Isaiah 5.7-16 (6th Hour)

7Da, vinograd je Gospoda nad vojskama dom Izrailjev, i ljudi su Judejci mili sad njegov; on èeka sud, a gle nasilja, èeka pravdu, a gle vike. 8Teško onima koji sastavljaju kuæu s kuæom, i njivu na njivu nastavljaju, da veæ ne bude mjesta i vi sami ostanete u zemlji. 9Od Gospoda nad vojskama èuh: mnoge kuæe opustjeæe, u velikim i lijepijem neæe biti nikoga. 10Jer æe deset rala vinograda dati jedan vat, i gomer sjemena daæe efu. 11Teško onima koji rane, te idu na silovito piæe i ostaju do mraka dok ih vino raspali. 12I na gozbama su im gusle i psaltiri i bubnji i svirale i vino; a ne gledaju na djela Gospodnja i ne vide rada ruku njegovijeh. 13Zato se narod moj odvede u ropstvo što ne znaju, i koje poštuje gladuju, i ljudstvo njegovo gine od žeði. 14Zato se raširio grob i razvalio ždrijelo svoje preveæ, i siæi æe u nj slava njegova i mnoštvo njegovo i vreva njegova i koji se vesele u njemu. 15I pognuæe se prost èovjek, i visoki æe se poniziti, i ponosite oèi oboriæe se; 16Gospod nad vojskama uzvisiæe se sudom, i Bog sveti posvetiæe se pravdom.

Genesis 4.8-15 (Vespers)

8Poslije govoraše Kajin s Aveljem bratom svojim. Ali kad bijahu u polju, skoèi Kajin na Avelja brata svojega, i ubi ga. 9Tada reèe Gospod Kajinu: gdje ti je brat Avelj? A on odgovori: ne znam; zar sam ja èuvar brata svojega? 10A Bog reèe: šta uèini! glas krvi brata tvojega vièe sa zemlje k meni. 11I sada, da si proklet na zemlji, koja je otvorila usta svoja da primi krv brata tvojega iz ruke tvoje. 12Kad zemlju uzradiš, neæe ti više davati blaga svojega. Biæeš potukaè i bjegunac na zemlji. 13A Kajin reèe Gospodu: krivica je moja velika da mi se ne može oprostiti. 14Evo me tjeraš danas iz ove zemlje da se krijem ispred tebe, i da se skitam i potucam po zemlji, pa æe me ubiti ko me udesi. 15A Gospod mu reèe: zato ko ubije Kajina, sedam æe se puta to pokajati. I naèini Gospod znak na Kajinu da ga ne ubije ko ga udesi.

Proverbs 5.1-15 (Vespers)

1Sine moj, slušaj mudrost moju, k razumu mojemu prigni uho svoje, 2Da se držiš razboritosti, i usne tvoje da hrane znanje. 3Jer s usana tuðe žene kaplje med, i grlo joj je mekše od ulja; 4Ali joj je pošljedak gorak kao pelen, oštar kao maè s obje strane oštar. 5Noge joj slaze k smrti, do pakla dopiru koraci njezini. 6Da ne bi mjerio puta životnoga, savijaju se staze njezine da ne znaš. 7Zato, djeco, poslušajte mene, i ne otstupajte od rijeèi usta mojih. 8Neka je daleko od nje put tvoj, i ne približuj se k vratima kuæe njezine, 9Da ne bi dao drugima slave svoje i godina svojih nemilostivome, 10Da se ne bi tuðinci nasitili tvojega blaga i trud tvoj da ne bi bio u tuðoj kuæi, 11I da ne ridaš na pošljedak, kad se stroši meso tvoje i tijelo tvoje, 12I reèeš: kako mrzih na nastavu, i kako srce moje prezira karanje! 13I ne poslušah glasa uèitelja svojih, i ne prignuh uha svojega k onima koji me uèahu! 14Umalo ne zapadoh u svako zlo usred zbora i skupštine. 15Pij vodu iz svojega studenca i što teèe iz tvojega izvora.

St Sophronios, patriarch of Jerusalem (638)

He was born in Damascus to an eminent family, and was well educated in his youth. Discontented with the wisdom of the world, he entered monastic life in the monastery of St Theodosius, where he became the lifelong friend and disciple of John Moschos. Together they visited the monasteries and hermitages of Egypt; they later wrote down their discoveries among the holy monks in the classic Spiritual Meadow. After the death of his teacher, St Sophronius traveled to Jerusalem, which had just been liberated from the Persians. He was there to see the Precious Cross returned from Persia by the Emperor Heraclius, who carried it into Jerusalem on his back. A few years later, in 634, St Sophronius was elected Patriarch of Jerusalem, where he served his flock wisely for three years and three months. He was zealous in the defense of Orthodoxy against the Monothelite heresy: He convoked a Council in Jerusalem which condemned it before it was condemned at the Sixth Ecumenical Council. The holy Patriarch even traveled to Constantinople to rebuke the Patriarch Sergius and Emperor Heraclius, who had embraced the Monothelite error.

The years of peace were few for the Holy Land; for just as the Persian Empire was decisively defeated by Heraclius, the followers of Islam erupted out of Arabia, conquering most of North Africa and the Middle East in a few years. The Saint was so grieved by the capture of Jerusalem in 637 by the Caliph Omar that begged God to take him, so that he might not live to see the desecration of the holy places. His prayer was granted, and he reposed in peace less than a year later.

St Sophronios is the author of the Life of Saint Mary of Egypt, appointed to be read in the churches during every Great Lent. He also wrote the service of the Great Blessing of the Waters. Some have attributed the Vesperal hymn “Gladsome Light” to him, but we know that it dates from before the time of St Basil the Great, who mentions it in his writings. It seems though, that St Sophronios supplemented the hymn, and that its present form is due to him.

St John Moschos, author of the Spiritual Meadow (622)

He is commemorated today along with his disciple and friend St Sophronius (see above).

Holy Martyr Pionius (250)

“A priest of Smyrna, he suffered there in the time of Decius’ persecution. They condemned him to be crucified, which was a great joy to him. And as soon as the soldiers assembled the cross and laid it on the ground, Pionius laid himself on it and stretched out his arms, calling to the soldiers to put the nails into his hands. The cross was inserted into the ground upside down, and a fire lit under the martyr’s head. There were many bystanders. Pionius closed his eyes and prayed to God within himself. The flames could not succeed in igniting even his hair, and when the fire had at last gone out and everyone thought that he was dead, Pionius opened his eyes and cried out joyfully: ‘O Lord, receive my spirit!’, and breathed his last. This saint wrote the life of St Polycarp of Smyrna, together with whom he now makes merry in the Kingdom of Christ. He suffered and was glorified in 250.” (Prologue)