Sundays of St Luke

The Sundays of St. Luke are a distinct period in the Orthodox liturgical year where the Gospel readings are taken exclusively from the Gospel of Luke. This period follows the reading of Matthew and precedes the Triodion (the pre-Lenten period).

Here is the breakdown of how these weeks are determined and the readings involved.

1. When do the Sundays of St. Luke take place?

The Sundays of St. Luke do not begin on a fixed calendar date (like Sept 1st) but are determined by a movable feast: the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14th).

• The "Lukan Jump": In the Orthodox lectionary, there is a deliberate "jump" in the readings. The Church instructs that the reading of the Gospel of Luke must begin on the Monday following the Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross.

• Typical Start: This usually places the 1st Sunday of St. Luke in late September

• Duration: The period technically covers 15 weeks, but not all "Sundays of Luke" are read sequentially. The cycle is often interrupted by the Christmas and Theophany feasts, and the later Sundays of Luke (associated with the Publican and Pharisee or the Prodigal Son) eventually merge into the Triodion period.

2. How the Weeks are Determined

The logic for determining the specific Sunday relies on the number of weeks between the Exaltation of the Cross and the start of Great Lent.

• Sequential Order: Generally, the readings follow the numerical order (1st Sunday of Luke, 2nd Sunday of Luke, etc.).

• Exceptions:

  • The 3rd Sunday of Luke is essentially the only one that is "fixed." It is the Sunday of the Widow of Nain and is always read around mid-October.

  • The 13th Sunday of Luke is always read on the Sunday closest to November 26th (Feast of St. Nikon).

  • The End of the Cycle: As we approach Great Lent, the "Sundays of Luke" become the named Sundays of the Triodion (e.g., The 16th Sunday of Luke is the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee).

3. Key Orthodox Readings (Gospel of Luke)

While the Epistle readings vary, the Gospel readings for these Sundays define the themes:

• 1st Sunday: The Call of the First Disciples (Luke 5:1-11)

• 2nd Sunday: The Golden Rule / Love your Enemies (Luke 6:31-36)

• 3rd Sunday: Raising of the Widow’s Son at Nain (Luke 7:11-16)

• 4th Sunday: Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:5-15)

• 5th Sunday: The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)

• 6th Sunday: The Demoniac of Gadara (Luke 8:26-39)

• 7th Sunday: Healing of Jairus’ Daughter & Woman with Issue of Blood (Luke 8:41-56)

• 8th Sunday: The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

• 9th Sunday: The Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21)

• 10th Sunday: Healing of the Woman with a Spirit of Infirmity (Luke 13:10-17)

• 11th Sunday: Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:16-24)

• 12th Sunday: The Ten Lepers (Luke 17:12-19)

• 13th Sunday: The Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18:18-27)

• 14th Sunday: Healing of the Blind Man in Jericho (Luke 18:35-43)

• 15th Sunday: Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (Luke 19:1-10)

How the Gospel of Luke is Interrupted

Because the Gospel of Luke is read during the fall and winter, it runs right into the heaviest concentration of fixed major feast days in the Orthodox calendar. When these feasts occur, the numbered sequence of Luke is interrupted, and the Church borrows readings from Matthew and Mark to appropriately celebrate the season.

The main interruptions include:

The Nativity (Christmas) Cycle As we approach Christmas, the focus shifts to the earthly lineage and early life of Christ, pausing the standard Luke parables and healings:

• Sunday Before the Nativity: The reading jumps to Matthew 1:1-25 (The Genealogy of Christ).

• Sunday After the Nativity: The reading jumps to Matthew 2:13-23 (The Flight of the Holy Family into Egypt).

The Theophany (Epiphany) Cycle In January, as the Church celebrates the baptism of Christ, the readings are interrupted again to focus on St. John the Baptist and the start of Christ's ministry:

• Sunday Before Theophany: The reading jumps to Mark 1:1-8 (The preaching of John the Baptist).

• Sunday After Theophany: The reading jumps to Matthew 4:12-17 (Christ begins preaching, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand").