October 31, 2025

Events of the day

• Apostle and Evangelist Luke

  Polyeleos rank

Fasting

Fast day · Wednesday / Friday

Wednesday and Friday: fast without meat, dairy or eggs. Whether fish is allowed depends on the day's feast — check the church calendar.

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

  1 John 1:1–7

• Vespers

  James 1:1–12

• Vespers

  Jude 1–7, 17–25

• Matins Gospel

  John 21:15–25

  Show the text

  ¹⁵So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

  ¹⁶He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

  ¹⁷He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

  ¹⁸Most certainly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you don’t want to go.”

  ¹⁹Now he said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

  ²⁰Then Peter, turning around, saw a disciple following. This was the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who had also leaned on Jesus’ breast at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”

  ²¹Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”

  ²²Jesus said to him, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.”

  ²³This saying therefore went out among the brothers, that this disciple wouldn’t die. Yet Jesus didn’t say to him that he wouldn’t die, but, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you?”

  ²⁴This is the disciple who testifies about these things, and wrote these things. We know that his witness is true.

  ²⁵There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they would all be written, I suppose that even the world itself wouldn’t have room for the books that would be written.

• Epistle

  Colossians 2:1–7

  Show the text

  ¹For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

  ²that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

  ³in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.

  ⁴Now I say this that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

  ⁵For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

  ⁶As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him,

  ⁷rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

• Epistle · St Luke

  Colossians 4:5–9, 14, 18

  Show the text

  ⁵Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.

  ⁶Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

  ⁷All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.

  ⁸I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,

  ⁹together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything that is going on here.

  ¹⁴Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.

  ¹⁸The salutation of me, Paul, with my own hand: remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

• Gospel

  Luke 10:1–15

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  ¹Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place where he was about to come.

  ²Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest.

  ³Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

  ⁴Carry no purse, nor wallet, nor sandals. Greet no one on the way.

  ⁵Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’

  ⁶If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

  ⁷Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house.

  ⁸Into whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat the things that are set before you.

  ⁹Heal the sick who are there, and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’

  ¹⁰But into whatever city you enter, and they don’t receive you, go out into its streets and say,

  ¹¹‘Even the dust from your city that clings to us, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’

  ¹²I tell you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.

  ¹³“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

  ¹⁴But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.

  ¹⁵You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.

• Gospel · St Luke

  Luke 10:16–21

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  ¹⁶Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

  ¹⁷The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

  ¹⁸He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.

  ¹⁹Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you.

  ²⁰Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

  ²¹In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.”

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

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Short penitential prayers