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THE BASIC LECTIONARY

by James Snapp, Jr. – Sept. 2014

PART ONE: THE SYNAXARION FOR WEEKENDS AND HOLY DAYS

This list of lections is based on data in Scrivener’s Plain Introduction, the lectionary calendar in
the Orthodox Study Bible (pages 771-780, © 1993 by St. Athanasius Orthodox Academy), and on
consultations of the Argos Lectionary and other lectionaries. It represents part of the contents of the
Synaxarion for the Gospels as it existed in the 900’s. (The term “Synaxarion” has been defined in several
ways. For the purposes of text-critical research, it refers to the movable lection-schedule, and to the
collection of lections that it contains. In Part Two we will look at the non-movable lection-schedule,
known as the Menologion (another term which has had multiple definitions).)

The Synaxarion begins at Easter (the Holy and Great Sunday of Easter, τη ἁγία και μεγάλη
κυριακη του πάσχα), which is celebrated on the Sunday following the Paschal (Passover) full moon (the
first full moon on or after March 21). The date of Easter thus moves from year to year, and the entire
calendar that starts at Easter moves along with it. This cycle of lections is known as the Paschal Cycle.
Shown here are the Easter-time lections, the day-by-day lections between Easter and Pentecost, the
Saturday and Sunday lections from Pentecost to the beginning of Lent (with their numbers restarted at the
beginning of the New Year), the Saturday and Sunday lections for Lent, the daily lections for Holy Week,
the twelve lections commemorating the sufferings of Christ, lections for Good Friday, and the lections of
the Morning of the Resurrection (the Eleven Heothina), bringing the annual cycle of lections to its
completion.

Eastertime:
(1) Resurrection-day: John 1:1-17
(2) Bright Monday: John 1:18-28
(3) Bright Tuesday: Luke 24:12-35
(4) Bright Wednesday: John 1:35-52
(5) Bright Thursday: John 3:1-15
(6) Bright Friday: John 2:12-22
For the Life-giving Spring of the Most Holy Theotokos: Luke 10:38-42 + Luke 11:27-28
(7) Bright Saturday: John 3:22-33

Second Week (Β):

First Sunday after Easter (Αντίπασχα): John 20:19-31 (Sub-heading: του Θωμα, Thomas)
Monday (2nd day of 2nd Week): John 2:1-11
Tuesday (3rd day of 2nd Week): John 3:16-21
Wednesday (4th day of 2nd Week): John 5:17-24
Thursday (5th day of 2nd Week): John 5:24-30
Friday (Παρασκευῇ, 6th day of 2nd Week): John 5:30-6:2
Saturday (Σαββάτω, 7th day of 2nd Week): John 6:14-27
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Third Week (Γ):

Second Sunday (Κυριακῇ): Mark 15:43-16:8 (Sub-heading: των μυροφόρων, The Myrrh-bearers)
Monday (2nd day of 3rd Week): John 4:46-54
Tuesday (3rd day of 3rd Week): John 6:27-33
Wednesday (4th day of 3th Week): John 6:40-44
Thursday (5th day of 3rd Week): John 6:48-54 [Wed. & Thurs. lections may be interchanged]
Friday (6th day of 3rd Week): John 6:35-39
Saturday (7th day of 3rd Week): John 15:17-16:1

Fourth Week (Δ):

Third Sunday: John 5:1-15 (Sub-heading: της Παραλυτικός, the Paralytic)
Monday (2nd day of 4th Week): John 6:56-69
Tuesday (3rd day of 4th Week): John 7:1-13
Wednesday (4th day of 4th Week): John 7:14-30 (Sub-heading: της Μεσοπεντηκοστης, Halfway to
Pentecost)
Thursday (5th day of 4th Week): John 8:12-20
Friday (6th day of 4th Week): John 8:21-30
Saturday (7th day of 4th Week): John 8:31-42

Fifth Week (Ε):

Fourth Sunday: John 4:5-42 (Sub-heading: της Σαμαρείτιδος, the Samaritan woman)
Monday (2nd day of 5th Week): John 8:42-51
Tuesday (3rd day of 5th Week): John 8:51-59
Wednesday (4th day of 5th Week): John 6:5-14
Thursday (5th day of 5th Week): John 9:39-10:9
Friday (6th day of 5th Week): John 10:17-28
Saturday (7th day of 5th Week): John 10:27-38

Sixth Week (Ϝ):

Fifth Sunday: John 9:1-38 (Sub-heading: του Τυφλου, the Blind Man)
Monday (2nd day of 6th Week): John 11:47-54
Tuesday (3rd day of 6th Week): John 12:19-36
Wednesday (4th day of 6th Week): John 12:36-47
Thursday (5th day of 6th Week): Liturgy: Luke 24:36-53. Matins (Ορθρος): Mark 16:9-20 (Sub-heading:
Αναλήψεως, Ascension-Day)
Friday (6th day of 6th Week): John 14:1-10
Saturday (7th day of 6th Week): John 14:10-21

Seventh Week (Ζ):

Sixth Sunday: John 17:1-13 (Sub-heading: των αγίων τιη πατέρων εν Νικαία, the Holy 318 Fathers of
Nicea)
Monday (2nd day of 7th Week): John 14:17-15:7
Tuesday (3rd day of 7th Week): John 16:2-13
Wednesday (4th day of 7th Week): John 16:15-23
Thursday (5th day of 7th Week): John 16:23-33
Friday (6th day of 7th Week): John 17:18-26
Saturday (7th day of 7th Week): John 21:14-25 (= Heothina #11)
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Pentecost Sunday:
Liturgy: John 7:37-52 + John 8:12
Matins (Ορθρος): John 20:19-23

First Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 5:42-48 [part of weekday series]

First Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 10:32, 33, 37-38 + 19:27-30

Second Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 7:1-8 [part of weekday series]

Second Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 4:18-23

Third Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 7:24-8:4 [part of weekday series]

Third Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 6:22-33

Fourth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 8:14-23

Fourth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 8:5-13

Fifth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 9:9-13

Fifth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 8:28-9:1

Sixth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 9:18-26

Sixth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 9:1-8

Seventh Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 10:37-11:1

Seventh Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 9:27-35

Eighth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 12:30-37

Eighth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 14:14-22

Ninth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 15:32-39

Ninth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 14:22-34

Tenth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew17:24-18:4

Tenth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 17:14-23

Eleventh Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 19:3-12

Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 18:23-35

Twelfth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 20:29-34

Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 19:16-26

Thirteenth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 22:15-22

Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 21:33-42

Fourteenth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 23:1-12

Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 22:1-4

Fifteenth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 24:1-3

Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 22:35-46
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Sixteenth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 24:34-44
Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 25:14-30

Seventeenth Saturday After Pentecost: Matthew 25:1-13

Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost: Matthew 15:21-28

18th Saturday After Pentecost: Luke 4:31-36 [Overlapping the list of Lections After the New Year]
18th Sunday After Pentecost: Luke 5:1-11

19th Saturday After Pentecost: Luke 5:17-26

19th Sunday After Pentecost: Luke 6:31-36

[The Advent Cycle gets underway sometime between the 20th week after Pentecost and the 26th week after
Pentecost, depending on the date of Easter.]

Saturday and Sunday Lections After the New Year (New Year’s Day = September 1, which tends to
be near the 18th Week After Pentecost):

1st Saturday: Luke 4:31-36

1st Sunday: Luke 5:1-11

2nd Saturday: Luke 5:17-26

2nd Sunday: Luke 6:31-36

3rd Saturday : Luke 5:27-32

3rd Sunday (20th after Pentecost): Luke 7:11-16

4th Saturday: Luke 6:1-10

4th Sunday (21th after Pentecost): Luke 8:5-15

5th Saturday: Luke 7:1-10

5th Sunday (22nd after Pentecost): Luke 16:19-31

6th Saturday: Luke 8:16-21

6th Sunday (23rd after Pentecost): Luke 8:26-35 + 8:38-39

7th Saturday: Luke 9:1-6

7th Sunday (24th after Pentecost): Luke 8:41-56

8th Saturday: Luke 9:37-43

8th Sunday (25th after Pentecost): Luke 10:25-37

9th Saturday: Luke 9:57-62

9th Sunday (26th after Pentecost): Luke 12:16-21

10th Saturday: Luke 10:19-21

10th Sunday (27th after Pentecost): Luke 13:10-17
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11th Saturday: Luke 12:32-40

11th Sunday (28th after Pentecost): Luke 14:16-24

12th Saturday: Luke 13:19-29

12th Sunday (29th after Pentecost): Luke 17:12-19

13th Saturday: Luke 14:1-11

13th Sunday (30th after Pentecost): Luke 18:18-27

14th Saturday: Luke 16:10-15

14th Sunday (31st after Pentecost): Luke 18:35-43

15th Saturday: Luke 17:3-10

15th Sunday (32nd after Pentecost): Luke 19:1-10 (Sub-heading: Zacchaeus) [Movable.]

16th Saturday: Luke 18:2-8

16th Sunday (33rd after Pentecost): Luke 18:9-14 (Sub-heading: the Publican and the Pharisee)
[10th Sunday Before Easter]

17th Saturday: Luke 20:46-21:4

17th Sunday: Matthew 15:21-28 (Sub-heading: The Canaanite Woman)

Saturday before the Carnival/Ash Wednesday (προ της αποκρεω): Luke 15:1-10
Sunday before the Carnival/Ash Wednesday: Luke 15:11-32 (Sub-heading: The Prodigal)

Sunday after the Carnival (της αποκρεω): Luke 21:8-9 + Lk. 21:25-27 + Lk. 21:33-36
Sunday after the Carnival (της αποκρεω): Matthew 25:31-46

Saturday of the Cheese-eaters (της τυροφαγου): Matthew 6:1-13

Sunday of the Cheese-eaters (της τυροφαγου): Matthew 6:14-21

LENT

First Saturday of Lent: Mark 2:23-3:5

First Sunday of Lent: John 1:43-51

Second Saturday of Lent: Mark 1:35-44

Second Sunday of Lent: Mark 2:1-12

Third Saturday of Lent: Mark 2:14-17

Third Sunday of Lent: Mark 8:34-9:1

Fourth Saturday of Lent: Mark 7:31-37

Fourth Sunday of Lent: Mark 9:17-31

Fifth Saturday of Lent: Mark 8:27-31

Fifth Sunday of Lent: Mark 10:32-46

Sixth Saturday of Lent: John 11:1-45 (Sub-heading: Righteous Lazarus)

[Variation: John 3:1-15 (Sub-heading: Nicodemus)]
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HOLY WEEK

Sixth Sunday of Lent:

Morning: Matthew 21:1-17 Liturgy: John 12:1-18 (Sub-heading: Palm Sunday)
Monday:
Morning: Matthew 21:18-43 Liturgy: Matthew 24:3-35
Tuesday:
Morning: Matthew 22:15-24:2 Liturgy: Matthew 24:36-26:2
Wednesday:
Morning: John 11:47-56 [or 12:17-47] Liturgy: John 12:17-50
Thursday:
Morning: Luke 22:1-39 Liturgy: Matthew 26:1-20
Before the Foot-washing (Νιπτηρα): John 13:1-11
During the Foot-washing (Μετα το Νιψασθαι):
John 13:12-17 Liturgy: Matthew 26:1-20 + John 13:3-17 + Mt. 26:21-39 +
Luke 22:43-44 + Mt. 26:40-27:2
Good Friday: The Twelve Gospels of the Sufferings of Jesus Christ:
(ΙΒ Ευαγγγελια των αγιων Παθων Ιυ Χυ)
(1) John 13:31-18:1
(2) John 18:1-28
(3) Matthew 26:57-75
(4) John 18:28-19:16
(5) Matthew 27:3-32
(6) Mark 15:16-32a
(7) Matthew 27:33-54
(8) Luke 23:32-49
(9) John 19:25-37
(10) Mark 15:43-47
(11) John 19:38-42
(12) Matthew 27:62-66

Vigils on Good Friday:

First Hour: Matthew 27:1-56
Third Hour: Mark 15:1-41
Sixth Hour: Luke 23:32-49
Ninth Hour: John 18:28-19:37
Liturgy: Matthew 27:1-38 + Lk. 23:39-43 + Mt. 27:39-53 + Jn. 19:31-37 + Mt. 27:55-61

Holy Saturday:
Matins: Matthew 27:62-66
Liturgy: Matthew 27:1-20

The Eleven Gospel-lections of the Morning Rising (ΙΑ Ευαγγγελια Αναστασιμα Ἑωθινα):
(1) Matthew 28:16-20
(2) Mark 16:1-8
(3) Mark 16:9-20
(4) Luke 24:1-12
(5) Luke 24:12-25
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(6) Luke 24:36-53

(7) John 20:1-11
(8) John 20:11-18
(9) John 20:19-31
(10) John 21:1-14
(11) John 21:15-25

PART TWO: THE MENOLOGION

Unlike the lections in the Synaxarion, the Menologion’s lections are assigned to specific dates on the
calendar, beginning with September 1 (New Year’s Day). The contents of the Menologion vary
somewhat, according to localized customizations, but they tend to have the same dates reserved for
honoring the same series of saints and martyrs. In constructing the following outline I have depended on
the data in Scrivener’s Plain Introduction, on the Argos Lectionary (l1599), and on the description of
Orthodox saint-days at http://www.rongolini.com/synaxariontoc.htm .

This list of the names of saints, martyrs, and heroes should be treated like a list of the states of the United
States of America. Some of these saints, martyrs, and heroes lived after our earliest substantial Greek
lectionaries were made. They represent late additions, comparable to the addition of Alaska and Hawaii
to the USA in 1959. Nevertheless I have included these relatively young entries in this list (adding a date
to those that are particularly young), as well as entries that represent individuals who are probably entirely
legendary or composites of other characters. The names of saints, martyrs, heroes, and feast-days that are
of special significance and antiquity are in bold print.

September
1 – Simeon Stylites 2 – Mamas, and John the Faster
3 – Anthimus, bishop of Nicomedia 4 – Babylus, bishop of Antioch (and children)
5 – Zachariah the Prophet
6 (or 7) - Evodius and Onesiphorus the Apostles
7 – Fore-feast for the Birth of the Theotokos
8 – the Birth of Jesus’ mother Mary (the holy Theotokos)
10 – Pulcheria the Empress [Western form?] 11 – Theodora of Alexandria
12 – Autonomus 13 – Fore-feast for the Elevation of the Cross
14 – the Elevation of the Cross (Early Morning lection and liturgy)
15 – Nikita 16 – Euphemia
17 – Sophia and her daughters, Faith, Hope, and Charity
18 – Eumenius 19 – Trophimus, Dorumedes, and Sabbatius
20 – Eustathios and his family 21 – Jonah the Prophet
22 – Phocas of Sinope 23 – Conception of John the Forerunner
24 – Thekla 25 – ??
26 – ?? 27 – Callistratus
28 – Chariton 30 – Gregory of Armenia

October
1 – Ananias 2 – Cyprian and Justina
3 – Dionysius the Areopagite 4 – Hierotheos
5 – ?? 6 – Thomas the Apostle
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7 – Sergius and Bacchus

8 – Pelagia (The lection for Pelagia is John 8:3-11.)
9 – James the Apostle 10 – Eulampios and Eulampia
11 – Patriarch Nectarios, Arsacios, Atticos, and Sisinios
12 – Probus, Taraxos, and Andronicus 13 – Karpos and Papullos
14 – Nazarius, Gerbasion, Protasion, and Kelsion 15 – Lucian of Antioch
16 – Longinus the Centurion 17 – Hosea the Prophet
18 – Luke the Apostle and Evangelist 20 – Artemios and Andrew
21 – Hilarion 22 – Abercius
23 – James the brother of God, and the Seven Children of Ephesus
(This is a reference to the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus.)
24 – Arethas and his Companions 25 – The Notaries Marcianos and Marturios
26 – Demetrius 27 – Nestor
29 – Ambramios 30 – Zenobius and Zenobia
31 – Marcian bishop of Syracuse

November
1 – The Anargyres Kosmos and Damian 2 – Akindunos and those with him
3 – Akepsimas, Joseph, and Aeithalas 4 – Joannikos (d. 846)
5 – Silvanus of Gaza 6 – Paul the Confessor
7 – The 33 Martyrs of Melitene 8 – Archangels
9 – Matrona 10 – Nilus (of Sinai)
11 – Menas and those with him
12 – John the Almsgiver of Alexandria (d. 619)
13 – John Chrysostom 14 – Philip the Apostle
15 – Gourias the Confessor 16 – Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist
17 – Gregory the Wonder-worker 18 – Plato
19 – Dacion
20 – Fore-feast for the Entrance of the Theotokos
21 – Entrance of the Very Holy Theotokos 23 – Proclus of Anatolia
24 – Gregory of Agrigentum (d. 630)
25 – Clement of Rome, and Peter of Alexandria, and Mercurius, and Catherine
26 – Alypios the Stylite (d. 641) 27 – James the Persian
28 – Irenarchos and His Seven Companions 29 – Paramonos and Philomenos
30 – Andrew the First-called Apostle

December
1 – Nahum the Prophet 2 – Habakkuk the Prophet
3 – Sophonia (Zephaniah) the Prophet 4 – Barbara
5 – Sabbas 6 – Nicholas of Myra
7 – Ambrose of Milan
8 – Sosthenes, Apollos, and Cephas, the Apostles
9 – Conception of Saint Anne
10 – Menas the Melodius, Hermogenes, and Eugraphus
11 – Daniel the Stylite (d. 493) 12 – Spyridon and Finian
13 – Eustratios and his Companions 14 – Thursos and Philemon
16 – Eleutherios
17 – The Three Children and Daniel the Prophet
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18 – ?? 19 – Boniface
20 – Ignatius the God-bearer 21 – Juliana
22 – Anastasia 23 – The Martyrs of Crete

THE ADVENT CYCLE

(The main feast-days of the Advent Cycle – Christmas and Theophany – are on fixed dates, but some
lections are assigned to movable dates relative to them.)

Two Sundays Before Christmas – The Ancestors of Christ (Luke 14:16-24)

The Saturday Before Christmas – Luke 13:18-29
The Sunday Before Christmas – The Holy Fathers (Matthew 1:1-25)
Dec. 20 – Fore-feast for the Birth of Christ begins, and continues through Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve:
First Hour: Matthew 1:18-25
Third Hour (Liturgy): Luke 2:1-20
Sixth Hour: Matthew 2:2-12
Ninth Hour: Matthew 2:13-23
Christmas: Matthew 2:1-12
The Saturday After Christmas – Matthew 12:15-21
The Sunday After Christmas – Matthew 2:13-23
The Saturday Before Theophany – Matthew 3:1-11
The Sunday before Theophany – Mark 1:1-8
January 2 – Fore-feast for the Theophany begins, and continues through January 5.
The Eve of Theophany (January 5):
First Hour: Matthew 3:1-11
Third Hour: Mark 1:1-8
Sixth Hour: Mark 1:9-15
Ninth Hour: Matthew 3:13-17
Liturgy: Luke 3:1-18
Blessing of Water: Mark 1:9-11
Theophany (January 6):
Matins: Mark 1:9-11
Liturgy: Matthew 3:13-17
Saturday After Theophany: Matthew 4:1-11
Sunday After Theophany: Matthew 4:12-17

26 – Gathering (Suntaxis) for the Most Holy Theotokos

27 – Stephen 28 – Martyrs of Nicomedia
29 – The Innocents of Bethlehem 30 – Anysia and Zoticos
31 – Melania

January
1– Circumcision of Christ, and Basil of Caesarea-of-Cappadocia
2– Sylvester 3 – Theoktistos of Cucume in Sicily
4– Gathering (Suntaxis) for the 70 Disciples 5 – Theopemptos and Theonas
6– Theophany [See the Advent Cycle]
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7 – Gathering (Suntaxis) for John the Forerunner

8 – Dominica 9 – Polyeuktos
10 – Gregory of Nyssa
11 – Angels, and Theodosius the Cenobiarch 12 – Tatiana
13 – Hermylos and Stratonikos 14 – Martyrs of Sinai and Raitho
15 – Paul of Thebes, and John the Hut-dweller
16 – Veneration of the Precious Chain of Peter the Apostle
17 – Anthony 18 – Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria
19 – Makarios 20 – Euthymius
21 – Maximos the Confessor (d. 662), and Neophytos
22 – Timothy the Apostle 23 – Agathangel
24 – Xenia 25 – Gregory of Constantinople
26 – Xenophon and His Wife
27 – The Return of the Relics of John Chrysostom
28 – Ephrem the Syrian 29 – The Return of the Relics of Ignatius
30 – Hippolytus
(In 1100 a new feast-day was introduced for January 30, a gathering in honor of Basil the Great, Gregory
Nazianzus, and John Chrysostom.)
31 – The Anargyres Cyrus and John

February
1 – Tryphon, and Fore-feast for the Hypapante
2 – Hypapante (The Encounter Between Simeon and the Infant Christ.
Also called the Feast of the Purification, or Candlemas.)
3 – Simeon and Anna 4 – Isidore of Pelusium
5 – Agatha 6 – Julian of Emesa
7 – Parthenios
8 – Theodore the Stratelate (Army-commander), and Zachariah the Prophet
9 – Nicephoros 10 – Charalampos
11 – Blaise, Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia 12 – Meletios of Antioch
13 – Martinian 14 – Auxentios, and Maron the Hermit
15 – Onesimus the Apostle 16 – Pamphilus and His Companions
17 – Theodore of Tyre 18 – Leo of Rome
19 – Archippos 20 – Leo of Catana (700’s)
21 – Eustathios of Antioch
22 – Discovery of the Relics of the Holy Martyrs in Eugenios
23 – Polycarp
24 – Discovery of the Precious Head of John the Baptist
25 – Tarasios (d. 806) 26 – Porphyrios of Gaza
27 – Procopius the Decapolite (700s? 800s?) 28 – Basil the Confessor
29 – Cassian the Roman

March
1 – Eudocia 2– Theodotos
3 – Eutropios, Cleonikos, and Basiliskos 4– Gerasimos of Jordan
5 – Conon the Isaurian 6– The 42 Martyrs of Amorium (d. 848)
7 – Ephrem and Basil and Their Helpers 8– Theophylactos of Nicomedia (d. 845)
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9 (or 10) – The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

[This feast-day was established by the time Basil of Caesarea delivered a commemoration-homily
about the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste in the 370’s.]
10 – Quadratus and His Companions 11 – Sophronius of Jerusalem (d. 638)
12 – Theophanes the Confessor (d. 817) 13 – Nicephorus of Constantinople (d. 847)
14 – Benedict 15 – Agapios and His Seven Companions
16 – Sabinos the Egyptian 17 – Alexis
18 – Cyril of Jerusalem 19 – Chrysanthos and Daria
20 – Martyrs of the Laura of Saint Sabbas (d. 796)
21 – James the Confessor (d. 820) 22 – Basil of Ancyra
23 – Nikon and His Companions 24 – Fore-feast of the Annunciation
25 – The Annunciation 26 – The Archangel Gabriel
27 – Matrona 28 – Stephen the Wonderworker (d. 820)
29 – Mark of Arethusa, and Cyril His Deacon, and Others Martyred by Julian the Apostate
30 – John Climacus (d. 649) 31 – Hypatius of Gangra

April
1 – Mary the Egyptian 2 – Titus the Wonder-worker
3 – Nikita of Medicius (d. 824) 4 – Theodulos and Agathopodos
5 – Claudius, Diodorus, Victor, Pappias, Nicephoros, and Serapion
6 – Euthychios, Archbishop of Constantinople
7 – Kalliopios
8 – The Apostles Herodios, Abagus, Rufus, Asyncritus, Phlegon, and Hermes
9 – Eupsychios
10 – Terentios, Pompeius, Maximos, Makarios, Afrikanos, and Their Companions
11 – Antipas 12 – Basil of Parios
13 – Martin of Rome (d. 655)
14 – The Apostles Aristarchus, Pudens, and Trophimus
15 – Crescens 16 – Agape, Irene, and Chionia
17 – Simeon the Persian and His Companions 18 – John, Disciple of Gregory (d. 850)
19 – Paphnutius of Thebes 20 – Theodore the Hairy
21 – Januarios and His Companions 22 – Theodore Sykiotes (d. 613)
23 – George
24 – Elizabeth the Wonderworker, and Sabbas the Goth
25 – Mark the Apostle and Evangelist 26 – Basil of Amasia
27 – Simeon, bishop of Jeruaslem 28 – The Apostles Jason and Sosipater
29 – The Nine Martyrs of Cyzicus 30 – James the Apostle, Brother of John

May
1 – Jeremiah the Prophet
2 – The Transporting of the Relics of Athanasius
3 – Timothy and Maura 4 – Pelagia the Martyr
5 – Irene the Martyr 6 – Job
7 – The Apparition of the Cross in Jerusalem
8 – John the Apostle and Theologian, and Arsenios
9 – Isaiah the Prophet, and Christopher
10 – Simon the Zealot, the Apostle
11 – Dedication of Constantinople, Mokios the Martyr, and Cyril and Methodius (800’s)
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12 – Epiphanios of Cyrus, and Germanus

13 – Glyceria 14 – Isidore of Chios
15 – Pachomius, and Achillios the Wonderworker of Larissa
16 – Theodore the Sanctified 17 – Andronicus and Junias the Apostles
19 – Akakios 20 – Thallelaios
21 – Constantine and Helen 22 – Basiliskos
23 – Michael of Synnada (d. 826) 24 – Simeon of the Wonderful Mountain
25 – Third Discovery of the Head of John the Baptist
26 – Karpos 27 – Helladios
28 – Eutyches of Melitene 29 – Theodosia
30 – Isaac of Dalmaton 31 – Hermios

June
1 – Justin Martyr and His Companions 2 – Nicephorus the Confessor (d. 829)
3 – Lucillian 4 – Metrophanes
5 – Dorotheos of Tyre 6 – Bessarion the Wonderworker
7 – Theodotus of Ancyra
8 – Transporting of the Relics of Theodore the Stratelate
9 – Cyril of Alexandria 10 – Alexander and Antonina
11 – Bartholomew and Barnabas the Apostles
12 – Onuphrius (and Peter of Athos, d. 890)
13 – Aquilina and Triphyllios
14 – Elisha the Prophet (and Methodius the Confessor, d. 847)
15 – Amos the Prophet 16 – Tychon
17 – Manuel, Sabel, and Ismael 18 – Leontius
19 – Jude the Apostle 20 – Methodius of Olympus
21 – Julian of Tarsus 22 – Eusebius of Samosata
23 – Agrippina 24 – The Birth of John the Forerunner
25 – Febronia 26 – David of Thessalonica (d. 530)
27 – Samson the Hospitable
28 – Transportation of the Relics of Cyrus and John
29 – Peter and Paul, the Apostles
30 – Gathering (Suntaxis) for the Twelve Apostles

July
1 – Cosmas and Damian
2 – The Placement of the Robe of the Theotokos at Blachernae (458)
3 – Hyacinthos 4 – Andrew of Crete (d. 740)
5 – Athanasius of Athos (late 900s or early 1000s)
6 – Sisoes 7 – Kyriake and Akakios
8 – Procopius 9 – Pancratios
10 – The 45 Martyrs of Nicopolis in Armenia 11 – Euphemia
12 – Proclus and Hilarios 13 – Gabriel the Archangel
14 – Aquila the Apostle 15 – Kerikos and Julitta
16 – Athenogenes and His Ten Disciples 17 – Marina
18 – Aimilianos 19 – Macrina, Sister of Basil
20 – Elijah the Prophet 21 - ??
22 – Mary Magdalene
23 – Ezekiel the Prophet, and the Transportation of the Relics of Phocas
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24 – Christina
25 – Dormition of Ann, Mother of the Theotokos
26 – Hermolaus, Hermippos, and Hermocratos
27 – Panteleemon
28 – The Apostles and Deacons Prochorus, Nicanor, Timor, and Parmenas
30 – Silas, Crescens, Epenetus, and Andronicus 31 – Eudocimos (d. 840)

August
1 – Procession of the Cross, and the Seven Maccabean Brothers (Abim, Antonius, Gurias, etc.)
2 – Transportation of the Relics of Stephen
3 – Isaac, Dalmatios, and Faustus
4 – The Seven Children of Ephesus, and Eudocia
5 – Fore-feast for the Transfiguration, and Eusignius
6 – Feast of the Transfiguration 7 – Dometios
8 – Aimilianos 9 – Matthias the Apostle
10 – Lawrence 11 – Eupolos
12 – Photius and Anicetus
13 – Transportation of the Relics of Maximus the Confessor (post-680)
14 – Fore-feast for the Dormition of the Theotokos, and Micah the Prophet
15 – The Dormition of the Theotokos 16 – Diomedes
17 – Myron 18 – Florus and Lauros
19 – Andrew the Army-commander and His Companions
20 – Samuel the Prophet 21 – Thaddeus the Apostle, and Bassa
22 – Agathonikos and His Companions, Zotikos, Zeno, Theoprepes, Akindinos, and Severian
23 – Luppos 24 – Eutyches
25 – Transportation of the Relics of Bartholomew the Apostle, and Titus the Apostle
26 – Adrian and Natalia 27 – Poemen
28 – Moses the Ethiopian, and Augustine of Hippo
29 – Feast of the Beheading of John the Forerunner
30 – Alexander of Constantinople
31 – The Placement of the Girdle of the Theotokos at Chalcoprateia (941?)

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SOME LECTIONARY-RELATED TERMS

Anagnostes (Ἀναγνώστης) – The lector, the person who reads the lections during church-services.
Apodeipnon (Ἀποδειπνον) – The “after-supper” – the service that follows the evening meal.
Arche (Ἀρχη) – The word “Start,” usually abbreviated, indicating the beginning of a lection in a
continuous-text manuscript adapted for reading in church-services.
Diakinesimon (Διακινησιμον) – Easter Week.
Evangelia (Εὑαγγέλια) – Lectionaries that consist of lections from the Gospels.
Explicit – A concluding phrase added to the end of a lection, such as “He who has ears to hear, let him
hear.”
Heothinon (Ἑωθινον) – A series of eleven lections read in a cycle to commemorate Christ’s morning-time
rising. Each Heothina is often labeled in the margins of continuous-text Gospels-manuscripts with
abbreviated notes and numerals.
Incipit – A prefatory phrase added to the beginning of a lection, such as, “At that time,” or “The Lord said
to His disciples.”
Inscriptio – The title preceding a lection, such as Κατα Μαρκον (According to Mark).
Kyriake (Κυριακη) – Sunday, or, Week. Often abbreviated as Κη.
(Saturday = Σa, with the sigma wrapped around the alpha.)
Neumes – Notations (often consisting of dots and dashes, written in red) in lectionaries (and in some
continuous-text manuscripts) indicating what inflection and tone should be used as a lection is read in the
church-service.
Orthros (Ορθρος) – A church-service that begins very early in the morning, before sunrise.
Pannychis (Παννυχις) – The evening worship-service, or vigil, after Vespers.
Prokeimenon (Προκειμενον) – A psalm sung in the church-service before a lection is read from the
Gospels, Acts, Epistles, or Old Testament Prophets.
Rubric – A note, usually written in red, in the upper margin (usually), identifying the name of a chapter, or
the assigned date (movable or fixed) on which a passage is to be read in the church-services, or the name
of the saint in whose honor the passage is to be read. An the incipit is often included.
Sabbatokuriakai (Σαββατοκυριακαί) – A lectionary containing the lections for services on Saturdays and
Sundays.
Telos (Τελος) – The word “End,” usually abbreviated, indicating the end of a lection in a continuous-text
manuscript adapted for reading in church-services.

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