Acts 12.12-17 (Epistle)

12I razmislivši doðe kuæi Marije matere Jovana koji se zvaše Marko, gdje bijahu mnogi sabrani i moljahu se Bogu. 13A kad kucnu Petar u vrata od dvora, pristupi djevojka po imenu Roda, da èuje. 14I poznavši glas Petrov od radosti ne otvori vrata, nego utrèa i kaza da Petar stoji pred vratima. 15A oni joj rekoše: jesi li ti luda? A ona potvrðivaše da je tako. A oni govorahu: anðeo je njegov. 16A Petar jednako kucaše. A kad otvoriše, vidješe ga, i udiviše se. 17A on mahnuvši na njih rukom da æute, kaza im kako ga Gospod izvede iz tamnice; i reèe: javite ovo Jakovu i braæi. I izišavši otide na drugo mjesto.

John 8.42-51 (Gospel)

42A Isus im reèe: kad bi Bog bio vaš otac, ljubili biste mene; jer ja od Boga iziðoh i doðoh; jer ne doðoh sam od sebe, nego me on posla. 43Zašto ne razumijete govora mojega? Jer ne možete rijeèi mojijeh da slušate. 44Vaš je otac ðavo; i slasti oca svojega hoæete da èinite: on je krvnik ljudski od poèetka, i ne stoji na istini; jer nema istine u njemu; kad govori laž, svoje govori: jer je laža i otac laži. 45A meni ne vjerujete, jer ja istinu govorim. 46Koji me od vas kori za grijeh? Ako li istinu govorim, zašto mi vi ne vjerujete? 47Ko je od Boga rijeèi Božije sluša; zato vi ne slušate, jer nijeste od Boga. 48Tada odgovoriše Jevreji i rekoše mu: ne govorimo li mi pravo da si ti Samarjanin, i da je ðavo u tebi. 49Isus odgovori: u meni ðavola nema, nego poštujem oca svojega; a vi mene sramotite. 50A ja ne tražim slave svoje; ima koji traži i sudi. 51Zaista, zaista vam kažem: ko održi rijeè moju neæe vidjeti smrti dovijeka.

Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra and seven virgin-martyrs with him (303)

Theodotus was a married inn-keeper in Ancyra during the persecutions of Diocletian. He used his inn-keeping trade as a means of secretly helping the persecuted Christians, many of whom used his inn as a refuge in time of need. One of his holy works was to retrieve the bodies of martyred Christians and give them burial. At that time, seven maidens were tried and tortured for their faith in Christ, then killed by being thrown into a lake. One of them, St Tecusa, appeared to St Theodotus and asked him to retrieve the bodies of her and her sisters in Christ. Under cover of night Theodotus, guided by an Angel, was able to find all seven bodies and bury them honorably. But a friend whom he had asked to help him in this work betrayed him, and he was arrested and subjected to cruel tortures. Finally he was sentenced to be beheaded. As he went to the block, he said to the many Christians who had gathered to weep for him: ‘Do not weep for me, brethren, but glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, by whose aid I am finishing my course and overcoming the enemy.’ A church dedicated to him was later built on the site of his burial.

Holy Martyrs Peter, Dionysius, Christina, Andrew, Paul, Benedimus, Paulinus, and Heraclius (250)

“These Saints all contested in martyrdom during the reign of Decius (249-251). Peter was from Lampsacus in the Hellespont. For refusing to offer sacrifice to the idol of Aphrodite, his whole body was crushed and broken with chains and pieces of wood on a torture-wheel; having endured this torment courageously, he gave up his soul.

“Paul and Andrew were soldiers from Mesopotamia brought to Athens with their governor; there they were put in charge of two captive Christians, Dionysius and Christina. The soldiers, seeing the beauty of the virgin Christina, attempted to move her to commit sin with them, but she refused and, by her admonitions, brought them to faith in Christ. They and Dionysius were stoned to death, and Christina was beheaded.

“Heraclius, Paulinus,and Benedimus were Athenians, and preachers of the Gospel who turned many of the heathen from their error to the light of Christ. Brought before the governor, they confesed their Faith, and after many torments were beheaded.” (Great Horologion)

The Prologue adds: “One Nicomachus, who was tortured with them, denied Christ under torture, and instantly lost his mind, tearing at his body with his teeth and foaming at the mouth until he breathed his last.”