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In the Orthodox Church, as throughout the Christian world from the earliest times, Sunday is the primary day of worship.  Writing in the Second Century AD, Saint Justin the Philosopher (+c.165 AD) explained that this is because Sunday, the first day of the week, is both the day of God’s creation of the world and the day of Christ’s resurrection from the dead.  In Russian Sunday is called воскресение, the Day of Resurrection, and in Greek it is called kyriake, the Lord’s Day.

 

The liturgical tradition of the Orthodox Church organises Sundays throughout the year as follows:

In addition, special readings from the Holy Scriptures are appointed for Sundays before and after certain Great Feasts of the Lord: the Exaltation of the Cross, the Nativity of the Lord, and the Baptism of the Lord.

 

Information about each period, and about each Sunday within each period, is set out below.

On the Second Sunday of Pascha, Thomas Sunday, the services are sung in Tone 1.  The First Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Acts 5:12-20 (§14, Signs and wonders done by the Apostles) and the reading from the Gospel is John 20:19-31 (§65, Jesus appears to His disciples; The gift of the Spirit for forgiveness; Jesus appears to Thomas).  This Sunday is so named because of the confession of faith of Thomas, recounted in the appointed reading from the Gospel.  This Sunday is also referred to as “Antipascha”, which means “in place of Pascha”.  On it, the Resurrection of Christ is celebrated again in the liturgical form of a Great Feast.  This Sunday is the first day after Great Lent and Pascha on which weddings may be celebrated.

On the Third Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers, the services are sung in Tone 2.  The Third Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Acts 6:1-7 (§16, Laying hands on the Seven) and the reading from the Gospel is Mark 15:43-16:8 (§65, The burial of Jesus; The Empty Tomb).  This Sunday is so named because of the service to the Lord of the Myrrh-bearing Women, together with Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, that is recounted in the appointed reading from the Gospel, and because the women were witnesses to His Resurrection.  The women numbered amongst the Myrrhbearers are Mary Magdalene; Mary, the wife of Cleopas; Joanna; Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Susanna; Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus; and Mary, mother of the Apostle James.

On the Fourth Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Paralytic, the services are sung in Tone 3.  The Fourth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Acts 9:32-42 (§23, The healing of Aeneas and Tabitha raised from the dead) and the reading from the Gospel is John 5:1-15 (§14, Healing at the pool of Bethesda).  This Sunday is so named because of the healing of the Paralytic recounted in the appointed reading from the Gospel.

On the Fifth Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, the services are sung in Tone 4.  The Seventh Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Acts 11:19-26,29-30 (§28, Barnabas sent to Antioch; Relief sent during famine) and the reading from the Gospel is John 4:5-42 (§12, Jesus speaks with a woman by the well at Samaria).  This Sunday is so named because of the conversation of Christ with the Samaritan Woman recounted in the appointed reading from the Gospel.  It is also the Afterfeast of Mid-Pentecost.

On the Sixth Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Blind Man, the services are sung in Tone 5.  The Eighth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Acts 16:16-34 (§38, A spirit expelled from a slave girl; Paul and Silas thrown into prison; The conversion of the jailer) and the reading from the Gospel is John 9:1-38 (§34, Healing a man blind from birth).  This Sunday is so named because of the healing of the Blind Man recounted in the appointed reading from the Gospel.

On the Seventh Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, the services are sung in Tone 6.  The Tenth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Acts 20:16-18,28-36 (§44, Paul bids farewell to the Ephesians) and the reading from the Gospel is John 17:1-13 (§56, Jesus’ prayer for Himself, for the disciples, and for unity amid opposition).  This Sunday is so named because on it are commemorated the 318 Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, convened in Nicaea in 325 AD.   It is also the Afterfeast of the Ascension.

On the Eighth Sunday of Pascha we celebrate the Great Feast of Pentecost.  On this day we commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and Disciples as they were gathered together in Jerusalem on the Jewish feast of Pentecost, the ancient celebration of the giving of the Law to Moses observed on the fiftieth day after the Passover.  This commemoration is known to have been observed by the Fourth Century AD.  The focus of the liturgical texts is on the coming of the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of the Holy Trinity, for which reason this Sunday is also referred to as Trinity Day.  The appointed readings from the Holy Scriptures for All-night Vigil and Divine Liturgy are Numbers 11:16-17, 24-29 (The Spirit on the Seventy Elders); Joel 2:23-32 (The pouring out of the Spirit); Ezekiel 36:24-28 (A new heart and a new Spirit); John 20:19-23 (§65, The gift of the Holy Spirit); Acts 2:1-11 (§3, The coming of the Holy Spirit); and John 7:37-52, 8:12 (§27, The offer of Living Water).  It is customary on this day to decorate the churches with green branches and flowers in honour of the Life-Giving Spirit.  Following Divine Liturgy, Vespers is served, at which three long prayers are offered whilst kneeling.  The week following Pentecost is a fast-free week.

In the liturgical life of the Orthodox Church, regular Sundays during the year are organised in relation to the Great Feast of Pentecost.  Our liturgical tradition makes formal provision for thirty-two Sundays after Pentecost, with the Thirty-Second Sunday being the final Sunday before the period of preparation for Great Lent.  In the event of an early Pascha – and therefore a greater number of Sundays after Pentecost – the appointed readings from the Holy Scriptures are reorganised during the final weeks.

On the First Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 8.  The First Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Hebrews 11:33-12:2 (§330, So great a cloud of witnesses) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38, 19:27-30 (§38, Confessing and rejecting Christ).  On this day the Orthodox Church commemorates All Saints.  In the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, this day is the Day of Youth.

On the Second Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 1.  The Second Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Romans 2:10-16 (§81, God’s judgement is fair) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 4:18-23 (§9, The call of the first four disciples).  On this day the Russian Orthodox Church commemorates All Saints who have shone forth in the Russian Land.

On the Third Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 2.  The Third Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Romans 5:1-10 (§88, Peace with God) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 6:22-33 (§18, God and possessions).  On this day in the Russian Orthodox Church there are celebrations of all the saints of particular regions: Novgorod, Pskov, Saint Petersburg, and Vologda.  It is also the day of commemoration of All Saints of Belorussia, All Saints of the British Isles, and All Saints of North America.

On the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 3.  The Fourth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Romans 6:18-23 (§93, Servants of righteousness) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 8:5-13 (§25, The centurion’s servant healed).

On the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 4.  The Fifth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Romans 10:1-10 (§103, Being acceptable to God by faith) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 8:28-9:1 (§28, The Gadarene demoniacs).

On the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 5.  The Sixth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Romans 12:6-14 (§110, Rules for Christian living) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 9:1-8 (§29, Jesus heals a crippled man).

On the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 6.  The Seventh Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Romans 15:1-7 (§116, Loving each other) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 9:27-35 (§33, Two blind men and a man who could not talk).

On the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 7.  The Eighth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 (§124, The scandal of division) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 14:14-22 (§58, Jesus feeds the five thousand).

On the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 8.  The Ninth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 1 Corinthians 3:9-17 (§128, Servants of God and Christian identity) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 14:22-34 (§59, Jesus walks on water).

On the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 1.  The Tenth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 1 Corinthians 4:9-16 (§38) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 17:14-23 (§72, Jesus heals a boy with a demon and speaks again about His own death).

On the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 2.  The Eleventh Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 1 Corinthians 9:2-12 (§141) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 18:23-35 (§77, The parable of the unforgiving servant).

On the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 3.  The First Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (§158, The Risen Christ) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 19:16-26 (§79, The rich young man).

On the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 4.  The Second Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 1 Corinthians 16:13-24 (§166, Personal concerns and greetings) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 21:33-42 (§87, The parable of the tenants in the vineyard).

On the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 5.  The Third Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 2 Corinthians 1:21-2:4 (§170) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 22:1-14 (§89, The parable of the wedding feast).

On the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 6.  The Fourth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 2 Corinthians 4:6-15 (§176, Clay vessels) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 22:35-46 (§92, The Great Commandment, the question about the Messiah).

On the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 7.  The Fifth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 (§181, The day of salvation) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 25:14-30 (§105, The Parable of the Talents).

On the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 8.  The Sixth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1 (§182 from the half, Perfecting holiness in the fear of God) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 15:21-28 (§62, The healing of the daughter of the woman of Canaan).  On this Sunday in 2023, these readings are set aside for those of the Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross, Galatians 6:14-18 (§215, God forbid that I should glory, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ) and John 3:13-17 (§9, For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son).

On the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 1.  The Seventh Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (§188, The cheerful giver) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 5:1-11 (§17, The calling of the disciples).

On the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 2.  The Eighth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 2 Corinthians 11:31-12:9 (§194, The vision of Paradise) and the usual reading from the Gospel is Luke 6:31-36 (§26, Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise).

On the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 3.  The Ninth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Galatians 1:11-19 (§200, Paul's call to Apostleship) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 7:11-16 (§30, Jesus raises the widow's son).

On the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 4.  The Tenth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Galatians 2:16-20 (§203, Justification by faith) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 8:5-15 (§35, The Parable of the Sower).

On the Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 5.  The Eleventh Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Galatians 6:11-18 (§215, God forbid that I should boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 16:19-31 (§83, The rich man and Lazarus).

On the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 6.  The First Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Ephesians 2:4-10 (§220, By grace you have been saved through faith) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 8:26-39 (§38, A demon-possessed man healed).

On the Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 7.  The Second Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Ephesians 2:14-22 (§221, Christ our Peace and our Cornerstone) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 8:41-56 (§39, The healing of the daughter of Jairus and of the woman with an issue of blood).

On the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 8.  The Third Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Ephesians 4:1-6 (§224, Walk worthy of the calling in which you were called) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 10:25-37 (§53, The Parable of the Good Samaritan).

On the Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 1.  The Fourth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Ephesians 5:8-19 (§224, Walk in Light) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 12:16-21 (§66, The Parable of the rich fool).

On the Twenty-Seventh Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 2.  The Fifth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Ephesians 6:10-17 (§233, The armour of God) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 13:10-17 (§71, The healing of an infirm woman on the Sabbath).

On the Twenty-Eighth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 3.  The Sixth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Colossians 1:12-18 (§250, The person and work of Christ) and and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 14:16-24 (§76, The Parable of the Wedding Banquet).  On this Sunday in 2023, the reading from the Gospel will be Luke 17:12-19 (§85, The cleansing of the ten lepers, and the thankful Samaritan), read on this Sunday instead of the Twenty-Ninth Sunday.

On the Twenty-Ninth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 4.  The Seventh Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Colossians 3:4-11 (§257, Principles of the New Life) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 17:12-19 (§85, The cleansing of the ten lepers, and the thankful Samaritan).  On this Sunday in 2023 the reading from the Gospel is Luke 14:16-24 (§76, The Parable of the Wedding Banquet), read on this day for the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers.

On the Thirtieth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 5.  The Eighth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Colossians 3:12-16 (§258, Principles of the New Life) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 18:18-27 (§91, The rich ruler).  In 2023, these readings are set aside for those of the Sunday of the Holy Fathers, Hebrews 11:9-11, 17-23, 32-40 (§328, Abraham and those who followed him; A summary of the acts of the faithful) and Matthew 1:1-25 (§1, The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus Christ).

On the Thirty-First Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 6.  The Ninth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 1 Timothy 1:15-17 (§280 from the centre, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 18:35-43 (§93, The healing of a blind man).  In 2024, the usual Sunday service and readings will be set aside for those of the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ.  The appointed readings from the Holy Scriptures for All-night Vigil and Divine Liturgy are Matthew 1:18-25 (§2, The birth of Jesus Christ); Galatians 4:4-7 (§209, Adoption through Christ); and Matthew 2:1-12 (§3, The visit of the Magi, The star of Bethlehem).

On the Thirty-Second Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 7.  The Tenth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy on this Sunday in 2024, the reading from the Apostol is 2 Timothy 4:5-8 (§298, Be steady, endure suffering) and the reading from the Gospel is Mark 1:1-8 (§1, The beginning of the Gospel; The proclamation of John the Baptist), read on this day for the Sunday before Theophany.

On the Thirty-Third Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 8.  The Eleventh Matins Gospel is read.   At Divine Liturgy on this Sunday in 2024, the reading from the Apostol is Ephesians 4:7-13 (§224 from the centre, The gifts of Christ) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 4:12-17 (§8, The beginning of Christ’s ministry), read on this day for the Sunday after Theophany.

On the Thirty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 1.  The First Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy on this Sunday in 2024, the reading from the Apostol is Colossians 3:12-16 (§258, Principles of the New Life) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 18:18-27 (§91, The rich ruler), read on this day instead of the Thirtieth Sunday.

On the Thirty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 2.  The Second Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy on this Sunday in 2024, the reading from the Apostol is 1 Timothy 1:15-17 (§280 from the centre, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 18:35-43 (§93, The healing of a blind man), read on this day instead of the Thirty-First Sunday.

On the Thirty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 3.  The Third Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy on this Sunday in 2024, the reading from the Apostol is 2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1 (§182 from the half, Perfecting holiness in the fear of God) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 15:21-28 (§62, The healing of the daughter of the woman of Canaan), read on this day instead of the Seventeenth Sunday.

On the Thirty-Seventh Sunday after Pentecost the services are sung in Tone 4.  The Fourth Matins Gospel is read.  At Divine Liturgy on this Sunday in 2024, the reading from the Apostol is 1 Timothy 4:9-15 (§285 from the centre, Personal discipline for Timothy) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 19:1-10 (§94, Zaccheus, the chief tax collector), read on this day instead of the Thirty-Second Sunday.  This Gospel is always appointed to be read on the final Sunday before the period of preparation for Great Lent.

The four Sundays before the beginning of Great Lent form a period of preparation for that season in the life of the Orthodox Church.  During this period the use of the Lenten Triodion begins, and the services incorporate some of the liturgical material and practices that are characteristic of Great Lent.   As with the Sundays of Pascha, each of the four preparatory Sundays is named according to the appointed reading from the Gospel.

The Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee is the first of four preparatory Sundays for Great Lent.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 2 Timothy 3:10-15 (§296, The cost of faithfulness) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 18:10-14 (§89, The Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee).  The service appointed for this Sunday includes short hymns and a canon reflecting on the Gospel reading and encouraging the faithful to repentance, following “the Pharisee in his virtues and … the Publican in his humility, …[hating] what is wrong in each of them: foolish pride and the defilement of transgressions”.  At Matins we begin to sing the penitential verses “Open unto me, O Giver of Life, the gates of repentance”, a practice that continues until the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent.  The week following this Sunday is a fast-free week.

The Sunday of the Prodigal Son is the second of four preparatory Sundays for Great Lent.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (§135, Right and wrong) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 15:11-32 (§79, The Parable of the Prodigal Son).  The service appointed for this Sunday includes short hymns and a canon reflecting on the Gospel reading and again encouraging the faithful to repentance, assuring us of the willingness of our Heavenly Father to receive us into His embrace, despite our insolence and wastefulness.  At Matins we begin to sing the the verses of Psalm 136, “By the waters of Babylon”, a practice that continues until Forgiveness Sunday.  This psalm of exile expresses our sorrow at exile in sin, and our desire to return to our true home.

The Sunday of the Last Judgement is the third of four preparatory Sundays for Great Lent.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is 1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2 (§140, Freedom and failure) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 25:31-46 (§106, The Final Judgment).  The service appointed for this Sunday includes short hymns and a canon reflecting on the Gospel reading, reminding the faithful of God’s impending judgement and the need to prepare for it.  As according to the traditional rules of fasting observed in the Orthodox Church this Sunday is the last day before Pascha on which meat is eaten, it is also referred to as Meatfare Sunday.

The Sunday of Forgiveness is the last of the four preparatory Sundays for Great Lent.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Romans 13:11-14:4 (§112, The night is far gone, the day is at hand; The weak and the strong) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 6:14-21 (§17, Forgiveness, fasting and treasures in Heaven).  The service appointed for this Sunday includes short hymns and a canon reflecting on the casting out of Adam from Paradise because of his disobedience, encouraging the faithful to be obedient during the time of Great Lent that is about to begin.  In accordance with the Gospel injunction that we forgive one another if we hope to receive God’s mercy (Matthew 6:14-15), Vespers on this Sunday is followed by a rite of mutual forgiveness.  As according to the traditional rules of fasting observed in the Orthodox Church this Sunday is the last day before Pascha on which dairy products are eaten, it is also referred to as Cheesefare Sunday.

On the First Sunday of Great Lent, the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, we commemorate the victory of Orthodoxy over false teaching.  This commemoration has its origins in a particular aspect of that victory, the end of the iconoclast (“icon-smashing”) controversy and the restoration of the holy icons to the churches on the First Sunday of Great Lent in 843 AD.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Hebrews 11:24-26,32-12:2 (§329 from the centre, Moses; A summary of the acts of the faithful) and the reading from the Gospel is John 1:43-51 (§5, The calling of Philip and Nathanael).  At the end of Divine Liturgy on this Sunday in parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia a brief moleben, 'The Order for a Hymn of Supplication for the Conversion of those in error' , is served.

On the Second Sunday of Great Lent we commemorate Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica (+1359 AD).  This commemoration is essentially a continuation of the Triumph of Orthodoxy celebrated on the First Sunday of Great Lent, Saint Gregory having defended Orthodoxy against the attacks of Barlaam of Calabria and Gregory Akindynos.  At Divine Liturgy the readings from the Apostol are Hebrews 1:10-2:3 (§304, An admonition not to drift away from salvation, for the Sunday) and Hebrews 7:26-8:2 (§318, We have such a high priest, for the Saint), and the readings from the Gospel are Mark 2:1-12 (§7, Healing of the Paralytic, for the Sunday) and John 10:9-16 (§36, The shepherd and his sheep, for the Saint).  The service appointed for this Sunday also includes a canon reflecting on the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 12:11-32).

On the Third Sunday of Great Lent, the mid-point of the Holy Forty Days, we commemorate the Veneration of the Precious Cross of the Lord.  The service appointed for this Sunday is focused on the Cross of Christ as the means and emblem of our salvation.  As on the Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, an important element of the All-night Vigil on this day is the “bringing-out” of the Cross for veneration and the singing of the hymn, “Before Thy Cross, we bow down and worship Thee, O Master, and Thy Holy Resurrection we glorify”.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Hebrews 4:14-5:6 (§311, Jesus our High Priest) and the reading from the Gospel is Mark 8:34-9:1 (§37, The conditions of discipleship).

On the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent we commemorate Saint John Climacus (“Of the Ladder”) (+649 AD).  Saint John was the Abbot of Saint Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai and author of ‘The Ladder of Divine Ascent’, one of the defining texts of Orthodox Christian spiritual life.  He is assigned a Sunday in Great Lent because in his way of life and in his work he exemplifies Christian self-discipline and spiritual effort.  At Divine Liturgy the readings from the Apostol are Hebrews 6:13-20 (§314, The secure basis for hope is God’s promise, for the Sunday) and Ephesians 5:9-19 (§229, Darkness and light; Abstinence from sin, for the Saint), and the readings from the Gospel are Mark 9:17-31(§40, An epileptic boy healed , for the Sunday) and Matthew 4:25-5:12 (§10, The Beatitudes, for the Saint).  The service appointed for this Sunday also includes a canon reflecting on the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) in which the Christian, wounded by sin, is likened to the man who fell among thieves, and Christ is likened to the Good Samaritan.

On the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent we commemorate Saint Mary of Egypt (+c.421 AD).  Saint Mary, who lived a dissolute life from her early teens until her late twenties, later struggled for nearly fifty years as a hermit in the desert to the east of the Jordan.  Like Saint John of the Ladder, Saint Mary is assigned a Sunday in Great Lent because of what she exemplifies: Christian repentance.  At Divine Liturgy the readings from the Apostol are Hebrews 9:11-14 (§321 from the half, Christ appeared as High Priest, for the Sunday) and Galatians 3:23-29 (§208, Restrained by law until faith was revealed, for the Saint), and the readings from the Gospel are Mark 10:32-45 (§47, The request of James and John for the Sunday) and Luke 7:36-50 (§33, Jesus eats with a Pharisee and forgives a sinful woman).  The service appointed for this Sunday also includes a canon reflecting on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) in which the Christian is likened to the Rich Man, rich in possessions but inattentive to salvation.

On the Sixth Sunday of Great Lent we celebrate Palm Sunday, the Great Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.  On this day we commemorate Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-1, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:12-19) following His raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44).  This commemoration is known to have been observed by the Fourth Century AD.  The focus of the liturgical texts is on Christ as King, victorious conqueror of death.  The appointed readings from the Holy Scriptures for All-night Vigil and Divine Liturgy are Genesis 49:1-2,8-12 (Jacob calls his sons; Judah); Zephaniah 3:14-19 (Rejoice, O Daughter of Zion); Zechariah 9:9-15 (Prophecy about the coming of the Messianic King of Jerusalem); Matthew 21:1-11,15-17 (§83, The Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem); Philippians 4:4-9 (§247, Counsels of Peace); and John 12:1-18 (§41, The anointing at Bethany and the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem).  A particular feature of the services for Palm Sunday is the blessing of palms during All-night Vigil.

The liturgical tradition of the Orthodox Church appoints special readings from the Apostol and the Gospel on the Sundays before and after the Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.  These readings precede those appointed for the particular Sunday after Pentecost and, if applicable, any appointed for the saint commemorated on that day.

At Divine Liturgy on the Sunday before the Exaltation of the Cross the reading from the Apostol is Galatians 6:14-18 (§215, God forbid that I should glory, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ) and the reading from the Gospel is John 3:13-17 (§9, For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son).

At Divine Liturgy on the Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross the reading from the Apostol is Galatians 2:16-20 (§203, From law to grace) and the reading from the Gospel is Mark 8:34-9:1 (§37, The conditions of discipleship).

On the second Sunday before the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Forefathers, the ancestors of Christ according to the flesh, together with the three holy youths and Daniel the Prophet.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Colossians 3:4-11 (§257, Principles of the new life) and the reading from the Gospel is Luke 14:16-24 (§76, The parable of the wedding banquet).

On the Sunday before the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Orthodox Church commemorates all the righteous men and women who pleased God from the beginning of time, from the days of Adam down to Joseph, the betrothed of the Mother of God.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Hebrews 11:9-11, 17-23, 32-40 (§328, Abraham and those who followed him; A summary of the acts of the faithful) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 1:1-25 (§1, The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus Christ).

On the Sunday after the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Orthodox Church commemorates the holy righteous ones Joseph the Betrothed, David the King, and James the Brother of the Lord.  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Galatians 1:11-19 (§200, Paul's conversion) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 2:13-23 (§4, The escape to Egypt and the return to Nazareth).

At Divine Liturgy on the Sunday before Theophany the reading from the Apostol is 2 Timothy 4:5-8 (§298, Be steady, endure suffering) and the reading from the Gospel is Mark 1:1-8 (§94, The beginning of the Gospel; The proclamation of John the Baptist).

At Divine Liturgy on the Sunday after Theophany the reading from the Apostol is Ephesians 4:7-13 (§224 from the centre, The gifts of Christ) and the reading from the Gospel is Matthew 4:12-17 (§8, The beginning of Christ’s ministry).

On three Sundays in the course of each year, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils.  The Ecumenical Councils were seven church councils convened between 325 AD and 787 AD.  They are the Councils of Nicaea I (325 AD), Constantinople I (381), Ephesus (431 AD), Chalcedon (451 AD); Constantinople II (553AD), Constantinople III (680), and Nicaea II (787 AD).  In The Orthodox Church (London: Penguin, 1997) Timothy (Metropolitan Kallistos) Ware describes these councils as having “defined once and for all the Church’s teaching upon the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith – the Trinity and the Incarnation.”

 

Church councils are gatherings of bishops convened to make authoritative decisions about matters of faith and order.  The Orthodox Church considers the first such council to have been the meeting of the Apostles described in Chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles.  The Ecumenical Councils gathered bishops from throughout the oikumene, the ‘inhabited earth’; it is from this Greek word that the English adjective ‘ecumenical’ is derived.  The Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodox Christianity (Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011) states that the Seven Ecumenical Councils “are recognised by Orthodoxy as the supreme doctrinal authority of the church’s tradition after the scripture.”  It is for this reason that such attention is given to the Holy Fathers of the Councils in the liturgical life of the Orthodox Church.

The Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, Nicaea I, are commemorated on the Seventh Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday that falls between the Great Feasts of the Ascension of the Lord and Pentecost.   They are commemorated on this day for two reasons.  The first is that the Council commenced on 20 May, during the Paschal season.  The second is that the doctrinal expressions of the Council reflect all that the Church has just celebrated concerning the saving work of Christ, truly God and truly man, culminating in His Ascension into heaven and His sitting at the right hand of the Father.

 

The appointed readings from the Holy Scriptures at Vespers are Genesis 14:14-20 (Abraham rescues Lot with the help of three hundred and eighteen trained men, Melchizedek blesses Abraham); Deuteronomy 1:8-15 (Wise and experienced men); and Deuteronomy 10: 14-21 (The essence of the Law). At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Acts 20:16-18,28-36 (§44, Paul bids farewell to the Ephesians) and the reading from the Gospel is John 17:1-13 (§56, Jesus’ prayer for Himself, for the disciples, and for unity amid opposition).

In the Russian Orthodox Church and other Orthodox Churches that follow the Slavic Typikon, the Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils are commemorated on the Sunday on or immediately after 26 July (13 July on the church calendar).  This day was originally a commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council (Chalcedon, 451 AD), and so it remains in Orthodox Churches that follow the Greek Typikon.  The Holy Fathers are remembered on this day in connection with the miracle of Great-Martyr Euphemia at the Fourth Council; Saint Euphemia’s miracle is commemorated on 24 July (11 July on the church calendar).

 

The appointed readings from the Holy Scriptures at Vespers are Genesis 14:14-20 (Abraham rescues Lot with the help of three hundred and eighteen trained men, Melchizedek blesses Abraham); Deuteronomy 1:8-15 (Wise and experienced men); and Deuteronomy 10: 14-21 (The essence of the Law).  At Divine Liturgy the reading from the Apostol is Hebrews 13:7-16 (§334, Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God) and the reading from the Gospel is John 17:1-13 (§56, Jesus’ prayer for Himself, for the disciples, and for unity amid opposition).  These readings are appointed in addition to those of the Sunday.

The Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council are commemorated on the Sunday nearest 24 October (11 October on the church calendar).  The Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council are commemorated on this day because the Council was held from 24 September to 13 October.  According to the Menaion, the task of the 365 Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council was “the repudiation and eradication of the godless teachings of the Christ-hating and Christian-persecuting iconoclasts [Constantine V] Copronymus and those of like mind with him.”  Constantine V Copronymus (+775 AD) was a Byzantine Emperor.  The appointed readings are the same as those for the Holy Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils.

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