January 3, 2027

Events of the day

No commemorations in the content package for this day yet

• Forefeast: Holy Theophany. The Baptism of the Lord

Fasting

No fast

Christmastide (25 Dec – 4 Jan Old Style) is fast-free: no fasting.

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

• 9th Matins Gospel

  John 20:19–31

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  ¹⁹When therefore it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

  ²⁰When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.

  ²¹Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”

  ²²When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit!

  ²³If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”

  ²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came.

  ²⁵The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

  ²⁶After eight days again his disciples were inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the middle, and said, “Peace be to you.”

  ²⁷Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”

  ²⁸Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

  ²⁹Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.”

  ³⁰Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book;

  ³¹but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

• Epistle · Sunday before Theophany

  2 Timothy 4:5–8

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  ⁵But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.

  ⁶For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.

  ⁷I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.

  ⁸From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.

• Gospel · Sunday before Theophany

  Mark 1:1–8

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  ¹The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

  ²As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you:

  ³the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’ ”

  ⁴John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.

  ⁵All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.

  ⁶John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.

  ⁷He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.

  ⁸I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”

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

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: The Symbol of Faith (Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed)