(PARTLY SPONSORED BY DONATIONS) 3RD SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT – VENERATION OF THE HOLY CROSS 7 MARCH 2010 1

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND EVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF

AGES. AMEN.

REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARIA, BIRTH GIVER OF GOD, YET EVER VIRGIN,

TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.

3rd Sunday of Great Lent Tone (6) Plagal 2 7 March 2010

Sunday of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The Feast of St Ephraim the Hieromartyr; St Basileos;St Evgenios; St Etherios; St

Elpidios; St Laurentios

APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION –––– TONE (6) PLAGAL 2TONE (6) PLAGAL 2TONE (6) PLAGAL 2TONE (6) PLAGAL 2

Angelike Dinamis epi to mnima sou ke i filassontes apenekrothisan. Ke istato Maria en to tafo, zitousa to ahranton Sou Soma. Eskilevsas ton Adin, mi pirasthis ip aftou. Ipintisas ti Partheno, Doroumenos tin Zoin. O Anastas ek to nekron, Kyrie, Doxa Si.

The Angelic Powers were in Thy Sepulchre, and the guards became as dead men, and Mary stood by the Tomb seeking Thy Most Pure Body. Thou led captive Hades, yet were not tempted thereby: Thou Who art the Bestower of Life came to meet the Woman. Glory to Thee, O Lord, Who Rose again from the dead!

APOLYTIKION OF THE HOLY CROSS APOLYTIKION OF THE HOLY CROSS APOLYTIKION OF THE HOLY CROSS APOLYTIKION OF THE HOLY CROSS –––– TONE 1 TONE 1 TONE 1 TONE 1

Soson, Kyrie, ton laon Sou, ke evlogison tin klironomian Sou, nikas tis Vasilevsi kata varvaron doroumenos, ke to son filaton, dia tou Stavrou Sou politevma.

Save, O Save, O Lord, Thy people and Bless Thine Inheritance, granting victories to their rulers over the enemy and guarding Thy Commonwealth by the Might of Thy Cross.

KONTAKION OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOSKONTAKION OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOSKONTAKION OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOSKONTAKION OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS

Ti Ipermaho Stratigo ta Nikitiria os litrothisa ton dinon efharistiria anagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke all’ os ehousa to Kratos aprosmahiton ek pantion me kindinon eleftheroson ina krazo Si, Here Nimfi Animfevte!

Unto Thee, O Theotokos Invincible Champion, Thy City

in thanksgiving ascribes the Victory for the deliverance from sufferings. But having Thy Might unassailable, free me from all dangers so that I may cry out to Thee: “Hail! O Bride Ever Virgin!”

HHHHYMN INSTEAD OF THE TRISAGIONYMN INSTEAD OF THE TRISAGIONYMN INSTEAD OF THE TRISAGIONYMN INSTEAD OF THE TRISAGION:

Ton Stavron Sou Proskinoumen, Despota, ke tin Agian Sou Anastasin Doxazomen

Thy Cross, O Master, we Reverence, and we Glorify Thy Holy Resurrection

Resurrection Gospel 6: Luke 24:35 – 53 - OUR LORD JESUS APPEARS TO THE APOSTLES & ASCENDS TO HEAVENOUR LORD JESUS APPEARS TO THE APOSTLES & ASCENDS TO HEAVENOUR LORD JESUS APPEARS TO THE APOSTLES & ASCENDS TO HEAVENOUR LORD JESUS APPEARS TO THE APOSTLES & ASCENDS TO HEAVEN

Save Thy People, O Lord, and Bless Thine Inheritance. I will appeal to Thee, O Lord our God!

St Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews 4: 14 – 5: 6 OUR HIGH PRIEST, JESUS CHRIST, OFFERED HIMSELF ON THE CROSS AS THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINSOUR HIGH PRIEST, JESUS CHRIST, OFFERED HIMSELF ON THE CROSS AS THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINSOUR HIGH PRIEST, JESUS CHRIST, OFFERED HIMSELF ON THE CROSS AS THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINSOUR HIGH PRIEST, JESUS CHRIST, OFFERED HIMSELF ON THE CROSS AS THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS

Brethren: since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the Heavens – Jesus, the Son of God – let us

hold fast our Confession, for we do not have a High Priest Who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was

in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore, come boldly to the Throne of Grace so that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of

need.

For every High Priest taken from among men is appointed for mankind in things pertaining to God, so that he may

offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray

since he himself is also subject to weakness and because of this he is required, as for the people, so also for

himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no man takes this honour to himself but he who is Called by God, just

as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He Who said to Him: “Thou art My Son;

today I have Begotten Thee.” As He also says in another place: “Thou art a Priest forever, according to the Order of Melchizedek.”

In order to qualify as a Priest according to the Old Covenant with God, men had to be selected from among mankind – i.e. they were completely human beings.

They were appointed for mankind and specifically for Liturgical Service – to offer sacrifices and to have compassion for their fellow sinners.

They also had to be Called by God. In other words, they had to be totally dedicated to their Sacred Commitments and Duties.

In the Aaronic Priesthood, a Priest identified himself with humanity and had sympathy for his fellow sinners because he was just as guilty of sin as all the other people.

However, the specific Blood Sacrifices that were offered to God consisted of offerings of various animals.

Our Lord Jesus Christ assumed (took on) and fulfilled (accomplished or completed) all the requirements of the Old Covenant Priesthood and just like Melchizedek, He is forever both our High Priest and our King.

Jesus Christ was the only human being ever to be completely sinless, despite being exposed to all our usual temptations and weaknesses. (Although He is God and therefore absolutely Divinely Pure and Good, He was also completely Human and therefore subject to our own natural weaknesses, but He never gave in to any temptation of the evil one.)

His Ultimate Blood Sacrifice was of Himself – His own sinless and pure Flesh and Blood – the Unsurpassed Sacrifice of all time, which took place only once but which was effective for all time for all human beings throughout the ages until Eternity!

There never had to be any sin offerings to God by anyone else ever again! From now on we have Bloodless Sacrifices for the Forgiveness of our sins and for Everlasting Life.: Repentance-Confession and Holy Communion.

Therefore the Perfect Priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ continues in His Holy Church until the end of times.

Consequently, it is imperative that every time we participate in the Divine Liturgy, we must partake of

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Holy Communion, having prepared ourselves through our personal Repentance-Confession beforehand.

The only time we do not partake of Holy Communion is if we are bleeding due to any reason – both men and women, boys and girls.

E FASTING IS A SEPARATE, IMPORTANT COMMITMENT THAT WE KEEP EVER WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY PLUS

ALL FASTS REQUIRED.

The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 8 : 34 – 9 : 1 OUOUOUOUR LORD JESUS EXPLAINS THE MEANING OF THE CROSS IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVERR LORD JESUS EXPLAINS THE MEANING OF THE CROSS IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVERR LORD JESUS EXPLAINS THE MEANING OF THE CROSS IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVERR LORD JESUS EXPLAINS THE MEANING OF THE CROSS IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER

At that time, when Jesus had called the people to Himself, with His Disciples also, He said to them: “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life, will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will Save it.

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the Glory of His Father with the Holy Angels.”

And He said to them: “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God present with Power.”

After St Peter’s Confession of Faith, our Lord Jesus injected a new, solemn tone into His Divine Ministry by speaking about suffering and by teaching the people and His Faithful Disciples the cost of Christian Discipleship: self-denial, carrying one’s cross (symbolic of personal suffering) and Obedience to Christ our God.

By saying “... Let him deny himself, and take up his cross...” our Lord Jesus means that His Faithful Followers – True Disciples of Christ – should separate themselves from their sins and from the inclination of their hearts towards evil by crucifying the flesh with its passions and self-indulgent desires. (GENESIS 8:21; GALATIANS

5: 24)

Desiring to save our lives means to base our earthly life on self, (a selfish attitude) which is the opposite of self-denial and which consequently results in the loss of Eternal Life, while to “lose” our life is to accept suffering and personal sacrifice of the sake of our Lord God and His Everlasting Kingdom, which grants us Salvation.

Christian Discipleship is costly because it requires us to give up all claims to everything that the temporary, corrupt world holds dear to itself.

The word “soul” (psyche)may also be translated as “Life” and it can refer to our Spiritual Nature or our whole human being.

There is nothing more valuable to us than our immortal souls! Therefore, we must always strive to do

whatever is required by God for the well-being and development of our souls – for the Salvation of our souls.

In other words, while we are still alive in this life – while we are still body and soul – we must make every effort to cultivate, improve and nurture our immortal souls by voluntarily and joyfully obeying all Divine Commandments that prepare us for Eternal Life with God rather than being condemned to Eternal Death and Outer Darkness, forever alienated from God – exiled forever from God’s Love – all His Goodness, Peace and Great Joy.

“The Kingdom of God present with Power” is connected to our Lord’s previous words concerning His Reappearance to all Creation in all His Glory.

His Faithful Apostles had experienced a foretaste of that indescribable Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ at His Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, which anticipated the forthcoming Revelatory Day of God’s Great Power: the Resurrection of Christ and the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended from Heaven, as well as the future Consummation of the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven.

The Three-Bar Cross

THROUGH THE CROSS CAME OUR SALVATION so we are constantly

reminded that Christ died for us, and that He rose from the dead.

THE HOLY ICON OF OUR CRUCIFIED LORD REMINDS US OF THIS.

On the Cross is depicted our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Note that HE DOES NOT WEAR A CROWN OF THORNS, and that HIS FEET ARE NAILED WITH TWO NAILS.

Behind the body of Christ, on either side, are A LANCE (WHICH PIERCED HIM) AND A SPONGE (WHICH WAS SOAKED WITH GALL AND OFFERED TO CHRIST TO DRINK) ON A POLE MADE OF REED OR CANE.

On the Body of Christ is depicted BLOOD AND WATER FLOWING FORTH FROM HIS SIDE.

Below the Feet of Christ are four (Slavonic) letters meaning: "THE

PLACE OF THE SKULL BECAME PARADISE."

HIDDEN IN A CAVE UNDER THE EARTH IS “…THE SKULL OF ADAM.”

We are thus reminded that Adam our Forefather lost Paradise

through the Tree from which he wrongly partook; CHRIST IS THE NEW ADAM, BRINGING US SALVATION AND PARADISE THROUGH THE TREE OF THE CROSS.

The city of Jerusalem is depicted in the background, for HE WAS CRUCIFIED OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS.

(PARTLY SPONSORED BY DONATIONS) 3RD SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT – VENERATION OF THE HOLY CROSS 7 MARCH 2010 3

THE TOP BAR IS THE TITLE-BOARD WHICH PILATE ORDERED TO BE HUNG IN MOCKERY OVER CHRIST’S HEAD

ON THE CROSS.

On this board was inscribed: "JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS" IN HEBREW, GREEK, AND LATIN (ABBREVIATED TO THE GREEK INITIALS ‘INBI’ OR THE LATIN INITIALS ‘INRI’ IN THE WESTERN TRADITION).

This is REPLACED WITH THE CHRISTIAN INSCRIPTION: "KING OF GLORY" –

below the knees of the Angels.

On the title6board is inscribed the initials 'IC XC', being THE FIRST AND LAST LETTERS OF CHRIST’S NAME IN GREEK.

In addition, just above Christ's arms we see the inscription: ‘NIKA’, which in

Greek means: "HE CONQUERS" OR "HE IS VICTORIOUS."

Frequently, we see these last two inscriptions together: 'IC XC NIKA',

meaning: "JESUS CHRIST IS VICTORIOUS" or “JESUS CHRIST CONQUERS”

(Christ conquers all death, destruction and sin that was invented by the evil one).

THE MIDDLE BAR IS THAT ON WHICH THE LORD'S HANDS (WRISTS) WERE NAILED.

On either top corner we see the depiction of THE SUN (LEFT) AND THE MOON (RIGHT), for "THE SUN HID ITS

LIGHT, AND THE MOON TURNED TO BLOOD." (JOEL 2:31)

THE INSCRIPTION: "SON OF GOD" IS PLACED ON BOTH SIDES OF CHRIST'S HEAD.

BELOW HIS ARMS is the inscription: "BEFORE THY CROSS WE BOW DOWN, O MASTER, AND THY HOLY RESURRECTION, WE GLORIFY."

THE HALO OF CHRIST IS INSCRIBED WITH THREE GREEK LETTERS MEANING "THE BEING" OR "HE WHO IS", to

remind us that CHRIST IS THE SAME GOD WHO IDENTIFIED HIMSELF WITH THOSE WORDS TO MOSES IN THE OLD COVENANT.

THE SLANTED BOTTOM BAR IS THE FOOT-REST.

There is some question of whether it was actually on the Cross of Christ,

but it is acknowledged to be A NECESSARY ATTRIBUTE OF THE CROSS, WORTHY OF VENERATION AND PROPHETICALLY ALLUDED TO IN THE WORDS [LET US] WORSHIP THE FOOTSTOOL OF HIS FEET... (PSALM 98:5).

IN PRAYERS FOR THE NINTH HOUR, THE CHURCH LIKENS THE HOLY CROSS TO A TYPE OF BALANCE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS:

"Between two thieves Thy Cross did prove to be a Balance of Righteousness: Wherefore one of them was dragged down to Hades by the weight of his blasphemy whereas the other was lightened of his transgressions unto the comprehension of Theology. O Christ God, glory to Thee!”

The meaning of this Prayer is as follows: THE CROSS OF CHRIST SYMBOLIZED A SCALE OF

JUSTICE BETWEEN THE TWO THIEVES – UNREPENTED SIN & REPENTED, CONFESSED

SIN: for one thief sank down to Hades 6 DRAGGED DOWN BY HIS SHAMELESS,

BLASPHEMOUS WORDS AND DEEDS, while the

other thief – “THE WISE THIEF” - BECAUSE HE REPENTED AND CONFESSED HIS SINS, ASCENDED INTO PARADISE, BECOMING THE

FIRST SOUL TO REST IN PEACE IN PARADISE, AWAITING THE GENERAL RESURRECTION AND FINAL JUDGEMENT OF CHRIST WHO SHALL

COME AGAIN TO JUDGE HIS ENTIRE

CREATION.

Our Holy Church Fathers depicted the unrepentant

thief who was CONDEMNED TO HADES BY THE HEAVY WEIGHT OF HIS UNREPENTED BLASPHEMOUS WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS AND BY THE JUST JUDGEMENT OF GOD

(THE LOWER END OF THE BAR), and the Wise

Thief whom Christ permitted to rest in Paradise

due to his SINCERE REPENTANCE-CONFESSION AND HIS PRAISE OF GOD (THE UPPER END).

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “LIVING ORTHODOXY” - VOLUME IV, NO. 3; MAY-JUNE

1982 - COPYRIGHT © 1986 - 2006, RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE

NATIVITY OF CHRIST (OLD RITE)

www.churchofthenativity.net

Why do we wear a Cross? In pre6Christian times, the cross was the instrument of a

shameful and horrible death.

The ancient Romans invented it and used it everywhere

in order to intimidate the nations whom they had

subjugated.

Everyone regarded this form of cruelest execution 6

shameful, humiliating and excruciating crucifixion 6

with abject horror and revulsion.

However, a remarkable change transpired with respect

to the Cross after our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified

on it.

Our Lord suffered and died on the Cross. He willingly

accepted indescribably horrible sufferings upon

Himself in order to Save us from our destructive and

enslaving sins.

The Holy Cross of Christ became a Sacred Symbol of

God’s Great Glory, such as no other man6made

object has ever done!

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The Holy Cross became the most powerful Sign of our

Salvation, through which we receive the Divine Grace

of Almighty God.

The Holy Cross is the foremost and greatest Christian

Holy Implement.

When our Priests Bless water by the immersion of the

Cross, the ordinary water becomes Sanctified or

Holy by the Grace of God.

When we wear the Cross upon our chest, our body is

constantly touched by It, and from this touch our

bodies also are Sanctified and protected from all

kinds of danger by Divine Grace.

In Godless countries, faithful Christians 6 our

courageous brothers and sisters in Christ – devoutly

wear their Crosses at great risk, yet they are unafraid

of confessing their True Faith in Christ.

Christians are always being persecuted by the ungodly

and evil ones – even to this day – so we must

constantly pray for them, beseeching God’s Grace

and Strength upon them so that they never weaken

and remain steadfast and faithful.

We must never regard or treat the Holy Cross as merely

some kind of jewelry or cheap trinket.

The Holy Cross of Christ must always adorn our soul

and not our clothing or our earlobes!

We are constantly reminded that we are Orthodox

Christians, who are Called by God to strive daily to

live according to our True Faith, which is founded on

our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ’s Sufferings on

the Cross for our sake!

The Holy Cross is our “Badge of Honour” and must be

worn at all time as a constant reminder of how

Blessed we are to be adopted Heirs of God’s Eternal

Kingdom!

Furthermore, it identifies us to others – making it even

more imperative to imitate our Saviour every

moment of our lives, for to do otherwise is to shame

and condemn ourselves!

Let us therefore make every effort live up to the

significance of Christ’s Holy Cross, beseeching Divine

Grace that enables us to do the humanly impossible!

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “WHY DO WE WEAR A CROSS?” “PARISH LIFE” - SEPTEMBER

1994 - http:/www.stjohndc.org/feasts/9409a.htmp

St John Maximovitch - On the Exaltation of the Precious Cross Before the time of Christ, the cross was an instrument of

punishment; it evoked fear and aversion.

But AFTER CHRIST'S DEATH ON THE CROSS IT BECAME THE

INSTRUMENT OF OUR SALVATION. THROUGH THE CROSS, CHRIST DESTROYED THE DEVIL;

FROM THE CROSS HE DESCENDED INTO HADES AND, HAVING LIBERATED THOSE LANGUISHING THERE, LED

THEM INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. THE SIGN OF THE CROSS IS TERRIFYING TO DEMONS AND, AS

THE SIGN OF CHRIST, IT IS HONORED BY CHRISTIANS.

"O Lord, Save Thy people and Bless Thine Inheritance. Grant Victory unto Orthodox Christians over their adversaries, and by the Virtue of Thy Cross, preserve Thy Community."

The beginning of this Prayer is taken from Psalm 21.

In the Old Testament the word "people" designated only

those who confessed the True Faith – people who

were faithful to God.

"Inheritance" referred to everything that properly

belonged to God 6 God's Property, which in the New

Testament is the Church of Christ.

In praying for the Salvation of God's people (the

Christians), both from Eternal Torments and from

earthly calamities, WE BESEECH THE LORD TO BLESS, TO SEND DOWN GRACE, HIS GOOD GIFTS UPON THE WHOLE

CHURCH AS WELL, AND INWARDLY STRENGTHEN HER.

The Petition for granting "Victory to Kings" (GRANT VICTORY TO

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS OVER THEIR ADVERSARIES) (IE: TO THE BEARERS OF

SUPREME AUTHORITY), has its basis in Psalm 143:10, and

recalls the VICTORIES OF KING DAVID ACHIEVED BY

GOD'S POWER, and likewise the VICTORIES GRANTED EMPEROR CONSTANTINE THROUGH THE CROSS OF THE

LORD.

This Appearance of THE CROSS MADE EMPERORS WHO HAD FORMERLY PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS INTO DEFENDERS

OF THE CHURCH from Her external enemies, into

"External Bishops," to use the expression of the Holy

Emperor Constantine. THE CHURCH, INWARDLY STRENGTHENED AND OUTWARDLY

PROTECTED BY GOD'S GRACE, IS, FOR ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS, "THE CITY OF GOD."

HEAVENLY JERUSALEM has its beginning.

Various calamities have shaken the world, entire Nations

have disappeared, cities and states have perished,

but THE CHURCH, IN SPITE OF PERSECUTIONS AND EVEN

INTERNAL CONFLICTS, STANDS INVINCIBLE; for “... the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against Her!” (MATTHEW

16:18)

Today, when world leaders try in vain to establish order

on earth, THE ONLY DEPENDABLE INSTRUMENT OF

PEACE IS THAT ABOUT WHICH THE CHURCH SINGS:

"The Cross is the Guardian of the whole world; the Cross is the Beauty of the Church, the Cross is the Might of kings; the Cross is the Confirmation of the Faithful, the Cross is the Glory of Angels and the wounding of demons." (EXAPOSTILARION OF THE EXALTATION OF THE

CROSS)

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “THE EXALTATION OF THE PRECIOUS CROSS” BY ST JOHN

MAXIMOVITCH (FROM A SERMON ON THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS BY ST JOHN OF

SHANGHAI AND SAN FRANCISCO)

A portion of the last Prayer of St Macrina - recorded by St Gregory of Nyssa

Thou, O Lord, hast freed us from the fear of Death. Thou hast made the end of this life the beginning to us of

True Life. For a season Thou rests our bodies in sleep and awakens

them again at the last trump. Thou grants our earth (OUR PHYSICAL BODY), which Thou has

fashioned with Thy Hands, to the earth to keep in safety. One day Thou will take again what Thou has given,

transfiguring our mortal and unsightly remains with Immortality and Grace.

Thou has Saved us from the Curse and from sin, having become both for our sakes. Thou has broken the heads of the dragon who had seized us with his jaws, in the yawning gulf of disobedience.

Thou has shown us the Way of Resurrection, having broken the Gates of Hades, and

brought to nought him who had the power of death -- the devil.

Thou has granted a Sign in the Symbol of the Holy Cross to those who fear Thee, to destroy the adversary and to Save our Life.

O God Eternal, to Whom I have been attached from my mother's womb, Whom my soul has Loved with all its strength, to Whom I have dedicated both my flesh and my soul from my youth up until now -- do Thou grant me an Angel of Light to conduct me to the Place of Refreshment, where the Water of Rest is, in the Bosom of the Holy Fathers...

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND EVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES.

AMEN.

REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARIA, BIRTH GIVER OF GOD, YET EVER VIRGIN,

TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.

9 March 2010 The Feast of the 40 Holy Martyrs of Sebaste

Also of St Caesarios the Physcian & brother of St Gregory the Theologian

APOLYTIKION OF THE 40 HOLY MARTYRSAPOLYTIKION OF THE 40 HOLY MARTYRSAPOLYTIKION OF THE 40 HOLY MARTYRSAPOLYTIKION OF THE 40 HOLY MARTYRS

Tas algidonas ton Agion, as iper sou epathon, disopithiti Kyrie, ke pasas imon tas odinas, iase filanthrope, deometha.

Be entreated, O Lord, by the sufferings endured for Thee by the Saints, and we pray Thee: heal all our pain.

APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION –––– KONTAKION KONTAKION KONTAKION KONTAKION –––– TONETONETONETONE 1111

Tou Gavriil fthegxamenou Si Parthene to here, Sin ti foni esarkouto O ton olon Despotis, en Si ti Agia Kivoto, os efi O Dikeos David. Edihthis platitera ton Ouranon, Vastasasa ton ktiston Sou. Doxa to enikisanti en Si! Doxa to proelthonti ek Sou! Doxa to elevtherosanti imas dia tou tokou Sou!

As Gabriel proclaimed to Thee, O Virgin: Hail! With that cry the Lord of all became Incarnate in Thee, the Holy Tabernacle, as prophesied by the Righteous David: Thou hast manifested Thyself more spacious than the heavens, in that Thou hast borne Thy Creator. Glory to Him Who abode in Thee! Glory to Him Who came forth from Thee! Glory to Him Who through Thy Birth-giving hath set us free!

KONTAKION OF THE 40 HOLY MARTYRS KONTAKION OF THE 40 HOLY MARTYRS KONTAKION OF THE 40 HOLY MARTYRS KONTAKION OF THE 40 HOLY MARTYRS –––– (6) PLAGAL 2(6) PLAGAL 2(6) PLAGAL 2(6) PLAGAL 2

Pasan Stratian tou kosmou katalipontes, to en Ouranis Despoti prosekollithite, Athloforie Kyriou Tessarakonta; dia piros gar ke idatos, dielthontes makarii, epaxios ekomisasthe, Doxan ek ton Ouranon, ke Stefanon plithin.

O Forty Champions of the Lord, you abandoned the armies

of the world and attached yourselves to the Master in Heaven. Having gone through fire and water, O Blessed Ones, you worthily won Glory from Heaven and a multitude of Crowns.

Matins Gospel According to St Luke 21 : 12 - 19 DIVINE GRACE DURING PERSECUTIODIVINE GRACE DURING PERSECUTIODIVINE GRACE DURING PERSECUTIODIVINE GRACE DURING PERSECUTIONSNSNSNS

At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: “... Before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the Synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before Kings and Rulers for My Name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.

Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and Wisdom, which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.

You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My Name’s sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost.

By your Patience possess your souls.”

The Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews 12: 1 – 10 PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO GOD’S CHASTENING AS WELL ARE HIS DIVINE PROMISESPAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO GOD’S CHASTENING AS WELL ARE HIS DIVINE PROMISESPAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO GOD’S CHASTENING AS WELL ARE HIS DIVINE PROMISESPAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO GOD’S CHASTENING AS WELL ARE HIS DIVINE PROMISES

Brethren: since we are surrounded by so great a Cloud of Witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily

ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the Race that is set before us, looking to Jesus Christ, the Author and

Finisher of our Faith, Who for the Joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and has sat

down at the right hand of the Throne of God.

For consider Him Who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, let you become weary and discouraged in your

souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation that speaks

to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, not be discouraged when you are rebuked by

Him; for whom the Lord Loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if

you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be

in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but

He for our profit so that we may be partakers of His Holiness.

This entire passage (beginning with Hebrews 10:19), is a progressive discourse imploring us to SEEK GOD’S KINGDOM FIRST.

Under the New Covenant, we can ascend to this Heavenly Place in Worship and in Prayer.

Christians experience this Heavenly dimension fundamentally in the Divine Liturgy.

We ascend to that place where we are surrounded by a great “Cloud of Witnesses.”

This is not a physical place but a Spiritual Place, inhabited by God, the Angels, and “the spirits of Just men made Perfect.”

Here, the Communion of the Saints is established in the New Testament/Covenant.

“…Christ came as High Priest of the Good Things to come…” [Hebrews 9:11-12] means that Christ came to the greater and more Perfect Tabernacle, obtaining Redemption for us.

This Tabernacle is the same Spiritual, Holy Place that we enter with Christ by virtue of our Union with him.

This is done fundamentally

] In Corporate Worship i.e. worshipping together in church ] By Faith i.e. personal Belief and Commitment to God ] In order to show gratitude to God i.e. taking time to

appreciate all our Blessings and to thank God with Prayers, Fasting and faithfully Worshipping and practising His Commandments.

The content of this worship includes remembering the departed Righteous or the Faithful Christians who now repose.

“The Cloud of Witnesses” includes not only the Old Testament Saints mentioned before, but also the Saints and the Holy Martyrs of the Lord in all ages. [Throughout the ages/time] If they made it, so can we. We persevere by ] Getting rid of sin, the weight that keeps us from heeding

the Truth ] Setting as our Destination the Heavenly City, running the

Race of Faith ] Keeping our attention focussed upon Jesus Christ our

Lord and King.

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The Spiritual Race that we are involved in throughout life, is not a sprint but a Marathon of Endurance because it begins with our Holy Baptism and only ends when we fully enter the Age to come: i.e. Eternity.

Christ is both the Author or Initiator/Originator and Finisher or Perfecter of Faith.

His Joy is to do God’s Will and He endured the Cross – the unspeakable horror of His Crucifixion – voluntarily accepting Humiliation, terrible suffering and finally Death because of His infinite Love for all mankind.

Christ served all humanity, throughout all the ages, completely and faithfully so that we would be set free from enslavement to sin and death.

] He made it possible for us to progress beyond this life and the grave.

] He made it possible for us to enter His Divine, Eternal and Heavenly Kingdom.

] He makes it possible for us to follow His Perfect Example of Faith and Service to Almighty God : He has shown us and taught us how to Worship, Pray, Fast and respect God and all His creatures.

] He also gives us the abilities to endure, to understand and to persevere, no matter what difficulties seem to hinder our Spiritual Progress.

IT IS UP TO US TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT AND THE CONSTANT EFFORT NECESSARY FOR OUR SPIRITUAL

DEVELOPMENT AND WELFARE. Unpleasant circumstances, which tempt us to complain, may

be “the Disciplining of the Lord.” If the loving discipline of our human fathers brought us to

respect them, how much more deserving of respect is the Discipline of the “Father of the spirits” – our Creator Whose Breath gives us Life.

The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 20: 1 – 16 THE FIRST & THE LAST TTHE FIRST & THE LAST TTHE FIRST & THE LAST TTHE FIRST & THE LAST TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GODO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GODO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GODO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD

At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: “...the Kingdom of Heaven is like a Landowner Who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for His Vineyard. Now when He had agreed with the labourers for a denarius a day, He sent them into His Vineyard. And He went out about the Third Hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the Vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.

“Again He went out about the Sixth and the Ninth Hour and did likewise. And about the Eleventh Hour He went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to Him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the Vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’

So when evening had come the Owner of the Vineyard said to His Steward, ‘Call the labourers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came were hired about the Eleventh Hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the Landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and Thou made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’

But He answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I Am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with Me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for Me to do what I wish with My own Things? Or is your eye evil because I Am Good?’

So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are Called but few chosen.

Our Lord Jesus described a startling reversal of positions. In this Parable: ] The Vineyard is the Life God gives us in the world ] The Day is the time of our labouring, the here and now ] The Labourers are those He Calls to fulfil His

Commandments ] Early in the morning, the Third, Sixth, Ninth and Eleventh

Hours refers to the different ages of those who draw near to God: those who from earliest youth, from mature age, or from very old age hold to Virtue.

God’s Generosity provides equal access to and enjoyment of rewards in the Life of the Kingdom for both early and late comers.

Christ warns the early comers not to be proud of their long Service, nor must they question those who are Called at the Eleventh Hour, in case they themselves lose all.

Christ teaches the latecomers that IT IS POSSIBLE EVEN IN A

SHORT TIME TO RECOVER EVERYTHING THEY HAVE LOST. In His Ministry this Parable applies to the Pharisees and

sinners, while in the early Church it applied to Jews and Gentiles.

St John Chrysostom’s famous Easter Sermon is based on this Parable. For him the Reward is the Lord’s Rich Banquet of the Holy Easter Eucharist.

The Forty Holy Martyrs of SebasteForty Christian soldiers who had openly confessed were

condemned by the Roman Prefect to be exposed

naked upon a frozen pond near Sebaste on a bitterly

cold night so that they might freeze to death.

One man eventually yielded and accepted the warm

baths near the lake that had been prepared to tempt

them into surrendering.

At that moment a Supernatural Light illuminated the

others, and witnessing it, one of the guards

immediately proclaimed himself a Christian, threw

off his garments, and placed himself beside the

thirty6nine suffering Soldiers of Christ.

At daybreak, the frozen bodies of the confessors, many

of which still showed slight signs of life, were burnt

and the ashes cast into a river. Faithful Christians

quickly collected the precious Sanctified Relics,

which were subsequently distributed throughout

many cities.

In this way veneration of the Forty Holy Martyrs of

Sebaste became widespread, and numerous churches

were erected in their honour.

THIS FEAST ALWAYS OCCURS DURING GREAT LENT AND THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN THE NUMBER 40 BEING BOTH THAT OF THE HOLY MARTYRS AND THE DAYS OF GREAT LENT.

Furthermore, THE SPIRITUAL ENDURANCE OF THE HOLY MARTYS SERVES AS AN EXAMPLE FOR US TO PERSEVERE TO THE END (I.E., THROUGHOUT THE FORTY DAYS OF THE FAST) IN ORDER TO ATTAIN HEAVENLY REWARDS.

A PRAYER MENTIONING THE FORTY HOLY MARTYRS OF SEBASTE IS INCLUDED IN THE EASTERN ORTHODOX BETROTHAL & MARRIAGE SERVICE AT THE "CROWNING" OF THE COUPLE, WHICH REMINDS THEM OF THE SPIRITUAL CROWNS THAT AWAIT THEM IN HEAVEN IF THEY REMAIN AS ENDURINGLY FAITHFUL TO CHRIST AS

THESE HOLY SAINTS: ST HESYCHIOS, ST MELITON, ST HERACLIOS, ST SMARAGDOS,

ST DOMNOS, ST EUNOIKOS, ST VALENS, ST VIVIANOS, ST CLAUDIOS, ST PRISKOS, ST THEODOULOS, ST EUTHYCHIOS, ST JOHN, ST XANTHESAS, ST HELIANOS, ST SISINIOS, ST CYRION, ST ANGIOS, ST AETIOS, ST FLAVIOS, ST AKAKIOS, ST EKDITIOS, ST LYUSIMAHOS, ST ALEXANDER, ST ELIAS, ST CANDIDOS, ST THEOPHILOS, ST DOMETIAN, ST GAIUS, ST GORGONIOS, ST LEONTIOS, ST ATHANASIOS, ST CYRIL, ST SACERDON, ST NICHOLAS, ST VALAERIOS, ST PHILOCTIMON, ST SEVERIAN, ST HUDION, AND ST AGLAIOS.

May their memories be Eternal!

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND EVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES. AMEN.

REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARIA, BIRTH GIVER OF GOD, YET EVER VIRGIN, TOGETHER WITH

ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.

4th Sunday of Great Lent Tone (7) Varys/Grave 14 March 2010

Sunday of St John Klimakos (of the Ladder of Divine Ascent)

The Healing of the Epileptic Son Feast of St Benedict the Ascetic of Nursia; St Eushimenos of Lampsakos

APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION –––– TONE (7) VARYS/GRAVETONE (7) VARYS/GRAVETONE (7) VARYS/GRAVETONE (7) VARYS/GRAVE

Katelisas to Stavro Sou ton thanaton. Ineoxas to listi ton Paradison. Ton Miroforon ton thrinon metevales ke tis sis Apostolis kirittin epetaxas, oti Anestis, Hriste O Theos, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos.

By Thy Cross Thou destroyed Death; Thou opened

Paradise to the Thief; Thou changed the funeral wail

of the Myrrh6bearing Women, and Commanded them

to announce to Thine Apostles that Thou had Risen

from the dead, O Christ our God, Who bestows on the

world Great Mercy! APOLYTIKION OF ST JOHN KLIMAKOSAPOLYTIKION OF ST JOHN KLIMAKOSAPOLYTIKION OF ST JOHN KLIMAKOSAPOLYTIKION OF ST JOHN KLIMAKOS

Tes ton dakrion sou roes, tis erimou to agonon egeorgisas, ke tis ek vathous stenagmis, is ekaton tous ponous ekarpoforisas; ke gegonas fostir, ti ikoumeni lambon tis thavmasin, Ioanni Patir imon Osie; presveve Hristo to Theo, sothine tas psihas imon.

With the rivers of thy tears, thou changed the barren

desert into fertile land, and with the sighs from thy

depths, thou hast made thy labours produce a

hundredfold; and thou became a bright star, shining

on the earth with thy miracles, O John our Father

Righteous; intercede with Christ our God, for our

souls to be saved. KONTAKION TO THE BLESSED THEOTOKOSKONTAKION TO THE BLESSED THEOTOKOSKONTAKION TO THE BLESSED THEOTOKOSKONTAKION TO THE BLESSED THEOTOKOS

Ti Ipermaho Stratigo ta nikitiria os litrothisa ton dinon evharistiria anagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke all’ os ehousa to kratos aprosmahiton ek pantion me kindinon eleftheroson ina krazo Si, Here Nimfi Animfevte!

Unto Thee, O Theotokos Invincible Champion, Thy City in

thanksgiving ascribes the Victory for the deliverance

from sufferings. But having Thy Might unassailable,

free me from all dangers so that I may cry out to Thee:

“Hail! O Bride Ever Virgin!”

Resurrection Gospel 7: John 20:1 – 10: ST PETER & ST JOHN WITNESS THE EMPTY TOMB OF OUR RISEN LORD & SAVIOUR

The Lord will give Strength unto His people. The Lord will Bless His people with Peace. The Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews 6: 13 - 20

ALMIGHTY GODALMIGHTY GODALMIGHTY GODALMIGHTY GOD HAS PROMISED A STEADFAST HOPE: HE CONFIRMS THE PROMISE BY AN OATHHAS PROMISED A STEADFAST HOPE: HE CONFIRMS THE PROMISE BY AN OATHHAS PROMISED A STEADFAST HOPE: HE CONFIRMS THE PROMISE BY AN OATHHAS PROMISED A STEADFAST HOPE: HE CONFIRMS THE PROMISE BY AN OATH

Brethren, when God made a Promise to Abraham, because He could swear to no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying,

“Surely Blessing I will Bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he

obtained the Promise. For men indeed swear by the greater, and an Oath for confirmation is for them an end of all

dispute.

Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the Heirs of Promise the immutability of His Counsel, confirmed it by

an Oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who

have fled for refuge to lay hold of the Hope set before us.

This Hope we have as an Anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the Veil, where

the Forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the Order of

Melchizedek.

The Divine Promise that was made to St Abraham the ancient Patriarch, was that of a son - an heir through whom God would greatly multiply mankind.

The two immutable [unchangeable] things referred to are GOD’S DIVINE PROMISE AND GOD’S DIVINE OATH.

“Behind the Veil” refers to Heaven. The Mosaic Tabernacle was a copy of the Heavenly Altar

and the most important detail was the Inner Veil, the Second Veil that separated the Holy Place, the Holy Sanctuary, from the Most Holy Place, the Holiest of all, which contained the Ark of the Covenant and into which only the High Priest could enter.

The Inner Veil formed the locus of the Liturgical practice of the Old Covenant.

] However IT WAS AN IMPERFECT WAY TO WORSHIP GOD BECAUSE THE PRIEST COULD ONLY APPROACH GOD ONCE A YEAR AND THE PEOPLE COULD NOT DRAW CLOSE TO GOD.

] CHRIST, THROUGH HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE RESOLVED OUR ALIENATION FROM GOD AND NOW WE ARE ABLE TO APPROACH HIM ANY TIME, ANY DAY THROUGH OUR LITURGICAL SERVICES AND FAITHFUL PRACTISES.

Christ assumes and fulfils the Old Covenant Priesthood just like Melchizedek because ä HE IS BOTH PRIEST AND KING.

ä HE HAS NO SIN,

ä HIS DIVINE SACRIFICE IS OF HIMSELF AND

ä HIS PERFECT PRIESTHOOD CONTINUES IN THE CHURCH TO THIS DAY. IT IS ETERNAL!

The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 9: 17 - 31 OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TELOUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TELOUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TELOUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TELLS US THAT FASTING & PRAYER ARE ESSENTIAL TO SPIRITUAL LIFELS US THAT FASTING & PRAYER ARE ESSENTIAL TO SPIRITUAL LIFELS US THAT FASTING & PRAYER ARE ESSENTIAL TO SPIRITUAL LIFELS US THAT FASTING & PRAYER ARE ESSENTIAL TO SPIRITUAL LIFE

At that time, a man came to Jesus, kneeling and saying: “Teacher, I brought Thee my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to

Thy Disciples, so that they should cast it out, but they could not.”

He answered him and said: “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring Him to Me.”

Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell upon the ground

and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. So He asked his father:“How long has this been happening to him?” And he

said: “From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if Thou

can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him: “If thou can believe, all things are possible to

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him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears: “Lord, I believe! Help my

unbelief!”

When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit,

I command thee, come out of him and enter him no more!” Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and

came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said: “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand and

lifted him up, and he arose.

And when He had come into the house, His Disciples asked Him privately: “Why could we not cast it out?” So He said to

them: “This kind can come out by nothing but Prayer and Fasting.”

Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is loyal to His own people and seeing His Disciples arguing with the cynical Scribes, He questioned the Scribes, not His Disciples, as to what the discussion was about.

He wished the Scribes to explain their faithlessness. ] THE TERM “FAITHLESS GENERATION” APPLIES TO ALL

WHO DOUBT GOD’S MIRACLES PERFORMED THROUGH HIS SERVANTS OR DIRECTLY BY GOD HIMSELF.

The father’s comment: “… if Thou can do anything…” was prompted by Christ’s Disciples’ inability to cast out the demon.

Whatever Christ’s Disciples could or could not do reflected upon our Lord Himself because the people expected His Disciples to have Strength of Faith through Christ.

IF WE IDENTIFY OURSELVES WITH CHRIST – BY CALLING OURSELVES “CHRISTIANS” – WE MUST BE VERY CAREFUL TO LIVE IN CLOSE IMITATION OF CHRIST AT ALL TIMES - TO BE GOOD MODELS FOR OTHERS TO RESPECT AND IMITATE IN TURN.

] WE MUST ALWAYS BE A CREDIT TO OUR LORD THROUGH EVERY WORD, THOUGHT AND DEED!

“ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE” BECAUSE OF GOD’S POWER THAT IS RELEASED THROUGH FAITH.

Our Lord Jesus Christ sought to elicit faith from the child’s father by saying to him and to each of us: If thou can believe…! ä Faith in God is to BELIEVE AND TRUST IN HIM

COMPLETELY, UNCONDITIONALLY AND ABSOLUTELY.

ä Faith in God is to KNOW THAT HE MAKES EVERYTHING POSSIBLE – EVEN THE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE!

ä Faith in God is to HAVE NO FEAR OR WORRY. ä Faith in God gives us SERENITY AND PEACE.

] THE PRESENCE OF DOUBT DOES NOT IMPLY THE ABSENCE OF FAITH. CHRIST HONOURS WHATEVER FAITH WE DO HAVE AND HE WILL INCREASE THAT FAITH WHEN WE SINCERELY DESIRE HIM!

Our Faith deepens and grows more intense as we develop a healthy Spiritual Relationship with God through daily worship and practises.

] PRAYER AND FASTING ARE ESSENTIAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE LIFE OF FAITH.

The inclusion of the words “and Fasting” is quite appropriate, although a number of ancient manuscripts lack it.

] PRAYER IS A CONSTANT NECESSITY. IT IS AS IMPORTANT AS BREATHING – IT KEEPS US ALIVE.

] FASTING TAKES CONSCIOUS EFFORT AND SHOULD MAKE US AWARE OF OUR THOUGHTS, OUR WORDS AND OUR

ACTIONS. Therefore with prayer and fasting, WE BECOME SPIRITUALLY STRONGER, WATCHFUL, ALERT

AND REPENTANT, resulting in an improvement of our relationship with God and our fellow human beings.

They passed through Galilee quietly because Christ “did not want anyone to know it” so that He could spend some private time with His Disciples whom He needed to instruct and teach.

The verbal Instructions and Teachings of Christ have been carefully preserved and passed down to us through the Holy Fathers and especially through the Apostolic Tradition.

In other words, NOT EVERYTHING WAS WRITTEN INTO HOLY SCRIPTURE - MUCH MORE DIVINE REVELATION AND KNOWLEDGE WAS TAUGHT BY CHRIST DIRECTLY TO HIS APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES WHO THEN TAUGHT IT CAREFULLY TO OTHERS.

] This is why IT IS ESSENTIAL TO KEEP HOLY TRADITION AND TEACHING PURE AND NOT TO INSTIL OUR OWN THOUGHTS AND INTERPRETATIONS UPON GOD’S TRUTH.

THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS EVIDENT IN THE WRITINGS OF OUR HOLY OLD TESTAMENT AND CHURCH FATHERS BECAUSE GOD’S TRUTH REMAINS INTACT AND TRUTHFUL, NO MATTER WHEN IT WAS WRITTEN.

GOD’S TRUTH BEING ABSOLUTELY PERFECT, IS TIMELESS AND

AGELESS, whereas man’s opinion, being imperfect and faulty, changes according to each one’s ideas and according to the popular beliefs, practises and customs of the era.

GOD TRUTH ENDURES FOREVER AND IS APPLICABLE TO ALL NATIONS THROUGHOUT THE AGES.

GOD’S TRUTH BEING PERFECT NEVER CHANGES OR REQUIRES

IMPROVEMENT. The least bit of alteration to God’s Divine Truth makes it imperfect and therefore it becomes man’s flawed opinion.

For this exact reason, Christ, when questioned by Pontius Pilate, asked the question “What is truth?” Because He knew that in reality, THERE IS ONLY GOD’S TRUTH and not the millions of different opinions and ideas of mankind that draw us away from God through our egoism and selfishness.

The Fourth Sunday of Lent: The Healing of the Epileptic Son What leaps out at me when I read today’s Sacred Lesson

in its Lenten context were the words: “...Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said: “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand

and lifted him up, and he arose.”

Can you see THE IMAGERY OF THE RESURRECTION? OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TOOK HOLD OF THE SON’S HAND

JUST AS HE TOOK HOLD OF ADAM AND EVE BY THE HAND AND RAISED THEM UP FROM THE IMPRISONMENT OF HADES.

This Sacred Lessons teaches us that THE DEATH AND

RESURRECTION OF OUR SAVIOUR WAS not merely a

“religious story,” but rather, it is A SPIRITUAL REALITY THAT IS ACTIVE IN THE DAILY LIVES OF ALL WHO HAVE UNITED THEMSELVES TO CHRIST OUR GOD.

Today’s Sacred Lesson follows last Sunday’s Gospel of

the Holy Cross, when OUR LORD JESUS COMMANDED THOSE WHO WOULD FOLLOW HIM TO DENY THEMSELVES AND TO TAKE UP THEIR PERSONAL CROSS IN ORDER TO FIND THEMSELVES AND TRULY LIVE!

Christ told His perplexed Disciples that CERTAIN KINDS

OF EVIL SPIRITS “... CANNOT BE CAST OUR EXCEPT BY PRAYER AND FASTING.”

When we recall His Commandment to take up our cross

in order to follow Him, it becomes much clearer and

obvious that PRAYER AND FASTING IS HOW WE TAKE

UP OUR CROSS SO THAT WE CAN FOLLOW HIM

FAITHFULLY.

What was the deaf and dumb spirit that could not be

cast out except by taking up our cross or by Prayer

and Fasting? It is THE SPIRIT OF DEATH AND

CORRUPTION!

In biblical terms, TO BE DUMB IS TO BE MORE THAN JUST BEING UNABLE TO SPEAK. IT MEANT BEING UNABLE TO PRAISE THE LORD OUR GOD, AND THIS IS THE SAME AS

BEING DEAD as King David the Psalmist wrote: “The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who do down into silence.”

And, TO BE DEAF, IN BIBLICAL TERMS IS MUCH MORE THAN A LOSS OF HEARING. IT MEANS THAT ONE CANNOT OR WILL NOT HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD; AND THIS IS

THE WAY THAT LEADS TO SPIRITUAL DEATH, as our

Lord said to Israel through His Holy Prophet, Moses:

“Listen, O Israel, to the Statutes and Ordinances that I teach you, so that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your Fathers, has granted you.”

THE WORDS OF GOD ARE COMMANDMENTS UTTERED BY HIS WORD, WHO IS CHRIST BY WHOM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED AND WHOSE FIRST COMMANDMENT WAS “LET THERE BE LIGHT!”

c THE WORDS OF GOD ARE LIFE-CREATING.

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TO BE DEAF TO HIS DIVINE WORDS – TO HEAR HIS DIVINE COMMANDMENTS BUT NOT TO KEEP (OBEY) THEM IS TO RENOUNCE SPIRITUAL LIFE AND TO CHOOSE INSTEAD SPIRITUAL DEATH.

Are we human beings then not similar to the Epileptic

son in today’s Holy Gospel Lesson? WE ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAF BECAUSE WE DO NOT HEAR OR

KEEP THE DIVINE COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST; AND SPIRITUALLY DUMB BECAUSE WE SING OUR OWN PRAISES BUT NOT THE PRAISES OF GOD?

WE HEAR WHATEVER WE CHOOSE OR WANT TO HEAR; we

listen to words spoken by those we love, like or

desire.

WE SPEAK WORDS OF PRAISE TO THOSE WE LIKE AND WHATEVER WE LIKE OR LOVE, WE LIVE FOR.

If the fallen world chooses not to hear the Word of God

nor to observe it, and if it does not praise the Lord

our God, it is because THE FALLEN WORLD DOES NOT LOVE GOD!

We are possessed by a deaf and dumb spirit. WE ARE POSSESSED BY DEATH FOR WE ARE SPIRITUALLY

DEAD, even though we live on this side of our tomb.

And BECAUSE WE ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD, WE HAVE NO

STRENGTH AND NO POWER TO IDENTIFY, LOCATE OR

CAST OUT THE SPIRIT OF DEATH THAT POSSESSES US.

WHEN WE PRACTISE THE LENTEN DISCIPLINES OF PRAYER

AND FASTING, we do much more than simply “...give

something up for Lent,” as though God were a

whimsical God Who is not happy unless we are

unhappy.

We take up our personal cross eagerly and willingly and WE THEREBY UNITE OURSELVES WITH THE CROSS OF OUR MOST BELOVED CHRIST WHEREBY THE HORDES OF DEMONS ARE DRIVEN BACK AND REPELLED, THE TYRANNY OF THE EVIL ONE IS DESTROYED, AND BY WHICH WE ARE GRANTED SPIRITUAL STRENGTH THAT ENABLES US TO BE VICTORIOUS OVER OUR INVISIBLE

ENEMIES – those dark spirits that make every effort

to alienate and separate us from God and to lead us

to Spiritual Destruction and Death. c THE OBJECTIVE OF PRAYER AND FASTING IS TO UNITE

OURSELVES TO THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF

CHRIST by which He casts out the deaf and dumb

spirit of death that possesses us. c THROUGH PRAYER WE SPEAK DIVINE WORDS TO GOD;

THROUGH FASTING WE RENOUNCE DECEPTIVE WORDS AND TEMPTATIONS OF THE FALLEN WORLD.

c THROUGH ALMSGIVING WE HEED THE COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR.

WHEN WE DIRECT OUR WILL TO CHOOSE THE CROSS OF

CHRIST over the indolent (idle) comforts of physical

pleasures, WE STRETCH OUT OUR ARMS TO OUR

SAVIOUR SO THAT HE CAN TAKE US BY THE HAND AND RAISE US UP FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH TO SPIRITUAL LIFE IN THE GLORY OF HIS HOLY RESURRECTION.

Taking up our cross i.e. the Ascetic Disciplines of Prayer,

Fasting and Charitable Deeds, we become like the

Holy Myrrh6bearers who prepared spices and

ointments with which to anoint the Body of Christ in

His Tomb.

Together with them WE MAY THEN DRAW NEAR TO THE

STILLNESS OF CHRIST’S EMPTY TOMB – to arrive at the

Midnight Hour of Holy Pascha and to discover that

the heavy stone has been rolled away. c SPACE AND TIME OPENS INTO PARADISE IN THE

RESURRECTION of the Bridegroom (Christ) Who

comes at Midnight when THE OLD WORLD PASSES AWAY AND THE NEW WORLD DAWNS AT THE START

OF THE EIGHTH DAY – THE DAY THAT KNOWS NO EVENING BECAUSE IT IS THE DAY OF RESURRECTION!

It is THE HOLY PASCHA OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO HAS DESTROYED DEATH BY HIS OWN DEATH AND WHO HAS GRANTED LIFE TO THOSE IN THE TOMBS.

(THIS IS ALSO A REFERENCE TO THE SPIRITUALLY DEAD – THE UNREPENTANT SINNERS –

AND NOT ONLY THOSE WHO REST IN PEACE AS REPENTANT SINNERS – THOSE WHO

ENJOY SPIRITUAL LIFE IN CHRIST.)

Christ our Lord and Saviour has cast out the deaf and

dumb spirit of death and raised up Adam who had

fallen from Divine Grace. (CHRIST RAISED UP AND SET FREE ALL

MANKIND FROM OUR FALL FROM DIVINE GRACE AND THE CONSEQUENT

IMPRISONMENT AND EXILE OF SIN.)

When we take up the Ascetic Disciplines of Great Lent,

we also take up our cross and become like the

distraught father of the Epileptic Son – WE PRESENT OUR WEAK AND AILING SOUL AND BODY TO THE RISEN BRIDEGROOM, OUR SAVIOUR, IN THE HOPE AND ANTICIPATION OF DELIVERANCE FROM THE SPIRIT OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION – CONFIDENT THAT HE WILL RESTORE US TO OUR FORMER STATE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT OF HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION.

In this hope and expectation, let us ENCOURAGE ONE

ANOTHER TO COMPLETE THE COURSE OF THE FAST.

Let us help and encourage one another to KEEP THE

SPIRIT OF THE FAST BY PRACTISING LOVE [CHARITY OR AGAPE]

towards one another, SO THAT OUR SPIRITUAL

HEARING MAY BE OPENED AND RECEPTIVE TO THE WORD OF THE HOLY GOSPEL PROCLAIMED AT HOLY

PASCHA: “Christ is Risen!” WE WILL WITNESS WITH OUR SPIRITUAL SIGHT THE TRUE

SPLENDOUR OF CHRIST’S GREAT BEAUTY AND WE WILL BE OVERWHELMED BY OUR LOVE OF GOD, SPONTANEOUSLY PRAISING, BY THE POWER OF HIS

DIVINE GRACE, HIM WHO DESTROYED DEATH BY HIS DEATH, AND WHO RAISED US FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH TO SPIRITUAL LIFE – ETERNAL LIFE - IN THE LOVE OF GOD THE FATHER AND THE COMMUNION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Amen.

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT” BY REVEREND PAUL WESCHE, ST

HERMAN’S ORTHODOX CHURCH, MINNEAPOLIS, USA: www.sthermansmpls.org

Sunday of St John of the Ladder of Divine Ascent More than once, Brethren, the fact has been mentioned

that on each Sunday in the Great Fast (i.e. Great Lent)

there are other commemorations besides that of the

Resurrection.

Thus, on this day, the Church glorifies the Righteous St

John Klimakos (of the Ladder), one of the greatest

Ascetics of whom the Holy Church, when referring to

them, called them "earthly Angels” and “Heavenly men."

These great Ascetics were extraordinary people.

They commanded the elements; wild beasts willingly and

readily obeyed them. For them, there were no

maladies they could not cure.

They walked on the waters as on dry land; all the

elements of the world were subject to them, because THEY LIVED IN GOD AND HAD THE POWER OF DIVINE

GRACE TO OVERCOME THE LAWS OF TERRESTRIAL NATURE.

One such Ascetic was St John of the Ladder.

He was surnamed "of the Ladder" (Klimakos) because he

wrote an immortal work: “The Ladder of Divine Ascent."

In this work, he taught how, by means of Thirty Steps,

the Christian gradually ascends from this (fallen)

worldly life to the heights of Supreme Spiritual

Perfection.

One Virtue leads to another, as we rise higher and

higher, one step at a time, until finally, through

enduring great and persistent Spiritual Struggles, by

the Divine Grace of God, we will reach that ultimate

Spiritual Height where the Crown of Virtues,

Christian Love, is awarded to humble, victorious

souls.

St John wrote his enduring Spiritual Work especially for

Monastics, but in the past his "Ladder of Divine

Ascent" was always favourite reading for those who

strove zealously to live piously, even though they

were neither Monks nor Priests.

LIKE ALL DIVINELY INSPIRED TEACHINGS, IT IS A VALUABLE SOURCE OF DIVINE WISDOM AND

TEACHING FOR ALL WHO SEEK GOD’S PERFECT TRUTH. (MP)

Therein St John Klimakos clearly instructs us on how we

may advance from one Spiritual Step to the next.

Always remember, O Christian soul, that this Spiritual

Ascent to such Virtuous Heights is indispensable for

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anyone who genuinely wishes to advance and

improve his or her soul towards Eternal Life in the

Age to come.

A stone that is thrown upwards, ascends until the

moment the propelling force ceases to be effectual.

As long as the propelling force controls the stone, it will

move higher and higher in its ascent, overcoming the

dominant force of earth’s gravity.

But when that activating force is spent, the stone cannot

remain suspended in the air, so it begins to fall,

being pulled downwards due to the physical laws of

terrestrial gravity, and the further it falls, the greater

the speed of its fall.

In our Spiritual Life it is similar, because the continuous

force of Spiritual and Ascetical Labours propels the

faithful Christian gradually Heavenwards.

Our Lord Jesus Christ encouraged us by instructing us: "Strive to enter in through the Narrow Gate,"

thereby meaning that every faithful Disciple of Christ

ought to live as much as possible like the Ascetics.

We must constantly take strive to improve and develop

our immortal souls by controlling the demands of

our flesh – our human body.

We must constantly direct ourselves along the Christian

Path, which was laid out for us by our Lord Jesus,

and we must perpetually purge our soul of all filth

and impurity through a daily self6examination 6

Spiritual Watchfulness 6 that leads us to continuous

Repentance and Confession.

Nevertheless: WHEN AUTHENTIC DISCIPLES OF CHRIST WHO ARE TRYING TO ASCEND HEAVENWARDS UPON THIS LADDER OF SPIRITUAL PERFECTION THROUGH PERSONAL STRUGGLES AND ASCETIC LABOURS, CEASE OUR DAILY LABORS AND ASCETIC TOIL, OUR SOULS WILL NOT REMAIN IN A BLESSED CONDITION BUT, LIKE THE STONE, WILL RAPIDLY PLUNGE DOWNWARDS UNTIL, FINALLY, IF WE DO NOT COME TO OUR SENSES IMMEDIATELY, IT WILL CAST US DOWN INTO THE VERY ABYSS OF HELL!

Most of us all too easily choose to ignore or we forget

that THE PATH OF CHRISTIANITY IS INDEED AN ASCETICAL LABOUR.

Last Sunday, we heard how our Lord Jesus Christ most

emphatically declared: "HE WHO WOULD COME AFTER ME: LET HIM TAKE UP HIS CROSS, DENY HIMSELF, AND FOLLOW ME."

Therefore, WE MUST BE THOSE WHO TAKE UP OUR PERSONAL CROSSES - AND OUR LIVES, LIKEWISE, MUST BE ASCETIC LABOURS OF BEARING THOSE CROSSES, WHICH ARE UNIQUE FOR EACH SOUL.

The outward circumstance of our life – whether we are

Monks, Priests or laity6 is of no consequence.

If we do not force ourselves to strive Heavenwards, then,

most definitely we will fall all the more lower and

lower into the deepest, most terrible pits of Spiritual

Death, unless we acknowledge our downfall and

immediately return to God through sincere

Repentance.

The evil one confuses our thoughts and deceives us with

his deadly, poisoned darts.

SATAN ALWAYS BAITS HIS TOXIC HOOKS WITH A MINISCULE DROP OF TRUTH, WHICH, AS

SOON AS WE ACCEPT IT, WILL DRAG US FURTHER TOWARDS ETERNAL CONDEMNATION

AND PERMANENT SPIRITUAL EXILE! (MP)

For example, when a Priest visited a family during a Fast

and they most cordially offered him Fasting Food (i.e.

food prepared according to the Rules of Fasting), yet

felt obliged to point out to him: "For YOU, Father,

Fasting Food, of course!" but then they proceeded to

enjoy themselves with non6Fasting fare!

One of our Holy Hierarchs responded to a similar

incident: "Yes, I am certainly Orthodox Christian! But WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION NOT TO KEEP THE

FASTS?"

c ALL THE FASTS OF THE HOLY CHURCH - ALL THE ORDINANCES - ARE MANDATORY FOR EVERY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN.

Such devout Ascetics as St John of the Ladder, and those

like him, Fasted much more rigorously than the

Church prescribes; but this was a matter of their own

Spiritual Ardour 6their personal Ascetic Labour. c OUR HOLY CHURCH DOES NOT EXPECT OR REQUIRE THE

SAME SPIRITUAL STRENGTH AND DEDICATION OF EVERYONE, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME SPIRITUAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES.

EACH ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MAKES THEIR OWN PERSONAL JOURNEY IN CHRIST TOWARDS

ETERNAL LIFE AND HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM – IN HUMBLE OBEDIENCE TO ALL HIS

COMMANDMENTS (HOLY SCRIPTURE) AND TEACHINGS (VERBAL TEACHINGS OF CHRIST

TAUGHT TO US BY TRUE APOSTOLIC TRADITION).

HOWEVER, WE STRIVE AND JOURNEY TOGETHER BUT ACCORDING TO OUR OWN PERSONAL

STRENGTH AND ABILITY. THUS THE SPIRITUALLY STRONGER AND MORE EXPERIENCED

GUIDE, ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST THE SPIRITUALLY WEAKER AND IMMATURE

CHRISTIANS ALONG GOD’S DIVINE PATH. (MP)

Nevertheless: OUR HOLY CHURCH DOES REQUIRE OF EVERY ORTHODOX THE KEEPING OF THOSE FASTS THAT SHE HAS ESTABLISHED.

A mother who was concerned about how she might

arrange the best possible Marriage for her young

daughter consulted St Seraphim of Sarov for his wise

advice and he responded: "BEFORE ALL ELSE, ENSURE THAT HE, WHOM YOUR DAUGHTER CHOOSES AS HER COMPANION FOR LIFE, KEEPS THE FASTS. IF HE DOES NOT, THEN HE IS NOT A CHRISTIAN, WHATEVER HE MAY CONSIDER HIMSELF TO BE."

Take careful note of HOW ST SERAPHIM OF SAROV SPOKE

OF THE FASTS: ONE OF OUR GREATEST SAINTS 6 far

better than we 6 KNEW EXACTLY WHAT ORTHODOXY TRULY IS!

Let us REMEMBER THIS.

St John Klimakos precisely described the Ladder of

Spiritual Ascent so let us not forget that EACH OF US,

AS FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS, MUST STRUGGLE DAILY TO ASCEND RUNG BY RUNG HEAVENWARDS!

Although the great Ascetics ascended like swiftly6flying

eagles, WE ONLY MIGHT MERELY ASCEND ONE RUNG

ALONE!!

In view of that, let us never forget: UNLESS WE EMPLOY

EVERY EFFORT TO CORRECT OURSELVES AND LIVE IN CHRIST, WE SHALL CEASE OUR SPIRITUAL ASCENSION AND, MOST ASSUREDLY, WE SHALL FALL VERY QUICKLY,

being dragged by the waiting, persistent, hate6filled

demons into the terrible Abyss of permanent Outer

Darkness – the most extreme distance from God’s

Divine and Loving Light! ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “SUNDAY OF ST JOHN OF THE LADDER OF DIVINE ASCENT” BY

REVEREND MICHALE MARCINOWSKI: ST PHILARET ORTHODOX MISSION CHAPEL,

CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS USA: www.saintphilaret.org

St John Klimakos: On Repentance

c Repentance is the Renewal of Baptism.

Repentance is a Contract with God for a Second Life. A Penitent is a buyer of Humility. Repentance is constant distrust of bodily comfort. Repentance is the daughter of Hope and the Renunciation

of despair. A Penitent is an undisgraced convict. Repentance is Reconciliation with our Lord by the practice

of Good Deeds that are contrary to our sins. Repentance is the Purification of our Conscience. Repentance is the voluntary Endurance of all Spiritual

Afflictions. A Penitent is the inflict of his own punishments. Repentance is a mighty persecution of the stomach, and a

striking of our soul into vigorous Awareness!

c It is impossible for us who have fallen into the Pit of

Iniquities to ever be drawn out of it unless we sink into the Abyss of the Humility of the Repentant!

c Do not be surprised that you fall every day; do not give up,

but stand your ground courageously. And assuredly, the Angel who guards you will honour your Patience.

While a wound is still fresh and warm, it is easy to heal; but old, neglected and festering wounds are difficult to cure, and require for much treatment, cutting, plastering and cauterization.

Many Spiritual Wounds from long neglect become incurable, but with God all things are indeed possible!

(PPPPAAAARRRRTTTTLLLLYYYY SSSSPPPPOOOONNNNSSSSOOOORRRREEEEDDDD BBBBYYYY DDDDOOOONNNNAAAATTTTIIIIOOOONNNNSSSS)))) 5555TTTTHHHH SSSSUUUUNNNNDDDDAAAAYYYY OOOOFFFF GGGGRRRREEEEAAAATTTT LLLLEEEENNNNTTTT –––– SSSSTTTT MMMMAAAARRRRYYYY OOOOFFFF EEEEGGGGYYYYPPPPTTTT 22221111 MMMMAAAARRRRCCCCHHHH 2222000011110000 11

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND EVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES. AMEN.

REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARIA, BIRTH GIVER OF GOD, YET EVER VIRGIN, TOGETHER WITH ALL

THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.

5th Sunday of Great Lent Tone (8) Plagal 4 21 March 2010 Sunday of St Mary of Egypt:

Feast of St James the Confessor of Studium; St Thomas 1, Patriarch of Constantinople

APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION OF THE RESURRECTION –––– TONE (8) PLAGAL 4TONE (8) PLAGAL 4TONE (8) PLAGAL 4TONE (8) PLAGAL 4

Ex ipsous katilthes O evsplaghnos, tafin katedexo triimeron, ina imas elevtherosis ton pathon. I Zoi ke i

Anastasis imon, Kyrie, > Doxa Si!

Thou descended from on High, O Tender6hearted One; Thou endured the three6days’ burial, so that Thou

might free us from our passions, O our Life and

Resurrection: > Glory to Thee! APOLYTIKION OF ST MARY OF EGYPT APOLYTIKION OF ST MARY OF EGYPT APOLYTIKION OF ST MARY OF EGYPT APOLYTIKION OF ST MARY OF EGYPT ---- TONE (8) PLAGAL 4TONE (8) PLAGAL 4TONE (8) PLAGAL 4TONE (8) PLAGAL 4

KONTAKION OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOSKONTAKION OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOSKONTAKION OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOSKONTAKION OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS

Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton Pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, ke spefson

is ikesian, i Prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton timonton Se.

O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading

voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the

Help of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed

up Thine Intercession, and press on Thy Supplication,

O Theotokos who always Protects all those who honour

Thee!

Resurrection Gospel 8: John 20:11-18 OUR RISEN LORD JESUS SPEAKS TO ST MARY MAGDALENE

PROKEIMENON: Pray to the Lord our God and render thanks to Him! God is known in Judea; His Name is Great in Israel!

St Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews 9 : 11 – 14 ST PAUL EXPLAINS THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY AND THE DIVINE LITURGYST PAUL EXPLAINS THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY AND THE DIVINE LITURGYST PAUL EXPLAINS THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY AND THE DIVINE LITURGYST PAUL EXPLAINS THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY AND THE DIVINE LITURGY

Brethren: Christ came as High Priest of the Good Things to come, with the greater and more Perfect Tabernacle, not made

with hands, that is: not of this Creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own Blood He entered the

Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained Eternal Redemption. For, if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of

a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, Sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the Blood of Christ Who, through the Eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?

In constrast to the Old Testament High Priests, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ is the One and Only, Most Perfect High Priest of the New Covenant/Testament with God.

Our Lord Jesus entered the Heavenly Sanctuary, as both the High Priest (Who offers the Most Important Sacrifice) and as the actual Blood Sacrifice Himself.

This He did only once but His Blood Sacrifice fulfilled any further necessity for any other Blood Sacrifices offered for the Forgiveness of our sins.

c HIS SACRIFICE IS ETERNAL – IT IS FOR EVERY HUMAN BEING FOR ALL TIME FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

HIS ALL PURE SINLESS BODY WAS THE ULTIMATE BLOOD SACRIFICE THAT HAS HEALED OUR CORRUPT HUMANITY AND RESTORED OUR UNIQUE AND PROPER RELATIONSHIP TO GOD.

HIS PRECIOUS BLOOD HAS WASHED OUR SOULS CLEAN FROM THEIR INHERITED CORRUPTION.

c CONSEQUENTLY, IT IS NOW POSSIBLE FOR US - THROUGH OUR CONTINUOUS REPENTANCE AND WATCHFULNESS - TO KEEP OUR CONSCIENCES PURE AND HOLY, MAKING US WORTHY CITIZENS OF HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM.

Our dead works are all those useless, wasted activities and attitudes in and of this age.

Dead works are all those things that do not benefit ourselves or others either in this temporary life or in Eternity – our WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS THAT CAUSE US TO

STUMBLE AND FALL along the journey of life and which PREVENT US FROM MAKING ANY SPIRITUAL PROGRESS.

c LITURGICAL DEAD WORKS ARE THE ACTIONS OF ANY OLD COVENANT WORSHIP OR PRACTISE.

The reference to the “Eternal Spirit” is proof that THE HOLY SPIRIT IS FULLY AND COMPLETELY GOD.

The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 10 : 32 – 45 OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST REVEALS HIS THIRD PROPHECY OF HIS APPROACHING GREAT PASSION TO HIS FAITHFUL APOOUR LORD JESUS CHRIST REVEALS HIS THIRD PROPHECY OF HIS APPROACHING GREAT PASSION TO HIS FAITHFUL APOOUR LORD JESUS CHRIST REVEALS HIS THIRD PROPHECY OF HIS APPROACHING GREAT PASSION TO HIS FAITHFUL APOOUR LORD JESUS CHRIST REVEALS HIS THIRD PROPHECY OF HIS APPROACHING GREAT PASSION TO HIS FAITHFUL APOSTLESSTLESSTLESSTLES

At that time, they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And

as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the Twelve aside again, and began to tell them the things that would

happen to Him: “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the Chief Priests and to the Scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. But on the third day He will Rise again.”

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, went to Him, saying: “Teacher, we want Thee to do for us whatever we ask.”

And He asked them: “What do you want Me to do for you?” So they said to Him: “Grant us that we may sit, one on Thy

right hand, and the other on Thy left, in Thy Glory.”

However, Jesus said to them: “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the Cup that I drink, and be Baptised with the Baptism that I Am Baptised with?”

They said to Him: “We are able.”

En Si Miter akrivos diesothi to kat’ ikona; lavousa gar ton Stavron, ikolouthiasas to Hriste, ke prattousa edidaskes, iperoran men sarkos, parerhete gar; epimilisthe de psihis, pragmatos athanatou; dio ke meta Angelo sinagallete, Osia Maria, to pnevma Sou.

In Thee, O Mother, was preserved, intact what was in God’s Image; for after taking up the Cross, Thou followed

Christ our Lord, and by Thy actions Thou taught us to

overlook the flesh, for it perishes and to care for the

soul, which is Immortal; wherefore, O Holy Mary, Thy

spirit rejoices, along with the Angels.

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So Jesus said to them: “You will indeed drink the Cup that I drink, and with the Baptism that I Am Baptised with, you will be Baptised; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, for it is for those for whom it is prepared.”

And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Himself and

said to them: “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His Life as a Ransom for many.”

In this passage, our Lord Jesus gave a more detailed disclosure concerning the forthcoming Events of His terrible Passion and Glorious Resurrection, including His being handed over to the Gentiles – the Romans. - by the Hebrews

c Of course, ALL CHRIST’S DIVINE PREDICTIONS ARE

FULFILLED. Our Lord Jesus warned His Apostles that they did not realise

exactly what they were asking Him for because HE DID NOT PROMISE ANYONE A VISIBLE KINGDOM ON EARTH NOR AN IMMEDIATE VICTORIOUS AND GLORIOUS CONSUMMATION.

Instead HE ALWAYS WARNED THEM OF THE TOILS, THE STRUGGLES, THE CONFLICTS AND THE SUFFERING THAT THEY WERE TO ENDURE FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR CHRISTIAN FAITH.

The “Cup” and the “Baptism” of which our Lord Jesus spoke were references to the tremendous Suffering and then Death that first He and then in the ensuing centuries all His Holy Martyrs were to experience.

Nevertheless, HIS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES, WHO WERE STILL SPIRITUALLY IGNORANT, DID NOT GRASP THE REALITY

AND TRUTH OF HIS WORDS OF WARNING but they soon experienced everything He told them – in the Reality of the Persecutions and the Holy Eucharist as well as our Spiritual Death and Resurrection we all experience in the Sacrament or Mystery of Holy Baptism.

c THE PLACES OF HONOUR IN THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ARE BESTOWED BY OUR HEAVENLY FATHER UPON SPECIFIC, SANCTIFIED AND WORTHY SOULS.

Even before the Creation, Almighty God knew exactly what free choices we would each make and where we will spend Eternity.

Therefore, He prepared the Most Honoured Places for those who are absolutely exemplary and for that reason, our Lord Jesus Christ could not promise those Places of Honour to anyone else.

God Loves each and every one of His creatures but HUMAN BEINGS ARE HIS MOST BELOVED. [THAT IS WHY SATAN & HIS DEMONS

HATE US SO OBSESSIVELY!]

c THE CHOICES WE FREELY MAKE IN LIFE WILL DECIDE WHERE WE SPEND ETERNITY AFTER THIS VERY BRIEF, TEMPORARY EXISTENCE.

c THE CLOSER OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD IN THIS LIFE, THE BETTER OUR CHANCES ARE TO BE CLOSE TO HIM IN ETERNITY.

c EVERY EFFORT WE MAKE ACCORDING TO OUR LOVE OF GOD AND OUR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE OF OUR FELLOW SINNERS, WILL CERTAINLY DETERMINE OUR ETERNAL DESTINATION.

Service is characteristic of True Greatness and our Perfect Model to imitate is our Lord Jesus Christ for – as Incarnate God - He is the Perfect Man and Servant of God and mankind.

c THE RANSOM THAT CHRIST PAID FOR US CONCERNS OUR RELEASE FROM THE PERMANENT BONDAGE AND DEATH OF SIN.

The insurmountable cost of that Great Ransom that can never ever be repaid by us, was His terrible Suffering – the indescribable cruelty of the scourgings, the mocking, the spitting and public humiliation of being stripped naked, and finally, after being excruciatingly nailed through His Ankles and Wrists upon the cross, the slow suffocation and drowning in fluids accumulated in the lungs!!!

VERY LITTLE THOUGHT IS GIVEN TO EXACTLY WHAT OUR MOST INNOCENT AND PURE LORD

SUFFERED DURING HIS INDESCRIBABLY PASSION – THE PUBLIC CONDEMNATION,

TORTURE AND EXECUTION THAT BROKE EVERY LAW KNOWN TO MANKIND!

THE SCOURGING ALONE COULD HAVE KILLED ANY NORMAL PERSON – FOR IT WAS

DELIVERED OVER AND BEYOND THE ALLOWABLE LIMITS, AND THE INTERNAL, NOT TO

MENTION THE EXTERNAL, INJURIES WERE UTTERLY APPALLING!

NEVERTHELSS, THE SON OF GOD DECIDED THE EXACT TIME THAT HE WOULD DIETHE SON OF GOD DECIDED THE EXACT TIME THAT HE WOULD DIETHE SON OF GOD DECIDED THE EXACT TIME THAT HE WOULD DIETHE SON OF GOD DECIDED THE EXACT TIME THAT HE WOULD DIE – IT WAS

NOT DEPENDENT UPON THE CRUEL TORTURES OF WICKED MEN OR DEMONS!

CHRIST COULD NOT HAVE ENTERED HADES AND SET THE RIGHTEOUS AND REPENTANT

SOULS FREE FROM SATAN’S BONDAGE UNLESS HE DID HE DID HE DID HE DID SO IN HIS HUMAN STATESO IN HIS HUMAN STATESO IN HIS HUMAN STATESO IN HIS HUMAN STATE.

THEN ONCE HE GAINED ENTRY HE SMASHED OPEN THE GATES OF HADES AND ALLOWED HE SMASHED OPEN THE GATES OF HADES AND ALLOWED HE SMASHED OPEN THE GATES OF HADES AND ALLOWED HE SMASHED OPEN THE GATES OF HADES AND ALLOWED

THE GOOD SOULS TO PROCEED TO PARADISETHE GOOD SOULS TO PROCEED TO PARADISETHE GOOD SOULS TO PROCEED TO PARADISETHE GOOD SOULS TO PROCEED TO PARADISE WHERE THEY PEACEFULLY AND REPOSE

UNTIL THE GENERAL RESURRECTION AND JUDGEMENT OF ALL CREATION.

THESE ARE THE TRUE FACTS WHICH WE CONTEMPLATE THROUGHOUT HOLY WEEK AND

FINALLY CELEBRATE MOST JOYFULLY ON HOLY PASCHA AND EVERY SUNDAY.

St Mary of Egypt“O Lord, open Thou my lips. and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise"

Today, the Fifth Sunday in Lent, commemorates St Mary

of Egypt whose story has been referred to as being

"...an icon in words of the Theological Truth of

Repentance." (SISTER BCNEDICTA WARD).

We have heard this story many times. It is a simple one:

the sinful woman becomes the penitent, and the least

worthy is revealed as God's Chosen Treasure.

It offers us familiar words about the Power of Faith, and

familiar inspiration in the heroic actions of St Mary

of Egypt herself.

But it is, above all, a disturbing story because it haunts

us far more often than it comforts us.

Let us therefore explore where the heart of this story

lies, and why it is given to us especially to remember

on this Fifth Sunday of Great Lent each year.

Three Stories 1. The Life of St Mary of Egypt:

The Life of St Mary of Egypt is really three separate

stories: St Mary's Life, St Zosimas the Hieromonk1,

and their combined Spiritual Experience.

St Mary's story was related by her to St Zosimas the

Hieromonk when he found her wandering about in

the desert.

She had been a wanton harlot since her early youth when

she was driven not by the desire or need of money,

but "..out of insatiable desire" of the flesh.

One day she saw the crowds of Pilgrims preparing to go

to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation

1 A HIEROMONK IS A MONK WHO HAS BEEN ORDAINED INTO THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD.

of the Holy Cross and because it sounded like “fun”

to her, she decided to accompany them.

She blatantly informed her fellow6travellers: "I have a body that will serve as both fare and food for me!"

So she boarded the ship together with all the others and

the trip was an eventful one, as Mary indulged

herself in the outer limits of lust and passion with

her willing companions. She “…even managed to

tempt those who were not so willing,” she admitted to

St Zosimas.

In Jerusalem, on the day of the Feast, Mary set off with

the pious Pilgrims for the Holy Church of the

Resurrection, being drawn along by the energy of

the crowds who hoped to venerate the True Cross.

However, something mysterious and life6changing

occurred at the doors of the Holy Church: at the

threshold, Mary was driven back "by some kind of

force,” and no matter how hard she tried she could

not enter the Holy Site, while all those around her

went in with no difficulty at all.

Suddenly she understood clearly: it was her own sinful

condition that barred her entrance 6 the depravity of

her life that kept her captive outside the Holy Place.

Praying fervently to the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary, (of

whom she had recently heard so much) with her

heart open and clear, she begged forgiveness and

permission to enter the church.

"A great terror and stupor came over me, and I trembled all over, but when I came to the door. which until then had been closed to me, it was as if all the force that

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had previously prevented me from entering now allowed me to go in.

“So I was admitted without hindrance, and went into the Holy of Holies and I was found worthy to worship the Mystery of the Precious and Life-giving Wood of the Cross.

“Thus, I understood the Promises of God and realized how God receives those who Repent!”

Guided by a Vision of the All Holy and Pure Theotokos,

Mary set off immediately for the desert beyond the

Jordan River, where her Vision informed her, she

would find rest.

On the way, she stopped at a church built on the river

banks. She had washed herself in the Jordan River,

thereby receiving her Baptism, and afterwards she

partook of the Holy Eucharist in that church, all the

while utterly alone.

From there, she went to the desert, being led by the

Vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her New Life in

Christ began.

A powerful story, indeed! Here was a woman of true

courage 6 who had the courage to know herself.

She lived in Perfect Freedom and Perfect Love that few of

us could ever match.

Prior to her Conversion, she had embraced life with her

whole heart, with her whole body, with her whole self

6 with the sheer power of her love for life (not for

money, she had said, but for the love of it).

Once an early Bishop of the Church had seen such a

harlot in Antioch, and had lamented to his Priests: "If

only we would adorn our souls for the Lord with half

the care this woman has shown in adorning herself

for Satan!" (BISHOP NONNOS: FROM THE LIFE OF ST PELAGIA).

Mary knew and understood herself in a manner that few

of us could match. Hers was a life of total honesty, in

the sense of that old adage, "…to thine own self be

true…." and IT WAS IN FACT HER VERY HONESTY THAT

BROUGHT HER TO HER CONVERSION.

Mary had hesitated at the doors of the church 6 the first

time in her life she had ever hesitated before doing

exactly what she desired and at that moment, HER HONESTY ENABLED HER TO SEE BEYOND HERSELF.

And there, BEYOND HERSELF, SHE FOUND GOD. HER CONVERSION WAS IMMEDIATE; BUT SO, TOO, WAS THE

GRACE THAT ANSWERS GENUINE REPENTANCE, FOR IN THAT SINGLE MOMENT MARY WAS BOTH CHANGED IN HERSELF, AND FOUND WORTHY IN THE EYES OF THE LORD.

Her response was entirely in character: WITH PERFECT FREEDOM AND PERFECT LOVE, MARY TURNED THE WHOLE OF HERSELF TO GOD - HER HEART, HER BODY,

HER VERY LIFE.

WITH COURAGE that had once enabled her to lead her life

of sin WITH CLEAR SELF-UNDERSTANDING, SHE NOW LIVED HER LIFE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

The desert became her home, the place where she found

her rest.

Her Conversion and life of solitude were unknown to any

other living being, until AFTER FORTY-EIGHT YEARS, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THE HIEROMONK ST ZOSIMAS FOUND HER.

2. St Zosimas the Hieromonk

St Zosimas' story is, alas, far more akin to our own lives,

for we are all too glad to dissociate ourselves from

the young Mary and her sinfulness.

Here we are, in Church on Sunday, in our ordinariness.

We have our homes and families, our spouses and

children, our work, our Life in the Church and in the

Community. We try to be good Christians, to lead

good lives. Even though we know our weaknesses,

we know (faithfully) that, at least, we have nothing as

spectacular as St Mary's former life of debauchery

for which to repent. [OR SO WE CONVINCE OURSELVES!]

Who among us could truly identify with her story, either

the degree of her wickedness, or the degree of her

Repentance 6 for who among us would drop

everything and turn to a life of ceaseless and solitary

Prayer?

And this is exactly why we are so much like St Zosimas.

St Zosimas was a Priest and a Monk: sincere, devoted,

and earnest. He sought to live a good Christian Life,

and he did.

Since his early childhood he had pursued the Monastic

Vocation, with Piety and Discipline and from early

on had achieved an enviable Sanctity.

It would be difficult to imagine a life more different than

St Mary's former life had been: the life of the

Monastery as opposed to the life of the city streets.

Nevertheless, at the age of 53, St Zosimas came to a

crisis in his life.

He began to be tormented by the idea that he had

attained perfection in everything and needed no

further teaching from others. And so, as he himself

said, he began to wonder if there was anyone “… on earth capable of affording me (Spiritual) Benefit or passing on to me anything new - some kind of Spiritual Achievement of which I either do not know or in which I have not succeeded as a Monk?"

St Zosimas had become A PRISONER TO HIS OWN OPINION

OF HIMSELF. HE BEGAN TO DECEIVE HIMSELF about who

he was, the life he lived and why he lived it in that

way.

c HE DID NOT KNOW HIMSELF HONESTLY, AND SO HE BECAME CAPTIVE TO HIS OWN LIFE.

How far from the freedom with which St Mary had lived,

and loved, and lived again!

However, THE LORD FELT COMPASSION FOR ST ZOSIMAS,

AND SPOKE TO HIM IN A VISION, telling him to go to

the desert beyond the Jordan River, “ …so that you may know how many and varied are the Ways to Salvation.”

St Zosimas set off from the Monastery, fully expecting to

find a great and Holy Monk who would become his

Teacher.

He walked for twenty days into the deepest and most

desolate part of the desert, where no sign of life

could be found until he met St Mary of Egypt.

The encounter was both terrifying and wonderful for

when he first saw her, he could not decide whether

she was an apparition, a demon or an animal, so he

crossed himself repeatedly to protect himself from

the machinations of the devil, until with a jolt of

awareness, he realised she was a woman!

St Mary was naked; her skin was blackened by years of

harsh desert sun; she was emaciated from her

perpetual Fasting: her hair was short and snow white;

and she fled from him as quickly as she could.

St Zosimas knew that there, in that utter wilderness, in

that most strange and frightening creature, HE HAD AT LAST MET SOMETHING HE HAD NEVER BEFORE

KNOWN: THE NAKED POWER AND PRESENCE OF GOD.

And thus ST ZOSIMAS, A GOOD SERVANT OF GOD, FOUND SALVATION AND TRUTH WHERE HE HAD LEAST

EXPECTED IT: IN THE LIFE OF A WOMAN WHO HAD BEEN AS UNASHAMEDLY SINFUL AS HE HAD BEEN EARNEST IN HIS LIFE OF DEVOTION.

Furthermore, ST MARY AND NOT ST ZOIMAS WAS THE ONE

IN WHOM DIVINE GRACE WAS FOUND.

Like the Parable of the Pharisee and Publican, St

Zosimas' story is above all A PLEA FOR HUMILITY IN

OUR LIVES 6 for fighting against the complacency

(both spiritual and social) which is the constant

danger for us as we seek to LIVE THE LIFE OF FAITH. It

reminds us vividly that APPEARANCES AND ACTIONS

DECEIVE, THAT ONLY GOD KNOWS THE INTENTIONS OF

THE HEART, and that THE MOMENT WE THINK WE HAVE

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ACCOMPLISHED TRUE CHRISTIAN LIVING WE HAVE LOST OUR WAY!!

At such moments, THE PENITENT SINNER BECOMES OUR GUIDE AND OUR HOPE.

3. Their Spiritual Experience Together

And so we come to the account of St Mary of Egypt and

St Zosimas together 6 of GIVING GIFTS TO ONE

ANOTHER. FROM THE MOMENT THEY MET, THEIR LIVES WERE FOUND

TO BE REVERSED: ST MARY, THE SINFUL WOMAN, BECAME TEACHER AND GIVER OF GRACE; ST ZOSIMAS, THE VENERABLE PRIEST AND MONK, BECAME DISCIPLE AND SUPPLIANT.

When St Zosimas first found St Mary, she fled from him

while he ran after her, begging for an audience, until

finally, she stopped.

He did not know who she was, and she had never met

him before but, by Divine Inspiration, she knew him

even before he had spoken to her, and addressed

him by name: "Father Zosimas, forgive me."

The Hieromonk was struck with dread: was she an

Angel?

St Mary, for her part, was alarmed because of her

nakedness and modesty, so she begged him to lend

her his cloak so that she could stand before him.

It was not simply that she knew his name: with no word

from him to explain who he was or why he had come,

St Mary knew everything about him, thus she asked

for his Blessing, reminding him that this was his

proper Role and recalling his years of Priestly

Service: “… these words threw St Zosimas into greater dread, and he trembled and was covered with

a sweat of death.”

At last, breathing with difficulty, he said to her: “O Mother in the Spirit, it is plain from this Insight that all your life you have dwelt with God and have nearly died to the world... But since Grace is recognized not by Office but by Gifts of the Spirit, Bless me, for God's Sake, and Pray for me out of

the kindness of your heart." And so St Mary gave the

Blessing.

Eventually, with great difficulty, St Zosimas extracted her

story from her.

He was alternately terrified and wonderstruck as he

watched and listened to her.

SHE KNEW ABOUT HIM 6 about his life as a Hieromonk

and the Monastery in which he lived, and SHE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD IT ALL BETTER THAN HE DID.

WHEN SHE PRAYED SHE LEVITATED and although she had

been completely illiterate and had been neither

taught nor guided in Christianity or Judaism, having

entered the desert as soon as she converted, she

freely and accurately quoted Scriptural passages to

illustrate or explain her Teachings and Life in Christ.

The magnitude of her story that St Zosimas drew out

from her (much against her will) consisted of details

of her former life and her amazing Conversion.

St Zosimas questioned her closely on the difficulties and

struggles of her desert life through all those many

years alone.

St Mary was as utterly honest with him in the telling as

she had been in her living. Not only was she blunt

about her harlotry, she was also poignantly

forthright about her life in the desert: how hard it

had been, the suffering from extreme cold and heat,

hunger and thirst; temptation, longing for company

and comfort; and yet her determination to live out

her Repentance in a manner befitting her sin.

She did not see 6 although St Zosimas could 6 that SHE HAD ATTAINED A DEGREE OF SANCTITY THAT COULD ONLY BE MEASURED BY THE DEGREE OF SINFULNESS SHE

HAD KNOWN. For unlike him, SHE HAD NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SHE KNEW ONLY

THE TRUTH OF GOD, AND HER ABSOLUTE LOVE FOR HIM.

She asked St Zosimas for a special favour because SHE

UNDERSTOOD THAT THE LORD HAD SENT HIM FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE.

SHE ASKED HIM TO RETURN TO HIS MONASTERY WITHOUT TELLING ANYONE ABOUT HER EXISTENCE AND TO RETURN TO HER THE FOLLOWING YEAR ON HOLY THURSDAY, THE NIGHT OF THE LAST SUPPER, SO THAT

SHE MIGHT PARTAKE OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST 6 of

which she had been deprived since her Conversion so

many years before.

Reluctantly, St Zosimas departed from St Mary, having

become her devoted disciple. Her presence and story

had Spiritually Renewed and Inspired him, granting

him the Spiritual Life he had lost in the complacency

of the Monastery.

A year later, he joyfully returned at the appointed time,

yearning for her Holy Presence and as she

approached him by walking on the water in order to

cross the Jordan River, he was awestruck.

He knelt down to reverence her but she reproved him:

“What are you doing, Father Zosimas - you who are a Priest of God and carrying the Holy Mysteries?'

At once he obeyed her and resumed his Priestly Duties

with fumbling fervour. Then, St Mary “… received the

Life6Giving Gifts of the Holy Mystery, groaning and

weeping with her hands held up to Heaven, and

crying out: 'Lord now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word: for my eyes have seen your salvation!’” 2

When they parted company, St Zosimas had promised St

Mary to return again the following year at the same

time.

However when the day arrived, St Zosimas found his

beloved Spiritual Guide reposed in Christ, with her

name and instructions to him written in the sand

beside her body – and so he learnt that she had died

within an hour of receiving Holy Eucharist the

previous year – after the fulfillment of her Hope.

He also learnt for the first time her name: she had signed

herself "Mary the sinner."

Grieving, yet marvelling, St Zosimas buried the Holy

Saint, having been helped to dig the grave in the hard

desert sand by a wild lion that had come to venerate

her Sanctified Body …MUCH TO THE INITIAL TERROR OF ST ZOSIMAS, UNTIL HE WITNESSED THE LION’S SERENE

AND DEVOTED INTENTION AND PURPOSE – AND AFTER ST ZOSIMAS HAD BURIED ST

MARY IT CALMLY WALKED AWAY.

AFTER RETURNING MOURNFULLY TO HIS MONASTERY, ST ZOSIMAS CONFIDED IN HIS

TRUSTED DISCIPLE WHO SUBSEQUENTLY RECORDED THE ENTIRE ACCOUNT OF ST

MARY OF EGYPT FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL FAITHFUL, STRUGGLING CHRISTIANS.

This is an amazing account in which the sinner knew the

heart of the Saintly Monk and in which a humble

woman bestowed Blessings upon the worthy Priest

because he had witnessed and acknowedged that her

own Gifts of the Holy Spirit exceeded the Ranks of

Ecclesiastical Office.

Furthermore it was a wonderful account in which such

SANCTITY WAS FOUND TO A GREATER DEGREE OUTSIDE THE HOLY MONASTERY THAN WITHIN IT AND IN WHICH THE DESERT, THE USUAL PLACE OF DEATH, BECAME INSTEAD THE HOLY PLACE OF LIFE; IN WHICH THE PEACE OF GOD'S KINGDOM WAS RESTORED WHEN THE LION AND THE MAN BECAME PARTNERS IN PIETY AND REVERENCE.

It is such a breathtaking story that it should move and

motivate us accordingly. ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “”ORTHODOXY AND THE WORLD – RUSSIAN ORTHODOX

WEBSITE” – “ ON ST MARY OF EGYPTON ST MARY OF EGYPTON ST MARY OF EGYPTON ST MARY OF EGYPT” BY PROFESSOR SUSAN ASHBROOK HARVY,

Ph.D – APRIL 2009 – www.pravmir.com

2 THESE ARE THE WORDS OF ST SYMEON THE GOD-RECEIVER WHOM GOD KEPT ALIVE FOR

OVER 300 YEARS SO THAT HE WOULD WITNESS THE MESSIAH BORN OF A VIRGIN AS

PROPHESIED SO MANY CENTURIES BEFORE!

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND EVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES.

AMEN.

REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARIA, BIRTH GIVER OF GOD, YET EVER VIRGIN,

TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.

25 March 2010 The Annunciation [FISH IS PERMISSABLE TODAY]

Also the Feast of St Senuphios the Confessor

APOLYTIKION OF THE ANNUNCIATION – TONE 4

Simeron tis Sotirias imon to kefaleon, ke tou ap eonos Mistiriou i fanerosis; O Ios tou Theou, Ios tis Parthenou ginete, ke Gavriil tin Harin evangelizete. Dio ke imis sin afto, ti Theotoko voisomen: Here Keharitomeni! O Kyrios meta sou!

Today is the Crown of our Salvation, and the Revelation

of the Mystery planned from Eternity: the Son of God

becomes the Virgin’s Son, and Gabriel announces the

Grace. Wherefore, let us along with him cry out, to

the Theotokos: Hail! O Full of Grace! The Lord is with

Thee! KONTAKION – TONE (8) PLAGAL 4

Ti Ipermaho Stratigo ta Nikitiria, os litrothisa ton dinon Efharisiria, anagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke. All’ os ehousa to Kratos aprosmahiton, ek pantion me kindinon eleftheroson, ina krazo Si. Here Nimfi Animfevte!

To Thee, O Theotokos, Invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, Thy City, dedicate the Victory

Festival as a Thanks Offering. In Thine Irresistible

Might, keep me safe from all trials, so that I may call

out to Thee: “Hail, O Unwedded Bride!”

The Matins Gospel According to St Luke 1: 39 – 49 & 56 ST ELIZABETH PRAISES THE EVER BLESSED, ALL PURE VIRGIN MARY, & THEOTOKOS (MOTHER OF GOD) WHO EXALTS GOD: THE MAGNIFICATST ELIZABETH PRAISES THE EVER BLESSED, ALL PURE VIRGIN MARY, & THEOTOKOS (MOTHER OF GOD) WHO EXALTS GOD: THE MAGNIFICATST ELIZABETH PRAISES THE EVER BLESSED, ALL PURE VIRGIN MARY, & THEOTOKOS (MOTHER OF GOD) WHO EXALTS GOD: THE MAGNIFICATST ELIZABETH PRAISES THE EVER BLESSED, ALL PURE VIRGIN MARY, & THEOTOKOS (MOTHER OF GOD) WHO EXALTS GOD: THE MAGNIFICAT

At that time, Mary arose and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zachariah

and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leapt in her womb;

and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed art Thou among women, and Blessed in the Fruit of Thy Womb! “But why is this granted to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of Thy greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for Joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me Blessed. For He Who is mighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His Name!”

The Ever-Blessed Virgin Mary’s faithful response to Archangel Gabriel’s Announcement makes her the highest Model of Obedience to God.

] The Incarnation of the Son of God is not only the Work of the Holy Trinity, but also the Work of the Will and the absolute Faith of the Virgin.

Therefore, the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary is honoured not only because God chose her, or because she bore the Son of God in the Flesh, but also because she freely chose to believe and to obey God completely and without any hesitation or question.

“The babe” who would become known as St John the Baptist, Forerunner to Christ, was in his sixth month of gestation.

He “leaped in her womb” as a joyous response to the Presence of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in St Mary’s Womb.

] The Ever Blessed Theotokos receives veneration from both Angels and humans.

Archangel Gabriel and St Elizabeth both called her “Blessed” ] She is the most perfect Model of womanhood. No other woman has ever received the Glory given to her,

either in Holy Scripture or throughout Church History. She is confessed as “the Mother of my Lord” by St Elizabeth

because this was no mere man that the Theotokos carried in her Blessed Womb.

] The title “Theotokos” [the Mother of God (INCARNATE)], given to the Virgin Mary by the Church, was derived from the Truth of this Confession.

Because the One Who was in her Blessed, Pure Womb is God, the world is freed from enslavement to sin.

The passage from verses 46 - 56 is called the Magnificat, which is the first word of this hymn in Latin.

The Magnificat is a remarkable Hymn of Praise to God which comes from the heart of the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary, who was probably only 14 - 16 years old at the time.

It also comes from the heart of St Hannah, who was of a more mature age at the time, and who first uttered this Inspired Prayer and which had been prayed by expectant Jewish mothers for centuries. [1 SAMUEL 2:1-10]

From this New Testament passage we learn: Christian believers for all time will honour or venerate the

Virgin Mary, for “all generations will call me Blessed.” ] IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO BELIEVE AND OBEY HOLY

SCRIPTURE AND NOT BLESS THE MOTHER OF GOD.

Identity between the Theotokos and Israel is implicit here as the Israel of God, the Church, receives “His Mercy.”

The Reign of God is over our “hearts,” Kings and Rulers, the poor and the rich, and the Faithful of God – i.e. over all Creation!

PROKEIMENON My soul magnifies the Lord. For He hasregarded the humility of His handmaiden. The Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews 2: 11- 18

CHRIST BECAME HUMAN SO THAT HE COULD BE OUR HIGH PRIESTCHRIST BECAME HUMAN SO THAT HE COULD BE OUR HIGH PRIESTCHRIST BECAME HUMAN SO THAT HE COULD BE OUR HIGH PRIESTCHRIST BECAME HUMAN SO THAT HE COULD BE OUR HIGH PRIEST

Brethren: both He Who Sanctifies, and they who are being Sanctified, are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to

call them Brethren, saying: “I will declare Thy Name to My Brethren; in the midst of the Church will I praise Thee.”

And again: “I will put my trust in Him.” And again: “Behold I and My children, whom God has given Me.”

Therefore because the children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, so that through

Death, He might destroy him who had the power of death 6 that is to say, the devil 6 and release those who, through

the fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to the Angels: but H does

give aid to the seed of Abraham.

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Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His Brethren, so that He might become a Merciful and Faithful High Priest in

Things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being

tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

c CHRIST WAS PERFECT EVEN BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIXION BUT HE VOLUNTARILY TOOK ON HUMAN NATURE THAT COULD BE SAVED AND PERFECTED ONLY BY THE SUFFERING OF DEATH.

Christ is the pioneering Captain of the Narrow path to God in His Suffering for our sins, death, and descent into Hades, His Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven where He has regained His rightful Position – at the place of Honour next to our Heavenly Father.

In Salvation we take on Christ’s Way of Suffering. c OUR PERFECTION – THEOSIS - REQUIRES A SPIRITUAL

GROWTH THAT IS MANIFESTED IN SUFFERING. c In the Incarnation of Christ, GOD DID NOT COME IN

APPEARANCE ONLY. HE TRULY ASSUMED [TOOK ON] HUMAN FLESH AND BLOOD from the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary, Theotokos, and became the same as we are - EXCEPT FOR THE ABILITY TO SIN – so that He could really enter the state of Death and thereby bring us – all humanity – Salvation.

c CHRIST DESTROYED THE DEVIL’S POWER BY USING SATAN’S STRONGEST WEAPON – DEATH – AGAINST

HIM. There is a relationship between sin and death: each one leads

to the other. ] SIN CAUSES DEATH – ESPECIALLY SPIRITUAL DEATH –

AND THE FEAR OF DEATH LEADS PEOPLE TO SIN and thereby into bondage or slavery to Satan who certainly does not want any souls returning to our Almighty Creator to Whom they belong.

] ONLY OUR BELOVED LORD JESUS CHRIST IS ABLE TO FREE US FROM THIS BONDAGE OR SLAVERY OF SIN AND DEATH.

“It behoved Him in all things to be made like unto His Brethren” means that even Christ was tempted because for WHATEVER IS NOT ASSUMED [TAKEN ON] IS NOT HEALED, AND WHAT IS UNITED TO ALMIGHTY GOD IS SAVED.

] The Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, is like us in His human Nature but WE DO NOT BECOME LIKE HIM IN HIS DIVINE

NATURE. This is impossible because WE CANNOT

BECOME A PART OF THE GODHEAD. However, WE CAN BECOME GOD-LIKE IN OUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION

] OUR PERSONAL GOAL IN LIFE IS TO REACH THEOSIS – SPIRITUAL PERFECTION!

St Paul wrote about Christ as Ultimate Sacrifice to Christ as High Priest without transition because HE IS BOTH THE

DIVINE SACRIFICIAL OFFERING AND THE DIVINE OFFERER, the High Priest.

] CHRIST IS MERCIFUL ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHOM HE SERVES AND FAITHFUL IN HIS SACRED MINISTRY TO ALMIGHTY GOD.

Christians are “Holy Brethren” ] TO BE “IN CHRIST” IS A HEAVENLY CALLING THAT

SEPARATES THOSE IN CHRIST FROM THOSE WHO HAVE IGNORED OR REFUSED HIS CALL.

] As Apostle and High Priest, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS BOTH GOD’S DIVINE REPRESENTATIVE TO MANKIND AND ALSO MANKIND’S MEDIATOR BEFORE ALMIGHTY

GOD. In Him, the Offices of Prophet and Priest are combined.

The Holy Gospel According to St Luke 1 : 24 – 38 THE COMING BIRTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS ANNOUNCED TO HIS MOTHER, THE EVER VIRGIN MARYTHE COMING BIRTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS ANNOUNCED TO HIS MOTHER, THE EVER VIRGIN MARYTHE COMING BIRTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS ANNOUNCED TO HIS MOTHER, THE EVER VIRGIN MARYTHE COMING BIRTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS ANNOUNCED TO HIS MOTHER, THE EVER VIRGIN MARY

At that time, Zachariah’s wife, Elizabeth, conceived, and hid herself five months, saying: “Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein He looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men.”

And in the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a Virgin espoused to a

man whose name was Joseph, of the House of David; and the Virgin’s Name was Mary. And the Angel came in with

her, and said, “Hail, thou who art highly favoured! The Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women!” And when

she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

And the Angel said to her, “Fear not, Mary, for Thou has found favour with God. And behold, Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His Name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give to Him the Throne of His father, David. And He shall reign over the House of Jacob forever; and of His Kingdom there shall be no end.”

Then said Mary to the Angel, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” And the Angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elizabeth has 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.

The name “Mary,” “Maria,” or “Miriam” literally means “the Exalted One.”

] The Ever Blessed Virgin Mary was Betrothed, by the Will of God, to St Joseph who was of Royal Lineage. He was of the “House” or family of David the ancient King who had been Anointed by Almighty God.

He was an elderly relative of the Ever Blessed Theotokos whom the Priests at the Temple had chosen – by Divine Inspiration and through a miraculous Sign - to protect her because she had taken a Sacred Vow Of Chastity.

] THERE WAS NO INTENTION OF ACTUAL MARRIAGE AND IT WAS NEVER CONSUMMATED.

] ST JOSEPH IS ENTITLED “THE BETROTHED” BECAUSE IT WAS A WELL KNOWN FACT THAT HE WAS INDEED THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS’ GUARDIAN.

Women had to be married as soon as they reached puberty, especially if they had no immediate family to protect and care for them.

St Luke twice mentions the fact that the Ever Blessed Theotokos was a Virgin.

] SHE WAS PURE AND VIRGINAL BEFORE, DURING AND

AFTER THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. And she maintained her virginity and chastity throughout her life.

“Highly favoured” [CHARITOU] can also be translated as “Full of Grace.”

] THE YOUNG THEOTOKOS WAS GREETED WITH AN EXALTED SALUTATION BECAUSE AS THE MOTHER OF THE INCARNATED CHRIST, SHE IS THE MOST BLESSED WOMAN OF ALL TIME.

] EVEN MORE RELEVANT IS HER ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE TO

GOD, as pointed out by Christ Himself. According to St Luke’s description of her, she is praised in the

Orthodox Church as being surrounded with Divine Grace and shining with Holiness.

Verses 31 – 33 “ and behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His Name Jesus …” is an amazingly accurate description of the long-awaited Messiah!

“Holy Spirit” and “Power of the Highest” are synonymous. This is a case of repetition for emphasis.

] “HOLY ONE” IS A MESSIANIC TITLE and the fact that Christ was to be born of the Ever Virgin Mary demonstrates His truly Divine Nature.

] Note in particular the reference to THE HOLY TRINITY: GOD THE FATHER (THE HIGHEST), THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.

] THE BLESSED THEOTOKOS’ FAITHFUL RESPONSE MAKES HER THE HIGHEST AND MOST PERFECT MODEL OF HUMAN OBEDIENCE TO ALMIGHTY GOD.

] THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD IS NOT ONLY THE DIVINE WORK OF THE HOLY TRINITY, BUT IT IS ALSO THE WORK OF THE WILL AND FAITH OF THE EVER VIRGIN MARY.

Therefore SHE IS HONOURED NOT ONLY BECAUSE GOD CHOSE HER, OR BECAUSE SHE BORE THE SON OF GOD IN THE FLESH, BUT ALSO BECAUSE SHE FREELY AND WILLINGLY CHOSE TO BELIEVE AND OBEY GOD WITHOUT QUESTION OR HESITATION!

Christ became Man by the Ever Blessed, All Pure Virgin Mary in order that by the same manner in which the disobedience caused by the serpent took its beginning, by this way should it also take its destruction! For Eve, being a virgin and incorrupt, conceived the word spoken of the serpent, and brought forth disobedience and Death, but Mary the Virgin, receiving Faith and Grace, when the Archangel Gabriel brought Her the Good News... answered: “Be it unto me according to Thy Word!”

((((PPPPAAAARRRRTTTTLLLLYYYY SSSSPPPPOOOONNNNSSSSOOOORRRREEEEDDDD BBBBYYYY DDDDOOOONNNNAAAATTTTIIIIOOOONNNNSSSS)))) TTTTHHHHEEEE AAAANNNNNNNNUUUUNNNNCCCCIIIIAAAATTTTIIIIOOOONNNN OOOOFFFF TTTTHHHHEEEE EEEEVVVVEEEERRRR BBBBLLLLEEEESSSSSSSSEEEEDDDD TTTTHHHHEEEEOOOOTTTTOOOOKKKKOOOOSSSS &&&& VVVVIIIIRRRRGGGGIIIINNNN MMMMAAAARRRRYYYY 22225555 MMMMAAAARRRRCCCCHHHH 2222000011110000 11117777....

St John of Kronstadt: The Annunciation - The Beginning of Salvation The Mystery that transpired upon this day awes not only

the human mind; it likewise astonishes all Angelic,

exalted minds.

They, too, are amazed at how God, Who is without

beginning 6 Who is uncontainable, unapproachable 6

could lower Himself to the status of a servant and

become a human being, without ceasing to be God 6

and without in any way diminishing His Divine Glory.

How could the Virgin contain within Her Most6Pure

Womb the Unbearable Fire of Divinity and remain

unscathed 6 and, throughout all ages to come, be the

Mother of God6Incarnate?

So great, so marvelous, fraught with such Divine

Providence, is this Mystery of the Annunciation to

the Most Holy Virgin by the Archangel Gabriel 6 and

the Incarnation of the Son of God from Her!

Rejoice, O ye who are earth6born! Rejoice, especially, ye

faithful Christian souls! But rejoice with trepidation

in the face of the magnitude of this Mystery, being

encompassed by the filthiness of sin!

With pure hearts and lips, magnify the Mother of God,

Who is magnified and exalted above all creatures,

Angels and men! Who is magnified by God Himself,

the Creator of all 6 and remember that the Mystery of

the Incarnation of the Son of God, and of His

becoming Man, was accomplished for our Salvation

from sin, from the Curse that was rightfully

pronounced upon us by God, in the beginning, by

reason of our sins, and from temporal and Eternal

Death.

With Peace and Joy, receive the Lord Who comes to us in

order to establish upon earth, in our hearts and in

our souls, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of

Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit (ROMANS

4:17) 6 and come to hate Divinely6detested sin,

impurity, incontinence, pride, hardness of heart, lack

of mercy, self6love, satisfaction of [THE CRAVINGS/DESIRES OF]

the flesh, and all unrighteousness.

Christ descended to earth in order to raise us up to

Heaven (AKATHIST TO THE MOTHER OF GOD, KONTAKION 8).

Let us, therefore, being nailed down to the earth by the

passions of life, incline our heads towards Heaven,

towards which our Lord Jesus Christ desires to raise

us all up, and lift up the eyes of our heart.

Lift up your heart!

Long enough have we crept along the ground, like

worms, in our thoughts and in our hearts.

It is true that we are insignificant worms, according to

our sins, although our souls have been created in the

Image of God, which we have disfigured by our sins,

and which we must invariably re6instate through

sincere penitence while we yet live.

It is necessary that this Image of God, like the sun,

shines forth within us as it did in the beginning,

when Adam and Eve alone had been created.

It is for this Purpose that we have been given life and it

is for this Reason that our life continues on 6 that we

are joined to God's Church and participate in Her

Divine Services, Mysteries and Fasts.

Behold: how the Image of the Ever6Virgin Mother of God

gleams! Yet, She is also human!

What exalted Her to such incomparable heights?

What made Her so glorious and so great 6 loftier than

the Cherubim and more glorious than the Seraphim?

It was the three supreme Virtues: Humility, Purity and a

fiery Love for God 66 a Love that is alien to earthly,

to external love.

She Herself confessed that the Lord looked upon the

Humility of His hand6maiden. (LUKE 1:48)

O Christian, you too must begin to Love, and implant

deep within your heart that Humility that is Divinely6

pleasing.

Acquire also, though exerted labours lasting your entire

life, a purity of heart 6 do so by means of Fasting,

Prayer, Meditation upon God, Tears, and especially by

a frequent and worthy Communion of the Holy

Mysteries of Christ.

Begin, also, to Love God, our Creator and Saviour, with

all your heart, and prefer nothing that is of this

world to His Holy Love.

Meditate always upon Him and His Wondrous Works.

Live Him and breathe Him.

Nourish your soul with Him.

Cover yourself with Him.

Purify yourself, Enlighten yourself, Sanctify yourself,

Establish yourself, Adorn yourself, Praise yourself,

Console yourself through Him.

By means of Christ, vanquish temptations and

impositions of foes – both visible and invisible.

Whatever you do, do everything with thoughts of our

Lord God in mind and for His sake.

Wherever you might be, be everywhere with God, as,

being everywhere, He is always with us and He fills

all things. [TROPARION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT]

If you grow to Love God in such a manner, then in you

also shall the Lord be magnified 6 and the Lord shall

magnify you, as our Holy Church declares on His

behalf: “… those who Glorify Me, I shall likewise

Glorify.” ("THE EPISTLE OF TARASIOS, THE PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE, TO

POPE ADRIAN OF ROME." (THE RUDDER)], PART 1, CHAPTER 36, 1787 EDITION).

Learn, O Christian, to hate, to humiliate, to annihilate

every sin within yourself 6 and the Lord of Glory

shall be magnified in you and you shall be great

before God and mankind.

Learn to Love Humility 6 and the Lord will exalt you.

Amen.

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “THE ANNUNCIATION – THE BEGINNING OF SALVATION” BY ST

JOHN OF KRONSTADT - TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH BY G. SPRUKSTS, FROM THE

RUSSIAN TEXT APPEARING IN CHAPTER 1 – “SOLNTSE PRAVDY”

St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan – On the Annunciation The Mysteries of God are unsearchable, as is especially

declared in the prophetical words : What man is he

who can know the Counsel (ADVICE) of God, or who can

think what the Will of the Lord is?

Nevertheless, some things have been revealed to us. And

hence we may gather, from the Words and Works of

our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, that there was a

Special Purpose of God in the fact that she who was

chosen to bring forth our Lord was espoused to a

man.

Why did the Power of the Highest not overshadow her

before she was so espoused? Perhaps it was lest any

might blasphemously say that the Holy One was

conceived in fornication!

And the Archangel Gabriel appeared before her.

Let us learn from this All Holy and Pure Virgin how to

bear ourselves : let us learn by her devout utterance

and, above all, let us learn by the Holy Mystery to be

timid, to avoid the advances of men, and to shrink

from men's addresses.

If only our women would learn from the Example of such

modesty as presented to us by her!

She upon whom the stare of men had never been fixed

was alone when addressed by the Angel of God.

18 ((((PPPPAAAARRRRTTTTLLLLYYYY SSSSPPPPOOOONNNNSSSSOOOORRRREEEEDDDD BBBBYYYY DDDDOOOONNNNAAAATTTTIIIIOOOONNNNSSSS)))) TTTTHHHHEEEE AAAANNNNNNNNUUUUNNNNCCCCIIIIAAAATTTTIIIIOOOONNNN OOOOFFFF TTTTHHHHEEEE EEEEVVVVEEEERRRR BBBBLLLLEEEESSSSSSSSEEEEDDDD TTTTHHHHEEEEOOOOTTTTOOOOKKKKOOOOSSSS &&&& VVVVIIIIRRRRGGGGIIIINNNN MMMMAAAARRRRYYYY 22225555 MMMMAAAARRRRCCCCHHHH 2222000011110000

There was neither companion nor witness present so

that what occurred might not be debased in gossip.

And the Archangel saluted her.

The Message of God to the Holy Virgin was a Mystery so

great that it should not be uttered by the mouths of

human beings but only by an Angel of God.

For the first time on earth the words were announced:

“The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee!”

And the Holy Maiden heard and believed.

At length she said: “Behold the Handmaiden of the

Lord! Let it be unto me according to Thy Word.”

Here is an example of Lowliness!

Here is a pattern of True Devotion!

At the very moment she was chosen to be the Mother of

our Lord, she declared herself to be His Handmaid.

The knowledge that the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary was

chosen to this high Vocation wrought in her only an

act of Humility. ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “THE ANNUNCIATION” BY ST AMBROSE OF MILAN – EXCERPT

FROM AN ANGLICAN BREVIARY: www.orthodox.net

Bishop Alexander Mileant – On the Annunciation During Her first year in the house of St Joseph the

Betrothed, about six months after the appearance of

Archangel Gabriel to St Zacharias, as the birth of the

last and greatest Holy Prophet of God, St John the

Baptist, was approaching, the same Holy Bearer of

Good Tidings, Archangel Gabriel, was sent by God to

the town of Nazareth to the Holy Virgin with the

Joyous News that the Lord had chosen Her to become

the Mother of the Savior of the world. (LUKE 1:8-25),

The Archangel, having appeared before Her, greeted the

Holy Virgin with the words: "Rejoice, O Blessed One! (LITERALLY, "FILLED WITH GRACE") The Lord is with Thee! Blessed art Thou amongst women!"

The young Virgin Mary was puzzled by his words and

was unsure what this Greeting was supposed to

mean.

The Archangel continued by saying to Her: "Fear not, Mary, for Thou hast found favour with God. And therefore, Thou wilt bear a Son and shalt name Him Jesus. He shall be great and shall be known as the Son of the Most-High, and to His Kingdom there shall be no end."

Still puzzled, All Holy Mary asked the Angel: "How can

that be, since I know not a man?" to which the

Archangel explained that this would be accomplished

by the Power of the Omnipotent God: "The Holy

Spirit shall come upon Thee, and the Power of the Most-High shall Overshadow Thee; therefore, accordingly, that Holy One which shall be born of Thee shall be called the Son of God. Your relative, Elizabeth, not having had any offspring until her very old age, shall soon give birth to a son; for with God nothing shall be impossible."

Then the Ever Blessed Mary humbly answered: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to

thy word!" (Luke 1:26638).

Immediately, the Holy Spirit descended upon Her, and

She Conceived the Word of God.

Thus, in the most modest circumstances the Greatest

Miracle in the history of all mankind happened!

Here the Infinite joined the finite!

The Light, unapproachable to Angels, descended into the

Virgin's Womb!

In discussing this Angelic Appearance, the Holy Fathers

of the Church underline the Wisdom of the young

Virgin Mary, for she was most careful not to accept

Archangel Gabriel's Message in haste, remembering

what happened to Eve when she believed the serpent. Although God chose the Virgin Mary to be the Mother

of our Savior, He wanted Her voluntary consent because He never overpowers (FORCES)(FORCES)(FORCES)(FORCES) or disregards the Gift of Free Will that He bestowed upon us.

The Wisdom of our Holy Church Fathers

St Maximos the Confessor said: In souls (with Christ6like Way of Life) Christ always desires to be born in a

Mystical Manner, becoming Incarnate in those who

attain Salvation and king the soul that give Birth to

Him a Virgin Mother...

Those who already live and move and have their being in

Christ have annulled in themselves that which is

imbalanced and disunited.

I am amazed that there are some who are extremely

doubtful whether the Holy Virgin should be referred

to as the Mother of God or not, for if our Lord Jesus

Christ is God, then surely the Holy Virgin who gave

Him Birth must be (Incarnate) God’s Mother! [ST CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA]

Why did God allow the Fall of man, His Beloved

Creation and that Crown of all His earthly creatures?

To this question we must reply thus:

If mankind was not allowed to Fall, then he could not be

created in the Image and Likeness of God.

He could not be granted Free Will, which is an

inseparable feature of the Image of God; but he

would have to be subject to the law of necessity, like

the soulless Creation – the sky, the sun, the stars, the

circle of the earth, and all the elements – or like the

irrational animals.

But then there would have been no King over the

creatures of the earth, no rational Hymn Singer of

God’s Goodness, Wisdom, Creative Almightiness and

Providence!

Then we would have had no way to show our

faithfulness and devotion to our Creator – to express

our self6sacrificing Love of God.

Then there would have been no exploits in battle, no

merits and no Incorruptible Crowns of Victory!

There would have been no Eternal Blessedness, which is

the Reward for Faithfulness and Devotion to God!

And there would have been no Eternal Repose after our

labours and struggles of our earthly Pilgrimage! [ST JOHN OF KRONSTADT]

Man, having received as his lot an exhausting Fast and

Sorrows, was given over to illnesses, sufferings, and

the other bitter things of life, as if to a kind of bridle.

Because he did not sensibly restrain himself in that life

which was free of labours and sorrows in Paradise,

he is given over to misfortunes, so that by sufferings

he might heal himself of the disease that same upon

him in the midst of Blessedness. [ST CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA]

Let us not ask the Master of Heaven and earth for perishable goods, for it is madness to choose bad

lead instead of precious Gold, to scorn Pearls in

order to gather up worthless shells!

Yet, it is madness not to ask for the most useful and

necessary things that we could have! [ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM]

WE MUST BESEECH GOD FOR SPIRITUAL TREASURES THAT ENABLE AND STRENGTHEN US

FOR THE DURATION OF OUR EARTHLY JOURNEY TOWARDS HIS HEAVENLY, ETERNAL

KINGDOM – NOT WORTHLESS MATERIAL POSSESSIONS THAT ARE OF NO SPIRITUAL

BENEFIT WHATSOEVER! (MP)

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND EVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES.

AMEN.

REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARIA, BIRTH GIVER OF GOD, YET EVER VIRGIN,

TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.

5th Salutations 26 March 2010

The Synaxis of Archangel Gabriel – the Heavenly Herald of Good News Also the Feast of St Stephen the Confessor; the 26 Holy Martyrs of Crimea; St Ireneaus

Hieromartyr of Hungary

APOLYTIKION OF ARCHANGEL GABRIEL: TONE 4;APOLYTIKION OF ARCHANGEL GABRIEL: TONE 4;APOLYTIKION OF ARCHANGEL GABRIEL: TONE 4;APOLYTIKION OF ARCHANGEL GABRIEL: TONE 4;

Ton Ouranion Stration Arhistratigi, diopoumen imis i anaxii, ina tes imon deisesi tihisite imas, Skepi ton Pterigon, tis ailou imon Doxis, frourountes imas prospiptontas, ektenos ke noontas: Ek ton kindinon litrosasthe imas, os Taxiarhe, ton ano Dinameon.

O Great Leaders of the Heavenly Armies, we implore Thee,

although being unworthy, with Thine earnest Prayers to fortify us, with the Shelter of the Wings of Thy Spiritual Glory, guarding us as we fall before Thee, and fervently cry: Redeem from dangers all of us, as the Commanders of the Heavenly Powers.

KONTAKION OF ARCHANGEL GABRIEL KONTAKION OF ARCHANGEL GABRIEL KONTAKION OF ARCHANGEL GABRIEL KONTAKION OF ARCHANGEL GABRIEL –––– TONE (6) PLAGAL 2TONE (6) PLAGAL 2TONE (6) PLAGAL 2TONE (6) PLAGAL 2

Arhistratigi Theou, Litourgi Thias Doxis, tin anthropon odigi, ke Arhigi Asomaton, to simferon imin etisasthe,

ke to Mega Eleos, os ton Asomaton Arhistratigi. [2]

Chief Captains of God, Ministers of Divine Glory, Guides of mankind and Princes of the Bodiless Powers, intercede for what is for our good and for Great Mercy, as Chief

Captains of the Bodiless Powers. [2]

PROKEIMENON Who makest Thine Angels spirit? Bless the Lord, O my soul! The Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews 2: 2 - 10

THE PLACE OF ANGELS IN RELATIONSHIP TO CHRISTTHE PLACE OF ANGELS IN RELATIONSHIP TO CHRISTTHE PLACE OF ANGELS IN RELATIONSHIP TO CHRISTTHE PLACE OF ANGELS IN RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST

Brethren, if the word spoken through Angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a Just

Reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a Salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and

was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with Signs and Wonders, with various

Miracles, and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own Will? For He has not put the world to come, of which we

speak, in subjection to Angels.

But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that Thou art mindful of him, or the Son of Man that Thou takes care of Him? Thou has made Him with Glory and Honour, and set Him over the Works of Thy Hands. Thou has put all

things in subjection under His Feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put

under Him. But now we do not yet see all things put under Him.

But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the Angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour,

that He, by the Grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for Whom are all things and by

Whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through sufferings.

Verses 1-4 “... for if the word spoken through Angels proved steadfast …. God also bearing witness both with Signs and Wonders….” is AN ADMONITION AGAINST WILFUL NEGLIGENCE AND CARELESSNESS BY A SLOW PROCESS OF ATTRITION, A “DRIFT”.

“If” and “how” suggest a conditional statement or question. IF ISRAEL WAS TO OBEY THE WORDS OF CREATED ANGELS OR SUFFER PUNISHMENT, HOW MUCH MORE MUST WE HEED WHAT GOD INCARNATE [JESUS CHRIST] HAS SAID

THROUGH HIS APOSTLES - especially when the Word has been “confirmed” by many “Miracles” of the Holy Spirit, proof that the Kingdom of God has come upon us.

When we ask in the Liturgy for “Pardon and Remission of our sins and transgressions” and a “Good Defence before the Dread Judgement Seat of Christ,” WE AFFIRM THAT THERE IS A “JUST REWARD” OR RETRIBUTION, A VERY REAL JUDGEMENT!

The Hebrews expected the Messiah to be an earthly, conquering King - a political success story, not a failure.

They would naturally ask if Jesus Christ is superior to the Angels - indeed, a Divine Being as portrayed in Chapter 1 of the Epistle to the Hebrews - why did He die, especially in such a degrading way? St Paul answers in his Epistle to the Hebrews:

] CHRIST’S HUMILIATION IS ONLY TEMPORARY.

] CHRIST’S HUMILIATION IS THE ONLY MEANS OF REDEEMING MORTAL MAN

] CHRIST’S HUMILIATION RE-ESTABLISHES MAN’S GOD-INTENDED DOMINION OVER ALL CREATION, INCLUDING THE ANGELS!

This Epistle applies the discussion in Psalm 8 about man to Jesus Christ, the perfect Man:

“For Thou hath made Him little less than God [Elohim]” and is quoting from the Septuagint, which reads “Angels” instead of God.

“MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS” REFERS TO THE INCARNATION, THE SON BECOMING MAN.... [PSALM 8:4 PHILIPPIANS

2:5 -11]

Christ’s “Suffering” and “Death” has highly exalted Him. The Cross, which should have brought shame and reproach,

has brought Christ “Glory” and “Honour.” ALL OF THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT GOD OWED TO

MANKIND. ] It is BY THE GRACE OF GOD.

] It is GOD’S GIFT TO HUMANITY.

“Taste death” means to experience death fully, to know death intimately – a personal experience.

] CHRIST’S DEATH WAS A REAL DEATH.

] CHRIST DIED FOR EVERYONE, FOR THE WHOLE WORLD, NOT ONLY FOR THE FAITHFUL.

The Holy Gospel According to St Luke 10:16-21 THE ARCHANGELS WAR AGAINST SATAN IN THE NAME OF CHRISTTHE ARCHANGELS WAR AGAINST SATAN IN THE NAME OF CHRISTTHE ARCHANGELS WAR AGAINST SATAN IN THE NAME OF CHRISTTHE ARCHANGELS WAR AGAINST SATAN IN THE NAME OF CHRIST

The Lord said: “He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him Who sent

Me.” Then the Seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Thy Name.” And He said

to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.”

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank Thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy Sight.”

20 ((((PPPPAAAARRRRTTTTLLLLYYYY SSSSPPPPOOOONNNNSSSSOOOORRRREEEEDDDD BBBBYYYY DDDDOOOONNNNAAAATTTTIIIIOOOONNNNSSSS)))) TTTTHHHHEEEE SSSSYYYYNNNNAAAAXXXXIIIISSSS OOOOFFFF AAAARRRRCCCCHHHHAAAANNNNGGGGEEEELLLL GGGGAAAABBBBRRRRIIIIEEEELLLL 22226666 MMMMAAAARRRRCCCCHHHH 2222000011110000

c DIVINE JUDGEMENT IS MORE SEVERE AGAINST THOSE WHO WITNESS JESUS CHRIST’S “MIGHTY WORKS” OR

HEAR HIS WORD BUT REJECT IT, as in the case of the Galilean cities.

“I saw Satan fall ... From Heaven” is probably a reference by Jesus Christ to Isaiah 14:12-15: “How thou art fallen from heaven, o day star, son of dawn! How thou art cut down to the ground, thou who laid the nations low! Thou said in thy heart, ‘I will ascend to Heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the Mount of Assembly on the Heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.’ but thou art brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.”

NOTE THE FIVE “I WILL’S” in the passage that demonstrates THE FALSE PRIDE AND EGOTISTICAL ATTITUDE OF SATAN.

BECAUSE HE PURSUED HIS OWN WILL, SATAN IS BOTH FALLEN

FROM HEAVEN, AND DEFEATED AND DETHRONED from his demonic lordship over the world BY THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST AND HIS DISCIPLES.

SATAN DOES NOT BELONG IN HEAVEN OR ON EARTH AND TRIES TO PREVENT OUR SOULS

FROM RETURNING TO OUR CREATOR IN HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM – THE NATURAL

DESTINATION FOR OUR GOD-GIVEN SOULS. (MP)

] THE JOY OF DISCIPLESHIP IS NOT IN AUTHORITY OVER DEMONIC POWER, BUT IN THE CITIZENSHIP OF GOD’S KINGDOM.

“These Things” are THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM MANIFESTED THROUGH THE WORDS AND WORKS OF

JESUS CHRIST. They ARE RECEIVED BY “babes” - PEOPLE OF SIMPLE AND

OPEN HEARTS - RATHER THAN BY THE SCRIBES AND

PHARISEES, the “wise and prudent.”

Synaxis of Archangel Gabriel

Each of the Great Feasts of the Church is followed by a

commemoration of the Holy One who participated in

the Events of the Feast.

So, today we commemorate the Holy Archangel Gabriel,

who brought the Good News of the Conception of

Christ our Lord and Saviour to the Ever Blessed, All

Pure Virgin Mary, who became the Theotokos. THE HERALD OF THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD IS

ONE OF THE SEVEN GREAT ANGELS WHO STAND BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD.

He revealed to St Zacharias the birth of the Forerunner,

St John the Baptist, and identified himself with the

announcement: 'I am Gabriel who stands in the Presence of God' (LUKE 1:19)(LUKE 1:19)(LUKE 1:19)(LUKE 1:19)

His name, Gabriel, signifies “Man of God.”

Concerning the Annunciation, the Holy Church Fathers

believed that an Angel with such a name was sent to

signify Who He was and of what Nature He was, Who

would be Born of the Most Pure Virgin. [I.E. OUR LORD JESUS

CHRIST]

He would be the Man of God, the God6Man 6 the strong

and mighty God Incarnate.

Others have found that it was this same Archangel

Gabriel who announced the Conception of the Virgin

Mary to St Joachim and St Anna, and that it was he

who taught St Moses the Patriarch in the wilderness

to write the Book of Genesis.

The Holy Fathers believe the Archangel Gabriel belongs

to the Foremost and Highest Order of the Heavenly

Powers, the Seraphim, since the Seraphim stand

closest to God.

And so he is one of the Seven Seraphim who are closest

to God.

The names of these Seven Archangels are: St Michael, St

Gabriel, St Raphael, St Uriel, St Selathiel, St Jegudiel

and St Barachiel.

Some would add St Jeremiel to this number.

Each has his own particular designated Service to God,

but all are equal in honour.

God not send St Michael the Archangel because his

Service to God is the suppression and rejection of

enemies of God's Truth, while St Gabriel's Service to

God is the Annunciation of the Salvation of the

human race. “THE PROLOGUE “OF OCHRID

ST GABRIEL THE ARCHANGEL IS THE HOLY MESSENGER WHO CONVEYS GOD’S TRUTH TO

HUMAN BEINGS ACCORDING TO GOD’S DIVINE WILL – FOR OUR SPIRITUAL BENEFIT

AND ETERNAL SALVATION.

HE ALWAYS IDENTIFIES HIMSELF CLEARLY SO THAT THERE IS NO MISTAKING THE DIVINE

TRUTH OF HIS MESSAGES.

HIS HOLY ICON IS ALWAYS DEPICTED ON THE SOUTH DOOR OF THE ICONOSTASION IN

ORTHODOX CHURCHES. (MP)

Archangel Gabriel was chosen by the Lord to announce

the Incarnation of the Son of God to the Virgin Mary

for the Eternal Salvation of all mankind.

Therefore, on the day after the Feast of the

Annunciation, the day on which the All6Pure Virgin is

Glorified, we give thanks to our Lord God and we

venerate His Holy Messenger St Gabriel the Archangel

who contributed to the Mystery of our Salvation.

St Gabriel, the Holy Arhistrategos 6 Leader of the

Heavenly Hosts 6 is a faithful servant of Almighty

God.

He announced the future Incarnation of the Son of God

to those of the Old Covenant and he inspired the

Holy Prophet of God, St Moses to write the

Pentateuch (the first five Books of the Old

Testament).

Archangel Gabriel announced the coming tribulations of

the Chosen People to the Prophet of God, St Daniel,

and he appeared to St Anna with the joyful news that

she would give birth to a daughter 6 the Ever Blessed

Virgin Mary. (DANIEL 8:16, 9:21-24)

St Gabriel remained with the Holy Virgin Mary while She

was a small child in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem,

and he watched over Her throughout Her earthly life.

He appeared to St Zachariah the Priest, foretelling him of

the birth of his son who would be the Forerunner of

our Lord, St John the Baptist.

God sent him to St Joseph the Betrothed in a dream, to

reveal to him the True Mystery of the Incarnation of

the Son of God from the All6Pure Virgin Mary, and

warned him of the wicked intentions of Herod,

ordering him to flee into Egypt with the Divine

Infant, Jesus Christ, and His Mother, the All Pure,

Ever Virgin Mary.

When our Lord Jesus Christ prayed in the Garden of

Gethsemane before His Passion, Archangel Gabriel

was sent by God the Father to strengthen and

encourage Him.

After the Crucifixion and Entombment of Christ the Holy

Myrrh6Bearing Women heard joyous news of Christ's

Resurrection from Archangel Gabriel at the Empty

Tomb. (MATTHEW 28:1-7, MARK 16:1-8).

Mindful of the many Appearances of Archangel Gabriel

and of his zealous fulfilment of God's Will, and

confessing his Intercession for Christians before the

Lord, the Orthodox Church calls upon its Children to

pray to St Gabriel with Faith and Love. ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: ORTHODOX FEASTS & SAINTS – ORTHODOX CHURCH OF

AMERICA – www.oca.org

St. Gregory Palamas - The Triads Natural perfection is itself a Gift of God, even though Knowledge is not only

a Gift of God, but a state of Perfection of the rational nature. However, this state, since it is not supernatural, is not a deifying Gift, because the Deifying Gift is supernatural.

Otherwise all men and Angels without exception would be more or less

gods, and the race of demons would be imperfect gods or demi-gods. Thus, whatever the state in which the rational nature attains perfection,

whether it is a knowledge, a constitution, a natural perfection of body and soul, whether it comes from within them or from outside a man, it can truly make perfect those rational beings who possess it, but it

cannot make them gods!

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND EVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES.

AMEN.

REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARIA, BIRTH GIVER OF GOD, YET EVER VIRGIN, TOGETHER

WITH ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.

27 March 2010 St Lazaros Saturday

The Feast of St Matrona of Thessalonika; St Philetos & St Lydia; St Paul of Corinth; St Rupert of Worms & Salzburg

A P O L Y T I K I O N O F P A L M S U N D A YA P O L Y T I K I O N O F P A L M S U N D A YA P O L Y T I K I O N O F P A L M S U N D A YA P O L Y T I K I O N O F P A L M S U N D A Y

Tin kinin Anastasi pro tou Sou pathous pistoumenos, ek nekron igiras ton Lazaron Hriste O Theos; othen ke imis o i pedes, ta tis nikis simvia ferontes, si to nikiti tou thanatou voomen; Osanna en tis ipsistis, Evlogimenos O erhomenos en Onomati Kyriou.

Of the common Resurrection before Thy Passion assuring

us, from the dead Thou raised Lazaros, O Christ our God; therefore we also, like the children, carrying symbols of Victory, to Thee the Victor over Death, we cry: Hosannah in the Highest! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!

APOLYTIKION OF SATURDAY OF THE RAISING OF ST LAZAROS APOLYTIKION OF SATURDAY OF THE RAISING OF ST LAZAROS APOLYTIKION OF SATURDAY OF THE RAISING OF ST LAZAROS APOLYTIKION OF SATURDAY OF THE RAISING OF ST LAZAROS –––– TONE 1TONE 1TONE 1TONE 1

Tin kinin ananstasin pro tou sou pathos pistoumenos, ek nekron igiras ton Lazaron Hriste O Theos, othen ke imis, os i Pedes, ta tis nikis simvola ferontes, si to niki ti tou thanatou voomen. Osan na en tis ipsistis, evlogimenos O erhoemenos en Onomati Kyriou.

O Christ our God, before Thy Passion, Thou raised Lazaros from the dead to confirm the common Resurrection for all. Therefore, we carry the Symbols of Victory as did the Youths, and we cry out to Thee, the Victor over Death: "Hosanna in the Highest. Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!"

KONTAKION OF SATURDAY OF THE RAISING OFKONTAKION OF SATURDAY OF THE RAISING OFKONTAKION OF SATURDAY OF THE RAISING OFKONTAKION OF SATURDAY OF THE RAISING OF ST LAZAROS ST LAZAROS ST LAZAROS ST LAZAROS ---- TONE 2TONE 2TONE 2TONE 2

I panton Hara, Hristos i Alithia, to Fos i Zoi , tou kosmou i Anastasis, tis en gi pefanerote, ti aftou agathotiti, ke gegone tipos tis Anastaseos, tis pasi parehon thian afesin.

Christ, the Joy of all, the Truth, the Light, the Life, the Resurrection of the world, in His Goodness, appeared to those on earth; and He became the pattern of the Resurrection, by granting Divine Remission to all.

The Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews 12: 28 – 13 : 8 THE PURITY OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY & THE PURITY OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY & THE PURITY OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY & THE PURITY OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY & REMEBERING OUR HOLY SPIRITUAL FATHERS REMEBERING OUR HOLY SPIRITUAL FATHERS REMEBERING OUR HOLY SPIRITUAL FATHERS REMEBERING OUR HOLY SPIRITUAL FATHERS –––– THE BISHOPS & PRIESTSTHE BISHOPS & PRIESTSTHE BISHOPS & PRIESTSTHE BISHOPS & PRIESTS

Brethren: Since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have Grace, by which we may serve God

acceptably with Reverence and Godly fear. For God is a consuming Fire.

Let brotherly Love continue.

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained Angels.

Remember the prisoners as if chained with them – those who are mistreated – since you yourselves are in the body

also.

Marriage is honourable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have, for He Himself has said: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear. What can mankind do to me?”

Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the Word of God to you, whose Faith follow, considering the

outcome of their conduct.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

All that is created can be “shaken” – the temporal, the impermanent, the imperfect – but not the Final Consummation of the Eternal Kingdom of God , which is unshakable.

In God’s Eternal Kingdom, Life is a Eucharistic Liturgy. “Grace” is our personal gratitude that leads us to the

Service of Almighty God whereby we worship Him in an acceptable manner and with proper Reverence and Godly Fear. (THE MOST SINCERE, DEEPEST RESPECT FOR GOD THAT IS

ROOTED IN OUR LOVE FOR HIM.) Practical Brotherly Love is to e shown towards all

Christians but especially for the lowly, the powerless and the victims of injustice and cruelty.

“Strangers” refers to travellers who may be in need of hospitality.

St Abraham and St Sarah’s Hospitality is recalled as a good example of what is possible as depicted in the Holy Icon of the Holy Trinity at the Oaks of Mamre. (GENESIS 18 : 1 – 8; 19: 1 – 3)

“Prisoners” are to be prayed for and assisted whenever possible, for all those who are in the Body of Christ our God – His Holy Church – are members of one another. (1 CORINTHIAN 12: 12 – 27)

“Those who rule...” over us are especially our Spiritual Leaders of the Holy Sacraments/Mysteries – the Ordained Bishops and the Priests who are our Spiritual Fathers. Who are not only to be prayed for

but also followed and obeyed as being Models of Christian Life.

The Faith of our Holy Church Fathers is the Orthodox Faith that they teach and live by.

Orthodox Christian Faith does not disappoint us and since our Lord Jesus Christ is God and never ever changes, His Holy Gospel does not ever change either.

If Christians in the past attained the Eternal Kingdom of God through their Faith (and their deeds), so can we.

Thus the Holy Church of Christ always strives to maintain the Purity and Truth of Her Doctrine/Teaching – without any changes for as soon as we change Divine Perfection by one atom, it is no longer True and Pure and Perfect!!

We must always beware of our own personal interpretations of Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition because our concepts and opinions are ego based and thus flawed. Therefore, we must always be Obedient and Humble in our acceptance of Divine Truth that is conveyed to us throughout the ages by the Holy Orthodox Church and Her Holy Fathers, who trace their line of Ordination into the Holy Priesthood of Christ unbroken all the way to the Holy Apostles of Christ and to our Lord Himself. [THIS IS THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION!]

The Holy Gospel According to St John 11 : 1 – 45 At that time a certain man was sick – Lazaros of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister, Martha. It was that Mary

who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazaros was sick.

Therefore, the sisters sent to Him, saying: “Lord, behold, he whom Thou Love is sick.”

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When Jesus heard that, He said: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the Glory of God so that the Son of God may be Glorified through it.”

Now Jesus Loved Martha and her sister and Lazaros, so when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in

the place where He was. Then, after this, He said to the Disciples: “Let us go to Judea again.”

The Disciples said to Him: “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone Thee, and Thou art going there again?”

Jesus answered: “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the Light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the Light is not in him.”

These things He said, and after that He said to them: “Our friend, Lazaros sleeps, but I go so that I may wake him up.”

Then His Disciples said: “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought He

spoke of taking rest in sleep.

Then Jesus said to them plainly: “Lazaros is dead. And I Am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let us go to him.”

Then Thomas, who is called “the Twin,” said to his fellow Disciples: “Let us also go so that we may die with Him!”

So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb for four days.

Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around

Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming,

she went to meet Him, while Mary sat in the house.

Now Martha said to Jesus: “Lord, if Thou had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever Thou ask of God, God will grant Thee.”

Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise again.” And Martha said to Him: “I know that he will rise again in the Resurrection at the Last Day.”

Jesus said to her: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, although he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

She said to Him: “Yes, Lord, I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, Who is to come into the world.”And

when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary, her sister, saying: “The Teacher has

come and is calling for you.”As soon as she heard that Mary arose quickly and went to Him.

Now Jesus had not yet gone into the town but was in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with

Mary in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that she rose up quickly and went out, they followed her,

saying: “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”

Then, when Mary came to where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His Feet, saying to Him: “Lord, if Thou had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Therefore, when Jesus daw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the Spirit and was

troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him: “Lord, come and see.”

Jesus wept.

Then the Jews said: “See how He Loved him!” And some of them said: “Could not this Man Who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, went to the tomb. It was a cave and a stone lay against it. So Jesus said: “Take away the stone.”

Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him: “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days!”

Jesus said to her: “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the Glory of God?”

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His Eyes and said: “O Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me. And I know that Thou always hears Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, so that they may believe that Thou sent Me.”

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice: “Lazaros, come forth!” And he who had died came

out, bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. So Jesus said to them: “Loosen him, and let him go.”

Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things that Jesus did, believed in Him.

The Miraculous Resurrection or Resuscitation of St Lazaros is the 7

th Sign in St John’s Holy Gospel and it

was the Sign that sealed the Jewish authorities’ decision to put our Lord Jesus to death.

This wonderful Event is celebrated liturgically on Lazaros Saturday or Saturday of the Raising of St Lazaros, which is the day before Palm Sunday.

On Friday – yesterday – Great Lent ended. But we still continue to Fast although today and tomorrow – Palm Sunday - are joyous days before the beginning of Holy Week, which begins tomorrow evening.

Bethany is on the Eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, about 2 miles from Jerusalem.

“Lazaros” is the same name as “Eleazar” and it literally means “God Helps.”

“This sickness is not unto death but for the Glory of God so that the Son of God may be Glorified through it,” was the Message that was sent back to St Mary & St Martha in order to strengthen them in their grief when St Lazaros died as Christ knew he would. He wanted them to have trust and confidence in His Words. However, they did not grasp His True Meaning as evident from their later words that caused our Lord to groan inwardly.

The Son of God being Glorified must not be understood as being the cause of St Lazaros dying. Instead, it indicates that Christ would be Glorified as a result of the death of St Lazaros (which occurred due to natural

causes,) and his being raised from the dead four days later when his body had already begun to decompose , which proves that HE WAS NOT SIMPLY IN A DEEP COMA BUT ACTUALLY COMPLETELY DEAD AND HAD BEGUN TO DECOMPOSE SO THAT NOT EVEN WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY, WOULD IT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE TO RESUSCITATE ST LAZAROS!

However, this was not the ultimate Resurrection that we will all experience on the Last Day of the Final Judgement when the living and the dead will be brought before the Awesome Throne of our Lord.

Our Lord Jesus Christ delayed His return to Bethany to ensure that St Lazaros would be dead and decomposing long enough so that NO ONE COULD POSSIBLY DOUBT THE GLORIOUS, DIVINE MIRACLE AND CONSEQUENTLY THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO WITNESS THE GREAT MERCY AND MIGHT OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

The term “sleeps” is a reference to the temporary state we enter at the end of our lifetime until WE ARE AWAKENED BY THE EXTRAORDINARY REAPPEARANCE

OF CHRIST – the Incarnate Son of God - with all the Heavenly Hosts, TO BE JUDGED ACCORDING TO OUR EVERY WORD, THOUGHT AND DEED. (SEE ALSO ACTS 7:60; 1

COR 11:30; 15:6)

A CEMETERY IS A PLACE OF REST OR SLEEP NOT A PLACE OF THE DEAD AND IT

SHOULD GIVE US COMFORT THAT OUR LOVED ONES ARE RESTING IN PEACE

UNTIL WE ARE ALL REUNITED ON THE LAST DAY – THE EIGHTH DAY – THE DAY OF

ETERNITY & THE DAY OF THE FINAL JUDGEMENT.

FOR THAT REASON WE COMMEMORATE OUR REPOSED FAMILY AND FRIENDS,

CONTINUING OUR PRAYERS FOR THEM AND FOR ONE ANOTHER.

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OUR IMMORTAL SOULS WILL BE REUNITED WITH OUR BODIES ALTHOUGH IN AN

ALTERED STATE SUCH AS OUR RISEN CHRIST REVEALED AT HIS GLORIOUS

RESURRECTION.

BOTH THE BODY AND THE SOUL ARE SANCTIFIED AND HOLY AND SHOULD ALWAYS BE

TREATED WITH THE GREATEST RESPECT.

When St Thomas said: “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him,” it was an unwitting Prophecy of his own and the other apostles ‘ future martyrdom – with the exception of St John the Divine Theologian, Evangelist and Beloved Apostle of Christ who lived until approximately 101 years old.

These words also illustrate the Path that all Faithful Believers must take – for we die daily to the world for the sake of following in the Divine Footsteps of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

There was a Rabbinical Belief that the soul lingers about the body for three days, but after the fourth day resuscitation would be impossible.

Mourning began on the day of a person’s death. Weeping and wailing lasted three days, lamenting lasted one week and general mourning lasted 30 days.

NOW WE MOURN AND PRAY FOR THE SOUL OF OUR BELOVED ONES FOR 40 DAYS

WHILE THE SOUL PASSES THROUGH THE VARIOUS AERIAL CUSTOMS HOUSES AS

THE ANGELS AND DEMONS STRUGGLE TO CLAIM THE SOUL FOR PARADISE OR

FOR HADES.

As before with these two sisters, St Mary and St Martha of Bethany reacted differently to our Lord’s arrival. St Martha, being inclined to active Service, rushed out to meet Him while St Mary sat in mourning until she was called by Him.

The chief mourners remained seated while receiving condolences from other mourners. (JOB 2:8; EZEKIEL 8:14)

While St Martha possessed great Faith, her statements indicated a lack of understanding concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. When she said to Him: “If Thou had been here...” It revealed her lack of belief that Christ is Truly God for she felt that He had to be present to effect His Divine and Miraculous Healings and, by saying to Him: “Whatever Thou ask of God, God will give Thee...” she also showed her lack of realisation that our Lord possesses full Divine Authority to act as He Wills. HE CAN DO ANYTHING HE WISHES TO DO AND HE ALWAYS ACTS IN COMPLETE UNISON TO THE FATHER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE CAN HEAL OR BRING ABOUT ANY DIVINE MIRACLE FROM WHEREVER HE IS. HE IS PANTOCRATOR – HE IS THE CREATOR OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE!

To correct St Martha’s misunderstanding or lack of belief or knowledge, Christ clearly stated: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life” meaning that HE HAS DIVINE AUTHORITY TO RAISE THE DEAD AT THE LAST

DAY – THE 8TH

DAY – THE BEGINNING OF OUR ETERNITY – AS WELL AS HERE ON EARTH.

Such was the Power of His Words that St Martha was immediately led to her great Confession of Faith.

Christ asks each of us the question: “DO YOU BELIEVE...?” And we must not simply say that we do, WE MUST KNOW THAT WE TRULY DO BELIEVE!

When St Mary approached Christ with identical words that St Martha had used, Christ engaged her with deeds instead of words – He raised her brother from the dead.

St John emphasised the fact that our Lord Jesus wept and groaned in Spirit – groaned from frustration and wept in His human State.

Although St Martha’s Faith had increased and progressed, she still understood neither Christ’s Will nor His Divine Power.

The spices and oils used to anoint a dead body would only hold the stench of decomposition at bay for a very short time and many Icons of the Raising of St Lazaros depicts bystanders covering their noses to illustrate the reality of his corrupted flesh and the fact that many did not believe that our Lord Jesus Christ could indeed raise the dead (and the decomposed!)

In order to show that His Divine Will was in Perfect Unison with His Heavenly Father, and that His human Will was freely subject in every way to the Father’s Will, our Lord Jesus prayed aloud for the sake of those who witnessed it.

Christ called St Lazaros forth not in the Name of the Father, but by His own Divine Authority, which clearly showed the witnesses that while He came from the Father, Christ fully possesses Divine Authority Himself.

St Lazaros appeared at the opening of the tomb still bound in his burial clothes, which indicated that he would need them again in the future – he would die and be buried again later.

OUR RISEN LORD JESUS CHRIST, HOWEVER, NEVER NEEDING THEM AGAIN, LEFT HIS

BURIAL CLOTHES IN HIS EMPTY TOMB WITH THE FACE CLOTH NEATLY FOLDED

WITH THE IMAGE OF HIS FACE IMPRINTED UPON IT, (THE MANDYLION) AND

PLACED TO ONE SIDE.

THIS ASTOUNDING FACT WAS RECORDED BECAUSE THE FACE CLOTH WAS ALWAYS

PUT ON THE FACE OF A CORPSE BEFORE THE OTHER CLOTHES BOUND THE

BODY.

FURTHERMORE, ST NICODEMOS AND ST JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA HAD USED 100

POUNDS OF BITTER ALOES WHICH MADE THE CLOTHES AS HARD AS ROCK –

MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO EXTRACT THE FACE CLOTH WITHOUT BREAKING THE

OUTER WRAPPINGS., WHICH HAD BEEN LEFT INTACT!

Christ’s Resurrection transfigured human nature and this Wondrous Sign – the Raising of St Lazaros, four days dead, from the tomb – not only prepared the Disciples to believe in Christ’s Resurrection, but in the words of the Hymn it also “... Confirmed the universal resurrection...” proving that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ has the Divine Power to fulfil the Promise given to St Ezekiel that all the dead would one day rise from their graves. (EZEKIEL 13: 1 – 13)

Saturday of the Raising of St Lazaros Today we commemorate the Raising of St Lazaros of

Bethany from the dead by our Lord and Saviour,

Jesus Christ.

Great Lent ended yesterday although we continue our

Fast until Holy Pascha.

Today and tomorrow, Palm Sunday, are days of

celebration before we enter the more sombre

contemplation of Holy and Great Week prior to

the joyous Holy Pascha.

Holy Week begins with the phrase: “Six days before the Passover (Pascha), Jesus went to Bethany…” (JOHN 12:1)

His arrival coincided with the Hebrew Passover that

began on the 15th day of the month of Nissan in

commemoration of the freeing of the Hebrew

nation, under the leadership of St Moses the great

Old Covenant Patriarch, from the slavery of the

Egyptians, by means of the Miraculous Acts of

God.

Our Holy Church relates our own Spiritual

Preparation and Redemption to the events of that

week.

Six days before the Passover, a Feast was given for

our Lord Jesus Christ in Bethany, Judea, where He

had rested on His way to Jerusalem.

His dear friends, St Lazaros and his sisters, St Mary

and St Martha, were all in attendance.

A short while before our Lord Jesus Christ had raised

St Lazaros from the dead. Christ has brought

him back to life even though St Lazaros’ body

had begun to decompose!

Those who witnessed this most amazing Divine

Miracle either praised God or plotted to kill our

Lord and Saviour. There is no doubt is made a

major impact upon everyone who either saw it

for themselves or who heard about it soon

afterwards.

The Holy Church commemorates this most important

and final great Miracle of Christ as “Saturday of

Lazaros” or “Saturday of the Raising of

Lazaros,” because of the Divine Promise of our

own Resurrection 6 the Universal Resurrection of

all mankind from all ages and all nations – the

believers and the non6believers!

Our Holy Church connects today’s celebration, by

anticipation, with the Triumphant Entry of Christ

into Jerusalem, which we commemorate

tomorrow: “We carry the Symbols of Victory and cry ‘Hosanna in the Highest!’”

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St John Chrysostom On Praying for the Reposed It is not in vain that it was decreed by the Apostles that the commemoration of the dead should take place during the celebration

of the fearful Mysteries. And they who do these things know that the reposed will be greatly benefitted and greatly helped. For when an entire people and many Priests stand before God and lift up their hands to Him, and the Awesome Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist is on the Holy Altar, how can God not feel Compassion for them and show Mercy upon their souls?

St Philotheos On Watchfulness There is within us, on the noetic plane3, a [SPIRITUAL]

Warfare tougher than that on the plane of the

senses.

The Spiritual Worker has to press on with his

intellect towards the Goal in order to enshrine

perfectly the Remembrance of God in his heart

like a precious pearl or gem. (PHILIPPIANS 3:14; MATTHEW

13:44 -46)

He has to give up everything, including the body, and

to disdain the present life, if he wishes to possess

God alone in his heart.

For THE NOETIC VISION OF GOD CAN BY ITSELF

DESTROY THE DEMONIC SPIRITS. (ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM)

c WHEN ENGAGED IN NOETIC WARFARE, WE SHOULD THEREFORE DO ALL WE CAN TO CHOOSE A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE FROM DIVINE SCRIPTURE AND APPLY IT TO OUR INTELLECT LIKE A

HEALING OINTMENT.

FROM DAWN WE SHOULD STAND BRAVELY AND UNFLINCHINGLY AT THE GATE OF OUR HEART, WITH TRUE REMEMBRANCE OF GOD AND UNCEASING

PRAYER OF JESUS CHRIST IN OUR SOUL; and,

keeping watch with the intellect, we should

slaughter all sinners of the land. [I.E. RESIST ALL

TEMPTATIONS AND DISTRACTIONS] (PSALM 101:8 LXX)

Given over in the intensity of our ecstasy to the

constant Remembrance of God, we should, for

our Lord’s sake, cut off the heads of the tyrants –

i.e. we should DESTROY HOSTILE THOUGHTS AT

THEIR VERY FIRST APPEARANCE. For in Noetic

Warfare too, there is a certain Divine Practice and

order. (HABBAKOUM 3:14 LXX) 4

Thus WE SHOULD FORCE OURSELVES TO ACT IN THIS

MANNER UNTIL IT IS TIME FOR EATING.

Afterwards, HAVING THANKED THE LORD WHO SOLELY

BY VIRTUE OF HIS COMPASSION PROVIDES US WITH BOTH SPIRITUAL AND BODILY NOURISHMENT, WE SHOULD DEVOTE OURSELVES TO THE REMEMBRANCE OF DEATH AND TO MEDITATION ON IT.

The following morning we should courageously

resume the same sequence of tasks. c EVEN IF WE ACT DAILY IN THIS MANNER, WE WILL

ONLY JUST MANAGE, WITH OUR LORD’S DIVINE ASSISTANCE, TO ESCAPE FROM THE DANGEROUS NETS OF THE NOETIC ENEMY.

When this pattern of SPIRITUAL PRACTICE is firmly

established in us, IT GIVES BIRTH TO THE TRIAD: FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE.

c FAITH DISPOSES US TRULY TO FEAR GOD.

c HOPE, TRANSCENDING SERVILE FEAR, BINDS US TO

THE LOVE OF GOD, since “... Hope does not

disappoint,” containing as it does the seed of

that twofold Love on which hang “... the Law and the Prophets.” (ROMANS 5:5; MATTHEW 22:40)

And “... LOVE NEVER FAILS,” ONCE IT HAS BECOME TO THOSE WHO SHARE IN IT THE MOTIVE FOR FULFILLING THE DIVINE LAW, BOTH IN THE PRESENT LIFE AND IN THE LIFE TO COME. (1 CORINTHIANS 13:8)

It is very rare to find people whose intelligence is in a

state of Stillness.

c Indeed, A STATE OF STILLNESS IS ONLY TO BE FOUND IN THOSE WHO THROUGH THEIR WHOLE MANNER OF LIFE STRIVE TO ATTRACT DIVINE GRACE AND BLESSING TO THEMSELVES.

If, then, we seek – by guarding our intellect and by

Inner Watchfulness – TO ENGAGE IN THE NOETIC WORK THAT IS THE TRUE PHILOSOPHY IN CHRIST,

WE MUST BEGIN BY EXERCISING SELF-CONTROL with

3 UNDERSTOOD BY THE HUMAN MIND – OUR INTELLECT

4 THE BOOK OF HABBAKUK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT (LXX = THE HOLY SEPTUAGINT)

regard to our food, eating and drinking a little as

possible. c WATCHFULNESS MAY FITTINGLY BE CALLED A PATH

LEADING BOTH TO THE KINGDOM WITHIN US AND TO THAT WHICH IS TO BE; WHILE NOETIC WORK, WHICH TRAINS AND PURIFIES THE INTELLECT AND CHANGES IT FROM AN IMPASSIONED STATE TO A STATE OF DISPASSION, IS LIKE A WINDOW FULL OF LIGHT THROUGH WHICH GOD LOOKS, REVEALING HIMSELF TO OUR INTELLECT.

c WHERE HUMILITY IS COMBINED WITH THE REMEMBRANCE OF GOD THAT IS ESTABLISHED THROUGH WATCHFULNESS AND ATTENTION, AND ALSO WITH RECURRENT PRAYER INFLEXIBLE IN ITS RESISTANCE TO THE ENEMY, THERE IS THE

PLACE OF GOD, the Heaven of the heart in

which, because of God’s Presence, no demonic

army dares to make a stand! c NOTHING IS MORE UNSETTLING THAN

TALKATIVENESS AND MORE PERNICIOUS THAN AN UNBRIDLED TONGUE, DISRUPTIVE AS IT IS OF THE SOUL’S PROPER STATE.

For the soul’s chatter destroys what we build each

day and scatters what we have laboriously

gathered together.

What is more disastrous than this “uncontrollable evil”? (JAMES 3:8)

c THE TONGUE HAS TO BE RESTRAINED, CHECKED BY FORCE AND MUZZLED, SO TO SPEAK, AND MADE TO SERVE ONLY WHAT IS NEEDFUL.

Who can describe all the damage that the tongue

does to the soul?

THE FIRST GATE OF ENTRY INTO THE NOETIC JERUSALEM – I.E. TO ATTENTIVENESS OF THE INTELLECT – IS THE DELIBERATE SILENCING OF YOUR

TONGUE, even though the intellect itself may not

yet be still. THE SECOND GATE IS BALANCED SELF-CONTROL IN

FOOD AND DRINK.

THE THIRD GATE IS CEASELESS MINDFULNESS OF DEATH,

for this purifies intellect and body.

Having once experienced THE BEAUTY OF THIS

MINDFULNESS OF DEATH, I was so wounded and

delighted by it – in spirit, not through the eye –

that I wanted to make it my life’s companion; for

I was enraptured by its loveliness and majesty,

ITS HUMILITY AND CONTRITE JOY, by how FULL OF

REFLECTION it is, how APPREHENSIVE OF THE

JUDGEMENT TO COME, and how AWARE OF LIFE’S

ANXIETIES.

It makes LIFE-GIVING, HEALING TEARS to flow from our

bodily eyes, while from our noetic eyes rises A FOUNT OF WISDOM THAT DELIGHTS THE MIND!

This daughter of Adam – this mindfulness of death –

I always longed to have as my companion, to

sleep with, to talk with and to enquire what will

happen after the body has been discarded.

But unclean forgetfulness, the devil’s murky

daughter, has frequently prevented this.

Let us all, with Love, hurry to Bethany to see Christ there,

weeping for His friend. He suffers as son of David;

as Son of God, He redeems the whole world from all the evil of the serpent,

And on the fourth day, He raised up Lazaros,

taking pity on The tears of Mary and Martha. KONTAKIA OF ST ROMANOS THE MELODIST - ON THE RAISING OF LAZAROS

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND EVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES. AMEN.

REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARIA, BIRTH GIVER OF GOD, YET EVER VIRGIN, TOGETHER WITH

ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.

The Beginning of Holy Week Tone 1 28 March 2010

Palm Sunday – The Triumphant Entry of Christ into Jerusalem Feast of St Hilarion the New Abbot of Pelecete; St Stephen the Wonderworker;

St Herodian of the 70 Apostles of Christ APOLYTIKIAPOLYTIKIAPOLYTIKIAPOLYTIKIAAAA OF PALM SUNDOF PALM SUNDOF PALM SUNDOF PALM SUNDAYAYAYAY –––– TONE 4TONE 4TONE 4TONE 4

Tin kinin Anastasi pro tou Sou pathous pistoumenos, ek nekron igiras ton Lazaron Hriste O Theos; othen ke imis o i pedes, ta tis nikis simvia ferontes, si to nikiti tou thanatou voomen; Osanna en tis ipsistis! Evlogimenos O erhomenos en Onomati Kyriou.

Sindafentes Si di dia tou Baprismatos, Hriste O Theos imon, tis Athanatou Zois i xiothimen ti Ananstasi Sou, ke animnountes krazomen: Osanna en tis Ipsitis! Evlogimenos O erhomenos, en Onomati Kyriou!

Of the common Resurrection before Thy Passion assuring

us, from the dead Thou raised Lazaros, O Christ our God; therefore we also, like the children, carrying symbols of Victory, to Thee the Victor over Death, we cry: Hosannah in the Highest! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!

As by Baptism we are buried with Thee, O Christ our God, so by Thy Resurrection we are made worthy of Eternal Life; and praising Thee, we cry aloud: Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!

K O N T A K I O N O F P A L M S U N D A YK O N T A K I O N O F P A L M S U N D A YK O N T A K I O N O F P A L M S U N D A YK O N T A K I O N O F P A L M S U N D A Y

To Throno en Ourano, to polo epi tis gis, epohoumenos, Hriste, O Theos, ton Angelon, tin enesin, ke ton pedon animnisin, prosedeho voonton Si: Evlogimenos O erhomenos, ton Adam anakalesasthe.

In Heaven upon a Throne, on earth upon a colt, being carried, O Christ our God, Thou accepted the Angels’

praise and the children’s extolling Hymns, as they

cried out to Thee: Blessed is He Who comes, fallen

Adam to recall again!

Matins Gospel: Matthew 21: 1 - 11; 15 - 17 THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM BY OUR TRUE MESSIATHE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM BY OUR TRUE MESSIATHE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM BY OUR TRUE MESSIATHE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM BY OUR TRUE MESSIANIC KING AND LORD GOD NIC KING AND LORD GOD NIC KING AND LORD GOD NIC KING AND LORD GOD –––– JESUS CHRISTJESUS CHRISTJESUS CHRISTJESUS CHRIST

At that time, when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two Disciples,

saying to them: “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loosen then and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say: “The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

All this was done so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, Thy King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, a foal of a donkey.”

So the Disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on

them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes upon the road; others cut down branches

from the trees and spread them upon the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried

out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!”

And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying: “Who is this?” So the multitudes said: “This is Jesus, the Prophet from Nazareth of Galilee!”

But when the Chief Priests and Scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the Temple and

saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and said to Him: “Dost Thou hear what these are saying?”

And Jesus said to them: “Yes. Have you never read: “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants Thou has perfected praise”?

Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem is celebrated by the Holy Church on Palm Sunday.

By the time of Christ, Jewish Nationalism had led to the expectation of a political Messiah to deliver them from Roman oppression and rule and to re-establish King David’s Kingdom.

In Humility, our Lord Jesus showed that He had not come to establish an earthly Kingdom for He did not ride on a horse or in a chariot like a conquering hero but instead He entered Jerusalem upon a donkey – a real sign of Humility and Peace. (SEE THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH 9:9 LXX)

c CHRIST’S TRIUMPHAL ENTRANCE INTO THE HOLY CITY DECLARED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

c IT WAS ALSO A DIVINE PROMISE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST’S FINAL ENTRANCE INTO THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM TOGETHER WITH ALL FAITHFUL BELIEVERS AND OF HIS ACCEPTING THE NEW JERUSALEM AS HIS PURE BRIDE. (SEE THE REVELATION OF CHRIST – THE APOCALYPSE 21:2)

THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH – “THE NEW JERUSALEM” - IS TRULY THE ALL PURE

BRIDE OF CHRIST WHO IS THE DIVINE BRIDEGROOM)

St Matthew recorded in his Holy Gospel that there was A COLT

AS WELL AS A DONKEY and our Holy Church Fathers regard the two animals as REPRESENTING THE FAITHFUL HEBREWS AND THE GENTILES WHO ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

At Vespers of Palm Sunday we sing: “Thy riding upon a foal prefigured how the untamed and uninstructed Gentiles would pass from unbelief to Faith.”

Those people who spread their clothes upon the ground before our Lord Jesus Christ, did so as a spontaneous gesture of reverence to a great King and it is Spiritually Interpreted as OUR NEED TO LAY DOWN OUR FLESH AND INDEED, OUR VERY LIVES, FOR CHRIST.

“Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!” comes from Psalm 117:25-26, which was associated with MESSIANIC EXPECTATION.

It was recited daily for six days during the Feast of Tabernacles, and seven times on the 7

th Day as branches

were waved. “Hosanna!” means “Save, we pray!” At Vespers of Palm Sunday we sing: “Keep the Feast with

the children, and holding branches in your hands, sing ‘Hosanna....’” many Liturgical Hymns of this day emphasise the perfect Praises of the children, which, unlike that of adults, were innocent, fitting, unashamed and from pure Love.

c WE ARE ALL CALLED TO GLORIFY CHRIST IN THE SAME SPIRIT OF UNASHAMED AND PURE LOVE!

In contrast, the adults’ Praises carried earthly expectations and hidden agendas which, when left unfulfilled, led them to rebel against our Lord Jesus Christ just a mere five days later!

((((PPPPAAAARRRRTTTTLLLLYYYY SSSSPPPPOOOONNNNSSSSOOOORRRREEEEDDDD BBBBYYYY DDDDOOOONNNNAAAATTTT IIIIOOOONNNNSSSS)))) PPPPAAAALLLLMMMM SSSSUUUUNNNNDDDDAAAAYYYY –––– TTTTHHHHEEEE TTTTRRRR IIIIUUUUMMMMPPPPHHHHAAAALLLL EEEENNNNTTTTRRRRYYYY IIIINNNNTTTTOOOO JJJJEEEERRRRUUUUSSSSAAAALLLLEEEEMMMM BBBBYYYY OOOOUUUURRRR LLLLOOOORRRRDDDD JJJJEEEESSSSUUUUSSSS CCCCHHHHRRRR IIII SSSSTTTT 22228888 MMMMAAAARRRRCCCCHHHH 2222000011110000 26

AS USUAL, THE EVIL ONE ALWAYS USES OUR HUMAN WEAKNESSES AND SELFISH DESIRES

AGAINST US AND AGAINST THE WILL THE GOD.

IN THE CASE OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR, THE ENEMIES OF GOD USED THE EARTHLY DESIRES

AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE PEOPLE AS AN EXCUSE FOR THEIR UNJUST AND UNLAWFUL

PUNISHMENT AND EXECUTION OF CHRIST.

HOWEVER, THE LORD OUR GOD, VOLUNTARILY SUBMITTED TO THEIR EVIL SCHEMES SO THAT

HE COULD ENTER HADES, SMASH OPEN ITS GATES AND SET THE RIGHTEOUS FREE. FROM

THAT MOMENT ONWARDS, THE RIGHTEOUS WOULD REPOSE IN PEACE IN PARADISE UNTIL

JUDGEMENT DAY.

PROKEIMENON: Blessed is the Messiah Who comes in the Name of the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is Good and His Mercy endures forever!

The Epistle of St Paul to the Philippians 4 : 4 – 9 EXHORTATION FOR DAILY LIVING EXHORTATION FOR DAILY LIVING EXHORTATION FOR DAILY LIVING EXHORTATION FOR DAILY LIVING –––– THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENTTHE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENTTHE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENTTHE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL CONTENTMENT

Brethren: Rejoice in the Lord always! Again, I will say: Rejoice! Let your gladness be known to all men!

The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by Prayer and Supplication, with Thanksgiving, let your

requests be made known to God: and the Peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts

and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, Brethren: whatever things are True, whatever things are Noble, whatever things are Just, whatever things are

Pure, whatever things are Lovely, whatever things are of Good Report, if there is any Virtue and if there is anything

Praiseworthy – meditate on these things.

The things that you learnt and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of Peace will be with you.

The Holy Gospel According to St John 12 : 1 – 18 THE ANOINTINGTHE ANOINTINGTHE ANOINTINGTHE ANOINTING & THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST& THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST& THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST& THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

At that time, six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazaros was who had been dead and whom He

had raised from the dead.

There they made Him a supper; and Martha serve but Lazaros was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then

Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the Feet of Jesus and wiped Them with her hair. And

the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

But one of His Disciple, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said: “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for

three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a

thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

But Jesus said: “Leave her alone; she has kept this for the Day of My Burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but so that they might

also see Lazaros whom He had raised from the dead. However, the Chief Priests plotted to put Lazaros to death

also, because on account of him, many of the Jews had gone away and believed in Jesus.

The next day a great multitude that had come to the Feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took

branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord! The King of Israel!”

Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat upon it, as it is written: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting upon a donkey’s colt.”

His Disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was Glorified, then they remembered that these

things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

Therefore, the people who were with Him when He called Lazaros out of his tomb, and raised him from the dead, bore

witness. For that reason the people also met Him because they heard that He had done that Sign.

This was the third Passover that is mentioned by St John in his Holy Gospel and it is the setting for the final week of our Lord & Saviour’s earthly Ministry, which is narrated in careful detail.

c OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAD ALREADY BEEN GLORIFIED THROUGH HIS SIGNS (DIVINE MIRACLES) AND WORDS AND IT REMAINED FOR HIM TO BE ULTIMATELY GLORIFIED THROUGH HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION.

The other Disciples had said the same sort of thing that Judas Iscariot said concerning the expensive oil of spikenard but with very different motives.

At the house of Simon the Leper – (the one grateful leper in a group of ten whom our Lord Jesus had healed) – a woman also used very expensive fragrant oil with which to anoint His Head and although the Disciples protested at the extravagance, our Lord accepted that anointing as an honour from someone who had newly discovered Faith in Him.

He also accepted her loving gesture as a Sign of His approaching Burial. (MATTHEW 26:6 - 13)

Nevertheless, according to St John Chrysostom, His Disciples were not wrong in principle because MERCY SHOWN TO THE POOR IS MORE FITTING THAN OUTWARD SIGNS OR GESTURES SHOWN EVEN TO GOD. (MATTHEW 25:40; JAMES 1:27)

However, the Disciples did not understand that ONCE

SUCH A GIFT HAD BEEN GIVEN, IT WAS A GREATER MERCY TO ACCEPT IT WITH LOVE – AGAPE.

“If anyone had asked Christ before the woman did this, He would not have approved it. But after she had done it, He looked only to the motive itself. For after the fragrant oil had been poured, what good was a rebuke?

“Likewise, if you see anyone providing a Sacred Vessel or Ornament for the walls of a church, do not spoil

his zeal. But if beforehand he asks about it, command him to give instead to the poor.” (ST JOHN

CHRYSOSTOM) JUDAS ISCARIOT WAS MOTIVATED BY HIS INSATIABLE GREED

WHILE THE OTHER DISCIPLES WERE MOTIVATED BY THEIR VIRTUE OF CHARITY/LOVE.

The fact that our Lord Jesus put such a greedy thief like Judas Iscariot in charge of the money, shows that BY EVERY MEANS POSSIBLE HE TRIED TO SAVE JUDAS

ISCARIOT: He fulfilled Judas Iscariot’s lust for money by entrusting him with their limited funds and He allowed him to exercise Apostolic Authority.

Our Lord also washed the feet of Judas Iscariot, just as He did to each of His other Disciples, and HE ALLOWED JUDAS ISCARIOT TO PARTAKE OF THE LAST SUPPER AT THE SAME TABLE OF HIS MYSTICAL SUPPER – THE VERY FIRST HOLY EUCHARIST/COMMUNION.

YET, DESPITE ALL THAT, JUDAS ISCARIOT NEVER OVERCAME HIS TERRIBLE GREED AND SELFISHNESS.

WHEN JUDAS ISCARIOT IS REFERRED TO AS BEING “ONE OF THE TWELVE,” IT EMPHASISES THE DEPTH AND EXTENT OF HIS FATAL BETRAYAL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO ACCEPTED HIM INTO THE INNER SANCTUM OF HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY.

c It proves and emphasises HOW SHOCKING,

DEVASTATING AND DANGEROUS THOUGHTLESS, SELF-SERVING MOTIVES REALLY ARE – BOTH TOWARDS GOD AND OUR FELLOW SINNERS!

TRUST IS A PRICELESS, IRREPLACEABLE GIFT WE GIVE TO ONE ANOTHER. IF THAT TRUST IS

BROKEN OR DAMAGED, IT CAN NEVER BE REPAIRED OR REGAINED.

CONSEQUENTLY, IF WE BREAK THE TRUST OF OTHERS – WHETHER IN US OR IN OTHERS -

WE WILL BE SEVERELY JUDGED DUE TO THE INESTIMABLE AND IRREPARABLE

DAMAGE AND HURT IT CAUSES EVERYONE CONCERNED!

THEREFORE, WITHOUT FAIL TREAT THE WONDERFUL GIFT OF TRUST WITH THE UTMOST

RESPECT AND CARE – AND NEVER FOR A MOMENT THINK THAT LIES, DECEPTION,

THEFT, ETC WILL REMAIN A HIDDEN SECRET!

SOONER OR LATER, GOD WILL EXPOSE OUR WICKEDNESS TO THE BRIGHT LIGHT OF HIS

DIVINE TRUTH FOR THE WHOLE UNIVERSE TO BEHOLD!

ALWAYS BE ABSOLUTELY TRUSTWORTHY TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE TO

YOU!!

EXPOSURE OF OUR SINS IS FAR MORE DEVASTING AND SHAMEFUL THAN WE CAN BEGIN TO

UNDERSTAND – SO WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE REMAIN STEADFASTLY RIGHTEOUS

AND TRUSTWORTHY THROUGH CONSTANT PRAYERS FOR GUIDANCE AND SPIRITUAL

ASSISTANCE!

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BE ASHAMED OF YOUR SINS WHEN YOU COMMIT THEM OR ARE TEMPTED TO DO SO, RATHER

THAN WHEN YOU REPENT THEM AND CONFESS THEM BEFORE GOD AND HIS HOLY

PRIESTHOOD.

Palm Sunday c IN HIS INCARNATION, GOD THE WORD DID NOT JOIN

HIMSELF TO A MAN. HE HIMSELF BECAME MAN. HE BECAME ONE WITH OUR HUMANITY AND MADE OUR HUMANITY PERSONALLY HIS OWN.

The Holy Church is the Body of Christ. Therefore, the

Liturgical Worship of the Church is not loosely

connected to Christ by some kind of pious memory

of what happened to Him. The Worship of the

Church is one with the crucified and risen Body of

Christ so that when we participate Prayerfully in the

Services of Holy Week, we participate in the Spiritual

Reality of His Passion. c THE OBJECTIVE OF CHRIST’S PASSION IS TO DESTROY

OUR DEATH BY HIS DEATH.

That is our objective when we participate in Christ’s

Passion through the Services of Holy Week.

We do not come to Holy Week to embark on a

sentimental journey, recalling piously what happened

to our Savior in order to titillate our emotions in

some pious way. c THE SERVICES OF HOLY WEEK HAVE AS THEIR PURPOSE

THE VERY SERIOUS BUSINESS OF DESTROYING OUR DEATH BY UNITING US TO CHRIST IN A DEATH LIKE

HIS, which means that WE DIE IN CHRIST not by

literally killing ourselves, but BY DYING TO THE

OLD ADAM IN US BY VOLUNTARILY TAKING UP THE CROSS OF THE CHURCH’S ASCETIC DISCIPLINES FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST AND PARTICIPATING PRAYERFULLY IN THE SACRAMENTAL WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH.

c WHEN JOINED TO PRAYER, THE FAST BRINGS US MYSTICALLY INTO THE SPIRITUAL REALITY OF

CHRIST’S PASSION: this is the reality in which He

destroys Death by His Death and gives Life to

those in the tombs.

OUR LORD & SAVIOUR GRANTS US LIFE, TOO – LIFE IN CHRIST – WHICH MAKES US

SPIRITUALLY ALIVE SO THAT WE PROCEED JOYOUSLY TOWARDS ETERNAL LIFE AFTER

OUR REPOSE AND FINAL JUDGEMENT. (UNREPENTED SIN MAKES US SPIRITUALLY

DEAD!)

GOD ENABLES US TO UNDERSTAND THE REALITIES OF THIS EXISTENCE AND THE NECESSARY

ACTIONS WE NEED TO TAKE IN ORDER TO REGAIN OUR DIVINE LIKENESS TO GOD,

WHICH WE HAVE LOST DUE TO SPIRITUAL REBELLION, DISOBEDIENCE AND WILFUL

IGNORANCE.

AS WE PARTICIPATE PRAYERFULLY IN THE HOLY WEEK

SERVICES, WE ENTER THE HOLY CITY WITH CHRIST; we

descend with Christ into our soul and we come to AN

INNER PATH THAT LEADS TO THE TOMB OF OUR SOUL.

This is our heart, our personal centre, which the Holy

Church refers to as “THE BRIDAL CHAMBER” because

there CHRIST BECAME SO COMPLETELY ONE WITH US

THAT HE PARTOOK OF OUR DEATH SO THAT HE COULD

DESTROY the devil who held us in the power of Death

and deliver us from the fear of DEATH SO THAT WE COULD BECOME PARTAKERS OF HIS RESURRECTION.

For, WE NO LONGER LIVE IN OUR HEART IN UNION WITH GOD. WE LIVE OUTSIDE IN THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE EYES AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE.

c AND SO OUR HEART HAS BECOME A TOMB BECAUSE WE HAVE SEPARATED OURSELVES FROM GOD.

THE LIFE WE NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH IS FULL OF MALADIES AND ANXIETIES OF ALL KINDS.

These are the weeds and thistles sprung up from the

seeds of disobedience and death that fell to THE DRY GROUND OF OUR SOUL MADE BARREN AND HARD BY

THE DEPARTURE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT when we were

expelled from the Garden of our heart because of our

transgression (DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD).

And, now, we are closed off from our heart. ITS ENTRANCE HAS BEEN SEALED BY A STONE MADE THICK AND HARD BY OUR SINS AND TRANSGRESSIONS.

Like Pilate, the ruler of this age has set a guard of

soldiers in front of it, to keep us from drawing near

to it lest we should seek God and live.

The soldiers guarding our heart are the passions of fear

and shame. They are under the command of vanity;

and they rise up against us whenever we get too

close to our heart.

But IT IS PRECISELY TO THE TOMB OF OUR HEART THAT THE

LORD IS LEADING US IN THESE SERVICES OF HOLY WEEK.

c THROUGH PRAYER AND FASTING, WE BREAK THE HOLD OF GLUTTONY AND LUST ON OUR BODIES; WE BREAK THE HOLD THAT THE LUST OF THE EYES AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE HAVE ON OUR MIND.

Breaking that hold, we break through the crust of

worldly desires that separate us from God to follow

Christ into our soul and into the Spiritual Reality of

His Passion.

United to him through Prayer and Fasting, we ascend the

Cross with Him to put to death the Old Adam in us

with all its lusts, its vanity and pride.

Each Lenten season that we give ourselves to these

Ascetic Disciplines of the Cross, OUR BODY AND OUR

MIND ARE UNITED TO HIS CRUCIFIED BODY A BIT MORE.

The old Adam in us dies a bit more, and little by little, WE ARE LAID WITH HIM SPIRITUALLY IN THE TOMB OF OUR HEART.

Thus, EVEN BEFORE OUR PHYSICAL DEATH, WE ARE GRANTED TO ENTER THE TOMB OF OUR HEART AS INTO A BRIDAL CHAMBER, THERE TO UNITE OURSELVES TO CHRIST IN A DEATH LIKE HIS AND SO BE UNITED TO HIM IN A RESURRECTION LIKE HIS.

In the Service of Bridegroom Matins, THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST CALLS OUT TO US FROM HIS HOLY RESURRECTION TO TAKE UP OUR CROSS AND UNITE OURSELVES TO HIM ON THE CROSS OF THE CHURCH’S

ASCETIC DISCIPLINES that we may be united to Him in

the tomb of our heart as in a Bridal Chamber.

Apart from Prayer and Fasting, I dare say, we will see

nothing more than a pious commemoration of a long

ago Event that we may or may not find credible. c THROUGH THE DISCIPLINES OF PRAYER AND FASTING,

HOWEVER, WE STEP BEYOND THE VEIL OF THE CHURCH’S SACRAMENTAL WORSHIP AND INTO THE SPIRITUAL REALITY THAT TRUE WORSHIP MAKES VISIBLE TO THE EYES OF FAITH.

IF YOU HAVE KEPT THE FAST, THEN BY NOW YOUR BODY SHOULD HAVE ACQUIRED AN INNER QUIETUDE THAT FACILITATES PRAYER.

YOUR MIND SHOULD BE SHARPER, ABLE TO WATCH AND LISTEN MORE ACUTELY TO THE SERVICES OF HOLY WEEK

and TO ABSORB DEEP INTO YOUR SOUL, now broken up

by weeks of Fasting and Prayer, THE SPIRITUAL

SUBSTANCE OF HOLY WEEK so that you can stand at

Spiritual Attention in your soul, WATCHING AND

WAITING FOR THE HEAVENLY BRIDEGROOM TO COME AT MIDNIGHT TO OPEN THE DOORS OF YOUR HEART

AND LEAD YOU out of the world, even as you stand

here in the world, INTO THE JOY AND THE GRACE OF HIS RESURRECTION.

Have you not kept the Fast?

Then TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND BEGIN TO KEEP IT EVEN

NOW in the short time that remains. For, GOD IS GOOD

AND GRACIOUS, AND HE WILL RECEIVE THOSE WHO COME TO HIM AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR AS AT THE FIRST.

And then we can 6 all of us together 6 IN THE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS, DRAW NEAR TO THE SERVICES OF HOLY WEEK IN THE FEAR OF GOD, IN FAITH AND LOVE, WAITING ATTENTIVELY FOR THE BRIDEGROOM WHO COMES AT MIDNIGHT, IN THE EXPECTANT HOPE THAT WE MAY BE UNITED TO HIM IN HIS RESURRECTION AND BE GRANTED TO BECOME COMMUNICANTS OF LIFE ETERNAL.

Amen.

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “PALMPALMPALMPALM SUNDAYSUNDAYSUNDAYSUNDAY” ST HERMAN’S ORTHODOX CHURCH” ST HERMAN’S ORTHODOX CHURCH” ST HERMAN’S ORTHODOX CHURCH” ST HERMAN’S ORTHODOX CHURCH

www.sthermanmpls.orgwww.sthermanmpls.orgwww.sthermanmpls.orgwww.sthermanmpls.org

Thou hast shown Thy Strength in choosing the humble, for it was a Sign of Poverty for Thee to sit on the ass; but as Glorious, Thou dost shake Zion. The cloaks of the Disciples pointed to frugality; but the song of the children and the throng of people was a Sign of Thy Strength, as they cry out, `Hosanna in the Highest,' that is, Save! Thou who art on High, Save the humbled; heeding the palm branches, take pity on us. Look upon those who cry out: `Thou art the Blessed One Who comes to call up Adam.' KONTAKIA OF ROMANOS, ON THE ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.

28 ((((PPPPAAAARRRRTTTTLLLLYYYY SSSSPPPPOOOONNNNSSSSOOOORRRREEEEDDDD BBBBYYYY DDDDOOOONNNNAAAATTTT IIIIOOOONNNNSSSS)))) PPPPAAAALLLLMMMM SSSSUUUUNNNNDDDDAAAAYYYY –––– TTTTHHHHEEEE TTTTRRRR IIIIUUUUMMMMPPPPHHHHAAAALLLL EEEENNNNTTTTRRRRYYYY IIIINNNNTTTTOOOO JJJJEEEERRRRUUUUSSSSAAAALLLLEEEEMMMM BBBBYYYY OOOOUUUURRRR LLLLOOOORRRRDDDD JJJJEEEESSSSUUUUSSSS CCCCHHHHRRRR IIII SSSSTTTT 22228888 MMMMAAAARRRRCCCCHHHH 2222000011110000

St Philotheos of Sinai – On Watchfulness IT IS BY MEANS OF THOUGHTS THAT THE SPIRITS OF EVIL

WAGE A SECRET WAR AGAINST THE SOUL.

For since the soul is invisible, these malicious powers

naturally attack it invisibly.

Both sides [OUR SOUL AND OUR ENEMY] muster their forces, devise

stratagems, clash in fearful battle, gain victories and

suffer defeats.

But this NOETIC WARFARE LACKS one feature that is

possessed by visible warfare: THE DECLARATION OF HOSTILITIES.

SUDDENLY, WITH NO WARNING, THE ENEMY ATTACKS OUR INNERMOST HEART, SETS AN AMBUSH THERE, AND TRIES TO KILL OUR SOUL THROUGH SIN.

The reason for THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE WAGED AGAINST

US IS A CONSTANT ATTEMPT TO PREVENT US FROM

DOING GOD’S DIVINE WILL as we ask to do it when we

pray: ‘...Thy Will be done...’ DIVINE WILL IS GOD’S COMMANDMENTS (WHICH WE STRIVE

CONSTANTLY TO KEEP – TO OBEY.)

If with our Lord’s Help THROUGH CAREFUL WATCHFULNESS WE GUARD OUR INTELLECT FROM ERROR AND OBSERVE THE ATTACKS OF THE DEMONS

AND THEIR SNARES WOVEN OF DECEPTIVE FANTASY, we

will see from experience that this is the case.

For that reason OUR LORD, FORESEEING THE DEMONS’ INTENTIONS BY HIS DIVINE POWER, SET HIMSELF TO DEFEAT THEIR PURPOSE BY LAYING DOWN HIS HOLY COMMANDMENTS AND BY THREATENING ETERNAL CONDEMNATION TO THOSE WHO BREAK THEM.

GOD LOVES US SO MUCH HE WANTS US TO REACH THEOSIS TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY –

TO REGAIN OUR DIVINE LIKENESS - SO HE HAS GIVEN US THE UNSURPASSED MEANS

OF REACHING THAT ULTIMATE GOAL: HIS TEACHINGS AND HIS HOLY COMMANDMENTS.

NEVERTHELESS, IT IS ENTIRELY UP TO US TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT POSSIBLE TO FULFIL THE

VERY PURPOSE OF OUR EXISTENCE – TO RETURN TO HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM.

ONCE WE HAVE IN SOME MEASURE ACQUIRED THE HABIT OF SELF-CONTROL, AND HAVE LEARNT HOW TO SHUN VISIBLE SINS BROUGHT ABOUT THROUGH THE FIVE SENSES, WE WILL THEN BE ABLE TO GUARD OUR HEART

WITH OUR LORD JESUS, TO RECEIVE HIS DIVINE

ILLUMINATION WITHIN IT, and by means of our

intellect, to TASTE HIS GOODNESS WITH A CERTAIN

ARDENT LONGING.

For WE HAVE BEEN COMMANDED TO PURIFY OUR HEART

PRECISELY SO THAT, THROUGH DISPELLING THE CLOUDS

OF EVIL FROM IT BY OUR CONTINUAL ATTENTIVENESS, WE MAY PERCEIVE THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS – OUR

LORD JESUS CHRIST – as though in clear sky; and so

that the Principles of His Majesty may shine to some

extent in our intellect.

For THESE PRINCIPLES ARE REVEALED ONLY TO THOSE WHO PURIFY THEIR MINDS.

c WE OUGHT TO MAKE OURSELVES EACH DAY SUCH AS WE SHOULD BE WHEN WE ARE TO APPEAR BEFORE GOD.

ã For St Hosea, the Holy Prophet of God, said: “HOLD FAST TO MERCY AND JUDGEMENT, AND ALWAYS DRAW CLOSE TO YOUR GOD!” (HOSEA 12:6

LXX)

ã St Malachi, the Holy Prophet of God, speaking in

God’s Divine Name, declared: “’A SON

HONOURS HIS FATHER, AND A SERVANT HIS LORD. IF I AM A FATHER, WHERE IS THE HONOUR DUE TO ME? AND IF I AM LORD, WHERE IS THE FEAR?’ SO SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY.” [MALACHI 1:6 LXX]

ã And St Paul exhorted us to “... CLEANSE OURSELVES FROM ALL POLLUTION OF THE FLESH AND SPIRIT.” [2 CORINTHIANS 7:1]

ã Wisdom instructs us to: “GUARD YOUR HEART

WITH ALL DILIGENCE, FOR ON THIS DEPENDS THE OUTCOME OF LIFE.” [PROVERBS 4:23]

ã Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to “...CLEANSE FIRST THE INSIDE OF THE CUP, SO THAT THE OUTSIDE MAY ALSO BE CLEAN.” [MATTHEW 23:26]

UNTIMELY TALK SOMETIMES PROVOKES HATRED in those

who listen, sometimes – when they note the folly of

our words – ABUSE AND DERISION.

c SOMETIMES IT DEFILES OUR CONSCIENCE, OR ELSE IT BRINGS UPON US GOD’S CONDEMNATION AND, WORST OF ALL, CAUSES US TO OFFEND AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT.

c IF, WITH OUR LORD’S HELP, WE CLEANSE OUR

HEART AND UPROOT SIN – STRUGGLING FOR KNOWLEDGE THAT IS MORE DIVINE AND SEEING IN OUR INTELLECT THINGS INVISIBLE TO MOST PEOPLE – WE MUST NOT ON THIS ACCOUNT BE ARROGANT TOWARDS ANYONE.

For AN ANGEL, BEING INCORPOREAL [BODILESS, INVISIBLE] IS MORE

PURE AND FULL OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE THAN ANY OTHER CREATED THING.

YET IT WAS AN ANGEL [LUCIFER/SATAN/THE EVIL ONE] WHO, IN EXALTING HIMSELF, FELL LIKE LIGHTNING FROM

HEAVEN! Thus HIS PRIDE WAS RECKONED BY GOD AS IMPURITY.

However, those who dig up gold are known to all. THOSE WHO ARE “...ENGAGED IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE

EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL IN ALL THINGS.” [1 CORINTHIANS

9:25]

For, BOUND AS WE ARE TO THIS WRETCHED FLESH, WHICH ALWAYS “... DESIRES A WAY THAT OPPOSES THE (HOLY) SPIRIT...”, WE CANNOT STAND FIRM AGAINST DEMONIC PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST INVISIBLE AND MALEVOLENT

POWERS WHEN SATED WITH FOOD,, “... for the

Kingdom of God is not food and drink...” and “... THE WILL OF THE FLESH IS HOSTILE TO GOD, FOR IT IS

NOT SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD, nor indeed can it be.” [1 CORINTHIANS 9:25; GALATIANS 5:17; ROMANS 14:17; ROMANS 8:7]

It is clear that THE FLESH CANNOT BE SUBJECT TO THE LAW

OF GOD BECAUSE IT IS EARTHLY – it is a compound of

humours, blood and phlegm, and always gravitating

downwards!

Thus OUR FLESH IS ALWAYS ATTACHED TO EARTHLY

THINGS AND IT RELISHES THE CORRUPTING PLEASURES

OF THE PRESENT LIFE. “For the will of the flesh is

death...” and “... THEY WHO ARE IN THE FLESH CANNOT CONFORM TO GOD’S WILL.” [ROMANS 8: 6 & 8]

c GUARDING THE INTELLECT WITH OUR LORD’S HELP REQUIRES MUCH HUMILITY, FIRST IN RELATION TO GOD AND THEN IN RELATION TO PEOPLE.

c WE OUGHT TO DO ALL WE CAN TO CRUSH AND HUMBLE OUR HEART.

To achieve this we should SCRUPULOUSLY REMEMBER OUR FORMER LIFE IN THE WORLD, RECALLING AND REVIEWING IN DETAIL ALL THE SINS WE HAVE COMMITTED SINCE CHILDHOOD (EXCEPT CARNAL SINS, FOR THE REMEMBRANCE OF THESE IS HARMFUL.)

THIS NOT ONLY INDUCES HUMILITY BUT ALSO ENGENDERS TEARS AND MOVES US TO GIVE HEARTFELT THANKS TO GOD.

PERPETUAL AND VIVID MINDFULNESS OF DEATH HAS THE

SAME EFFECT: it gives birth to grief accompanied by a

certain sweetness and joy, and to watchfulness of

intellect.

In addition, THE DETAILED REMEMBRANCE OF OUR LORD’S PASSION, THE RECOLLECTION OF WHAT HE SUFFERED,

GREATLY HUMBLES AND ABASHES OUR PRIDE, and this,

too, produces tears.

Finally, TO RECOUNT AND REVIEW ALL THE BLESSINGS WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM GOD IS TRULY HUMBLING, FOR OUR BATTLE IS AGAINST PROUD DEMONS.

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “TEXTS ON WATCHFULNESS” – BY ST PHILOTHEOS OF SINAI -

“THE PHILOKALIA” – VOLUME 3 – COMPILED BY ST NIKODEMOS OF MOUNT ATHOS & ST

MAKARIOS OF CORINTH – TRANSLATED & EDITED BY GEH PALMER, PHILIP SHERRARD &

BISHOP KALLISTOS WARE

“Give us this day our Daily Bread” We ask that this Bread be given us daily, so that WE WHO ARE IN CHRIST AND DAILY RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST AS THE FOOD OF SALVATION MAY NOT, BY FALLING INTO SOME MORE GRIEVOUS SIN, AND THEN IN ABSTAINING FROM COMMUNICATION BE WITHHELD FROM THE HEAVENLY BREAD AND BE SEPARATED FROM CHRIST’S BODY...

Christ Himself warns us, saying: “UNLESS YOU EAT THE

FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN AND DRINK HIS BLOOD, YOU HAVE NO LIFE IN YOU.”

Therefore, WE ASK THAT OUR BREAD, WHICH IS CHRIST, BE GIVEN TO US DAILY, SO THAT WE WHO ABIDE AND LIVE IN CHRIST MAY NOT WITHDRAW FROM HIS SANCTIFICATION AND FROM HIS BODY.

ST CYPRIANOS OF CARTHAGE

HOLY WEEK BEGINS WITH TONIGHT’S FIRST SERVICE OF

HOLY MATINS – HOLY WEEK BOOKS ARE ESSENTIAL!