Acts 3.1-8 (Epistle)

1Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2A certain man who was lame from his mother’s womb was being carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask gifts for the needy of those who entered into the temple. 3Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive gifts for the needy. 4Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with John, said, “Look at us.” 5He listened to them, expecting to receive something from them. 6But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” 7He took him by the right hand and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength. 8Leaping up, he stood and began to walk. He entered with them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God.

Philippians 2.5-11 (Epistle, Theotokos)

5Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 2.12-22 (Gospel)

12After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

13The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting. 15He made a whip of cords and drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables. 16To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”

18The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”

19Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?” 21But he spoke of the temple of his body. 22When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

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

38As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word. 40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.”

41Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

27It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!”

28But he said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”

Nine Martyrs at Cyzicus

Both were disciples of the Apostle Paul, who mentions them in his Epistle to the Romans: “Jason and Sosipater my kinsmen greet you” (16:21). Jason was born in Tarsus of Cilicia (as was the Apostle Paul), and became bishop of that town. Sosipater was from Patras of Achaia (now Greece), and became bishop of Iconium. After serving their flocks for many years, these two travelled together to Corfu, where they were the first to preach the Gospel. They were furiously opposed by the ruler of that island, but when he died, the new king came to faith in Christ and was baptised with the name Sebastian. Jason and Sosipater remained on Corfu, freely preaching the Gospel and building up the Church until they reposed in great old age. An ancient church in the city of Corfu, dating from the first centuries, bears inscriptions that mention the Saints by name.

They are commemorated April 28 on the Slavic calendar.

St Basil, bishop of Ostrog in Montenegro (Serbia) (1671)

As a monk, he was known for his very severe asceticism. Against his will, he was made Bishop of Zahum, where he served his flock faithfully for many years, “keeping it from the cruelty of the Turks and the guile of the Latins” (Prologue). When his monastery was destroyed by the Turks he moved to Ostrog, where he reposed. His body has remained whole, incorrupt, healing and wonderworking to this day. Innumerable miracles have been worked at his grave; both Christians and Muslims seek out his relics for healing from sicknesses and sufferings.

(A story heard from a parishioner at St Basil of Ostrog Church in Illinois: while the Saint’s relics remain intact, reputedly his shoes wear out from time to time and need to be replaced.)