18. септембар 2026.
Friday of the 16th week after Pentecost

Fast

Commemorations

St Eumenes, bishop of Gortyrna (7th c.)
St Ariadne of Phrygia (2nd c.)

Scripture Readings

Ephesians 1.7-17 (Epistle)

7U kome imamo izbavljenje krvlju njegovom, i oproštenje grijeha, po bogatstvu blagodati njegove, 8Koju je preumnožio u nama u svakoj premudrosti i razumu, 9Pokazavši nam tajnu volje svoje, po ugodnosti svojoj koju naprijed pokaza u njemu, 10Za uredbu izvršetka vremena, da se sve sastavi u Hristu što je na nebesima i na zemlji; u njemu, 11Kroz kojega i našljednici postasmo, naprijed odreðeni bivši po naredbi Boga koji sve èini po savjetu volje svoje, 12Da bismo bili na hvalu slave njegove, mi koji smo se naprijed uzdali u Hrista, 13Kroz kojega i vi, èuvši rijeè istine, jevanðelje spasenija svojega, u kojemu i vjerovavši zapeèatiste se svetijem duhom obeæanja, 14Koji je zalog našljedstva našega za izbavljenje teèevine na hvalu slave njegove. 15Zato i ja èuvši vašu vjeru u Hrista Isusa, i ljubav k svima svetima, 16Ne prestajem zahvaljivati za vas, i spominjati vas u svojijem molitvama, 17Da Bog Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista, otac slave, dade vam Duha premudrosti i otkrivenja da ga poznate,

Mark 8.1-10 (Gospel)

1U to vrijeme, kad bijaše vrlo mnogo naroda i ne imadijahu šta jesti, dozva Isus uèenike svoje i reèe im: 2Žao mi je naroda, jer veæ tri dana stoje kod mene i nemaju ništa jesti. 3I ako ih otpustim gladne kuæama njihovijem, oslabiæe na putu; jer su mnogi od njih došli izdaleka. 4I odgovoriše mu uèenici njegovi: otkuda æemo uzeti hljeba ovdje u pustinji da ih nahranimo? 5I zapita ih: koliko imate hljebova? A oni kazaše: sedam. 6I zapovjedi narodu da posjedaju po zemlji; i uzevši onijeh sedam hljebova i hvalu davši, prelomi, i dade uèenicima svojijem da razdadu; i razdadoše narodu. 7I imahu malo ribica; i njih blagoslovivši reèe da i njih razdadu. 8I jedoše, i nasitiše se, i nakupiše komada što preteèe sedam kotarica. 9A onijeh što su jeli bijaše oko èetiri hiljade. I otpusti ih. 10I odmah uðe u laðu s uèenicima svojijem, i doðe u okoline Dalmanutske.

Commemorations

St Eumenes, bishop of Gortyrna (7th c.)

“He gave himself to Christ with his whole heart from his youth, freeing himself from two heavy burdens: the burden of riches and the burden of the flesh. He freed himself from the first by giving away all his goods to the poor and needy, and from the latter by strict fasting. He thus healed himself and was able to heal others. Passionless and filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, Eumenius shone with a radiance that could not be hidden, as it is written: ‘A city set on a hill cannot be hid’ (Matt. 5:14), and so holy Eumenius could not be hidden from the world. Seeing him, the people chose him as their bishop in Gortyna. As a bishop, he governed Christ’s flock as a good shepherd. He was a father to the poor, riches to the needy, consolation to the sad, healing to the sick and a marvellous wonder-worker. He worked many miracles by his prayers: he killed a poisonous snake, drove out demons, healed many of the sick, and did this not only in his home city but in Rome and in the Thebaid. In the Thebaid, he brought rain from God in a time of drought, and there finally finished his earthly course and entered into the eternal presence of his Lord. He lived and worked in the seventh century.” (Prologue)

St Ariadne of Phrygia (2nd c.)

She lived during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian in the town of Promisea in Phrygia. Though a Christian, she was the slave of a pagan nobleman named Tertullus. To celebrate his son’s birthday, Tertullus ordered his entire household to come to a pagan temple and make sacrifice to the idols; but Ariadne stayed home, praying to the only true God. This infuriated Tertullus, who beat her, threw her in prison, then drove her from his house. He quickly changed his mind and sent his servants to bring her back. When Ariadne saw her persecutors drawing near, she knelt by a large rock and prayed. The rock split open and hid her. At this point, the Synaxarion says that Angels bearing spears appeared around the rock and drove her pursuers away. The Prologue says that the servants, unable to find Ariadne, quarrelled among themselves, came to blows, and died at one another’s hands.