St. LukeDiocese Orthodox Christian Church of the South, Orthodox Church in America The Rev. Father Basil Henry, Priest 1415 Woodstock Ave. • Anniston, Alabama • www.stlukeanniston.org/ basilncana@yahoo.com • (256) 235-3893
Sunday, March 20, 2011 • 2nd Sunday of Lent Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
Martyrs Photina (Svetlana), the Samaritan woman; her sisters Phora, Phoris, Parasceva, and Cyriaca; her sons Victor (or Phorinus) and Joses; and Sebastian the Duke, the officer Anatolius, and Theoclitus, the former sorcerer-all martyred under Nero (66). Righreous Abel, first martyr in the history of mankind. Seven Virgin-martyrs of Amisus (Samsun): Alexandra, Claudia, Euphrasia, Marrona, Juliana, Euphemia, and Theodosia (310). St. Martin of Braga in Iberia (580). St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, bishop (687). Marryr Michael the Sabbaite, at Jerusalem (691). St. Wulfram, missionary (Neth.) (703). Marryr Archil II, king of Georgia (744). The Holy Farhers who were slain at the Monasrery of St. Sabbas: Sts. John, Sergius, Patrick, and others (796). St. Niceras rhe Confessor, bishop of Apollonias in Birhynia (813). Suffering of St. Euphrosynus of Blue-Jay Lake (Novgorod) (1612). New Martyr Myron of Mega Castro on Crete (1793). New Hieromartyr Nicholas Holz, priest of Novosiolki (Chelm and Pocllasie, Poland) (1944).
Announcements
Orthodox parishes are asked to collect donations this week and next for the relief efforts in Japan. International Orthodox Christian Charities is bringing aid to the Japanese people through the Orthodox Church of Japan. The cover photo is of the Church of St.John the Theologian - Kaneo/Lake Ohrid, Macedonia.
This Week’s Service Schedule & scripture readings Monday, 3/21
No Service
Isaiah 8:13-9:7
Genesis 6:9-22
Proverbs 8:1-21
Tuesday, 3/22
Matins 8 a.m.
Isaiah 9:9-10:4
Genesis 7:1-5
Proverbs 8:32-9:11
Wednesday, 3/23
Presanctified 4 p.m.
Isaiah 10:12-20
Genesis 7:6-9
Proverbs 9:12-18
Thursday, 3/24
Vespers 4 p.m.
Isaiah 11:10-12:2
Genesis 7:11-8:3
Proverbs 10:1-22
Isaiah 13:2-13
Genesis 5:32-6:8
Proverbs 10:31-11:12
Hebrews 2:11-18
Luke 1:24-38
Vespers 4 p.m.
Hebrews 10:32-38
Mark 2:14-17
Hebrews 2:11-18
Luke 1:24-38
Hebrews 4:14-5:6
Mark 8:34-9:1
Frfst of Annunciation
Friday, 3/25
Annunciation
Liturgy 8 a.m.
Saturday, 3/26
Archangel Gabriel
Sunday, 3/27
Sunday of the Cross
Hours Divine Liturgy 9:40 a.m. 10 a.m.
Service times are subject to change. Please check with Fr. Basil if in any doubt.
This Week’s Fasts Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Great Fast
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
“Lord, I Call”
Great Vespers Sunday of
St. Gregory Palamas (Tone 2)
From the morning watch even to the night, let Israel hope in the Lord!
sunday (Tone 2)
Lead forth my soul from prison, that I may confess Thy name!
Come, let us worship the Word of God, begotten of What hymns of praise shall we sing to honor the holy the Father before all ages, and incarnate of the Virgin bishop? He is the trumpet of theology, the flaming Mary! Having endured the Cross, He was buried as mouthpiece of grace, the chosen vessel of the Spirit, He Himself desired and having risen from the dead, the unshakeable pillar of the Church, the great joy of the inhabited earth, the river of wisdom, the candleHe saved me, an erring man. stick of the Light, the shining star that has made all The righteous await me, till Thou shalt reward me. creation bright. Christ our Savior nailed to the Cross the bond against For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous us, He voided it and destroyed the dominion of death. redemption, and He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. We fall down before His Resurrection on the third day. What hymns of praise shall we sing… Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice!
O praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him, all ye people!
With the Archangels, let us praise the Resurrection of Christ! He is our Savior, our Redeemer! He is coming with awesome glory and mighty power to judge the world which He made. Let Thine ears give heed to the voice of my prayer!
What garlands of song shall we weave for the holy bishop? He is the champion of true worship, the foe of ungodliness, the fervent defender of the faith, the great guide and teacher, the well-tuned harp of the Spirit, the golden tongue, the fountain flowing with healing for the faithful, the great and wonderful Gregory.
The Angel proclaimed Thee the crucified and buried For His mercy hath been confirmed upon us and the truth of Master. He told the women: “Come, see the place the Lord remaineth forever. where He lay! He is risen as He said, for He is al- How shall we who dwell on earth praise the holy bishmighty.” We worship Thee, O Only Immortal One. op? He is the Church’s teacher, the herald of the UnHave mercy on us, O Christ, the Giver of Life! created Light, the initiate of the Trinity’s heavenly mysteries, the adornment of the monastic life, reIf Thou observest transgression, Lord, O Lord, who shall nowned alike in action and contemplation: Gregory, stand? For with Thee is propitiation. By Thy Cross, Thou didst destroy the curse of the tree. the pride of Thessalonica. By Thy burial Thou didst slay the dominion of death. Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas (Tone 6) By Thy rising, Thou didst enlighten the race of man. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit… O Benefactor, Christ our God, glory to Thee! O thrice-blessed saint, most holy father, good shepherd, disciple of Christ the Chief Shepherd. Like Him 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. you gave your life for your sheep. By your intercessions, The gates of death opened to Thee from fear, O Lord. O God-bearing Father Gregory, may great mercy be When the guards of hell saw Thee they were afraid, for granted to our souls! Thou didst demolish the gates of brass and smashed Dogmatikon (Tone 2) the iron chains. Thou hast led us from the darkness Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. and the shadows of death, and hast broken our bonds. The shadow of the Law passed when Grace came. As the Bush burned, yet was not consumed, so the Virgin gave birth, yet remained a Virgin. The Righteous Sun has risen instead of a pillar of flame! Instead of Moses, Christ, the Salvation of our souls.
~3~
Aposticha
Theotokion (Tone 8)
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
sunday (Tone 2)
Thy Resurrection, O Christ our Savior, has enlight- O Unwedded Virgin, who ineffably conceived God in ened the whole universe, recalling Thy creation. Glory the flesh! O Mother of God most high! Accept the cries of thy servants, O blameless one! Grant cleansing to Thee, O Almighty Lord! of transgressions to all! Receive our prayers and pray The Lord hath become King; with beauty hath he clothed to save our souls! himself. By the Tree Thou didst destroy the curse of the Tree, O Troparia Savior. By Thy burial Thou didst mortify the majesty of sunday (Tone 2) death. Thou hast enlightened our race by Thy ResurrecWhen Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal, tion. O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to Thee! Thou didst slay hell with the lightning flash of Thy For He hath established the world, which shall not be moved. divinity. And when from the nether regions Thou When Thou wast seen nailed to the Cross, O Christ, didst raise the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out: Thou didst restore the beauty of Thy creatures. The sol- O Giver of Life, Christ our God, Glory to Thee. diers showed their inhumanity when they pierced Thy Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas (Tone 8) side with a spear. The Hebrews not knowing Thy power Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit… asked that Thy tomb might be sealed. But through the O light of Orthodoxy, teacher of the Church, its conmercy of Thy compassions, Thou didst accept the tomb firmation, O ideal of monks and invincible champion and didst rise on the third day! O Lord, glory to Thee! of theologians, O wonderworking Gregory, glory of Holiness belongeth to Thy house, O Lord, unto length of days! Thessalonica and preacher of grace, always intercede O Christ, the Giver of Life, for the sake of the dead before the Lord that our souls may be saved! Thou didst voluntarily endure death, descending into hell as the Mighty One, to save those who awaited Thy Resurrectional Dismissal Theotokion (Tone 8) Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. coming, granting them the life of paradise instead of hell. Grant also to us who glorify Thy Resurrection on For our sake Thou wast born of the Virgin and endured crucifixion, O Good One, destroying death by the third day, cleansing of our sins and great mercy! death and revealing the Resurrection as God. Do not Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas (Tone 8) despise the work of Thy hand! Reveal Thy love for Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit… mankind, O Merciful One! Accept the Theotokos Your tongue, watchful in teaching, rings in the ears of who is praying for us, and save the despairing people, our hearts, and awakens the souls of the slothful. Your O our Savior! words are inspired by God; they are a ladder leading us from earth to heaven. O Gregory, pride of Thessalonica, do not cease to intercede before Christ our God to illumine with His Divine Light those who honor you!
“When we read the Gospel and the image of Christ becomes compelling, glorious, … do we ever say, ‘I am unworthy that He should come near me?’ Not to speak of all the occasions when we should be aware that He cannot come to us because we are not there to receive Him. We want something from Him, not Him at all. Is that a relationship? Do we behave in that way with our friends? Do we aim at what friendhsip can give us or is it the friend whom we love? Is this true with regard to the Lord?” Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh (1914 - 2003) ~4~
Divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great Beatitude Verses
Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Be my peace and haven of consolation, all-holy Lady. sunday Calm my raging passions and lead me to a safe harbor Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. Come, let us worship the Word of God, begotten of in God! the Father before all ages, and incarnate of the Virgin Troparia Mary! Having endured the Cross, He was buried as sunday (Tone 2) He Himself desired and having risen from the dead, When Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal, He saved me, an erring man. Thou didst slay hell with the lightning flash of Thy diBlessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. vinity. And when from the nether regions Thou didst Christ our Savior nailed to the Cross the bond against raise the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out: O us, He voided it and destroyed the dominion of death. Giver of Life, Christ our God, Glory to Thee. We fall down before His Resurrection on the third day. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
With the Archangels, let us praise the Resurrection of Christ! He is our Savior, our Redeemer! He is coming with awesome glory and mighty power to judge the world which He made. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Angel proclaimed Thee the crucified and buried Master. He told the women: “Come, see the place where He lay! He is risen as He said, for He is almighty.” We worship Thee, O Only Immortal One. Have mercy on us, O Christ, the Giver of Life! Sunday of
St. Gregory Palamas
Sunday of
St. Gregory Palamas (Tone 8)
O light of Orthodoxy, teacher of the Church, its confirmation, O ideal of monks and invincible champion of theologians, O wonderworking Gregory, glory of Thessalonica and preacher of grace, always intercede before the Lord that our souls may be saved!
Kontakia 2nd Sunday of
Lent (Tone 4)
Now is the time for action! Judgment is at the doors! So let us rise and fast, offering alms with tears of compunction and crying: “Our sins are more in number than the sands of the sea; but forgive us, O Master of all, so that we may receive the incorruptible crowns!”
Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.
Sunday of
St. Gregory Palamas (Tone 8)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…
The vain boasts of foolish Barlaam were shattered by Holy and divine instrument of wisdom, joyful trumthe wise emperor’s piercing understanding, words and pet of theology, together we sing your praises, O Godteaching, and by yours as well, O Gregory. inspired Gregory. Since you now stand before the Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in Original Mind, guide our minds to Him, O Father, so heaven. that we may sing to you: “Rejoice, preacher of grace!” Let us honor in hymns the divine harp of the Spirit, the trumpet that plainly proclaimed the mysteries of Steadfast protectress (Tone 6) Both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. the Lord, the Bishop of Thessalonica, the tongue that Steadfast Protectress of Christians, constant Advocate spoke of God. before the Creator; despise not the entreating cries of Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit… us sinners, but in thy goodness come speedily to help Leading the people as a pillar of fire, burning the eneus who call on thee in faith. Hasten to hear our petimies of the Faith, you gave light to the Orthodox faithtion and to intercede for us, O Theotokos, for thou ful, divinely-wise Gregory, our father. dost always protect those who honor thee! ~5~
Prokeimenon 2nd Sunday of
first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Lent (Tone 5)
Thou, O Lord, shalt keep us, and guard us from the generation and forevermore.
Sunday of
St. Gregory Palamas
Hebrews 7:26-8:2
Vs: Save me, O Lord, for there is not one holy man left. Brethren, such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas (Tone 1) higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as Vs: My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own of my heart understanding. sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men Epistle Reading high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the Sunday oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is Hebrews 1:10-2:3 consecrated for evermore. Thou, O Lord, in the Beginning, hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Now of the things which we have spoken this is the thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not which the Lord pitched, and not man. fail. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy foot- Alleluia Verses 2nd Sunday of Lent (Tone 2) stool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble! May the minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? name of the God of Jacob protect you! Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we Vs: Save the King, O Lord, and hear us on the day we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels call! was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas (Tone 2) received a just recompence of reward; How shall we Vs: The mouth of the righteous shall meditate wisdom escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the and his tongue shall speak of judgment.
Gospel Reading
Sunday Mark 2:1-12
At that time, Jesus entered Capernaum and it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak thus? It is a blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”— he said to the paralytic—“I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” ~6~
Sunday of
St. Gregory Palamas John 10:9-16
The Lord said, “I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.” Please note Holy Communion is reserved for Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves beforehand. All are welcome to receive the blessed bread and Father’s blessing after services.
I
St. Gregory Palamas Sunday
In one of the Psalms we can read the following words: Those who have sown with tears will reap with joy… If in the course of weeks of preparation we have seen all that is ugly and unworthy in us mirrored in the parables, if we have stood before the judgement of our conscience and of our God, then we have truly sown in tears our own salvation.
And yet, there is still time because even when we enter into the time of the harvest, God gives us a respite; as we progress towards the Kingdom of God, towards the Day of the Resurrection, we still can, at every moment, against the background of salvation, in the face of the victory of God, turn to Him with gratitude and yet, brokenheartedness, and say, ‘No, Lord! I am perhaps the worker of the eleventh hour, but receive me as Thou promised to do!’
that God cannot be represented by any image because He was unbottomed mystery; He had even no Name except the mysterious name which only the High Priest know. But in the New Testament we have learned, and we know from experience that God has become Man, that the fullness of the Godhead has abided and is still abiding forever in the flesh; and therefore God has a human name: Jesus, and He has got a human face that can be represented in icons. An icon is therefore a proclamation of our certainty that God has become man; and He has become man to achieve ultimate, tragic and glorious solidarity with us, to be one of us that we may be one of the children of God. He has become man that we may
Last week we have kept the day of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the day when the Church proclaimed that it was legitimate and right to paint icons of Christ; it was not a declaration about art, it was a deeply theological proclamation of the Incarnation. The Old Testament said to us ~7~
become gods, as the Scripture tells us. And so, we could last week already rejoice; and this is why, a week before, when we were already preparing to meet this miracle, this wonder of the Incarnation, softly, in an almost inaudible way, the Church was singing the canon of Easter: Christ is risen from the dead!—because it is not a promise for the future, it is a certainty of the present, open to us like a door for us to enter through Christ, the Door as He calls Himself, into eternity. And today we remember the name of Saint Gregory Palamas, one of the great Saints of Orthodoxy, who against heresy and doubt, proclaimed, from within the experience of the ascetics and of all believers, proclaimed that the grace of God is not a created Gift—it is God Himself, communicating Himself to us so that we are pervaded by His presence, that we gradually, if we only receive Him, open ourselves to Him, become transparent or at least translucent to His light, that we become incipiently and ever increasingly partakers of the Divine nature. This is not simply a promise; this is a certainty which we have because this has happened to thousands and thousands of those men and women whom we venerate as the Saints of God: they have become partakers of the Divine nature, they are to us a revelation and certainty of what we are called to be and become. And today one step more brings us into the joy, the glory of Easter. In a week’s time we will sing the
Cross – the Cross which was a terror for the criminals, and has become now a sign of victory and salvation, because it is to us the sign that God’s love has no measure, no limits, is as deep as God is deep, all-embracing as God is allembracing, and indeed, as tragically victorious as God is both tragic and victorious, awe-inspiring, and shining the quiet, joyful light which we sing in Vespers. Let us then make ourselves ready to meet this event, the vision of the Cross, look at it, and see in it the sign of the Divine love, a new certainty of our possible salvation; and when the choir sings this time more loudly the canon of the Resurrection, let us realise that step by step God leads us into a victory which He has won, and which He wants to share with us. And then we will move on; we will listen to the Saint who teaches us how to receive the grace which God is offering, how to become worthy of Him; and a step more—and we will see the victory of God in Saint Mary of Egypt and come to the threshold of Holy Week. But let us remember that we are now in the time of newness, a time when God’s victory is been revealed to us, that we are called to be enfolded by it, to respond to it by gratitude, a gratitude that will make us into new people—and also with joy! And joy full of tears in response to the love of God, and a joy which is a responsible answer to the Divine love. Amen!
by Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony Bloom (1914 – August 4, 2003) was bishop of the Diocese of Sourozh, the Russian Orthodox Church in Great Britain and Ireland. He wrote masterfully about Christian prayer, and many Orthodox Christians in Great Britain and throughout the world consider him to be a saint.
~8~
T
Annunciation of the Theotokos
The Feast of the Annunciation is one of the earliest Christian feasts, and was already being celebrated in the fourth century. There is a painting of the Annunciation in the catacombs of Priscilla in Rome dating from the second century. The Council of Toledo in 656 mentions the Feast. In 692 the Council in Trullo celebrated the Annunciation during Great Lent. The Greek and Slavonic names for the Feast may be The Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth translated as “good tidings.” This, of course, refers to in Galilee. There he spoke to the undefiled Virgin the Incarnation of the Son of God and the salvation who was betrothed to St. Joseph: “Hail, thou who art He brings. The background of the Annunciation is highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou found in the Gospel of St. Luke (1:26-38). The among women. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in troparion describes this as the “beginning of our thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his salvation, and the revelation of the eternal mystery,” name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the for on this day the Son of God became the Son of Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give Man. unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his There are two main components to the Annunciation: kingdom there shall be no end.” the message itself, and the response of the Virgin. The message fulfills God’s promise to send a Redeemer In contrast to Eve, who was readily deceived by the (Genesis 3:15): “I will put enmity between you and the serpent, the Virgin did not immediately accept the woman, between your seed and her seed; he shall crush Angel’s message. In her humility, she did not think your head, and you shall lie in wait for his heel.” The she was deserving of such words, but was actually Fathers of the Church understand “her seed” to refer to troubled by them. The fact that she asked for an Christ. The prophets hinted at His coming, but the explanation reveals her sobriety and prudence. She Archangel Gabriel proclaimed that the did not disbelieve the words of the promise is about to be fulfilled. angel, but could not understand how they would We see this echoed in the Liturgy be fulfilled, for they spoke of of St. Basil, as well: “When man something which was disobeyed Thee, the only true beyond nature. “Then said God who had created him, and Mary unto the angel, How was deceived by the guile of the shall this be, seeing I know serpent, becoming subject to not a man?” (Luke 1:34). death by his own transgressions, Thou, O God, in Thy righteous “And the angel answered and said judgment, didst send him forth unto her, the Holy Ghost shall from Paradise into this world, come upon thee, and the power returning him to the earth from of the Most High shall which he was taken, yet overshadow thee: therefore providing for him the salvation also that which shall be born of regeneration in Thy Christ of thee shall be called the Son Himself.” of God. And, behold, thy cousin ~9~
Elizabeth hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.’ And the angel departed from her” (Luke 1: 35-38).
hearing. Her head is bowed, showing her consent and obedience. The descent of the Holy Spirit upon her is depicted by a ray of light issuing from a small sphere at the top of the icon, which symbolizes heaven. In a famous icon from Sinai, a white dove is shown in the ray of light.
In his Sermon 23 on the day of the Annunciation, St. Philaret of Moscow boldly stated that “the word of the creature brought the Creator down into the world.” He explains that salvation is not merely an act of God’s will, but also involves the Virgin’s free will. She could have refused, but she accepted God’s will and chose to cooperate without complaint or further questions.
There are several famous icons of the Annunciation. One is in the Moscow Kremlin in the Church of the Annunciation. This icon appeared in connection with the rescue of a prisoner by the Mother of God during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Another is to be found in the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow (July 8). It was originally located in Ustiug, and was the icon before which St. Procopius the Fool prayed to save the city from destruction in 1290. One of the most highly revered icons in Greece is the Tinos icon of the Annunciation (January 30).
The icon of the Feast shows the Archangel with a staff in his left hand, indicating his role as a messenger. Sometimes one wing is upraised, as if to show his swift descent from heaven. His right hand is stretched toward the holy Virgin as he delivers his message. The Virgin is depicted either standing or sitting, usually holding yarn in her left hand. Sometimes she is shown holding a scroll. Her right hand may be raised to indicate her surprise at the message she is
The Annunciation falls during Lent, but it is always celebrated with great joy. The Liturgy of St. Basil or St. John Chrysostom is served, even on the weekdays of Lent. It is one of the two days of Great Lent on which the fast is relaxed and fish is permitted (Palm Sunday is the other).
The Orthodox Faith > Doctrine > The Symbol of Faith
.. Maker of Heaven and Earth ... The Orthodox Church believes that God the Father is the “Creator of Heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.” To create means to make out of nothing; to bring into existence that which before did not exist; or, to quote the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom once more: “to bring from non-existence into being.” The Orthodox doctrine of creation is that God has brought everything and everyone which exists from non-existence into being. The Scriptural description of creation is given primarily in the first chapter of Genesis. The main doctrinal point about creation is that God alone is uncreated and ever-existing. Everything which exists besides God was created by Him. God, however,
did not create everything individually and all at once, so to speak. He created the first foundations of existence, and then over periods of time (perhaps millions of years, see 2 Pet 3:8) this first foundation of existence-by the power which God had given to it—brought forth the other creatures of God:
~10~
Let the earth put forth vegetation ... let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures ... let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds ...” (Gen 1:19, 20, 24)
Thus, although God is certainly the creator of everything. He acts gradually in time and by means of things previously made by Him to which He has given lifeproducing potencies and powers.
ticularly stressed in Orthodox Christian teaching. This fact is directly affirmed in the prayer to the Spirit of God which is used as the opening prayer of Orthodox worship:
O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, According to the Orthodox Faith, everything that God who art everywhere and fillest all things. Treasury makes is “very good”: the heavens, the earth, the plants, of Blessings and Giver of Life! Come and abide in us. the animals, and finally man himself (Gen 1:31). God And cleanse us from every impurity. And save our souls, is pleased with creation and has made it for no other O Good One! purpose than to participate in His own divine, uncreated existence and to live by His own divine “breath of The fact that Christians pray: Our Father who art in life” (Gen 1:30; 2:7). heaven… (or, literally, “in the heavens”) is also an affirmation of the fact that God is present everywhere, By the Word of the Lord for wherever men move on the face of the earth, over the heavens were made, the seas or in the air, the heavens surround them with and all their host by the the presence of God. The Lord Jesus Christ, in order to breath [or Spirit] of His mouth. have men realize that the true God, His Father, is not He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; bound to one or another particular place, as were the He put the deeps in storehouses. pagan gods, teaches men to pray to the Father “in the Let all the earth fear the Lord, heavens.” For the one true and living God is present to let all the inhabitants of the world all, over all, embracing and encompassing all with His stand in awe of Him! heavenly care and protection. The God who is “over all” For He spoke, and it came to be is also “through all and in all” (Eph 4:5). By His Word He commanded, and it was made! and His Holy Spirit, God “fills all in all” (Eph I :10, 23). (Ps 33:6-9) In the above-quoted verses as well as in the account Thus, the Apostle Paul also proclaimed to the Atheof Genesis we must notice the presence and action of nians, that whether men realize it or not, “in Him we God’s Word and God’s Spirit. God the Father makes live and move and have our being,” for “He is not far all that exists by means of His Divine Word—“for He from each one of us” (Acts 17:27-28). It is this fact of spoke and it came to be”—and by His Divine Spirit God’s omnipresence in His creation, and our own preswho “moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen 1:2). We ence in and to Him, that is witnessed to so beautifully see already a glimpse of the Holy Trinity to be fully re- in Psalm 139: vealed in the New Testament when the Word becomes Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? flesh and when the Holy Spirit comes personally to the Or whither shall I flee from Thy Presence? disciples of Jesus on the day of Pentecost. If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there! If I make my bed in Sheol, Thou art there We must make special notice as well of the goodness of the created physical world. There is no dualism in If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the utOrthodox Christianity. There is no teaching that “spirit” termost parts of the sea, even there Thy hand shall lead is good and “matter” is bad, that “heaven” is good and me, and Thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Let only the “earth” is evil. God loves His entire material creation darkness cover me, and the light about me be night,” even with His eternal love and, as we shall see, when the the darkness is not dark to Thee, the night is bright as physical creation is mined by sin He does everything in the day; for darkness is as light with Thee! (Ps 139:7-12) His power to save it. The series The Orthodox Faith is intended to provide basic,
Loving the whole of His good creation, God the Father comprehensive information on the faith and the life of the dwells within the world that He has made because of Orthodox Church for the average reader. The author is Fr. His goodness and love for man. The omnipresence of Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, God is one of the divine attributes of the Creator par~11~
A monk walks by frescos outside Petru Voda Monastery in Iasi, Romania St. Luke Orthodox Christian Church 1415 Woodstock Ave. Anniston, AL 36207