February 24, 2026

Events of the day

No commemorations in the content package for this day yet

Fasting

Fast day · Great Lent

Great Lent, Tuesday and Thursday: cooked food without oil.

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

The first week of Great Lent is kept with particular strictness; agree your measure with a priest.

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

• 6th Hour

  Isaiah 1:19–2:3

• Vespers

  Genesis 1:14–23

• Vespers

  Proverbs 1:20–33

• Vespers · Forerunner

  Composite reading — Isaiah 40, 41, 45, 48, 54

• Vespers · Forerunner

  Composite reading — Malachi 3, 4

• Vespers · Forerunner

  Composite reading — Wisdom of Solomon 4, 5

• Matins Gospel · Forerunner

  Luke 7:17–30

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  ¹⁷This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.

  ¹⁸The disciples of John told him about all these things.

  ¹⁹John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?”

  ²⁰When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’ ”

  ²¹In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight.

  ²²Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

  ²³Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

  ²⁴When John’s messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

  ²⁵But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts.

  ²⁶But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

  ²⁷This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

  ²⁸“For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptizer, yet he who is least in God’s Kingdom is greater than he.”

  ²⁹When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism.

  ³⁰But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.

• Epistle · Forerunner

  2 Corinthians 4:6–15

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  ⁶seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

  ⁷But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

  ⁸We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;

  ⁹pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;

  ¹⁰always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

  ¹¹For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.

  ¹²So then death works in us, but life in you.

  ¹³But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, “I believed, and therefore I spoke.” We also believe, and therefore we also speak;

  ¹⁴knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will present us with you.

  ¹⁵For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

• Gospel · Forerunner

  Matthew 11:2–15

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  ²Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples

  ³and said to him, “Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?”

  ⁴Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

  ⁵the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

  ⁶Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

  ⁷As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

  ⁸But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

  ⁹But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

  ¹⁰For this is he, of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

  ¹¹Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

  ¹²From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

  ¹³For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

  ¹⁴If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.

  ¹⁵He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, New Calendar (OCA practice). Text: World English Bible.

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Prayer of St Ephrem the Syrian