St. Luke Orthodox Christian Church Diocese of the South, Orthodox Church in America
The Rev. Father Basil Henry, Priest 1415 Woodstock Ave. • Anniston, Alabama • www.stlukeanniston.org/
March 4, 2012 • Sunday of Orthodoxy
Ven. Gerasimus of the Jordan (475). Ven. Gerásim of Vologdá (1178). Ven. Joasaph of Snetogórsk (Pskov—1299). Rt. Blv. Prince Basil (Vasilko) of Rostov (1238). Rt. Blv. Prince Daniel of Moscow (1303). Martyrs Paul and his sister, Juliana (ca. 273). St. James (Jacob) the Faster of Phœnicia (Syria—6th c.). Translation of the Relics of Rt. Blv. Prince St. Wenceslaus (Viacheslav), Prince of the Czechs (935). St. Gregory, Bishop of Constantius in Cyprus.
Announcements
We welcome our Visitors and hope you can join us for coffee hour. Procession of the Icons will begin after Divine Liturgy. Our parish has been invited to join a Pan Orthodox Vespers celebrating the Triumph of Orthodoxy at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Birmingham this evening. The service will be followed by a Lenten meal and a presentation on Healing in the Orthodox Faith. Vespers will begin at 5:30 p.m. The icon on the front is of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. A detailed explanation of the icon can be found on page 7.
This Week’s Fasting, Service and Scripture Schedule Tues, 3/6 Wed, 3/7 Thurs, 3/8 Fri, 3/9 Sat, 3/10 Great Lent
Mon, 3/5 Daily Matins 8 a.m.
No service
Presanctified Liturgy 6 p.m.
Daily Matins 8 a.m.
Isaiah 4:2-5:7
Isaiah 5:7-16
Isaiah 5:16-25
Isaiah 6:1-12
Presanctified Great Vespers Divine Liturgy Liturgy 7 a.m. 4 p.m. 10 a.m. Isaiah 7:1-15
Heb. 3:12-16
Heb. 1:10-2:3
Mark 1:35-44
John 1:43-51
Heb. 12:1-10
1 Thess. 4:13-17
Heb. 7:26-8:2
Matt. 20:1-16
John 5:24-30
John 10:9-16
Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
St. Galina of Corinth
St. Gregory Palamas
Gen. 3:21-4:7
Gen. 4:8-15
Gen. 4:16-26
Gen. 5:1-24
Gen. 5:32-6:8
Prov. 3:34-4:22
Prov. 5:1-15
Prov. 5:15-6:4
Prov. 6:3-20
Prov. 6:20-7:1 (Saints) (Saints)
St. Conon the Gardener
Discovery of the True Cross
St. Paul the Simple
St. Felix, Apostle of East Anglia
Sun, 3/11
(Departed) (Departed)
(Saint)
Service times are subject to change. Please check with Fr. Basil if in any doubt.
(Saint)
“Lord, I Call”
Great Vespers
Sunday (Tone 5)
Sunday of Orthodoxy (Tone 6)
From the morning watch even to the night, let Israel hope in the Lord!
Lead forth my soul from prison, that I may confess Thy name!
By Thy precious Cross, O Christ, Thou hast put the devil to shame. By Thy Resurrection, Thou hast blunted the sting of sin and saved us from the gates of death! We glorify Thee, O Only begotten One. The righteous await me, till Thou shalt reward me.
Christ was led as a sheep to the slaughter in order to grant Resurrection to the human race! The princes of hell were frightened by this, for the gates of sorrow were lifted. Christ the King of glory had entered, saying to those in chains: “Go forth!” And to those in darkness: “Come to the light!” Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice!
O, great wonder! The Creator of the invisible suffered in the flesh in His love for man and rose again immortal! Come, O sons of nations, let us worship Him! Delivered from error by His compassion, we have learned to sing of one God in three Persons! Let Thine ears give heed to the voice of my prayer!
We offer Thee our evening worship, O never setting Light, Who came in these last days to the world in the flesh; Who even descended to hell to dispel its darkness. Who hast revealed the light of Resurrection to the nations. Glory to Thee, O Lord and Giver of light! If Thou observest transgression, Lord, O Lord, who shall stand? For with Thee is propitiation.
We glorify the Leader of our salvation; by His Resurrection from the dead, the world was saved from deceit. The assembly of Angels rejoices as the deceit of demons is overthrown. Fallen Adam rises as the devil falls. For Thy name’s sake have I waited upon Thee, O Lord; my soul hath waited upon Thy word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
The guards were instructed by the lawless ones: “Hide the rising of Christ, take money and say: ‘The body was stolen from the tomb while we were asleep.’” But who has heard of a body being stolen, a body embalmed and naked, with its grave clothes left behind in the tomb? Do not be deceived, O Jews, study the words of the Prophets and understand: Christ is the Redeemer of the world and all powerful!
O Lord, Whom nothing can contain or grasp, from all eternity Thou didst shine forth from the Father before the morning star. The Prophets, inspired by the Holy Spirit, foretold that Thou wouldst take flesh and assume the form of a child, from her who is ever-Virgin. Thou didst live among men; Thou wast seen by material creation. Through the prayers of the prophets, O compassionate One, make us worthy to receive Thy light, for we sing praises to Thy glorious Resurrection! For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption, and He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
The Prophets bore the fruit of eternal life; they prepared the way of the Lord. By their words they proclaimed Thee; by their deeds they honored Thee: they would not worship creation instead of Thee, the Creator. As Thy Gospel commands, they renounced the world. They foretold Thy passion by suffering themselves. Through their prayers, O Lord, enable us to pass over the battlefield of Lent without sin! O praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him, all ye people!
Thou art infinite in Thy divine nature, O Master; in these latter days Thou didst accept the limitations of the flesh. By assuming our body, Thou didst accept all its weaknesses. Therefore we make images of Thy form; we venerate them, having Thee in mind. We fall down before Thee in love; by so doing we follow the tradition of the Apostles and are given the grace of healing. For His mercy hath been confirmed upon us and the truth of the Lord remaineth forever.
Today the Church of Christ receives honorable adornment: the holy icons of Christ our Savior, the Theotokos, and all the Saints. The Church exults in their grace. We lift them up with joy and gladness. We glorify God, the Lover of man, Him Who patiently suffered for our sake.
Sunday of Orthodoxy (Tone 2)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
Grace and truth have shone forth. The predictions of old have been clearly fulfilled. Behold, the Church adorns herself with the form of Christ incarnate! The
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icons of the new creation transcend the adornments of the old. As the Ark of the Covenant held the presence of God, so now the icons reveal the presence of the One we adore. By honoring them we will never go astray. It is our glory to fall down and worship Christ in the flesh. Come, O faithful, venerate His image and cry out: “O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance!”
Dogmatikon (Tone 5)
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
In the Red Sea of old, a type of the Virgin Bride was prefigured. There Moses divided the waters. Here Gabriel assisted in the miracle. There Israel crossed the sea without getting wet. Here the Virgin gave birth to Christ without seed. After Israel’s passage, the sea remained impassable. After Emmanuel’s birth, the Virgin remained a Virgin. O ever-existing God, Who appeared as Man, O Lord, have mercy on us!
Aposticha
Sunday (Tone 5)
We magnify Thee in songs of praise, O Incarnate Christ and Savior. By accepting the Cross and death for our sake, as the Lord and Lover of man, Thou didst overthrow the gates of hell, and didst arise on the third day, saving our souls. The Lord hath become King; with beauty hath He clothed Himself.
By being pierced in the side, O Lover of man, Thou hast poured out drops of life and salvation for all. By accepting death in the flesh, Thou hast granted us immortality. Thou hast freed us by being placed in the tomb, and hast resurrected us with Thyself in glory, as God! Glory to Thee, O Lord and Lover of man! For He hath established the world, which shall not be moved.
Thy crucifixion and descent into hell are awesome, O Lover of man! Thou hast captured it, releasing the ancient prisoners. Thou hast opened Paradise and given it to us! Grant us purification of sins, who glorify Thy Resurrection on the third day! Make us worthy of Paradise and save us, O Lover of man!
Sunday of Orthodoxy (Tone 2) Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
Advancing from false doctrine to true faith, illumined with the light of knowledge, let us clap our hands and offer grateful praise to God in song! With due honor let us venerate the holy icons of Christ, of the all-pure Virgin, and of all the saints, depicted on walls or panels or sacred vessels, rejecting the godless teaching of the heretics! For as Saint Basil says: “The honor shown to the image passes to its prototype.” By the prayers of Thy pure Mother and of all the saints, we beseech Thee, O Christ our God, to grant us great mercy!
Theotokion (Tone 2) Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
A new miracle surpasses all ancient miracles! Who knows of a Mother who gave birth without a man, who carried in her arms her Creator? This birth is the will of God! Since thou didst carry Him as an infant in thy arms, O most pure one, and since thou didst possess motherly boldness before Him, do not cease praying for us who honor thee, that He may be bountiful and save our souls!
Troparia
Sunday (Tone 5)
Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word, coëternal with the Father and the Spirit, born for our salvation from the Virgin; for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh, to endure death, and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection!
Sunday of Orthodoxy (Tone 2) Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
We venerate Thy most pure image, O Good One; and ask forgiveness of our transgressions, O Christ our God. Of Thy good will Thou wast pleased to ascend the cross in the flesh and deliver Thy creatures from bondage to the Enemy. Therefore with thankfulness we cry aloud to Thee: “Thou hast filled all with joy, O our Savior, for Thou didst come to save the world.”
Resurrectional Dismissal Theotokion (Tone 2) Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Holiness belongeth to Thy house, O Lord, unto length of days!
For our sake, Thou didst accept death in the flesh, to rise from the dead on the third day! Heal us from our earthly passions, and restore us from our evil transgressions; and save us, O Lover of man!
All beyond thought, all most glorious, art thy mysteries, O Theotokos. Sealed in purity, preserved in virginity, thou wast revealed to be the true Mother who gavest birth to the True God. Entreat Him to save our souls.
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Divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great Beatitude Verses
Troparia
Sunday
Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
The thief on the cross believing Thee to be God confessed Thee earnestly from his heart, crying aloud: ‘O Lord, remember me in Thy kingdom.’ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Let us with one accord praise as Savior and Creator Him Who made life flower for our kind by the wood of the cross and Who withered the curse coming from the tree. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
By Thy death, O Christ, Thou hast destroyed the might of death and hast raised with Thyself those dead from the ages praising Thee as our true God and Savior. Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
The holy women having come to the tomb, O Christ, sought to anoint Thee, giver of life, with myrrh, and an angel appeared to them crying aloud: ‘The Lord is risen.’
Sunday of Orthodoxy
Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.
Once more the Master’s countenance is depicted, venerated and honored with faith; once more the Church regains her boldness of approach to God, reverently glorifying the Savior! Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.
The Church of Christ is delivered from the dark despondency of heresy: she puts on a robe of gladness, and is clothed in the light of divine grace. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
Through the decision of the Empress Theodora and her pious son the Emperor Michael, the Orthodox people regained the light and glory which it had of old. Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
He who of old commanded Moses to set up the ark of the testimony, came to dwell in you, Virgin, as in a spiritual ark: He alone is glorified, and He makes your temple glorious with miracles.
Sunday (Tone 5)
Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word, coeternal with the Father and the Spirit, born for our salvation from the Virgin; for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh, to endure death, and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection!
Sunday of Orthodoxy (Tone 2)
We venerate Thy most pure image, O Good One; and ask forgiveness of our transgressions, O Christ our God. Of Thy good will Thou wast pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh and deliver Thy creatures from bondage to the Enemy. Therefore with thankfulness we cry aloud to Thee: “Thou hast filled all with joy, O our Savior, for Thou didst come to save the world.”
Kontakia
Sunday of Orthodoxy (Tone 8)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
No one could describe the Word of the Father; but when He took flesh from thee, O Theotokos, He accepted to be described, and restored the fallen image to its former state by uniting it to divine beauty. We confess and proclaim our salvation in words and images.
Prokeimenon Song of the
Fathers (Tone 4)
Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our Fathers, and praised and glorified be Thy name unto the ages! Vs: For Thou art righteous in all things which Thou hast done unto us!
Epistle Reading
Sunday of Orthodoxy
The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Hebrews (11:24-26,32-12:2)
Brethren, by faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah;
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of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
thanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”
Theotokion
All of Creation Rejoices
All of creation rejoices in thee, O Full of Grace: the assembly of Angels and the race of men. O sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, the glory of virgins, from whom God was incarnate and became a Child – our God before the ages. He made thy body into a throne, and thy womb He made more spacious than the heavens. All of creation rejoices in thee, O Full of Grace. Glory to thee!
Pre-Communion Hymns
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so A Helper and A Protector great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, A helper and a protector has become salvation to me. This and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run is my God, I will glorify Him; God of my Fathers, I will with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto exalt Him for in glory was He glorified. Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.
Open to Me the Doors of Repentance
Alleluia Verses
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Sunday of Orthodoxy (Tone 8)
Vs: They called to the Lord and He answered them.
Open to me the doors of repentance, O Life-Giver, for my spirit rises early to pray towards Thy Holy Temple, bearing the temple of my body all defiled but in Thy compassion, purify me by the loving kindness of Thy mercy.
Gospel Reading
Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Vs: Moses and Aaron were among His priests; Samuel also was among those who called on His Name.
Sunday of Orthodoxy
Lead me on the paths of salvation, O Mother of God, for I have profaned my soul with shameful sins and have At that time: Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he wasted my life in laziness but by thine intercessions, defound Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philliver me from all impurity. ip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and he said to him, “We have Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great merfound him of whom Moses in the law and also the cy and according to the multitude of Thy compassions, prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” blot out my transgressions. When I think of the many Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out evil things I have done, wretch that I am, I tremble at the of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Je- fearful day of judgment but trusting in Thy loving kindsus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, ness, like David, I cry to Thee: “Have mercy on me, O “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Na- God, according to Thy great mercy.” The Gospel according to St. John (1:43-51)
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The Triumph of Orthodoxy and Holy Icons n icon celebrating the veneration of icons, the Triumph of Orthodoxy
is the festal icon for the first Sunday of Great Lent. As Lent is a period of communal fasting which continues for seven weeks, such triumphalism early on is understandable: it helps to strengthen the faithful for the coming days. It is also understandable given the century of struggle which preceded the events in the Icon; years in which it seemed as though the Faith of the Church was overcome.
Outwardly the Icon is showing the result of a regional After the conclusion of the council there was a triumphal synod in Constantinople, held in 843 A.D., where the con- procession from the Church of Blachernae to Hagia Sotroversy over the veneration of Holy Icons was finally set- phia, restoring the icons to the church. tled. The debate over whether images of Christ, His angels, The Icon depicting this event is often named “the Restoand the Saints should be venerated, or even whether they ration of the Holy Icons.” At the centre is the Icon of the should exist, raged for over a century. The word “debate” Virgin Hodegetria, depicting the Theotokos as the “Dimasks the nature of the controversy: since 726 A.D, varirectress”, pointing to Christ in her arms. This icon is ous Byzantine emperors opposed to icons (iconoclasts) had believed to be the first one painted by the Evangelist used state-sponsored violence to strip churches of images, Luke and so held a very special place in Constantinople’s imprisoning, mutilating, and murdering those who conhistory. The icon is held high by two angels, whilst gathtinued to venerate the icons. Many priests and monks— ered around are various saints and martyrs holding icons who in the main venerated icons—fled to parts of the themselves. The number and identity of the surrounding Church outside of the Byzantine Empire: i.e. to Rome. saints can vary, but the ones shown in the icon at the top Upon the death of of the last Iconoclast emperor, of this post are usually always shown. They are: Theophilos, his young son Michael III, with his mother Top row (from left): St Theodosia (feast day May 29), the regent Theodora, and Patriarch Methodios, sumVenerable Ioannikos (Nov. 4), Theodore of the Studion moned the Synod of Constantinople in 842 to bring (Nov. 11), Theodore Graptus (Dec. 27), and Stephen peace to the Church. The council affirmed the legitimathe New (Nov. 28). cy of the Second Council of Nicea, which declared iconoclasm a heresy way back in 787, and declared: Bottom row: Regent Theodora, the young emperor Michael, and Methodius, Patriarch of Constantinople, “We define that the holy icons, whether in colour, mosaic, who together convened the council (Jun 14); Michael, or some other material, should be exhibited in the holy Bishop of Synnada (May 23), and Tarasius, Bishop of churches of God, on the sacred vessels and liturgical vestConstantinople (Feb 25). ments, on the walls, furnishings, and in houses and along the roads, namely the icons of our Lord God and Not all of the saints gathered were at the Council, and Saviour Jesus Christ, that of our Lady the Theotokos, indeed some were murdered long before the synod was those of the venerable angels and those of all saintly peo- convened; all are presented in the Icon because of their ple. Whenever these representations are contemplated, unswerving defence of the Orthodox Faith regarding they will cause those who look at them to commemorate the veneration of icons. Other related saints sometimes and love their prototype. We define also that they should shown include St John Damascene (Dec 4), St Thebe kissed and that they are an object of veneration and ophylact (Mar. 8), and St Cassiane the Hymnographer honour, but not of real worship, which is reserved for (Sep 7). Him Who is the subject of our faith and is proper for the All this happened on the first Sunday of Great Lent, divine nature. The veneration accorded to an icon is in which is why the Triumph of Orthodoxy continues to be effect transmitted to the prototype; he who venerates the celebrated on this day, often with processions of Icons. icon, venerated in it the reality for which it stands”. ~7~
A Polish Orthodox priest petting a baby deer. Photograph by Fr. Seraphim Telep (http://wiadomosci.monasterujkowice.pl/)