Orthodox Calendar

21. јун 2026.
3rd Sunday after Pentecost

Apostles Fast — Fish, Wine and Oil are Allowed

Commemorations

  • Translation of the relics of Great-martyr Theodore Strateletes (319)
  • St Ephraim, Patriarch of Antioch (545)
  • Our Holy Mother Melania the Elder (410)
  • St Zosimas, monk, of Phoenicia (Syria) (6th c.)

Scripture Readings

Mark 16.9-20 (3rd Matins Gospel)

9A Isus ustavši rano u prvi dan nedjelje javi se najprije Mariji Magdalini, iz koje je istjerao sedam ðavola. 10A ona otide te javi onima što su bili s njim, koji plakahu i ridahu. 11I oni èuvši da je živ i da ga je ona vidjela ne vjerovaše. 12A potom javi se na putu dvojici od njih u drugome oblièju, kad su išli u selo. 13I oni otišavši javiše ostalima; i ni njima ne vjerovaše. 14A najposlije javi se kad njih jedanaestorica bijahu za trpezom, i prekori ih za njihovo nevjerje i tvrðu srca što ne vjerovaše onima koji su ga vidjeli da je ustao; 15I reèe im: idite po svemu svijetu i propovjedite jevanðelje svakome stvorenju. 16Koji uzvjeruje i pokrsti se, spašæe se; a ko ne vjeruje osudiæe se. 17A znaci onima koji vjeruju biæe ovi: imenom mojijem izgoniæe ðavole; govoriæe novijem jezicima; 18Uzimaæe zmije u ruke, ako i smrtno što popiju, neæe im nauditi; na bolesnike metaæe ruke, i ozdravljaæe. 19A Gospod pošto im izgovori uze se na nebo, i sjede Bogu s desne strane. 20A oni iziðoše i propovijedaše svuda, i Gospod ih potpomaga, i rijeè potvrðiva znacima koji su se potom pokazivali. Amin.

Romans 5.1-10 (Epistle)

1Opravdavši se dakle vjerom, imamo mir s Bogom kroz Gospoda svojega Isusa Hrista, 2Kroz kojega i pristup naðosmo vjerom u ovu blagodat u kojoj stojimo, i hvalimo se nadanjem slave Božije. 3Ne samo pak to, nego se hvalimo i nevoljama, znajuæi da nevolja trpljenje gradi; 4A trpljenje iskustvo, a iskustvo nadanje; 5A nadanje neæe se osramotiti, jer se ljubav Božija izli u srca naša Duhom svetijem koji je dat nama. 6Jer Hristos još kad slabi bjesmo umrije u vrijeme svoje za bezbožnike. 7Jer jedva ko umre za pravednika; za dobroga može biti da bi se ko usudio umrijeti. 8Ali Bog pokazuje svoju ljubav k nama što Hristos još kad bijasmo grješnici umrije za nas. 9Mnogo æemo dakle veæma biti kroza nj spaseni od gnjeva kad smo se sad opravdali krvlju njegovom. 10Jer kad smo se pomirili s Bogom smræu sina njegova dok smo još bili neprijatelji, mnogo æemo se veæma spasti u životu njegovu kad smo se pomirili.

Matthew 6.22-33 (Gospel)

22Svijeæa je tijelu oko. Ako dakle bude oko tvoje zdravo, sve æe tijelo tvoje svijetlo biti. 23Ako li oko tvoje kvarno bude, sve æe tijelo tvoje tamno biti. Ako je dakle vidjelo što je u tebi tama, akamoli tama? 24Niko ne može dva gospodara služiti: jer ili æe na jednoga mrziti, a drugoga ljubiti; ili jednome voljeti, a za drugog ne mariti. Ne možete Bogu služiti i mamoni. 25Zato vam kažem: ne brinite se za život svoj, šta æete jesti, ili šta æete piti; ni za tijelo svoje, u što æete se obuæi. Nije li život pretežniji od hrane, i tijelo od odijela? 26Pogledajte na ptice nebeske kako ne siju, niti žnju, ni sabiraju u žitnice; pa otac vaš nebeski hrani ih. Nijeste li vi mnogo pretežniji od njih? 27A ko od vas brinuæi se može primaknuti rastu svojemu lakat jedan? 28I za odijelo što se brinete? Pogledajte na ljiljane u polju kako rastu; ne trude se niti predu. 29Ali ja vam kažem da ni Solomun u svoj svojoj slavi ne obuèe se kao jedan od njih. 30A kad travu po polju, koja danas jest a sjutra se u peæ baca, Bog tako odijeva; akamoli vas, malovjerni? 31Ne brinite se dakle govoreæi: šta æemo jesti, ili, šta æemo piti, ili, èim æemo se odjenuti? 32Jer sve ovo neznabošci ištu; a zna i otac vaš nebeski da vama treba sve ovo. 33Nego ištite najprije carstva Božijega, i pravde njegove, i ovo æe vam se sve dodati.

Commemorations

Translation of the relics of Great-martyr Theodore Strateletes (319)

See his commemoration on February 8

St Ephraim, Patriarch of Antioch (545)

“During the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius, Ephraim was governor of the eastern regions. He was famed for his great piety and compassion, and was much esteemed for these virtues. When the rebuilding of Antioch, which had been destroyed by earthquake and fire, was put in hand, the Emperor ordered Ephraim to oversee the work. Ephraim performed this work with dilegence and love. There was among the ordinary workers a certain bishop who had left his see for unknown reasons and was working as a labourer. Not a soul knew that the man was a bishop. One day he lay down to take a rest from the exhausting work with the other labourers, and fell asleep. Ephraim glanced at him, and saw a flaming pillar rising above the man and reaching up to heaven. Amazed and frightened, Ephraim summoned him and bound him under oath to reveal who he was. The man hesitated a long time, but finally admitted that he was a bishop and foretold that Ephraim whould shortly be consecrated Patriarch of Antioch (the patriarchal throne having been empty since the old Patriarch, Euphrasius, perished in the earthquake). Ephraim was indeed elected and consecrated as Patriarch. For his goodness, purity and zeal for Orthodoxy, a great gift of wonderworking was given him by God. Once, in order to convince some heretic that Orthodoxy is the true Faith, he placed his omophor in the flames and prayed to God. The omophor remained unharmed in the fire for three hours. When the heretic saw this, he was afraid and cast his heresy aside. Ephraim entered peacefully into rest in 546.” (Prologue)

Our Holy Mother Melania the Elder (410)

She was a wealthy and noble lady, born in Spain. Her husband and two of her children died and, seeing the vanity of worldly things, she travelled to Egypt to visit the monks at Nitria. She gave away most of her great wealth to the needy, and to Egyptian Christians being persecuted by the Arians. It is said that in three days she fed some 5,000 people. When the Orthodox in Egypt were exiled to Palestine, she went with them to Jerusalem, where she built a convent for virgins; she entered the convent herself, and reposed there in 410. Her grand-daughter, Melania the Younger, is commemorated on December 31.

St Zosimas, monk, of Phoenicia (Syria) (6th c.)

He labored in asceticism at a monastery near Tyre. Through his exceptional purity of life, he was granted the gift of prophecy. He foresaw the destruction of Antioch by earthquake and, like Abraham pleading for Sodom, prostrated himself on the ground and prayed that the city not be completely destroyed. Once he was traveling in a remote place and a lion attacked and killed his mule. He commanded the lion to serve him in the mule’s place; the lion immediately took up Zosimas’ pack and carried it to Caesarea, where Zosimas released it. St Zosimas reposed in peace.