• συνοδικός • January 2 / December 20 •

συνοδικός

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January 2 / December 20
2018/2017（7526）
Nativity (St Philip's) Fast
Beginning of the Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ

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• NOVODVORSKAYA Icon of the Mother of God (1320)
• Lenkovskaya (Novgorod-Severny) Icon of the Mother of God named "RESCUER OF THE DROWNING" (1751)
The icon is remarkably similar to the much older Korsun Icon of the Mother of God, which was said to have been a copy of an icon by Saint Luke the Evangelist that had been kept in Ephesus until it was brought to Kyiv in 988 AD.
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• Martyrs LIBERATUS and BAJULUS venerated in Rome
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NEW MARTYRS AND CONFESSORS in the 20th century
• Repose of Righteous JOHN 约翰 of Kronstadt (1829-1908)
Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης τῆς Κρονστάνδης
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• Repose of Sainted ANTHONY Smirnitskij, archbishop of Voronezh and Zadonsk (1846)
• Sainted 但以理 DANILO II Archbishop of Serbia (1338)
• DOMINIC of Brescia (612) The successor of St Anastasius as Bishop of Brescia in Italy
• Sainted EIDO (Eico) Bishop of Meißen (1015)
• Righteous ESTHER (also Hadassa, Hadassah, Hesther or Hester), Qu. at Shushan (470 B.C.)
• Sainted HOGER (Holger) archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen (916)
• FRAECH (Cruimhther Fraech, Froech, Froegius, Fraegius) the Presbyter of Cluain Collaing, in Muintir Eoluis (now Cloone, County Leitrim)
• Hieromartyr IGNATIUS 伊格纳提 the God-bearer 心怀上帝者, Bishop of Antioch (107)
Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἰγνάτιος ὁ Ἱερομάρτυρας καὶ Θεοφόρος
In his Letter to the Romans, the holy Bishop wrote to some who wished to rescue him from his martyrdom: "I am the wheat of God, and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found to be the pure bread of God."
Tradition relates that in going to execution, Saint Ignatios unceasingly repeated the Name of Jesus Christ. When they asked him why he was doing this, Saint Ignatios answered, that he carried this Name in his heart, "He that is imprinted in mine heart, is He Whom I confess with my lips". When the saint was torn to pieces, it turned out that his heart was not touched. Having cut open the heart, the pagans beheld within it in gold lettering : "Jesus Christ". On the night after his execution Saint Ignatios appeared to many of the faithful in their sleep to comfort them, and certain of them saw him at prayer.
According to tradition, he was thus named because he was held in the arms of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ. On a day when the Lord was teaching His disciples humility, He took a child and placed him among them, saying: Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:4). This child was Ignatius.
• Venerable IGNATIUS 伊格纳提 archimandrite of Kiev Caves, from the Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves) in Kiev (1435) Ukraine. The Relics are kept at St Theodosy Far Caves of the Lavra
• New Martyr JOHN 约翰 a tailor, of the isle of Thasos (1650/1652) beheaded at the age of 14 at Constantinople
Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Νεομάρτυρας ὁ ράφτης ἀπὸ τὴ Θάσο
• Hermit PAUL of Latrus (Latra) (956)
• Uncovering of Relics of PHILARET (in Schema: Theodosius) Metropolitain of Kiev (1857)
• Sainted PHILOGONIUS 斐洛格尼 bishop of Antioch (323)
Ὁ Ὅσιος Φιλογόνιος
• Righteous THEOCTISTA of Constantinople (797-802) Mother of Theodor Studites
• URSICINUS (585) Bishop of Cahors in France. He is often mentioned by St Gregory of Tours
• URSICINUS of St Ursanne, The Bear Man (625) born in Ireland, he was a disciple of St Columbanus. He founded the monastery of St Ursanne (Ursitz) from which the town in Switzerland takes its name

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In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
愿上帝怜恤我罪人
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
for the sake of the prayers
of Thy most pure Mother,
our holy and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us.
Amen.
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Blessed be God.