Isaiah 10.12-20 (6th Hour)

12Ali kad svrši Gospod sve djelo svoje na gori Sionskoj i u Jerusalimu, tada æu obiæi plod ohologa srca cara Asirskoga i slavu ponositijeh oèiju njegovijeh. 13Jer reèe: krjepošæu ruke svoje uèinih i mudrošæu svojom, jer sam razuman; i premjestih meðe narodima i blago njihovo zaplijenih i kao junak oborih stanovnike. 14I ruka moja naðe kao gnijezdo bogatstvo u naroda, i kako se kupe jajca ostavljena tako pokupih svu zemlju, i ne bi nikoga da makne krilom ili da otvori usta i pisne. 15Hoæe li se sjekira velièati nad onijem koji njom sijeèe? hoæe li se pila razmetati nad onijem koji njom radi? kao da bi prut mahao onijem koji ga digne, kao da bi se hvalio štap da nije od drveta. 16Zato æe Gospod, Gospod nad vojskama, pustiti na pretile njegove mršu, i slavu æe njegovu potpaliti da gori kao oganj. 17Jer æe vidjelo Izrailjevo biti oganj, i svetac æe njegov biti plamen, i upaliæe i sažeæi trnje njegovo i èkalj njegov u jedan dan. 18I krasotu šume njegove i njive njegove, od duše do tijela, uništiæe, i biæe kao bjegunac kad iznemogne. 19I što ostane drveta šume njegove, biæe malo, da bi ih dijete moglo popisati. 20I u to vrijeme ostatak Izrailjev i koji se izbave u domu Jakovljevu neæe se više oslanjati na onoga ko ih bije, nego æe se oslanjati na Gospoda sveca Izrailjeva istinom.

Genesis 7.6-9 (Vespers)

6A bješe Noju šest stotina godina kad doðe potop na zemlju. 7I uðe Noje u kovèeg i sinovi njegovi i žena njegova i žene sinova njegovijeh s njim radi potopa. 8Od životinja èistih i od životinja neèistih i od ptica i od svega što se mièe po zemlji, 9Uðe k Noju u kovèeg po dvoje, muško i žensko, kao što bješe Bog zapovjedio Noju.

Proverbs 9.12-18 (LXX) (Vespers)

12Ako budeš mudar, sebi æeš biti mudar; ako li budeš potsmjevaè, sam æeš tegliti. 13Žena bezumna plaha je, luda i ništa ne zna; 14I sjedi na vratima od kuæe svoje na stolici, na visinama gradskim, 15Te vièe one koji prolaze, koji idu pravo svojim putem: 16Ko je lud? neka se uvrati ovamo. I bezumnome govori: 17Voda je kradena slatka, i hljeb je sakriven ugodan. 18A on ne zna da su ondje mrtvaci i u dubokom grobu da su zvanice njezine.

Martyr Agapius and seven with him (303)

These holy Martyrs contested during the reign of Diocletian 284-305), in Palestinian Caesarea. All eight were very young; only Agapius was a baptized Christian. Urbanus, the governor of the region, observed a pagan festival by having some Christians publicly tortured and executed: some by fire, others on the gallows, some by being thrown to wild beasts in the arena. Six of the youths (Timolaus, Dionysius, Romulus, Plesius, and two named Alexander), seeing the patience and serenity with which the Christians endured their torments, were reached by the Holy Spirit and, tying their own hands, presented themselves to Urbanus saying ‘We too are Christians!’ They were immediately cast into prison. A few days later Agapius, a prominent Christian in that town, also presented himself along with a second Dionysius. All eight were beheaded together at Caesarea. Their martyrdom is recorded in Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History.

Holy Martyr Alexander (270-275)

“He was from the town of Side in Pamphylia. The Emperor Aurelian’s governor asked him who he was, to which Alexander replied that he was a pastor of the flock of Christ. ‘And where is this flock of Christ’, further enquired the evil and suspicious governor. Alexander replied: ‘Over the whole world live the people whom Christ the Lord created, among whom those who believe in Him are His sheep, but those who have fallen away from their Creator, who are enslaved to creation and the work of men’s hands, to dead idols, such as you, are strangers to His flock, and at the Dreadful Judgement of God will be put to the left with the goats.’ The wicked judge first commanded that he be whipped with iron flails and then thrown into a burning furnace. But the fire could in no way harm him. Then he was flayed and after that thrown to the wild beasts. But the beasts would not touch him. At last the governor ordered that he be beheaded. But as soon as the judge pronounced the sentence, an evil spirit took hold of him and made him rabid. He was led howling to his gods, the idols, but on the way the evil spirit wrested his wicked soul from him. St Alexander suffered between 270 and 275.’ (Prologue)

He is commemorated March 14 on the Greek calendar.