September 14, 2026

Events of the day

• St Simeon the Stylite and his mother Martha

  Polyeleos rank

• Beginning of the Indiction — the Church New Year

  Commemoration

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

  Isaiah 61:1–9

• Vespers

  Composite reading — Leviticus 26

• Vespers

  Wisdom of Solomon 4:7–15

• Epistle

  Galatians 4:28–5:10

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  ²⁸Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

  ²⁹But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.

  ³⁰However what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.”

  ³¹So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman.

  ¹Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

  ²Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.

  ³Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

  ⁴You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.

  ⁵For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

  ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

  ⁷You were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth?

  ⁸This persuasion is not from him who calls you.

  ⁹A little yeast grows through the whole lump.

  ¹⁰I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

• Epistle · New Year

  1 Timothy 2:1–7

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  ¹I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks be made for all men:

  ²for kings and all who are in high places, that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence.

  ³For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

  ⁴who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth.

  ⁵For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

  ⁶who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony in its own times,

  ⁷to which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am telling the truth in Christ, not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

• Epistle · St Simeon

  Colossians 3:12–16

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  ¹²Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;

  ¹³bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.

  ¹⁴Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.

  ¹⁵And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful.

  ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.

• Gospel

  Mark 6:54–7:8

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  ⁵⁴When they had come out of the boat, immediately the people recognized him,

  ⁵⁵and ran around that whole region, and began to bring those who were sick, on their mats, to where they heard he was.

  ⁵⁶Wherever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched him were made well.

  ¹Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem.

  ²Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands, they found fault.

  ³(For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.

  ⁴They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.)

  ⁵The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?”

  ⁶He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

  ⁷But they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

  ⁸“For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.”

• Gospel · New Year

  Luke 4:16–22

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  ¹⁶He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

  ¹⁷The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written,

  ¹⁸“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,

  ¹⁹and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

  ²⁰He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.

  ²¹He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

  ²²All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

• Gospel · St Simeon

  Matthew 11:27–30

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  ²⁷All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

  ²⁸“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.

  ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.

  ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

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

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Morning prayer of St Macarius the Great