Jude 11-25 (Epistle)

11Teško njima! jer putem Kainovijem poðoše i u prijevaru Valaamove plate padoše, i u buni Koreovoj izgiboše. 12Ovo su oni što pogane vaše milostinje jeduæi s vama bez straha i gojeæi se; oblaci bezvodni, koje vjetrovi prenose; jesenska drveta nerodljiva, koja su dvaput umrla, i iz korijena išèupana; 13Bijesni valovi morski, koji se pjene svojijem sramotama, zvijezde lažne, kojima se èuva mrak vjeène tame. 14Ali i za ovake prorokova Enoh, sedmi od Adama, govoreæi: gle, ide Gospod s hiljadama svetijeh anðela svojijeh 15Da uèini sud svima, i da pokara sve bezbožnike za sva njihova bezbožna djela kojima bezbožnost èiniše, i za sve ružne rijeèi njihove koje bezbožni grješnici govoriše na nj. 16Ovo su nezadovoljni vikaèi, koji po željama svojijem žive, i usta njihova govore ponosite rijeèi, i za dobitak gledaju ko je ko. 17A vi, ljubazni, opominjite se rijeèi koje naprijed kazaše apostoli Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista, 18Jer vam kazaše da æe u pošljednje vrijeme postati rugaèi, koji æe hoditi po svojijem željama i bezbožnostima. 19Ovo su oni što se odvajaju od jedinosti vjere i jesu tjelesni, koji duha nemaju. 20A vi, ljubazni, naziðujte se svojom svetom vjerom, i molite se Bogu Duhom svetijem. 21I sami sebe držite u ljubavi Božijoj, èekajuæi milosti Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista za život vjeèni. 22I tako razlikujuæi jedne milujte, 23A jedne strahom izbavljajte i iz ognja vadite; a karajte sa strahom, mrzeæi i na haljinu opoganjenu od tijela. 24A onome koji vas može saèuvati bez grijeha i bez mane, i postaviti prave pred slavom svojom u radosti, 25Jedinome premudrome Bogu i spasu našemu, kroz Isusa Hrista Gospoda našega, slava i velièanstvo, država i vlast prije sviju vijekova i sad i u sve vijekove. Amin.

Luke 23.2-34, 44-56 (Gospel)

2I poèeše ga tužiti govoreæi: ovoga naðosmo da otpaðuje narod naš, i zabranjuje davati æesaru danak, i govori da je on Hristos car. 3A Pilat ga zapita: ti li si car Judejski? A on odgovarajuæi reèe mu: ti kažeš. 4A Pilat reèe glavarima sveštenièkijem i narodu: ja ne nalazim nikakve krivice na ovom èovjeku. 5A oni navaljivahu govoreæi: on buni ljude uèeæi po svoj Judeji poèevši od Galileje dovde. 6A Pilat èuvši za Galileju zapita: zar je on Galilejac? 7I razumjevši da je iz podruèja Irodova posla ga Irodu, koji takoðer bijaše u Jerusalimu onijeh dana. 8A Irod vidjevši Isusa bi mu vrlo milo; jer je odavno željeo da ga vidi, jer je mnogo slušao za njega, i nadaše se da æe vidjeti od njega kako èudo. 9I pita ga mnogo koje za što; ali mu on ništa ne odgovori. 10A glavari sveštenièki i književnici stajahu, i jednako tužahu ga. 11A Irod osramotivši ga sa svojijem vojnicima, i narugavši mu se, obuèe mu bijelu haljinu, i posla ga natrag Pilatu. 12I u taj se dan pomiriše Pilat i Irod meðu sobom; jer prije bijahu u zavadi. 13A Pilat sazvavši glavare sveštenièke i knezove i narod 14Reèe im: dovedoste mi ovoga èovjeka kao koji narod otpaðuje, i eto ja ga pred vama ispitah, i ne nalazim na ovom èovjeku nijedne krivice što vi na njega govorite; 15A ni Irod, jer sam ga slao k njemu; i eto se ne nalazi ništa da je uèinio što bi zasluživalo smrt. 16Daklem da ga izbijem pa da pustim. 17A trebaše o svakom prazniku pashe da im pusti po jednoga sužnja. 18Ali narod sav povika govoreæi: uzmi ovoga, a pusti nam Varavu; 19Koji bijaše baèen u tamnicu za nekakvu bunu uèinjenu u gradu i za krv. 20A Pilat opet reèe da bi on htio pustiti Isusa. 21A oni vikahu govoreæi: raspni ga, raspni. 22A on im treæi put reèe: kakvo je dakle on zlo uèinio? ja ništa na njemu ne naðoh što bi zasluživalo smrt; daklem da ga izbijem pa da pustim. 23A oni jednako navaljivahu s velikom vikom, i iskahu da se on razapne; i nadvlada vika njihova i glavara sveštenièkijeh. 24I Pilat presudi da bude kao što oni ištu. 25I pusti onoga što iskahu, koji bješe baèen u tamnicu za bunu i za krv; a Isusa ostavi na njihovu volju. 26I kad ga povedoše, uhvatiše nekoga Simona Kirinca koji iðaše iz polja, i metnuše na njega krst da nosi za Isusom. 27A za njim iðaše mnoštvo naroda i žena, koje plakahu i naricahu za njim. 28A Isus obazrevši se na njih reèe: kæeri Jerusalimske! ne plaèite za mnom, nego plaèite za sobom i za djecom svojom. 29Jer gle, idu dani u koje æe se reæi: blago nerotkinjama, i utrobama koje ne rodiše, i sisama koje ne dojiše. 30Tada æe poèeti govoriti gorama: padnite na nas; i bregovima: pokrijte nas. 31Jer kad se ovako radi od sirova drveta, šta æe biti od suha? 32Voðahu pak i druga dva zloèinca da pogube s njim. 33I kad doðoše na mjesto koje se zvaše košturnica, ondje razapeše njega i zloèince, jednoga s desne strane a drugoga s lijeve. 34A Isus govoraše: oèe! oprosti im; jer ne znadu šta èine. A dijeleæi njegove haljine bacahu kocke. 44A bijaše oko šestoga sahata, i tama bi po svoj zemlji do sahata devetoga. 45I pomrèa sunce, i zavjes crkveni razdrije se napola. 46I povikavši Isus iza glasa reèe: oèe! u ruke tvoje predajem duh svoj. I rekavši ovo izdahnu. 47A kad vidje kapetan šta bi, stade hvaliti Boga govoreæi: zaista ovaj èovjek bješe pravednik. 48I sav narod koji se bijaše skupio da gleda ovo, kad vidje šta biva, vrati se bijuæi se u prsi svoje. 49A svi njegovi znanci stajahu izdaleka, i žene koje bijahu išle za njim iz Galileje, i gledahu ovo. 50I gle, èovjek, po imenu Josif, savjetnik, èovjek dobar i pravedan, 51On ne bijaše pristao na njihov savjet i na posao) iz Arimateje grada Judejskoga, koji i sam èekaše carstva Božijega, 52On pristupivši k Pilatu zaiska tijelo Isusovo. 53I skide ga, i obavi platnom, i metnu ga u grob isjeèen, u kome niko ne bijaše nikad metnut. 54I dan bijaše petak, i subota osvitaše. 55A žene koje bijahu došle s Isusom iz Galileje, idoše za Josifom, i vidješe grob i kako se tijelo metnu. 56Vrativši se pak pripraviše mirise i miro; i u subotu dakle ostaše na miru po zakonu.

Hieromartyr Blaise, bishop of Sebaste (316)

He was born in the province of Armenia, and was a physician by profession. Such was his reputation for holiness that his fellow-citizens elected him Bishop of Sebaste in eastern Anatolia. Though there were few Christians in that pagan city, the bishop labored tirelessly for his flock, encouraging them to stand firm during the fierce persecutions then raging, and visiting the martyrs in prison.

When the city was stripped of Christians, all of whom had fled or been killed, the bishop, already an old man, withdrew to a cave on Mount Argea and devoted himself entirely to prayer. As they often do, the wild beasts sensed his sanctity, and gathered around the cave, waiting quietly for him to give his blessing or heal their injuries and ailments.

The persecutors, who had not stopped hunting for the bishop, eventually found his cave, and were amazed to find it like a second Eden, with lions, tigers, bears and wolves grazing peacefully around it. The Saint greeted them cheerfully and told them that he knew from a vision that they were coming for him.

As Blaise was taken back to Sebaste, the peace and gentleness that seemed to radiate from the Saint were enough in themselves to turn many pagan bystanders to faith in Christ. Diseases of men and animals were cured as he walked by. One mother brought him her child, who was choking on a fishbone. The Saint put his hand down the child’s throat, took out the fishbone, and prayed to the Lord to restore him to full health. (For this reason he is invoked in the West for the cure of throat ailments).

At his trial, the holy bishop fearlessly confessed Christ and scorned the idols, for which he was savagely beaten with rods and thrown into a dungeon. Seven women and two of their children were imprisoned with him. The women were slain first after many tortures. The Synaxarion continues, “Having failed in his efforts to break Saint Blaise’s resolve, Agricolaus [the governor] condemned him to be drowned in the lake. The holy Martyr made the sign of the Cross at the water’s edge and began walking across the surface of the lake as the Saviour had done on the Sea of Galilee. On reaching the middle, he invited the pagans to join him, if they believed they could trust themselves to their gods. Sixty-eight of them took up the challenge and drowned, while a bright angel appeared and invited the Saint to return to the shore in order to receive the crown of glory.” Then Blaise and the two young children were beheaded together.

Saint Blaise is one of the most-venerated holy healers in both the East and the West. He is called upon for protection from wild beasts, and for the healing of every kind of ailment. His head is kept at the Monastery of Konstamonitou on Mount Athos.

St Theodora the Empress (867)

Theodora was the wife of Emperor Theophilus the Iconoclast, but secretly revered the icons, and protected others who did, until the emperor’s death. Upon his death, she quickly restored veneration of icons to churches throughout the empire, the event celebrated on the upcoming Sunday of Orthodoxy, the first Sunday of the Great Fast. She ruled wisely as regent for the young emperor Michael for fifteen years: she is said to have initiated the mission of Sts Cyril and Methodios to the Slavs. Before Michael III reached his majority, he was prevailed upon by Bardas, Theodora’s brother, to depose her and send her to a monastery, where she finished her life in peace and holiness.

When Constantinople fell, her incorrupt relics were taken to Corfu along with those of St Spyridon. They are still venerated there.

There is a much-debated story that, when Theophilus was dying, the Empress, moved by compassion for him, brought an icon of the Mother of God out of hiding and laid it on his face; and that Theophilus, coming to himself, kissed the holy icon and confessed the true Faith before giving up his soul. Other accounts say that the Emperor died in heresy. It seems possible that the holy Empress circulated the story to ensure that her departed husband would be remembered in the Church’s prayers.

Venerable Demetrius of Priluki (1392)

He entered monastic life as a youth and was a disciple of St Sergius of Radonezh. After years of monastic obedience he was ordained to the priesthood, then founded a monastery on the shores of Lake Priluki, whose rule followed that of the Lavra of St Sergius. Saint Demetrius, who was exceptionally handsome, always concealed his face behind his monastic veil and never conversed with women. Once a noblewoman, driven by curiosity, managed to catch sight of his face in church. She immediately fell paralyzed to the ground. The Saint asked her ‘My child, why did you want to gaze at the face of a sinner who has long been dead to the world?’ He then gave her some words of instruction in the spiritual life and sent her away healed.

In time St Demetrius became so renowned in Russia that the flow of visitors burdened him and he retreated to an uninhabited area to live as a hermit, until he was found out and made abbot of a nearby monastery. He kept a constant fast, living only on prosphora and water. In his own lifetime the Saint was known for his gift of prophecy, his care for the poor, and his healings. Once his brother sought his blessing to trade with the pagans in the far north. He made a good profit there and asked for a blessing to return. This time the Saint would not give his blessing, but his brother went anyway, and was killed by pagans.

Toward the end of his life St Demetrius withdrew into solitude in his cell. One day the brethren noticed a wonderful aroma of incense coming from his cell and knew that he had departed this life for heaven. After his repose he continued to work countless miracles, healing illnesses (especially the plague), and driving away invaders.