Philippians 1.27-2.4 (Epistle)

27Samo živite kao što se pristoji jevanðelju Hristovu, da vas vidim kad doðem ili ako vam ne doðem da èujem za vas da stojite u jednome duhu i jednodušno borite se za vjeru jevanðelja, 28I ni u èem da se ne plašite od protivnika; koje je njima znak pogibli a vama spasenija, i to od Boga; 29Jer se vama darova Hrista radi ne samo da ga vjerujete nego i da stradate za nj, 30Imajuæi onu istu borbu kakovu u meni vidjeste i sad èujete za mene.

1Ako ima dakle koje pouèenje u Hristu, ili ako ima koja utjeha ljubavi, ako ima koja zajednica duha, ako ima koje srce žalostivo i milost, 2Ispunite moju radost, da jedno mislite, jednu ljubav imate, jedinodušni i jedinomisleni: 3Ništa ne èinite uz prkos ili za praznu slavu; nego poniznošæu èinite jedan drugoga veæeg od sebe. 4Ne gledajte svaki za svoje, nego i za drugijeh.

Luke 9.12-18 (Gospel)

12A dan stade naginjati. Tada pristupiše dvanaestorica i rekoše mu: otpusti narod, neka idu na konak u okolna sela i palanke, i nek naðu jela, jer smo ovdje u pustinji. 13A on im reèe: podajte im vi neka jedu. A oni rekoše: u nas nema više od pet hljebova i dvije ribe; veæ ako da idemo mi da kupimo na sve ove ljude jela? 14Jer bijaše ljudi oko pet hiljada. Ali on reèe uèenicima svojijem: posadite ih na gomile po pedeset. 15I uèiniše tako, i posadiše ih sve. 16A on uze onijeh pet hljebova i obje ribe, i pogledavši na nebo blagoslovi ih i prelomi, i davaše uèenicima da razdadu narodu. 17I jedoše i nasitiše se svi, i nakupiše komada dvanaest kotarica što im preteèe. 18I kad se jedanput moljaše Bogu nasamo, s njim bijahu uèenici, i zapita ih govoreæi: ko govore ljudi da sam ja?

Holy Martyrs Carpus and Papylus, with Agathodorus and Agathonica (251)

Saint Carpus was Bishop of Thyatira, and Papylus was his deacon. In the reign of the Emperor Decius, both were arrested as Christians and put to torture. Agathodorus their servant and Agathonica, Papylus’ sister, willingly followed after them and voluntarily confessed Christ also. After many sufferings, all four were beheaded.

Holy Martyr Zlata (Chryse) (1796)

“Born in the village of Slatina in the Meglin region [of Bulgaria], of poor peasants who had three other daughters, St Zlata was a meek and devout girl, wise with Christ’s wisdom and golden (‘zlata’ means ‘gold’) not only in name but also in her God-fearing heart. When Zlata went out one day to get water, some shameless Turks seized her and carried her off to their house. When one of them urged her to embrace Islam and become his wife, Zlata answered fearlessly: ‘I believe in Christ, and know Him alone as my bridegroom; I shall never deny Him even if you put me to a thousand tortures and cut me into pieces.’ Her parents and sisters then arrived, and said to her: ‘O our daughter, have mercy on yourself and us. Deny Christ publicly, that we can all be happy. Christ is merciful; He will forgive your sin, committed under the pressure of life.’ Her poor parents and kinsfolk wept bitterly. But Zlata’s heroic soul would not be overcome by devilish seduction. She replied to her parents: ‘When you urge me to deny Christ, the true God, you are no longer parents or sisters to me; I have the Lord Jesus Christ as father, the Mother of God as mother and, for brothers and sisters, the saints.’ Then the Turks threw her into prison, where she lay for three months, and they took her out every day and flogged her until her blood flowed onto the ground. Finally, they hanged her upside-down and made a fire to choke her to death with the smoke. But God was with Zlata, and gave her strength in her suffering. At the very end, they hanged her from a tree and cut her into small pieces. Thus this martyr-maiden gave her soul into God’s hands, and entered into the realm of Paradise, in 1796. Pieces of her relics were taken by Christians to their homes, that they might bring a blessing to them.” (Prologue)