04 Dec 2024
Julian calendar:
21 Nov 2024
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+++ The Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God

+++ The Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of GodWhen the most holy Virgin Mary had reached the age of three, her parents, holy Joachim and Anna, took her from Nazareth to Jerusalem, to give her to the service of God in fulfillment of their promise. It was three days journey to Jerusalem, but, going as they were on God"s work, they did not find the journey difficult. Many of Joachim and Anna"s kinsmen gathered to take part in this celebration, in which the invisible angels of God also took part. Maidens went ahead with lighted candles in their hands, followed by the most holy Virgin, led on either side by her father and mother. The Virgin was clad in royal and beautiful garments, like those of the "king"s daughter", the Bride of God (Ps. 44:9,10). Behind them walked many of their kinsfolk and friends, all bearing lighted candles. There were fifteen steps leading to the Temple. Her parents stood the Virgin on the first step, and she ran quickly to the top on her own, where the High Priest, Zacharias, the father of St John the Forerunner, met her and, taking her by the hand, led her not only into the Temple but into the Holy of Holies, the holiest place of all, into which none could enter except the High Priest, and that once a year. St Theophylact of Ochrid says that Zacharias was ,out of himself, and moved by God" when he led the Virgin into the chief place in the Temple, beyond the second curtain - otherwise there could be no explanation of his action. Her parents then offered sacrifices to God, according to the Law, received the priest"s blessing and returned home, leaving the most holy Virgin in the Temple. She dwelt in the Temple for nine whole years. While her parents were alive, they visited her often. When they departed this life, the holy Virgin was left an orphan, and longed to remain in the Temple for the rest of her days, without entering into marriage. This being contrary both to the Law and Israelite custom, she was confided at the age of twelve to St Joseph, a kinsman of hers in Nazareth, so that she might, under the protection of betrothal, live in virginity and thus fulfil both her desire and the demands of the Law, for it was unknown in Israel at that time for a girl to vow perpetual virginity. The holy Virgin Mary was the first to do this, and was later followed by thousand upon thousand of virgin men and women in the Church of Christ.

St. Yaropolk-Peter, prince of Vladimir in Volhynia (1086)

St. Yaropolk-Peter, prince of Vladimir in Volhynia (1086)Holy Nobleborn Prince Yaropolk Izyaslavich, in Holy Baptism Peter, was the grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, and great-grandson of holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir. He shared the sad fate of his father, the Kievan Greatprince Izyaslav, expelled by his brothers from Kiev. Yaropolk journeyed on various missions for his father to the Polish king, the German emperor, and the Roman Bishop Saint Gregory VII (1073-1085)...

December 2024
SunMonTueWedThuFriSut
New Martyrs Anastasius of Epirus and Daniel (1750)
1
oil
Martyres 150 soldiers (284)
2
oil
Martyrs Azades, Sasonius, Thecla, and Anna (343)
3
oil
St. Yaropolk-Peter, prince of Vladimir in Volhynia (1086)
4
fish
Martyr Agapion of Greece (304)
5
oil
New Martyr Archimandrite Gregory (Peradze) of Georgia (1942.)
6
oil
St. Malchus of Chalcis in Syria (5th c.)
7
oil
Venerable Peter the Silent, of Galata, Syria (429)
8
oil
St. Silas, bishop of Persidos
9
oil
Venerable Palladius of Thessalonica (6th-7th c.)
10
oil
St. Theodore, bishop of Theodosiopolis in Armenia (end of 6th c.)
11
oil
St. Mardarije of Libertyville
12
oil
Hierarch Samuel, Second Catholicos of Georgia
13
oil
St Philaret the Merciful
14
oil
St Jesse, Bishop of Tsiklan
15
fish
Our Holy Father Sava of Storozhev
16
oil
St Gennadius, Archbishop of Novgorod
17
oil
Our Holy Fathers Karyon and Zachariah
18
oil
St Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch
19
fish
Our Holy Father Nilus of Stolobnoye
20
oil
The Holy Martyrs in Africa
21
oil
St Sophronius, Archbishop of Cyprus
22
fish
Our Holy Father Thomas of Bithynia
23
oil
The Holy Martyr Meirax
24
oil
The Holy Martyr Synesius
25
oil
The Hieromartyr Gavrilo, Patriarch of Serbia
26
oil
The Holy Martyrs Philemon, Apollonius, Arrian and others
27
oil
Our Holy Father Pardus the Solitary
28
oil
St Theophano the Empress
29
oil
Our Holy Fathers, the New Martyrs Paisius and Habakkuk (Avakum)
30
oil
St Modestus, Patriarch of Jerusalem
31
oil
    
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Moon phases for December , 2024 (Serbia)
01 Dec 2024 New Moon
08 Dec 2024 First Quarter
15 Dec 2024 Full Moon
22 Dec 2024 Third Quarter
30 Dec 2024 New Moon