--- title: "October 14, 2026 — Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos" description: "Wednesday, October 14, 2026. 1 October (Old Style). Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. Fast day" url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2026-10-14" language: "en" --- Wednesday # October 14, 2026 1 October (Old Style) · 20th week after Pentecost Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar) [Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2026-10-14) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2026-10-14) [Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2026-10) [← October 13](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2026-10-13) [October 15 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2026-10-15) ## Events of the day - [Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/feast-protection) Great Feast The appearance of the Theotokos in the Blachernae church of Constantinople (10th century); especially beloved in Russia. - Apostle Ananias; St Romanos the Melodist Commemoration ## Fasting Fast day · Wednesday / Friday A great feast on Wednesday or Friday: fish is allowed. - Meat: not allowed - Dairy & eggs: not allowed - Fish: allowed - Oil: allowed - Wine: allowed 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 Philippians 2:24–30 **Show the text** 24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly. 25 But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need, 26 since he longed for you all, and was very troubled because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick, nearly to death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow. 28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such people in honor, 30 because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me. - Epistle · Protection Hebrews 9:1–7 **Show the text** 1 Now indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread; which is called the Holy Place. 3 After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, of which things we can’t speak now in detail. 6 Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services, 7 but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself, and for the errors of the people. - Gospel Luke 5:33–39 **Show the text** 33 They said to him, “Why do John’s disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?” 34 He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast in those days.” 36 He also told a parable to them. “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 No one puts new wine into old wine skins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved. 39 No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ” - Gospel · Protection Luke 10:38–42, 11:27–28 Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible.