Thursday

April 9, 2026

9 April (Revised Julian) · Holy Week

New Calendar (Revised Julian)

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Month calendar

Events of the day

Great and Holy Thursday. The Mystical Supper

Commemoration

Holy Week: a distinct period of strict fasting following Great Lent.

Fasting

Fast day · Holy Week

Great Thursday: food with oil and wine.

Meat: not allowed
Dairy & eggs: not allowed
Fish: not allowed
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

Gospel · Bridegroom

Luke 22:1–39

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¹Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching.
²The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death, for they feared the people.
³Satan entered into Judas, who was also called Iscariot, who was counted with the twelve.
⁴He went away, and talked with the chief priests and captains about how he might deliver him to them.
⁵They were glad, and agreed to give him money.
⁶He consented, and sought an opportunity to deliver him to them in the absence of the multitude.
⁷The day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed.
⁸Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
⁹They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare?”
¹⁰He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him into the house which he enters.
¹¹Tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’
¹²He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations there.”
¹³They went, found things as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
¹⁴When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles.
¹⁵He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
¹⁶for I tell you, I will no longer by any means eat of it until it is fulfilled in God’s Kingdom.”
¹⁷He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take this, and share it among yourselves,
¹⁸for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until God’s Kingdom comes.”
¹⁹He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.”
²⁰Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
²¹But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.
²²The Son of Man indeed goes, as it has been determined, but woe to that man through whom he is betrayed!”
²³They began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.
²⁴A dispute also arose among them, which of them was considered to be greatest.
²⁵He said to them, “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’
²⁶But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves.
²⁷For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn’t it he who sits at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
²⁸But you are those who have continued with me in my trials.
²⁹I confer on you a kingdom, even as my Father conferred on me,
³⁰that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. You will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
³¹The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have all of you, that he might sift you as wheat,
³²but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers.”
³³He said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!”
³⁴He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will by no means crow today until you deny that you know me three times.”
³⁵He said to them, “When I sent you out without purse, wallet, and sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.”
³⁶Then he said to them, “But now, whoever has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a wallet. Whoever has none, let him sell his cloak, and buy a sword.
³⁷For I tell you that this which is written must still be fulfilled in me: ‘He was counted with transgressors.’ For that which concerns me has an end.”
³⁸They said, “Lord, behold, here are two swords.” He said to them, “That is enough.”
³⁹He came out and went, as his custom was, to the Mount of Olives. His disciples also followed him.
1st Hour

Jeremiah 11:18–12:5, 9–11, 14–15
Vespers

Exodus 19:10–19
Vespers

Job 38:1–23; 42:1–5
Vespers

Isaiah 50:4–11
Epistle

1 Corinthians 11:23–32

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²³For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread.
²⁴When he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.”
²⁵In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.”
²⁶For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
²⁷Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
²⁸But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
²⁹For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.
³⁰For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.
³¹For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged.
³²But when we are judged, we are punished by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
Gospel · Composite

Matthew 26:2–20; John 13:3–17; Matt 26:21–39; Luke 22:43–45; Matt 26:40–27:2
Gospel · At the Washing of the Feet

John 13:1–11

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¹Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
²During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,
³Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and was going to God,
⁴arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel and wrapped a towel around his waist.
⁵Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
⁶Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
⁷Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”
⁸Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
⁹Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
¹⁰Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.”
¹¹For he knew him who would betray him, therefore he said, “You are not all clean.”
Gospel · After the Washing of the Feet

John 13:12–17

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¹²So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
¹³You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am.
¹⁴If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
¹⁵For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you.
¹⁶Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him.
¹⁷If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

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