Sunday February 22, 2026 / February 9, 2026
The Sunday of Forgiveness. Tone four.
Cheesefare Sunday. Meat is excluded
Martyr Nicephorus of Antioch (ca. 257).
Uncovering of the relics (1805) of St. Innocent of Irkutsk (1731).
Uncovering of the relics of St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus (1992).
New Hieromartyr Basil priest (1930).
New Hieromartyr John priest (1938).
Venerable Pancratius, hieromonk of the Kiev Caves (13th c.).
Venerables Gennadius (1516) and Nicephorus (1557), monks, of Vazhe Lake (Vologda).
Hieromartyrs Marcellus, bishop of Sicily; Philagrius, bishop of Cyprus; and Pancratius, bishop of Taormina; disciples of Apostle Peter (1st c.).
Venerables Aemilianus and Bracchio of Tours (6th c.) (Gaul).
St. Teilo, bishop (Llandaff in Wales) (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
Martyr Apollonias of Alexandria (249).
St. Romanus the Wonderworker of Cilicia (5th c.).
Hieromartyr Peter Damascene, bishop of Damascus (743).
The Scripture Readings
Luke 24:1-12 (4th Matins Gospel)
1
Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
2
But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
3
Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4
And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.
5
Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?
6
He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,
7
saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’
8
And they remembered His words.
9
Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
10
It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.
11
And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.
12
But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.
Romans 13:11-14:4
11
And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
12
The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
14
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
1
Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
2
For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
3
Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.
4
Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
Matthew 6:14-21
14
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15
But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16
Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
17
But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18
so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
19
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.