Wednesday
December 3, 2025
20 November (Old Style) · 26th week after Pentecost
Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar)
Events of the day
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St Gregory the Decapolite; St Proclus, Patriarch of Constantinople
Commemoration
- Forefeast: Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple
Fasting
Fast day · Nativity Fast
Nativity Fast, Wednesday and Friday: xerophagy.
- Meat: not allowed
- Dairy & eggs: not allowed
- Fish: not allowed
- Oil: not allowed
- Wine: not allowed
- Xerophagy
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
1 Timothy 1:18–20, 2:8–15
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18I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith,
20of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
8I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without anger and doubting.
9In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety, not just with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing,
10but with good works, which is appropriate for women professing godliness.
11Let a woman learn in quietness with full submission.
12But I don’t permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.
13For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
14Adam wasn’t deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience;
15but she will be saved through her childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and sanctification with sobriety.
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Gospel
Luke 18:15–17, 26–30
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15They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16Jesus summoned them, saying, “Allow the little children to come to me, and don’t hinder them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these.
17Most certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn’t receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”
26Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”
27But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
28Peter said, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”
29He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for God’s Kingdom’s sake,
30who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life.”
Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible.
Saints and icons
- Prayer of the day: The Trisagion