---
title: "October 19, 2023 — Apostle Thomas | Church calendar"
description: "Thursday, October 19, 2023. 6 October (Old Style). Apostle Thomas. No fast"
url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2023-10-19"
language: "en"
---

Thursday

# October 19, 2023

6 October (Old Style) · 20th week after Pentecost

Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar)

[Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2023-10-19) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2023-10-19)

[Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2023-10)

[← October 18](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2023-10-18) [October 20 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2023-10-20)

## Events of the day

- Apostle Thomas

  Polyeleos rank

## Fasting

No fast

No fast today.

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

  Composite reading — Proverbs 10, 3, 8

- Vespers

  Composite reading — Wisdom of Solomon 4, 5

- Vespers

  Composite reading — Proverbs 10; Wisdom of Solomon 6, 7, 8, 9

- Matins Gospel

  John 10:1–9

  **Show the text**

  1 “Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber.

  2 But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

  3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.

  4 Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

  5 They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.”

  6 Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them.

  7 Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door.

  8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.

  9 I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.

- Epistle

  Philippians 3:1–8

  **Show the text**

  1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe.

  2 Beware of the dogs; beware of the evil workers; beware of the false circumcision.

  3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;

  4 though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more:

  5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;

  6 concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

  7 However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ.

  8 Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ

- Epistle · St Innocent

  Hebrews 7:26–8:2

  **Show the text**

  26 For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

  27 who doesn’t need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself.

  28 For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath which came after the law appoints a Son forever who has been perfected.

  1 Now in the things which we are saying, the main point is this. We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

  2 a servant of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.

- Gospel

  Luke 7:17–30

  **Show the text**

  17 This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.

  18 The disciples of John told him about all these things.

  19 John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?”

  20 When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’ ”

  21 In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight.

  22 Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

  23 Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

  24 When John’s messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

  25 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts.

  26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

  27 This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

  28 “For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptizer, yet he who is least in God’s Kingdom is greater than he.”

  29 When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism.

  30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.

- Gospel · St Innocent

  John 10:9–16

  **Show the text**

  9 I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.

  10 The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

  11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

  12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep, and scatters them.

  13 The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand, and doesn’t care for the sheep.

  14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own;

  15 even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.

  16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.

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

## Saints and icons

- Prayer of the day: [Prayer to the Holy Spirit “O Heavenly King”](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/prayers/heavenly-king)
