Saturday
January 18, 2025
5 January (Old Style) · 30th week after Pentecost
Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar)
Events of the day
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Informational
A strict fast day; the Great Blessing of Water.
- Forefeast: Holy Theophany. The Baptism of the Lord
Fasting
Fast day · Eve of Theophany
Eve of Theophany: strict fast; with oil on Saturday or Sunday.
- Meat: not allowed
- Dairy & eggs: not allowed
- Fish: not allowed
- Oil: allowed
- Wine: allowed
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
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Epistle · Saturday before Theophany
1 Timothy 3:14–4:5
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14These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;
15but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
16Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
1But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
2through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron,
3forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
4For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.
5For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.
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Gospel · Saturday before Theophany
Matthew 3:1–11
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1In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
2“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”
3For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!”
4Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
5Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.
6They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!
9Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10“Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.
11I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
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Vespers
Genesis 1:1–13
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Vespers
Exodus 14:15–18, 21–23, 27–29
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Vespers
Exodus 15:22–16:1
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Vespers
Joshua 3:7–8, 15–17
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Vespers
4[2] Kings 2:6–14
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Vespers
4[2] Kings 5:9–14
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Vespers
Isaiah 1:16–20
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Vespers
Genesis 32:1–10
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Vespers
Exodus 2:5–10
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Vespers
Judges 6:36–40
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Vespers
3[1] Kings 18:30–39
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Vespers
4[2] Kings 2:19–22
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Vespers
Isaiah 49:8–15
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Epistle · at Vespers
1 Corinthians 9:19–27
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19For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
20To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law;
21to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.
22To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
23Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it.
24Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win.
25Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.
26I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air,
27but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.
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Gospel · at Vespers
Luke 3:1–18
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1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
2in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
3He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.
4As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.
5Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.
6All flesh will see God’s salvation.’ ”
7He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance, and don’t begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!
9Even now the ax also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.”
10The multitudes asked him, “What then must we do?”
11He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.”
12Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?”
13He said to them, “Collect no more than that which is appointed to you.”
14Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”
15As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ,
16John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire,
17whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
18Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people,
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Great Blessing of Waters
Isaiah 35:1–10
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Great Blessing of Waters
Isaiah 55:1–13
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Great Blessing of Waters
Isaiah 12:3–6
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Great Blessing of Waters · Epistle
1 Corinthians 10:1–4
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1Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3and all ate the same spiritual food;
4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.
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Great Blessing of Waters · Gospel
Mark 1:9–11
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9In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting, and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
11A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible.
Saints and icons
- Prayer of the day: Prayer for the departed