Orthodox Calendar

Friday, January 12, 1979
Friday of the 30th week after Pentecost

Fast — Abstain from meat, fish, dairy, eggs, wine, and oil

Scripture Readings

Commemorations

Scripture Readings

Hebrews 11.8, 11-16 (Epistle)

8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.

11By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised. 12Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return. 16But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Luke 21.37-22.8 (Gospel)

37Every 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.”

Commemorations

Holy Martyr Tatiana (ca. 230)

She was the daughter of a wealthy Roman consul. She became a deaconess in Rome, and was seized as a Christian during the reign of Alexander Severus. Before the tribunal she fearlessly confessed Christ and, when she was taken to the temple in an effort to force her to make sacrifice, she cast down the idols by the power of her prayer. At this, the soldiers seized her and subjected her to many indignities and tortures, finally throwing her into a raging furnace. When this did not harm her, she was thrown to the wild beasts, but they refused to harm her. At last she was beheaded and thus gained her crown.

Venerable Benedict Biscop, Abbot of Wearmouth (689-690)

He came from a noble Northumbrian family in Britain, and was tonsured a monk in 653 at Lerins in Gaul. In 669 he was made Abbot of the Monastery of Saints Peter and Paul in Canterbury. He traveled to Rome in 671 to be instructed in monastic practice according to the Rule of Saint Benedict (of Nursia). Returning to Northumbria he established two new monasteries, the first to follow St Benedict’s Rule in the British Isles. He went to Rome once again in 678-679, this time bringing back the archcantor of St Peter’s, who taught the monks of St Benedict’s monasteries the chant and liturgical practices used in Rome.

Under the holy abbot’s guidance, these monasteries became flourishing centers of Christian worship, scholarship and art. The Venerable Bede (May 26) was one of his disciples. Saint Benedict reposed in peace in 689 or 690, having greatly strengthened the Church and the Christian faith in Britain.