Acts 4.23-31 (Epistle)

23După ce li s-a dat drumul, ei s-au dus la ai lor şi le-au istorisit tot ce le spuseseră preoţii cei mai de seamă şi bătrânii. 24Când au auzit ei aceste lucruri, şi-au ridicat glasul toţi împreună către Dumnezeu şi au zis: „Stăpâne, Doamne, care ai făcut cerul, pământul, marea şi tot ce este în ele! 25Tu ai zis prin Duhul Sfânt, prin gura părintelui nostru David, robul Tău: „Pentru ce se întărâtă neamurile şi pentru ce cugetă noroadele lucruri deşarte? 26Împăraţii pământului s-au răsculat şi domnitorii s-au unit împotriva Domnului şi împotriva Unsului Său.” 27În adevăr, împotriva Robului Tău celui sfânt, Isus, pe care L-ai uns Tu, s-au însoţit în cetatea aceasta Irod şi Pilat din Pont cu Neamurile şi cu noroadele lui Israel, 28ca să facă tot ce hotărâse mai dinainte mâna Ta şi sfatul Tău. 29Şi acum, Doamne, uită-Te la ameninţările lor, dă putere robilor Tăi să vestească Cuvântul Tău cu toată îndrăzneala 30şi întinde-Ţi mâna, ca să se facă tămăduiri, minuni şi semne prin Numele Robului Tău celui sfânt, Isus.” 31După ce s-au rugat ei, s-a cutremurat locul unde erau adunaţi; toţi s-au umplut de Duhul Sfânt şi vesteau Cuvântul lui Dumnezeu cu îndrăzneală.

John 5.24-30 (Gospel)

24Adevărat, adevărat vă spun că cine ascultă cuvintele Mele şi crede în Cel ce M-a trimis are viaţa veşnică şi nu vine la judecată, ci a trecut din moarte la viaţă. 25Adevărat, adevărat vă spun că vine ceasul, şi acum a şi venit, când cei morţi vor auzi glasul Fiului lui Dumnezeu, şi cei ce-l vor asculta vor învia. 26Căci, după cum Tatăl are viaţa în Sine, tot aşa a dat şi Fiului să aibă viaţa în Sine. 27Şi I-a dat putere să judece, întrucât este Fiu al omului. 28Nu vă miraţi de lucrul acesta; pentru că vine ceasul când toţi cei din morminte vor auzi glasul Lui 29şi vor ieşi afară din ele. Cei ce au făcut binele vor învia pentru viaţă; iar cei ce au făcut răul vor învia pentru judecată. 30Eu nu pot face nimic de la Mine însumi: judec după cum aud; şi judecata Mea este dreaptă, pentru că nu caut să fac voia Mea, ci voia Tatălui, care M-a trimis.

Holy Virgin-martyr Glykeria at Heraclea (141).

At a pagan festival in Thrace, when the Governor of the region was offering sacrifice to the idols, St Glyceria entered the temple and declared herself to be a handmaid of Christ. When the governor commanded her to make sacrifice to the gods, she overturned the statue of Zeus, smashing it to pieces. For this, and for her continued refusal to deny her faith, she was seized and subjected to many tortures. First, the governor had her sealed in a prison cell with the intention of starving her to death; but an angel appeared to Glykeria and gave her heavenly food. When enough time had passed that the governor was certain that Glykeria had perished, he opened her cell, and all present were astonished to see her alive, healthy and full of joy. At this her jailer, Laodicius, confessed Christ and was beheaded. Glykeria was then thrown into a fire, but stood in it unharmed, praising God like the Three Children in Babylon. Finally she was cast to wild beasts, where she gave up her soul to God. A healing myrrh flowed from her relics.

Holy Martyr Alexander of Rome (298)

He was an eighteen-year-old soldier in the army of the Emperor Maximian. When a public sacrifice was made to the Roman idols, Alexander refused to take part, for which he was brought before the Captain Tiberian, who told him he must either deny Christ or die. When he stood fast for Christ, he was arrested and taken through Macedonia to Byzantium, being cruelly tortured at every stop along the way. But everywhere he went, the Christians flocked to him, encouraging him and asking his blessing. His mother, Pimenia, travelled with him for the entire journey. In all his sufferings, Alexander was visited many times by an angel of God, who relieved his pain and encouraged him. As his Lord had commanded, Alexander loved and prayed for his enemies: At a place called Carasura, when the soldiers guarding him were suffering from thirst, he prayed, and a spring of cold water burst out of a dry place.

Finally, on the bank of the river Ergina, Tiberian ordered that Alexander be beheaded. As the executioner raised his sword, he saw radiant angels of God all around the holy Martyr, and was afraid to strike. Alexander asked the executioner why he had stayed his hand and, hearing the answer, prayed to God that he might send the angels away so that the executioner would not be afraid. The angels vanished, and Alexander received his crown of martyrdom. Pimenia, his mother, buried her son’s body, and many miracles of healing were worked at his grave. Some time later, Alexander appeared to his mother and told her of her approaching death, which occurred not long afterward.