--- title: "September 21, 2025 — Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos" description: "Sunday, September 21, 2025. 8 September (Old Style). Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. No fast" url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2025-09-21" language: "en" --- Sunday # September 21, 2025 8 September (Old Style) · 15th Sunday after Pentecost Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar) [Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2025-09-21) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2025-09-21) [Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2025-09) [← September 20](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2025-09-20) [September 22 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2025-09-22) ## Events of the day - Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos Twelve Great Feast The birth of the Virgin Mary to the righteous Joachim and Anna; the first of the Twelve Great Feasts in the church year. ## 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 Genesis 28:10–17 - Vespers Ezekiel 43:27–44:4 - Vespers Proverbs 9:1–11 - Matins Gospel Luke 1:39–49, 56 **Show the text** 39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!” 46 Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord. 47 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed. 49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name. 56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house. - Epistle · Sunday before Elevation Galatians 6:11–18 **Show the text** 11 See with what large letters I write to you with my own hand. 12 As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised; just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even they who receive circumcision don’t keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God’s Israel. 17 From now on, let no one cause me any trouble, for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus branded on my body. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen. - Epistle · Theotokos Philippians 2:5–11 **Show the text** 5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Epistle 2 Corinthians 4:6–15 **Show the text** 6 seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves. 8 We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; 9 pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death works in us, but life in you. 13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, “I believed, and therefore I spoke.” We also believe, and therefore we also speak; 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. - Gospel · Sunday before Elevation John 3:13–17 **Show the text** 13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. - Gospel · Theotokos Luke 10:38–42, 11:27–28 - Gospel Matthew 22:35–46 **Show the text** 35 One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him. 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” 41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, “What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “Of David.” 43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?’ 45 “If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” 46 No one was able to answer him a word, neither did any man dare ask him any more questions from that day forward. Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible.