From the calendar, 2025.
Wednesday, December 17
Holy Prophet Daniel and Three Holy Youths
Strict fastNo meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil.
Appointed to be read.
Epistle.
2 Timothy 4:9–22
1 min read
9Be diligent to come to me quickly;
10for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.
11Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.
12And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.
13Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.
14Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.
15You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.
16At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.
17But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
18And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
19Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
20Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.
21Do your utmost to come before winter.
22Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
Gospel.
Mark 8:30–34
1 min read
30Peter answered and said to Him, 'You are the Christ.' Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.
31And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
33But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, 'Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.'
34When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, 'Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
What this is.
The Scripture the Orthodox Church reads each day, the saints it remembers, and a study aid that answers from Scripture and the Fathers and shows its sources.
Divine Liturgy. The Church's main service, at which Holy Communion is given. Its Epistle and Gospel are what most people mean by the day's readings.
Matins. The morning service of praise. On Sundays and feasts it has a Gospel of its own.
Vespers. The evening service. The Church's day begins at sunset, so a feast's Vespers is served the evening before.
Hours. Short services of psalms and prayer at set times of the day: the First, Third, Sixth and Ninth Hours.
Tone. The hymns of the week are sung in one of eight tones, or melodies, which follow each other week by week.
New Calendar. Fixed feasts are kept on the civil date, as in the OCA and the Antiochian Archdiocese. Churches on the Old Calendar keep them 13 days later. Pascha is the same for both.