The holy martyrs Photius and Anicetus bore witness to the Christian faith before the emperor Diocletian(284-305). Both of them were tortured, and then imprisoned for three years. Eventually they were thrown into an enormous burning furnace in the year 305.
Your martyrs, O Lord our God, in their struggles received their incorruptible crowns from You. With Your strength, they brought down the tyrants and broke the cowardly valor of demons. Through their prayers, O Christ our God, save our souls.
You crushed the rage of vicious torturers by your brave endurance of their torments. Now you rejoice in the courts of heaven, O blessed martyrs Photius and Anicetus. You are blessed forever and ever, praying for those who honor you.
2 Corinthians 6: 11-16b
Men of Corinth, we have spoken to you frankly, opening our hearts wide to you. There is no lack of room for you in us; the narrowness is in you. In fair exchange, then (I speak as a father to his children), open wide your hearts!
Do not yoke yourselves in a mismatch with unbelievers. After all, what do righteousness and lawlessness have in common, or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What accord is there between Christ and Belial, what common lot between believer and unbeliever? Tell me what agreement there is between the temple of God and idols. You are the temple of the living God.
Mark 1: 23-28
At that time there appeared in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit that shrieked: “What do you want of us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him sharply: “Be quiet! Come out of the man!” At that the unclean spirit convulsed the man violently and with a loud shriek came out of him. All who looked on were amazed. They began to ask one another: “What does this mean? A completely new teaching in a spirit of authority! He gives orders to unclean spirits and they obey!” From that point on his reputation spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Tuesday, August 11 –
