October 14, 2023

Events of the day

• Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos

  Great Feast

  The appearance of the Theotokos in the Blachernae church of Constantinople (10th century); especially beloved in Russia.

• Apostle Ananias; St Romanos the Melodist

  Commemoration

Fasting

No fast

No fast today.

Food rules are reference church information. Agree your personal measure of fasting with a priest; consult a doctor if you are ill.

Readings of the day

• Vespers

  Genesis 28:10–17

• Vespers

  Ezekiel 43:27–44:4

• Vespers

  Proverbs 9:1–11

• Matins Gospel

  Luke 1:39–49, 56

  Show the text

  ³⁹Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,

  ⁴⁰and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

  ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

  ⁴²She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

  ⁴³Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

  ⁴⁴For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!

  ⁴⁵Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”

  ⁴⁶Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.

  ⁴⁷My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

  ⁴⁸for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

  ⁴⁹For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

  ⁵⁶Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.

• Epistle

  1 Corinthians 15:58–16:3

  Show the text

  ⁵⁸Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

  ¹Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise.

  ²On the first day of every week, let each one of you save, as he may prosper, that no collections are made when I come.

  ³When I arrive, I will send whoever you approve with letters to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem.

• Epistle · Protection

  Hebrews 9:1–7

  Show the text

  ¹Now indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary.

  ²For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread; which is called the Holy Place.

  ³After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,

  ⁴having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;

  ⁵and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, of which things we can’t speak now in detail.

  ⁶Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services,

  ⁷but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself, and for the errors of the people.

• Gospel

  Luke 5:17–26

  Show the text

  ¹⁷On one of those days, he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them.

  ¹⁸Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus.

  ¹⁹Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus.

  ²⁰Seeing their faith, he said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

  ²¹The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”

  ²²But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts?

  ²³Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you;’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk?’

  ²⁴But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (he said to the paralyzed man), “I tell you, arise, take up your cot, and go to your house.”

  ²⁵Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God.

  ²⁶Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”

• Gospel · Protection

  Luke 10:38–42, 11:27–28

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible.