Wisdom of Solomon 3.1-9 (Vespers, Athanasius)

Wisdom of Solomon 5.15-6.3 (Vespers, Athanasius)

Wisdom of Solomon 4.7-15 (Vespers, Athanasius)

Composite 2 - Proverbs 10, 3, 8 (Vespers, Sergius)

1The memory of a just man is praised, and the Lord’s blessing is upon his head. Blessed is one who has found wisdom; a mortal who knows understanding. To import her is better than treasures of gold and silver. She is more valuable than precious stones; nothing of value equals her worth. Justice proceeds from her mouth; she bears law and mercy on her tongue. Therefore, my children, listen to me, for I speak weighty things. And blessed is the one who keeps my ways. For my goings out are the goings out of life, and favour is prepared from the Lord. Therefore I exhort you, and utter my voice to the children of humankind. Because I, Wisdom, have prepared counsel, knowledge and understanding. I have called on them. Counsel and sureness are mine; prudence is mine, strength is mine. I love those who are my friends, while those who seek me will find grace. You innocent, then, understand cunning; you untaught, take it to heart. Listen to me, for I will speak weighty things, and I will open right things from my lips. Because my throat will meditate truth; lying lips are abominable before me. All the words of my mouth are with justice, there is nothing crooked in them nor twisted. They are all straight for those who understand, and right for those who find knowledge. For I teach you what is true, that your hope may be in the Lord and that you may be filled with spirit.

Proverbs 10.31-11.12 (Vespers, Sergius)

31Usta pravednikova iznose mudrost, a jezik opaki istrijebiæe se. 32Usne pravednikove znaju što je milo, a bezbožnièka su usta opaèina.

1Lažna su mjerila mrska Gospodu, a prava mjera ugodna mu je. 2Kad doðe oholost, doðe i sramota; a u smjernijeh je mudrost. 3Pravedne vodi bezazlenost njihova, a bezakonike satire zloæa njihova. 4Neæe pomoæi bogatstvo u dan gnjeva, a pravda izbavlja od smrti. 5Pravda bezazlenoga upravlja put njegov, a bezbožnik pada od svoje bezbožnosti. 6Pravedne izbavlja pravda njihova, a bezakonici hvataju se u svojoj zloæi. 7Kad umire bezbožnik, propada nadanje, i najjaèe uzdanje propada. 8Pravednik se izbavlja iz nevolje, a bezbožnik dolazi na njegovo mjesto. 9Licemjer kvari ustima bližnjega svojega; ali se pravednici izbavljaju znanjem. 10Dobru pravednijeh raduje se grad; a kad propadaju bezbožnici, biva pjevanje. 11Blagoslovima pravednijeh ljudi podiže se grad, a s usta bezbožnièkih raskopava se. 12Bezumnik se ruga bližnjemu svojemu, a razuman èovjek muèi.

Wisdom of Solomon 3.1-9 (Vespers, Sergius)

Luke 24.12-35 (5th Matins Gospel)

12A Petar ustavši otrèa ka grobu, i natkuèivši se vidje same haljine gdje leže, i otide èudeæi se u sebi šta bi. 13I gle, dvojica od njih iðahu u onaj dan u selo koje bijaše daleko od Jerusalima šeset potrkališta i zvaše se Emaus. 14A oni govorahu meðu sobom o svima ovijem dogaðajima. 15I kad se oni razgovarahu i zapitivahu jedan drugoga, i Isus približi se, i iðaše s njima. 16A oèi im se držahu da ga ne poznaše. 17A on im reèe: kakav je to razgovor koji imate meðu sobom iduæi, i što ste neveseli? 18A jedan po imenu Kleopa, odgovarajuæi reèe mu: zar si ti jedan od crkvara u Jerusalimu koji nijesi èuo šta je u njemu bilo ovijeh dana? 19I reèe im: šta? A oni mu rekoše: za Isusa Nazareæanina, koji bješe prorok, silan u djelu i u rijeèi pred Bogom i pred svijem narodom; 20Kako ga predadoše glavari sveštenièki i knezovi naši te se osudi na smrt, i razapeše ga? 21A mi se nadasmo da je on onaj koji æe izbaviti Izrailja; ali svrh svega toga ovo je danas treæi dan kako to bi. 22A uplašiše nas i žene neke od našijeh koje su bile rano na grobu, 23I ne našavši tijela njegova doðoše govoreæi da su im se anðeli javili koji su kazali da je on živ. 24I idoše jedni od našijeh na grob, i naðoše tako kao što i žene kazaše, ali njega ne vidješe. 25I on im reèe: o bezumni i sporoga srca za vjerovanje svega što govoriše proroci! 26Nije li to trebalo da Hristos pretrpi i da uðe u slavu svoju? 27I poèevši od Mojsija i od sviju proroka kazivaše im što je za njega u svemu pismu. 28I približiše se k selu u koje iðahu, i on èinjaše se da hoæe dalje da ide. 29I oni ga ustavljahu govoreæi: ostani s nama, jer je dan nagao, i blizu je noæ. I uðe s njima da noæi. 30I kad sjeðaše s njima za trpezom, uze hljeb i blagoslovivši prelomi ga i dade im. 31Tada se njima otvoriše oèi i poznaše ga. I njega nestade. 32I oni govorahu jedan drugome: ne goraše li naše srce u nama kad nam govoraše putem i kad nam kazivaše pismo? 33I ustavši onaj èas, vratiše se u Jerusalim, i naðoše u skupu jedanaestoricu i koji bijahu s njima, 34Koji govorahu: zaista ustade Gospod, i javi se Simonu. 35I oni kazaše što bi na putu, i kako ga poznaše kad prelomi hljeb.

Romans 10.1-10 (Epistle)

1Braæo! želja je mojega srca i molitva k Bogu za spasenije Izrailja. 2Jer im svjedoèim da imaju revnost za Boga, ali ne po razumu. 3Jer ne poznajuæi pravde Božije i gledajuæi da svoju pravdu utvrde ne pokoravaju se pravdi Božijoj. 4Jer je Hristos svršetak zakona: koji ga god vjeruje opravdan je. 5Jer Mojsije piše za pravdu koja je od zakona: koji èovjek to èini življeæe u tom. 6A pravda koja je od vjere ovako govori: da ne reèeš u srcu svojemu: ko æe iziæi na nebo? to jest da svede Hrista; 7Ili: ko æe siæi u bezdan? to jest da izvede Hrista iz mrtvijeh. 8Ali šta govori pismo? Blizu ti je rijeè u ustima tvojima i u srcu tvojemu, to jest rijeè vjere koju propovijedamo. 9Jer ako priznaješ ustima svojima da je Isus Gospod, i vjeruješ u srcu svojemu da ga Bog podiže iz mrtvijeh, biæeš spasen. 10Jer se srcem vjeruje za pravdu a ustima se priznaje za spasenije.

Galatians 5.22-6.2 (Epistle, either Saint)

22A rod je duhovni ljubav, radost, mir, trpljenje, dobrota, milost, vjera, 23Krotost, uzdržanje; na to nema zakona. 24A koji su Hristovi, raspeše tijelo sa slastima i željama. 25Ako u duhu živimo, po duhu i da hodimo, 26Da ne tražimo lažne slave razdražujuæi jedan drugoga, i zavideæi jedan drugome.

1Braæo! ako i upadne èovjek u kakav grijeh, vi duhovni ispravljajte takovoga duhom krotosti, èuvajuæi sebe da i ti ne budeš iskušan. 2Nosite bremena jedan drugoga, i tako æete ispuniti zakon Hristov.

Matthew 8.28-9.1 (Gospel)

28A kad doðe na onu stranu u zemlju Gergesinsku, sretoše ga dva bijesna, koji izlaze iz grobova, tako zla da ne mogaše niko proæi putem onijem. 29I gle, povikaše: što je tebi do nas, Isuse, sine Božij? zar si došao amo prije vremena da muèiš nas? 30A daleko od njih pasijaše veliki krd svinja. 31I ðavoli moljahu ga govoreæi: ako nas izgoniš, pošlji nas da idemo u krd svinja. 32I reèe im: idite. I oni izišavši otidoše u svinje. I gle, navali sav krd s brijega u more, i potopiše se u vodi. 33A svinjari pobjegoše; i došavši u grad kazaše sve, i za bijesne. 34I gle, sav grad iziðe na susret Isusu; i vidjevši ga moliše da bi otišao iz njihovoga kraja.

1I ušavši u laðu prijeðe i doðe u svoj grad.

Luke 6.17-23 (Gospel, either Saint)

17I izišavši s njima stade na mjestu ravnom, i gomila uèenika njegovijeh; i mnoštvo naroda iz sve Judeje i iz Jerusalima, i iz primorja Tirskoga i Sidonskoga, 18Koji doðoše da ga slušaju i da se iscjeljuju od svojijeh bolesti, i koje muèahu duhovi neèisti; i iscjeljivahu se. 19I sav narod tražaše da ga se dotaknu; jer iz njega izlažaše sila i iscjeljivaše ih sve. 20I on podignuvši oèi na uèenike svoje govoraše: blago vama koji ste siromašni duhom; jer je vaše carstvo Božije. 21Blago vama koji ste gladni sad; jer æete se nasititi. Blago vama koji plaèete sad; jer æete se nasmijati. 22Blago vama kad na vas ljudi omrznu i kad vas rastave i osramote, i razglase ime vaše kao zlo sina radi èovjeèijega. 23Radujte se u onaj dan i igrajte, jer gle, vaša je velika plata na nebu. Jer su tako èinili prorocima ocevi njihovi.

St Athanasius of Mt Athos (1003) and his six disciples

Born in Trebizond, he was educated in Constantinople, then entered into ascetic life. Seeking greater reclusion, he went to the Holy Mountain to live in silence. But many others gathered around him, and in time he was forced to build the monastery known as the Great Lavra. As construction was being planned, he beheld the Mother of God, who miraculously brought forth water from a rock near the site, and promised him that she would be the abbess of his monastery. He died when the newly-constructed dome of the monastery collapsed while he and six of his brethren were working on it.

Uncovering of the Relics (1422) of St Sergius of Radonezh (1392)

For his life, see September 25.

Martyrdom of St Elizabeth Romanov and Nun Barbara (1918)

Grand Duchess Elizabeth was a grand-daughter of Queen Victoria of England and the older sister of the Empress Alexandra (July 4). After marrying Grand Duke Sergei she converted to the Orthodox faith, though this was not required by her position. After her husband was assassinated in 1905, she took monastic vows and withdrew from the world, founding the Convent of Saints Mary and Martha. There she served as superior, devoting her time to prayer, fasting, and caring for the sick and the poor.

During the Russian Revolution, she was seized by the God-hating Bolsheviks and taken to the Urals, where she and several with her were martyred by being thrown alive down an abandoned mine-shaft. When the fall did not kill them, soldiers threw grenades down the shaft to complete their work. Saint Elizabeth was singing the Cherubic Hymn when she died.

The Nun Barbara, her cell-attendant, voluntarily followed St Elizabeth into exile and received martyrdom with her. Their relics were recovered and taken at great risk to China, then to Jerusalem, where they were deposited in the Convent of St Mary Magdalene. When their reliquaries were opened in 1981, their bodies were found to be partly incorrupt, and gave off a sweet fragrance.

Footnote: After the assassination of her husband in Moscow, Grand Duchess Elizabeth had a cross erected at the site of his death, bearing the inscription “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” After the revolution, the cross remained standing through the devotion of the people of Moscow to St Elizabeth, until it was personally torn down by Lenin.

Our Holy Father the New Martyr Cyprian (1679)

“Born in the village of Klitzos in Epirus, Cyprian went off to the Holy Mountain after the death of his devout parents. He became a monk there and gave himself to asceticism in a cell near the monastery of Koutloumousiou. He heaped labour upon labour on himself, asceticism upon asceticism, until he came to be known and respected all over the Holy Mountain. But he was not satisfied. He was tormented by the thought that he could not be saved but by martyrdom for Christ. He therefore left the Holy Mountain and went to Salonica, appeared before the Pasha of Salonica and urged him to discard the false, Mohammedan faith and receive the true Faith of Christ. The Pasha ordered that he be whipped and driven out of the city. Dissatisfied with such little suffering for Christ, Cyprian went to Constantinople and wrote a letter to the Grand Vizier in which he set down the falseness of Mahomet and the truth of Christ the Lord. The enraged Vizier sent him to Sheik ul-Islam, and the latter heard all that Cyprian had to say, then ordered that he be beheaded. Cyprian was filled with joy beyond measure, and went to the scaffold as to his wedding. Thus this godly man suffered for Christ on July 5, 1679, and fulfilled his strong desire.” (Prologue)