Acts 8.5-17 (Epistle)

5A Filip sišavši u grad Samarijski propovijedaše im Hrista. 6A narod pažaše jednodušno na ono što govoraše Filip, slušajuæi i gledajuæi znake koje èinjaše; 7Jer duhovi neèisti s velikom vikom izlažahu iz mnogijeh u kojima bijahu, i mnogi uzeti i hromi ozdraviše. 8I bi velika radost u gradu onome. 9A bješe jedan èovjek, po imenu Simon, koji prije èaraše u gradu i dovoðaše u èudo narod Samarijski, govoreæi da je on nešto veliko; 10Na kojega gledahu svi, i malo i veliko, govoreæi: ovo je velika sila Božija. 11A zato gledahu na njega što ih mnogo vremena èinima udivljavaše. 12Kad pak vjerovaše Filipu koji propovijedaše jevanðelje o carstvu Božijemu i o imenu Isusa Hrista, kršæavahu se i ljudi i žene. 13Tada i Simon vjerova, i krstivši se osta kod Filipa; i videæi djela i znake velike koji se èinjahu divljaše se vrlo. 14A kad èuše apostoli koji bijahu u Jerusalimu da Samarija primi rijeè Božiju, poslaše k njima Petra i Jovana. 15Koji sišavši pomoliše se Bogu za njih da prime Duha svetoga; 16Jer još ni na jednoga ne bješe došao, nego bijahu samo kršteni u ime Gospoda Isusa. 17Tada apostoli metnuše ruke na njih, i oni primiše Duha svetoga.

John 6.27-33 (Gospel)

27Starajte se ne za jelo koje prolazi, nego za jelo koje ostaje za vjeèni život, koje æe vam dati sin èovjeèij, jer ovoga potvrdi otac Bog. 28A oni mu rekoše: šta æemo èiniti da radimo djela Božija? 29Odgovori Isus i reèe im: ovo je djelo Božije da vjerujete onoga koga on posla. 30A oni mu rekoše: kakav dakle ti pokazuješ znak da vidimo i da vjerujemo? šta radiš ti? 31Ocevi naši jedoše manu u pustinji, kao što je napisano: hljeb s neba dade im da jedu. 32Tada im reèe Isus: zaista, zaista vam kažem: Mojsije ne dade vama hljeba s neba, nego vam otac moj daje hljeb istiniti s neba; 33Jer je hljeb Božij onaj koji silazi s neba i daje život svijetu.

Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra and seven virgin-martyrs with him (303)

Theodotus was a married inn-keeper in Ancyra during the persecutions of Diocletian. He used his inn-keeping trade as a means of secretly helping the persecuted Christians, many of whom used his inn as a refuge in time of need. One of his holy works was to retrieve the bodies of martyred Christians and give them burial. At that time, seven maidens were tried and tortured for their faith in Christ, then killed by being thrown into a lake. One of them, St Tecusa, appeared to St Theodotus and asked him to retrieve the bodies of her and her sisters in Christ. Under cover of night Theodotus, guided by an Angel, was able to find all seven bodies and bury them honorably. But a friend whom he had asked to help him in this work betrayed him, and he was arrested and subjected to cruel tortures. Finally he was sentenced to be beheaded. As he went to the block, he said to the many Christians who had gathered to weep for him: ‘Do not weep for me, brethren, but glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, by whose aid I am finishing my course and overcoming the enemy.’ A church dedicated to him was later built on the site of his burial.

Holy Martyrs Peter, Dionysius, Christina, Andrew, Paul, Benedimus, Paulinus, and Heraclius (250)

“These Saints all contested in martyrdom during the reign of Decius (249-251). Peter was from Lampsacus in the Hellespont. For refusing to offer sacrifice to the idol of Aphrodite, his whole body was crushed and broken with chains and pieces of wood on a torture-wheel; having endured this torment courageously, he gave up his soul.

“Paul and Andrew were soldiers from Mesopotamia brought to Athens with their governor; there they were put in charge of two captive Christians, Dionysius and Christina. The soldiers, seeing the beauty of the virgin Christina, attempted to move her to commit sin with them, but she refused and, by her admonitions, brought them to faith in Christ. They and Dionysius were stoned to death, and Christina was beheaded.

“Heraclius, Paulinus,and Benedimus were Athenians, and preachers of the Gospel who turned many of the heathen from their error to the light of Christ. Brought before the governor, they confesed their Faith, and after many torments were beheaded.” (Great Horologion)

The Prologue adds: “One Nicomachus, who was tortured with them, denied Christ under torture, and instantly lost his mind, tearing at his body with his teeth and foaming at the mouth until he breathed his last.”