Joel 2.12-26 (Sixth Hour)

12Zato još govori Gospod: obratite se k meni svijem srcem svojim i posteæi i plaèuæi i tužeæi. 13I razderite srca svoja a ne haljine svoje, i obratite se ka Gospodu Bogu svojemu, jer je milostiv i žalostiv, spor na gnjev i obilan milosrðem i kaje se oda zla. 14Ko zna, neæe li se povratiti i raskajati se, i ostaviti iza toga blagoslov, dar i naljev za Gospoda Boga vašega. 15Trubite u trubu na Sionu, naredite post, proglasite svetkovinu. 16Saberite narod, osveštajte sabor, skupite starce, saberite djecu i koja sisaju; ženik neka izide iz svoje klijeti i nevjesta iz ložnice svoje. 17Izmeðu trijema i oltara neka plaèu sveštenici, sluge Gospodnje, i neka reku: prosti, Gospode, narodu svojemu, i ne daj našljedstva svojega pod sramotu, da njim obladaju narodi; zašto da reku u narodima: gdje im je Bog? 18I Gospod æe revnovati za zemlju svoju i požaliæe narod svoj. 19I Gospod æe odgovoriti i reæi æe svome narodu: evo, ja æu vam poslati žita i vina i ulja, i biæete ga siti, i neæu vas više dati pod sramotu meðu narodima. 20Jer æu udaljiti od vas sjeverca, i odagnati ga u zemlju suhu i pustu, prednju èetu njegovu u istoèno more a zadnju u more zapadno, i podignuæe se smrad njegov, i trulež æe se njegov podignuti, pošto uèini velike stvari. 21Ne boj se, zemljo, raduj se i veseli se, jer æe Gospod uèiniti velike stvari. 22Ne bojte se, zvijeri poljske; jer æe se zelenjeti pasišta u pustinji i drveta æe nositi rod svoj, smokva æe i loza vinova davati silu svoju. 23I vi, sinovi Sionski, radujte se i veselite se u Gospodu Bogu svojem, jer æe vam dati dažd na vrijeme, i spustiæe vam dažd rani i pozni na vrijeme. 24I gumna æe se napuniti žita, a kace æe se preljevati vinom i uljem. 25I naknadiæu vam godine koje izjede skakavac, hrušt i crv i gusjenica, velika vojska moja, koju slah na vas. 26I ješæete izobila, i biæete siti i hvaliæete ime Gospoda Boga svojega, koji uèini s vama èudesa, i narod moj neæe se posramiti dovijeka.

Joel 3.12-21 (Vespers)

12Neka se podignu i doðu narodi u dolinu Josafatovu; jer æu ondje sjesti da sudim svijem narodima unaokolo. 13Zamahnite srpom, jer je žetva uzrela; hodite, siðite, jer je tijesak pun, kace se preljevaju; jer je zloæa njihova velika. 14Gomile, gomile u dolini sudskoj; jer je dan Gospodnji blizu u dolini sudskoj. 15Sunce æe i mjesec pomrknuti, i zvijezde æe ustegnuti svoju svjetlost. 16I Gospod æe riknuti sa Siona, i iz Jerusalima æe pustiti glas svoj, i zatrešæe se nebo i zemlja; ali æe Gospod biti utoèište svome narodu i krjepost sinovima Izrailjevijem. 17I poznaæete da sam ja Gospod Bog vaš, koji nastavam u Sionu, u svetoj gori svojoj; i Jerusalim æe biti svet, i tuðinci neæe više iæi po njemu. 18I tada æe gore kapati slatkim vinom, i humovi æe se topiti od mlijeka, i svijem potocima Judinijem teæi æe voda, i izaæi æe izvor iz doma Gospodnjega i natopiæe dolinu Sitim. 19Misir æe opustjeti, i Edomska æe biti pusta pustinja za nasilje uèinjeno sinovima Judinijem, jer proliše krv pravu u zemlji njihovoj. 20A Juda æe stajati dovijeka i Jerusalim od koljena do koljena. 21I oèistiæu krv njihovu, koje ne oèistih; i Gospod æe nastavati u Sionu.

St Porphyrius, bishop of Gaza (420)

He was born to a wealthy, noble family in Thessalonica around 347. Filled more and more with a yearning for God, he abandoned his worldly possessions and traveled to Egypt, living for five years as a monk at Sketis. From there he went to Palestine, where he lived for another five years in a cave in the Jordan desert. Suffering from a severe ailment, he was forced to move to Jerusalem; there he was suddenly and completely cured following a vision on Golgotha, in which he saw the Good Thief come down from the cross to lead him to Christ, who gave the Cross into his keeping.

Porphyrius took up the trade of a shoemaker in Jerusalem to provide for his few needs. His humility and charity became so well-known that the Bishop of Jerusalem ordained him to the priesthood at the age of forty-five, and made him Stavrophylax, keeper of the True Cross of the Savior — thus fulfilling Porphyrius’ vision on Golgotha. Three years later, much against his will, he was elected Bishop of Gaza.

Throughout his episcopate he was persecuted by the pagans who still dominated the life of that city — though he was able to convert many of them by his own example of holiness, and by the many miracles that were wrought through his intercessions. Once, when the city was suffering from a long drought, the Saint gathered the city’s Christians (who numbered no more than 280), told them to fast, and celebrated an all-night vigil. The next morning, as the Bishop and his entire flock went in procession through the city it began to rain. At this, 127 pagans were converted. When the pagans’ violent attacks continued, Porphyrius appealed to the Emperor Arcadius for an edict closing of the pagan temples in Gaza. With the support of St John Chrysostom the edict was issued. When the Imperial representatives entered Gaza, accompanied by Bishop Porphyrius bearing the Cross, the statue of Aphrodite in the city’s main temple shattered into pieces. Eight temples were destroyed, and a Church was built on the site of the largest. Hundreds of pagans embraced the Faith and, after instruction, were baptized by the Saint.

After twenty-five years as bishop, during which he had seen his see transformed from a small flock of beleaguered Christians into a Christian territory, Saint Porphyrius reposed in peace in 420.

St Photini the Samaritan Woman, and those with her (66)

She was the Samaritan Woman who met Christ at Jacob’s Well (John ch. 4). She repented, and told her townsmen that she had met the Christ, for which she is sometimes called the first to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. She converted her four sisters (Phota, Photis,Parasceva, and Cyriaca), and her sons (Victor and Joses), and all of them became tireless evangelists for Christ. After the martyrdom of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, she traveled to Carthage to proclaim the Gospel there. She, with her Christian sisters and sons, all met martyrdom under the persecutions of Nero. She is also commemorated on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman during the Paschal season.