2. август 2025.
Saturday of the 8th week after Pentecost

Dormition Fast — Wine and Oil are Allowed

Commemorations

Translation of the relics of the Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen (428)
Hieromartyr Stephen, Pope of Rome (257), and those with him
Blessed Basil of Moscow, fool-for-Christ (1552)

Scripture Readings

Romans 13.1-10 (Epistle)

1Svaka duša da se pokorava vlastima koje vladaju; jer nema vlasti da nije od Boga, a što su vlasti, od Boga su postavljene. 2Tako koji se suproti vlasti suproti se naredbi Božijoj; a koji se suprote primiæe grijeh na sebe. 3Jer knezovi nijesu strah dobrijem djelima nego zlijem. Hoæeš li pak da se ne bojiš vlasti, èini dobro, i imaæeš hvalu od nje; 4Jer je sluga Božij tebi za dobro. Ako li zlo èiniš, boj se; jer uzalud ne nosi maèa, jer je Božij sluga, osvetnik na gnjev onome koji zlo èini. 5Tako se valja pokoravati ne samo od straha nego i po savjesti. 6Jer zato i poreze dajete; jer su sluge Božije koje su za to isto postavljene. 7Podajte dakle svakome šta ste dužni: kome dakle porezu, porezu; a kome carinu, carinu; a kome strah, strah; a kome èast, èast. 8I ne budite nikome ništa dužni osim da ljubite jedan drugoga; jer koji ljubi drugoga zakon ispuni. 9Jer ovo: ne èini preljube, ne ubij, ne ukradi, ne svjedoèi lažno, ne zaželi, i ako ima još kakva druga zapovijest, u ovoj se rijeèi izvršuje, to jest: ljubi bližnjega svojega kao samoga sebe. 10Ljubav ne èini zla bližnjemu; daklem je ljubav izvršenje zakona.

Matthew 12.30-37 (Gospel)

30Koji nije sa mnom, protiv mene je; i koji ne sabira sa mnom, prosipa. 31Zato vam kažem: svaki grijeh i hula oprostiæe se ljudima; a na Duha svetoga hula neæe se oprostiti ljudima. 32I ako ko reèe rijeè na sina èovjeèijega, oprostiæe mu se; a koji reèe na Duha svetoga, neæe mu se oprostiti ni na ovome svijetu ni na onome. 33Ili usadite drvo dobro, i rod njegov biæe dobar; ili usadite drvo zlo, i rod njegov zao biæe; jer se po rodu drvo poznaje. 34Porodi aspidini! kako možete dobro govoriti, kad ste zli? jer usta govore od suviška srca. 35Dobar èovjek iz dobre klijeti iznosi dobro; a zao èovjek iz zle klijeti iznosi zlo. 36A ja vam kažem da æe za svaku praznu rijeè koju reku ljudi dati odgovor u dan strašnoga suda. 37Jer æeš se svojijem rijeèima opravdati, i svojijem æeš se rijeèima osuditi.

Commemorations

Translation of the relics of the Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen (428)

After the First Martyr Stephen was stoned to death, his body was left for the dogs; but his teacher Gamaliel had his body secretly taken to a place outside Jerusalem and buried by night. About the year 427, a Fr Lucian, the parish priest near the place, was told in a dream where the relics of the Protomartyr were buried. He told Patriarch John of Jerusalem, and they went together to the place revealed. Digging there they found a box labeled with the word “Stephen” in Aramaic letters. They took the sacred relics to Jerusalem in solemn procession.

Hieromartyr Stephen, Pope of Rome (257), and those with him

As Bishop of Rome from 254 to 257, he battled the Novatian heresy. By his prayers he once healed Lucilla, the daughter of the Roman tribune Nemesius; for this both father and daughter were baptized into Christ. Saint Stephen and twelve of his priests were beheaded during a celebration of the Liturgy, during the reign of Valerian.

Blessed Basil of Moscow, fool-for-Christ (1552)

At the age of sixteen, he took up the podvig of folly for Christ, in which he continued for seventy-two years, living to the age of eighty-eight. He was homeless, barefood and dressed in tatters, wandering the streets of Moscow. Though mocked by many, he spoke to strangers of their secret sins, rebuked nobles for their hard-heartedness, and slowly became known as a Saint. Tsar Ivan and the Metropolitan of Moscow attended his funeral. He was buried in the church in Moscow that now bears his name.