December 7, 2023

Events of the day

• Great-martyr Catherine; Great-martyr Mercurius

  Polyeleos rank

• Afterfeast: Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple

Fasting

Fast day · Nativity Fast

Nativity Fast, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: fish is allowed.

• Meat: not allowed
• Dairy & eggs: not allowed
• Fish: allowed
• Oil: allowed
• Wine: allowed

By the Typikon (ch. 33) Tuesday and Thursday of the Apostles' and Nativity Fasts call for oil and wine only, fish only for a saint with a polyeleos; lay practice per the ROC calendar allows fish.

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

  1 Timothy 6:17–21

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  ¹⁷Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be arrogant, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy;

  ¹⁸that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to share;

  ¹⁹laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.

  ²⁰Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of what is falsely called knowledge,

  ²¹which some profess, and thus have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

• Gospel

  Luke 18:31–34

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  ³¹He took the twelve aside, and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.

  ³²For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.

  ³³They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.”

  ³⁴They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said.

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”