The Weeks after Pentecost
There is a fast-free week between Pentecost and All Saints, and then the Apostles’ Fast begins the Monday after All Saints. It ends on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, which is June 29. The length of the Apostles’ Fast varies from year to year depending on the date of Pascha.
The other important thing to know about the weeks after Pentecost is that the yearly lectionary of Scripture reading continues, by week, counting from its beginning on the Sunday of Pascha with John 1:1 and Acts 1:1. Scripture is read according to a yearly cycle set by Pascha. See the Scripture page.
The eight weekly tones also begin anew starting the Sunday after Pascha (also known as the feast of Antipascha). So the tones from Antipascha through Pentecost are:
- Sunday after Pascha, 2nd Sunday of Pascha, Antipascha - Tone 1
- 3rd Sunday of Pascha - Myrrhbearing Women - Tone 2
- 4th Sunday of Pascha - Paralytic - Tone 3
- 5th Sunday of Pascha - Samaritan Woman - Tone 4
- 6th Sunday of Pascha - Blind Man - Tone 5
- (Ascension falls on Thursday after the Blind Man.)
- 7th Sunday of Pascha - Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council - Tone 6
- 8th Sunday of Pascha - Holy Pentecost - Tone 7
- 1st Sunday after Pentecost - All Saints - Tone 8
- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost - All Saints of America (or of one’s own country) - Tone 1
- 3rd Sunday after Pentecost - (no special theme - see the Menaion) - Tone 2
- … and so on for the weeks after Pentecost cycling through the eight tones
