8 Septembrie 2026
Tuesday of the 15th week after Pentecost

No Fast

Commemorations

Martyrs Adrian and Natalia and 23 companions of Nicomedia (4th c.)
Our Holy Father Tithoës of the Thebaid (4th c.)

Scripture Readings

Galatians 2.21-3.7 (Epistle)

21Nu vreau să fac zadarnic harul lui Dumnezeu; căci, dacă neprihănirea se capătă prin Lege, degeaba a murit Hristos. 1O, galateni nechibzuiţi! Cine v-a fermecat pe voi, înaintea ochilor cărora a fost zugrăvit Isus Hristos ca răstignit? 2Iată numai ce voiesc să ştiu de la voi: prin faptele Legii aţi primit voi Duhul ori prin auzirea credinţei? 3Sunteţi aşa de nechibzuiţi? După ce aţi început prin Duhul, vreţi acum să sfârşiţi prin firea pământească? 4În zadar aţi suferit voi atât de mult? Dacă în adevăr, e în zadar! 5Cel ce vă dă Duhul şi face minuni printre voi le face oare prin faptele Legii sau prin auzirea credinţei? 6Tot aşa şi „Avraam a crezut pe Dumnezeu, şi credinţa aceasta i-a fost socotită ca neprihănire.” 7Înţelegeţi şi voi, dar, că fii ai lui Avraam sunt cei ce au credinţă.

Mark 6.1-7 (Gospel)

1Isus a plecat de acolo şi S-a dus în patria Lui. Ucenicii Lui au mers după El. 2Când a venit ziua Sabatului, a început să înveţe pe norod în sinagogă. Mulţi, când Îl auzeau, se mirau şi ziceau: „De unde are El aceste lucruri? Ce fel de înţelepciune este aceasta care I-a fost dată? Şi cum se fac astfel de minuni prin mâinile Lui? 3Nu este Acesta tâmplarul, feciorul Mariei, fratele lui Iacov, al lui Iose, al lui Iuda şi al lui Simon? Şi nu sunt surorile Lui aici între noi?” Şi găseau o pricină de poticnire în El. 4Dar Isus le-a zis: „Un proroc nu este dispreţuit decât în patria Lui, între rudele Lui şi în casa Lui.” 5N-a putut să facă nicio minune acolo, ci doar Şi-a pus mâinile peste câţiva bolnavi şi i-a vindecat. 6Şi Se mira de necredinţa lor. Isus străbătea satele dimprejur şi învăţa pe norod. 7Atunci a chemat la Sine pe cei doisprezece şi a început să-i trimită doi câte doi, dându-le putere asupra duhurilor necurate.

Commemorations

Martyrs Adrian and Natalia and 23 companions of Nicomedia (4th c.)

“Husband and wife, they were both of noble and wealthy families in Nicomedia. Adrian was the governor of the Praetorium and a pagan, and Natalia was a secret Christian. They were both young, and had lived in wedlock for thirteen months in all before their martyrdom. When the wicked Emperor Maximian visited Nicomedia, he ordered that the Christians be seized and put to torture. There were twenty-three Christians hidden in a cave near the city. Someone handed them over to the authorities and they were cruelly flogged with leather whips and staves, and thrown into prison. They were then taken from prison and brought before the Praetor for their names to be noted. Adrian looked a these people, tortured but unbowed, peaceful and meek, and he put them under oath to say what they hoped for from their God, that they should undergo such tortures. They spoke to him of the blessedness of the righteous in the Kingdom of God. Hearing this, and again looking at these people, Adrian suddenly turned to the scribe and said: ‘Write my name along with those of these saints; I also am a Christian.’ When the Emperor heard of this, he asked him: ‘Have you lost your mind?’ Adrian replied: ‘I haven’t lost it, but found it!’ Hearing this, Natalia rejoiced greatly, and, when Adrian sat chained with the others in prison, came and ministered to them all. When they flogged her husband and put him to various tortures, she encouraged him to endure to the end. After long torture and imprisonment, the Emperor ordered that they be taken to the prison anvil, for their arms and legs to be broken with hammers. This was done and Adrian, along with the twenty-three others, breathed his last under the vicious tortures. Natalia took their relics to Constantinople and there buried them. After several days, Adrian appeared to her, bathed in light and beauty and calling her to come to God, and she peacefully gave her soul into her Lord’s hands.” (Prologue)

Our Holy Father Tithoës of the Thebaid (4th c.)

One of the great Egyptian Desert Fathers, he was a disciple of St Pachomius the Great and served as abbot of Tabennisi. Through his years of struggle in prayer, he attained to such purity of heart that whenever he raised his hands in prayer, his spirit was instantly caught up in pure contemplation of God. When one of the brethren asked him what path leads to humility, he answered ‘The path of humility is abstinence, prayer and considering oneself as the least of all creatures.’ He reposed in peace.