Isaiah 14.24-32 (6th Hour)

24Zakle se Gospod nad vojskama govoreæi: doista, biæe kako sam smislio, i kako sam naumio izvršiæe se. 25Potræu Asirca u zemlji svojoj, na gorama svojim izgaziæu ga; tada æe se skinuti s njih jaram njegov, i breme njegovo s pleæa njihovijeh skinuæe se. 26To je namišljeno svoj zemlji, i to je ruka podignuta na sve narode. 27Jer je Gospod nad vojskama naumio, ko æe razbiti? i njegovu ruku podignutu ko æe odvratiti? 28Godine koje umrije car Ahaz bi objavljeno ovo breme: 29Nemoj se radovati, zemljo Filistejska svakolika, što se slomi prut onoga koji te je bio; jer æe iz korijena zmijinjega niknuti zmija vasilinska, i plod æe mu biti zmaj ognjeni krilati. 30I prvenci siromaški nahraniæe se, i ubogi æe poèivati bez straha; a tvoj æu korijen umoriti glaðu, i ostatak tvoj on æe pobiti. 31Ridajte, vrata; vièi, grade; rastopila si se, sva zemljo Filistejska, jer sa sjevera ide dim i niko se neæe osamiti u zborovima njegovijem. 32I šta æe se odgovoriti poslanicima narodnijem? Da je Gospod osnovao Sion i da æe u nj utjecati nevoljnici naroda njegova.

Genesis 8.21-9.7 (Vespers)

21I Gospod omirisa miris ugodni, i reèe u srcu svojem: neæu više kleti zemlje s ljudi, što je misao srca èovjeèijega zla od malena; niti æu više ubijati svega što živi, kao što uèinih. 22Otsele dokle bude zemlje, neæe nestajati sjetve ni žetve, studeni ni vruæine, ljeta ni zime, dana ni noæi.

1I Bog blagoslovi Noja i sinove njegove, i reèe im: raðajte se i množite se, i napunite zemlju; 2I sve zvijeri zemaljske i sve ptice nebeske i sve što ide po zemlji i sve ribe morske neka vas se boje i straše; sve je predano u vaše ruke. 3Što se god mièe i živi, neka vam bude za jelo, sve vam to dadoh kao zelenu travu. 4Ali ne jedite mesa s dušom njegovom, a to mu je krv. 5Jer æu i vašu krv, duše vaše, iskati; od svake æu je zvijeri iskati; iz ruke samoga èovjeka, iz ruke svakoga brata njegova iskaæu dušu èovjeèiju. 6Ko prolije krv èovjeèiju, njegovu æe krv proliti èovjek; jer je Bog po svojemu oblièju stvorio èovjeka. 7Raðajte se dakle i množite se; narodite se veoma na zemlji i namnožite se na njoj.

Proverbs 11.19-12.6 (Vespers)

19Ko se drži pravde, na život mu je; a ko ide za zlom, na smrt mu je. 20Mrski su Gospodu koji su opaka srca; a mili su mu koji su bezazleni na svom putu. 21Zao èovjek neæe ostati bez kara ako i druge uzme u pomoæ; a sjeme pravednijeh izbaviæe se. 22Žena lijepa a bez razuma zlatna je brnjica u gubici svinji. 23Želja je pravednijeh samo dobro, a oèekivanje bezbožnijeh gnjev. 24Jedan prosipa, i sve više ima; a drugi tvrduje suviše, i sve je siromašniji. 25Podašna ruka biva bogatija, i ko napaja, sam æe biti napojen. 26Ko ne da žita, proklinje ga narod, a ko prodaje, blagoslov mu je nad glavom. 27Ko traži dobro, dobija ljubav; a ko traži zlo, zadesiæe ga. 28Ko se uzda u bogatstvo svoje, propašæe; a pravednici æe se kao grana zelenjeti. 29Ko zatire kuæu svoju, naslijediæe vjetar; i bezumnik æe služiti mudromu. 30Plod je pravednikov drvo životno, i mudri obuèava duše. 31Gle, pravedniku se na zemlji plaæa, akamoli bezbožniku i grješniku?

1Ko ljubi nastavu, ljubi znanje; a ko mrzi na ukor, ostaje lud. 2Dobar èovjek dobija ljubav od Gospoda, a èovjeka zlikovca osuðuje. 3Neæe se èovjek utvrditi bezbožnošæu, a korijen pravednijeh neæe se pomaæi. 4Vrijedna je žena vijenac mužu svojemu; a koja ga sramoti, ona mu je kao trulež u kostima. 5Misli su pravednijeh prave, a savjeti bezbožnijeh prijevara. 6Rijeèi bezbožnijeh vrebaju krv, a pravedne izbavljaju usta njihova.

St Sophronios, patriarch of Jerusalem (638)

He was born in Damascus to an eminent family, and was well educated in his youth. Discontented with the wisdom of the world, he entered monastic life in the monastery of St Theodosius, where he became the lifelong friend and disciple of John Moschos. Together they visited the monasteries and hermitages of Egypt; they later wrote down their discoveries among the holy monks in the classic Spiritual Meadow. After the death of his teacher, St Sophronius traveled to Jerusalem, which had just been liberated from the Persians. He was there to see the Precious Cross returned from Persia by the Emperor Heraclius, who carried it into Jerusalem on his back. A few years later, in 634, St Sophronius was elected Patriarch of Jerusalem, where he served his flock wisely for three years and three months. He was zealous in the defense of Orthodoxy against the Monothelite heresy: He convoked a Council in Jerusalem which condemned it before it was condemned at the Sixth Ecumenical Council. The holy Patriarch even traveled to Constantinople to rebuke the Patriarch Sergius and Emperor Heraclius, who had embraced the Monothelite error.

The years of peace were few for the Holy Land; for just as the Persian Empire was decisively defeated by Heraclius, the followers of Islam erupted out of Arabia, conquering most of North Africa and the Middle East in a few years. The Saint was so grieved by the capture of Jerusalem in 637 by the Caliph Omar that begged God to take him, so that he might not live to see the desecration of the holy places. His prayer was granted, and he reposed in peace less than a year later.

St Sophronios is the author of the Life of Saint Mary of Egypt, appointed to be read in the churches during every Great Lent. He also wrote the service of the Great Blessing of the Waters. Some have attributed the Vesperal hymn “Gladsome Light” to him, but we know that it dates from before the time of St Basil the Great, who mentions it in his writings. It seems though, that St Sophronios supplemented the hymn, and that its present form is due to him.

St John Moschos, author of the Spiritual Meadow (622)

He is commemorated today along with his disciple and friend St Sophronius (see above).

Holy Martyr Pionius (250)

“A priest of Smyrna, he suffered there in the time of Decius’ persecution. They condemned him to be crucified, which was a great joy to him. And as soon as the soldiers assembled the cross and laid it on the ground, Pionius laid himself on it and stretched out his arms, calling to the soldiers to put the nails into his hands. The cross was inserted into the ground upside down, and a fire lit under the martyr’s head. There were many bystanders. Pionius closed his eyes and prayed to God within himself. The flames could not succeed in igniting even his hair, and when the fire had at last gone out and everyone thought that he was dead, Pionius opened his eyes and cried out joyfully: ‘O Lord, receive my spirit!’, and breathed his last. This saint wrote the life of St Polycarp of Smyrna, together with whom he now makes merry in the Kingdom of Christ. He suffered and was glorified in 250.” (Prologue)