--- title: "January 7, 2024 (New Style) — Synaxis of the Forerunner and…" description: "Sunday, January 7, 2024. 7 January (Revised Julian). Synaxis of the Forerunner and Baptist John. No fast" url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2024-01-07" language: "en" --- Sunday # January 7, 2024 7 January (Revised Julian) · 31st Sunday after Pentecost New Calendar (Revised Julian) [Old Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/2024-01-07) [New Style](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2024-01-07) [Month calendar](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2024-01) [← January 6](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2024-01-06) [January 8 →](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/calendar/new-style/2024-01-08) ## Events of the day - Synaxis of the Forerunner and Baptist John Great Feast - Afterfeast: Holy Theophany. The Baptism of the Lord ## 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 - 9th Matins Gospel John 20:19–31 **Show the text** 19 When therefore it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.” 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 After eight days again his disciples were inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the middle, and said, “Peace be to you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.” 30 Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. - Epistle · Sunday after Theophany Ephesians 4:7–13 **Show the text** 7 But to each one of us, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.” 9 Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. 11 He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; 12 for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, - Epistle · Forerunner Acts 19:1–8 - Gospel · Sunday after Theophany Matthew 4:12–17 **Show the text** 12 Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16 the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned.” 17 From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” - Gospel · Forerunner John 1:29–34 **Show the text** 29 The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.’ 31 I didn’t know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water: that he would be revealed to Israel.” 32 John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. 33 I didn’t recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending and remaining on him is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, New Calendar (OCA practice). Text: World English Bible. ## Saints and icons - Prayer of the day: [The Symbol of Faith (Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed)](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/prayers/creed)