---
title: "December 31, 2026 — Martyr Sebastian and his companions"
description: "Thursday, December 31, 2026. 18 December (Old Style). Martyr Sebastian and his companions. Fast day"
url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2026-12-31"
language: "en"
---

Thursday

# December 31, 2026

18 December (Old Style) · 31st week after Pentecost

Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar)

[Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2026-12-31) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2026-12-31)

[Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2026-12)

[← December 30](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2026-12-30) [January 1 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2027-01-01)

## Events of the day

- Martyr Sebastian and his companions

  Commemoration

## 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

  James 1:19–27

- Gospel

  Mark 9:10–16

  **Show the text**

  10 They kept this saying to themselves, questioning what the “rising from the dead” meant.

  11 They asked him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

  12 He said to them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and restores all things. How is it written about the Son of Man, that he should suffer many things and be despised?

  13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they have also done to him whatever they wanted to, even as it is written about him.”

  14 Coming to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes questioning them.

  15 Immediately all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, greeted him.

  16 He asked the scribes, “What are you asking them?”

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)