John 10.1-9 (Matins Gospel, St Innocent)

1Zaista, zaista vam kažem: ko ne ulazi na vrata u tor ovèij nego prelazi na drugom mjestu on je lupež i hajduk; 2A koji ulazi na vrata jest pastir ovcama: 3Njemu vratar otvora, i ovce glas njegov slušaju, i svoje ovce zove po imenu, i izgoni ih; 4I kad svoje ovce istjera, ide pred njima, i ovce idu za njim, jer poznaju glas njegov. 5A za tuðinom neæe da idu, nego bježe od njega, jer ne poznaju glasa tuðega. 6Ovu prièu kaza im Isus, ali oni ne razumješe šta to bijaše što im kaza. 7Tada im reèe Isus opet: zaista, zaista vam kažem: ja sam vrata k ovcama. 8Svi koliko ih god doðe prije mene lupeži su i hajduci; ali ih ovce ne poslušaše. 9Ja sam vrata; ko uðe kroza me spašæe se, i uæi æe i iziæi æe, i pašu æe naæi.

Isaiah 49.6-10 (6th Hour)

6I reèe mi: malo je da mi budeš sluga da se podigne pleme Jakovljevo i da se vrati ostatak Izrailjev, nego te uèinih vidjelom narodima da budeš moje spasenje do krajeva zemaljskih. 7Ovako veli Gospod, izbavitelj Izrailjev, svetac njegov, onome kojega preziru, na koga se gadi narod, sluzi onijeh koji gospodare: carevi æe vidjeti i ustati, i knezovi æe se pokloniti radi Gospoda, koji je vjeran, radi sveca Izrailjeva, koji te je izabrao. 8Ovako veli Gospod: u vrijeme milosno usliših te, i u dan spasenja pomogoh ti; i èuvaæu te i daæu te da budeš zavjet narodu da utvrdiš zemlju i naslijediš opustjelo našljedstvo; 9Da kažeš sužnjima: izidite; onima koji su u mraku: pokažite se. Oni æe pokraj putova pasti, i paša æe im biti po svijem visokim mjestima. 10Neæe biti gladni ni žedni, neæe ih biti vruæina ni sunce; jer kome ih je žao, on æe ih voditi, i pokraj izvora vodenijeh provodiæe ih.

Genesis 31.3-16 (Vespers)

3I Gospod reèe Jakovu: vrati se u zemlju otaca svojih i u rod svoj, i ja æu biti s tobom. 4I poslav Jakov dozva Rahilju i Liju u polje k stadu svojemu. 5I reèe im: vidim gdje lice oca vašega nije prema meni kao prije; ali je Bog oca mojega bio sa mnom. 6I vi znate da sam služio ocu vašemu kako sam god mogao; 7A otac me je vaš varao i mijenjao mi platu deset puta; ali mu Bog ne dade da me ošteti; 8Kad on reèe: što bude šareno neka ti je plata, onda se mladilo sve šareno; a kad reèe: s biljegom što bude neka ti je plata, onda se mladilo sve s biljegom. 9Tako Bog uze stoku ocu vašemu i dade je meni; 10Jer kad se upaljivaše stoka, podigoh oèi svoje i vidjeh u snu, a to ovnovi i jarci što skaèu na ovce i koze bijahu šareni, s biljegama prutastim i kolastim. 11A anðeo Gospodnji reèe mi u snu: Jakove! A ja odgovorih: evo me. 12A on reèe: podigni sad oèi svoje i gledaj, ovnovi i jarci što skaèu na ovce i koze, šareni su, s biljegama prutastim i kolastim; jer vidjeh sve što ti èini Lavan. 13Ja sam Bog od Vetilja, gdje si prelio kamen i uèinio mi zavjet; ustani sada i idi iz ove zemlje, i vrati se na postojbinu svoju. 14Tada odgovori Rahilja i Lija, i rekoše mu: eda li još imamo kakav dio i našljedstvo u domu oca svojega? 15Nije li nas držao kao tuðinke kad nas je prodao? pa je još i naše novce jednako jeo. 16Jer sve ovo blago što uze Gospod ocu našemu, naše je i naše djece. Zato èini sve što ti je Gospod kazao.

Proverbs 21.3-21 (Vespers)

3Da se èini pravda i sud, milije je Gospodu nego žrtva. 4Ponosite oèi i naduto srce i oranje bezbožnièko grijeh je. 5Misli vrijedna èovjeka donose obilje, a svakoga nagla siromaštvo. 6Blago sabrano jezikom lažljivijem taština je koja prolazi meðu one koji traže smrt. 7Grabež bezbožnijeh odnijeæe ih, jer ne htješe èiniti što je pravo. 8Èiji je put kriv, on je tuð; a ko je èist, njegovo je djelo pravo. 9Bolje je sjedjeti u uglu od krova nego sa ženom svadljivom u kuæi zajednièkoj. 10Duša bezbožnikova želi zlo, ni prijatelj njegov ne nalazi milosti u njega. 11Kad potsmjevaè biva karan, ludi mudra; i kad se mudri pouèava, prima znanje. 12Uèi se pravednik od kuæe bezbožnikove, kad se bezbožnici obaraju u zlo. 13Ko zatiskuje uho svoje od vike ubogoga, vikaæe i sam, ali neæe biti uslišen. 14Dar u tajnosti utišava gnjev, i poklon u njedrima žestoku srdnju. 15Radost je pravedniku èiniti što je pravo, a strah onima koji èine bezakonje. 16Èovjek koji zaðe s puta mudrosti poèinuæe u zboru mrtvijeh. 17Ko ljubi veselje, biæe siromah; ko ljubi vino i ulje, neæe se obogatiti. 18Otkup za pravednike biæe bezbožnik i za dobre bezakonik. 19Bolje je živjeti u zemlji pustoj nego sa ženom svadljivom i gnjevljivom. 20Dragocjeno je blago i ulje u stanu mudroga, a èovjek bezuman proždire ga. 21Ko ide za pravdom i milošæu, naæi æe život, pravdu i slavu.

Hebrews 7.26-8.2 (Epistle, St Innocent)

26Jer takov nama trebaše poglavar sveštenièki: svet, bezazlen, èist, odvojen od grješnika, i koji je bio više nebesa; 27Kojemu nije potrebno svaki dan, kao sveštenicima, najprije za svoje grijehe žrtve prinositi, a potom za narodne, jer on ovo uèini jednom, kad sebe prinese. 28Jer zakon postavlja ljude za sveštenike koji imaju slabost; a rijeè zakletve koja je reèena po zakonu, postavi sina vavijek savršena.

1A ovo je glava od toga što govorimo: imamo takovoga poglavara sveštenièkoga koji sjede s desne strane prijestola velièine na nebesima; 2Koji je sluga svetinjama i istinitoj skiniji, koju naèini Gospod, a ne èovjek.

John 10.9-16 (Gospel, St Innocent)

9Ja sam vrata; ko uðe kroza me spašæe se, i uæi æe i iziæi æe, i pašu æe naæi. 10Lupež ne dolazi ni za što drugo nego da ukrade i ubije i pogubi; ja doðoh da imaju život i izobilje. 11Ja sam pastir dobri; pastir dobri dušu svoju polaže za ovce, 12A najamnik, koji nije pastir, kome nijesu ovce svoje, vidi vuka gdje ide, i ostavlja ovce, i bježi: i vuk razgrabi ovce i raspudi ih; 13A najamnik bježi, jer je najamnik i ne mari za ovce. 14Ja sam pastir dobri i znam svoje, i moje mene znaju. 15Kao što mene zna otac i ja znam oca; i dušu svoju polažem za ovce. 16I druge ovce imam koje nijesu iz ovoga tora, i one mi valja dovesti; i èuæe glas moj, i biæe jedno stado i jedan pastir.

St Innocent, enlightener of Alaska and Siberia (1879)

He was born in Siberia in 1797 to a clerical family, and became a married parish priest in Irkutsk. A devout explorer, John Kriukov, told him of the great spiritual needs among the Russian and native peoples in Alaska, then Russian territory. Moved to serve Christ in this very difficult environment, he and his family arrived in Alaska in 1824. He quickly learned the Aleut language and worked humbly and tirelessly among the Aleuts. His spiritual classic, An Indication of the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven, was originally written in Aleut and later translated into many languages.

While he was visiting Russia in 1838, his wife died; one year later he was tonsured a monk and given the name of Innocent (he had been Fr John Veniaminov). Almost immediately after his tonsuring he was, without warning, raised to the rank of Bishop of all Eastern Siberia and Russian America, probably the largest diocese in the world at that time. Returning to Alaska, he continued his missionary work with vigor, often traveling among Aleut and Tlingit settlements in his own kayak. Wherever he went, he found the Alaskan people hungry for the faith, and his labors bore rich fruit which is still obvious today: Alaska has more Orthodox churches per capita than any other state.

In old age he was made Metropolitan of Moscow, head of the entire Russian Orthodox Church. His concern for Christian mission was undiminished, and as Metropolitan he created the Orthodox Missionary Society. He reposed on Holy Saturday of 1879.

Hieromartyr Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra (326)

He was born in Cilicia in Asia Minor, and became Bishop of Gangra, the capital of Paphlagonia. He took part in the First Ecumenical Council, where he was praised by all for his piety and miracles. It is said that the Emperor Constantius kept a bust of Hypatius in his palace as a weapon against demonic powers. The Saint was murdered by the Novatians, a sect which believed that there is no forgiveness for sins committed after Baptism. [The popularity of this belief helps to explain why many believers at that time postponed baptism until very late in life.] As Hypatius was traveling home from Constantinople, they attacked him on the road and stoned him to death. A woman who took part in the attack went mad and began to beat herself with a stone; she was only healed when her friends took her to the grave of St Hypatius and prayed for her. Restored by his compassionate intercession, she spent the rest of her life in repentance and prayer.

St Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow (1461)

He became a monk at the age of twelve and lived in the Simonov Monastery near Moscow. He later became Bishop of Ryazan, then was chosen as Metropolitan of Moscow (at this time the Russian Church was still under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the Metropolitanate of Moscow was its highest office). But through some political intrigue, a man named Isidore became Metropolitan instead. It was this Isidore who attended the Council of Florence and voted for the infamous Union with Rome perpetrated there. When he returned to Moscow three years later he was condemned as an apostate and exiled. Bishop Jonah at last became Metropolitan in his place. In his lifetime he was widely known as a healer, wonder-worker, seer and spiritual father. In his last years he prayed to suffer greatly through some illness, so as to be purified by his sufferings. In answer to this prayer, he was given wounds in his feet, of which he died. His relics continued to perform many wonders. The Prologue recounts, “A dumb man, John, was brought to the saint’s relics. John kissed Jonah’s hand and, as he related afterwards, the hand grabbed hold of his tongue and he felt a sharp pain. When it let his tongue go, he went back to his friends — and spoke as if he had never been dumb.”