Mark 16.1-8 (2nd Matins Gospel)

1I pošto proðe subota, Marija Magdalina i Marija Jakovljeva i Solomija kupiše mirisa da doðu i da pomažu Isusa. 2I vrlo rano u prvi dan nedjelje doðoše na grob oko sunèanoga roðaja. 3I govorahu meðu sobom: ko æe nam odvaliti kamen od vrata grobnijeh? 4I pogledavši vidješe da kamen bješe odvaljen: jer bješe vrlo veliki. 5I ušavši u grob vidješe mladiæa obuèena u bijelu haljinu gdje sjedi s desne strane; i uplašiše se. 6A on im reèe: ne plašite se, Isusa tražite Nazareæanina raspetoga; usta, nije ovdje, evo mjesto gdje ga metnuše. 7Nego idite kažite uèenicima njegovijem i Petru da pred vama otide u Galileju: tamo æete ga vidjeti, kao što vam reèe. 8I izišavši pobjegoše od groba; jer ih uhvati drhat i strah; i nikom ništa ne kazaše, jer se bojahu.

Colossians 3.12-16 (Epistle)

12Obucite se dakle kao izbrani Božiji, sveti i ljubazni, u srdaènu milost, dobrotu, poniznost, krotost, i trpljenje, 13Snoseæi jedan drugoga, i opraštajuæi jedan drugome ako ima ko tužbu na koga: kao što je i Hristos vama oprostio tako i vi. 14A svrh svega toga obucite se u ljubav, koja je sveza savršenstva. 15I mir Božij da vlada u srcima vašima, na koji ste i pozvani u jednom tijelu, i zahvalni budite. 16Rijeè Hristova da se bogato useli meðu vas, u svakoj premudrosti uèeæi i svjetujuæi sami sebe sa psalmima i pojanjem i pjesmama duhovnijem, u blagodati pjevajuæi u srcima svojima Gospodu.

Matthew 25.14-30 (Gospel)

14Jer kako što èovjek polazeæi dozva sluge svoje i predade im blago svoje; 15I jednome dakle dade pet talanta, a drugome dva, a treæemu jedan, svakome prema njegovoj moæi; i otide odmah. 16A onaj što primi pet talanta otide te radi s njima, i dobi još pet talanta. 17Tako i onaj što primi dva dobi i on još dva. 18A koji primi jedan otide te ga zakopa u zemlju i sakri srebro gospodara svojega. 19A po dugom vremenu doðe gospodar tijeh sluga, i stade se raèuniti s njima. 20I pristupivši onaj što je primio pet talanta, donese još pet talanta govoreæi: gospodaru! predao si mi pet talanta; evo još pet talanta ja sam dobio s njima. 21A gospodar njegov reèe mu: dobro, slugo dobri i vjerni! u malom bio si mi vjeran, nad mnogijem æu te postaviti; uði u radost gospodara svojega. 22A pristupivši i onaj što je primio dva talanta reèe: gospodaru! predao si mi dva talanta; evo još dva talanta ja sam dobio s njima. 23A gospodar njegov reèe mu: dobro, slugo dobri i vjerni! u malom bio si mi vjeran, nad mnogijem æu te postaviti; uði u radost gospodara svojega. 24A pristupivši i onaj što je primio jedan talant reèe: gospodaru! znao sam da si ti tvrd èovjek: žnješ gdje nijesi sijao, i kupiš gdje nijesi vijao; 25Pa se pobojah i otidoh te sakrih talant tvoj u zemlju; i evo ti tvoje. 26A gospodar njegov odgovarajuæi reèe mu: zli i ljenivi slugo! znao si da ja žnjem gdje nijesam sijao, i kupim gdje nijesam vijao: 27Trebalo je dakle moje srebro da daš trgovcima; i ja došavši uzeo bih svoje s dobitkom. 28Uzmite dakle od njega talant, i podajte onome što ima deset talanta. 29Jer svakome koji ima, daæe se, i preteæi æe mu; a od onoga koji nema, i što ima uzeæe se od njega. 30I nevaljaloga slugu bacite u tamu najkrajnju; ondje æe biti plaè i škrgut zuba.

Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Cyrus and John, and those with them (311)

They are counted among the Unmercenary Physicians. Cyrus was a physician living in Alexandria. A pious Christian, he healed not only bodies but souls, bringing many to Christ, and often healing through prayer rather than the use of his medicines. He often said to his patients, ‘If you want to keep clear of illness, take care not to sin, because more often than not illness is a result of sin.’ When Diocletian’s persecution broke out, Cyrus was denounced to the pagan governor and fled to Arabia, where he became a monk. He gained great renown there by healing many ailments using only the sign of the Cross.

John was a soldier from Edessa who heard of Cyrus’ deeds and, leaving the army, sought him out. They met in Egypt, where John became a monk and Cyrus’ disciple, joining him in the practice of the virtues and in healing illnesses by prayer.

They heard of the arrest of a Christian lady named Athanasia and her daughters Theoctista and Eudoxia. Concerned that the tender maidens might renounce Christ under torture, the two monks sought them out to encourage them in their confession of the Faith. They themselves were captured, and the governor decided to have them tortured in front of the women, assuming that this would break their spirit. Instead, Cyrus and John bore their sufferings so patiently and boldly that the women were only strengthened in their resolve. Seeing that he had failed, the governor had all five of them beheaded. Their bodies were placed in the Church of St Mark in Alexandria.

In the fifth century the relics of Sts Cyrus and John were enshrined in a church at Aboukir near Alexandria by St Cyril (June 9). There they were the source of abundant healings and miracles, and the shrine became one of the greatest places of pilgrimage in the Christian world.

Venerable Nicetas, hermit of the Kiev Caves and Bishop of Novgorod (1108)

His is a remarkable story of spiritual delusion (prelest in Russian) and repentance of delusion. Nicetas was a young and zealous monk of the Lavra of the Kiev Caves who, against the advice of his abbot St Nikon (March 25), retired alone to a cave and walled himself in. Some time later, the young monk experienced a delightful scent filling his cave. Believing himself to be receiving a divine revelation, he cried out ‘Lord, show Thyself to me, that I might worship Thee face to face!’ A voice answered, ‘I am sending you an angel: do whatever he tells you.’ The Devil soon appeared to him as an ‘angel of light’ and Nicetas, completely taken in, prostrated before him. The Devil ordered him to stop praying and to devote all his time to reading and memorizing the Old Testament. Nicetas obeyed without question. After awhile, the Devil began to reveal to him things that were happening in the outside world, so that the young monk acquired a reputation for prophecy among visitors to his cave. When the Elders of the Caves realized that Nicetas never spoke to his visitors or anyone else of the New Testament, they decided that he was beguiled by the Devil. Breaking down the door of his cave, they drove out the deceiver by their prayers and forcibly took the young hermit back to the monastery.

As soon as the evil angel had been driven off, Nicetas became like a young child: he instantly forgot the entire Old Testament (which he had virtually memorized) and even lost the ability to read, so that he had to be sent to school again. Slowly he returned to himself, realized his former delusion and repented in tears. Thereafter he devoted himself to humility and obedience in the monastic community. Such was his repentance and progress in the virtues that he was later made Bishop of Novgorod. He reposed in peace in 1108 and became known for working many miracles, especially healing of blindness.

Marcella of Rome (410)

The daughter of a prominent Roman family, she was given in marriage despite her reluctance, but was widowed after less than a year. Following the example of the prophetess Anna, she dedicated her widowhood to God and turned her fine house in Rome into a monastery, living there in strict asceticism.

“When the Church was riven by controversies about the doctrines of Origen, Saint Marcella kept silent for a while but, deciding at length to take up the cause of Orthodoxy, and maintaining a sweet and gentle manner in the exchanges, she succeeded in confounding the arguments of the heretics.” (Ormylia Synaxarion)

When the Goths invaded and pillaged Rome in 410 they broke into her house. Marcella received them calmly, but when they demanded money she answered that no one as poorly clothed as she was could be expected to have any money. At this the invaders beat her mercilessly despite her great age. She bore their blows without complaint, asking only that they spare her spiritual daughter Principia. Struck to the heart by her response, the barbarians took her and her disciple to the Church of St Paul, where she reposed two days later.