Acts 21.26-32 (Epistle)

26Tada Pavle uze one ljude, i sjutradan oèistivši se s njima, uðe u crkvu, i pokaza kako izvršuje dane oèišæenja dokle se ne prinese žrtva za svakoga njih. 27A kad šæaše da se navrši sedam dana, vidjevši ga u crkvi oni Jevreji što bijahu iz Azije, pobuniše sav narod, i metnuše ruke na nj 28Vièuæi: pomagajte, ljudi Izrailjci! ovo je èovjek koji protiv naroda i zakona i protiv ovoga mjesta uèi sve svuda; pa još i Grke uvede u crkvu i opogani sveto mjesto ovo. 29Jer bijahu vidjeli s njim u gradu Trofima iz Efesa, kojega mišljahu da je uveo Pavle u crkvu. 30I sav se grad podiže, i navali narod sa sviju strana, i uhvativši Pavla vucijahu ga napolje iz crkve; i odmah se zatvoriše vrata. 31A kad šæahu da ga ubiju, doðe glas gore k vojvodi od èete da se pobuni sav Jerusalim. 32A on odmah uzevši vojnike i kapetane dotrèa na njih. A oni vidjevši vojvodu i vojnike prestaše biti Pavla.

John 16.2-13 (Gospel)

2Izgoniæe vas iz zbornica; a doæi æe vrijeme kad æe svaki koji vas ubije misliti da Bogu službu èini. 3I ovo æe èiniti, jer ne poznaše oca ni mene. 4Nego vam ovo kazah kad doðe vrijeme da se opomenete ovoga da vam ja kazah; a isprva ne kazah vam ovo, jer bijah s vama. 5A sad idem k onome koji me posla, i niko me od vas ne pita: kuda ideš? 6Nego što vam ovo kazah žalosti napuni se srce vaše. 7Nego vam ja istinu govorim: bolje je za vas da ja idem: jer ako ja ne idem, utješitelj neæe doæi k vama; ako li idem, poslaæu ga k vama. 8I kad on doðe pokaraæe svijet za grijeh, i za pravdu, i za sud: 9Za grijeh dakle što ne vjeruju mene; 10A za pravdu što idem k ocu svojemu; i više me neæete vidjeti; 11A za sud što je knez ovoga svijeta osuðen. 12Još vam mnogo imam kazati; ali sad ne možete nositi. 13A kad doðe on, Duh istine, uputiæe vas na svaku istinu; jer neæe od sebe govoriti, nego æe govoriti što èuje, i javiæe vam što æe biti unapredak.

Holy Virgin-martyr Glykeria at Heraclea (141).

At a pagan festival in Thrace, when the Governor of the region was offering sacrifice to the idols, St Glyceria entered the temple and declared herself to be a handmaid of Christ. When the governor commanded her to make sacrifice to the gods, she overturned the statue of Zeus, smashing it to pieces. For this, and for her continued refusal to deny her faith, she was seized and subjected to many tortures. First, the governor had her sealed in a prison cell with the intention of starving her to death; but an angel appeared to Glykeria and gave her heavenly food. When enough time had passed that the governor was certain that Glykeria had perished, he opened her cell, and all present were astonished to see her alive, healthy and full of joy. At this her jailer, Laodicius, confessed Christ and was beheaded. Glykeria was then thrown into a fire, but stood in it unharmed, praising God like the Three Children in Babylon. Finally she was cast to wild beasts, where she gave up her soul to God. A healing myrrh flowed from her relics.

Holy Martyr Alexander of Rome (298)

He was an eighteen-year-old soldier in the army of the Emperor Maximian. When a public sacrifice was made to the Roman idols, Alexander refused to take part, for which he was brought before the Captain Tiberian, who told him he must either deny Christ or die. When he stood fast for Christ, he was arrested and taken through Macedonia to Byzantium, being cruelly tortured at every stop along the way. But everywhere he went, the Christians flocked to him, encouraging him and asking his blessing. His mother, Pimenia, travelled with him for the entire journey. In all his sufferings, Alexander was visited many times by an angel of God, who relieved his pain and encouraged him. As his Lord had commanded, Alexander loved and prayed for his enemies: At a place called Carasura, when the soldiers guarding him were suffering from thirst, he prayed, and a spring of cold water burst out of a dry place.

Finally, on the bank of the river Ergina, Tiberian ordered that Alexander be beheaded. As the executioner raised his sword, he saw radiant angels of God all around the holy Martyr, and was afraid to strike. Alexander asked the executioner why he had stayed his hand and, hearing the answer, prayed to God that he might send the angels away so that the executioner would not be afraid. The angels vanished, and Alexander received his crown of martyrdom. Pimenia, his mother, buried her son’s body, and many miracles of healing were worked at his grave. Some time later, Alexander appeared to his mother and told her of her approaching death, which occurred not long afterward.