Saturday, 3 January 2026

Saturday before Theophany; Forefeast of Theophany

Saturday of the 30th week after Pentecost

Saturday before Theophany
Forefeast of Theophany

258 days after Pascha · Tone 4 · Liturgy · No Fast (Fast Free)

Saints commemorated

Holy Prophet Malachi

The Holy Prophet Malachi was the last of the writing prophets of the Old Testament, born after the return of the Jewish people from exile in Babylon in 538 BC. According to sacred tradition, his name was derived from the Hebrew word "malakh," meaning messenger or angel, given perhaps because of his purity of spirit, his outward beauty, or his close communion with the angels of God. The Prophet Malachi lived approximately five hundred years before the incarnation of Christ and clearly foretold the coming and ministry of Saint John the Baptist, the Forerunner of Christ. He was particularly known as the prophet of the Day of Judgment, and his prophecies concerning the future judgement of mankind remain central to Orthodox eschatology. The book of the Prophet Malachi concludes the Old Testament canon and is filled with his warnings to the people of Israel regarding their unfaithfulness, his call to repentance, and his prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. The Prophet Malachi received his vocation from God while yet young and spent his life proclaiming God's word to the people. After him there arose no prophet in Israel until the coming of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Lord Jesus Christ. The exact date and manner of his repose are not recorded in Scripture, but tradition holds that he went to God in his youth. He is commemorated on 3 January in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Martyr Gordius of Caesarea in Cappadocia

314

The Holy Martyr Gordius was born at the end of the third century in the city of Caesarea of Cappadocia to a devout Christian family. When he came of age, he entered the military service of the Roman Empire and, owing to his courage and military skill, was advanced to the rank of centurion. During the fierce persecution of Christians under the Emperor Diocletian and his successor Licinius in the early fourth century, Gordius was deeply troubled by the impiety and idolatry that surrounded him. Unable to endure the atmosphere of pagan worship any longer, he resolved to renounce the world and withdrew to the wilderness to purify himself through prayer, fasting, and ascetical struggle. He spent considerable time in the mountains in solitary prayer, preparing himself spiritually for the good work of confessing Christ before men. After perceiving that his ascetical training had sufficiently prepared him for the struggle, he descended from the mountains when a great pagan festival was being celebrated in Caesarea. Before the multitude assembled for the festival, he boldly professed his Christian faith to the Governor and the people. The pagan authorities subjected him to severe tortures on account of his refusal to renounce Christ and offer sacrifice to idols. After enduring these grievous torments with steadfast faith, the holy martyr Gordius was beheaded in the year 314 during the reign of the Emperor Licinius. His feast was originally celebrated on 2 March but was later transferred to 3 January by the Synaxarion of Constantinople.

Righteous Genevieve of Paris

Saint Genevieve was born of wealthy parents in the village of Nanterre near Paris, in Gaul (modern France), around the year 422. At the age of fifteen, she was taken to Paris to enter the monastic life, where she progressed in monasticism through rigorous fasting, vigilant prayer, and ascetical labour. Through her devotion, she received from God the gifts of clairvoyance and of working miracles. She became renowned throughout the region as a protectress of Paris and an intercessor with God on behalf of her people. Saint Genevieve fell asleep in the Lord around the year 512 at the age of eighty-nine, leaving behind a legacy of sanctity that has made her patron saint of Paris.

Righteous Thomais of Lesbos

Saint Thomais of Lesbos was a righteous ascetic of the tenth century who lived in the Orthodox tradition of monastic virtue. She is commemorated among the saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church as an example of feminine ascetical accomplishment and steadfast devotion to God. Though historical details of her life are limited in surviving records, her memory is preserved in the Church's calendar as a testament to her holiness.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Ephesians — Ephesians 5.1-8

¹Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; ²And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. ³But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; ⁴Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. ⁵For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. ⁷Be not ye therefore partakers with them. ⁸For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 17.3-10

³Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. ⁴And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. ⁵And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. ⁶And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. ⁷But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? ⁸And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? ⁹Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. ¹⁰So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

Epistle

— Saturday before Theophany

1 Timothy — 1 Timothy 3.14-4.5

¹⁴These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: ¹⁵But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. ¹⁶And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

¹Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; ²Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; ³Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. ⁴For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: ⁵For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Gospel

— Saturday before Theophany

Matthew — Matthew 3.1-11

¹In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, ²And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. ³For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. ⁴And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. ⁵Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, ⁶And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: ⁹And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. ¹⁰And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ¹¹I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: