November 4, 2026

Events of the day

• Kazan Icon of the Theotokos (deliverance of Moscow and Russia in 1612)

  Polyeleos rank

• Equal-to-the-Apostles Abercius of Hierapolis; the Seven Youths of Ephesus

  Commemoration

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

• Epistle

  1 Thessalonians 2:1–8

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  ¹For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain,

  ²but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.

  ³For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.

  ⁴But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak: not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.

  ⁵For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),

  ⁶nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.

  ⁷But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

  ⁸Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

• Gospel

  Luke 9:44–50

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  ⁴⁴“Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men.”

  ⁴⁵But they didn’t understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

  ⁴⁶An argument arose among them about which of them was the greatest.

  ⁴⁷Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side,

  ⁴⁸and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great.”

  ⁴⁹John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.”

  ⁵⁰Jesus said to him, “Don’t forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us.”

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

Saints and icons

• Kazan Icon of the Theotokos
• Prayer of the day: Hymn to the Theotokos “Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos”