S t . B a s i l t h e G r e a t A nt i o c h i a n O r t h o d o x C hu r c h
S t . B a s i l t h e G r e a t A nt i o c h i a n O r t h o d o x C hu r c h His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America.
His Grace Bishop THOMAS, Auxiliary Bishop of The Diocese of Oakland, Charleston, and the Mid-Atlantic.
REV. FATHER JAMES PURDIE, PASTOR 1520 Todds Lane Hampton, VA 23666 Phone: Office (757) 223-4159, Cell: (412) 327-4099 Email: OrthodoxHampton@gmail.com Web Site: www.OrthodoxHampton.com
Welcome visitors! If you are visiting with us for the first time, we greet you in the Holy Name of Christ, our Saviour, and hope you will join us in fellowship after worship. We are genuinely pleased to have you with us today. We must remind you that while the Orthodox Church prays for the unity of all, we do not practice “open Communion.� Only those Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves with prayer, fasting, and regular confession should approach the chalice.
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For questions, please contact Fr. James Purdie. Blessings.
Saints Cyrus and John the Unmercenaries These Saints lived during the years of Diocletian. Saint Cyrus was from Alexandria, and Saint John was from Edessa of Mesopotamia. Because of the persecution of that time, Cyrus fled to the Gulf of Arabia, where there was a small community of monks. John, who was a soldier, heard of Cyrus’ fame and came to join him. Henceforth, they passed their life working every virtue, and healing every illness and disease freely by the grace of Christ; hence their title of “Unmercenaries.” They heard that a certain woman, named Athanasia, had been apprehended together with her three daughters, Theodora, Theoctiste, and Eudoxia, and taken to the tribunal for their confession of the Faith. Fearing lest the tender young maidens be terrified by the torments and renounce Christ, they went to strengthen them in their contest in martyrdom; therefore they too were seized. After Cyrus and John and those sacred women had been greatly tormented, all were beheaded in the year 292. Their tomb became a renowned shrine in Egypt, and a place of universal pilgrimage. It was found in the area of the modern day resort near Alexandria named Abu Kyr. Bibliography Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
ANTIPHON tHE
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RESURRECTIONAL APOLYTIKION IN TONE ONE
TROPARION OF ST. BASIL THE GREAT IN TONE ONE
While the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers were guarding Thy most pure body, Thou didst arise on the third day, O Savior, granting life to the world. For which cause the heavenly powers cried aloud unto Thee, O giver of life. Glory to Thy Resurrection, O Christ, glory to Thy kingdom, glory to Thy providence, O Thou Who alone art the lover of mankind.
In all the earth that received thy sayings, thy melody did resound, O righteous father, through which thou didst go about and proclaim, as worthy of God, the nature of creatures, cultivating the character of mankind, O thou of kingly Priesthood, Basil. Wherefore, plead thou with Christ God to save our souls.
APOLYTIKION FOR SS. CYRUS AND JOHN IN TONE FIVE
KONTAKION OF THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN TONE ONE
Since Thou hast given us the miracles of Thy holy Martyrs, Cyrus and John, as an invincible battlement, by their entreaties scatter the counsels of the heathen, O Christ our God, and strengthen the faith of Orthodox Christians, since Thou alone art good and the Lover of mankind.
Thou, O Christ God, Who by Thy Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb, and, as is meet, didst bless Simeon’s arms, and didst also come to save us; preserve Thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom Thou didst love, for Thou alone art the Lover of mankind.
EPISTLE tHE
The Lord will give strength to His people. Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of God; ascribe to the Lord honor and glory. The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to St. Timothy. (4:9-15) Timothy, my son, the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, Who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties; devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.
GOSPEL THE
The reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (19:1-10) At that time, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And he sought to see Who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus, for He was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.”
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KOINONIKON ( COMMUNION HYMN)
Praise the Lord from the Heavens; Praise Him in the highest; Alleluia.
Post Communion Prayer of St. Basil the Great (pray silently after receiving the Holy Gifts) O Master, Christ our God, King of all ages and Maker of all things, I thank Thee for all the good things which Thou hast given me and of partaking of Thine immaculate and life-giving Mysteries. Wherefore, I pray Thee, who art good and loves mankind, keep me under Thy protection and in the shadow of Thy wings, and grant me a pure conscience, even unto my last breath to partake of Thy Holy Gifts for unto Thee we ascribe glory and thanksgiving, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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OFFERINGS + Prayers of Health and Safety are offered for +
Nun Theela, Ekaterina, Angelina, Igor, Alexander, Mark, Alexander, Whelan Fam., Edens, Nolans, Josiah, Browns, Howells, Bowmans, Celeste, Millers, Magnus Fam.,Vigit Fam., The Families Fr. James, Fr. Paul, Fr. Alexis, Fr. Adam, Fr. Isaac, Dn. Chris, Dn. John, Fr. Emil, Dn. Steve, Dn. Kirk, Fr. Antonio, Fr. John, Fr. Gabriel, Jake, Adam, 8
Susan, The Families Riske, Joiner, Cooper, Hovan, Fields, Thompson, Butler, Neal, Nixon, Edens, Davis, Simerick, Lunsford, Zambonini, Freedman, Leary, Saur, Crawford and Holden, Irene, Maria, Ana, Vasilii, Arthur + Fam., Irine, John, Axenia, Sidors, Maria, Fr. John, Fr. Milan, Families of Maia, Mirela, Jones, Lowry and Megee
OFFERINGS +++ Prayers of Loving Memory are offered for +++
El Ephraim, Kh. Farha, Bp. Milotin, Fr.Isaac, Fr. John, Bp. Pimen, Armira, Oksana Paschenko, Fr. Michael, Fr. Joseph, Fr. Michael, Sdn. Nicholas, Paul, Theodosius, Bp. David, Fr. Ernesto, AFr, Daniel, AFr. Eugene, Maria, Tatiana, Sergei, Ion, Maria, Nadejda,
Agrepine, Ion, Radovanka, Lazar, John, Connie, Alexander, Vladimir, Klaudiya, Agrafena, Pavel, Eugenia, Pelagea, Nina, Elena, Evlokia, Leonard, Raymond, Sergei, Lydia, Tatjana, Alexander, Ephimia, Ephim, Alexey, Victor, Nicholas, Gabby, Patricia
Holy Bread is offered by Planinka Whelan for the health, safety, and memory of her loved ones. 9
As a chief tax collector, Zacchaeus was a high ranking traitor to the Jews because he worked collecting taxes for the pagan Roman Empire, which occupied Israel. He became rich basically by stealing from his fellow Jews when he took even more of their money than the Romans required and lived off the difference. He was the last person whom anyone would have expected to entertain the Messiah in his home, but that is precisely what he did at the instruction of Jesus Christ. And when people complained how disreputable it was for the Lord to enter his home, Zacchaeus made a bold change in an instant. This man who had apparently loved money and comfort more than his own people or righteousness, repented of his own accord. There is no record that Christ told him to take any particular action, but he immediately committed himself publicly to giving half of his possessions to the poor and to giving back four times the amount that he had stolen. No one would have ever expected someone like him to do that, and it was such a grand gesture that many probably found it hard to believe. Jesus Christ knew, however, that he was sincere and would follow through with these outrageous acts of repentance. That is why He said what no Jew ever expected the Messiah to say about someone like Zacchaeus: “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” -Excerpt from “Two Paths to the Kingdom: Homily on Zacchaeus and the Apostle Timothy in the Orthodox Church” Authored by Fr. Philip LeMasters