2 John 1.1-13 (Epistle)

1Od starješine izbranoj gospoði i djeci njezinoj, koju ja ljubim vaistinu, i ne samo ja nego svi koji poznaše istinu, 2Za istinu koja u nama stoji i biæe s nama dovijeka: 3Da bude s vama blagodat, milost, mir od Boga oca i od Gospoda Isusa Hrista, sina oèina, u istini i u ljubavi. 4Obradovah se vrlo što naðoh neke od tvoje djece koji hode u istini, kao što primismo zapovijest od oca. 5I sad molim te, gospoðo, ne kao da ti novu zapovijest pišem, nego koju imamo ispoèetka, da imamo ljubav meðu sobom. 6I ova je ljubav da živimo po zapovijestima njegovijem. Ova je zapovijest, kao što èuste ispoèetka, da u njoj živite. 7Jer mnoge varalice iziðoše na svijet koji ne priznaju Isusa Hrista da je došao u tijelu; ovo je varalica i antihrist. 8Èuvajte se da ne izgubimo što smo zaradili, nego da primimo platu potpuno. 9Koji god prestupa i ne stoji u nauci Hristovoj onaj nema Boga; a koji stoji u nauci Hristovoj onaj ima i oca i sina. 10Ako ko dolazi k vama i ove nauke ne donosi, ne primajte ga u kuæu, i ne pitajte se s njim; 11Jer ko se upita s njim, prima dijel u njegovijem zlijem djelima. 12Mnogo bih vam imao pisati, ali ne htjedoh hartijom i mastilom; jer se nadam da æu doæi k vama i iz usta govoriti, da radost vaša bude ispunjena. 13Pozdravljaju te djeca tvoje sestre izbrane. Amin.

Mark 15.22, 25, 33-41 (Gospel)

22I dovedoše ga na mjesto Golgotu, koje æe reæi: košturnica. 25A bijaše sahat treæi kad ga razapeše. 33A u šestome sahatu bi tama po svoj zemlji do sahata devetoga. 34I u devetome sahatu povika Isus iza glasa govoreæi: Eloi! Eloi! lama savahtani? koje znaèi: Bože moj! Bože moj! zašto si me ostavio? 35I neki od onijeh što stajahu ondje èuvši to govorahu: eno zove Iliju. 36A jedan otrèa te napuni sunðer octa, pa nataknuvši na trsku pojaše ga govoreæi: stanite da vidimo hoæe li doæi Ilija da ga skine. 37A Isus povika iza glasa, i izdahnu. 38I zavjes crkveni razdrije se nadvoje s vrha do na dno. 39A kad vidje kapetan koji stajaše prema njemu da s takom vikom izdahnu, reèe: zaista èovjek ovaj sin Božij bješe. 40A bijahu i žene koje gledahu izdaleka, meðu kojima bješe i Marija Magdalina i Marija Jakova maloga i Josije mati, i Solomija, 41Koje iðahu za njim i kad bješe u Galileji, i služahu mu; i druge mnoge koje bijahu došle s njim u Jerusalim.

Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Cyrus and John, and those with them (311)

They are counted among the Unmercenary Physicians. Cyrus was a physician living in Alexandria. A pious Christian, he healed not only bodies but souls, bringing many to Christ, and often healing through prayer rather than the use of his medicines. He often said to his patients, ‘If you want to keep clear of illness, take care not to sin, because more often than not illness is a result of sin.’ When Diocletian’s persecution broke out, Cyrus was denounced to the pagan governor and fled to Arabia, where he became a monk. He gained great renown there by healing many ailments using only the sign of the Cross.

John was a soldier from Edessa who heard of Cyrus’ deeds and, leaving the army, sought him out. They met in Egypt, where John became a monk and Cyrus’ disciple, joining him in the practice of the virtues and in healing illnesses by prayer.

They heard of the arrest of a Christian lady named Athanasia and her daughters Theoctista and Eudoxia. Concerned that the tender maidens might renounce Christ under torture, the two monks sought them out to encourage them in their confession of the Faith. They themselves were captured, and the governor decided to have them tortured in front of the women, assuming that this would break their spirit. Instead, Cyrus and John bore their sufferings so patiently and boldly that the women were only strengthened in their resolve. Seeing that he had failed, the governor had all five of them beheaded. Their bodies were placed in the Church of St Mark in Alexandria.

In the fifth century the relics of Sts Cyrus and John were enshrined in a church at Aboukir near Alexandria by St Cyril (June 9). There they were the source of abundant healings and miracles, and the shrine became one of the greatest places of pilgrimage in the Christian world.

Venerable Nicetas, hermit of the Kiev Caves and Bishop of Novgorod (1108)

His is a remarkable story of spiritual delusion (prelest in Russian) and repentance of delusion. Nicetas was a young and zealous monk of the Lavra of the Kiev Caves who, against the advice of his abbot St Nikon (March 25), retired alone to a cave and walled himself in. Some time later, the young monk experienced a delightful scent filling his cave. Believing himself to be receiving a divine revelation, he cried out ‘Lord, show Thyself to me, that I might worship Thee face to face!’ A voice answered, ‘I am sending you an angel: do whatever he tells you.’ The Devil soon appeared to him as an ‘angel of light’ and Nicetas, completely taken in, prostrated before him. The Devil ordered him to stop praying and to devote all his time to reading and memorizing the Old Testament. Nicetas obeyed without question. After awhile, the Devil began to reveal to him things that were happening in the outside world, so that the young monk acquired a reputation for prophecy among visitors to his cave. When the Elders of the Caves realized that Nicetas never spoke to his visitors or anyone else of the New Testament, they decided that he was beguiled by the Devil. Breaking down the door of his cave, they drove out the deceiver by their prayers and forcibly took the young hermit back to the monastery.

As soon as the evil angel had been driven off, Nicetas became like a young child: he instantly forgot the entire Old Testament (which he had virtually memorized) and even lost the ability to read, so that he had to be sent to school again. Slowly he returned to himself, realized his former delusion and repented in tears. Thereafter he devoted himself to humility and obedience in the monastic community. Such was his repentance and progress in the virtues that he was later made Bishop of Novgorod. He reposed in peace in 1108 and became known for working many miracles, especially healing of blindness.

Marcella of Rome (410)

The daughter of a prominent Roman family, she was given in marriage despite her reluctance, but was widowed after less than a year. Following the example of the prophetess Anna, she dedicated her widowhood to God and turned her fine house in Rome into a monastery, living there in strict asceticism.

“When the Church was riven by controversies about the doctrines of Origen, Saint Marcella kept silent for a while but, deciding at length to take up the cause of Orthodoxy, and maintaining a sweet and gentle manner in the exchanges, she succeeded in confounding the arguments of the heretics.” (Ormylia Synaxarion)

When the Goths invaded and pillaged Rome in 410 they broke into her house. Marcella received them calmly, but when they demanded money she answered that no one as poorly clothed as she was could be expected to have any money. At this the invaders beat her mercilessly despite her great age. She bore their blows without complaint, asking only that they spare her spiritual daughter Principia. Struck to the heart by her response, the barbarians took her and her disciple to the Church of St Paul, where she reposed two days later.