1 Timothy 5.1-10 (Epistle)

1Starca ne karaj, nego mu govori kao ocu; momèadma kao braæi; 2Staricama kao materama; mladima kao sestrama, sa svakom èistotom. 3Udovice poštuj, koje su prave udovice. 4Ako li koja udovica ima djecu ili unuèad, da se uèe najprije svoj dom poštovati, i zajam vraæati roditeljima; jer je ovo ugodno pred Bogom. 5A prava udovica i usamljena uzda se u Boga, i živi u molitvama i u moljenju dan i noæ. 6A koja živi u sladostima, živa je umrla. 7I ovo zapovijedaj, da budu bez mane. 8Ako li ko za svoje a osobito za domaæe ne promišlja, odrekao se vjere, i gori je od neznabošca. 9A udovica da se ne prima mlaða od šezdeset godina, i koja je bila jednome mužu žena; 10I koja ima svjedoèanstvo u dobrijem djelima, ako je djecu odgajila, ako je gostoljubiva bila, ako je svetima noge prala, ako je nevoljnima pomagala, ako je išla za svakijem dobrijem djelom.

Hebrews 9.1-7 (Epistle, Theotokos)

1Tako i prvi zavjet imaše pravde bogomoljstva i svetinju zemaljsku. 2Jer skinija bješe naèinjena prva, u kojoj bijaše svijeænjak i trpeza i postavljeni hljebovi, što se zove svetinja. 3A za drugijem zavjesom bijaše skinija, koja se zove svetinja nad svetinjama, 4Koja imaše zlatnu kadionicu, i kovèeg zavjeta okovan svuda zlatom, u kome bijaše zlatan sud s manom, i palica Aronova, koja se bješe omladila, i ploèe zavjeta. 5A više njega bijahu heruvimi slave, koji osjenjavahu oltar; o èemu se ne može sad govoriti redom. 6A kad ovo bijaše tako ureðeno, ulažahu sveštenici svagda u prvu skiniju i savršivahu službu Božiju. 7A u drugu ulažaše jednom u godini sam poglavar sveštenièki, ne bez krvi, koju prinosi za sebe i za narodna neznanja.

Luke 19.37-44 (Gospel)

37A kad se približi veæ da siðe s gore Maslinske, poèe sve mnoštvo uèenika u radosti hvaliti Boga iza glasa za sva èudesa što su vidjeli, 38Govoreæi: blagosloven car koji ide u ime Gospodnje! mir na nebu i slava na visini! 39I neki fariseji iz naroda rekoše mu: uèitelju! zaprijeti uèenicima svojijem. 40I odgovarajuæi reèe im: kažem vam: ako oni uæute, kamenje æe povikati. 41I kad se približi, ugleda grad i zaplaka za njim 42Govoreæi: kad bi i ti znao u ovaj tvoj dan što je za mir tvoj! ali je sad sakriveno od oèiju tvojijeh. 43Jer æe doæi dani na tebe, i okružiæe te neprijatelji tvoji opkopima, i opkoliæe te, i obuzeæe te sa sviju strana; 44I razbiæe tebe i djecu tvoju u tebi, i neæe ostaviti u tebi kamena na kamenu, zato što nijesi poznao vremena u kojemu si pohoðen.

Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28 (Gospel, Theotokos)

38A kad iðahu putem i on uðe u jedno selo, a žena neka, po imenu Marta, primi ga u svoju kuæu. 39I u nje bješe sestra, po imenu Marija, koja i sjede kod nogu Isusovijeh i slušaše besjedu njegovu. 40A Marta se bješe zabunila kako æe ga doèekati, i prikuèivši se reèe: Gospode! zar ti ne mariš što me sestra moja ostavi samu da služim? reci joj dakle da mi pomože. 41A Isus odgovarajuæi reèe joj: Marta! Marta! brineš se i trudiš za mnogo, 42A samo je jedno potrebno. Ali je Marija dobri dijel izabrala, koji se neæe uzeti od nje. 27A kad to govoraše, podiže glas jedna žena iz naroda i reèe mu: blago utrobi koja te je nosila, i sisama koje si sao! 28A on reèe: blago i onima koji slušaju rijeè Božiju, i drže je.

Holy Great Martyr and Most Wise Catherine of Alexandria and those with her (305)

“Saint Catherine, who was from Alexandria, was the daughter of Constas (or Cestus). She was an exceedingly beautiful maiden, most chaste, and illustrious in wealth, lineage, and learning. By her steadfast understanding, she utterly vanquished the passionate and unbridled soul of Maximinus, the tyrant of Alexandria; and by her eloquence, she stopped the mouths of the so-called philosophers who had been gathered to dispute with her. She was crowned with the crown of martyrdom in the year 305. Her holy relics were taken by Angels to the holy mountain of Sinai, where they were discovered many years later; the famous monastery of Saint Catherine was originally dedicated to the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord and the Burning Bush, but later was dedicated to Saint Catherine.” (Great Horologion) So great was St Catherine’s eloquence that the fifty orators assigned to debate her recognized their error and, as a body, asked for baptism, for which Maximinus condemned them all to death. The Saint was then subjected to torture on a specially-constructed spiked wheel (with which she is usually shown in her icon), but an angel loosed her and miraculously smashed the wheel. Maximinus’ own wife and 200 soldiers, seeing her sufferings and the nobility with which she bore them, were moved to profess their faith in Christ and their yearning to be baptized. All of them were put to death. Finally Catherine herself was led outside the walls of Alexandria and, after a prayer of thanksgiving to God, was beheaded.

Great Martyr Mercurius (ca. 259)

He was born in the province of Asia, to a Scythian who had secretly converted to Christianity. Like his parents, he was a secret follower of Christ, serving as a legionary in the Roman army during the reign of the Emperor Decius. During a campaign, an Angel appeared to him, gave him a sword and told him to go into battle trusting in Christ’s help. Mercurius plunged into battle, fought his way alone through the enemy lines, and reached the barbarian commander Rigas, whom he killed. Upon the death of their chief the barbarians scattered and the victory was won.

The Emperor, hearing of the young soldier’s exploits, promoted him to a position at court. There, lulled by the pleasures and honors of the court, Mercurius forgot his duties to Christ his King. One night the same Angel who had given him the sword appeared to him once again and reminded him of the sword that Christ had given him, an emblem of the battle of martyrdom that he was about to enter. The next day Mercurius, now returned to his senses, refused to offer sacrifice to the gods. When called before the Emperor, he boldly proclaimed Christ and threw off his badges of office. He was thrown in prison and subjected to cruel tortures, all of which he bore with peace and joy, encouraged by the Angel who appeared to him again to offer comfort and encouragement. After long torment he was beheaded in Caesarea in Cappadocia, at the age of twenty-five.