Acts 9.20-31 (Epistle)

20I odmah po zbornicama propovijedaše Isusa da je on sin Božij. 21A svi koji slušahu divljahu se i govorahu: nije li ovo onaj što gonjaše u Jerusalimu one koji spominjahu ime ovo, i ovdje zato doðe da ih povezane vodi glavarima sveštenièkijem. 22A Savle se veæma siljaše i zabunjivaše Jevreje koji žive u Damasku, dokazujuæi da je ovo Hristos. 23A kad se navrši podosta dana, dogovoriše se Jevreji da ga ubiju. 24Ali Savle doznade njihov dogovor; a oni èuvahu vrata dan i noæ da bi ga ubili; 25A uèenici ga uzeše noæu i spustiše preko zida u kotarici. 26A kad doðe Savle u Jerusalim, ogledaše da se pribije uz uèenike; i svi ga se bojahu, jer ne vjerovahu da je uèenik. 27A Varnava ga uze i dovede k apostolima, i kaza im kako na putu vidje Gospoda, i kako mu govori, i kako u Damasku slobodno propovijeda ime Isusovo. 28I bijaše s njima i ulazi u Jerusalim i izlazi i slobodno propovijedaše ime Gospoda Isusa. 29I govoraše i prepiraše se s Grcima; a oni gledahu da ga ubiju. 30A kad razumješe braæa, svedoše ga u Æesariju, i otpustiše ga u Tars. 31A crkve po svoj Judeji i Galileji i Samariji bijahu na miru, i napredovahu, i hoðahu u strahu Gospodnjem, i umnožavahu se utjehom svetoga Duha.

John 15.17-16.2 (Gospel)

17Ovo vam zapovijedam da imate ljubav meðu sobom. 18Ako svijet na vas uzmrzi, znajte da na mene omrznu prije vas. 19Kad biste bili od svijeta, onda bi svijet svoje ljubio: a kako nijeste od svijeta, nego vas ja od svijeta izbrah, zato mrzi na vas svijet. 20Opominjite se rijeèi koju vam ja rekoh: nije sluga veæi od gospodara svojega. Ako mene izgnaše, i vas æe izgnati; ako moju rijeè održaše, i vašu æe održati. 21Ali sve æe vam ovo èiniti za ime moje, jer ne poznaju onoga koji me posla. 22Da nijesam bio došao i govorio im ne bi grijeha imali; a sad izgovora neæe imati za grijeh svoj. 23Koji mrzi na mene i na oca mojega mrzi. 24Da nijesam bio djela tvorio meðu njima kojijeh niko drugi ne tvori, ne bi grijeha imali: a sad i vidješe, i omrznuše na mene i na oca mojega. 25Ali da se zbude rijeè napisana u zakonu njihovom: omrznuše na mene ni za što. 26A kad doðe utješitelj, koga æu vam poslati od oca, Duh istine, koji od oca izlazi, on æe svjedoèiti za mene. 27A i vi æete svjedoèiti, jer ste od poèetka sa mnom.

1Ovo vam kazah da se ne sablaznite. 2Izgoniæe vas iz zbornica; a doæi æe vrijeme kad æe svaki koji vas ubije misliti da Bogu službu èini.

Translation of the relics of St Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra to Bari (1087)

In 1087 the Saint’s relics were taken from Myra in Lycia (on the southern coast of present-day Turkey) to the town of Bari in Italy. This was done due to a Muslim attack on Lycia. At that time Bari was Orthodox and under the administration of the Patriarch of Constantinople. The Saint’s relics now lie in a Roman Catholic church in Bari; each year the casket containing the relics is opened by a Roman Catholic and Orthodox bishop together, and quantities of fragrant myrrh are removed, for the healing and encouragement of the faithful.

Holy Prophet Isaiah (7th c. BC)

He is counted as the greatest of the Old Testament Prophets. His incomparably beautiful verses foretell Christ in many places. He chastised, comforted, and counseled the pious king Hezekiah; but when he denounced the impiety and lawlessness of Hezekiah’s son Manasseh, he was sawn in two outside Jerusalem, receiving a martyr’s crown. His name means “The Lord is helper.”

The Fifth Biblical Ode, “Out of the night my spirit waketh at dawn unto Thee, O God…” is taken from Isaiah.

Holy Martyr Christopher (3rd c.)

He was originally named Reprobus. In the time of the persecutions under the Emperor Decius, Reprobus, seeing the sufferings of the Christians, rebuked the rulers for their cruelty. The governor sent soldiers to arrest him, but he converted them and was baptised along with them, receiving the name Christopher. After he was brought before the governor, he was imprisoned with two harlots sent to seduce him, but he converted them also. He, the soldiers, and the former harlots were subjected to torture and finally beheaded.

It is this Saint Christopher who is portrayed on the medals often worn for protection in the Latin West. The image of him carrying the child Jesus comes from his name, which means ‘Christ-bearer,’ not from any incident in his life.