In answer to the question about the Lukan jump, the following rules hold true:
According to the Greek usage, the St. Luke period begins on the Monday after
the Sunday which follows the Exaltation, even when the St. Matthew series
does not reach its 17th week. These remaining weeks are then omitted. The
first Monday of St. Luke may thus fall between the 16th--2nd September, and
thh first Sunday is always the second after the Exaltation.
In the Slavonic usage the St Luke period follows St. Matthew's, but St.
Luke's Gospel never begins before the feast of the Exaltation. If the St.
Matthew series did not reach its 17th week before the Exaltation, it is
continued until after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, until the end of the
17th week; the period of St. Luke follows. The first week of St. Luke is
indicated in the Slavonic books as the 18th week and Sunday, etc. The Gospel
series thus conincides always with the Epistle series of the same number.
(Note: in the Greek usage they very seldom run together once the Lukan jump
has been made.)
Another interesting note about readings: According to Greek usage, many of
the Sunday Gospels between October and December are reserved for a special
date as follows:
To be read on the Sunday which falls between:
Oct 11 and 17 the 4th Gospel of St Luke
Oct 30 and Nov 5 the 5th Gospel of St Luke
Nov 24 and 30 the 13th Gospel of St Luke
Dec 1 and 3 the 14th Gospel of St Luke
Dec 4 and 10 the 10th Gospel of St Luke
Dec 11 and 17 the 11th Gospel of St Luke
In the Slavonic usage the Gospel for the Sundays indicated above remains
unchanged. The Sundays which fall between the 11th and the 17th of October
(feast of the Fathers of the Seventh Council) and the Sunday which falls
between the 11th and 17th of December (feast of the Holy Ancestors of
Christ), the two Gospels are read (i.e., of Sunday and the feast) according
to the general rule.
Another interesting note:
When the approaching Pascha is late and the period between the two Paschas is
more than 52 weeks, one or more weeks are interpolated before the beginning
of the pre-fast period of the Triodion. They are dealt with as follows:
The Epistle Series (1 to 4 weeks may occur between the 31st and 33rd
Epistle week). The follow readings are then used:
2 weeks: 29th repeated, 32nd
3 weeks: 29th repated, 32nd, 17th repeated
4 weeeks: 29th and 31st repeated, 32nd, 17th repeated
The Gospel series may have no or up to five Sundays between Theophany and
the Triodion as follows:
none Sunday after Theophany on January 7th
one Sunday after Theophany
two Sunday after Theophany, 25th of Luke
three Sunday after Theophany, 12th of Luke, 15th of Luke
four Sunday after Theophany, 12th of Luke, 15th of Luke, 17th
of Matthew
five Sunday after Theophany, 12th of Luke, 14th of Luke, 15th
of Luke, 17th of Matthew
If for the remaining weekdays there should be no further Epistles and Gospels
in the annual cycle, they may be taken from the cycle of the immoveable
feasts or from the Common of the Saints