غلاطیان ۲.۱۱-۱۶ (رساله)

۱۱امّا چون پطرس به اَنطاکیه آمد، با او رویاروی مخالفت کردم، چه آشکارا تقصیرکار بود. ۱۲زیرا پیش از آنکه کسانی از جانب یعقوب درآیند، با غیریهودیان همسفره می‌شد، امّا همین که آنها آمدند، پا پس کشید و خود را جدا کرد، چرا که از اهل ختنه بیم داشت. ۱۳سایر یهودیان نیز در این ریاکاری به او پیوستند، به گونه‌ای که حتی برنابا نیز در اثر ریاکاری آنان از راه به در شد. ۱۴امّا من چون دیدم آنان در راستای حقیقتِ انجیل، استوار گام نمی‌زنند، در حضور همه پطرس را گفتم: «اگر تو، با اینکه یهودی هستی، همچون غیریهودیان زندگی می‌کنی نه چون یهودیان، چگونه است که غیریهودیان را وامی‌داری که از رسوم یهودیان پیروی کنند؟» ۱۵ما که یهودی‌زاده‌ایم و نه به اصطلاح ’غیریهودی گناهکار‘، ۱۶می‌دانیم که انسان نه با اعمال شریعت، بلکه با ایمان به عیسی مسیح پارسا شمرده می‌شود. پس ما خود نیز به مسیحْ عیسی ایمان آوردیم تا با ایمان به مسیح پارسا شمرده شویم و نه با اعمال شریعت، زیرا هیچ بشری از راه انجام اعمال شریعت پارسا شمرده نمی‌شود.

لوقا ۴.۳۷-۴۴ (انجیل)

۳۷بدین‌گونه خبر کارهای او در سرتاسر آن نواحی پیچید. ۳۸آنگاه عیسی کنیسه را ترک گفت و به خانۀ شَمعون رفت. و امّا مادرزن شَمعون را تبی سخت عارض گشته بود. پس، از عیسی خواستند یاری‌اش کند. ۳۹او نیز بر بالین وی خم شد و تب را نهیب زد، و تبش قطع شد. او بی‌درنگ برخاست و مشغول پذیرایی از آنها شد. ۴۰هنگام غروب، همۀ کسانی که بیمارانی مبتلا به امراض گوناگون داشتند، آنان را نزد عیسی آوردند، و او نیز بر یکایک ایشان دست نهاد و شفایشان داد. ۴۱دیوها نیز از بسیاری بیرون می‌آمدند و فریادکنان می‌گفتند: «تو پسر خدایی!» امّا او آنها را نهیب می‌زد و نمی‌گذاشت سخنی بگویند، زیرا می‌دانستند مسیح است. ۴۲بامدادان، عیسی به مکانی دورافتاده رفت. امّا مردم او را می‌جُستند و چون به جایی که بود رسیدند، کوشیدند نگذارند ترکشان کند. ۴۳ولی او گفت: «من باید پادشاهی خدا را در شهرهای دیگر نیز بشارت دهم، چرا که به همین منظور فرستاده شده‌ام.» ۴۴پس به موعظه در کنیسه‌های یهودیه ادامه داد.

شهید کالیستراتوس و همراهان

Callistratus was born in Carthage to Christian parents. In time, he joined the army, where he was the only Christian in his regiment. One of his fellow-soldiers saw Callistratus rise during the night to pray, and reported him to their commander. Callistratus was interrogated, then, when he refused to deny his faith or make sacrifice to the idols, was harshly beaten, then tied in a sack and thrown in the sea. But the sack burst open and Callistratus emerged from the sea unharmed. Seeing this, forty-nine of his fellow-soldiers confessed Christ, and were beaten and thrown into prison with Callistratus. In prison, Callistratus instructed the newly-enlightened Christians in the faith. Finally, all of them were beheaded, according to some sources in 288, according to others in 304.

رسولان مقدس مرقس, آریستارخوس و زناس هفتاد

St Mark was also called John; according to Acts 12:12, the apostles gathered for prayer in Jerusalem at his mother Mary’s house, and was later bishop in Byblos. St Aristarchus accompanied St Paul in his travels (Acts 16:29) and was later bishop in Syrian Apamea. St Zenas is mentioned as a lawyer in Titus 3:13, and was bishop in Lydda in Palestine.

پدر قابل احترام ما ساباتیوس, بنیانگذار صومعه سولوفکی (۱۴۳۵)

He lived for many years as a monk at the Monastery of St Cyril of White Lake, where his ascetic struggles won him the respect of his brethren. To flee from the admiration of men he moved further north to Valaam Monastery. But he still attracted the good opinion of his community, so he secretly headed still further north, planning to reach the uninhabited Solovki Island in the White Sea (a large bay of the Arctic Ocean). When he reached the coast, everyone who might take him tried to dissuade him from living in such a harsh place. He answered ‘My children, I have a Master who has the power to renew the strength of the old and to enfeeble the young if He so wills. He makes the poor rich, clothes the naked, provides for the destitute and satisfies the starving with a measure of food as he fed five thousand men in the desert.’

While waiting for seasonable sailing weather he met St Germanus (July 30) who lived nearby as a hermit. Together they found a fishing boat and, casting all their trust on the Lord, made the dangerous two-day voyage and set up a hermitage on the island. It became known as a holy place, and thenceforth those living in the world knew not to settle on Solovki, or even to set foot there without good reason. After six years, St Germanus departed, and Sabbatius was left alone.

When he was old, he began to fear that he would die without receiving the life-giving Mysteries, of which he had not partaken since he left Valaam. So he returned to the mainland where he met an abbot Nathanael just as he was taking Holy Communion to a sick man. Sabbatius persuaded the abbot to hear his confession and grant him the priceless gift of Holy Communion. He then settled in a nearby chapel and made ready for his departure from this life. A wealthy merchant from Novgorod visited him to ask for his blessing. The Saint said to him, ‘Spend the night here and you will see the grace of God.’ The next morning the merchant came to Sabbatius’ cell and found that he had reposed during the night; his cell was suffused with a beautiful scent.

The following year, St Germanus, along with St Zosimas (April 17), returned to Solovki island and founded a monastery there, which proved to be the nurturing ground of many Saints.

شهید جدید مقدس آکیلینا (۱۷۶۴)

She lived in the village of Zangliverion near Thessalonika. When she was still an infant, her father killed a Turkish neighbor in an argument and, to save his life, denied his Christian faith. To compound his apostasy he promised that when his daughter came of age she too would convert. Aquilina’s mother, however, held fast to her faith in Christ, and brought up her daughter to love her Savior fervently. When Aquilina reached the age of eighteen, her father told her that the time had come to formally embrace Islam; he was dismayed when she replied that she would rather suffer any torment than deny Christ. Fearing for his own life, her father handed her over to the Turkish authorities. When the usual threats and promises had no effect, she was viciously beaten three times. Some pious Christians returned her, dying, to her mother, to whom she said ‘I have done as you told me, and kept the confession of our faith. Surely you didn’t think I would do anything else?’ With this, the holy Martyr died. The Synaxarion relates, ‘As her body was taken to be buried, every place that it passed was filled with a delightful scent, and a brilliant light came forth from her grave during the night.’