John 10.1-9 (Matins Gospel, St Innocent)

1Zaista, zaista vam kažem: ko ne ulazi na vrata u tor ovèij nego prelazi na drugom mjestu on je lupež i hajduk; 2A koji ulazi na vrata jest pastir ovcama: 3Njemu vratar otvora, i ovce glas njegov slušaju, i svoje ovce zove po imenu, i izgoni ih; 4I kad svoje ovce istjera, ide pred njima, i ovce idu za njim, jer poznaju glas njegov. 5A za tuðinom neæe da idu, nego bježe od njega, jer ne poznaju glasa tuðega. 6Ovu prièu kaza im Isus, ali oni ne razumješe šta to bijaše što im kaza. 7Tada im reèe Isus opet: zaista, zaista vam kažem: ja sam vrata k ovcama. 8Svi koliko ih god doðe prije mene lupeži su i hajduci; ali ih ovce ne poslušaše. 9Ja sam vrata; ko uðe kroza me spašæe se, i uæi æe i iziæi æe, i pašu æe naæi.

Isaiah 45.11-17 (6th Hour)

11Ovako veli Gospod svetac Izrailjev i tvorac njegov: pitajte me što æe biti; za sinove moje i za djelo ruku mojih nareðujte mi. 12Ja sam naèinio zemlju i èovjeka na njoj stvorio, ja sam razapeo nebesa svojim rukama, i svoj vojsci njihovoj dao zapovijest. 13Ja ga podigoh u pravdi, i sve putove njegove poravniæu; on æe sazidati moj grad i roblje moje otpustiæe, ne za novce ni za darove, veli Gospod nad vojskama. 14Ovako veli Gospod: trud Misirski i trgovina Etiopska i Savaca ljudi visoka rasta doæi æe k tebi i biti tvoja; za tobom æe pristati, u okovima æe iæi, i tebi æe se klanjati, tebi æe se moliti govoreæi: doista, Bog je u tebi, i nema drugoga Boga. 15Da, ti si Bog, koji se kriješ, Bog Izrailjev, spasitelj. 16Oni æe se svi postidjeti i posramiti, otiæi æe sa sramotom svikoliki koji grade likove. 17A Izrailja æe spasti Gospod spasenjem vjeènijem, neæete se postidjeti niti æete se osramotiti dovijeka.

Genesis 22.1-18 (Vespers)

1Poslije toga šæaše Bog okušati Avrama, pa mu reèe: Avrame! A on odgovori: evo me. 2I reèe mu Bog: uzmi sada sina svojega, jedinca svojega miloga, Isaka, pa idi u zemlju Moriju, i spali ga na žrtvu tamo na brdu gdje æu ti kazati. 3I sjutradan rano ustavši Avram osamari magarca svojega, i uze sa sobom dva momka i Isaka sina svojega; i nacijepavši drva za žrtvu podiže se i poðe na mjesto koje mu kaza Bog. 4Treæi dan podigavši oèi svoje Avram ugleda mjesto izdaleka. 5I reèe Avram momcima svojim: ostanite vi ovdje s magarcem, a ja i dijete idemo onamo, pa kad se pomolimo Bogu, vratiæemo se k vama. 6I uzevši Avram drva za žrtvu naprti Isaku sinu svojemu, a sam uze u svoje ruke ognja i nož; pa otidoše obojica zajedno. 7Tada reèe Isak Avramu ocu svojemu: oèe! A on reèe: što, sine! I reèe Isak: eto ognja i drva, a gdje je jagnje za žrtvu? 8A Avram odgovori: Bog æe se, sinko, postarati za jagnje sebi na žrtvu. I iðahu obojica zajedno. 9A kad doðoše na mjesto koje mu Bog kaza, Avram naèini ondje žrtvenik, i metnu drva na nj, i svezavši Isaka sina svojega metnu ga na žrtvenik vrh drva; 10I izmahnu Avram rukom svojom i uze nož da zakolje sina svojega. 11Ali anðeo Gospodnji viknu ga s neba, i reèe: Avrame! Avrame! A on reèe: evo me. 12A anðeo reèe: ne diži ruke svoje na dijete, i ne èini mu ništa; jer sada poznah da se bojiš Boga, kad nijesi požalio sina svojega, jedinca svojega, mene radi. 13I Avram podigavši oèi svoje pogleda; i gle, ovan iza njega zapleo se u èesti rogovima; i otišavši Avram uze ovna i spali ga na žrtvu mjesto sina svojega. 14I nazva Avram ono mjesto: Gospod æe se postarati. Zato se i danas kaže: na brdu, gdje æe se Gospod postarati. 15I anðeo Gospodnji opet viknu s neba Avrama. 16I reèe: sobom se zakleh, veli Gospod: kad si tako uèinio, i nijesi požalio sina svojega, jedinca svojega, 17Zaista æu te blagosloviti i sjeme tvoje veoma umnožiti, da ga bude kao zvijezda na nebu i kao pijeska na brijegu morskom; i naslijediæe sjeme tvoje vrata neprijatelja svojih. 18I blagosloviæe se u sjemenu tvojem svi narodi na zemlji, kad si poslušao glas moj.

Proverbs 17.17-18.5 (Vespers)

17U svako doba ljubi prijatelj, i brat postaje u nevolji. 18Èovjek bezuman daje ruku i jamèi se za prijatelja svojega. 19Ko miluje svaðu, miluje grijeh; ko podiže uvis vrata svoja, traži pogibao. 20Ko je opaka srca, neæe naæi dobra; i ko dvolièi jezikom, pašæe u zlo. 21Ko rodi bezumna, na žalost mu je, niti æe se radovati otac luda. 22Srce veselo pomaže kao lijek, a duh žalostan suši kosti. 23Bezbožnik prima poklon iz njedara da prevrati putove pravdi. 24Razumnomu je na licu mudrost, a oèi bezumniku vrljaju nakraj zemlje. 25Žalost je ocu svojemu sin bezuman, i jad roditeljci svojoj. 26Nije dobro globiti pravednika, ni da knezovi biju koga što je radio pravo. 27Usteže rijeèi svoje èovjek koji zna, i tiha je duha èovjek razuman. 28I bezuman kad muèi, misli se da je mudar, i razuman, kad stiskuje usne svoje.

1Èovjek samovoljan traži što je njemu milo i miješa se u svašta. 2Bezumniku nije mio razum nego da se javlja srce njegovo. 3Kad doðe bezbožnik, doðe i rug, i prijekor sa sramotom. 4Rijeèi su iz usta èovjeèijih duboka voda, izvor je mudrosti potok koji se ražljeva. 5Nije dobro gledati bezbožniku ko je, da se uèini krivo pravomu na sudu.

Hebrews 7.26-8.2 (Epistle, St Innocent)

26Jer takov nama trebaše poglavar sveštenièki: svet, bezazlen, èist, odvojen od grješnika, i koji je bio više nebesa; 27Kojemu nije potrebno svaki dan, kao sveštenicima, najprije za svoje grijehe žrtve prinositi, a potom za narodne, jer on ovo uèini jednom, kad sebe prinese. 28Jer zakon postavlja ljude za sveštenike koji imaju slabost; a rijeè zakletve koja je reèena po zakonu, postavi sina vavijek savršena.

1A ovo je glava od toga što govorimo: imamo takovoga poglavara sveštenièkoga koji sjede s desne strane prijestola velièine na nebesima; 2Koji je sluga svetinjama i istinitoj skiniji, koju naèini Gospod, a ne èovjek.

John 10.9-16 (Gospel, St Innocent)

9Ja sam vrata; ko uðe kroza me spašæe se, i uæi æe i iziæi æe, i pašu æe naæi. 10Lupež ne dolazi ni za što drugo nego da ukrade i ubije i pogubi; ja doðoh da imaju život i izobilje. 11Ja sam pastir dobri; pastir dobri dušu svoju polaže za ovce, 12A najamnik, koji nije pastir, kome nijesu ovce svoje, vidi vuka gdje ide, i ostavlja ovce, i bježi: i vuk razgrabi ovce i raspudi ih; 13A najamnik bježi, jer je najamnik i ne mari za ovce. 14Ja sam pastir dobri i znam svoje, i moje mene znaju. 15Kao što mene zna otac i ja znam oca; i dušu svoju polažem za ovce. 16I druge ovce imam koje nijesu iz ovoga tora, i one mi valja dovesti; i èuæe glas moj, i biæe jedno stado i jedan pastir.

St Innocent, enlightener of Alaska and Siberia (1879)

He was born in Siberia in 1797 to a clerical family, and became a married parish priest in Irkutsk. A devout explorer, John Kriukov, told him of the great spiritual needs among the Russian and native peoples in Alaska, then Russian territory. Moved to serve Christ in this very difficult environment, he and his family arrived in Alaska in 1824. He quickly learned the Aleut language and worked humbly and tirelessly among the Aleuts. His spiritual classic, An Indication of the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven, was originally written in Aleut and later translated into many languages.

While he was visiting Russia in 1838, his wife died; one year later he was tonsured a monk and given the name of Innocent (he had been Fr John Veniaminov). Almost immediately after his tonsuring he was, without warning, raised to the rank of Bishop of all Eastern Siberia and Russian America, probably the largest diocese in the world at that time. Returning to Alaska, he continued his missionary work with vigor, often traveling among Aleut and Tlingit settlements in his own kayak. Wherever he went, he found the Alaskan people hungry for the faith, and his labors bore rich fruit which is still obvious today: Alaska has more Orthodox churches per capita than any other state.

In old age he was made Metropolitan of Moscow, head of the entire Russian Orthodox Church. His concern for Christian mission was undiminished, and as Metropolitan he created the Orthodox Missionary Society. He reposed on Holy Saturday of 1879.

Hieromartyr Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra (326)

He was born in Cilicia in Asia Minor, and became Bishop of Gangra, the capital of Paphlagonia. He took part in the First Ecumenical Council, where he was praised by all for his piety and miracles. It is said that the Emperor Constantius kept a bust of Hypatius in his palace as a weapon against demonic powers. The Saint was murdered by the Novatians, a sect which believed that there is no forgiveness for sins committed after Baptism. [The popularity of this belief helps to explain why many believers at that time postponed baptism until very late in life.] As Hypatius was traveling home from Constantinople, they attacked him on the road and stoned him to death. A woman who took part in the attack went mad and began to beat herself with a stone; she was only healed when her friends took her to the grave of St Hypatius and prayed for her. Restored by his compassionate intercession, she spent the rest of her life in repentance and prayer.

St Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow (1461)

He became a monk at the age of twelve and lived in the Simonov Monastery near Moscow. He later became Bishop of Ryazan, then was chosen as Metropolitan of Moscow (at this time the Russian Church was still under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the Metropolitanate of Moscow was its highest office). But through some political intrigue, a man named Isidore became Metropolitan instead. It was this Isidore who attended the Council of Florence and voted for the infamous Union with Rome perpetrated there. When he returned to Moscow three years later he was condemned as an apostate and exiled. Bishop Jonah at last became Metropolitan in his place. In his lifetime he was widely known as a healer, wonder-worker, seer and spiritual father. In his last years he prayed to suffer greatly through some illness, so as to be purified by his sufferings. In answer to this prayer, he was given wounds in his feet, of which he died. His relics continued to perform many wonders. The Prologue recounts, “A dumb man, John, was brought to the saint’s relics. John kissed Jonah’s hand and, as he related afterwards, the hand grabbed hold of his tongue and he felt a sharp pain. When it let his tongue go, he went back to his friends — and spoke as if he had never been dumb.”