SUN Jan 5/18 ns 2026 † Sunday before the Theophany • Holy Martyrs Theópemptos and Theonás, St. Synkletiké ~ Wine and olive oil are permitted ~ 10th Matins Gospel: St. John 21:1-14 II St. Tim. 4:5-8; St. Mark 1:1-8

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

St. John 15:15

 January 5/(18 new style) 2026

† The Sunday before the Theophany

 Holy Martyrs Theópemptos and Theonás, 

St. Synkletiké 

Fast Day

When Diocletian began his persecution of the Christians, Theópemptos, Bishop of Nicomedia, was among the first to suffer martyrdom for Christ. Theópemptos was brought before the emperor who threatened him with punishment of death if he did not deny Christ. To that threat, the courageous bishop responded to the emperor: "It stands written, `Do not be afraid of those who kill the body' (St. Luke 12:4), `but cannot kill the soul' (St. Matthew 10:28). O Emperor, you have authority over my body; do with it what pleases you." Theópemptos was severely beaten, suffered from hunger and tortured in various ways. Finally, the emperor summoned a certain magician, Theonás by name, to outwit this godly man through magic. Theonás dissolved the most potent poison in water and gave it to Theópemptos to drink. Theópemptos traced the sign of the cross over the glass and drank the poison. Theonás, upon seeing that the poison had no effect on Theópemptos, turned to the emperor and shouted, " I, too, am a Christian and bow down before the Crucified One." Both were sentenced to death in the year 298 A.D.; Theópemptos was beheaded and Theonás was buried alive. They honorably suffered and became citizens of the Kingdom of Christ.

Synkletiké was of Macedonian descent. She was educated in Alexandria. As a wealthy and distinguished maiden she had many suitors, but she rejected them all and fled from her parents' home to a convent. Undergoing the greatest of self-restraints, vigils and prayer, Synkletiké lived to her eightieth year. Her counsels to the nuns have always been considered a true spiritual pearl, for this righteous one did not attain the heights of wisdom through books but through sufferings, pains, daily and nightly contemplation, and spiritual communication with the higher world of the Divine. With her soul, she took up habitation in that higher world in the year 350 A.D. Among other things, St. Synkletiké was known to say, "If it is the season for fasting, do not dismiss fasting, allegedly because of illness for, behold, even those who do not fast, succumb to the same illness." She further spoke, "As when uncovered treasure is quickly seized, so it is with virtue; when it is made public becomes eclipsed and becomes lost."

Orthros Saint John 21:1-14 KJV

21 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.

9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.

14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

2 Saint Timothy 4:5-8 KJV

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Saint Mark 1:1-8 KJV

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

A V A R I C E

Anonymous

When I and my companion were in Alexandria, one day we went to the Church of Saint Theodosius. A bald man accosted us who was wearing sack-cloth down to his knees. He seemed to be insane. Abba Sophronios said to me: ‘Give me a coin and you shall see the virtue of this man who is approaching us.’ I gave him five coppers which he took and gave to the one who seemed to be insane, who received them without a word. Keeping ourselves out of sight, we followed him. When he had turned the street-corner, he stretched out his right hand (in which he held the coins) towards heaven, held it up high, and then prostrated himself before God and went his way, leaving the coins on the ground.