---
title: "December 16, 2020 — Prophet Zephaniah | Church calendar"
description: "Wednesday, December 16, 2020. 3 December (Old Style). Prophet Zephaniah; St Sabbas of Storozhi, Zvenigorod. Fast day"
url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2020-12-16"
language: "en"
---

Wednesday

# December 16, 2020

3 December (Old Style) · 28th week after Pentecost

Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar)

[Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2020-12-16) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2020-12-16)

[Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2020-12)

[← December 15](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2020-12-15) [December 17 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2020-12-17)

## Events of the day

- Prophet Zephaniah; St Sabbas of Storozhi, Zvenigorod

  Polyeleos rank

## Fasting

Fast day · Nativity Fast

Nativity Fast, Wednesday and Friday: xerophagy.

- Meat: not allowed
- Dairy & eggs: not allowed
- Fish: not allowed
- Oil: not allowed
- Wine: not allowed
- Xerophagy

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

- Epistle

  2 Timothy 4:9–22

  **Show the text**

  9 Be diligent to come to me soon,

  10 for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; and Titus to Dalmatia.

  11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.

  12 But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

  13 Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come, and the books, especially the parchments.

  14 Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds,

  15 of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words.

  16 At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them.

  17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

  18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

  19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus.

  20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick.

  21 Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

  22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

- Gospel

  Luke 20:1–8

  **Show the text**

  1 On one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, the priests and scribes came to him with the elders.

  2 They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?”

  3 He answered them, “I also will ask you one question. Tell me:

  4 the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?”

  5 They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’

  6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

  7 They answered that they didn’t know where it was from.

  8 Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible.

## Saints and icons

- Prayer of the day: [The Trisagion](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/prayers/trisagion)