Daily Reading:

Wednesday

LITURGY

Hebrews 10:1-18

     For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

Mark 8:30-34

     And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

+ + +

HOLY PROPHET DANIEL
THE THREE CHILDREN IN BABYLON
ST DIONYSIUS OF ZANTE
ST TYDECHO
ST BRIACH

Troparion of the Holy Prophet Daniel and the Three Children    Tone 4

Great are the achievements of faith!/ In the fountain of flame, as in refreshing water,/ the  Three Holy Children rejoiced./ And the Prophet Daniel proved a shepherd of lions as of  sheep./ By their prayers, O Christ our God, save our souls.

Troparion of St Dionysius of Zante    Tone 1

Together let us honour Dionysius the scion of Zante,/ Bishop of Aegina and protector of the Monastery of Strophada./ Let us cry to him sincerely:/ By thy prayers save those who celebrate thy memory and cry to thee:/ Glory to Christ Who has glorified thee; glory to Him Who has made thee wondrous;/ glory to Him Who has granted thee to us as an unsleeping intercessor.

Troparion of St Tydecho    Tone 8
By thy labours for Christ, O Father Tydecho,/ thou didst win the crown of eternal glory/ and didst light the way into the Ark of  Salvation./ Wherefore, O Saint, intercede for us that in following thee we may be found worthy of Christ's great mercy.

Troparion of St Briach    Tone 8

O holy Briach, thou dost teach us the value of renunciation,/ for thou didst renounce the world to seek salvation./ Therefore we pray, that our lives may show forth the virtue of self denial/ and thereby attain the eternal salvation of our souls.

Kontakion of the Prophet Daniel    Tone 3

When thy pure heart was purged by the  Spirit,/ thou didst become a vessel of clear prophecy;/ for thou seest things afar off as though they were close at hand./ Thou didst tame the lions when thou wast cast into their den./ Therefore we honour thee, O blessed Prophet, glorious Daniel.

Kontakion of the Three Children in Babylon    Tone 2

An image made with hands you would not worship, O thrice blessed three;/ but protected by the ineffable Essence you were glorified in your ordeal by fire./ From the midst of  the devouring flames you called upon God, crying:/ Hasten, O compassionate One,/ in Thy mercy come to our aid,/ for if Thou willest Thou canst.

Kontakion of St Dionysius of Zante    Tone 3

Today the people of Zante keep festival/ with the Monastery of Strophada./ They invite the Isle of Aegina,/ that  together they may praise their common boast of Dionysius.

11-17
SUNDAY OF THE HOLY FOREFATHERS

Troparion    Tone 2

Thou didst justify the Forefathers by faith,/ when of old through them Thou didst betroth Thyself to the Church of the nations./ The Saints rejoice in the glorious fruit of their seed,/ even in her who bore Thee seedlessly./ By their prayers, O Christ our God, save our souls.

Kontakion    Tone 2

An image made with hands you would not worship, O thrice blessed three;/ but protected by the ineffable Essence you were glorified in  your ordeal by fire./ From the midst of the devouring flames you called upon God, crying:/ Hasten, O compassionate One,/ in Thy mercy come to our aid,/ for if Thou willest Thou canst.