 10not stealing, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, in all things.

WEB, public domain

GospelMark 9.33-41

9:33He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?” 34But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest. 35He sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.” 36He took a little child and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.” 38John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.” 39But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me. 40For whoever is not against us is on our side. 41For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.

WEB, public domain

The order and appointment of the readings follow the Orthodox lectionary. Come to the Liturgy to hear them proclaimed.

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