John 10.1-9 (Matins Gospel, St Innocent)

1Zaista, zaista vam kažem: ko ne ulazi na vrata u tor ovèij nego prelazi na drugom mjestu on je lupež i hajduk; 2A koji ulazi na vrata jest pastir ovcama: 3Njemu vratar otvora, i ovce glas njegov slušaju, i svoje ovce zove po imenu, i izgoni ih; 4I kad svoje ovce istjera, ide pred njima, i ovce idu za njim, jer poznaju glas njegov. 5A za tuðinom neæe da idu, nego bježe od njega, jer ne poznaju glasa tuðega. 6Ovu prièu kaza im Isus, ali oni ne razumješe šta to bijaše što im kaza. 7Tada im reèe Isus opet: zaista, zaista vam kažem: ja sam vrata k ovcama. 8Svi koliko ih god doðe prije mene lupeži su i hajduci; ali ih ovce ne poslušaše. 9Ja sam vrata; ko uðe kroza me spašæe se, i uæi æe i iziæi æe, i pašu æe naæi.

Isaiah 10.12-20 (6th Hour)

12Ali kad svrši Gospod sve djelo svoje na gori Sionskoj i u Jerusalimu, tada æu obiæi plod ohologa srca cara Asirskoga i slavu ponositijeh oèiju njegovijeh. 13Jer reèe: krjepošæu ruke svoje uèinih i mudrošæu svojom, jer sam razuman; i premjestih meðe narodima i blago njihovo zaplijenih i kao junak oborih stanovnike. 14I ruka moja naðe kao gnijezdo bogatstvo u naroda, i kako se kupe jajca ostavljena tako pokupih svu zemlju, i ne bi nikoga da makne krilom ili da otvori usta i pisne. 15Hoæe li se sjekira velièati nad onijem koji njom sijeèe? hoæe li se pila razmetati nad onijem koji njom radi? kao da bi prut mahao onijem koji ga digne, kao da bi se hvalio štap da nije od drveta. 16Zato æe Gospod, Gospod nad vojskama, pustiti na pretile njegove mršu, i slavu æe njegovu potpaliti da gori kao oganj. 17Jer æe vidjelo Izrailjevo biti oganj, i svetac æe njegov biti plamen, i upaliæe i sažeæi trnje njegovo i èkalj njegov u jedan dan. 18I krasotu šume njegove i njive njegove, od duše do tijela, uništiæe, i biæe kao bjegunac kad iznemogne. 19I što ostane drveta šume njegove, biæe malo, da bi ih dijete moglo popisati. 20I u to vrijeme ostatak Izrailjev i koji se izbave u domu Jakovljevu neæe se više oslanjati na onoga ko ih bije, nego æe se oslanjati na Gospoda sveca Izrailjeva istinom.

Genesis 7.6-9 (Vespers)

6A bješe Noju šest stotina godina kad doðe potop na zemlju. 7I uðe Noje u kovèeg i sinovi njegovi i žena njegova i žene sinova njegovijeh s njim radi potopa. 8Od životinja èistih i od životinja neèistih i od ptica i od svega što se mièe po zemlji, 9Uðe k Noju u kovèeg po dvoje, muško i žensko, kao što bješe Bog zapovjedio Noju.

Proverbs 9.12-18 (LXX) (Vespers)

12Ako budeš mudar, sebi æeš biti mudar; ako li budeš potsmjevaè, sam æeš tegliti. 13Žena bezumna plaha je, luda i ništa ne zna; 14I sjedi na vratima od kuæe svoje na stolici, na visinama gradskim, 15Te vièe one koji prolaze, koji idu pravo svojim putem: 16Ko je lud? neka se uvrati ovamo. I bezumnome govori: 17Voda je kradena slatka, i hljeb je sakriven ugodan. 18A on ne zna da su ondje mrtvaci i u dubokom grobu da su zvanice njezine.

Hebrews 7.26-8.2 (Epistle, St Innocent)

26Jer takov nama trebaše poglavar sveštenièki: svet, bezazlen, èist, odvojen od grješnika, i koji je bio više nebesa; 27Kojemu nije potrebno svaki dan, kao sveštenicima, najprije za svoje grijehe žrtve prinositi, a potom za narodne, jer on ovo uèini jednom, kad sebe prinese. 28Jer zakon postavlja ljude za sveštenike koji imaju slabost; a rijeè zakletve koja je reèena po zakonu, postavi sina vavijek savršena.

1A ovo je glava od toga što govorimo: imamo takovoga poglavara sveštenièkoga koji sjede s desne strane prijestola velièine na nebesima; 2Koji je sluga svetinjama i istinitoj skiniji, koju naèini Gospod, a ne èovjek.

John 10.9-16 (Gospel, St Innocent)

9Ja sam vrata; ko uðe kroza me spašæe se, i uæi æe i iziæi æe, i pašu æe naæi. 10Lupež ne dolazi ni za što drugo nego da ukrade i ubije i pogubi; ja doðoh da imaju život i izobilje. 11Ja sam pastir dobri; pastir dobri dušu svoju polaže za ovce, 12A najamnik, koji nije pastir, kome nijesu ovce svoje, vidi vuka gdje ide, i ostavlja ovce, i bježi: i vuk razgrabi ovce i raspudi ih; 13A najamnik bježi, jer je najamnik i ne mari za ovce. 14Ja sam pastir dobri i znam svoje, i moje mene znaju. 15Kao što mene zna otac i ja znam oca; i dušu svoju polažem za ovce. 16I druge ovce imam koje nijesu iz ovoga tora, i one mi valja dovesti; i èuæe glas moj, i biæe jedno stado i jedan pastir.

St Innocent, enlightener of Alaska and Siberia (1879)

He was born in Siberia in 1797 to a clerical family, and became a married parish priest in Irkutsk. A devout explorer, John Kriukov, told him of the great spiritual needs among the Russian and native peoples in Alaska, then Russian territory. Moved to serve Christ in this very difficult environment, he and his family arrived in Alaska in 1824. He quickly learned the Aleut language and worked humbly and tirelessly among the Aleuts. His spiritual classic, An Indication of the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven, was originally written in Aleut and later translated into many languages.

While he was visiting Russia in 1838, his wife died; one year later he was tonsured a monk and given the name of Innocent (he had been Fr John Veniaminov). Almost immediately after his tonsuring he was, without warning, raised to the rank of Bishop of all Eastern Siberia and Russian America, probably the largest diocese in the world at that time. Returning to Alaska, he continued his missionary work with vigor, often traveling among Aleut and Tlingit settlements in his own kayak. Wherever he went, he found the Alaskan people hungry for the faith, and his labors bore rich fruit which is still obvious today: Alaska has more Orthodox churches per capita than any other state.

In old age he was made Metropolitan of Moscow, head of the entire Russian Orthodox Church. His concern for Christian mission was undiminished, and as Metropolitan he created the Orthodox Missionary Society. He reposed on Holy Saturday of 1879.

Hieromartyr Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra (326)

He was born in Cilicia in Asia Minor, and became Bishop of Gangra, the capital of Paphlagonia. He took part in the First Ecumenical Council, where he was praised by all for his piety and miracles. It is said that the Emperor Constantius kept a bust of Hypatius in his palace as a weapon against demonic powers. The Saint was murdered by the Novatians, a sect which believed that there is no forgiveness for sins committed after Baptism. [The popularity of this belief helps to explain why many believers at that time postponed baptism until very late in life.] As Hypatius was traveling home from Constantinople, they attacked him on the road and stoned him to death. A woman who took part in the attack went mad and began to beat herself with a stone; she was only healed when her friends took her to the grave of St Hypatius and prayed for her. Restored by his compassionate intercession, she spent the rest of her life in repentance and prayer.

St Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow (1461)

He became a monk at the age of twelve and lived in the Simonov Monastery near Moscow. He later became Bishop of Ryazan, then was chosen as Metropolitan of Moscow (at this time the Russian Church was still under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the Metropolitanate of Moscow was its highest office). But through some political intrigue, a man named Isidore became Metropolitan instead. It was this Isidore who attended the Council of Florence and voted for the infamous Union with Rome perpetrated there. When he returned to Moscow three years later he was condemned as an apostate and exiled. Bishop Jonah at last became Metropolitan in his place. In his lifetime he was widely known as a healer, wonder-worker, seer and spiritual father. In his last years he prayed to suffer greatly through some illness, so as to be purified by his sufferings. In answer to this prayer, he was given wounds in his feet, of which he died. His relics continued to perform many wonders. The Prologue recounts, “A dumb man, John, was brought to the saint’s relics. John kissed Jonah’s hand and, as he related afterwards, the hand grabbed hold of his tongue and he felt a sharp pain. When it let his tongue go, he went back to his friends — and spoke as if he had never been dumb.”