Genesis 49.1-2, 8-12 (Vespers)

1Poslije sazva Jakov sinove svoje i reèe: skupite se da vam javim šta æe vam biti do pošljetka. 2Skupite se i poslušajte, sinovi Jakovljevi, poslušajte Izrailja oca svojega. 8Juda, tebe æe hvaliti braæa tvoja, a ruka æe ti biti za vratom neprijateljima tvojim, i klanjaæe ti se sinovi oca tvojega. 9Laviæu Juda! s plijena si se vratio, sine moj; spusti se i leže kao lav i kao ljuti lav; ko æe ga probuditi? 10Palica vladalaèka neæe se odvojiti od Jude niti od nogu njegovijeh onaj koji postavlja zakon, dokle ne doðe onaj kome pripada, i njemu æe se pokoravati narodi. 11Veže za èokot magare svoje, i za plemenitu lozu mlade od magarice svoje; u vinu pere haljinu svoju i ogrtaè svoj u soku od grožða. 12Oèi mu se crvene od vina i zubi bijele od mlijeka.

Zephaniah 3.14-19 (Vespers)

14Pjevaj, kæeri Sionska; klikuj, Izrailju; raduj se i veseli se iz svega srca, kæeri Jerusalimska! 15Ukloni Gospod sudove tvoje, odvrati neprijatelje tvoje; car Izrailjev Gospod usred tebe je, neæeš se više bojati zla. 16U onaj dan reæi æe se gradu Jerusalimu: ne boj se; Sionu: nemoj da ti klonu ruke. 17Gospod Bog tvoj, koji je usred tebe, silni, spašæe te; radovaæe ti se veoma, umiriæe se u ljubavi svojoj, veseliæe se tebe radi pjevajuæi. 18Koji tuže za praznicima, sabraæu ih, koji su iz tebe, radi teške sramote koja je na tebi. 19Gle, uništiæu u ono vrijeme sve koji te muèe, i izbaviæu hrome i sabrati odagnane, i dobaviæu im hvalu i slavu po svoj zemlji, gdje su bili pod sramotom.

Zechariah 9.9-15 (Vespers)

9Raduj se mnogo, kæeri Sionska, podvikuj, kæeri Jerusalimska; evo, car tvoj ide k tebi, pravedan je i spasava, krotak i jaše na magarcu, i na magaretu, mladetu magarièinu. 10Jer æu istrijebiti iz Jefrema kola i iz Jerusalima konje; i istrijebiæe se luk ubojiti; i on æe kazivati mir narodima, i vlast æe mu biti od mora do mora i od rijeke do krajeva zemaljskih. 11A ti, za krv zavjeta tvojega pustih sužnje tvoje iz jame, gdje nema vode. 12Vratite se ka gradu, sužnji, koji se nadate, još ti i danas javljam da æu ti platiti dvojinom. 13Jer zapeh sebi Judu kao luk, i napunih Jefrema, i podigoh sinove tvoje, Sione, na sinove tvoje, Javane, i uèinih te da si kao maè junaèki. 14I Gospod æe se pokazati nad njima, i strijela æe njegova izaæi kao munja, i Gospod æe Gospod zatrubiti u trubu i poæi æe s vihorima južnijem. 15Gospod nad vojskama zaklanjaæe ih, i oni æe jesti pogazivši kamenje iz praæe, i piæe podvikujuæi kao od vina, i biæe puni kao èaša, kao uglovi od oltara.

Composite 2 - Proverbs 10, 3, 8 (Vespers, St Innocent)

1The memory of a just man is praised, and the Lord’s blessing is upon his head. Blessed is one who has found wisdom; a mortal who knows understanding. To import her is better than treasures of gold and silver. She is more valuable than precious stones; nothing of value equals her worth. Justice proceeds from her mouth; she bears law and mercy on her tongue. Therefore, my children, listen to me, for I speak weighty things. And blessed is the one who keeps my ways. For my goings out are the goings out of life, and favour is prepared from the Lord. Therefore I exhort you, and utter my voice to the children of humankind. Because I, Wisdom, have prepared counsel, knowledge and understanding. I have called on them. Counsel and sureness are mine; prudence is mine, strength is mine. I love those who are my friends, while those who seek me will find grace. You innocent, then, understand cunning; you untaught, take it to heart. Listen to me, for I will speak weighty things, and I will open right things from my lips. Because my throat will meditate truth; lying lips are abominable before me. All the words of my mouth are with justice, there is nothing crooked in them nor twisted. They are all straight for those who understand, and right for those who find knowledge. For I teach you what is true, that your hope may be in the Lord and that you may be filled with spirit.

Composite 3 - Wisdom of Solomon 4, 5 (Vespers, St Innocent)

1A just man if he comes to his end will be at rest. A just man who dies will condemn the ungodly who are alive; for they will see the end of a just man and will not understand what they counselled concerning him. For the Lord will break the ungodly, render them voiceless and cast them headlong, and he will shake them from the foundations and they will be utterly worsted in sorrow, and their memory shall perish. They shall come with fear at the accounting of their sins, and their iniquities will convict them to their face. Then the just will stand with much boldness in the face of those who afflicted him and made his toils of no account. When they see this they will be troubled with great fear and will be amazed at the wonder of his salvation. For they will say as they repent and with anguish they will groan and say: Is this he whom we fools once made a laughing stock and a byword of reproach? We reckoned his life folly and his end dishonour. How has he been numbered among the children of God and his lot with the Saints? Therefore we have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousness has not shone on us and the sun has not dawned on us. We have been filled with paths of lawlessness and destruction and journeyed through trackless paths, but have not known the way of the Lord.

Composite 4 - Proverbs 10; Wisdom of Solomon 6, 7, 8, 9 (Vespers, St Innocent)

1The mouth of a just man distils wisdom; the lips of men know graces. The mouth of the wise meditates wisdom; justice delivers them from death. When a just man dies hope is not lost; for a just son is born for life, and among his good things he will pluck the fruit of justice. There is light at all times for the just, and they will find grace and glory from the Lord. The tongue of the wise knows what is good, and wisdom will take its rest in their hearts. The Lord loves holy hearts; while all who are blameless in the way are acceptable to him. The wisdom of the Lord will enlighten the face of the understanding; for she anticipates those who desire her before they know it, and is easily contemplated by those who love her. One who rises for her at dawn will not toil, and one who keeps vigil because of her will be without care. For she goes about seeking those who are worthy of her, and shows herself favourably to those on her paths. Wickedness will never prevail against wisdom. Because of this I too became a lover of her beauty and became her friend, and I sought her out from my youth, and I sought to take her as my bride, because the Master of all things loved her, for she is an initiate of the knowledge of God and one who chooses his works. Her toils are virtues; she herself teaches sobriety and prudence; justice and courage, than which things nothing is more useful in human life. If anyone longs for much experience, she knows how to compare things of old and those that are to come. She knows the twists of words and the explanations of riddles. She foresees signs and wonders and the outcomes of seasons and times. And to all she is a good counsellor. Because immortality is in her, and fame in the fellowship of her words. Therefore I appealed to the Lord and besought him and said from my whole heart, ‘God of my Fathers and Lord of mercy, who made all things by your Word, and established humanity by your Wisdom to be sovereign over the creatures that had come into being by you, and to order the world in holiness and justice, give me Wisdom who sits by your throne, and do not reject me from among your children, for I am your servant and the son of your maid servant. Send her out from your holy dwelling and from the throne of your glory, that she may be present with me and teach me what is well pleasing before you. And she will guide me with knowledge and guard me with her glory. For all the thoughts of mortals are wretched and their ideas are unstable.’

Matthew 21.1-11, 15-17 (Matins Gospel)

1I kad se približiše k Jerusalimu i doðoše u Vitfagu k Maslinskoj gori, onda Isus posla dva uèenika 2Govoreæi im: idite u selo što je prema vama, i odmah æete naæi magaricu privezanu i magare s njom: odriješite je i dovedite mi. 3I ako vam ko reèe što, kažite da oni trebaju Gospodu; i odmah æe ih poslati. 4A ovo je sve bilo da se zbude što je kazao prorok govoreæi: 5Kažite kæeri Sionovoj: evo car tvoj ide tebi krotak, i jaše na magarcu, i magaretu sinu magarièinu. 6I uèenici otidoše, i uèinivši kako im zapovjedi Isus 7Dovedoše magaricu i magare, i metnuše na njih haljine svoje, i posadiše ga na njih. 8A ljudi mnogi prostriješe haljine svoje po putu; a drugi rezahu granje od drveta i prostirahu po putu. 9A narod koji iðaše pred njim i za njim, vikaše govoreæi: Osana sinu Davidovu! Blagosloven koji ide u ime Gospodnje! Osana na visini! 10I kad on uðe u Jerusalim, uzbuni se sav grad govoreæi: ko je to? 11A narod govoraše: ovo je Isus prorok iz Nazareta Galilejskoga. 15A kad vidješe glavari sveštenièki i književnici èudesa što uèini, i djecu gdje vièu u crkvi i govore: Osana sinu Davidovu, rasrdiše se. 16I rekoše mu: èuješ li što ovi govore? A Isus reèe im: da! zar nijeste nikad èitali: iz usta male djece i koja sisaju naèinio si sebi hvalu? 17I ostavivši ih iziðe napolje iz grada u Vitaniju, i zanoæi ondje.

Philippians 4.4-9 (Epistle)

4Radujte se svagda u Gospodu, i opet velim: radujte se. 5Krotost vaša da bude poznata svijem ljudima. 6Gospod je blizu. Ne brinite se ni za što nego u svemu molitvom i moljenjem sa zahvaljivanjem da se javljaju Bogu iskanja vaša. 7I mir Božij, koji prevazilazi svaki um, da saèuva srca vaša i misli vaše u Gospodu Isusu. 8A dalje, braæo moja, što je god istinito, što je god pošteno, što je god pravedno, što je god preèisto, što je god preljubazno, što je god slavno, i još ako ima koja dobrodjetelj, i ako ima koja pohvala, to mislite. 9Što i nauèiste, i primiste, i èuste, i vidjeste u meni, ono èinite, i Bog mira biæe s vama.

Hebrews 7.26-8.2 (Epistle, St Innocent)

26Jer takov nama trebaše poglavar sveštenièki: svet, bezazlen, èist, odvojen od grješnika, i koji je bio više nebesa; 27Kojemu nije potrebno svaki dan, kao sveštenicima, najprije za svoje grijehe žrtve prinositi, a potom za narodne, jer on ovo uèini jednom, kad sebe prinese. 28Jer zakon postavlja ljude za sveštenike koji imaju slabost; a rijeè zakletve koja je reèena po zakonu, postavi sina vavijek savršena.

1A ovo je glava od toga što govorimo: imamo takovoga poglavara sveštenièkoga koji sjede s desne strane prijestola velièine na nebesima; 2Koji je sluga svetinjama i istinitoj skiniji, koju naèini Gospod, a ne èovjek.

John 12.1-18 (Gospel)

1A Isus prije pashe na šest dana doðe u Vitaniju gdje bješe Lazar što umrije, koga podiže iz mrtvijeh. 2Ondje mu pak zgotoviše veèeru, i Marta služaše, a i Lazar sjeðaše s njim za trpezom; 3A Marija uzevši litru pravoga nardova mnogocjenoga mira pomaza noge Isusove, i otr kosom svojom noge njegove; a kuæa se napuni mirisa od mira. 4Onda reèe jedan od uèenika njegovijeh, Juda Simonov Iskariotski, koji ga poslije izdade: 5Zašto se ovo miro ne prodade za trista groša i ne dade siromasima? 6A ovo ne reèe što se staraše za siromahe, nego što bješe lupež, i imaše kovèežiæ, i nošaše što se metaše u nj. 7A Isus reèe: ne dirajte u nju; ona je to dohranila za dan mojega pogreba; 8Jer siromahe svagda imate sa sobom, a mene nemate svagda. 9Razumje pak mnogi narod iz Judeje da je ondje i doðoše ne samo Isusa radi nego i da vide Lazara kojega podiže iz mrtvijeh. 10A glavari sveštenièki dogovoriše se da i Lazara ubiju; 11Jer mnogi njega radi iðahu iz Judeje i vjerovahu Isusa. 12A sjutradan mnogi od naroda koji bješe došao na praznik, èuvši da Isus ide u Jerusalim 13Uzeše grane od finika i iziðoše mu na susret, i vikahu govoreæi: osana! blagosloven koji ide u ime Gospodnje, car Izrailjev. 14A Isus našavši magare usjede na nj, kao što je pisano: 15Ne boj se kæeri Sionova, evo car tvoj ide sjedeæi na magaretu. 16Ali ovo uèenici njegovi ne razumješe prije: nego kad se proslavi Isus onda se opomenuše da ovo bješe za njega pisano, i ovo mu uèiniše. 17A narod svjedoèaše koji bješe prije s njim kad Lazara izazva iz groba i podiže ga iz mrtvijeh. 18Zato ga i srete narod, jer èuše da on uèini ovo èudo.

John 10.9-16 (Gospel, St Innocent)

9Ja sam vrata; ko uðe kroza me spašæe se, i uæi æe i iziæi æe, i pašu æe naæi. 10Lupež ne dolazi ni za što drugo nego da ukrade i ubije i pogubi; ja doðoh da imaju život i izobilje. 11Ja sam pastir dobri; pastir dobri dušu svoju polaže za ovce, 12A najamnik, koji nije pastir, kome nijesu ovce svoje, vidi vuka gdje ide, i ostavlja ovce, i bježi: i vuk razgrabi ovce i raspudi ih; 13A najamnik bježi, jer je najamnik i ne mari za ovce. 14Ja sam pastir dobri i znam svoje, i moje mene znaju. 15Kao što mene zna otac i ja znam oca; i dušu svoju polažem za ovce. 16I druge ovce imam koje nijesu iz ovoga tora, i one mi valja dovesti; i èuæe glas moj, i biæe jedno stado i jedan pastir.

St Innocent, enlightener of Alaska and Siberia (1879)

He was born in Siberia in 1797 to a clerical family, and became a married parish priest in Irkutsk. A devout explorer, John Kriukov, told him of the great spiritual needs among the Russian and native peoples in Alaska, then Russian territory. Moved to serve Christ in this very difficult environment, he and his family arrived in Alaska in 1824. He quickly learned the Aleut language and worked humbly and tirelessly among the Aleuts. His spiritual classic, An Indication of the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven, was originally written in Aleut and later translated into many languages.

While he was visiting Russia in 1838, his wife died; one year later he was tonsured a monk and given the name of Innocent (he had been Fr John Veniaminov). Almost immediately after his tonsuring he was, without warning, raised to the rank of Bishop of all Eastern Siberia and Russian America, probably the largest diocese in the world at that time. Returning to Alaska, he continued his missionary work with vigor, often traveling among Aleut and Tlingit settlements in his own kayak. Wherever he went, he found the Alaskan people hungry for the faith, and his labors bore rich fruit which is still obvious today: Alaska has more Orthodox churches per capita than any other state.

In old age he was made Metropolitan of Moscow, head of the entire Russian Orthodox Church. His concern for Christian mission was undiminished, and as Metropolitan he created the Orthodox Missionary Society. He reposed on Holy Saturday of 1879.

Hieromartyr Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra (326)

He was born in Cilicia in Asia Minor, and became Bishop of Gangra, the capital of Paphlagonia. He took part in the First Ecumenical Council, where he was praised by all for his piety and miracles. It is said that the Emperor Constantius kept a bust of Hypatius in his palace as a weapon against demonic powers. The Saint was murdered by the Novatians, a sect which believed that there is no forgiveness for sins committed after Baptism. [The popularity of this belief helps to explain why many believers at that time postponed baptism until very late in life.] As Hypatius was traveling home from Constantinople, they attacked him on the road and stoned him to death. A woman who took part in the attack went mad and began to beat herself with a stone; she was only healed when her friends took her to the grave of St Hypatius and prayed for her. Restored by his compassionate intercession, she spent the rest of her life in repentance and prayer.

St Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow (1461)

He became a monk at the age of twelve and lived in the Simonov Monastery near Moscow. He later became Bishop of Ryazan, then was chosen as Metropolitan of Moscow (at this time the Russian Church was still under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the Metropolitanate of Moscow was its highest office). But through some political intrigue, a man named Isidore became Metropolitan instead. It was this Isidore who attended the Council of Florence and voted for the infamous Union with Rome perpetrated there. When he returned to Moscow three years later he was condemned as an apostate and exiled. Bishop Jonah at last became Metropolitan in his place. In his lifetime he was widely known as a healer, wonder-worker, seer and spiritual father. In his last years he prayed to suffer greatly through some illness, so as to be purified by his sufferings. In answer to this prayer, he was given wounds in his feet, of which he died. His relics continued to perform many wonders. The Prologue recounts, “A dumb man, John, was brought to the saint’s relics. John kissed Jonah’s hand and, as he related afterwards, the hand grabbed hold of his tongue and he felt a sharp pain. When it let his tongue go, he went back to his friends — and spoke as if he had never been dumb.”