Acts 17.1-15 (Epistle)

1Prošavši pak Amfipolj i Apoloniju doðoše u Solun, gdje bješe zbornica Jevrejska. 2I Pavle po obièaju svome uðe k njima, i tri subote razgovara se s njima iz pisma, 3Pokazujuæi i dokazujuæi im da je trebalo Hristos da postrada i vaskrsne iz mrtvijeh, i da ovaj Isus kojega ja, reèe, propovijedam vama, jest Hristos. 4I neki od njih vjerovaše, i pristaše s Pavlom i sa Silom, i od pobožnijeh Grka mnoštvo veliko, i od žena gospodskijeh ne malo. 5Ali tvrdovrati Jevreji zaviðahu, i uzevši neke zle ljude od prostoga naroda, i sabravši èetu, uzbuniše po gradu, i napadoše na kuæu Jasonovu, i tražahu ih da izvedu pred narod. 6A kad njih ne naðoše, povukoše Jasona i neke od braæe pred starješine gradske vièuæi: ovi što zamutiše vasioni svijet doðoše i ovdje, 7Koje Jason primi; i ovi svi rade protiv æesarevijeh zapovijesti, govoreæi da ima drugi car, Isus. 8I smutiše narod i starješine gradske koji ovo èuše. 9Ali kad ih Jason i ostali zadovoljiše odgovorom, pustiše ih. 10A braæa odmah noæu opraviše Pavla i Silu u Veriju. Došavši onamo uðoše u zbornicu Jevrejsku. 11Ovi pak bijahu plemenitiji od onijeh što žive u Solunu; oni primiše rijeè sa svijem srcem, i svaki dan istraživahu po pismu je li to tako. 12Tako vjerovaše mnogi od njih, i od poštenijeh Grèkijeh žena i od ljudi ne malo. 13A kad razabraše Jevreji Solunski da Pavle u Veriji propovjedi rijeè Božiju, doðoše i onamo te uzdigoše i pobuniše narod. 14A braæa onda odmah opraviše Pavla da ide u primorje; a Sila i Timotije ostaše ondje. 15A pratioci dovedoše Pavla do Atine; i primivši zapovijest na Silu i Timotija da doðu k njemu što brže, vratiše se.

John 11.47-57 (Gospel)

47Onda glavari sveštenièki i fariseji sabraše skupštinu, i govorahu: šta æemo èiniti? Èovjek ovaj èini mnoga èudesa. 48Ako ga ostavimo tako, svi æe ga vjerovati; pa æe doæi Rimljani i uzeti nam zemlju i narod. 49A jedan od njih, po imenu Kajafa, koji one godine bješe poglavar sveštenièki, reèe im: vi ne znate ništa; 50I ne mislite da je nama bolje da jedan èovjek umre za narod, negoli da narod sav propadne. 51A ovo ne reèe sam od sebe, nego, buduæi poglavar sveštenièki one godine, proreèe da Isusu valja umrijeti za narod; 52I ne samo za narod, nego da i rasijanu djecu Božiju skupi ujedno. 53Od toga dakle dana dogovoriše se da ga ubiju. 54A Isus više ne hoðaše javno po Judejcima, nego odande otide u kraj blizu pustinje u grad po imenu Jefrem, i ondje hoðaše s uèenicima svojima. 55A bješe blizu pasha Jevrejska, i mnogi iz onoga kraja doðoše u Jerusalim prije pashe da se oèiste. 56Tada tražahu Isusa, i stojeæi u crkvi govorahu meðu sobom: šta mislite vi zašto ne dolazi na praznik? 57A glavari sveštenièki i fariseji izdaše zapovijest ako ga ko opazi gdje je, da javi da ga uhvate.

Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra and seven virgin-martyrs with him (303)

Theodotus was a married inn-keeper in Ancyra during the persecutions of Diocletian. He used his inn-keeping trade as a means of secretly helping the persecuted Christians, many of whom used his inn as a refuge in time of need. One of his holy works was to retrieve the bodies of martyred Christians and give them burial. At that time, seven maidens were tried and tortured for their faith in Christ, then killed by being thrown into a lake. One of them, St Tecusa, appeared to St Theodotus and asked him to retrieve the bodies of her and her sisters in Christ. Under cover of night Theodotus, guided by an Angel, was able to find all seven bodies and bury them honorably. But a friend whom he had asked to help him in this work betrayed him, and he was arrested and subjected to cruel tortures. Finally he was sentenced to be beheaded. As he went to the block, he said to the many Christians who had gathered to weep for him: ‘Do not weep for me, brethren, but glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, by whose aid I am finishing my course and overcoming the enemy.’ A church dedicated to him was later built on the site of his burial.

Holy Martyrs Peter, Dionysius, Christina, Andrew, Paul, Benedimus, Paulinus, and Heraclius (250)

“These Saints all contested in martyrdom during the reign of Decius (249-251). Peter was from Lampsacus in the Hellespont. For refusing to offer sacrifice to the idol of Aphrodite, his whole body was crushed and broken with chains and pieces of wood on a torture-wheel; having endured this torment courageously, he gave up his soul.

“Paul and Andrew were soldiers from Mesopotamia brought to Athens with their governor; there they were put in charge of two captive Christians, Dionysius and Christina. The soldiers, seeing the beauty of the virgin Christina, attempted to move her to commit sin with them, but she refused and, by her admonitions, brought them to faith in Christ. They and Dionysius were stoned to death, and Christina was beheaded.

“Heraclius, Paulinus,and Benedimus were Athenians, and preachers of the Gospel who turned many of the heathen from their error to the light of Christ. Brought before the governor, they confesed their Faith, and after many torments were beheaded.” (Great Horologion)

The Prologue adds: “One Nicomachus, who was tortured with them, denied Christ under torture, and instantly lost his mind, tearing at his body with his teeth and foaming at the mouth until he breathed his last.”