2 Corinthians 8.16-9.5 (Epistle)

16A hvala Bogu, koji je dao takovo staranje za vas u srce Titovo. 17Jer primi moljenje; a buduæi da se tako vrlo stara, svojevoljno otide k vama. 18Poslasmo pak s njim i brata, kojega je pohvala u jevanðelju po svijem crkvama. 19A ne samo to, nego je i izabran od crkava da ide s nama u ovu blagodat u kojoj mi služimo za samoga Gospoda slavu i vašu dobru volju: 20Èuvajuæi se toga da nas ko ne pokudi za ovo obilje u kome mi služimo, 21I promišljajuæi za dobro ne samo pred Bogom nego i pred ljudima. 22A poslasmo s njima i brata svojega, kojega mnogo puta poznasmo u mnogijem stvarima da je ustalac, a sad mnogo veæi zbog velikoga nadanja na vas. 23A za Tita, on je moj drug i pomagaè meðu vama; a za braæu našu, oni su poslanici crkveni i slava Hristova. 24Pokažite dakle na njima svjedoèanstvo svoje ljubavi i naše hvale vama i pred crkvama.

1Jer za takovu porezu koja se kupi svetima nije mi trijebe pisati vam; 2Jer poznajem vašu dobru volju, za koju se o vama hvalim Maæedoncima da se Ahaja prigotovi od lanjske godine, i vaša revnost razdraži mnoge. 3A braæu poslah da se hvala naša vama ne isprazni u ovoj stvari, nego da budete prigotovljeni, kao što sam govorio; 4Da se, ako doðu sa mnom Maæedonci i naðu vas neprigotovljene, ne osramotimo mi da ne reèem vi) u toj hvali. 5Tako naðoh da je potrebno umoliti braæu da naprijed idu k vama, i da priprave ovaj naprijed obreèeni vaš blagoslov da bude gotov tako kakono ti blagoslov, a ne kao lakomstvo.

Mark 3.13-19 (Gospel)

13I iziðoše na goru, i dozva koje on šæaše; i doðoše mu. 14I postavi dvanaestoricu da budu s njim, i da ih pošilje da propovijedaju, 15I da imaju vlast da iscjeljuju od bolesti, i da izgone ðavole: 16Prvoga Simona, i nadjede mu ime Petar; 17I Jakova Zevedejeva i Jovana brata Jakovljeva, i nadjede im imena Voanerges, koje znaèi sinovi gromovi; 18I Andriju i Filipa i Vartolomija i Mateja i Tomu i Jakova Alfejeva i Tadiju i Simona Kananita, 19I Judu Iskariotskoga, koji ga i izdade.

Martyrs Anicetas and Photius of Nicomedia (305)

These holy martyrs suffered victoriously in the year 305 (Prologue) or 288 (Great Horologion), during the reign of Diocletian, who visited Nicomedia to stir up a persecution of Christians there. Anicetas, one of the city governors, presented himself before the Emperor, boldly confessed his Christian faith, and denounced the worship of the idols. Anicetas was subjected to a series of cruelties: his tongue was cut out, but he miraculously continued to speak; he was thrown to a lion, but it refused to attack him; then he was savagely beaten with rods until his bones showed through his wounds. His nephew Photius, seeing his endurance of all these trials, ran forward, embraced his uncle, and declared to the Emperor that he too was a Christian. The Emperor ordered that he be beheaded immediately, but the executioner, raising his sword, gave himself such a wound that he died instead. After many tortures, the two were put in prison for three years, then brought out and cast into a fiery furnace, where they died, though their bodies were brought out of the flames intact.

Saint Anicetas is counted as one of the Holy Unmercenaries.

Hieromaryr Alexander, Bishop of Comana (3rd c.)

“He lived in the town of Comana near Neocaesarea as a simple charcoal-burner. When the Bishop of Comana died, St Gregory of Neocaesarea, the Wonderworker (Nov. 17), was invited to preside over the Council to choose a new bishop. At the Council there were both clergy and laymen. They were unable to come to agreement on one person, estimating the candidates they selected according to their outward worth and behaviour. St Gregory told them that they must not give so much weight to the outward impression as to the soul and the spiritual aptitude. Then some wag called out mockingly: ‘Then let’s choose Alexander the charcoal-burner as bishop!’, and there was general laughter. St Gregory asked who this Alexander was. Thinking that his name would not have come up before the Council except by the providence of God, he commanded that he be brought. Being a charcoal-burner, he was black with soot and in rags, and his appearance provoked further mirth in the Council. Then Gregory took him aside and asked him to tell the truth about himself. Alexander told him that he had been a Greek philosopher, enjoying great honour and position, but that he had set it all aside, demeaned himself and made himself as a fool for Christ from the time that he had read and understood the Holy Scriptures. Gregory commanded that he be bathed and clad in new clothes, then went into the Council with him and, before them all, began to examine him in the Scriptures. All were filled with amazement at the wisdom and grace of Alexander’s words, and were quite unable to recognize the former charcoal-burner in this wise man. With one voice, they chose him as bishop, and he received the love of his flock for his holiness, his wisdom and his goodness. He died a martyr for Christ under Diocletian.” (Prologue)