1 Peter 1.1-2, 10-12, 2.6-10 (Epistle)

1Od Petra, apostola Isusa Hrista, izbranijem došljacima, rasijanijem po Pontu, Galatiji, Kapadokiji, Aziji i Vitiniji; 2Po proviðenju Boga oca, svetinjom Duha dovedenijem u poslušanje i kropljenje krvi Isusa Hrista: da vam se umnoži blagodat i mir. 10Koje spasenije tražiše i ispitivaše za nj proroci, koji za vašu blagodat prorekoše; 11Ispitujuæi u kakovo ili u koje vrijeme javljaše Duh Hristov u njima, naprijed svjedoèeæi za Hristove muke i za slave po tome; 12Kojima se otkri da ne samijem sebi nego nama služahu ovijem što vam se sad javi po onima koji vam propovjediše jevanðelje poslanijem s neba Duhom svetijem, u koje anðeli žele zaviriti. 6Jer u pismu stoji napisano: evo meæem u Sionu kamen krajeugalan izbrani i skupocjeni; i ko njega vjeruje neæe se postidjeti. 7Vama dakle koji vjerujete èast je; a onima koji se protive kamen koji odbaciše zidari on posta glava od ugla, i kamen spoticanja i stijena sablazni: 8Na koji se i spotièu koji se protive rijeèi, na što su i odreðeni. 9A vi ste izbrani rod, carsko sveštenstvo, sveti narod, narod dobitka, da objavite dobrodjetelji onoga koji vas dozva iz tame k èudnome vidjelu svome; 10Koji nekad ne bijaste narod, a sad ste narod Božij; koji ne bijaste pomilovani, a sad ste pomilovani.

Mark 12.1-12 (Gospel)

1I poèe im govoriti u prièama: posadi èovjek vinograd, i ogradi plotom, i iskopa pivnicu, i naèini kulu, i dade ga vinogradarima, pa otide. 2I kad doðe vrijeme, posla k vinogradarima slugu da primi od vinogradara od roda vinogradskoga. 3A oni uhvativši slugu izbiše ga, i poslaše prazna. 4I opet posla k njima drugoga slugu; i onoga biše kamenjem i razbiše mu glavu, i poslaše ga sramotna. 5I opet posla drugoga; i onoga ubiše; i mnoge druge, jedne izbiše a jedne pobiše. 6Još dakle imaše jedinoga svojega milog sina, posla i njega najposlije k njima govoreæi: postidjeæe se sina mojega. 7A vinogradari rekoše u sebi: ovo je našljednik, hodite da ga ubijemo, i nama æe ostati oèevina njegova. 8I uhvatiše ga, i ubiše, i izbaciše ga napolje iz vinograda. 9Šta æe dakle uèiniti gospodar od vinograda? Doæi æe i pogubiæe vinogradare, i daæe vinograd drugima. 10Zar nijeste èitali u pismu ovo: kamen koji odbaciše zidari, onaj posta glava od ugla; 11To bi od Gospoda i divno je u našijem oèima? 12I gledahu da ga uhvate, ali se pobojaše naroda; jer razumješe da za njih govori prièu; i ostavivši ga otidoše.

Hieromartyr Clement of Ancyra, and Martyr Agathangelus (296)

He was from Ancyra in Galatia, son of a pagan father and a Christian mother named Euphrosyne. His mother prophesied on her deathbed that he would suffer great torments for Christ over many years. After her death he was adopted and reared by a pious woman named Sophia. From the age of twelve, he began to fast and pray like the monks, so that he was soon ordained a deacon, and became Bishop of Ancyra at the age of twenty. His piety and zeal for the faith attracted the attention of the Imperial Governor of the region, who had him arrested. Thus began Clement’s twenty-eight years of almost continuous suffering for the Faith. When he stood firm despite many tortures, he was sent to the Emperor Diocletian in Rome. The Emperor showed him a table set with costly vessels on one side, and another decked with instruments of torture on the other, and bade Clement to make his choice. The Saint replied: “These precious vessels remind how much more glorious must be the eternal good things of Paradise; and these instruments of torture remind me of the everlasting punishments of hell that await those who deny the Lord.”

The Saint was viciously tortured, then transported to Nicomedia, where a converted pagan named Agathangelus (‘good angel’) became his companion. For many years they endured unspeakable torments alternating with long imprisonments, but nothing would move them to deny the precious Faith of Christ. After twenty-eight years of suffering, Agathangelus was beheaded; but Clement was briefly paroled and allowed to celebrate the services of Theophany and to give the holy Communion to his fellow-Christians. A few days later, as he was again celebrating the Divine Liturgy, some pagan soldiers burst into the church and beheaded him at the altar.