Wednesday

September 30, 2026

17 September (Old Style) · 18th week after Pentecost

Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar)

Events of the day

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.

Food rules are reference church information. Agree your personal measure of fasting with a priest; consult a doctor if you are ill.

Epistle

Ephesians 5:25–33

Show the text

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;
²⁶that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,
²⁷that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect.
²⁸Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.
²⁹For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly;
³⁰because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones.
³¹“For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh.”
³²This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly.
³³Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Gospel

The ordinary Gospel of this day is to be confirmed: the September 'otstupka' repeats earlier readings as chosen by the printed calendar. Check a printed calendar.

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