Mark 16.1-8 (2nd Matins Gospel)

1I pošto proðe subota, Marija Magdalina i Marija Jakovljeva i Solomija kupiše mirisa da doðu i da pomažu Isusa. 2I vrlo rano u prvi dan nedjelje doðoše na grob oko sunèanoga roðaja. 3I govorahu meðu sobom: ko æe nam odvaliti kamen od vrata grobnijeh? 4I pogledavši vidješe da kamen bješe odvaljen: jer bješe vrlo veliki. 5I ušavši u grob vidješe mladiæa obuèena u bijelu haljinu gdje sjedi s desne strane; i uplašiše se. 6A on im reèe: ne plašite se, Isusa tražite Nazareæanina raspetoga; usta, nije ovdje, evo mjesto gdje ga metnuše. 7Nego idite kažite uèenicima njegovijem i Petru da pred vama otide u Galileju: tamo æete ga vidjeti, kao što vam reèe. 8I izišavši pobjegoše od groba; jer ih uhvati drhat i strah; i nikom ništa ne kazaše, jer se bojahu.

1 Corinthians 16.13-24 (Epistle)

13Pazite, stojte u vjeri, muški se držite, utvrðujte se. 14Sve da vam biva u ljubavi. 15Molim vas pak, braæo, znate dom Stefanin da je novina od Ahaje, i na služenje svetima odredi se; 16Da ste i vi pokorni takovima, i svakome koji pomaže i trudi se. 17Ali se obradovah dolasku Stefaninu i Fortunatovu i Ahajikovu, jer mi oni naknadiše što sam bio bez vas; 18Jer umiriše duh moj i vaš. Pripoznajte dakle takove. 19Pozdravljaju vas crkve Azijske. Pozdravljaju vas u Gospodu mnogo Akila i Priskila s domašnjom svojom crkvom. 20Pozdravljaju vas braæa sva. Pozdravite jedan drugoga cjelivom svetijem. 21Pozdravljam vas ja Pavle svojom rukom. 22Ako ko ne ljubi Gospoda Isusa Hrista da bude proklet, maran ata. 23Blagodat Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista s vama; 24I ljubav moja sa svima vama u Hristu Isusu. Amin.

Matthew 21.33-42 (Gospel)

33Drugu prièu èujte: bijaše èovjek domaæin koji posadi vinograd, i ogradi ga plotom, i iskopa u njemu pivnicu, i naèini kulu, i dade ga vinogradarima, i otide. 34A kad se približi vrijeme rodovima, posla sluge svoje k vinogradarima da prime rodove njegove. 35I vinogradari pohvatavši sluge njegove jednoga izbiše, a jednoga ubiše, a jednoga zasuše kamenjem. 36Opet posla druge sluge, više nego prije, i uèiniše im tako isto. 37A potom posla k njima sina svojega govoreæi: postidjeæe se sina mojega. 38A vinogradari vidjevši sina rekoše meðu sobom: ovo je našljednik; hodite da ga ubijemo, i da nama ostane dostojanje njegovo. 39I uhvatiše ga, pa izvedoše napolje iz vinograda, i ubiše. 40Kad doðe dakle gospodar od vinograda šta æe uèiniti vinogradarima onijem? 41Rekoše mu: zloèince æe zlom smrti pomoriti; a vinograd daæe drugijem vinogradarima, koji æe mu davati rodove u svoje vrijeme. 42Reèe im Isus: zar nijeste nikad èitali u pismu: kamen koji odbaciše zidari, onaj posta glava od ugla; to bi od Gospoda i divno je u vašijem oèima.

Hieromartyr Anthimos, bishop of Nicomedia, and those with him (303-304)

“After the death of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia (see Dec. 28), their Bishop Anthimos fled to a certain village to care for his remaining flock. The Emperor Maximian sent men in search of him. When they found him, he promised to show Anthimos to them, but first took them in as guests, fed them, and only then made himself known to them. Amazed at his kindness, the soldiers promised him to tell Maximian that they had not found him. But Anthimos went willingly with them, and converting them by his admonitions, baptized them on the way. He boldly confessed his Faith before Maximian, and after frightful tortures was beheaded in the year 303 or 304.” (Great Horologion)

Our Holy Father Theoctistus, Fellow Ascetic of St Euthymius (451), is also commemorated today. A faithful disciple of St Euthymius, he was abbot of St Euthymius’ monastery in Palestine until his repose in peace at the age of ninety.

Holy Martyr Basilissa (309)

She lived near Nicomedia during the great persecution by the Emperor Diocletian. Though she was only nine years old, she was arrested and brought before Alexander, the Governor of Bithynia. When she fearlessly proclaimed her faith in Christ, the Governor had her stripped and beaten, but she only gave thanks to God. Enraged at the steadfastness of a mere child, the Governor ordered her chained and plunged head-first into boiling pitch, then cast into a blazing furnace, then thrown to the lions. Through all these torments she was miraculously preserved. Astonished at the wonders that he beheld, Alexander fell at Basilissa’s feet and confessed that he too believed that Christ is the Savior. He was baptized by the Bishop of Nicomedia and died not long afterward. Basilissa went into the wilderness outside the city to give thanks to God for her endurance under torture and to ask Him to receive her soul in peace. While praying in this way, she entered into her rest.

Our Holy Father Joannicius, Archbishop and first Patriarch of Serbia (1354)

“Born in Prizrem, he served as first secretary to King Dušan. He became Archbishop in 1339, and in 1346 was raised to the rank of Patriarch. He was a zealous pastor, and brought order to the Serbian Church, being ‘a great upholder of the Church’s laws’. He entered into rest on September 3rd, 1349, and his relics are preserved at Pec´.” (Prologue)