عبرانیان ۱۱.۱۷-۲۳, ۲۷-۳۱ (رساله)

۱۷به ایمان بود که ابراهیم هنگامی که آزموده شد، اسحاق را به عنوان قربانی تقدیم کرد؛ و او که وعده‌ها را پذیرفته بود حاضر شد پسر یگانۀ خود را قربانی کند، ۱۸همان را که درباره‌اش گفته شده بود: «نسل تو از اسحاق خوانده خواهد شد.» ۱۹ابراهیم چنین اندیشید که خدا قادر است حتی مردگان را زنده کند، و می‌توان گفت که به نوعی اسحاق را از مرگ بازیافت. ۲۰به ایمان بود که اسحاق، یعقوب و عیسو را در خصوص امور آینده برکت داد. ۲۱به ایمان بود که یعقوب به هنگام مرگ، هر یک از پسران یوسف را برکت داد و در حالی که بر سر عصای خود تکیه زده بود، سَجده کرد. ۲۲به ایمان بود که یوسف چون به پایان عمر خود نزدیک شد، از خروج بنی‌اسرائیل سخن گفت و دربارۀ استخوانهای خود دستورهایی داد. ۲۳به ایمان بود که والدین موسی او را پس از تولّد به مدت سه ماه پنهان کردند، زیرا دیدند کودکی است بی‌نظیر؛ و از حکم پادشاه نهراسیدند. ۲۷به ایمان بود که او بی‌آنکه از خشم پادشاه بهراسد مصر را ترک گفت، زیرا آن نادیدنی را همواره در برابر چشمان خود داشت. ۲۸به ایمان بود که او پِسَخ و پاشیدن خون را به جا آورد تا هلاک‌کنندۀ نخست‌زادگان، بر نخست‌زادگان اسرائیل دست دراز نکند. ۲۹به ایمان بود که قوم از میان دریای سرخ همچون زمینی خشک گذشتند؛ امّا چون مصریان کوشیدند همان کار را انجام دهند، غرق شدند. ۳۰به ایمان بود که دیوارهای اَریحا پس از اینکه قوم هفت روز دور آن گشتند، فرو ریخت. ۳۱به ایمان بود که راحابِ فاحشه همراه با نامطیعان کشته نشد، زیرا جاسوسان را به‌سلامت پذیرا گردید.

مرقس ۸.۱۱-۲۱ (انجیل)

۱۱فَریسیان نزد عیسی آمدند و با او به مباحثه نشستند. آنها برای آزمایش، آیتی آسمانی از او خواستند. ۱۲امّا عیسی آهی از دل برآورد و گفت: «چرا این نسل خواستار آیت است؟ آمین، به شما می‌گویم، هیچ آیتی به آنها داده نخواهد شد.» ۱۳سپس ایشان را ترک گفت و باز سوار قایق شده، به آن سوی دریا رفت. ۱۴امّا شاگردان فراموش کرده بودند با خود نان بردارند، و در قایق بیش از یک نان نداشتند. ۱۵عیسی به آنان هشدار داد و فرمود: «آگاه باشید و از خمیرمایۀ فَریسیان و خمیرمایۀ هیرودیس دوری کنید.» ۱۶پس شاگردان در این باره که نان ندارند شروع به بحث با یکدیگر کردند. ۱۷عیسی که این را دریافته بود، به آنها گفت: «چرا دربارۀ اینکه نان ندارید با هم بحث می‌کنید؟ آیا هنوز نمی‌دانید و درک نمی‌کنید؟ آیا دل شما هنوز سخت است؟ ۱۸آیا چشم دارید و نمی‌بینید و گوش دارید و نمی‌شنوید؟ و آیا به یاد ندارید؟ ۱۹هنگامی که پنج نان را برای پنج هزار تن پاره کردم، چند سبد پر از تکه نانهای باقی‌مانده برگرفتید؟» گفتند: «دوازده سبد.» ۲۰«و چون هفت نان را برای چهار هزار تن، چند زنبیل پر از تکه نانهای باقی‌مانده برگرفتید؟» گفتند: «هفت زنبیل.» ۲۱آنگاه عیسی بدیشان فرمود: «آیا هنوز درک نمی‌کنید؟»

کشیش‌شهید اِلِفتریوس ایلیریا

His name is a form of the Greek word for “freedom.” He was a native of Rome whose father died at a young age, leaving him to be brought up by his mother Anthia, a Christian who reared him in the fear of God and the love of holiness. His virtue and ability were so evident that he was ordained a priest at the age of seventeen and at twenty was made Bishop of Illyria, a large see roughly comprising modern-day Serbia.

The young bishop’s pastoral and evangelistic work was so successful that many pagans were converted to the Faith through him. His growing reputation drew the attention of the Emperor Hadrian, who sent one of his senior officers named Felix to arrest the holy bishop. But when Felix saw and heard Eleutherius, he was captivated by his teaching, believed in Christ, and was baptized. He and the St Eleutherius returned and presented themselves together before the Emperor, fearlessly confessing their faith.

Eleutherius was subjected to brutal torture, during which the city prefect Coremonus, who had suggested some of the tortures, was enlightened through the Saint’s prayers for his enemies, and proclaimed Christ. He was baptized by Eleutherius and later beheaded. After a time, when it became clear that fire and torture would not move the holy bishop, he was taken to the amphitheater and beheaded. At the moment of his death, his mother Anthia rushed forward and took his body in her arms. There she also was beheaded by the executioners.

Pregnant women call on St Eleutherius that they may have a safe delivery.

شهید مقدس اِلِفتریوس خوابگاه‌دار (سده ۴)

He was from a noble family in Constantinople, and rose to the rank of Cubicularius (Chamberlain). He was not only a counselor to, but a close friend of, the Emperor (probably Julian the Apostate). But Eleutherius was increasingly moved by a desire to become a Christian; so, obtaining a leave from the Imperial court, he moved to the countryside in Bithynia, where he was baptized. There he built a house that concealed an underground chapel.

When Eleutherius returned to court, some jealous courtiers denounced him to the Emperor, who visited Eleutherius’ country house and was furious to discover the underground church. When the Saint would not renounce his faith in Christ, the Emperor, ignoring all previous bonds of friendship, had him beheaded.

شهید مقدس باخوس جدید (۷۸۷)

During the reign of Constantine VI and Irene, restorers of the holy icons, the Holy Land was under the control of the Muslim Arabs. Many Christians there apostatized, putting honors and security in this world above their eternal joy. One of these was the father of this Saint, who brought up seven children as Muslims. His wife however, never renounced her Faith and prayed constantly for the conversion of her husband and children. Upon the death of the father, her third son Dachak declared that he wished to become a Christian. He was baptized in the Monastery of St Sabas near Jerusalem, receiving the name Bacchus, and determined to be a monk. But the abbot, fearing reprisals against the Monastery, sent him back to his home in Jerusalem. His brothers, seeing his joy and boldness in confessing the Faith, decided to receive holy Baptism, except for one, who denounced Bacchus to the authorities. He was arrested and brought before the judge and, when he proved steadfast in his confession of Christ, was beheaded.

پدر قابل احترام ما تریفون کولا, رسول لاپونیا (۱۵۸۳), و او شاگرد مقدس شهید یونا (۱۵۹۰)

Saint Tryphon was the son of a priest from Novgorod. The Synaxarion records that, at the moment of his birth, the verse Blessed is the life of those who dwell in the desert was being sung in the Matins service. In 1525 he was moved by a divine revelation to flee to the far north of Russia and live as a hermit. He settled near the River Kola, where he devoted his nights to prayer, his days to proclaiming the Gospel of Christ to the native peoples there. The pagans were hostile at first, but his patience and humility won them over, and he baptized many. He built them a church with his own hands on the shores of Lake Ladoga, and later founded a monastery there. Saint Tryphon reposed in 1583. He predicted his own death and the coming destruction of the Monastery by the Swedes, which came to pass in 1590. All the monks were massacred. The first victim, Starets Jonah, worked many miracles at the Monastery after its restoration.