--- title: "September 21, 2034 — Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos" description: "Thursday, September 21, 2034. 8 September (Old Style). Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. No fast" url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2034-09-21" language: "en" --- Thursday # September 21, 2034 8 September (Old Style) · 17th week after Pentecost Russian Orthodox Church (Old Calendar) [Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2034-09-21) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2034-09-21) [Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2034-09) [← September 20](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2034-09-20) [September 22 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2034-09-22) ## 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 · 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 Ephesians 4:14–19 **Show the text** 14 that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; 15 but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, 16 from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love. 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts. 19 They, having become callous, gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness. - Gospel · Theotokos Luke 10:38–42, 11:27–28 - Gospel Mark 11:27–33 **Show the text** 27 They came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him, 28 and they began saying to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 The baptism of John—was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me.” 31 They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we should say, ‘From heaven;’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 If we should say, ‘From men’ ”—they feared the people, for all held John to really be a prophet. 33 They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said to them, “Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.” Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible.