1 Corinthians 10.12-22 (Epistle)

12Jer koji misli da stoji neka se èuva da ne padne. 13Drugo iskušenje ne doðe na vas osim èovjeèijega; ali je vjeran Bog koji vas neæe pustiti da se iskušate veæma nego što možete, nego æe uèiniti s iskušanjem i kraj, da možete podnijeti. 14Zato, ljubazna braæo moja, bjegajte od idolopoklonstva. 15Kao mudrima govorim; sudite vi šta govorim. 16Èaša blagoslova koju blagosiljamo nije li zajednica krvi Hristove? Hljeb koji lomimo nije li zajednica tijela Hristova? 17Jer smo jedan hljeb, jedno tijelo mnogi; jer svi u jednome hljebu imamo zajednicu. 18Gledajte Izrailja po tijelu: koji jedu žrtve nijesu li zajednièari oltara? 19Šta dakle govorim? da je idol što? ili idolska žrtva da je što? 20Nije; nego što žrtvuju neznabošci, da ðavolima žrtvuju, a ne Bogu; a ja neæu da ste vi zajednièari s ðavolima. 21Ne možete piti èaše Gospodnje i èaše ðavolske; ne možete imati zajednice u trpezi Gospodnjoj i u trpezi ðavolskoj. 22Ili da prkosimo Gospodu? Eda li smo mi jaèi od njega?

Matthew 16.20-24 (Gospel)

20Tada zaprijeti Isus uèenicima svojijem da nikom ne kazuju da je on Hristos. 21Od tada poèe Isus kazivati uèenicima svojijem da njemu valja iæi u Jerusalim, i mnogo postradati od starješina i od glavara sveštenièkijeh i književnika, i da æe ga ubiti, i treæi dan da æe ustati. 22I uzevši ga Petar poèe ga odvraæati govoreæi: Bože saèuvaj! to neæe biti od tebe. 23A on se obrnuvši reèe Petru: idi od mene sotono; ti si mi sablazan; jer ne misliš što je Božije nego ljudsko. 24Tada Isus reèe uèenicima svojijem: ako ko hoæe za mnom iæi, neka se odreèe sebe, i uzme krst svoj i ide za mnom.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Euplus of Catania (304)

He was a deacon from Catania in Sicily during the reign of Diocletian. During a persecution of Christians there, Euplus presented himself to the governor and proclaimed himself a Christian. While he was being tortured on the rack, the governor ordered him to worship Mars, Apollos, and Aeculapius, but he answered that he worshipped the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He was beheaded in 304. His wonderworking relics are preserved in the village of Vico della Batonia near Naples.

The Holy Martyr Susanna the Virgin, and those with her (295-296)

She was the daughter of Gavinius, a Christian priest in Rome, and the niece of Pope Gaius. The Emperor Diocletian’s adopted son Maximian wished to marry Susanna, but she had no desire to marry any one, least of all a pagan. The patricians Claudia and Maxima were sent to Susanna by the Emperor to present Maximian’s suit; but instead she turned both of them, and all their households, to the Faith. The enraged Emperor had Claudia, Maxima and their families executed, then had Susanna herself beheaded. The Emperor’s wife, Serena, was a secret Christian, and took Susanna’s body secretly and buried it. Soon after this Susanna’s father Gavinius and her uncle Pope Gaius also met martyrdom.

Saint Niphon, Patriarch of Constantinople (1508)

He was born in Greece and became a monk at a young age, spending many years in asceticism on the Holy Mountain. Against his desire, he was made Bishop of Thessalonika, then Patriarch of Constantinople. He was banished by the Sultan (the Prologue does not say why), served as archbishop in Wallachia for a time, then returned to Dionysiou monastery on the Holy Mountain, where he reposed at the age of ninety. He composed the ‘Prayer at Departing’ used in the funeral service.

Repose of Fr Georges Florovsky (1979) (July 29 OC)