Readings and saints

Sunday, March 15, 2026

March 2 on the Old Calendar

Veneration of the Precious Cross

Third Sunday of Lent

Fasting: Wine and oil are allowed (Lenten Fast): no meat, fish, dairy, or eggs.Your priest can tell you how to keep the fast.
Tone: Tone 7This week’s Resurrection hymns are sung in the seventh of the Church’s eight tones.

The readings

TranslationTraditionalModernSide by side

Traditional: the King James Version (1611) for the New Testament. Underlined words are explained in Words of Prayer.

Modern: the World English Bible for the New Testament. Your choice is remembered on this device.

Matins Gospel

John 20:1-10

Traditional

¹The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. ²Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. ³Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. ⁴So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. ⁵And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. ⁶Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, ⁷And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. ⁸Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. ⁹For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. ¹⁰Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Modern

¹Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ²Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!” ³Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb. ⁴They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. ⁵Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he didn’t enter in. ⁶Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, ⁷and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. ⁹For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. ¹⁰So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Epistle

Hebrews 4:14-5:6

Traditional

¹⁴Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. ¹⁵For we have not an high priest which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us therefore come bold ly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

¹For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: ²Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. ³And by reason here of he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. ⁴And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. ⁵So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. ⁶As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Modern

¹⁴Having then a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let’s hold tightly to our confession. ¹⁵For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need.

¹For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. ²The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness. ³Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself. ⁴Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was. ⁵So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.” ⁶As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”

Gospel

Mark 8:34-9:1

Traditional

³⁴And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ³⁵For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. ³⁶For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? ³⁷Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? ³⁸Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

¹And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

Modern

³⁴He called the multitude to himself with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ³⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it. ³⁶For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? ³⁷For what will a man give in exchange for his life? ³⁸For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

¹He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see God’s Kingdom come with power.”

Remembered on this day

Martyr Agapius and Seven with Him
Holy Martyr Alexander (270-275)

Calendar: Orthocal, following the Revised Julian (New) Calendar of the Orthodox Church in America. Parishes on the Old Calendar keep each day 13 days later. Check your own parish calendar.