Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church

733 South Ashland Ave

Chicago, Illinois 60607

Rev. Fr. Dimitri Tobias, Proistamenos

stbasilchicago@comcast.net

Forgiveness Sunday

Leo the Great, Pope of Rome

Agapetus the Confessor, Bishop of Sinai

Flavian the Confessor, Patriarch of

Constantinople

Narthex Duty: Pat Cole & Themis Frangos

Welcoming Ministry: Claudette Hillock

Orthros Reader: Steve Cole

Coffee Hour: Ekaterini Lekkas 1 Year Memorial: Lorraine Phillips (May her memory be eternal)

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Henceforward then we must be free from our listlessness; "for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."[*] You see how he puts the Resurrection now close by them. For as the time advances, he means, the season of our present life is wasting away, and that of the life to come waxes nearer. If then thou be prepared, and hast done all whatsoever He hath commanded, the day is salvation to thee...Yes, for the day is calling us to battle-array, and to the fight. Yet fear not at hearing of array and arms. For in the case of the visible suit of armor, to put it on is a heavy and abhorred task. But here it is desirable, and worth being prayed for. For it is of Light the arms are! Hence they will set thee forth brighter than the sunbeam, and giving out a great glistening, and they place thee in security: for they are arms, and glittering do they make thee: for arms of light are they!...It is the deadly kind of passions then that he is for extinguishing, lust, namely, and anger. Wherefore it is not themselves only, but even the sources of them that he removes. For there is nothing that so kindles lust, and inflames wrath, as drunkenness, and sitting long at the wine... St. John Chrysostom Homily 25 on Romans 13, 4th Century

Telephone: (312) 243-3738

Office Fax: Fax (312) 243-7691

www.stbasilchicago.org

Parish Council President: Ms. Jayme Schenk

Before The Creed When the Priest says: Christ is in our midst.

The Congregation responds: He is and always will be, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

Communion Guidelines: As a reminder, only Baptized and Chrismated Orthodox Christians who are in “good standing”

may receive Holy Communion. Follow the Ushers row by row and please exit towards the out-

side aisles.

Saints and Feasts:

Forgiveness Sunday

The Holy Fathers have appointed the commemoration of Adam's

exile from the Paradise of delight here, on the eve of the holy Forty-

day Fast, demonstrating to us not by simple words, but by actual

deeds, how beneficial fasting is for man, and how harmful and

destructive are insatiety and the transgressing of the divine

commandments. For the first commandment that God gave to man

was that of fasting, which the first-fashioned received but did not

keep; and not only did they not become gods, as they had imagined,

but they lost even that blessed life which they had, and they fell into corruption and death, and

transmitted these and innumerable other evils to all of mankind. The God-bearing Fathers set

these things before us today, that by bringing to mind what we have fallen from, and what we

have suffered because of the insatiety and disobedience of the first-fashioned, we might be

diligent to return again to that ancient bliss and glory by means of fasting and obedience to all

the divine commands. Taking occasion from today's Gospel (Matt. 6:14-21) to begin the Fast

unencumbered by enmity, we also ask forgiveness this day, first from God, then from one

another and all creation.

Hymns of the Day After the Small Entrance

Resurrectional Apolytikion 4th Tone

When the women disciples of the Lord learned from the angel the message of the resurrection and having cast from them their ancestral condemnation, they proudly proclaimed the news to the Apostles: Death has been vanquished; for Christ, our God, has risen from the dead and granted to the world His great mercy.

Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἀναστάσιμον Ήχος δ΄

Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγέλου μαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀπορρίψασαι, τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις καυχώμεναι ἔλεγον· Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἠγέρθη Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Apolytikion for the Church 1st Tone

Your proclamation went forth into all the earth, for it accepted your word, through which you taught the dogmas befitting God, you expounded on the nature of all that is, and you arranged the morals of society. A royal priesthood! Devout father Basil, intercede with Christ our God, to grant us His great mercy.

Απολυτίκιον τοῦ Ναοῦ Ήχος α'

Εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος σου, ὡς δεξαμένην τὸν λόγον σου, δι' οὗ θεοπρεπῶς ἐδογμάτισας, τὴν φύσιν τῶν ὄντων ἐτράνωσας, τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἤθη κατεκόσμησας, Βασίλειον Ἱεράτευμα, Πάτερ Ὅσιε, Χριστὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἱκέτευε, δωρήσασθαι ἡμῖν τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Kontakion Plagal of the 2nd Tone

O Master, Prudence, Guide of Wisdom, Instruction to the foolish and Defender of the poor, strengthen my heart and grant it discernment. Give me words, Word of the Father, for behold, I shall not keep my lips from crying out to You, "O Merciful One, have mercy on me who has fallen."

Κοντάκιον Ήχος πλ. β΄

Τῆς σοφίας ὁδηγέ, φρονήσεως χορηγέ, τῶν ἀφρόνων παιδευτά, καὶ πτωχῶν ὑπερασπιστά, στήριξον, συνέτισον τὴν καρδίαν μου Δέσποτα. Σὺ δίδου μοι λόγον, ὁ τοῦ Πατρός Λόγος· ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὰ χείλη μου, οὐ μὴ κωλύσω ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι· Ἐλεῆμον, ἐλέησόν με τὸν παραπεσόντα.

THE EPISTLE / Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ

Prokeimenon. Mode Plagal 4. Psalm 75.11,1

Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them. Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel. The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4

Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to make him stand..

Προκείμενον. Ήχος πλ. δ'. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 75.11,1 Εὔξασθε καὶ ἀπόδοτε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν. Στίχ. Γνωστὸς ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ὁ Θεός, ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ μέγα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 13:11-14, 14:1-4

Ἀδελφοί, νῦν ἐγγύτερον ἡμῶν ἡ σωτηρία ἢ ὅτε ἐπιστεύσαμεν. Ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικεν· ἀποθώμεθα οὖν τὰ ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, καί ἐνδυσώμεθα τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτός. Ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ. Ἀλλʼ ἐνδύσασθε τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν μὴ ποιεῖσθε, εἰς ἐπιθυμίας. Τὸν δὲ ἀσθενοῦντα τῇ πίστει προσλαμβάνεσθε, μὴ εἰς διακρίσεις διαλογισμῶν. Ὃς μὲν πιστεύει φαγεῖν πάντα, ὁ δὲ ἀσθενῶν λάχανα ἐσθίει. Ὁ ἐσθίων τὸν μὴ ἐσθίοντα μὴ ἐξουθενείτω, καὶ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων τὸν ἐσθίοντα μὴ κρινέτω· ὁ θεὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν προσελάβετο. Σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; Τῷ ἰδίῳ κυρίῳ στήκει ἢ πίπτει. Σταθήσεται δέ· δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς στῆσαι αὐτόν.

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The Gospel According to Matthew 6:14-21 The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 6:14-21 Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· ᾿Εὰν γὰρ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, ἀφήσει καὶ ὑμῖν ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἀφήσει τὰ παραπτώματα ὑμῶν. ῞Οταν δὲ νηστεύητε, μὴ γίνεσθε ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ σκυθρωποί· ἀφανίζουσι γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως φανῶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἀπέχουσι τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν. σὺ δὲ νηστεύων ἄλειψαί σου τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου νίψαι,ὅπως μὴ φανῇς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύων, ἀλλὰ τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι ἐν τῷ φανερῷ. Μὴ θησαυρίζετε ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅπου σὴς καὶ βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται διορύσσουσι καὶ κλέπτουσι· θησαυρίζετε δὲ ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅπου οὔτε σὴς οὔτε βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται οὐ διορύσσουσιν οὐδὲ κλέπτουσιν· ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρὸς ὑμῶν, ἐκεῖ ἔσται καὶ ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν.

THE HOLY GOSPEL / ΤΟ ΘΕΙΟΝ ΕΥΑΓ-

ΓΕΛΙΟΝ

Parish News and Events We need your help - You Might be Missing Out We have started a new weekly St. Basil E-Bulletin - which goes out early each week - and, for some of you, this email is going into "spam" or "trash". Please take a look at your spam and trash files and if you see it there, with most servers there's a button you can push to stop it's going into trash/spam. Or, enter stbasilchicago@comcast.net into your email contacts list. Thanks!

Stewardship - Have You Become A Steward For 2018? If not, know that everything we have is God's and we are just managers during this brief life. Become a steward today. "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God" (2 Cor. 9:10-11).

Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry St. Basil Church supports the Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry, a national organization that provides spiritual guidance to inmates and their families and disseminates Orthodox publications to them. Last year, OCPM sent out 9,849 letters, 4,560 books, and 8,920 icons to incarcerated men and women around the country. This Sunday, we ask you to support the mission of OCPM by making a donation to the organization. Your contributions will be shared with our parish’s prison ministry program.

Food Drive – Many of Chicago’s Lakeview Pantry’s clients are parents who struggle to feed their children. Ladies Philoptochos requests your donations of breakfast items so these children don’t have to start their day hungry. Suggested items: Hot or cold cereal, pancake mix, syrup, shelf-stable juices. Please bring your donation to the Church in February. Thank you for your support.

Coffee Hour Today: Is hosted by Ekaterini Lekkas. Thank you for your goodies.

Yiayia's Kouzina - Following the Saturday of the Souls church services, Yiayia's Kouzina, a ministry of our Philoptochos, invites all parishoners and visitors to join them in baking Koulourakia on Saturday, February 10th, from 11am until 1:30pm. Also, please mark the following baking dates on your calendar: February 17th, and February 24th, from 11am until 2:30pm. We look forward to seeing new faces and making new friends.

House/Business Blessings - It is customary to bless homes and businesses right after the feast of Epiphany. Please contact Fr. Dimitri Tobias if you would like to have your home or business blessed (312-243-3738). Helping the Homeless – Ladies Philoptochos thanks all who donated a total of $153 to the coffee hour on Sunday 2/4. We were able to buy 11 sheet sets for the Lincoln Park Community Shelter from their Amazon wish list. The shelter provides the homeless temporary onsite housing while helping them overcome the reasons for their homelessness, such as addiction and mental health issues. This empowers them to make and sustain the life changes that will lead them to move into their own permanent housing. This is part of our ongoing efforts to help the poor. NEXT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25th GO RED SUNDAY Our Philoptochos has designated February 25th as St Basil’s Go Red Sunday. February is Heart Month. We are asking everyone to wear RED to church on the 25th to raise awareness about heart disease. Following Liturgy, Dr. Gerry Tikoff will speak about heart disease and heart wellness. The Philoptochos will host a heart healthy coffee hour. We will have a variety of handouts, giveaways and more. Please join us! AND DON’T FORGET ~ Please wear RED for GO RED SUNDAY! 1 year Memorial Lorraine Phillips - May Her Memory Be Eternal

Calendar for the Week Ahead - Sunday, February 18, 10:30am - "Sunday School meets"

- Sunday, February 18, 6:00pm - Forgiveness Vespers - Monday, February 19, 6:00pm - Great Compline

- Monday, February 19, 7:00pm - Koulouma Dinner - Tuesday, February 20, 6:00pm - Great Compline

- Wednesday, February 21, 6:00pm - Presanctified Liturgy - Friday, February 23, 6:30pm - 1st Salutations to the Virgin Mary

- Saturday, February 24, 8:30am - Orthros and Divine Liturgy for third Saturday of the Souls - Saturday, February 24, 2:30pm - Yiayia Kouzina Baking

- Sunday, February 25, 8:15am - Orthros and Divine Liturgy

mailto:stbasilchicago@comcast.net

St. B

asil G

reek O

rth

od

ox C

hu

rch F

eb

ruary

2018

Su

nd

ay

Mo

nd

ay

Tu

esday

W

edn

esday

T

hu

rsday

F

riday

S

aturd

ay

28

No

Fastin

g 8:15 am

O

rthros and Divine

Liturgy 10:30 am

"S

unday School

meets"

29

No

Fastin

g 7:00 pm

G

reat Vespers for

Three H

ierarchs

30

No

Fastin

g 8:30 am

O

rthros and Divine

Liturgy for Synaxis of

the Three H

ierarch:

Basil the G

reat,

Gregory the

Theologian and John

Chrysostom

31

No

Fastin

g

1

No

Fastin

g N

o W

edd

ing

s/Bap

tisms

Perm

itted

2

Mem

orials N

ot

Perm

itted N

o F

asting

No

Wed

din

gs/B

aptism

s

Perm

itted 8:30 am

"O

rthros and Divine

Liturgy for

Presentation of C

hrist

into the Tem

ple"

3

No

Fastin

g

4

No

Fastin

g 8:15 am

O

rthros and Divine

Liturgy 10:30 am

"S

unday School

meets"

4:00 pm

Super B

owl B

ash at

Billy G

oat

5

7:00 pm

P

arish Council

Meeting

6

10:00 am

B

ible Study

7

6:00 pm

P

araklesis

(Supplication S

ervice)

to the Virgin M

ary 6:00 pm

P

araklesis

(Supplication S

ervice)

to the Virgin M

ary

8

7:00 pm

B

lessed Darkness:

Adult E

ducation

(ON

LINE

)

9

7:00 pm

G

reat Vespers for S

t.

Haralam

bos (at Niles

parish)

10

8:30 am

O

rthros and Divine

Liturgy for St.

Haralam

bos (at St.

Nile parish) w

ith the

1st Saturday of S

ouls 11:30 am

Y

iaYia K

ouzina

Baking

11

8:15 am

O

rthros and Divine

Liturgy 10:30 am

"S

unday School

meets"

12:00 pm

Apokreatiko G

lendi

12

Ch

eesefare Week

13 C

heesefare W

eek

10:00 am

Bible S

tudy 1

4

Ch

eesefare Week

6:00 pm

Paraklesis

(Supplication S

ervice)

to the Virgin M

ary 6:00 pm

P

araklesis

(Supplication S

ervice)

to the Virgin M

ary

15 C

heesefare W

eek

7:00 pm

Blessed D

arkness:

Adult E

ducation

(ON

LINE

)

16

Ch

eesefare Week

17

Ch

eesefare Week

8:30 am

Orthros and D

ivine

Liturgy for second

Saturday of the S

ouls 11:30 am

Y

iayia Kouzina B

aking

18

Ch

eesefare 8:15 am

O

rthros and Divine

Liturgy 10:30 am

"S

unday School

meets"

6:00 pm

Forgiveness V

espers 19

Fastin

g D

ays C

lean M

on

day (first d

ay of G

reat

Len

t) 6:00 pm

G

reat Com

pline with

first part of Canon of

St. A

ndrew of C

rete -

followed by Lenten

meal and fellow

ship

20 F

asting

Days

10:00 am

Bible S

tudy 6:00 pm

G

reat Com

pline with

second part of Canon

of St. A

ndrew of C

rete 21

Fastin

g D

ays 6:00 pm

P

resanctified Liturgy

22

Fastin

g D

ays 7:00 pm

B

lessed Darkness:

Adult E

ducation

(ON

LINE

)

23

Fastin

g D

ays 6:00 pm

1st S

alutations to the

Virgin M

ary

24

Fastin

g D

ays 8:30 am

"O

rthros and Divine

Liturgy for 1st and 2nd

finding of the head of

St. John the B

aptist" 8:30 am

"O

rthros and Divine

Liturgy for third

Saturday of the S

ouls" 11:30 am

Y

iayia Kouzina B

aking

25

Fastin

g D

ays 8:15 am

O

rthros and Divine

Liturgy 10:00 am

"S

unday School w

ill

process for Sunday of

Orthodoxy"

10:30 am

"Sunday S

chool

meets"

12:00 pm

Prison M

inistry Easter

card writing to Inm

ates 26

Fastin

g D

ays

27 F

asting

Days

10:00 am

Bible S

tudy

28

Fastin

g D

ays 6:00 pm

P

resanctified Liturgy

Matthew 25:35-36 - The Last Judgement For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: Please donate food for the needy. I was a stranger, and you took me in: Please welcome our Catechumens and Guests Naked, and you clothed me: Please consider donating clothes to the local shelter. I was sick, and you visited me: Please pray for the speedy recovery of: Nicholas, Cindy I was in prison, and you came unto me: Please pray for and consider visiting our shut-ins. Please also see Pat Cole to see about writing Letters to those Incarcerated through our prison ministry. It means the world to them to receive love.

VISITATION POLICY If you would like Fr. Dimitri to visit you in the hospital, please call him or

have a family member call. Fr. Dimitri will not go unless he is asked by the

family. This is in compliance with both HIPAA and patient privacy.

If You are not receiving the Observer,

please contact the Church Office.

Reflection

Why do men leave one place and settle in another place? Primarily because they hope that they will be more fortunate in the other place. And in truth, from the worldly point of view of life and contentment, places can be different; better or worse. He, who does not hope in a better life after death, seeks a better sensual pasture in this life. But if we listen to the hearts of those men, who were able and capable to live in the so-called best places on the globe of the earth, we will detect dissatisfaction, sorrow and despair. They did not find that which they were seeking. They ate to over satisfaction in every place, and finally, still hungry, they gaze death in the eyes.

But look at the Christian saints! They sought places with the least earthly pastures; places that were "arid, impassible and devoid of water" isolated places and terrible places that attracted the least attention and for which no one competes. They considered every place on earth equally worthless, but they chose those places solely because they wanted to draw nearer in the spirit and mind to their eternal homeland. And, if one were to listen to their hearts, they would sense joy and contentment.

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-35/http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-35/http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-35/http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-35/http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-35/http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-36/http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-36/http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-36/http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-36/http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-36/http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-36/http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-25-36/