Thursday, May 20, 2027
The Orthodox liturgical day, its saint, its tone, and its fast.
New Calendar
Commemorated today
- Unc. Rel. St Aleksy, Metropolitan of Kiev
- Martyr Thalelaeus at Aegae in Cilicia and those with him (327)
Today is not a fast day, all foods are permitted.
Old Calendar
Commemorated today
- St Alexis Toth, Confessor and Defender of Orthodoxy in America
- Commemoration of the Apparition of the Sign of the Precious Cross over Jerusalem in 351 AD
- Our Holy Fathers of Georgia (6th c.)
- Martyr Acacius the Centurion at Byzantium (303)
- St Lydia of Philippi (1st c.)
Today is not a fast day, all foods are permitted.
- Tone 2 of the Octoechos
- The Paschal season
Readings, New Calendar
EpistleActs 8.26-39
8:26Then an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.” 27He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. 28He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29The Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.” 30Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him. 32Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he doesn’t open his mouth. 33In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth.” 34The eunuch answered Philip, “Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?” 35Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him about Jesus. 36As they went on the way, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?” 38He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
WEB, public domain
GospelJohn 6.40-44
6:40This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 41The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, “I am the bread which came down out of heaven.” 42They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?” 43Therefore Jesus answered them, “Don’t murmur among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up in the last day.
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
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
EpistleActs 8.26-39
8:26Then an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.” 27He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. 28He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29The Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.” 30Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him. 32Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he doesn’t open his mouth. 33In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth.” 34The eunuch answered Philip, “Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?” 35Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him about Jesus. 36As they went on the way, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?” 38He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
WEB, public domain
EpistleGalatians 1.11-19
1:11But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. 12For I didn’t receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ. 13For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God and ravaged it. 14I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace, 16to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus. 18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. 19But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother.
WEB, public domain
GospelJohn 6.40-44
6:40This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 41The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, “I am the bread which came down out of heaven.” 42They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?” 43Therefore Jesus answered them, “Don’t murmur among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up in the last day.
WEB, public domain
GospelJohn 10.1-9
10:1“Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.” 6Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them. 7Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door. 8All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 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.
WEB, public domain
The order and appointment of the readings follow the Orthodox lectionary. Come to the Liturgy to hear them proclaimed.