Friday, December 7, 1956
St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan; Ven. Nilus of Stolobensk; The Martyrs of Africa, who suffered during the Vandal persecution (429 and following)
Friday of the 12th week of Luke
Tone 6. Nativity Fast: strict. What this means
The Epistle
1 Thessalonians 5:9–13, 24–28
For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.
12But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,
13and to respect and honor them in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
24He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.
25Brothers, pray for us.
26Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the holy brothers.
28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
The Gospel
Luke 21:37–22:8
Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple, and every night he would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet. 38All the people came early in the morning to him in the temple to hear him.
1Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death, for they feared the people.
3Satan entered into Judas, who was also called Iscariot, who was counted with the twelve. 4He went away and talked with the chief priests and captains about how he might deliver him to them. 5They were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6He consented and sought an opportunity to deliver him to them in the absence of the multitude.
7The day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed. 8Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
Commemorated today
- St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
- Ven. Nilus of Stolobensk
- Athenodoros the Martyr of Mesopotamia
- Righteous Father Gerasimus, Ascetic of Euboia
- The Martyrs of Africa, who suffered during the Vandal persecution (429 and following)
- Our Venerable Father Antony of Siya (1556)
Hymns and lives of the saints are on the Online Chapel of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.