Acts 8.5-17 (Epistle)

5A Filip sišavši u grad Samarijski propovijedaše im Hrista. 6A narod pažaše jednodušno na ono što govoraše Filip, slušajuæi i gledajuæi znake koje èinjaše; 7Jer duhovi neèisti s velikom vikom izlažahu iz mnogijeh u kojima bijahu, i mnogi uzeti i hromi ozdraviše. 8I bi velika radost u gradu onome. 9A bješe jedan èovjek, po imenu Simon, koji prije èaraše u gradu i dovoðaše u èudo narod Samarijski, govoreæi da je on nešto veliko; 10Na kojega gledahu svi, i malo i veliko, govoreæi: ovo je velika sila Božija. 11A zato gledahu na njega što ih mnogo vremena èinima udivljavaše. 12Kad pak vjerovaše Filipu koji propovijedaše jevanðelje o carstvu Božijemu i o imenu Isusa Hrista, kršæavahu se i ljudi i žene. 13Tada i Simon vjerova, i krstivši se osta kod Filipa; i videæi djela i znake velike koji se èinjahu divljaše se vrlo. 14A kad èuše apostoli koji bijahu u Jerusalimu da Samarija primi rijeè Božiju, poslaše k njima Petra i Jovana. 15Koji sišavši pomoliše se Bogu za njih da prime Duha svetoga; 16Jer još ni na jednoga ne bješe došao, nego bijahu samo kršteni u ime Gospoda Isusa. 17Tada apostoli metnuše ruke na njih, i oni primiše Duha svetoga.

John 6.27-33 (Gospel)

27Starajte se ne za jelo koje prolazi, nego za jelo koje ostaje za vjeèni život, koje æe vam dati sin èovjeèij, jer ovoga potvrdi otac Bog. 28A oni mu rekoše: šta æemo èiniti da radimo djela Božija? 29Odgovori Isus i reèe im: ovo je djelo Božije da vjerujete onoga koga on posla. 30A oni mu rekoše: kakav dakle ti pokazuješ znak da vidimo i da vjerujemo? šta radiš ti? 31Ocevi naši jedoše manu u pustinji, kao što je napisano: hljeb s neba dade im da jedu. 32Tada im reèe Isus: zaista, zaista vam kažem: Mojsije ne dade vama hljeba s neba, nego vam otac moj daje hljeb istiniti s neba; 33Jer je hljeb Božij onaj koji silazi s neba i daje život svijetu.

Holy Martyr Sabbas the Goth (372)

In the kingdom of Wallachia (in modern-day Romania) the Goths undertook a brutal persecution of Christians. A Gothic prince came to the village of Buzau and asked the villagers if any Christians lived there. They swore to him that there were none. At this, Sabbas came before the Prince and said ‘Let no one swear an oath on my behalf. I am a Christian.’ Touched by his courage, the prince let Sabbas go, saying ‘This one can do neither harm nor good.’

The following year a priest named Sansal came to the village and celebrated Pascha with Sabbas (who was truly the only Christian there). When the pagans heard of this, they attacked Sabbas’ house and seized both men. They dragged Sabbas naked through thorns, then tied both him and Sansal to trees and tried to make them eat meat offered to idols. Neither man would touch the sacrifices. The prince then sentenced Sabbas to death and gave him over to the soldiers. Sabbas walked to the place of execution joyfully, singing and praising God. Seeing his goodness, the soldiers tried to free him on the way, but Sabbas refused, telling them that it was their duty to carry out the prince’s command.

The soldiers took him to a river, tied a rock to his neck and cast him into the waters, where he gave back his soul to God. Some Christians later recovered his body and gave it honorable burial. The saint was 31 years old at the time of his martyrdom. In the reign of the Emperor Valens, the Greek commander Ionnios Soranos found the Saint’s body during a war against the Goths, and took it to Cappadocia.