December 16, 2022

Events of the day

• Prophet Zephaniah; St Sabbas of Storozhi, Zvenigorod

  Polyeleos rank

Fasting

Fast day · Nativity Fast

Nativity Fast, Wednesday and Friday: xerophagy.

• Meat: not allowed
• Dairy & eggs: not allowed
• Fish: not allowed
• Oil: not allowed
• Wine: not allowed
• Xerophagy

Food rules are reference church information. Agree your personal measure of fasting with a priest; consult a doctor if you are ill.

Readings of the day

• Epistle

  2 Timothy 1:1–2, 8–18

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  ¹Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,

  ²to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

  ⁸Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,

  ⁹who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,

  ¹⁰but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News.

  ¹¹For this I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

  ¹²For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.

  ¹³Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

  ¹⁴That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

  ¹⁵This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me, of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

  ¹⁶May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain,

  ¹⁷but when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently and found me

  ¹⁸(the Lord grant to him to find the Lord’s mercy in that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well.

• Gospel

  Luke 20:19–26

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  ¹⁹The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people—for they knew he had spoken this parable against them.

  ²⁰They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.

  ²¹They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God.

  ²²Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

  ²³But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me?

  ²⁴Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.”

  ²⁵He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

  ²⁶They weren’t able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer and were silent.

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible.

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Short penitential prayers