2 John 1.1-13 (Epistle)

1Od starješine izbranoj gospoði i djeci njezinoj, koju ja ljubim vaistinu, i ne samo ja nego svi koji poznaše istinu, 2Za istinu koja u nama stoji i biæe s nama dovijeka: 3Da bude s vama blagodat, milost, mir od Boga oca i od Gospoda Isusa Hrista, sina oèina, u istini i u ljubavi. 4Obradovah se vrlo što naðoh neke od tvoje djece koji hode u istini, kao što primismo zapovijest od oca. 5I sad molim te, gospoðo, ne kao da ti novu zapovijest pišem, nego koju imamo ispoèetka, da imamo ljubav meðu sobom. 6I ova je ljubav da živimo po zapovijestima njegovijem. Ova je zapovijest, kao što èuste ispoèetka, da u njoj živite. 7Jer mnoge varalice iziðoše na svijet koji ne priznaju Isusa Hrista da je došao u tijelu; ovo je varalica i antihrist. 8Èuvajte se da ne izgubimo što smo zaradili, nego da primimo platu potpuno. 9Koji god prestupa i ne stoji u nauci Hristovoj onaj nema Boga; a koji stoji u nauci Hristovoj onaj ima i oca i sina. 10Ako ko dolazi k vama i ove nauke ne donosi, ne primajte ga u kuæu, i ne pitajte se s njim; 11Jer ko se upita s njim, prima dijel u njegovijem zlijem djelima. 12Mnogo bih vam imao pisati, ali ne htjedoh hartijom i mastilom; jer se nadam da æu doæi k vama i iz usta govoriti, da radost vaša bude ispunjena. 13Pozdravljaju te djeca tvoje sestre izbrane. Amin.

Mark 15.22, 25, 33-41 (Gospel)

22I dovedoše ga na mjesto Golgotu, koje æe reæi: košturnica. 25A bijaše sahat treæi kad ga razapeše. 33A u šestome sahatu bi tama po svoj zemlji do sahata devetoga. 34I u devetome sahatu povika Isus iza glasa govoreæi: Eloi! Eloi! lama savahtani? koje znaèi: Bože moj! Bože moj! zašto si me ostavio? 35I neki od onijeh što stajahu ondje èuvši to govorahu: eno zove Iliju. 36A jedan otrèa te napuni sunðer octa, pa nataknuvši na trsku pojaše ga govoreæi: stanite da vidimo hoæe li doæi Ilija da ga skine. 37A Isus povika iza glasa, i izdahnu. 38I zavjes crkveni razdrije se nadvoje s vrha do na dno. 39A kad vidje kapetan koji stajaše prema njemu da s takom vikom izdahnu, reèe: zaista èovjek ovaj sin Božij bješe. 40A bijahu i žene koje gledahu izdaleka, meðu kojima bješe i Marija Magdalina i Marija Jakova maloga i Josije mati, i Solomija, 41Koje iðahu za njim i kad bješe u Galileji, i služahu mu; i druge mnoge koje bijahu došle s njim u Jerusalim.

Martyr Conon of Isauria (2nd c.)

The holy Martyr Conon lived in the days of the holy Apostles; he was born in the village of Bydane of Isauria in Asia Minor, to parents named Nestor and Nada. He was instructed in the Faith and baptised into Christ by the Archangel Michael himself, who, it is said, accompanied him for the rest of his life. His parents joined him in marriage to a pagan maiden named Anna; but on their wedding night he took a candle, put it under a vessel, and asked her ‘Which is better, light or darkness?’ She answered ‘Light,’ and he told her of the Christian faith and the joys of the spiritual life. She accepted Christ, and the two agreed to live in virginity. Conon went on to bring many pagans to Christ, including his own parents. His wife and both parents died after a few years (Nestor as a Martyr) and he gave himself up entirely to prayer, fasting, and contemplation on God. He was known as a wonder-worker, and even evil spirits were compelled to serve him.

During one of the persecutions, Magnus the governor of Isauria imprisoned Conon and had him tortured, beaten and stabbed with knives. Believers obtained some of his blood, and the sick who were anointed with it became well. A large crowd of Christians whom Conon had brought to Faith surrounded the governor’s palace demanding Conon’s release, and the frightened governor let him go. He lived for two more years in his own home, then reposed in peace.

St Mark of Athens (4th c.)

He was born in Athens of pagan parents, but believed and was baptized, and, forsaking everything, lived as a hermit in the desert beyond Egypt. He did not see another human being for ninety-five years, and we would know nothing of his life had not the monk Serapion come upon him. Mark was about to depart this life, and lived only long enough to tell Serapion his story. Serapion then gave him burial.

St Mark the Ascetic (5th c.)

St Mark was a disciple of St John Chrysostom, tonsured a monk at the age of forty by St John himself. He then withdrew to the Nitrian desert and lived for sixty years as a hermit, devoting himself to fasting, prayer, and writing spiritual discourses.

Saint Mark knew all the Holy Scriptures by heart. His compassion was so great that he wept at the distress of any of God’s creatures: once he wept for the blind pup of a hyena, and the pup received its sight. Though he lived alone in the desert, it is said that he received Communion from an angel.

The holy and scholarly Patriarch Photios held his writings in the highest esteem, and at one time there was a saying, ‘sell all that you have, and buy Mark.’ Some of these beautiful and profound writings may be read in English in the first volume of the Philokalia.