Candles & Incense
Church calendar · 2026
20 August Thursday
Old Style — 7 AugustToday
The 12th week after Pentecost. Thursday
Commemoration
Tap a name to open the life
4 of 6 names — the rest are in Georgian only
All the lives for this day — 6Readings
2 Cor 7:1–10 (§183); Mk 1:29–35 (§5); Eph 6:10–17 (§233); Jn 15:17 – 16:2 (§52)
The tone and the day's psalms
2
This week's tone is 2Eight tones — the Octoechos
What is a tone?
A tone is not a psalm number. It is the mode in which that week's resurrection hymns are sung — the whole week's Vespers, Matins and Liturgy are set in one tone.
There are eight tones, and they change each week. The cycle opens with the first tone on Thomas Sunday after Pascha and returns to the first every eight weeks; Bright Week itself has no tone of its own. A new tone begins on Saturday evening, with the new church week.
The Psalter is divided into twenty kathismata and, by the usual rule, is read through once a week. Appointed for this day:
- At Matins · kathisma 13Psalms 91–100›
- At Matins · kathisma 14Psalms 101–104›
- At Vespers · kathisma 15Psalms 105–108›
This is the usual rule. In Great Lent the Psalter is read twice a week, and the kathismata are divided differently.
Word of the day
I have told you more than once that King David the prophet spoke very remarkable words: “The Lord reigneth.” In everything, always, everywhere, the Lord reigns. Indeed, if we look back over our lives, we shall see that at every step there is the trace of God, the providence of God and the mercy He has given. We can do nothing without God.
