Fasting Rules
Meat
Allowed
Fish
Allowed
Dairy
Allowed
Oil
Allowed
Wine
Allowed
Saints & Commemorations
Great Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Enlightener of the Lands of Rus
Holy Martyrs Cyricus and His Mother Julitta (304)
“Holy Julitta was of noble birth. She was widowed young, and left with a newborn child, Cyricus. She lived in Iconium, a city of Lycaonia, and was a very devout Christian. She had her son baptised immediately after his birth and, when he was three years old, instructed him in the Faith and taught him to pray insofar as a child of that age is capable of learning. W
“Holy Julitta was of noble birth. She was widowed young, and left with a newborn child, Cyricus. She lived in Iconium, a city of Lycaonia, and was a very devout Christian. She had her son baptised immediately after his birth and, when he was three years old, instructed him in the Faith and taught him to pray insofar as a child of that age is capable of learning. When Diocletian launched a persecution of Christians, much innocent blood was shed in the city of Iconium. Julitta took her son and hid from the wrath of the pagans in the town of Seleucid, but things were no better there. Julitta was arrested as a Christian and brought to trial. Seeing Julitta so courageously proclaim her faith in the Lord Jesus, the judge, to distress her and make her waver, took the child in his arms and began to kiss it. But Cyricus shouted: ‘I am a Christian; let me go to my mother!’, and he began to scratch the judge, turning his face away from him. The judge was furious, threw the child to the ground and kicked it, and the child rolled down the stone steps and gave his holy and innocent soul to God. Seeing how Cyricus suffered before her, Julitta was filled with joy and gave thanks to God that her son had been counted worthy of the wreath of martyrdom. After harsh torture, Julitta was beheaded, in the year 304. The relics of Ss Cyricus and Julitta have wonderworking power to this day. A part of the relics of these saints is to be found in Ochrid, in the Church of the Holy Mother of God, the Healer.” (Prologue. In the Prologue, the name of Cyricus is spelled “Cerycus.” It is changed here for consistency with other sources.)
Scripture Readings
☩Epistle
Romans 11:13-24
13
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14
If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
15
For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19
Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
20
Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21
For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24
For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
☩Gospel
Matthew 11:27-30
27
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Liturgical data sourced from OCA.org and orthocal.info