January 15, 2023

Events of the day

• Repose of St Seraphim of Sarov, Wonderworker

  Polyeleos rank

• St Sylvester, Pope of Rome

  Commemoration

• 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

• Vespers

  Wisdom of Solomon 3:1–9

• Vespers

  Wisdom of Solomon 5:15–6:3

• Vespers

  Wisdom of Solomon 4:7–15

• 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.

• Epistle · St Seraphim

  Galatians 5:22–6:2

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  ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

  ²³gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

  ²⁴Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

  ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.

  ²⁶Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

  ¹Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted.

  ²Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

• 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.”

• Gospel · St Seraphim

  Luke 6:17–23

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  ¹⁷He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;

  ¹⁸as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed.

  ¹⁹All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out of him and healed them all.

  ²⁰He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said, “Blessed are you who are poor, God’s Kingdom is yours.

  ²¹Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

  ²²Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.

  ²³Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.

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

Saints and icons

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