Acts 25.13-19 (Epistle)

13A pošto proðe nekoliko dana, Agripa car i Vernikija siðoše u Æesariju da pohode Fista. 14I buduæi da ondje mnogo dana ostaše, kaza Fist caru za Pavla govoreæi: èovjeka jednoga ostavio je Filiks u tamnici, 15Za kojega, kad ja bijah u Jerusalimu, iziðoše preda me glavari sveštenièki i starješine Jevrejske moleæi da ga osudim. 16Ja im odgovorih da nije obièaj u Rimljana da se prije pokloni kakav èovjek na smrt dok se optuženi ne suoèi s onima koji ga tuže, i ne primi mjesto da odgovara za svoju krivicu. 17A kad se oni ovdje sastaše, nikakvoga odlaganja ne uèinih, i sjutradan sjedavši na sudijnsku stolicu zapovjedih da dovedu èovjeka. 18A oko njega stavši suparnici ni jedne krivice koje ja mišljah ne iznesoše. 19Nego imahu protiv njega nekakva pitanja o svojemu sujevjerju, i o nekakvom Isusu, koji je umro pa Pavle govoraše da je živ.

John 16.23-33 (Gospel)

23I u onaj dan neæete me pitati ni za što. Zaista, zaista vam kažem da što god uzištete u oca u ime moje, daæe vam. 24Doslije ne iskaste ništa u ime moje; ištite i primiæete, da radost vaša bude ispunjena. 25Ovo vam govorih u prièama; ali æe doæi vrijeme kad vam više neæu govoriti u prièama, nego æu vam upravo javiti za oca. 26U onaj æete dan u ime moje zaiskati, i ne velim vam da æu ja umoliti oca za vas; 27Jer sam otac ima ljubav k vama kao što vi imaste ljubav k meni, i vjerovaste da ja od Boga iziðoh. 28Iziðoh od oca, i doðoh na svijet; i opet ostavljam svijet, i idem k ocu. 29Rekoše mu uèenici njegovi: eto sad upravo govoriš, a prièe nikakve ne govoriš. 30Sad znamo da sve znaš, i ne treba ti da te ko pita. Po tome vjerujemo da si od Boga izišao. 31Isus im odgovori: zar sad vjerujete? 32Evo ide èas, i veæ je nastao, da se razbjegnete svaki na svoju stranu i mene sama ostavite; ali nijesam sam, jer je otac sa mnom. 33Ovo vam kazah, da u meni mir imate. U svijetu æete imati nevolju; ali ne bojte se, jer ja nadvladah svijet.

St Michael the Confessor, bishop of Synnada (818)

“This Saint was from Synnada in Phrygia of Asia Minor. In Constantinople he met Saint Theophylact (March 8); the holy Patriarch Tarasius, learning that Michael and Theophylact desired to become monks, sent them to a monastery on the Black Sea. Because of their great virtue, St Tarasius afterwards compelled them to accept consecration, Theophylact as Bishop of Nicomedia, and Michael as Bishop of his native Synnada. Because St Michael fearlessly confessed the veneration of the holy icons, he was banished by the Iconoclast Emperor Leo V the Armenian, who reigned from 813 to 820. After being driven from one place to another, in many hardships and bitter pains, St Michael died in exile.” (Great Horologion)

Holy Myrrh-bearer Mary, wife of Cleopas

Holy Martyr Michael of St Sabbas' Monastery(9th c.)

When his parents died, the young Michael gave away all his goods and travelled to Jerusalem, where he entered the monastery of St Sabbas the Sanctified. Once he was sent into town to sell some handwork for the monastery. A eunuch of an Arab princess met him in the street and brought him to princess’ home to show his wares. (Jerusalem was ruled by Muslim Arabs at that time.) The princess, like Potiphar’s wife, conceived an illicit passion for the young monk and invited him to her bed. When he refused, the angry princess had him beaten and taken to the Sultan, where she accused him of blasphemy against Mohammed. The Sultan tried to make him accept Islam, but he refused. When a dose of poison had no effect on the holy Michael, the Sultan had him publicly beheaded in the center of Jerusalem. The monks retrieved his body and gave it honorable burial at his monastery.

Holy Virgin Euphrosyne, Princess of Polotsk (1173)

“She was the daughter of Prince Vseslav of Polotsk. When her parents wished her to be married, she ran away to a monastery and became a nun. An angel of the Lord appeared to her three times to show her the place where she was to build a new monastery for virgins. She brought her own sister, Evdokia, into monasticism and many other young girls from the ranks of the aristocracy. One kinswoman of hers, Zvenislava, a princess of Borisov, brought all her wealth, clothing and precious jewels, and said: ‘I count all the beauty of this world as naught, and wish to give these fine things, prepared for my marriage, to the Church of the Saviour. And I desire to espouse myself to Him in a spiritual marriage, and to bow my head beneath His easy and light yoke.’ Euphrosyne professed her too, and gave her the name Evpraxia. In old age, Euphrosyne evinced a desire to die in Jerusalem, and prayed for this boon. God heard her prayer, and she did indeed die in the monastery of St Theodosius in Jerusalem on May 23rd, 1173, during a visit there.” (Prologue)