--- title: "December 31, 2033 — Martyr Sebastian and his companions" description: "Saturday, December 31, 2033. 18 December (Old Style). Martyr Sebastian and his companions. Fast day" url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2033-12-31" language: "en" --- Saturday # December 31, 2033 18 December (Old Style) · 29th week after Pentecost Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar) [Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2033-12-31) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2033-12-31) [Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2033-12) [← December 30](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2033-12-30) [January 1 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2034-01-01) ## 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 Ephesians 2:11–13 **Show the text** 11 Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision” (in the flesh, made by hands), 12 that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ. - Epistle · Saturday before Nativity Galatians 3:8–12 **Show the text** 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations will be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.” - Gospel Luke 14:1–11 **Show the text** 1 When he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching him. 2 Behold, a certain man who had dropsy was in front of him. 3 Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 4 But they were silent. He took him, and healed him, and let him go. 5 He answered them, “Which of you, if your son or an ox fell into a well, wouldn’t immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” 6 They couldn’t answer him regarding these things. 7 He spoke a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the best seats, and said to them, 8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the best seat, since perhaps someone more honorable than you might be invited by him, 9 and he who invited both of you would come and tell you, ‘Make room for this person.’ Then you would begin, with shame, to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may tell you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” - Gospel · Saturday before Nativity Luke 13:18–29 **Show the text** 18 He said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? To what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and put in his own garden. It grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky live in its branches.” 20 Again he said, “To what shall I compare God’s Kingdom? 21 It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.” 22 He went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and traveling on to Jerusalem. 23 One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?” He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen up, and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ then he will answer and tell you, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s Kingdom, and yourselves being thrown outside. 29 They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in God’s Kingdom. Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible. ## Saints and icons - Prayer of the day: [Prayer for the departed](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/prayers/departed)