From the calendar, 2027.
Saturday, March 27
Second Saturday of Lent
Wine & oilWine and oil are allowed. No meat, dairy, eggs or fish.
Epistle.
Hebrews 3:12–16
1 min read
12Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
13but exhort one another daily, while it is called 'Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
15while it is said: 'Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.'
16For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses?
Epistle.
1 Thessalonians 4:13–17
1 min read
13But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Gospel.
Mark 1:35–44
1 min read
35Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
36And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.
37When they found Him, they said to Him, 'Everyone is looking for You.'
38But He said to them, 'Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.'
39And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.
40Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, 'If You are willing, You can make me clean.'
41Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I am willing; be cleansed.'
42As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
43And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once,
44and said to him, 'See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.'
Gospel.
John 5:24–30
1 min read
24'Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
25Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
26For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,
27and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
28Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice
29and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
30I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
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.