یعقوب ۲.۱۴-۲۶ (رساله)

۱۴برادرانِ من، چه سود اگر کسی ادعا کند ایمان دارد، امّا عمل نداشته باشد؟ آیا چنین ایمانی می‌تواند او را نجات بخشد؟ ۱۵اگر برادر یا خواهری نیازمند پوشاک و خوراک روزانه باشد ۱۶و کسی از شما بدیشان گوید: «بروید به سلامت، و گرم و سیر شوید،» امّا برای رفع نیازهای جسمی ایشان کاری انجام ندهد، چه سود؟ ۱۷پس ایمان به تنهایی و بدون عمل، مرده است. ۱۸حال کسی ممکن است بگوید: «تو ایمان داری و من هم اعمال دارم!» اما تو ایمانت را بدون اعمال به من بنما و من ایمانم را با اعمالم به تو خواهم نمود. ۱۹تو ایمان داری که خدا یکی است. نیکو می‌کنی! حتی دیوها نیز این‌گونه ایمان دارند و از ترس به خود می‌لرزند! ۲۰ای نادان، می‌خواهی بدانی چرا ایمان بدون عمل بی‌ثمر است؟ ۲۱آیا جَد ما ابراهیم به اعمال پارسا شمرده نشد، آنگاه که پسر خود اسحاق را بر مذبح تقدیم نمود؟ ۲۲می‌بینی که ایمان و اعمال او با هم عمل می‌کردند، و ایمان او با اعمالش کامل شد. ۲۳و آن نوشته تحقق یافت که می‌گوید: «ابراهیم به خدا ایمان آورْد و این برای او پارسایی شمرده شد،» و او دوست خدا خوانده شد. ۲۴پس می‌بینید به اعمال است که انسان پارسا شمرده می‌شود، نه با ایمانِ تنها. ۲۵همچنین آیا راحابِ روسپی به اعمال پارسا شمرده نشد، آنگاه که به فرستادگان پناه داد و ایشان را از راهی دیگر روانه کرد؟ ۲۶آری، همان‌گونه که بدن بدون روح مرده است، ایمان نیز بدون عمل مرده است.

مرقس ۱۲.۱۳-۱۷ (انجیل)

۱۳سپس بعضی از فَریسیان و هیرودیان را نزد عیسی فرستادند تا او را با سخنان خودش به دام اندازند. ۱۴آنها نزد او آمدند و گفتند: «استاد، می‌دانیم مردی صادق هستی و از کسی باک نداری، زیرا بر صورت ظاهر نظر نمی‌کنی، بلکه راه خدا را به‌درستی می‌آموزانی. آیا پرداخت خَراج به قیصر رواست یا نه؟ ۱۵آیا باید بپردازیم یا نه؟» امّا عیسی به ریاکاری آنها پی برد و گفت: «چرا مرا می‌آزمایید؟ دیناری نزد من بیاورید تا آن را ببینم.» ۱۶سکه‌ای آوردند. از ایشان پرسید: «نقش و نام روی این سکه از آنِ کیست؟» پاسخ دادند: «از آنِ قیصر.» ۱۷عیسی به آنها گفت: «پس مال قیصر را به قیصر بدهید و مال خدا را به خدا.» آنها از سخنان او حیران ماندند.

شهید باکره آنیسیا در تسالونیکی (۲۹۸)

She was born to a pious, noble and very wealthy family in Thessalonica. When both her parents died while she was an adolescent, Anysia consecrated herself to Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom. She cast off all her jewels and fine clothing, dressing herself as a commoner. She freed all her many slaves, giving each of them a generous sum of money to establish themselves. She gave away all of her inheritance, which included large estates. Thenceforth she spent her days visiting the sick, helping widows and orphans, and, especially, aiding Christians suffering under persecution. She would visit those in prison, bringing them food and water and tending their wounds. All the time not devoted to aiding the poor or oppressed she spent in prayer in a small cell. One of her prayers was that she, like those that she helped, would be granted the crown of martyrdom.

One day, while she was walking to church, an imperial soldier accosted her and roughly questioned her. When she plainly declared herself a Christian, the soldier seized her and dragged her to a temple of the idols, where he commanded her to make sacrifice. In response, she only spat in his face. The enraged soldier drew his sword and thrust it into her side, slaying her. Some pious Christians took her body and buried it outside the city. When the persecutions had ended, a church was built in her honor at the place of her burial.

پدر مقدس ما ماکاریوس, متروپولیت مسکو و همه روسیه (۱۵۶۳)

He was born in Moscow in 1492. When his father died, his mother became a nun and he a monk, receiving the monastic name Macarius. He became an iconographer of rare talent. In 1523 he was ordained to the priesthood and made Abbot of the Monastery of Luchski; three years later he was consecrated Archbishop of Novgorod and Pskov, a see which had been vacant for many years. As Archbishop, he sent missionaries to the native peoples of the far north of Russia and, within his own diocese strove against the paganism still common among the people. He regularized life in the monasteries of his diocese, which had fallen into self-indulgence.

In 1542 he was elected Metropolitan of Moscow and head of the Russian Church. Five years later he crowned the first Tsar of Russia, Ivan Vassilievich. In 1551 he summoned the Council of the Hundred Chapters, which condemned various heresies prevalent at that time, laid down principles of Christian conduct and education, and established rules for iconography and Church art. Throughout his time as a hierarch, he continued to paint icons, and in 1553 he brought about the production of the first books to be printed in Russian. When the Khanate of Kazan fell, he immediately sent missionaries to convert the Tatars.

When the Tsar, who revered Saint Macarius, asked him for a spiritual book, he was surprised and displeased to be given a copy of the funeral service; but the Saint told him that anyone who read this book carefully and applied its words would never sin.

Saint Macarius reposed in peace in Moscow in 1563, and his popular veneration began immediately. In 1988 he was officially glorified by the Church of Russia.