From the calendar 2027

Thursday, December 2

Holy Prophet Habbakuk (Abbacum) (7th c. BC).

Appointed readings

2 passages

Epistle

1 Thessalonians 5:1–8

Open Reader ↗

1But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.

2For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

3For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

4But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

5You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

6Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.

8But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

Gospel

Luke 20:9–18

Open Reader ↗

9Then He began to tell the people this parable: 'A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.

10Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

11Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.

12And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.

13'Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.'

14But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'

15So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

16He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.'

17And when they heard it they said, 'Certainly not!' Then He looked at them and said, 'What then is this that is written: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone'?

18Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.'

The rhythm of the day

Fasting: Wine & oil
Weekly tone: Tone 6

In remembrance

The saints commemorated this day

Holy Prophet Habbakuk (Abbacum) (7th c. BC).Read the life

He prophesied in the time of Joachim, just before the Jewish people were taken into captivity in Babylon. He himself escaped captivity, and after Jerusalem was destroyed, returned to his homeland. Once he was taking some food to his harvesters when an Angel transported him to Babylon to feed the Prophet Daniel in the lions’ den, then bore him back to Judea (this is told in the full version of the book of Daniel, ch. 6 LXX). The third chapter of his prophecy is used as the Fourth Ode of the Matins Canon(the Ode is usually sung in full only in monasteries during Lent, but the eirmos of the Fourth Ode, sung in many parishes, usually refers to the Prophet). His holy relics were found through a revelation in Palestine during the reign of Theodosius the Great, and a chapel built there. His name means “Father of the Resurrection.”

Holy Martyr Myrope (Myropea) of Chios (251)Read the life

She was born in Ephesus. At baptism, she was consecrated by her mother to serve at the shrine of St Hermione, one of the four daughters of the Apostle Philip. Many pilgrims came to be anointed with a miracle-working myrrh that flowed from St Hermione’s body — and from her service at the shrine Myrope received the name by which she is known. Later, she and her mother went to the island of Chios to flee the persecution of the Emperor Decius.

Read the full life

Our Holy Father Athanasius "the Resurrected," Recluse of the Kiev Caves (1176)Read the life

After many years of ascetic struggle, Athanasius died and was prepared for burial. After lying dead for two full days, he inexplicably came back to life: the monks who came to bury him were astonished to find him sitting up and weeping. The brethren gathered around him and asked him many questions about what he had seen of the next world, but he would only answer ‘Save yourselves!’ When they pressed him further, he said ‘If I told you, you would not believe me or want to listen to me.’ His final reply was ‘Repent every moment, and pray to the Lord Jesus Christ and to His most pure Mother.’ He then shut himself in his cell and lived another twelve years, taking only bread and water and never speaking again to anyone.

Saint (Stephen) Uroš, King of Serbia (1367)Read the life

“The son of King Dušan, he ruled during the difficult time of the fall of the Kindom of Serbia. Humble, pious and gentle, he refused to attempt to restrain the power of the powerful nobles by force. Amongst these was Vukašin, who brought about his death. Good King Uroš suffered a martyr’s death on December 2nd, 1367, at the age of thirty-one. Killed by men, he was glorified by God. His wonderworking relics were preserved in the monastery of Jazak in the Fruška Gora, whence they were taken to Belgrade in 1942, during the Second World War, and placed in the Cathedral beside the bodies of Prince Lazar and Despot Stephen Štiljanovic. During the reign of this benevolent king, the monastery of St Nahum was built beside Lake Ochrid by one of Uroš’s nobles, Grgur.” (Prologue)

Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia (1991) (Nov. 19 OC)Read the life

One of the true God-bearing Elders of our own time, he was glorified by the Church in 2013.