Tuesday, March 24, 2026
The Orthodox liturgical day, its saint, its tone, and its fast.
New Calendar
Commemorated today
- Forefeast of Annunciation
- Ven. Zachariah the Recluse
- Saint Zacharias the Recluse of Egypt (4th c.)
- Commemoration of the Miracle at the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev (?)
Today is a strict fast, no meat, dairy, fish, wine, or oil.
Old Calendar
Commemorated today
- St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem
- St Euthymius, Bishop of Novgorod
- St Sophronios, patriarch of Jerusalem (638)
- St John Moschos, author of the Spiritual Meadow (622)
- Holy Martyr Pionius (250)
Today is a strict fast, no meat, dairy, fish, wine, or oil.
- The Paschal season
Readings, New Calendar
6th HourIsaiah 40.18-31
40:18To whom have ye compared the Lord? and with what likeness have ye compared him? 19Has not the artificer made an image, or the goldsmith having melted gold, gilt it over, and made it a similitude? 20For the artificer chooses out a wood that will not rot, and will wisely enquire how he shall set up his image, and that so that it should not be moved. 21Will ye not know? will ye not hear? has it not been told you of old? Have ye not known the foundations of the earth? 22It is he that comprehends the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants in it are as grasshoppers; he that set up the heaven as a chamber, and stretched it out as a tent to dwell in: 23he that appoints princes to rule as nothing, and has made the earth as nothing. 24For they shall not plant, neither shall they sow, neither shall their root be fixed in the ground: he has blown upon them, and they are withered, and a storm shall carry them away like sticks. 25Now then to whom have ye compared me, that I may be exalted? saith the Holy One. 26Lift up your eyes on high, and see, who has displayed all these things? even he that brings forth his host by number: he shall call them all by name by means of his great glory, and by the power of his might: nothing has escaped thee. 27For say not thou, O Jacob, and why hast thou spoken, Israel, saying, My way is hid from God, and my God has taken away my judgment, and has departed? 28And now, hast thou not known? hast thou not heard? the eternal God, the God that formed the ends of the earth, shall not hunger, nor be weary, and there is no searching of his understanding. 29He gives strength to the hungry, and sorrow to them that are not suffering. 30For the young men shall hunger, and the youths shall be weary, and the choice men shall be powerless: 31but they that wait on God shall renew their strength; they shall put forth new feathers like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not hunger.
Brenton LXX, public domain
VespersGenesis 15.1-15
15:1And after these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I shield thee, thy reward shall be very great. 2And Abram said, Master and Lord, what wilt thou give me? whereas I am departing without a child, but the son of Masek my home-born female slave, this Eliezer of Damascus is mine heir. 3And Abram said, I am grieved since thou hast given me no seed, but my home-born servant shall succeed me. 4And immediately there was a voice of the Lord to him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come out of thee shall be thine heir. 5And he brought him out and said to him, Look up now to heaven, and count the stars, if thou shalt be able to number them fully, and he said, Thus shall thy seed be. 6And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. 7And he said to him, I am God that brought thee out of the land of the Chaldeans, so as to give thee this land to inherit. 8And he said, Master and Lord, how shall I know that I shall inherit it? 9And he said to him, Take for me an heifer in her third year, and a she-goat in her third year, and a ram in his third year, and a dove and a pigeon. 10So he took to him all these, and divided them in the midst, and set them opposite to each other, but the birds he did not divide. 11And birds came down upon the bodies, even upon the divided parts of them, and Abram sat down by them. 12And about sunset a trance fell upon Abram, and lo! a great gloomy terror falls upon him. 13And it was said to Abram, Thou shalt surely know that thy seed shall be a sojourner in a land not their own, and they shall enslave them, and afflict them, and humble them four hundred years. 14And the nation whomsoever they shall serve I will judge; and after this, they shall come forth hither with much property. 15But thou shalt depart to thy fathers in peace, nourished in a good old age.
Brenton LXX, public domain
VespersProverbs 15.7-19
15:7The lips of the wise are bound by discretion: but the hearts of the foolish are not safe. 8The sacrifices of the ungodly are an abomination to the Lord; but the prayers of them that walk honestly are acceptable with him. 9The ways of an ungodly man are an abomination to the Lord; but he loves those that follow after righteousness. 10The instruction of the simple is known by them that pass by; but they that hate reproofs die disgracefully. 11Hell and destruction are manifest to the Lord; how shall not also be the hearts of men? 12An uninstructed person will not love those that reprove him; neither will he associate with the wise. 13When the heart rejoices the countenance is cheerful; but when it is in sorrow, the countenance is sad. 14An upright heart seeks discretion; but the mouth of the uninstructed will experience evils. 15The eyes of the wicked are always looking for evil things; but the good are always quiet. 16Better is a small portion with the fear of the Lord, than great treasures without the fear of the Lord. 17Better is an entertainment of herbs with friendliness and kindness, than a feast of calves, with enmity. 18A passionate man stirs up strife; but he that is slow to anger appeases even a rising one. 19The ways of sluggards are strewn with thorns; but those of the diligent are made smooth.
Brenton LXX, public domain
VespersGenesis 28.10-17
28:10And Jacob went forth from the well of the oath, and departed into Charrhan. 11And came to a certain place and slept there, for the sun had gone down; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it at his head, and lay down to sleep in that place, 12and dreamed, and behold a ladder fixed on the earth, whose top reached to heaven, and the angels of God ascended and descended on it. 13And the Lord stood upon it, and said, I am the God of thy father Abraam, and the God of Isaac; fear not, the land on which thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. 14And thy seed shall be as the sand of the earth; and it shall spread abroad to the sea, and the south, and the north, and to the east; and in thee and in thy seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed. 15And behold I am with thee to preserve thee continually in all the way wherein thou shalt go; and I will bring thee back to this land; for I will not desert thee, until I have done all that I have said to thee. 16And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and said, The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. 17And he was afraid, and said, How fearful is this place! this is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
Brenton LXX, public domain
VespersEzekiel 43.27-44.4
43:27And it shall come to pass from the eighth day and onward, that the priests shall offer your whole-burnt-offerings on the altar, and your peace-offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord. 44:1Then he brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary that looks eastward; and it was shut. 2And the Lord said to me, This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no one shall pass through it; for the Lord God of Israel shall enter by it, and it shall be shut. 3For the prince, he shall sit in it, to eat bread before the Lord; he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and shall go forth by the way of the same. 4And he brought me in by the way of the gate that looks northward, in front of the house: and I looked, and, behold, the house was full of the glory of the Lord: and I fell upon my face.
Brenton LXX, public domain
VespersProverbs 9.1-11
9:1Wisdom has built a house for herself, and set up seven pillars. 2She has killed her beasts; she has mingled her wine in a bowl, and prepared her table. 3She has sent forth her servants, calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying, 4Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me: and to them that want understanding she says, 5Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine which I have mingled for you. 6Leave folly, that ye may reign for ever; and seek wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge. 7He that reproves evil men shall get dishonour to himself; and he that rebukes an ungodly man shall disgrace himself. 8Rebuke not evil men, lest they should hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9Give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser: instruct a just man, and he will receive more instruction. 10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding: 11For in this way thou shalt live long, and years of thy life shall be added to thee.
Brenton LXX, public domain
The order and appointment of the readings follow the Orthodox lectionary. Come to the Liturgy to hear them proclaimed.
Readings, Old Calendar
6th HourIsaiah 40.18-31
40:18To whom have ye compared the Lord? and with what likeness have ye compared him? 19Has not the artificer made an image, or the goldsmith having melted gold, gilt it over, and made it a similitude? 20For the artificer chooses out a wood that will not rot, and will wisely enquire how he shall set up his image, and that so that it should not be moved. 21Will ye not know? will ye not hear? has it not been told you of old? Have ye not known the foundations of the earth? 22It is he that comprehends the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants in it are as grasshoppers; he that set up the heaven as a chamber, and stretched it out as a tent to dwell in: 23he that appoints princes to rule as nothing, and has made the earth as nothing. 24For they shall not plant, neither shall they sow, neither shall their root be fixed in the ground: he has blown upon them, and they are withered, and a storm shall carry them away like sticks. 25Now then to whom have ye compared me, that I may be exalted? saith the Holy One. 26Lift up your eyes on high, and see, who has displayed all these things? even he that brings forth his host by number: he shall call them all by name by means of his great glory, and by the power of his might: nothing has escaped thee. 27For say not thou, O Jacob, and why hast thou spoken, Israel, saying, My way is hid from God, and my God has taken away my judgment, and has departed? 28And now, hast thou not known? hast thou not heard? the eternal God, the God that formed the ends of the earth, shall not hunger, nor be weary, and there is no searching of his understanding. 29He gives strength to the hungry, and sorrow to them that are not suffering. 30For the young men shall hunger, and the youths shall be weary, and the choice men shall be powerless: 31but they that wait on God shall renew their strength; they shall put forth new feathers like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not hunger.
Brenton LXX, public domain
VespersGenesis 15.1-15
15:1And after these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I shield thee, thy reward shall be very great. 2And Abram said, Master and Lord, what wilt thou give me? whereas I am departing without a child, but the son of Masek my home-born female slave, this Eliezer of Damascus is mine heir. 3And Abram said, I am grieved since thou hast given me no seed, but my home-born servant shall succeed me. 4And immediately there was a voice of the Lord to him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come out of thee shall be thine heir. 5And he brought him out and said to him, Look up now to heaven, and count the stars, if thou shalt be able to number them fully, and he said, Thus shall thy seed be. 6And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. 7And he said to him, I am God that brought thee out of the land of the Chaldeans, so as to give thee this land to inherit. 8And he said, Master and Lord, how shall I know that I shall inherit it? 9And he said to him, Take for me an heifer in her third year, and a she-goat in her third year, and a ram in his third year, and a dove and a pigeon. 10So he took to him all these, and divided them in the midst, and set them opposite to each other, but the birds he did not divide. 11And birds came down upon the bodies, even upon the divided parts of them, and Abram sat down by them. 12And about sunset a trance fell upon Abram, and lo! a great gloomy terror falls upon him. 13And it was said to Abram, Thou shalt surely know that thy seed shall be a sojourner in a land not their own, and they shall enslave them, and afflict them, and humble them four hundred years. 14And the nation whomsoever they shall serve I will judge; and after this, they shall come forth hither with much property. 15But thou shalt depart to thy fathers in peace, nourished in a good old age.
Brenton LXX, public domain
VespersProverbs 15.7-19
15:7The lips of the wise are bound by discretion: but the hearts of the foolish are not safe. 8The sacrifices of the ungodly are an abomination to the Lord; but the prayers of them that walk honestly are acceptable with him. 9The ways of an ungodly man are an abomination to the Lord; but he loves those that follow after righteousness. 10The instruction of the simple is known by them that pass by; but they that hate reproofs die disgracefully. 11Hell and destruction are manifest to the Lord; how shall not also be the hearts of men? 12An uninstructed person will not love those that reprove him; neither will he associate with the wise. 13When the heart rejoices the countenance is cheerful; but when it is in sorrow, the countenance is sad. 14An upright heart seeks discretion; but the mouth of the uninstructed will experience evils. 15The eyes of the wicked are always looking for evil things; but the good are always quiet. 16Better is a small portion with the fear of the Lord, than great treasures without the fear of the Lord. 17Better is an entertainment of herbs with friendliness and kindness, than a feast of calves, with enmity. 18A passionate man stirs up strife; but he that is slow to anger appeases even a rising one. 19The ways of sluggards are strewn with thorns; but those of the diligent are made smooth.
Brenton LXX, public domain
The order and appointment of the readings follow the Orthodox lectionary. Come to the Liturgy to hear them proclaimed.