Acts 14.20-27 (Epistle)

20A kad ga opkoliše uèenici njegovi, ustade i uðe u grad, i sjutradan iziðe s Varnavom u Dervu. 21I propovjedivši jevanðelje gradu onome i nauèivši mnoge vratiše se u Listru i Ikoniju i Antiohiju 22Utvrðujuæi duše uèenika i svjetujuæi ih da ostanu u vjeri, i da nam kroz mnoge nevolje valja uæi u carstvo Božije. 23I postavivši im starješine po svijem crkvama, i pomolivši se Bogu s postom, predadoše ih Gospodu koga vjerovaše. 24I prošavši Pisidiju doðoše u Pamfiliju. 25I govorivši rijeè Gospodnju u Perzi siðoše u Ataliju. 26I odande otploviše u Antiohiju, odakle bijahu predani blagodati Božijoj na djelo koje svršiše. 27A kad doðoše i sabraše crkvu, kazaše sve šta uèini Bog s njima, i kako otvori neznabošcima vrata vjere.

John 9.39-10.9 (Gospel)

39I reèe Isus: ja doðoh na sud na ovaj svijet, da vide koji ne vide, i koji vide da postanu slijepi. 40I èuše ovo neki od fariseja koji bijahu s njim, i rekoše mu: eda li smo i mi slijepi? 41Reèe im Isus: kad biste bili slijepi, ne biste imali grijeha, a sad govorite da vidite, tako vaš grijeh ostaje.

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.

Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra and seven virgin-martyrs with him (303)

Theodotus was a married inn-keeper in Ancyra during the persecutions of Diocletian. He used his inn-keeping trade as a means of secretly helping the persecuted Christians, many of whom used his inn as a refuge in time of need. One of his holy works was to retrieve the bodies of martyred Christians and give them burial. At that time, seven maidens were tried and tortured for their faith in Christ, then killed by being thrown into a lake. One of them, St Tecusa, appeared to St Theodotus and asked him to retrieve the bodies of her and her sisters in Christ. Under cover of night Theodotus, guided by an Angel, was able to find all seven bodies and bury them honorably. But a friend whom he had asked to help him in this work betrayed him, and he was arrested and subjected to cruel tortures. Finally he was sentenced to be beheaded. As he went to the block, he said to the many Christians who had gathered to weep for him: ‘Do not weep for me, brethren, but glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, by whose aid I am finishing my course and overcoming the enemy.’ A church dedicated to him was later built on the site of his burial.

Holy Martyrs Peter, Dionysius, Christina, Andrew, Paul, Benedimus, Paulinus, and Heraclius (250)

“These Saints all contested in martyrdom during the reign of Decius (249-251). Peter was from Lampsacus in the Hellespont. For refusing to offer sacrifice to the idol of Aphrodite, his whole body was crushed and broken with chains and pieces of wood on a torture-wheel; having endured this torment courageously, he gave up his soul.

“Paul and Andrew were soldiers from Mesopotamia brought to Athens with their governor; there they were put in charge of two captive Christians, Dionysius and Christina. The soldiers, seeing the beauty of the virgin Christina, attempted to move her to commit sin with them, but she refused and, by her admonitions, brought them to faith in Christ. They and Dionysius were stoned to death, and Christina was beheaded.

“Heraclius, Paulinus,and Benedimus were Athenians, and preachers of the Gospel who turned many of the heathen from their error to the light of Christ. Brought before the governor, they confesed their Faith, and after many torments were beheaded.” (Great Horologion)

The Prologue adds: “One Nicomachus, who was tortured with them, denied Christ under torture, and instantly lost his mind, tearing at his body with his teeth and foaming at the mouth until he breathed his last.”