November 21, 2024

Events of the day

• Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple

  Twelve Great Feast

  The dedication of the three-year-old Mary to God in the Temple of Jerusalem; falls within the Nativity Fast, when fish is allowed.

Fasting

Fast day · Nativity Fast

Entry of the Theotokos: fish is allowed within the Nativity Fast.

• 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

• Vespers

  Composite reading — Exodus 40:1-5, 9-10, 16, 34-35

• Vespers

  Composite reading — 3 [1] Kings 8:1, 3-7, 9-11

• Vespers

  Ezekiel 43:27–44:4

• Matins Gospel

  Luke 1:39–49, 56

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  ³⁹Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,

  ⁴⁰and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

  ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

  ⁴²She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

  ⁴³Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

  ⁴⁴For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!

  ⁴⁵Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”

  ⁴⁶Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.

  ⁴⁷My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

  ⁴⁸for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

  ⁴⁹For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

  ⁵⁶Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.

• Epistle · Entrance

  Hebrews 9:1–7

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  ¹Now indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary.

  ²For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread; which is called the Holy Place.

  ³After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,

  ⁴having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;

  ⁵and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, of which things we can’t speak now in detail.

  ⁶Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services,

  ⁷but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself, and for the errors of the people.

• Epistle

  Colossians 4:2–9

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  ²Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving,

  ³praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds,

  ⁴that I may reveal it as I ought to speak.

  ⁵Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.

  ⁶Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

  ⁷All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.

  ⁸I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,

  ⁹together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything that is going on here.

• Gospel · Entrance

  Luke 10:38–42, 11:27–28

• Gospel

  Luke 18:31–34

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  ³¹He took the twelve aside, and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.

  ³²For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.

  ³³They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.”

  ³⁴They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said.

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