From the calendar, 2027.

Friday, January 22

Apostle Timothy of the Seventy

Strict fastNo meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil.

Appointed to be read.

At the
1. EpistleHebrews 7:18–25
2. GospelLuke 21:37–22:8

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Epistle.

Hebrews 7:18–25

1 min read

18For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness,

19for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

20And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath

21(for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: 'The LORD has sworn And will not relent, 'You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek' '),

22by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.

23Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.

24But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.

25Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

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Gospel.

Luke 21:37–22:8

1 min read

37And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.

38Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

22:1Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.

2And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.

3Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.

4So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.

5And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.

6So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

7Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.

8And He sent Peter and John, saying, 'Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.'

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In remembrance.

Apostle Timothy of the SeventyRead the life

This is the Apostle to whom two of St Paul’s Epistles are addressed. He was from Lystra in Lycaonia, born to a pagan Greek father and a Jewish mother. His mother, whose name was Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, brought him up in piety and love of the Scriptures. The Apostle Paul converted the two women during his first missionary visit to Lystra; returning seven years later, he found Timothy full of zeal for Christ, and baptized him. Timothy became his closest disciple: in his epistles, St Paul calls calls him “my dearly beloved son.” So that Timothy would be able to preach the Gospel in the synagogues, St Paul personally circumcised him.

Read the full life

Holy Martyr Anastasius of Persia (628)Read the life

He was a Persian, the son of a Magus, a soldier in the Persian army under Chosroes II, who at that time was making inroads into the Christian Empire. His Persian name was Magundat. Chosroes captured Jerusalem in 614, and carried away the Precious Cross as a trophy. Magundat heard of this, and of all the miracles worked by the Cross; and he wondered why the ruins of an instrument of torture were so revered by the Christians. Seeking out Christian elders to answer his questions, he learned of the Incarnation, life, Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Christ, and with joy embraced the Christian Faith as Truth. He was baptized by St Modestus, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and given the name of Anastasius. At the same time, he took monastic vows. For a time he lived in a monastery in Jerusalem, but then went forth, found some Persian Magi at Caesarea, and chastised them for embracing delusions.

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Further.

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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.