From the calendar, 2025.
Friday, September 5
Prophet Zachariah and Elizabeth
Strict fastNo meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil.
Appointed to be read.
Epistle.
2 Corinthians 11:5–21
2 min read
5For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles.
6Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.
7Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
8I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you.
9And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.
10As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
12But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.
13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
14And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
16I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little.
17What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.
19For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!
20For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.
21To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.
Gospel.
Mark 4:1–9
1 min read
1And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.
2Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:
3'Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.
5Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.
6But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.
7And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.
8But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.'
9And He said to them, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear!'
What this is.
The Scripture the Orthodox Church reads each day, the saints it remembers, and a study aid that answers from Scripture and the Fathers and shows its sources.
Divine Liturgy. The Church's main service, at which Holy Communion is given. Its Epistle and Gospel are what most people mean by the day's readings.
Matins. The morning service of praise. On Sundays and feasts it has a Gospel of its own.
Vespers. The evening service. The Church's day begins at sunset, so a feast's Vespers is served the evening before.
Hours. Short services of psalms and prayer at set times of the day: the First, Third, Sixth and Ninth Hours.
Tone. The hymns of the week are sung in one of eight tones, or melodies, which follow each other week by week.
New Calendar. Fixed feasts are kept on the civil date, as in the OCA and the Antiochian Archdiocese. Churches on the Old Calendar keep them 13 days later. Pascha is the same for both.