1 Peter 2.21-3.9 (Epistle)

21Jer ste na to i pozvani, jer i Hristos postrada za nas, i nama ostavi ugled da idemo njegovijem tragom; 22Koji grijeha ne uèini, niti se naðe prijevara u ustima njegovijem; 23Koji ne psova kad ga psovaše; ne prijeti kad strada; nego se oslanjaše na onoga koji pravo sudi; 24Koji grijehe naše sam iznese na tijelu svojemu na drvo, da za grijehe umremo, i za pravdu živimo; kojega se ranom iscijeliste. 25Jer bijaste kao izgubljene ovce, koje nemaju pastira; no sad se obratiste k pastiru i vladici duša svojijeh.

1A tako i vi žene budite pokorne svojijem muževima, da ako koji i ne vjeruju rijeèi ženskijem življenjem bez rijeèi da se dobiju, 2Kad vide èisto življenje vaše sa strahom; 3Vaša ljepota da ne bude spolja u pletenju kose, i u udaranju zlata, i oblaèenju haljina; 4Nego u tajnome èovjeku srca, u jednakosti krotkoga i tihoga duha, što je pred Bogom mnogocjeno. 5Jer se tako nekad ukrašavahu i svete žene, koje se uzdahu u Boga i pokoravahu se svojijem muževima, 6Kao što Sara slušaše Avraama, i zvaše ga gospodarom; koje ste vi kæeri postale, ako èinite dobro, i ne bojite se nikakvoga straha. 7Tako i vi muževi živite sa svojijem ženama po razumu, i poštujte ih kao slabiji ženski sud, i kao sunašljednice blagodati života, da se ne smetu molitve vaše. 8A najposlije budite svi složni, žalostivi, bratoljubivi, milostivi, ponizni; 9Ne vraæajte zla za zlo, ni psovke za psovku; nego nasuprot blagosiljajte, znajuæi da ste na to pozvani da naslijedite blagoslov.

Mark 12.13-17 (Gospel)

13I poslaše k njemu neke od fariseja i Irodovaca da bi ga uhvatili u rijeèi. 14A oni došavši rekoše mu: uèitelju! znamo da si istinit, i da ne mariš ni za koga; jer ne gledaš ko je ko, nego zaista putu Božijemu uèiš; treba li æesaru davati haraè ili ne? Hoæemo li dati ili da ne damo? 15A on znajuæi njihovo licemjerje reèe im: što me kušate? Donesite mi novac da vidim. 16A oni donesoše. I reèe im: èij je obraz ovaj i natpis? A oni mu rekoše: æesarev. 17I odgovarajuæi Isus reèe im: podajte æesarevo æesaru, i Božije Bogu. I èudiše mu se.

Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Cyrus and John, and those with them (311)

They are counted among the Unmercenary Physicians. Cyrus was a physician living in Alexandria. A pious Christian, he healed not only bodies but souls, bringing many to Christ, and often healing through prayer rather than the use of his medicines. He often said to his patients, ‘If you want to keep clear of illness, take care not to sin, because more often than not illness is a result of sin.’ When Diocletian’s persecution broke out, Cyrus was denounced to the pagan governor and fled to Arabia, where he became a monk. He gained great renown there by healing many ailments using only the sign of the Cross.

John was a soldier from Edessa who heard of Cyrus’ deeds and, leaving the army, sought him out. They met in Egypt, where John became a monk and Cyrus’ disciple, joining him in the practice of the virtues and in healing illnesses by prayer.

They heard of the arrest of a Christian lady named Athanasia and her daughters Theoctista and Eudoxia. Concerned that the tender maidens might renounce Christ under torture, the two monks sought them out to encourage them in their confession of the Faith. They themselves were captured, and the governor decided to have them tortured in front of the women, assuming that this would break their spirit. Instead, Cyrus and John bore their sufferings so patiently and boldly that the women were only strengthened in their resolve. Seeing that he had failed, the governor had all five of them beheaded. Their bodies were placed in the Church of St Mark in Alexandria.

In the fifth century the relics of Sts Cyrus and John were enshrined in a church at Aboukir near Alexandria by St Cyril (June 9). There they were the source of abundant healings and miracles, and the shrine became one of the greatest places of pilgrimage in the Christian world.

Venerable Nicetas, hermit of the Kiev Caves and Bishop of Novgorod (1108)

His is a remarkable story of spiritual delusion (prelest in Russian) and repentance of delusion. Nicetas was a young and zealous monk of the Lavra of the Kiev Caves who, against the advice of his abbot St Nikon (March 25), retired alone to a cave and walled himself in. Some time later, the young monk experienced a delightful scent filling his cave. Believing himself to be receiving a divine revelation, he cried out ‘Lord, show Thyself to me, that I might worship Thee face to face!’ A voice answered, ‘I am sending you an angel: do whatever he tells you.’ The Devil soon appeared to him as an ‘angel of light’ and Nicetas, completely taken in, prostrated before him. The Devil ordered him to stop praying and to devote all his time to reading and memorizing the Old Testament. Nicetas obeyed without question. After awhile, the Devil began to reveal to him things that were happening in the outside world, so that the young monk acquired a reputation for prophecy among visitors to his cave. When the Elders of the Caves realized that Nicetas never spoke to his visitors or anyone else of the New Testament, they decided that he was beguiled by the Devil. Breaking down the door of his cave, they drove out the deceiver by their prayers and forcibly took the young hermit back to the monastery.

As soon as the evil angel had been driven off, Nicetas became like a young child: he instantly forgot the entire Old Testament (which he had virtually memorized) and even lost the ability to read, so that he had to be sent to school again. Slowly he returned to himself, realized his former delusion and repented in tears. Thereafter he devoted himself to humility and obedience in the monastic community. Such was his repentance and progress in the virtues that he was later made Bishop of Novgorod. He reposed in peace in 1108 and became known for working many miracles, especially healing of blindness.

Marcella of Rome (410)

The daughter of a prominent Roman family, she was given in marriage despite her reluctance, but was widowed after less than a year. Following the example of the prophetess Anna, she dedicated her widowhood to God and turned her fine house in Rome into a monastery, living there in strict asceticism.

“When the Church was riven by controversies about the doctrines of Origen, Saint Marcella kept silent for a while but, deciding at length to take up the cause of Orthodoxy, and maintaining a sweet and gentle manner in the exchanges, she succeeded in confounding the arguments of the heretics.” (Ormylia Synaxarion)

When the Goths invaded and pillaged Rome in 410 they broke into her house. Marcella received them calmly, but when they demanded money she answered that no one as poorly clothed as she was could be expected to have any money. At this the invaders beat her mercilessly despite her great age. She bore their blows without complaint, asking only that they spare her spiritual daughter Principia. Struck to the heart by her response, the barbarians took her and her disciple to the Church of St Paul, where she reposed two days later.