Wednesday July 15, 2026 / July 2, 2026
7th Week after Pentecost. Tone five.
Fast. Food with Oil
The Placing of the Honorable Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos at Blachernae (5th c.).
St. Photius, metropolitan of Kiev (1431).
St. Juvenal, patriarch of Jerusalem (458).
“Pozai” (17th c.), “Theodotiev” (1487) and “Akhtyr” (1739) Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos.
St. Juvenal, protomartyr of America and Alaska (1796).
Right-believing King Stephen the Great of Moldavia (1504) (Romania).
St. Monegunde of Chartres (530) (Gaul).
New Martyr Lampros of Makri (1835) (Greek).
Uncovering of the relics (2003) of New Hieromartyr Priest Sergius Florinsky of Rakvere, Estonia (1918).
Feast of the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos (Georgia).
St. Oudoceus, bishop of Llandaff.
St. Swithun, bishop of Winchester.
The Scripture Readings
12
But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.
13
And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.
14
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
15
But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.
16
For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?
17
But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.
18
Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.
19
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.
20
Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.
21
Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.
22
For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.
23
You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
24
Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.
Matthew 14:35-15:11
35
And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick,
36
and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.
1
Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,
2
Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.
3
He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
4
For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’
5
But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”-
6
‘then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.
7
Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
8
These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
9
And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ “
10
When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand:
11
Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.
Hebrews 9:1-7 Theotokos
1
Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary.
2
For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary;
3
and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All,
4
which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;
5
and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
6
Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services.
7
But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance;
Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28 Theotokos
38
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
39
And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
40
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
41
And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
42
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
27
And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”
28
But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”