1 Corinthians 10.12-22 (Epistle)

12Jer koji misli da stoji neka se èuva da ne padne. 13Drugo iskušenje ne doðe na vas osim èovjeèijega; ali je vjeran Bog koji vas neæe pustiti da se iskušate veæma nego što možete, nego æe uèiniti s iskušanjem i kraj, da možete podnijeti. 14Zato, ljubazna braæo moja, bjegajte od idolopoklonstva. 15Kao mudrima govorim; sudite vi šta govorim. 16Èaša blagoslova koju blagosiljamo nije li zajednica krvi Hristove? Hljeb koji lomimo nije li zajednica tijela Hristova? 17Jer smo jedan hljeb, jedno tijelo mnogi; jer svi u jednome hljebu imamo zajednicu. 18Gledajte Izrailja po tijelu: koji jedu žrtve nijesu li zajednièari oltara? 19Šta dakle govorim? da je idol što? ili idolska žrtva da je što? 20Nije; nego što žrtvuju neznabošci, da ðavolima žrtvuju, a ne Bogu; a ja neæu da ste vi zajednièari s ðavolima. 21Ne možete piti èaše Gospodnje i èaše ðavolske; ne možete imati zajednice u trpezi Gospodnjoj i u trpezi ðavolskoj. 22Ili da prkosimo Gospodu? Eda li smo mi jaèi od njega?

Matthew 16.20-24 (Gospel)

20Tada zaprijeti Isus uèenicima svojijem da nikom ne kazuju da je on Hristos. 21Od tada poèe Isus kazivati uèenicima svojijem da njemu valja iæi u Jerusalim, i mnogo postradati od starješina i od glavara sveštenièkijeh i književnika, i da æe ga ubiti, i treæi dan da æe ustati. 22I uzevši ga Petar poèe ga odvraæati govoreæi: Bože saèuvaj! to neæe biti od tebe. 23A on se obrnuvši reèe Petru: idi od mene sotono; ti si mi sablazan; jer ne misliš što je Božije nego ljudsko. 24Tada Isus reèe uèenicima svojijem: ako ko hoæe za mnom iæi, neka se odreèe sebe, i uzme krst svoj i ide za mnom.

Hieromartyr Pancratius, bishop of Taormina in Sicily (1st c.)

He was born in Antioch during the years that Christ walked in the flesh in Palestine. His parents, hearing of Christ’s miracles and teaching, journeyed to Jerusalem, bringing their young son Pancratius. There all three of them saw and listened to Jesus Himself, and met the disciple Peter as well. After the Ascension, Pancratius and his parents were baptised in Antioch (some accounts say by the Apostle Peter himself). The Apostle Peter installed Pancratius as bishop of Taormina in Sicily, where he worked great wonders and brought many to Christ.

A pagan general named Aquilinus, hearing that Taormina had become Christian, set out with his army to destroy the town. Pancratius instructed the faithful not to fear and went out to confront the army, armed only with the sign of the Cross. When the army came near the town, the soldiers were seized with confusion and fear, fell on their own weapons and attacked one another, and finally withdrew in terror. Thus the city was saved by the prayers of the holy bishop. Later, pagans stoned him to death, granting him a martyr’s end. His relics may still be venerated in Rome.