From The Greek Orthodox Arch-Diocese of America:
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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Strict Fast
Readings for today:
St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 9:8-23
Mark 8:22-26
Feasts and Saints celebrated today:
Tuesday of the 13th Week
Thyrsos, Leucius, & Callinicos, Martyrs of Apollonia
Epistle Reading
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 9:8-23
BRETHREN, the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the sanctuary is not
yet opened as long as the outer tent is still standing (which is
symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and
sacrifices are offered which cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,
but deal only with food and drink and various ablutions, regulations
for the body imposed until the time of reformation. But when Christ
appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through
the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not
of this creation) he entered once for all into the Holy Place,
through not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus
securing an eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons
with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer
sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood
of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without
blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the
living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that
those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance,
since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions
under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of
the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only
at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is
alive. Hence even the first covenant was not ratified without blood. For
when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all
the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and
scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the
people, saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God
commanded you." And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both
the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law
almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of
blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus it was necessary for the
copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the
heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Gospel Reading
The reading is from Mark 8:22-26
At that time, Jesus came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to
him a blind man, and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind
man by the hand, and led him out of the village; and when he had spit
on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, "Do you see
anything?" And he looked up and said, "I see men; but they look like trees,
walking." Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked
intently and was restored, and saw everything clearly. And he sent him
away to his home, saying, "Do not even enter the village."
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Thyrsos, Leucius, & Callinicos, Martyrs of Apollonia
Reading from the Synaxarion:
Of these, the Martyrs who were from Asia Minor contested for piety's
sake during the reign of Decius, in 250. Saint Leucius, seeing the
slaughter of the Christians, reproached the Governor Cumbricius, for which
he was hung up, harrowed mercilessly on his sides, then beheaded.
For boldly professing himself a Christian and rebuking the Governor
for worshipping stocks and stones as gods, Saint Thyrsus, after many
horrible tortures, was sentenced to be sawn asunder, but the saw would not
cut, and became so heavy in the executioners' hands that they could
not move it; Saint Thyrsus then gave up his spirit, at Apollonia in
the Hellespont. Saint Callinicus a priest of the idols, was converted
through the martyrdom and miracles of Saint Thyrsus, and was beheaded.
During the reign of Diocletian (284-305), the Governor of Antinoe in the
Thebaid of Upper Egypt was Arian, a fierce persecutor who had sent many
Christians to a violent death, among them Saints Timothy and Maura (see May
3) and Saint Sabine (Mar. 16). When he had imprisoned Christians for
their confession of faith, one of them, named Apollonius, a reader of
the Church, lost his courage at the sight of the instruments of
torture, and thought how he might escape torments without denying Christ.
He gave money to Philemon a flute-player and a pagan, that he might
put on Apollonius' clothes and offer sacrifice before Arian, so that
all would think Apollonius to have done the Governor's will, and he
might be released. Philemon agreed to this, but when the time came to
offer sacrifice, enlightened by divine grace, he declared himself a
Christian instead. He and Apollonius, who also confessed Christ when the
fraud was exposed, were both beheaded. Before beheading them, Arian had
commanded that they be shot with arrows, but while they remained unharmed,
Arian himself was wounded by one of the arrows; Saint Philemon foretold
that after his martyrdom, Arian would be healed at his tomb. When this
came to pass, Arian, the persecutor who had slain so many servants of
Christ, himself believed in Christ and was baptized with four of his
bodyguards. Diocletian heard of this and had Arian and his body-guards
brought to him. For their confession of Christ, they were cast into the
sea, and received the crown of life everlasting.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee received as
the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal
God. For since they possessed Thy strength, they cast down the
tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O
Christ God, by their prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
As we gather on this day, let us all honour with divine and sacred
songs the luminaries of the Church as we extol them with hymns of
praise as trophy-bearers and Martyrs of Christ our God.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Apolytikion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
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