Hebrews 11.8, 11-16 (Epistle)

8Vjerom posluša Avraam kad bi pozvan da iziðe u zemlju koju šæaše da primi u našljedstvo, i iziðe ne znajuæi kuda ide. 11Vjerom i sama Sara nerotkinja primi silu da zatrudni, i rodi preko vremena starosti; jer držaše za vjerna onoga koji obeæa. 12Zato se i rodiše od jednoga, još gotovo mrtvoga, kao zvijezde nebeske mnoštvom, i kao nebrojeni pijesak pokraj mora. 13U vjeri pomriješe svi ovi ne primivši obeæanja, nego ga vidjevši izdaleka, i poklonivši mu se, i priznavši da su gosti i došljaci na zemlji. 14Jer koji tako govore pokazuju da traže otaèanstva. 15I da bi se oni opomenuli onoga iz kojega iziðoše, imali bi vrijeme da se vrate. 16Ali sad bolje žele, to jest nebesko. Zato se Bog ne stidi njih nazivati se Bog njihov; jer im pripravi grad.

Mark 9.33-41 (Gospel)

33I doðe u Kapernaum, i kad bješe u kuæi zapita ih: šta se prepiraste putem meðu sobom? 34A oni muèahu; jer se putem prepiraše meðu sobom ko je najveæi. 35I sjedavši dozva dvanaestoricu i reèe im: koji hoæe da bude prvi neka bude od sviju najzadnji i svima sluga. 36I uzevši dijete metnu ga meðu njih i zagrlivši ga reèe im: 37Ko jedno ovakovo dijete primi u ime moje, mene prima; a ko mene primi, ne prima mene nego onoga koji je mene poslao. 38Odgovori mu Jovan govoreæi: uèitelju! vidjesmo jednoga gdje imenom tvojijem izgoni ðavole koji ne ide za nama: i zabranismo mu, jer ne ide za nama. 39A Isus reèe: ne branite mu; jer nema nikoga koji bi imenom mojijem èudo èinio da može brzo zlo govoriti za mnom. 40Jer ko nije protiv vas s vama je. 41Jer ko vas napoji èašom vode u ime moje, zato što ste Hristovi, zaista vam kažem: neæe mu propasti plata.

Translation of the relics of St Ignatius of Antioch (107)

For his life, see December 20.

After his martyrdom, devoured by wild beasts in the amphitheater in Rome, only a few bones remained. These precious relics were gathered by the faithful, who took them back to Antioch, where they were received with joy by his former flock.

St Andrei Rublev, iconographer (1430)

Many consider him the greatest iconographer of all time, and his “Holy Trinity” the finest icon. Very little is known of his life. He was born around 1360, and probably studied with the Byzantine iconographer Theophanes the Greek. He is known to have created icons for the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Moscow and the Cathedral of the Dormition at Vladimir. He created a highly spiritual and distinctively Russian iconographic style that set the standard for Russian iconography for centuries thereafter. It is said that he knew St Sergius of Radonezh (July 5). In his later years he became a monk.

Our Holy Father Aphrahat the Persian (4th c.)

He was from the pagan Persian aristocracy, but came to faith in Christ and left his home for the Christian city of Edessa, where he was baptized. He later moved to Antioch, where he lived in prayer and asceticism a short distance from the city. He ate nothing but a small amount of bread until he was extremely old, when he added some greens to his diet. Though he knew very little Greek, he was empowered by the Holy Spirit to win many converts to Christ and to confound the learned Arian heretics who were disturbing the Church in Antioch.

When Aphrahat learned that the Arian Emperor Valens was persecuting Christ’s Church, he moved to the city to support the true Faith. One day the Emperor himself met Aphrahat in the city square and asked him why he had left his solitude and come to Antioch. The Saint answered ‘Tell me this: if I were a maiden at home in my secluded apartment and saw someone setting fire to my father’s house, would you not advise me to put out the blaze as soon as possible? That is what I am doing now, because the Church, the heavenly Father’s house, is burning down in the fire that you have set!’ One of the Emperor’s attendants threatened Aphrahat with death for this impertinence; but the attendant himself later perished, drowned as he was heating water for the Emperor’s bath. This made the Emperor afraid to persecute the holy one, who continued to preach the true Faith and to perform many miracles. He reposed in peace.

Repose of Blessed Father Dimitrios Gagastathis (1975)

Though not yet officially a Saint of the Church, Papa Dimitrios is widely revered in Greece and abroad. His life is an inspiring example of the possibility of great holiness for those living in the world: a simple married parish priest, he spent forty-two years serving his childhood parish, and had nine daughters. He was a spiritual child of Elder Amphilochios of Patmos, and in turn became a spiritual father to many. His biography describes his last years thus: “On October 1, 1973, he resigned for reasons of health. Since then, he remained confined at home, living as a saint with incessant prayer, glorifying and thanking God for the trial of his illness. He delivered his holy soul to the hands of the living God on January 29, 1975, in peace.”

For more on Papa-dimitri, read this biographical sketch.