ORTHROS

Thursday, February 12, 2026

The Orthodox liturgical day, its saint, its tone, and its fast.

New Calendar

Commemorated today

  • St Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch
  • St Aleksy, Metr. of All Russia
  • St Meletios, archbishop of Antioch (381)

Today is not a fast day, all foods are permitted.

Old Calendar

The Three Holy HierarchsBasil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom

Also commemorated

  • Saint Peter, King of Bulgaria (970)

Today is not a fast day, all foods are permitted.

  • The Paschal season

Readings, New Calendar

Epistle1 John 4.20-5.21

4:20If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother. 5:1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. 3For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous. 4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith. 5Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three who testify: 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one. 9If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God’s testimony which he has testified concerning his Son. 10He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. 11The testimony is this: that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life. 13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 14This is the boldness which we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. 15And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him. 16If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this. 17All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. 18We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him. 19We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

WEB, public domain

GospelMark 15.1-15

15:1Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders, scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, bound Jesus, carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate. 2Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered, “So you say.” 3The chief priests accused him of many things. 4Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they testify against you!” 5But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate marveled. 6Now at the feast he used to release to them one prisoner, whomever they asked of him. 7There was one called Barabbas, bound with his fellow insurgents, men who in the insurrection had committed murder. 8The multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do as he always did for them. 9Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 10For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up. 11But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should release Barabbas to them instead. 12Pilate again asked them, “What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?” 13They cried out again, “Crucify him!” 14Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, “Crucify him!” 15Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified.

WEB, public domain

The order and appointment of the readings follow the Orthodox lectionary. Come to the Liturgy to hear them proclaimed.

Readings, Old Calendar

VespersDeuteronomy 1.8-11, 15-17

1:8Behold, God has delivered the land before you; go in and inherit the land, which I sware to your fathers, Abraam, and Isaac, and Jacob, to give it to them and to their seed after them. 9And I spoke to you at that time, saying, I shall not be able by myself to bear you. 10The Lord your God has multiplied you, and, behold, ye are to-day as the stars of heaven for multitude. 11The Lord God of your fathers add to you a thousand-fold more than you are, and bless you as he has spoken to you. 15So I took of you wise and understanding and prudent men, and I set them to rule over you as rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, and rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens, and officers to your judges. 16And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear causes between your brethren, and judge rightly between a man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. 17Thou shalt not have respect to persons in judgment, thou shalt judge small and great equally; thou shalt not shrink from before the person of a man, for the judgment is God's; and whatsoever matter shall be too hard for you, ye shall bring it to me, and I will hear it.

Brenton LXX, public domain

VespersDeuteronomy 10.14-21

10:14Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord thy God, the earth and all things that are in it. 15Only the Lord chose your fathers to love them, and he chose out their seed after them, even you, beyond all nations, as at this day. 16Therefore ye shall circumcise the hardness of your heart, and ye shall not harden your neck. 17For the Lord your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great, and strong, and terrible God, who does not accept persons, nor will he by any means accept a bribe: 18executing judgment for the stranger and orphan and widow, and he loves the stranger to give him food and raiment. 19And ye shall love the stranger; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 20Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt cleave to him, and shalt swear by his name. 21He is thy boast, and he is thy God, who has wrought in the midst of thee these great and glorious things, which thine eyes have seen.

Brenton LXX, public domain

Matins GospelJohn 10.9-16

10:9I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out and will find pasture. 10The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. 11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own; 15even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.

WEB, public domain

Epistle1 John 4.20-5.21

4:20If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother. 5:1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. 3For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous. 4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith. 5Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three who testify: 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one. 9If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God’s testimony which he has testified concerning his Son. 10He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. 11The testimony is this: that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life. 13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 14This is the boldness which we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. 15And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him. 16If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this. 17All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. 18We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him. 19We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

WEB, public domain

EpistleHebrews 13.7-16

13:7Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited. 10We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat. 11For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside of the camp. 12Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate. 13Let’s therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach. 14For we don’t have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come. 15Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name. 16But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

WEB, public domain

GospelMark 15.1-15

15:1Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders, scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, bound Jesus, carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate. 2Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered, “So you say.” 3The chief priests accused him of many things. 4Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they testify against you!” 5But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate marveled. 6Now at the feast he used to release to them one prisoner, whomever they asked of him. 7There was one called Barabbas, bound with his fellow insurgents, men who in the insurrection had committed murder. 8The multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do as he always did for them. 9Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 10For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up. 11But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should release Barabbas to them instead. 12Pilate again asked them, “What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?” 13They cried out again, “Crucify him!” 14Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, “Crucify him!” 15Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified.

WEB, public domain

GospelMatthew 5.14-19

5:14“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. 15Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. 16Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. 17“Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. 18For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. 19Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least commandments and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

WEB, public domain

The order and appointment of the readings follow the Orthodox lectionary. Come to the Liturgy to hear them proclaimed.

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