---
title: "December 16, 2023 (New Style) | Church calendar"
description: "Saturday, December 16, 2023. 16 December (Revised Julian). Fast day. The Orthodox Church calendar, icons, prayers, lives of saints and Church history on…"
url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2023-12-16"
language: "en"
---

Saturday

# December 16, 2023

16 December (Revised Julian) · 28th week after Pentecost

New Calendar (Revised Julian)

[Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2023-12-16) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2023-12-16)

[Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2023-12)

[← December 15](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2023-12-15) [December 17 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2023-12-17)

## Events of the day

No commemorations in the content package for this day yet

## Fasting

Fast day · Nativity Fast

Nativity Fast, Saturday and Sunday: 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

- Epistle

  Ephesians 1:16–23

  **Show the text**

  16 don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,

  17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,

  18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

  19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might

  20 which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,

  21 far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.

  22 He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,

  23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

- 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.”

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, New Calendar (OCA practice). Text: World English Bible.

## Saints and icons

- Prayer of the day: [Prayer for the departed](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/prayers/departed)