June 24, 2026

Events of the day

• Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas

  Polyeleos rank

Fasting

Fast day · Apostles' Fast

Apostles' 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

• Vespers

  1 Peter 1:3–9

• Vespers

  1 Peter 1:13–19

• Vespers

  1 Peter 2:11–24

• Matins Gospel

  John 21:15–25

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  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

  Romans 11:2–12

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  ²God didn’t reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:

  ³“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars. I am left alone, and they seek my life.”

  ⁴But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

  ⁵Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

  ⁶And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

  ⁷What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.

  ⁸According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.”

  ⁹David says, “Let their table be made a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.

  ¹⁰Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Always keep their backs bent.”

  ¹¹I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.

  ¹²Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?

• Epistle · Apostles

  Acts 11:19–26, 29–30

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  ¹⁹They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only.

  ²⁰But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.

  ²¹The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

  ²²The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,

  ²³who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord.

  ²⁴For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.

  ²⁵Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul.

  ²⁶When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

  ²⁹As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;

  ³⁰which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

• Gospel

  Matthew 11:20–26

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  ²⁰Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t repent.

  ²¹“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 in sackcloth and ashes.

  ²²But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

  ²³You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until today.

  ²⁴But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, on the day of judgment, than for you.”

  ²⁵At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.

  ²⁶Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.

• Gospel · Apostles

  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: The Trisagion