Scripture Readings
Galatians 2.11-16 (Epistle)
11A kad doðe Petar u Antiohiju, u oèi njemu protiv stadoh; jer bješe zazoran.
12Jer prije dok ne doðoše neki od Jakova, jeðaše s neznabošcima, a kad doðoše, ustruèavaše se i odvajaše bojeæi se onijeh koji su iz obrezanja.
13I dvolièahu s njim i ostali Judejci, tako da i Varnava prista u njihovo dvolièenje.
14A kad ja vidjeh da ne idu pravo k istini jevanðelja, rekoh Petru pred svima: kad ti koji si Jevrejin, neznabožaèki a ne Jevrejski živiš, zašto neznabošce nagoniš da žive Jevrejski?
15Mi koji smo roðeni Jevreji, a ne grješnici iz neznabožaca,
16Pa doznavši da se èovjek neæe opravdati djelima zakona, nego samo vjerom Isusa Hrista, i mi vjerovasmo Hrista Isusa da se opravdamo vjerom Hristovom, a ne djelima zakona: jer se djelima zakona nikakvo tijelo neæe opravdati.
Mark 5.24-34 (Gospel)
24I poðe s njim; i za njim iðaše naroda mnogo i turkahu ga.
25I žena nekakva koja je dvanaest godina bolovala od teèenja krvi
26I veliku muku podnijela od mnogijeh ljekara, i potrošila sve što je imala, i ništa joj nijesu pomogli, nego još gore naèinili,
27Kad je èula za Isusa, doðe u narodu sastrag, i dotaèe se haljine njegove.
28Jer govoraše: ako se samo dotaknem haljina njegovijeh ozdraviæu.
29I odmah presahnu izvor krvi njezine, i osjeti u tijelu da ozdravi od bolesti.
30I odmah Isus osjeti u sebi silu što iziðe iz njega, i obazrevši se na narod reèe: ko se to dotaèe mojijeh haljina?
31I rekoše mu uèenici njegovi: vidiš narod gdje te turka, pa pitaš: ko se dotaèe mene?
32I on se obziraše da vidi onu koja to uèini.
33A žena uplašivši se drktaše, i znajuæi što joj se dogodi, doðe i kleèe pred njim, i kaza mu svu istinu.
34A on reèe joj: kæeri! vjera tvoja pomože ti; idi s mirom, i budi zdrava od bolesti svoje.
Commemorations
Martyr Sozon of Cilicia (208/304)
He began life as a pagan shepherd in Lycaonia. Coming to faith in Christ, he was baptized and received the name Sozon (“Save”). Thereafter he took every opportunity to proclaim the Gospel to his countrymen and to urge them to give up their idols. Entering a temple of Artemis in Cilicia, he cut off its golden hand, broke it into pieces, and distributed the gold to the poor. When he learned that because of this some were being punished unjustly for theft, he gave himself up to the governor Maximian. He was beaten to death with rods, by some accounts in 288, by others in 304.
Holy Apostles Evodus and Onesiphorus of the Seventy
St Evodus (or Evodius) is mentioned by St Ignatios of Antioch. He was a disciple of the Apostle Peter and succeeded him as Bishop of Antioch. It is said that the name “Christians” for members of the Church was given by Evodus. He was martyred during a visit by the Emperor Vespasian to Antioch. St Onesiphorus is mentioned by the Apostle Paul in his second epistle to St Timothy, where he calls Onesiphorus a friend and helper. He was a bishop in Colophon in Asia Minor, where he met martyrdom for Christ.
Holy Martyr Eupsychyius of Caesarea (2nd c.)
He was the son of a wealthy pagan senator in Caesarea of Cappadocia. When his father died, he gave his inheritance to the poor, proclaiming the Kingdom of God while he did so. For this he was arrested by Sapricius, Governor of Cappadocia, and put in prison. He persuaded his jailers to release him for awhile, and set about giving away the remainder of his worldly goods, first to his accusers and persecutors, then to the poor. When all his wealth was gone, he voluntarily returned to prison. He was viciously scourged several times, then beheaded. At his martyrdom, it is said that milk instead of blood flowed from his body.
Our Holy Father John, Archbishop of Novgorod (1185)
“He was first a married priest and then, from 1163, bishop in Novgorod, building seven churches during his lifetime. He had a vision of the holy Mother of God and a rare power over demons, making them obey him, and he once miraculously preserved Novgorod from an attack by seventy-two princes. He suffered from diabolical temptations, but overcame them all by the power of the Cross and by prayer. Retiring to a monastery in old age, he received the Great Habit and entered peacefully into rest in the Lord on September 7th, 1185.” (Prologue)
St Kassia (Kassiani) the Hymnographer (9th c.)
She was born in Constantinople to a noble family, and grew to be unusually beautiful and learned — so much so that she was chosen to participate in a ‘bride show’, at which the Emperor Theophilos was to choose a wife. Struck by Kassia’s beauty, the Emperor approached her and said ‘Through a woman came forth the baser things,’ referring to Eve’s transgression. Kassia responded, ‘Through a woman came forth the better things’, referring to the Incarnation of Christ through His Most Pure Mother. Stung by her reply, the Emperor rejected her and chose Theodora as his wife. Kassia entered monastic life and founded a women’s monastery in Constantinople, closely allied with the Stoudion Monastery. Serving as abbess of the monastery, she wrote many liturgical hymns, at least twenty of which are included in the services of the Church. Best-known (or at least most closely associated with her) is the Hymn of Kassiani, sung at Matins on Holy Wednesday. She reposed in peace.