Great Royal Hours & Vesperal Liturgy
for the Nativity of Christ
for the Nativity of Christ
• Holy Virgin-Martyr Evgenía and those with her
• Saint Antiochos
• Saint Antiochos
Fast Day
THE PROLOGUE FROM OCHRID
Saint Nikolai Velimirovich
EVGENIA was the daughter of Philip the Eparch of all Egypt and was born in Rome. At that time the Christians had been driven out of Alexandria and lived outside the city. The virgin Evgenia visited the Christians and accepted their Faith with her whole heart. Fleeing from her parents with two of her faithful eunuchs, she was baptized by Bishop Elias. Disguised in men's clothing, she entered a men's monastery where she received the monastic habit. So much did she cleanse her heart by voluntary asceticism that she received from God the grace of healing the sick. Thus, she healed a wealthy woman, Melanthia. After this, however, Melanthia wanted to lure Evgenia into bodily sin, not suspecting that Evgenia was a woman. Since she was adamantly rejected by Evgenia, out of revenge this evil woman went to the eparch and slandered Evgenia in the same manner as Potiphar's wife had once slandered the chaste Joseph. The eparch ordered that all the monks be bound and cast into prison together with Evgenia. But when St. Evgenia was brought before the tribunal, she revealed herself to her father as his daughter. The overjoyed Philip was then baptized with his entire household, and he was chosen as Bishop of Alexandria. Hearing of this, the Roman emperor sent a wicked commander, Terentius, who came to Alexandria and secretly had Philip killed. St. Evgenia moved to Rome with her mother and brothers. In Rome she fearlessly and zealously converted pagans, especially maidens, to the true Faith, and thus she converted a beautiful maiden Basilla to the Faith. Shortly afterward, Basilla was beheaded for Christ as Evgenia had foretold to her. Then both eunuchs, Protus and Hyacinth, were beheaded. Finally, a martyr's end came to St. Evgenia, whose presence had caused the collapse and destruction of the Temple of Diana. The torturers threw her first into water and then into fire, but God saved her. The Lord Jesus Himself appeared to her in prison and told her that she would suffer on the day of His Nativity. And so it was. She was beheaded by the sword on December 25, 262, in Rome. After her death, St. Evgenia appeared in great glory to her mother and comforted her.
Hebrews 1:1-12 KJV
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
Saint Luke 2:1-20 KJV
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
GINGER BREAD HOUSE DAY JANUARY 5 2025 NS
See them
NEVER SEE DEATH
by Hermitess Photini
“How can man, who is clothed with flesh and lives in the material world, find God, Who is a Spirit? For Christ said, "God is a Spirit.” [St. Jn. 4:24]
By working at attaining the virtues, man attains the likeness of God and becomes a god, not by nature but by grace. In other words, he becomes like God and feels God within himself, as the Savior says, "We will come and make our abode in him." [cf. St. Jn. 14:23] By working at what is good man can achieve immortality, even though he lives in this world and bears a mortal body. As the Savior says, "If a man keep my words, he shall never see death." [St. Jn. 8:51] By keeping the words of God, one receives the confirmation and assurance that he has eternal life.
By working at attaining the virtues, man attains the likeness of God and becomes a god, not by nature but by grace. In other words, he becomes like God and feels God within himself, as the Savior says, "We will come and make our abode in him." [cf. St. Jn. 14:23] By working at what is good man can achieve immortality, even though he lives in this world and bears a mortal body. As the Savior says, "If a man keep my words, he shall never see death." [St. Jn. 8:51] By keeping the words of God, one receives the confirmation and assurance that he has eternal life.
“The soul of man is immaterial, immortal, immutable, and eternal. When it receives sanctifying grace from God and when it is connected with God through prayer and virtuous works, it becomes holy. And this is why we call virtuous people saints, because they rose above earthly things. So a saint could also be called immortal because he has overcome mortality and received the grace of sanctification from God. God gave great worth to man; but it is up to him to realize his own worth and descent, and it is his duty to work at the virtues to make himself worthy of God’s grace for which he is destined…”
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