2 Corinthians 3.4-11 (Epistle)

4A takovo pouzdanje imamo kroz Hrista u Boga, 5Ne da smo vrsni od sebe pomisliti što, kao od sebe, nego je naša vrsnoæa od Boga; 6Koji i uèini nas vrsne da budemo sluge novom zavjetu, ne po slovu nego po duhu; jer slovo ubija, a duh oživljuje. 7Ako li služba smrti koja je u kamenju izrezana slovima, bi u slavi da sinovi Izrailjevi ne mogoše pogledati na lice Mojsijevo od slave lica njegova koja prestaje: 8Akamoli neæe mnogo veæma služba duha biti u slavi? 9Jer kad je služba osuðenja slava, mnogo veæma izobiluje služba pravde u slavi. 10Jer i nije slavno što se proslavi s ove strane prema prevelikoj slavi. 11Jer kad je slavno ono što prestaje, mnogo æe veæma biti u slavi ono što ostaje.

Matthew 23.29-39 (Gospel)

29Teško vama književnici i fariseji, licemjeri, što zidate grobove prorocima i krasite rake pravednika, 30I govorite: da smo mi bili u vrijeme svojijeh otaca, ne bismo s njima pristali u krv proroka. 31Tijem samo svjedoèite za sebe da ste sinovi onijeh koji su pobili proroke. 32I vi dopunite mjeru otaca svojijeh. 33Zmije, porodi aspidini! kako æete pobjeæi od presude u oganj pakleni? 34Zato evo ja æu k vama poslati proroke i premudre i književnike; i vi æete jedne pobiti i raspeti, a jedne biti po zbornicama svojima i goniti od grada do grada, 35Da doðe na vas sva krv pravedna što je prolivena na zemlji od krvi Avelja pravednoga do krvi Zarije sina Varahijna, kojega ubiste meðu crkvom i oltarom. 36Zaista vam kažem da æe ovo sve doæi na rod ovaj. 37Jerusalime, Jerusalime, koji ubijaš proroke i zasipaš kamenjem poslane k sebi! koliko puta htjeh da skupim èeda tvoja, kao što kokoš skuplja piliæe svoje pod krila, i ne htjeste! 38Eto æe vam se ostaviti vaša kuæa pusta. 39Jer vam kažem: neæete mene vidjeti otsele dok ne reèete: blagosloven koji ide u ime Gospodnje.

Martyrs Anicetas and Photius of Nicomedia (305)

These holy martyrs suffered victoriously in the year 305 (Prologue) or 288 (Great Horologion), during the reign of Diocletian, who visited Nicomedia to stir up a persecution of Christians there. Anicetas, one of the city governors, presented himself before the Emperor, boldly confessed his Christian faith, and denounced the worship of the idols. Anicetas was subjected to a series of cruelties: his tongue was cut out, but he miraculously continued to speak; he was thrown to a lion, but it refused to attack him; then he was savagely beaten with rods until his bones showed through his wounds. His nephew Photius, seeing his endurance of all these trials, ran forward, embraced his uncle, and declared to the Emperor that he too was a Christian. The Emperor ordered that he be beheaded immediately, but the executioner, raising his sword, gave himself such a wound that he died instead. After many tortures, the two were put in prison for three years, then brought out and cast into a fiery furnace, where they died, though their bodies were brought out of the flames intact.

Saint Anicetas is counted as one of the Holy Unmercenaries.

Hieromaryr Alexander, Bishop of Comana (3rd c.)

“He lived in the town of Comana near Neocaesarea as a simple charcoal-burner. When the Bishop of Comana died, St Gregory of Neocaesarea, the Wonderworker (Nov. 17), was invited to preside over the Council to choose a new bishop. At the Council there were both clergy and laymen. They were unable to come to agreement on one person, estimating the candidates they selected according to their outward worth and behaviour. St Gregory told them that they must not give so much weight to the outward impression as to the soul and the spiritual aptitude. Then some wag called out mockingly: ‘Then let’s choose Alexander the charcoal-burner as bishop!’, and there was general laughter. St Gregory asked who this Alexander was. Thinking that his name would not have come up before the Council except by the providence of God, he commanded that he be brought. Being a charcoal-burner, he was black with soot and in rags, and his appearance provoked further mirth in the Council. Then Gregory took him aside and asked him to tell the truth about himself. Alexander told him that he had been a Greek philosopher, enjoying great honour and position, but that he had set it all aside, demeaned himself and made himself as a fool for Christ from the time that he had read and understood the Holy Scriptures. Gregory commanded that he be bathed and clad in new clothes, then went into the Council with him and, before them all, began to examine him in the Scriptures. All were filled with amazement at the wisdom and grace of Alexander’s words, and were quite unable to recognize the former charcoal-burner in this wise man. With one voice, they chose him as bishop, and he received the love of his flock for his holiness, his wisdom and his goodness. He died a martyr for Christ under Diocletian.” (Prologue)