January 10, 2025

Events of the day

• The 20,000 Martyrs burned at Nicomedia

  Commemoration

• Afterfeast: Nativity of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ

Fasting

No fast

Christmastide (25 Dec – 4 Jan Old Style) is fast-free: no fasting.

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

  Hebrews 7:18–25

  Show the text

  ¹⁸For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness

  ¹⁹(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

  ²⁰Inasmuch as he was not made priest without the taking of an oath

  ²¹(for they indeed have been made priests without an oath), but he with an oath by him that says of him, “The Lord swore and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.’ ”

  ²²By so much, Jesus has become the collateral of a better covenant.

  ²³Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death.

  ²⁴But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable.

  ²⁵Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them.

• Gospel

  Mark 12:1–12

  Show the text

  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.

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

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Short penitential prayers