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☦ Today Sunday, July 26 / July 13 (old style) 🍽 Fast-free day Julian calendar ⇄
Fathers of the 1st Six Ecumenical Councils

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Today · Friday of the 8th week after Pentecost ✦ Fast

☦ Saints of the day

  • Greatmartyr Euphemia
    📜 Life of the saint
    Saint Euphemia, a Great Martyr, was a young woman of Chalcedon (modern Kadıköy, Turkey) who lived during the early 4th century. She was martyred during the Diocletian persecution (c. 303-313 AD) for refusing to sacrifice to Roman idols. According to historical accounts, she was condemned to death by being thrown to wild beasts in the arena at Chalcedon. Her steadfast faith in Christ led to her execution. Her relics were discovered in the 5th century, specifically in 451 AD, during the Council of Chalcedon. This discovery occurred when a fisherman, guided by a vision, found her body in the sea near Chalcedon. Her relics were then brought to the Church of the Holy Cross in Chalcedon. Saint Euphemia is venerated as a protector against false accusations and is commemorated on September 16 (Old Calendar) or September 29 (New Calendar) in the Orthodox Church. Her feast day is celebrated widely throughout the Orthodox world.
  • Blessed Princess Olga
    📜 Life of the saint
    Blessed Princess Olga, wife of Prince Igor of Kiev and mother of Prince Sviatoslav, is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church. Following Igor's murder by the Drevlians in 945, she ruled as regent for her young son. Seeking to strengthen ties with the Byzantine Empire, she undertook a pilgrimage to Constantinople around 957. There, she was baptized, receiving the name Helena, and returned to Kievan Rus' as a Christian. She actively promoted Christianity, establishing churches and monasteries, and is recognized as the first ruler of Rus' to embrace the faith. Her efforts laid crucial groundwork for the subsequent Christianization of the region under her grandson, Prince Vladimir. Olga died in 969, having reigned as regent for over two decades. She is commemorated on July 11 (Old Style) in the Orthodox liturgical calendar.
  • New Martyrs Nikodemos (1722) and Nektarios (1820)
    📜 Life of the saint
    Saint Nikodemos the New Martyr was a monk of the Holy Mountain (Mount Athos) who suffered martyrdom in 1722 under Ottoman rule for refusing to renounce his Orthodox faith. He was executed for his steadfast witness to Christ, enduring torture without wavering. Saint Nektarios the New Martyr, a native of Chios, was martyred in 1820 for his unwavering faith during Ottoman persecution. Both saints exemplified courage in the face of death, their lives testifying to the enduring strength of the Orthodox Church. Their relics are venerated as holy, and they are commemorated on their respective martyrdom dates, serving as enduring examples of Christian fortitude and devotion to the faith.
  • St Sophrony of Essex (1993) (June 28 OC)
    📜 Life of the saint
    Born in Moscow in 1896, Sophrony Sakharov converted to Orthodoxy and entered monastic life at the Holy Monastery of St. Panteleimon on Mount Athos in 1920. After years of ascetic life in Greece, he moved to England in 1950, residing at the Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Essex. He died there on March 1, 1993. His spiritual writings, including *Starets* and *The Life of Christ*, are widely recognized. His feast day is observed on June 28 (Old Calendar). He is venerated for his humility, asceticism, and profound spiritual guidance.

📖 Readings of the day

Epistle — 1 Corinthians 11.8-22

8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.

9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper.

21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

Gospel — Matthew 17.10-18

10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

✠ Continuous Gospel reading

Matthew 27 KJV
🎧 Listen

1 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

2 And when they had bound him, they led {him} away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What {is that} to us? see thou {to that}.

5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.

8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.

9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; {whom...: or, whom they bought of the children of Israel}

10 And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

15 Now at {that} feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? {They} all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but {that} rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed {his} hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye {to it}.

25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood {be} on us, and on our children.

26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered {him} to be crucified.

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band {of soldiers}. {common hall: or, governor's house}

28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put {it} upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify {him}.

32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted {thereof}, he would not drink.

35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

36 And sitting down they watched him there;

37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest {it} in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking {him}, with the scribes and elders, said,

42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard {that}, said, This {man} calleth for Elias.

48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled {it} with vinegar, and put {it} on a reed, and gave him to drink.

49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.

57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make {it} as sure as ye can.

66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

API: /api/calendar/julian/2026-07-24
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