2 Corinthians 7.1-10 (Epistle)

1Imajuæi dakle ovaka obeæanja, o ljubazni! da oèistimo sebe od svake poganštine tijela i duha, i da tvorimo svetinju u strahu Božijemu. 2Primite nas, nikome ne uèinismo nažao, nikoga ne pokvarismo, nikoga ne zanesosmo. 3Ne govorim na osuðenje, jer prije rekoh da ste u srcima našijem, da bih s vama i umro i življeo. 4Vrlo slobodno govorim k vama, mnogo se hvalim vama, napunio sam se utjehe, izobilan sam radošæu pored sviju briga našijeh. 5Jer kad doðosmo u Maæedoniju, nikaka mira nemaše tijelo naše, nego u svemu bijaše u nevolji: spolja borbe, iznutra strah. 6Ali Bog, koji tješi ponižene, utješi nas dolaskom Titovijem. 7A ne samo dolaskom njegovijem, nego i utjehom kojom se on utješi za vas kazujuæi vašu želju, vaše plakanje, vaše staranje za mene, tako da se još veæma obradovah. 8Jer ako sam vas i ražalio poslanicom, ne kajem se, ako se i bijah raskajao: jer vidim da ona poslanica, ako i za malo, ražali vas. 9Ali se sad radujem, ne što biste žalosni, nego što se ožalostiste na pokajanje: jer se ožalostiste po Bogu, da od nas ni u èemu ne štetujete. 10Jer žalost koja je po Bogu donosi za spasenije pokajanje, za koje se nigda ne kaje; a žalost ovoga svijeta smrt donosi.

Mark 1.29-35 (Gospel)

29I odmah izišavši iz zbornice doðoše u dom Simonov i Andrijin s Jakovom i Jovanom. 30A tašta Simonova ležaše od groznice; i odmah kazaše mu za nju. 31I pristupivši podiže je uzevši je za ruku i pusti je groznica odmah, i služaše im. 32A kad bi pred veèe, pošto sunce zaðe, donošahu k njemu sve bolesnike i bijesne. 33I sav grad bijaše se sabrao k vratima. 34I iscijeli mnoge bolesnike od razliènijeh bolesti, i ðavole mnoge istjera, i ne dadijaše ðavolima da kazuju da ga poznavahu. 35A ujutru vrlo rano ustavši iziðe, i otide nasamo, i ondje se moljaše Bogu.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Euplus of Catania (304)

He was a deacon from Catania in Sicily during the reign of Diocletian. During a persecution of Christians there, Euplus presented himself to the governor and proclaimed himself a Christian. While he was being tortured on the rack, the governor ordered him to worship Mars, Apollos, and Aeculapius, but he answered that he worshipped the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He was beheaded in 304. His wonderworking relics are preserved in the village of Vico della Batonia near Naples.

The Holy Martyr Susanna the Virgin, and those with her (295-296)

She was the daughter of Gavinius, a Christian priest in Rome, and the niece of Pope Gaius. The Emperor Diocletian’s adopted son Maximian wished to marry Susanna, but she had no desire to marry any one, least of all a pagan. The patricians Claudia and Maxima were sent to Susanna by the Emperor to present Maximian’s suit; but instead she turned both of them, and all their households, to the Faith. The enraged Emperor had Claudia, Maxima and their families executed, then had Susanna herself beheaded. The Emperor’s wife, Serena, was a secret Christian, and took Susanna’s body secretly and buried it. Soon after this Susanna’s father Gavinius and her uncle Pope Gaius also met martyrdom.

Saint Niphon, Patriarch of Constantinople (1508)

He was born in Greece and became a monk at a young age, spending many years in asceticism on the Holy Mountain. Against his desire, he was made Bishop of Thessalonika, then Patriarch of Constantinople. He was banished by the Sultan (the Prologue does not say why), served as archbishop in Wallachia for a time, then returned to Dionysiou monastery on the Holy Mountain, where he reposed at the age of ninety. He composed the ‘Prayer at Departing’ used in the funeral service.

Repose of Fr Georges Florovsky (1979) (July 29 OC)