Friday

April 18, 2025

5 April (Old Style) · Holy Week

Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar)

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Month calendar

Events of the day

Great and Holy Friday. The Holy and Saving Passion

Commemoration

Holy Week: a distinct period of strict fasting following Great Lent.
Martyrs Theodulus and Agathopodes

Commemoration

Fasting

Fast day · Holy Week

Great Friday: strict fast; by the rubrics no food until the Shroud is brought out.

Meat: not allowed
Dairy & eggs: not allowed
Fish: not allowed
Oil: not allowed
Wine: not allowed
Xerophagy

By the rubrics no food is taken on Great Friday until the Shroud is brought out.

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

1st Passion Gospel

John 13:31–18:1

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³¹When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.
³²If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately.
³³Little children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come,’ so now I tell you.
³⁴A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.
³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
³⁶Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow now, but you will follow afterwards.”
³⁷Peter said to him, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
³⁸Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won’t crow until you have denied me three times.
¹“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.
²In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.
³If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.
⁴You know where I go, and you know the way.”
⁵Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
⁶Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
⁷If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you know him, and have seen him.”
⁸Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
⁹Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
¹⁰Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works.
¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
¹²Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father.
¹³Whatever you will ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
¹⁴If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.
¹⁵If you love me, keep my commandments.
¹⁶I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever:
¹⁷the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.
¹⁸I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.
¹⁹Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also.
²⁰In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
²¹One who has my commandments and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”
²²Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, what has happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?”
²³Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.
²⁴He who doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word which you hear isn’t mine, but the Father’s who sent me.
²⁵I have said these things to you while still living with you.
²⁶But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.
²⁷Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
²⁸You heard how I told you, ‘I go away, and I come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I said ‘I am going to my Father;’ for the Father is greater than I.
²⁹Now I have told you before it happens so that when it happens, you may believe.
³⁰I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me.
³¹But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded me, even so I do. Arise, let’s go from here.
¹“I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer.
²Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
³You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
⁴Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.
⁵I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
⁶If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
⁷If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.
⁸“In this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples.
⁹Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love.
¹⁰If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.
¹¹I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.
¹²“This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.
¹³Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
¹⁴You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.
¹⁵No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.
¹⁶You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
¹⁷“I command these things to you, that you may love one another.
¹⁸If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.
¹⁹If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
²⁰Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his lord.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
²¹But they will do all these things to you for my name’s sake, because they don’t know him who sent me.
²²If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
²³He who hates me, hates my Father also.
²⁴If I hadn’t done among them the works which no one else did, they wouldn’t have had sin. But now they have seen and also hated both me and my Father.
²⁵But this happened so that the word may be fulfilled which was written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’
²⁶“When the Counselor has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.
²⁷You will also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
¹“I have said these things to you so that you wouldn’t be caused to stumble.
²They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.
³They will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
⁴But I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.
⁵But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
⁶But because I have told you these things, sorrow has filled your heart.
⁷Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
⁸When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment;
⁹about sin, because they don’t believe in me;
¹⁰about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won’t see me any more;
¹¹about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged.
¹²“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now.
¹³However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.
¹⁴He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine, and will declare it to you.
¹⁵All things that the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine and will declare it to you.
¹⁶A little while, and you will not see me. Again a little while, and you will see me.”
¹⁷Some of his disciples therefore said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me;’ and, ‘Because I go to the Father’?”
¹⁸They said therefore, “What is this that he says, ‘A little while’? We don’t know what he is saying.”
¹⁹Therefore Jesus perceived that they wanted to ask him, and he said to them, “Do you inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?’
²⁰Most certainly I tell you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
²¹A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she doesn’t remember the anguish any more, for the joy that a human being is born into the world.
²²Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
²³“In that day you will ask me no questions. Most certainly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
²⁴Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.
²⁵I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
²⁶In that day you will ask in my name; and I don’t say to you that I will pray to the Father for you,
²⁷for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from God.
²⁸I came from the Father, and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.”
²⁹His disciples said to him, “Behold, now you are speaking plainly, and using no figures of speech.
³⁰Now we know that you know all things, and don’t need for anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”
³¹Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
³²Behold, the time is coming, yes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, everyone to his own place, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
³³I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”
¹Jesus said these things, then lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you;
²even as you gave him authority over all flesh, so he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
³This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
⁴I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do.
⁵Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.
⁶I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word.
⁷Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you,
⁸for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.
⁹I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
¹⁰All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
¹¹I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are.
¹²While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. I have kept those whom you have given me. None of them is lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
¹³But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.
¹⁴I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
¹⁵I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one.
¹⁶They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
¹⁷Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.
¹⁸As you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world.
¹⁹For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
²⁰Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who will believe in me through their word,
²¹that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me.
²²The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one;
²³I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me and loved them, even as you loved me.
²⁴Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
²⁵Righteous Father, the world hasn’t known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me.
²⁶I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
¹When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered.
2nd Passion Gospel

John 18:1–28

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¹When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered.
²Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples.
³Judas then, having taken a detachment of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
⁴Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were happening to him, went out, and said to them, “Who are you looking for?”
⁵They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas also, who betrayed him, was standing with them.
⁶When therefore he said to them, “I am he,” they went backward, and fell to the ground.
⁷Again therefore he asked them, “Who are you looking for?” They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
⁸Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way,”
⁹that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, “Of those whom you have given me, I have lost none.”
¹⁰Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
¹¹Jesus therefore said to Peter, “Put the sword into its sheath. The cup which the Father has given me, shall I not surely drink it?”
¹²So the detachment, the commanding officer, and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him,
¹³and led him to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
¹⁴Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should perish for the people.
¹⁵Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered in with Jesus into the court of the high priest;
¹⁶but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought in Peter.
¹⁷Then the maid who kept the door said to Peter, “Are you also one of this man’s disciples?” He said, “I am not.”
¹⁸Now the servants and the officers were standing there, having made a fire of coals, for it was cold. They were warming themselves. Peter was with them, standing and warming himself.
¹⁹The high priest therefore asked Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.
²⁰Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where the Jews always meet. I said nothing in secret.
²¹Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. Behold, they know the things which I said.”
²²When he had said this, one of the officers standing by slapped Jesus with his hand, saying, “Do you answer the high priest like that?”
²³Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, testify of the evil; but if well, why do you beat me?”
²⁴Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest.
²⁵Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, “You aren’t also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”
²⁶One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of him whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
²⁷Peter therefore denied it again, and immediately the rooster crowed.
²⁸They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves didn’t enter into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.
3rd Passion Gospel

Matthew 26:57–75

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⁵⁷Those who had taken Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.
⁵⁸But Peter followed him from a distance, to the court of the high priest, and entered in and sat with the officers, to see the end.
⁵⁹Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death;
⁶⁰and they found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward,
⁶¹and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.’ ”
⁶²The high priest stood up, and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that these testify against you?”
⁶³But Jesus held his peace. The high priest answered him, “I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
⁶⁴Jesus said to him, “You have said it. Nevertheless, I tell you, after this you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky.”
⁶⁵Then the high priest tore his clothing, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy.
⁶⁶What do you think?” They answered, “He is worthy of death!”
⁶⁷Then they spat in his face and beat him with their fists, and some slapped him,
⁶⁸saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who hit you?”
⁶⁹Now Peter was sitting outside in the court, and a maid came to him, saying, “You were also with Jesus, the Galilean!”
⁷⁰But he denied it before them all, saying, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
⁷¹When he had gone out onto the porch, someone else saw him, and said to those who were there, “This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
⁷²Again he denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man.”
⁷³After a little while those who stood by came and said to Peter, “Surely you are also one of them, for your speech makes you known.”
⁷⁴Then he began to curse and to swear, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately the rooster crowed.
⁷⁵Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Then he went out and wept bitterly.
4th Passion Gospel

John 18:28–19:16

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²⁸They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves didn’t enter into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.
²⁹Pilate therefore went out to them, and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”
³⁰They answered him, “If this man weren’t an evildoer, we wouldn’t have delivered him up to you.”
³¹Pilate therefore said to them, “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is illegal for us to put anyone to death,”
³²that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying by what kind of death he should die.
³³Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
³⁴Jesus answered him, “Do you say this by yourself, or did others tell you about me?”
³⁵Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?”
³⁶Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”
³⁷Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
³⁸Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no basis for a charge against him.
³⁹But you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Therefore, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
⁴⁰Then they all shouted again, saying, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
¹So Pilate then took Jesus, and flogged him.
²The soldiers twisted thorns into a crown, and put it on his head, and dressed him in a purple garment.
³They kept saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and they kept slapping him.
⁴Then Pilate went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I bring him out to you, that you may know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”
⁵Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the man!”
⁶When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, saying, “Crucify! Crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves, and crucify him, for I find no basis for a charge against him.”
⁷The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”
⁸When therefore Pilate heard this saying, he was more afraid.
⁹He entered into the Praetorium again, and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.
¹⁰Pilate therefore said to him, “Aren’t you speaking to me? Don’t you know that I have power to release you and have power to crucify you?”
¹¹Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all against me, unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who delivered me to you has greater sin.”
¹²At this, Pilate was seeking to release him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you release this man, you aren’t Caesar’s friend! Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!”
¹³When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called “The Pavement”, but in Hebrew, “Gabbatha.”
¹⁴Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, at about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!”
¹⁵They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”
¹⁶So then he delivered him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led him away.
5th Passion Gospel

Matthew 27:3–32

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³Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
⁴saying, “I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it.”
⁵He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He went away and hanged himself.
⁶The chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, “It’s not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.”
⁷They took counsel, and bought the potter’s field with them, to bury strangers in.
⁸Therefore that field was called “The Field of Blood” to this day.
⁹Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him upon whom a price had been set, whom some of the children of Israel priced,
¹⁰and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
¹¹Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “So you say.”
¹²When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
¹³Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many things they testify against you?”
¹⁴He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.
¹⁵Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom they desired.
¹⁶They had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
¹⁷When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ?”
¹⁸For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.
¹⁹While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him.”
²⁰Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
²¹But the governor answered them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!”
²²Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do to Jesus, who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let him be crucified!”
²³But the governor said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, saying, “Let him be crucified!”
²⁴So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it.”
²⁵All the people answered, “May his blood be on us, and on our children!”
²⁶Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified.
²⁷Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him.
²⁸They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him.
²⁹They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
³⁰They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.
³¹When they had mocked him, they took the robe off him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.
³²As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross.
6th Passion Gospel

Mark 15:16–32

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¹⁶The soldiers led him away within the court, which is the Praetorium; and they called together the whole cohort.
¹⁷They clothed him with purple, and weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on him.
¹⁸They began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
¹⁹They struck his head with a reed, and spat on him, and bowing their knees, did homage to him.
²⁰When they had mocked him, they took the purple off him, and put his own garments on him. They led him out to crucify him.
²¹They compelled one passing by, coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear his cross.
²²They brought him to the place called Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, “The place of a skull.”
²³They offered him wine mixed with myrrh to drink, but he didn’t take it.
²⁴Crucifying him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take.
²⁵It was the third hour, and they crucified him.
²⁶The superscription of his accusation was written over him, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
²⁷With him they crucified two robbers; one on his right hand, and one on his left.
²⁸The Scripture was fulfilled, which says, “He was counted with transgressors.”
²⁹Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days,
³⁰save yourself, and come down from the cross!”
³¹Likewise, also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said, “He saved others. He can’t save himself.
³²Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him.” Those who were crucified with him also insulted him.
7th Passion Gospel

Matthew 27:33–54

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³³When they came to a place called “Golgotha”, that is to say, “The place of a skull,”
³⁴they gave him sour wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink.
³⁵When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,
³⁶and they sat and watched him there.
³⁷They set up over his head the accusation against him written, “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
³⁸Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left.
³⁹Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads,
⁴⁰and saying, “You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
⁴¹Likewise the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders, said,
⁴²“He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.
⁴³He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
⁴⁴The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.
⁴⁵Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.
⁴⁶About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
⁴⁷Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.”
⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.
⁴⁹The rest said, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
⁵⁰Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.
⁵¹Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
⁵²The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
⁵³and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.
⁵⁴Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
8th Passion Gospel

Luke 23:32–49

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³²There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death.
³³When they came to the place that is called “The Skull”, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
³⁴Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.
³⁵The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!”
³⁶The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,
³⁷and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
³⁸An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
³⁹One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!”
⁴⁰But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?
⁴¹And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”
⁴²He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
⁴³Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
⁴⁴It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
⁴⁵The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
⁴⁶Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last.
⁴⁷When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.”
⁴⁸All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their breasts.
⁴⁹All his acquaintances and the women who followed with him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things.
9th Passion Gospel

John 19:25–37

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²⁵But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
²⁶Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”
²⁷Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.
²⁸After this, Jesus, seeing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty.”
²⁹Now a vessel full of vinegar was set there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop, and held it at his mouth.
³⁰When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” He bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.
³¹Therefore the Jews, because it was the Preparation Day, so that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special one), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
³²Therefore the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who was crucified with him;
³³but when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs.
³⁴However one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
³⁵He who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, that you may believe.
³⁶For these things happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “A bone of him will not be broken.”
³⁷Again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they pierced.”
10th Passion Gospel

Mark 15:43–47

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⁴³Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for God’s Kingdom, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.
⁴⁴Pilate marveled if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead long.
⁴⁵When he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
⁴⁶He bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
⁴⁷Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid.
11th Passion Gospel

John 19:38–42

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³⁸After these things, Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission. He came therefore and took away his body.
³⁹Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred Roman pounds.
⁴⁰So they took Jesus’ body, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.
⁴¹Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden. In the garden was a new tomb in which no man had ever yet been laid.
⁴²Then because of the Jews’ Preparation Day (for the tomb was near at hand) they laid Jesus there.
12th Passion Gospel

Matthew 27:62–66

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⁶²Now on the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate,
⁶³saying, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise again.’
⁶⁴Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He is risen from the dead;’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”
⁶⁵Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can.”
⁶⁶So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.
1st Hour

Zechariah 11:10–13
1st Hour · Epistle

Galatians 6:14–18

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¹⁴But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
¹⁵For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
¹⁶As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God’s Israel.
¹⁷From now on, let no one cause me any trouble, for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus branded on my body.
¹⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
1st Hour · Gospel

Matthew 27:1–56

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¹Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
²and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
³Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
⁴saying, “I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it.”
⁵He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He went away and hanged himself.
⁶The chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, “It’s not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.”
⁷They took counsel, and bought the potter’s field with them, to bury strangers in.
⁸Therefore that field was called “The Field of Blood” to this day.
⁹Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him upon whom a price had been set, whom some of the children of Israel priced,
¹⁰and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
¹¹Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “So you say.”
¹²When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
¹³Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many things they testify against you?”
¹⁴He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.
¹⁵Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom they desired.
¹⁶They had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
¹⁷When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ?”
¹⁸For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.
¹⁹While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him.”
²⁰Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
²¹But the governor answered them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!”
²²Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do to Jesus, who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let him be crucified!”
²³But the governor said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, saying, “Let him be crucified!”
²⁴So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it.”
²⁵All the people answered, “May his blood be on us, and on our children!”
²⁶Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified.
²⁷Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him.
²⁸They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him.
²⁹They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
³⁰They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.
³¹When they had mocked him, they took the robe off him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.
³²As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross.
³³When they came to a place called “Golgotha”, that is to say, “The place of a skull,”
³⁴they gave him sour wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink.
³⁵When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,
³⁶and they sat and watched him there.
³⁷They set up over his head the accusation against him written, “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
³⁸Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left.
³⁹Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads,
⁴⁰and saying, “You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
⁴¹Likewise the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders, said,
⁴²“He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.
⁴³He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
⁴⁴The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.
⁴⁵Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.
⁴⁶About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
⁴⁷Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.”
⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.
⁴⁹The rest said, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
⁵⁰Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.
⁵¹Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
⁵²The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
⁵³and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.
⁵⁴Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
⁵⁵Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him.
⁵⁶Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
3rd Hour

Isaiah 50:4–11
3rd Hour · Epistle

Romans 5:6–11

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⁶For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
⁷For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die.
⁸But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
⁹Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God’s wrath through him.
¹⁰For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life.
¹¹Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
3rd Hour · Gospel

Mark 15:16–41
6th Hour

Isaiah 52:13–54:1
6th Hour · alternate

Amos 8:9–12
6th Hour · Epistle

Hebrews 2:11–18

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¹¹For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,
¹²saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the congregation I will sing your praise.”
¹³Again, “I will put my trust in him.” Again, “Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me.”
¹⁴Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
¹⁵and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
¹⁶For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the offspring of Abraham.
¹⁷Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
¹⁸For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
6th Hour · Gospel

Luke 23:32–49

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³²There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death.
³³When they came to the place that is called “The Skull”, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
³⁴Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.
³⁵The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!”
³⁶The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,
³⁷and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
³⁸An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
³⁹One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!”
⁴⁰But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?
⁴¹And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”
⁴²He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
⁴³Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
⁴⁴It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
⁴⁵The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
⁴⁶Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last.
⁴⁷When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.”
⁴⁸All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their breasts.
⁴⁹All his acquaintances and the women who followed with him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things.
9th Hour

Jeremiah 11:18–12:5, 9–11, 14–15
9th Hour · Epistle

Hebrews 10:19–31

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¹⁹Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
²⁰by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh,
²¹and having a great priest over God’s house,
²²let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,
²³let’s hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.
²⁴Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,
²⁵not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
²⁶For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,
²⁷but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.
²⁸A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.
²⁹How much worse punishment do you think he will be judged worthy of who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
³⁰For we know him who said, “Vengeance belongs to me;” says the Lord, “I will repay.” Again, “The Lord will judge his people.”
³¹It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
9th Hour · Gospel

John 18:28–19:37
Vespers

Exodus 33:11–23
Vespers

Job 42:12–17 (LXX)
Vespers

Isaiah 52:13–54:1
Epistle · Vespers

1 Corinthians 1:18–2:2
Gospel · Composite

Matthew 27:1–38; Luke 23:39–43; Matt 27:39–54; John 19:31–37; Matt 27:55–61

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

Saints and icons

Prayer of the day: Prayer of St Ephrem the Syrian