M
API Matrix

LectServe API

⭐ Beginner's Pick Calendar / No Auth Required Beginner HTTP
Free to Use Varies (check documentation)
77 Score
Grade B
Visit Official Site Compare Alternatives

Overview

LectServe is a free REST API that returns Revised Common Lectionary readings — Scripture passages assigned to each Sunday and feast day used by many Protestant denominations. Given a date, it returns the assigned Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel readings for that week. No authentication is required.

💡

Beginner Tip

No API key needed. Query by date with http://www.lectserve.com?date=YYYY-MM-DD. Note that this API uses plain HTTP (not HTTPS), so avoid sending sensitive data alongside requests.

Available Data

event dates and names
holiday lists by country
date metadata
Use case: Integrate protestant liturgical calendar data into web and mobile applications

Example Response

JSON Response 
{
  "status": "success",
  "data": {
    "result": "Data from LectServe",
    "description": "Protestant liturgical calendar",
    "timestamp": "2025-01-15T10:00:00Z"
  }
}

Field Reference

ot Old Testament reading reference for this Sunday, e.g., "Isaiah 61:10—62:3".
psalm Psalm reading reference assigned for this day.
epistle New Testament Epistle reading reference.
gospel Gospel reading reference for this day.
season Liturgical season of the queried date, e.g., "Christmas" or "Epiphany".

Implementation Example 

const url = "http://www.lectserve.com/";
const response = await fetch(url);
if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${response.status}`);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);

What Can You Build?

Note: These code examples are AI-generated and unverified. Always refer to the official API documentation for accurate usage.

Common Errors & Troubleshooting

Empty or missing readings Querying a weekday that has no assigned lectionary readings
✓ The lectionary assigns readings primarily to Sundays and major feast days. Try a date that falls on a Sunday.
SSL or connection error Client blocking the plain HTTP endpoint
✓ Use http:// (not https://) in your URL. Avoid --insecure flags in production; call from a backend where HTTP is acceptable.
Wrong lectionary year cycle returned Expecting to control Year A/B/C manually
✓ The API automatically selects the correct cycle (A, B, or C) based on the date; you do not need to specify it.

Matrix Score Breakdown

🌐 Reachability 30/30
⚡ Speed 15/20
🔒 Security 5/15
🛠 Developer XP 20/20
✓ Reliability 7/15
Response Time 245ms

Fully tested on Apr 5, 2026

Technical Specifications

Auth No Auth
HTTPS NO
CORS UNKNOWN
Category Calendar
Difficulty Beginner
Verified: 2026-04-04

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