John 20.1-10 (7th Matins Gospel)

1A u prvi dan nedjelje doðe Marija Magdalina na grob rano, još dok se ne bješe rasvanulo, i vidje da je kamen odvaljen od groba. 2Onda otrèa, i doðe k Simonu Petru i k drugom uèeniku koga ljubljaše Isus, i reèe im: uzeše Gospoda iz groba; i ne znamo gdje ga metnuše. 3A Petar iziðe i drugi uèenik, i poðoše ka grobu. 4Trèahu pak oba zajedno, i drugi uèenik trèaše brže od Petra, i doðe prije ka grobu. 5I nadvirivši se vidje haljine gdje leže; ali ne uðe. 6Doðe pak Simon Petar za njim, i uðe u grob, i vidje haljine same gdje leže, 7I ubrus koji bješe na glavi njegovoj ne s haljinama da leži nego osobito savit na jednom mjestu. 8Tada dakle uðe i drugi uèenik koji najprije doðe ka grobu, i vidje i vjerova. 9Jer još ne znadijahu pisma da njemu valja ustati iz mrtvijeh. 10Onda otidoše opet uèenici doma.

2 Corinthians 9.6-11 (Epistle)

6Ovo pak velim: koji s tvrðom sije, s tvrðom æe i požnjeti; a koji blagoslov sije, blagoslov æe i požnjeti. 7Svaki po volji svojega srca, a ne sa žalošæu ili od nevolje; jer Bog ljubi onoga koji dragovoljno daje. 8A Bog je kadar uèiniti da je meðu vama izobilna svaka blagodat, da u svemu svagda svako dovoljstvo imajuæi izobilujete za svako dobro djelo; 9Kao što je pisano: prosu, dade siromasima; pravda njegova ostaje vavijek. 10A koji daje sjeme sijaèu, daæe i hljeb za jelo: i umnožiæe sjeme vaše, i daæe da uzrastu žita pravde vaše; 11Da se u svemu obogatite za svaku prostotu koja kroz nas èini hvalu Bogu.

Luke 6.31-36 (Gospel)

31I kako hoæete da èine vama ljudi èinite i vi njima onako. 32I ako ljubite one koji vas ljube, kakva vam je hvala? Jer i grješnici ljube one koji njih ljube. 33I ako èinite dobro onima koji vama dobro èine, kakva vam je hvala? Jer i grješnici èine tako. 34I ako dajete u zajam onima od kojijeh se nadate da æete uzeti, kakva vam je hvala? Jer i grješnici grješnicima daju u zajam da uzmu opet onoliko. 35Ali ljubite neprijatelje svoje, i èinite dobro, i dajite u zajam ne nadajuæi se nièemu; i biæe vam velika plata, i biæete sinovi najvišega, jer je on blag i neblagodarnima i zlima. 36Budite dakle milostivi kao i otac vaš što je milostiv.

St Cyriacus the Solitary (555/557)

He was born in Corinth of pious Christian parents. At the age of eighteen he went to Palestine, where, after studying under several holy fathers, he entered monastic life and became the disciple of St Gerasim of the Jordan. After St Gerasim’s death he lived in strict solitude, asceticism and silence for many years, finally entering the monastery of St Chariton, where he reposed in peace at the age of 109. Despite his very severe asceticism, he was large and strong, remaining so until the end of his life. According to the rule of St Chariton, he and his fellow-monks ate only once a day, after sunset. In the desert, he lived for years on nothing but the raw plants that he gathered there. He said of himself that, while he was a monk, the sun never saw him eat or be angry with any man.

St Mary of Palestine (6th c.)

“She was at first a reader of the Psalter in the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem, but, being beautiful, she was a source of scandal to the sinful-minded. In order not to be a cause of sin in others, Mary withdrew to the wilderness of Souka with a basket of beans and a flask of water. She spent eighteen years in the desert and, by God’s power, never lacked either beans nor water. Disciples of St Cyriacus found her during her lifetime, and later buried her.” (Prologue)

Holy Martyrs Dada and those with them (4th c.)

Dada was a high Persian official serving in the court of King Shapur II, and secretly a Christian. When he was appointed governor of a province some way from the court, Dada began to worship and proclaim Christ openly. This came to the attention of the King, who sent one of his sons, Gubarlahas, to try and execute him. Dada was tried and condemned to be thrown into a fiery furnace. But when Dada made the sign of the Cross, the fire went out, amazing the Prince and eventually leading him to convert to Christ.

The outraged King had his son thrown in prison and put to torture. Gubarlahas endured days of hideous torture without complaint and, though he had been subjected to horrible mutilations, emerged from his cell unscathed. This wonder led others, including two more of the King’s own children or kin, to embrace Christ. Kazoy, the King’s daughter, was allowed to enter into rest as soon as her tortures began. Gubarlahas was miraculously baptised in the midst of further tortures: A voice from on high pronounced the words of baptism, and a shower of water and oil fell on the Martyr. Not long afterward, he perished, along with Dada and Kasdios, one of Gubarlahas’ kinsmen who had been convinced of the Truth by the miracles he had seen.

Venerable Cyprian of Ustiug (1276)

“Saint Cyprian founded the Monastery of the Entry into the Temple of the Mother of God, near Ustiug in the district of Vologda, in 1212, and he made over all his property to it. He never left the monastery after he became Abbot but gave himself to ascetic labours, as if each day were his last on earth. He watched over the spiritual progress of his monks with fatherly love and willingly sacrificed his time and energy for their good. Saint Cyprian fell asleep in the Lord in 1276. His holy relics lie in his monastery.” (Synaxarion)