2 Corinthians 5.10-15 (Epistle)

10Jer nam se svima valja javiti na sudu Hristovu, da primimo svaki što je koji u tijelu èinio, ili dobro ili zlo; 11Znajuæi dakle strah Gospodnji ljude svjetujemo; a Bogu smo poznati, a nadamo se da smo i u vašijem savjestima poznati. 12Jer se ne hvalimo opet pred vama, nego vama dajemo uzrok da se hvalite nama, da imate što odgovoriti onima koji se hvale onijem što je spolja a ne što je u srcu. 13Jer ako se odviše hvalimo, Bogu se hvalimo; ako li smo smjerni, vama smo. 14Jer ljubav Božija nagoni nas, kad mislimo ovo: ako jedan za sve umrije, to dakle svi umriješe. 15Hristos za sve umrije, da oni koji žive ne žive više sebi, nego onome koji za njih umrije i vaskrse.

Mark 1.9-15 (Gospel)

9I u to vrijeme doðe Isus iz Nazareta Galilejskoga, i krsti ga Jovan u Jordanu, 10I odmah izlazeæi iz vode vidje nebo gdje se otvori, i Duh kao golub siðe na nj. 11I glas doðe s neba: ti si sin moj ljubazni koji je po mojoj volji. 12I odmah Duh izvede ga u pustinju. 13I bi ondje u pustinji dana èetrdeset, i kuša ga sotona, i bi sa zvjerinjem, i anðeli služahu mu. 14A pošto predadoše Jovana, doðe Isus u Galileju propovijedajuæi jevanðelje o carstvu Božijemu 15I govoreæi: iziðe vrijeme i približi se carstvo Božije; pokajte se i vjerujte jevanðelje.

Martyrs Anicetas and Photius of Nicomedia (305)

These holy martyrs suffered victoriously in the year 305 (Prologue) or 288 (Great Horologion), during the reign of Diocletian, who visited Nicomedia to stir up a persecution of Christians there. Anicetas, one of the city governors, presented himself before the Emperor, boldly confessed his Christian faith, and denounced the worship of the idols. Anicetas was subjected to a series of cruelties: his tongue was cut out, but he miraculously continued to speak; he was thrown to a lion, but it refused to attack him; then he was savagely beaten with rods until his bones showed through his wounds. His nephew Photius, seeing his endurance of all these trials, ran forward, embraced his uncle, and declared to the Emperor that he too was a Christian. The Emperor ordered that he be beheaded immediately, but the executioner, raising his sword, gave himself such a wound that he died instead. After many tortures, the two were put in prison for three years, then brought out and cast into a fiery furnace, where they died, though their bodies were brought out of the flames intact.

Saint Anicetas is counted as one of the Holy Unmercenaries.

Hieromaryr Alexander, Bishop of Comana (3rd c.)

“He lived in the town of Comana near Neocaesarea as a simple charcoal-burner. When the Bishop of Comana died, St Gregory of Neocaesarea, the Wonderworker (Nov. 17), was invited to preside over the Council to choose a new bishop. At the Council there were both clergy and laymen. They were unable to come to agreement on one person, estimating the candidates they selected according to their outward worth and behaviour. St Gregory told them that they must not give so much weight to the outward impression as to the soul and the spiritual aptitude. Then some wag called out mockingly: ‘Then let’s choose Alexander the charcoal-burner as bishop!’, and there was general laughter. St Gregory asked who this Alexander was. Thinking that his name would not have come up before the Council except by the providence of God, he commanded that he be brought. Being a charcoal-burner, he was black with soot and in rags, and his appearance provoked further mirth in the Council. Then Gregory took him aside and asked him to tell the truth about himself. Alexander told him that he had been a Greek philosopher, enjoying great honour and position, but that he had set it all aside, demeaned himself and made himself as a fool for Christ from the time that he had read and understood the Holy Scriptures. Gregory commanded that he be bathed and clad in new clothes, then went into the Council with him and, before them all, began to examine him in the Scriptures. All were filled with amazement at the wisdom and grace of Alexander’s words, and were quite unable to recognize the former charcoal-burner in this wise man. With one voice, they chose him as bishop, and he received the love of his flock for his holiness, his wisdom and his goodness. He died a martyr for Christ under Diocletian.” (Prologue)