ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2025
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Святитель Софроний Кипрский Анна, Мать Пресвятой Богородицы Икона Божией Матери ''Нечаянная Радость''
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December 9 		Monday
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December 22
29th Week after Pentecost. Tone 3.
Nativity Fast.
Monastic rule: cooked food, no oil.

Совершается служба со славословиемThe Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Righteous Anna (Hannah), mother of the Prophet Samuel (1100 b.c.). St. Sophronius I, bishop of Cyprus (6th c.). St. Stephen “the New Light,” of Constantinople (912).

Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Unexpected Joy.”

Commemoration of the Founding of the Church of the Resurrection at Jerusalem (335). Martyr Narses of Persia. St. Valeria of Aquitaine (2nd c.). Virgin-martyr Leocadia, at Toledo, Spain (303). Martyr Sositheus of Persia (553).

Repose of Archimandrite Theodosius of Tismana and Sophroniev Monasteries (1802) and Elder Anthimus the Bulgarian, of Mt. Athos (1867).

Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse

St. Theophan the Recluse

Monday. [Heb. 8:7-13; Mark 8:11-21]

   The Lord and the disciples sailed to the other side of the sea. The disciples had forgotten to bring bread; they had with them only one loaf, and were beginning to wonder what they should do. Knowing their thoughts, the Lord reminded them about the filling of the four thousand, and then five thousand people, thus uplifting them to the firm hope that with Him, they will not die of hunger, though they have not a single loaf of bread. How much anxiety people get from thoughts about an unknown future! There is only one relief from this anxiety—hope in the Lord; a sensible examination of what has already occurred with us and with others enlivens and strengthens. There is not a single person to be found who has never in his life experienced some unexpected deliverance from misfortune, or unexpected turns of his life for the better. Revive your soul with remembrance about these instances when gloomy thoughts begin to weary it about what to do. God will arrange everything for the better now, as before. Rely upon Him. He will send you good humor even before your deliverance, and you will not even notice your misfortune. Mercy shall encircle him that hopeth in the Lord (Ps. 31:10) Examine experiences of this in holy Scripture, in the lives of saints, in your own life, and in the lives of your acquaintances, and you will see, like in a mirror, how The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him (Ps. 144:19). Then fears about your fate will not trouble your soul.

Articles

The Conception of the Holy Virgin Theotokos by Saint Anna

Sergei Bulgakov

Struck by the speech of the High Priest, as though by the awesome verdict of the judgment of God Himself, the righteous man had no time even to withdraw from the altar, as a new heavier insult struck his hearing. One of the Israelites bringing his gifts, pushed him away, said, “Depart from here, did you not hear that you are unworthy to bring gifts to God together with us, because you have not left offspring for Israel?” With deep humility Joachim accepted this accusation as if it were from the mouth of the very God, and with deep sadness left the temple.

Holy, Righteous Ancestor of God, Anna

Saint Anna was the daughter of Matthan the priest, who was of the tribe of Levi. St Anna’s family came from Bethlehem.

The Conception by Righteous Anna of the Most Holy Mother of God

For a long time Saint Anna was childless, but after twenty years, through the fervent prayer of both spouses, an angel of the Lord announced to them that they would be the parents of a daughter, Who would bring blessings to the whole human race.

Dormition of the Righteous Anna, the Mother of the Most Holy Theotokos

Saint Anna was the daughter of the priest Matthan and his wife Mary. She was of the tribe of Levi and the lineage of Aaron. According to Tradition, she died peacefully in Jerusalem at age 79, before the Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos.

Holy Prophetess Hannah as a Model for our Lives

Protopresbyter George Papavarnavas

The Prophetess Hannah knew God truly. She did not think of Him or know Him only from stories of others or from books, but she had an experience of God, having received the Holy Spirit, "Who spoke through the Prophets." When the Apostles received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, whoever saw them or heard them speak, passed them off for drunks. The Prophetess Hannah, when she opened her heart to God inside the Temple, must have been "filled with the Holy Spirit," which is why Eli passed her off for a drunk.

Prophetess Hannah the mother of the Prophet Samuel

The Holy Prophetess Hannah dwelt in marriage with Elkanah, but she was childless. Elkanah took to himself another wife, Phennena, who bore him children.

St. Sophronius the Archbishop of Cyprus

Saint Sophronius, Archbishop of Cyprus, was born into a Christian family on Cyprus, and he studied many sciences, but most of all he devoted himself to the reading of Holy Scripture.

Icon of the Mother of God “the Unexpected joy”

The sinful youth, who was nevertheless devoted to the Theotokos, was praying one day before the icon of the All-Pure Virgin before going out to commit a sin. Suddenly, he saw that wounds appeared on the Lord’s hands, feet, and side, and blood flowed from them.
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