Galatians 2.21-3.7 (Epistle)

21Ne odbacujem blagodati Božije; jer ako pravda kroz zakon dolazi, to Hristos uzalud umrije.

1O nerazumni Galati! ko vas je opèinio da se ne pokoravate istini? Vi, kojima pred oèima bješe napisan Isus Hristos, a sad se meðu vama razape. 2Ovo jedno hoæu od vas da doznam, ili Duha primiste kroz djela zakona ili kroz èuvenje vjere? 3Tako li ste nerazumni? Poèevši Duhom, sad tijelom svršujete? 4Tako li uzalud postradaste? Kad bi bilo samo uzalud! 5Koji vam dakle daje Duha i èini èudesa meðu vama, èini li djelima zakona ili èuvenjem vjere? 6Kao što Avraam vjerova Bogu, i primi mu se u pravdu. 7Poznajte dakle da su oni sinovi Avraamovi koji su od vjere.

Mark 6.1-7 (Gospel)

1I iziðe odande, i doðe na svoju postojbinu; i za njim idoše uèenici njegovi. 2I kad doðe subota, poèe uèiti u zbornici. I mnogi koji slušahu, divljahu se govoreæi: otkud ovome to? I kakva mu je premudrost dana? I èudesa takova rukama njegovijem èine se? 3Nije li ovo drvodjelja, sin Marijin, a brat Jakovljev i Josijin i Judin i Simonov? I nijesu li sestre njegove ovdje meðu nama? I sablažnjavahu se o njega. 4A Isus reèe im: nigdje nije prorok bez èasti do na postojbini svojoj i u rodu i u domu svome. 5I ne mogaše ondje nijednoga èuda da uèini, osim što malo bolesnika iscijeli metnuvši na njih ruke. 6I divljaše se nevjerstvu njihovome. I iðaše po okolnijem selima i uèaše. 7I dozva dvanaestoricu, i poèe ih slati dva i dva, i davaše im vlast nad duhovima neèistijem.

Hieromartyr Anthimos, bishop of Nicomedia, and those with him (303-304)

“After the death of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia (see Dec. 28), their Bishop Anthimos fled to a certain village to care for his remaining flock. The Emperor Maximian sent men in search of him. When they found him, he promised to show Anthimos to them, but first took them in as guests, fed them, and only then made himself known to them. Amazed at his kindness, the soldiers promised him to tell Maximian that they had not found him. But Anthimos went willingly with them, and converting them by his admonitions, baptized them on the way. He boldly confessed his Faith before Maximian, and after frightful tortures was beheaded in the year 303 or 304.” (Great Horologion)

Our Holy Father Theoctistus, Fellow Ascetic of St Euthymius (451), is also commemorated today. A faithful disciple of St Euthymius, he was abbot of St Euthymius’ monastery in Palestine until his repose in peace at the age of ninety.

Holy Martyr Basilissa (309)

She lived near Nicomedia during the great persecution by the Emperor Diocletian. Though she was only nine years old, she was arrested and brought before Alexander, the Governor of Bithynia. When she fearlessly proclaimed her faith in Christ, the Governor had her stripped and beaten, but she only gave thanks to God. Enraged at the steadfastness of a mere child, the Governor ordered her chained and plunged head-first into boiling pitch, then cast into a blazing furnace, then thrown to the lions. Through all these torments she was miraculously preserved. Astonished at the wonders that he beheld, Alexander fell at Basilissa’s feet and confessed that he too believed that Christ is the Savior. He was baptized by the Bishop of Nicomedia and died not long afterward. Basilissa went into the wilderness outside the city to give thanks to God for her endurance under torture and to ask Him to receive her soul in peace. While praying in this way, she entered into her rest.

Our Holy Father Joannicius, Archbishop and first Patriarch of Serbia (1354)

“Born in Prizrem, he served as first secretary to King Dušan. He became Archbishop in 1339, and in 1346 was raised to the rank of Patriarch. He was a zealous pastor, and brought order to the Serbian Church, being ‘a great upholder of the Church’s laws’. He entered into rest on September 3rd, 1349, and his relics are preserved at Pec´.” (Prologue)