Isaiah 43.9-14 (Vespers)

9Svi narodi neka se skupe, i neka se saberu plemena; ko je izmeðu njih naprijed kazao to ili nam kazao što je bilo prije? Neka dovedu svjedoke svoje i opravdaju se; ili neka èuju, i reku: istina je. 10Vi ste moji svjedoci, veli Gospod, i sluga moj kojega izabrah, da biste znali i vjerovali mi i razumjeli da sam ja; prije mene nije bilo Boga niti æe poslije mene biti. 11Ja sam, ja sam Gospod, i osim mene nema spasitelja. 12Ja objavih, i spasoh, i naprijed kazah, a nikoji tuð bog meðu vama, i vi ste mi svjedoci, veli Gospod, i ja sam Bog. 13Ja sam od prije nego dan posta, i niko ne može izbaviti iz moje ruke; kad radim, ko æe smesti? 14Ovako govori Gospod izbavitelj vaš, svetac Izrailjev: vas radi poslaæu u Vavilon i pobacaæu sve prijevornice, i Haldejce s laðama, kojima se hvale.

Wisdom of Solomon 3.1-9 (Vespers)

Wisdom of Solomon 5.15-6.3 (Vespers)

Matthew 28.16-20 (1st Matins Gospel)

16A jedanaest uèenika otidoše u Galileju u goru kuda im je kazao Isus. 17I kad ga vidješe, pokloniše mu se; a jedni posumnjaše. 18I pristupivši Isus reèe im govoreæi: dade mi se svaka vlast na nebu i na zemlji. 19Idite dakle i nauèite sve narode krsteæi ih va ime oca i sina i svetoga Duha, 20Uèeæi ih da sve drže što sam vam zapovijedao; i evo ja sam s vama u sve dane do svršetka vijeka. Amin.

Hebrews 11.33-12.2 (Epistle)

33Koji vjerom pobijediše carstva, uèiniše pravdu, dobiše obeæanja, zatvoriše usta lavovima, 34Ugasiše silu ognjenu, utekoše od oštrica maèa, ojaèaše od nemoæi, postaše jaki u bitkama, rastjeraše vojske tuðe; 35Žene primiše svoje mrtve iz vaskrsenija; a drugi biše pobijeni, ne primivši izbavljenja, da dobiju bolje vaskrsenije; 36A drugi ruganje i boj podnesoše, pa još i okove i tamnice; 37Kamenjem pobijeni biše, pretrveni biše, iskušani biše, od maèa pomriješe; idoše u kožusima i u kozijim kožama, u sirotinji, u nevolji, u sramoti; 38Kojijeh ne bijaše dostojan svijet, po pustinjama potucaše se, i po gorama i po peæinama i po rupama zemaljskijem. 39I ovi svi dobivši svjedoèanstvo vjerom ne primiše obeæanja; 40Jer Bog nešto bolje za nas odredi, da ne prime bez nas savršenstva.

1Zato dakle i mi imajuæi oko sebe toliku gomilu svjedoka, da odbacimo svako breme i grijeh koji je za nas prionuo, i s trpljenjem da trèimo u bitku koja nam je odreðena, 2Gledajuæi na naèelnika vjere i svršitelja Isusa, koji mjesto odreðene sebi radosti pretrplje krst, ne mareæi za sramotu, i sjede s desne strane prijestola Božijega.

Matthew 10.32-33, 37-38, 19.27-30 (Gospel)

32A koji god prizna mene pred ljudima, priznaæu i ja njega pred ocem svojijem koji je na nebesima. 33A ko se odreèe mene pred ljudima, odreæi æu se i ja njega pred ocem svojijem koji je na nebesima. 37Koji ljubi oca ili mater veæma nego mene, nije mene dostojan; i koji ljubi sina ili kæer veæma nego mene, nije mene dostojan. 38I koji ne uzme krsta svojega i ne poðe za mnom, nije mene dostojan. 27Tada odgovori Petar i reèe mu: eto mi smo ostavili sve i za tobom idemo: šta æe dakle biti nama? 28A Isus reèe im: zaista vam kažem da æete vi koji idete za mnom, u drugom roðenju, kad sjede sin èovjeèij na prijestolu slave svoje, sješæete i vi na dvanaest prijestola i suditi nad dvanaest koljena Izrailjevijeh. 29I svaki, koji ostavi kuæe, ili braæu, ili sestre, ili oca, ili mater, ili ženu, ili djecu, ili zemlju, imena mojega radi, primiæe sto puta onoliko, i dobiæe život vjeèni. 30Ali æe mnogi prvi biti pošljednji i pošljednji prvi.

Holy Prophet Amos (8th c. BC)

He was an unlearned shepherd from the village of Tekoa in Zabulon, near Bethlehem. His prophecies, made during the reign of King Uzziah, make up the Old Testament book which bears his name. He is ranked third among the “minor prophets” of the Old Testament.

Holy Martyr Vitus, with Modestus and Crescentia (303)

“St Vitus was born in Sicily of eminent pagan parents. Modestus was his tutor and Crescentia his governess. St Vitus was baptised early and, when only twelve years old, began to live an intensive ascetic life. Angels appeared to him, instructing him and encouraging him in his labours, and he was himself as radiant and handsome as an angel of God. A judge who beat him had the flesh of his arm wither away, but Vitus healed it by his prayers. His father was blinded when he saw twelve angels in his room ‘with eyes like stars and faces like lightning’, but Vitus restored his sight by his prayers. When his father sought to kill him, an angel appeared to him and took him to Lucania on the bank of the river Silaris, together with Modestus and Crescentia. St Vitus performed many miracles there for the sick and insane. He went to Rome at the summons of the Emperor Diocletian and drove out an evil spirit from his son. Far from rewarding him, the Emperor tortured him cruelly when he would not bow down before mute idols, but the Lord delivered him from torture and returned him to Lucania by His invisible arm, and there he and Modestus and Crescentia entered into rest in the Lord. St Vitus’ relics are preserved in Prague.” (Prologue)

In the West, St Vitus’ aid is often invoked for the cure of many ailments, especially insanity and demonic possession. For this reason his name is given to St Vitus’ dance, an acute neurological illness that produces uncontrollable movements in the face and limbs, usually occurring in children.

Blessed Augustine, bishop of Hippo (430), and his mother Monica (387)

After seeking truth among many religious schools, including the Manicheans, Augustine was turned to faith in Christ through the cousel and fervent prayers of his mother St Monica. The story of his early life and conversion is beautifully told in his Confessions. He lived for seventy-six years, the last thirty-five as bishop of Hippo in north Africa. He died in a barbarian attack on that city.

In recent years, a few Orthodox writers have tried to deny that Augustine is a Saint of the Orthodox church (mostly due to some theological errors in his writings which have been unduly promoted in the Latin church). These claims are false: from the time of his canonization, he has been commemorated as a Saint.

Holy Martyr Lazar, Prince of Serbia (1389)

“He was one of the greatest men of Serbia who ruled the kingdom after king Dušan. Upon the death of King Uroš, Lazar was crowned King of Serbia by Patriarch Ephraim. He sent a delegation to Constantinople, including a monk called Isaiah, to plead for the removing of the anathema from the Serbian people. He went to war on several occasions against the Turkish Pasha, finally clashing with the Turkish king, Amurât, at Kosovo on June 15, 1389, being slain there. His body was taken to Ravanica near Cupria, a foundation of his, and buried there, but was later taken to New Ravanica in Srem. During the Second World War, in 1942, it was taken to Belgrade and placed in the Cathedral, where it is preserved to this day and offers comfort and healing to all who turn to him in prayer. He restored Hilandar and Gornjak, built Ravanica and the Lazarica in Kruševac and was the founder of St Panteleimon, the Russian monastery on the Holy Mountain, as well as numerous other churches and monasteries.” (Prologue)