December 30, 2024

Events of the day

No commemorations in the content package for this day yet

• 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

  2 Timothy 2:20–26

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  ²⁰Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor, and some for dishonor.

  ²¹If anyone therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.

  ²²Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

  ²³But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.

  ²⁴The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, able to teach, patient,

  ²⁵in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth,

  ²⁶and they may recover themselves out of the devil’s snare, having been taken captive by him to his will.

• Gospel

  Mark 12:13–17

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  ¹³They sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words.

  ¹⁴When they had come, they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

  ¹⁵Shall we give, or shall we not give?” But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it.”

  ¹⁶They brought it. He said to them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.”

  ¹⁷Jesus answered them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” They marveled greatly at him.

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, New Calendar (OCA practice). Text: World English Bible.

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Morning prayer of St Macarius the Great