14 January Thursday
Old Style — 1 JanuaryToday
The Circumcision of Our Lord Jesus Christ
The Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ›
This year's detailed calendar has not been published yet — these are calculated dates.
Commemorated — from the synaxarion
Tap a name to open the life
- The Circumcision of Our Lord Jesus Christ›
- Our Father among the Saints Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia (+379)›
- Holy Martyr Basil of Ancyra (+c. 362)›
- Holy Father Gregory of Nazianzus (+374)›
- St Emmelia, Mother of Basil the Great (IV)›
The tone and the day's psalms
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
A ship needs an anchor in a storm, and a man needs faith in times of misfortune. Where there is no faith, there are no good works, for it is the intention that makes a deed good, and a good intention comes from faith.
— Blessed Augustine · #
Icons of the day's saints — from our shop
All icons →For every day — candles and incense
Candles and incense →Icon: The Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ · Public domain












