January 1, 2026

Events of the day

• Martyr Boniface

  Commemoration

Fasting

Fast day · Nativity Fast

Nativity Fast, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: fish is allowed.

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

By the Typikon (ch. 33) Tuesday and Thursday of the Apostles' and Nativity Fasts call for oil and wine only, fish only for a saint with a polyeleos; lay practice per the ROC calendar allows fish.

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

• Epistle

  Hebrews 10:35–11:7

  Show the text

  ³⁵Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.

  ³⁶For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

  ³⁷“In a very little while, he who comes will come, and will not wait.

  ³⁸But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

  ³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.

  ¹Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.

  ²For by this, the elders obtained testimony.

  ³By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.

  ⁴By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.

  ⁵By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God.

  ⁶Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

  ⁷By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

• Gospel

  Mark 10:17–27

  Show the text

  ¹⁷As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

  ¹⁸Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God.

  ¹⁹You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’ ”

  ²⁰He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.”

  ²¹Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”

  ²²But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions.

  ²³Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!”

  ²⁴The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!

  ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”

  ²⁶They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?”

  ²⁷Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”

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

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Prayer to the Holy Spirit “O Heavenly King”