15. август 2026.
Saturday of the 11th week after Pentecost

Dormition Fast — Wine and Oil are Allowed

Commemorations

Translation of the relics of the Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen (428)
Hieromartyr Stephen, Pope of Rome (257), and those with him
Blessed Basil of Moscow, fool-for-Christ (1552)

Scripture Readings

1 Corinthians 1.3-9 (Epistle)

3Blagodat vam i mir od Boga oca našega i Gospoda Isusa Hrista. 4Zahvaljujem svagda Bogu svojemu za vas što vam je dana blagodat Božija u Hristu Isusu, 5Te se u svemu obogatiste kroza nj, u svakoj rijeèi i svakom razumu, 6Kao što se svjedoèanstvo Hristovo utvrdi meðu vama; 7Tako da nemate nedostatka ni u jednome daru, vi koji èekate otkrivenja Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista, 8Koji æe vas i utvrditi do samoga kraja da budete pravi na dan Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista. 9Vjeran je Bog koji vas pozva u zajednicu sina svojega Isusa Hrista Gospoda našega.

Matthew 19.3-12 (Gospel)

3I pristupiše k njemu fariseji da ga kušaju, i rekoše mu: može li èovjek pustiti ženu svoju za svaku krivicu? 4A on odgovarajuæi reèe im: nijeste li èitali da je onaj koji je u poèetku stvorio èovjeka muža i ženu stvorio ih? 5I reèe: zato ostaviæe èovjek oca svojega i mater, i prilijepiæe se k ženi svojoj, i biæe dvoje jedno tijelo. 6Tako nijesu više dvoje, nego jedno tijelo; a što je Bog sastavio èovjek da ne rastavlja. 7Rekoše mu: zašto dakle Mojsije zapovijeda da se da knjiga raspusna, i da se pusti? 8Reèe im: Mojsije je vama dopustio po tvrði vašega srca puštati svoje žene; a ispoèetka nije bilo tako. 9Nego ja vam kažem: ako ko pusti svoju ženu, osim za kurvarstvo, i oženi se drugom, èini preljubu; i koji uzme puštenicu èini preljubu. 10Rekoše mu uèenici njegovi: ako je tako èovjeku sa ženom, nije se dobro ženiti. 11A on reèe im: ne mogu svi primiti tijeh rijeèi do oni kojima je dano. 12Jer ima uškopljenika koji su se tako rodili iz utrobe materine; a ima uškopljenika koje su ljudi uškopili; a ima uškopljenika koji su sami sebe uškopili carstva radi nebeskoga. Ko može primiti neka primi.

Commemorations

Translation of the relics of the Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen (428)

After the First Martyr Stephen was stoned to death, his body was left for the dogs; but his teacher Gamaliel had his body secretly taken to a place outside Jerusalem and buried by night. About the year 427, a Fr Lucian, the parish priest near the place, was told in a dream where the relics of the Protomartyr were buried. He told Patriarch John of Jerusalem, and they went together to the place revealed. Digging there they found a box labeled with the word “Stephen” in Aramaic letters. They took the sacred relics to Jerusalem in solemn procession.

Hieromartyr Stephen, Pope of Rome (257), and those with him

As Bishop of Rome from 254 to 257, he battled the Novatian heresy. By his prayers he once healed Lucilla, the daughter of the Roman tribune Nemesius; for this both father and daughter were baptized into Christ. Saint Stephen and twelve of his priests were beheaded during a celebration of the Liturgy, during the reign of Valerian.

Blessed Basil of Moscow, fool-for-Christ (1552)

At the age of sixteen, he took up the podvig of folly for Christ, in which he continued for seventy-two years, living to the age of eighty-eight. He was homeless, barefood and dressed in tatters, wandering the streets of Moscow. Though mocked by many, he spoke to strangers of their secret sins, rebuked nobles for their hard-heartedness, and slowly became known as a Saint. Tsar Ivan and the Metropolitan of Moscow attended his funeral. He was buried in the church in Moscow that now bears his name.