August 19, 2025

Events of the day

• Transfiguration of the Lord

  Twelve Great Feast

  Christ reveals His divine glory to the disciples on Mount Tabor. Fish is allowed within the Dormition Fast; fruits are blessed.

Fasting

Fast day · Dormition Fast

Transfiguration: fish is allowed within the Dormition Fast.

• Meat: not allowed
• Dairy & eggs: not allowed
• Fish: 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

• Vespers

  Exodus 24:12–18

• Vespers

  Composite reading — Exodus 33.11-23; 34.4-6, 8

• Vespers

  Composite reading — 3 [1] Kings 19.3-9, 11-13, 15, 16

• Matins Gospel

  Luke 9:28–36

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  ²⁸About eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray.

  ²⁹As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling.

  ³⁰Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah,

  ³¹who appeared in glory, and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

  ³²Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him.

  ³³As they were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he said.

  ³⁴While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.

  ³⁵A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!”

  ³⁶When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.

• Epistle · Transfiguration

  2 Peter 1:10–19

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  ¹⁰Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.

  ¹¹For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

  ¹²Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth.

  ¹³I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,

  ¹⁴knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.

  ¹⁵Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure.

  ¹⁶For we didn’t follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

  ¹⁷For he received from God the Father honor and glory when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

  ¹⁸We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

  ¹⁹We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your hearts:

• Epistle

  2 Corinthians 2:14–3:3

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  ¹⁴Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place.

  ¹⁵For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God, in those who are saved and in those who perish:

  ¹⁶to the one a stench from death to death, to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

  ¹⁷For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.

  ¹Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

  ²You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men,

  ³being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.

• Gospel · Transfiguration

  Matthew 17:1–9

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  ¹After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves.

  ²He was changed before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.

  ³Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.

  ⁴Peter answered, and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

  ⁵While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

  ⁶When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid.

  ⁷Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.”

  ⁸Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.

  ⁹As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

• Gospel

  Matthew 23:23–28

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  ²³“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

  ²⁴You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!

  ²⁵“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.

  ²⁶You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also.

  ²⁷“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

  ²⁸Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

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

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Troparion of the Transfiguration