Sunday before Epiphany

Saints, Feasts, and Readings for 01/04/2026

Saints and Feasts: Sunday before Epiphany; Forefeast of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; Synaxis of the 70 Holy Apostles; Our Righteous Father Theoctistus, Abbot of Cucomo in Sicily; Nikephoros the Leper; Zosimos the Monk and Athanasios the Notary; Righteous Apollinaria the Senator; Martyrs Chrysanthos and Euphemia; Righteous Euthymios the Younger; New Martyr Onuphrios; Righteous Euthymios of Vatopedi; Righteous John Scholarios; Eustathios Archbishop of Serbia

Fast Free

Matins Gospel Reading: John 20:11-18
At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus has lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.” Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and she told them that He had said these things to her.

Epistle Reading: St. Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy 4:5-8

TIMOTHY, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.

For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophets, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ John was baptizing in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”