2 Corinthians 12.20-13.2 (Epistle)

20Jer se bojim da kad po èem doðem neæu vas naæi kakove hoæu, i ja æu se naæi vama kakova me neæete: da kako ne budu svaðe, zavisti, srdnje, prkosi, opadanja, šaptanja, nadimanja, bune: 21Da me opet kad doðem ne ponizi Bog moj u vas, i ne usplaèem za mnogima koji su prije sagriješili i nijesu se pokajali za neèistotu i kurvarstvo i sramotu, što poèiniše.

1Ovo treæi put idem k vama; u ustima dva ili tri svjedoka ostaæe svaka rijeè. 2Naprijed kazah i naprijed govorim kako u vas bivši drugi put, i sad ne buduæi kod vas pišem onima koji su prije sagriješili i svima ostalima da ako doðem opet neæu poštedjeti.

Philippians 2.5-11 (Epistle, Theotokos)

5Jer ovo da se misli meðu vama što je i u Hristu Isusu, 6Koji, ako je i bio u oblièju Božijemu, nije se otimao da se isporedi s Bogom; 7Nego je ponizio sam sebe uzevši oblièje sluge, postavši kao i drugi ljudi i na oèi naðe se kao èovjek, 8Ponizio sam sebe postavši poslušan do same smrti, a smrti krstove. 9Zato i Bog njega povisi, i darova mu ime koje je veæe od svakoga imena. 10Da se u ime Isusovo pokloni svako koljeno onijeh koji su na nebu i na zemlji i pod zemljom; 11I svaki jezik da prizna da je Gospod Isus Hristos na slavu Boga oca.

Mark 4.24-34 (Gospel)

24I govoraše im: pamtite što èujete: kakom mjerom mjerite onakom æe vam se mjeriti i dometnuæe se vama koji slušate. 25Jer ko ima, daæe mu se; a koji nema, uzeæe mu se i ono što ima. 26I govoraše im: tako je carstvo Božije kao èovjek kad baci sjeme u zemlju; 27I spava i ustaje noæu i danju; i sjeme nièe i raste, da ne zna on. 28Jer zemlja sama od sebe najprije donese travu, potom klas, pa onda ispuni pšenicu u klasu. 29A kad sazri rod, odmah pošlje srp; jer nasta žetva. 30I govoraše: kakvo æemo kazati da je carstvo Božije? ili u kakvoj æemo ga prièi iskazati? 31Ono je kao zrno gorušièno koje kad se posije u zemlju manje je od sviju sjemena na zemlji; 32A kad se posije, uzraste i bude veæe od svega povræa, i pusti grane velike da mogu u njegovu hladu ptice nebeske življeti. 33I takovijem mnogijem prièama kazivaše im rijeè koliko mogahu slušati. 34A bez prièa ne govoraše im ni rijeèi. A uèenicima osobito kazivaše sve.

Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28 (Gospel, Theotokos)

38A kad iðahu putem i on uðe u jedno selo, a žena neka, po imenu Marta, primi ga u svoju kuæu. 39I u nje bješe sestra, po imenu Marija, koja i sjede kod nogu Isusovijeh i slušaše besjedu njegovu. 40A Marta se bješe zabunila kako æe ga doèekati, i prikuèivši se reèe: Gospode! zar ti ne mariš što me sestra moja ostavi samu da služim? reci joj dakle da mi pomože. 41A Isus odgovarajuæi reèe joj: Marta! Marta! brineš se i trudiš za mnogo, 42A samo je jedno potrebno. Ali je Marija dobri dijel izabrala, koji se neæe uzeti od nje. 27A kad to govoraše, podiže glas jedna žena iz naroda i reèe mu: blago utrobi koja te je nosila, i sisama koje si sao! 28A on reèe: blago i onima koji slušaju rijeè Božiju, i drže je.

Leavetaking of Dormition

On the Holy Mountain, the Feast of the Dormition is extended to August 28, thus consecrating almost the entire month of August to the Most Holy Theotokos.

Hieromartyr Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons (202)

He was born in Asia Minor around the year 120, and was a disciple of Saint Polycarp, who was in turn a disciple of St John the Evangelist. He succeeded the martyred St Pothinus as Bishop of Lyons in Gaul (now France). He produced many writings contesting not only against paganism but against Gnostic heresies that were then troubling the Church. When Victor, Bishop of Rome, planned to excommunicate the Christians of Asia Minor for celebrating Pascha on a different date than the Church of Rome, Irenaeus persuaded him to stay his hand and maintain unity and peace in the Church. (This was before the date of Pascha had been set by the Ecumenical Councils). By his efforts Lyons became for centuries a center and bastion of Orthodoxy in the West.

Martyr Lupus (306), slave of St Demetrios of Thessalonica

He was the servant of the Great Martyr Demetrius, and was present at his martyrdom. He dipped the hem of his garment in the martyr’s blood, and later worked many miracles with the garment, healing many illnesses. At the order of the Emperor Maximian, he was then himself arrested, tortured and, like his earthly master, beheaded for Christ. It is said that, as his death approached, he prayed to be baptized before his death, for, though a believer in Christ, he had never been able to be baptized. A cloud suddenly poured down a torrent of water upon him, answering his prayer.

Hieromartyr Pothinos, Bishop of Lyons (177)

The Holy Polycarp (February 23) sent Pothinus from Asia Minor to spread the Gospel in Gaul. He brought many there to faith in Christ, and became the first bishop of Lyons. During a persecution of Christians Pothinus, who was then ninety years old, was brought before the proconsul, who asked him ‘Who is the Christian God?’ Pothinus answered ‘You will find out, if you are worthy.’ He was beaten fiercely with staves and stones, then thrown in prison, where he died of his injuries.