More petitions from The Great Litany

FOR FAVORABLE WEATHER, AN ABUNDANCE OF THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH AND FOR TEMPERATE SEASONS, LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

Many times, I have been asked what we should be thinking about during the petitions offered at the Divine Liturgy.  So, a natural question which follows the question of what to think about during the petitions is how to stay focused.  One thing that I have found helpful when it comes to maintaining focus is to have a “slideshow” of the petitions playing in my mind.  So, on this petition for favorable weather, abundance of the fruits of the earth and for temperate seasons, some of the “slides” that have passed through my mind have included these images: people in a third world country, travelling to find water; news reports of floods; news accounts of natural disasters when they happen; the farmer in the Midwest taking care of his crops; the family hiking in the mountains.

There are many others.  The point of the “slideshow” exercise is that when I’m praying this petition and others, I try to visualize the people I am praying for.  Even if I don’t know their names, I am made aware of their struggles via news reports and my own life experience learning about the climate around the world and the struggles of those who live in various climates.

As we pray this petition, we should pray for adequate rain for places that get too much or too little of this precious commodity.  This is also a good time to pray for our environment and for our conservation of our natural resources.  Like the other petitions, this one is so rich with material that you could have a different “slide” for each Liturgy and not run out of possibilities for many Liturgies.

Thank You Lord for creating the beautiful world in which we live, for the natural resources we enjoy, for the sun and its warmth.  Help us Lord to be good stewards of our environment and our resources.  Send Your Divine help upon those who find themselves without adequate water that they may have adequate and clean water.  And strengthen anyone who is struggling to recover from natural disasters. Amen

FOR TRAVELERS BY LAND, SEA, AND AIR, FOR THE SICK, THE SUFFERING, THE CAPTIVES, AND FOR THEIR SALVATION, LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

Again, our Church offers a wide variety of things and people to remember on this one petition.  You could focus on a different part of this petition at every liturgy and that would provide variety in praying the service.  “And air” was added to the liturgy in the past century, evidence that the liturgy does change ever so slightly as there is need.  And as I mentioned last week, this is a good petition where you can have a “slide show” going through your mind.  Often when I am praying this petition, I am thinking of specific people who I know are traveling, and specific people in our community who are sick.

The liturgy, however, is an act of all the people of a community, on behalf of all the people in the world.  So there is a global prayer offered for the millions and millions of people on earth, the overwhelming majority of which, obviously, we do not know by name, who are sick or suffering.  There are many people in poor parts of the world who do not have access to medical care, and this petition is a good time to pray for them, and for those who have the means to bring medical relief to them.  There are people in the world who are suffering in many different ways—poor, homeless, orphans, etc. and this is a good time to bring them to mind and to prayer.  At any given time, there are people who are being held unjustly in captivity.  And then there are those who are justifiably being held in prisons and jails who should also not escape our prayers for their repentance and salvation. Unfortunately there are many areas in the world where Christians are not safe to practice their Christianity.  They are held “captive” by oppressive governments who are bent on stamping our Christianity.  We pray for them here as well.

It is interesting to note that we are not praying for safety, freedom, liberation, or vindication for any of the groups mentioned in this petition.  We are not praying for material gain or recovery.  We are praying for the most important thing—salvation.  Perhaps someone who is suffering will never get better, or the person in poverty will never get rich.  But salvation is very much in God’s plan for every human soul, and so the prayer for everyone covered by this petition is simple—salvation.

Lord, free those who are held captive by unclean spirits; sail with those who sail; travel with those who travel; defend the widows; protect the orphans; liberate the captives; heal the sick. Remember, Lord, those who are in mines, in exile, in harsh labor, and those in every kind of affliction, necessity, or distress; those who entreat your loving kindness; those who love us and those who hate us; those who have asked us to pray for them, unworthy though we may be.  Amen.

FOR THIS PARISH AND CITY, FOR EVERY CITY AND COUNTRY AND FOR THE FAITHFUL WHO LIVE IN THEM, LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

People often complain that the Divine Liturgy is the same each time it is celebrated.  That is true to some extent, though hymns and scripture readings change at each service.  But what the Divine Liturgy is, among other things, is very complete.  We cover so many areas of life in the Liturgy, and in this petition, we focus directly on the community in which we live and our parish community. As we pray this petition, you should bring to mind some aspect or aspects of your life in your community.  Things to bring to mind as this petition is being offered might be your job and your co-workers, your school and your classmates, your kid’s baseball team, the teller at the bank, the clerk at the store or any number of other things.
Not only do we bring to mind our city, but every city and country in the world.  And we pray especially for the faithful people who dwell everywhere on earth.  We pray that the faith is spread everywhere on earth.  We pray that it takes root and is established on a solid foundation wherever it is planted.  This is also a good time to bring to mind those who live in areas where Christians are persecuted, for their safety and for the protection of churches and communities in places of Christian oppression.
Can you see how this one petition brings so many possibilities when it comes to prayer?  If you prayed for one of these things at each liturgy, then this petition would be thought of in at least ten different ways at ten liturgies.  Truly a far cry from “the same and the same.”  And a testament to how a few precious words can bring so much to our minds, our hearts and our prayers.
Thank You Lord for the city in which I live, and for the church community to which I belong.  Protect and bless all those who are part of my church community.  Protect and bless those who are part of the city in which I live.  Remember my neighbors, my co-workers and my friends, those who work in the businesses which I patronize, those who travel on the streets I drive on, those who live in the houses on my street, for those who visit my town and those who make this place their home.  And remember those who live in all the cities and towns of our world, keep them safe, safeguard our faith, protect those who call themselves Christians and allow our beautiful faith to be spread safely and firmly to every corner of the earth.  Amen.

FOR TRAVELERS BY LAND, SEA, AND AIR, FOR THE SICK, THE SUFFERING, THE CAPTIVES, AND FOR THEIR SALVATION, LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

Again, our Church offers a wide variety of things and people to remember on this one petition.  You could focus on a different part of this petition at every liturgy and that would provide variety in praying the service.  “And air” was added to the liturgy in the past century, evidence that the liturgy does change ever so slightly as there is need. This is a good petition where you can have a “slide show” going through your mind.  Often when I am praying this petition, I am thinking of specific people who I know are traveling, and specific people in our community who are sick.
The liturgy, however, is an act of all the people of a community, on behalf of all the people in the world.  So there is a global prayer offered for the millions and millions of people on earth, the overwhelming majority of which, obviously, we do not know by name, who are sick or suffering.  There are many people in poor parts of the world who do not have access to medical care, and this petition is a good time to pray for them, and for those who have the means to bring medical relief to them.  There are people in the world who are suffering in many different ways—poor, homeless, orphans, etc. and this is a good time to bring them to mind and to prayer.  At any given time, there are people who are being held unjustly in captivity.  And then there are those who are justifiably being held in prisons and jails who should also not escape our prayers for their repentance and salvation.  Unfortunately there are many areas in the world where Christians are not safe to practice their Christianity.  They are held “captive” by oppressive governments who are bent on stamping our Christianity.  We pray for them here as well.
It is interesting to note that we are not praying for safety, freedom, liberation, or vindication for any of the groups mentioned in this petition.  We are not praying for material gain or recovery.  We are praying for the most important thing—salvation.  Perhaps someone who is suffering will never get better, or the person in poverty will never get rich.  But salvation is very much in God’s plan for every human soul, and so the prayer for everyone covered by this petition is simple—salvation.
Lord, free those who are held captive by unclean spirits; sail with those who sail; travel with those who travel; defend the widows; protect the orphans; liberate the captives; heal the sick. Remember, Lord, those who are in mines, in exile, in harsh labor, and those in every kind of affliction, necessity, or distress; those who entreat your loving kindness; those who love us and those who hate us; those who have asked us to pray for them, unworthy though we may be.  Amen.

WHY DO WE VENERATE RELICS?

Relics include the physical remains of a saint (as well as other objects which have been "sanctified" by being touched to his body. These relics are divided into two classes. First class or real relics include the physical body parts, clothing and instruments connected with a martyr's imprisonment, torture and execution. Second class or representative relics are those which the faithful have touched to the physical body parts or grave of the saint.

The use of relics has some, although limited, basis in sacred Scripture. In 2 Kings 2:9-14, the prophet Elisha picked up the mantle of Elijah after Elijah had been taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. With this, Elisha struck the water of the Jordan, which then parted so that he could cross. In another passage (13:20-21), some people hurriedly bury a dead man in the grave of Elisha, "but when the man came in contact with the bones of Elisha, he came back to life and rose to his feet." In the Acts of the Apostles we read, "Meanwhile, God worked extraordinary miracles at the hands of Paul. When handkerchiefs or cloths which had touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases were cured and evil spirits departed from them." In these three passages, a reverence was given to the actual body or clothing of these very holy people who were indeed God's chosen instruments—Elijah, Elisha and St. Paul. Indeed, miracles were connected with these "relics"—not that some magical power existed in them, but just as God's work was done through the lives of these holy men, so did His work continue after their deaths. Likewise, just as people were drawn closer to God through the lives of these holy men, so did they inspire others to draw closer even after their deaths. This perspective provides the Church's understanding of relics.

The veneration of relics of the saints is found in the early history of the Church. A letter written by the faithful of the Church in Smyrna in the year 156 provides an account of the death of St. Polycarp, their bishop, who was burned at the stake. The letter reads, "We took up the bones, which are more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and laid them in a suitable place, where the Lord will permit us to gather ourselves together as we are able, in gladness and joy, and celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom." Essentially, the relics—the bones and other remains of St. Polycarp—were buried and the tomb itself was the "reliquary." Other accounts attest that the faithful visited the burial places of the saints and miracles occurred. Moreover, at this time we see the development of "feast days" marking the death of the saint, the celebration of Mass at the burial place and a veneration of the remains.

After the legalization of the Church in 312, the tombs of saints were opened and the actual relics were venerated by the faithful. A bone or other bodily part was placed in a reliquary—a box, locket and later a glass case—for veneration. This practice especially grew in the Eastern Church, while the practice of touching cloth to the remains of the saint was more common in the west. By the time of the Merovingian and Carolingian periods of the Middle Ages, the use of reliquaries was common throughout the whole Church. The Church strived to keep the use of relics in perspective. St. Jerome wrote in defense of relics: "We do not worship, we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the Creator, but we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore Him whose martyrs they are."

Here we need to pause for a moment. Perhaps in our technological age, the whole idea of relics may seem strange. Remember, all of us treasure things that have belonged to someone we love—a piece of clothing, another personal item, a lock of hair. Those "relics" remind us of the love we share with that person while he was still living and even after death. Our hearts are torn when we think about disposing of the very personal things of a deceased loved one. Even from an historical sense, at Ford's Theater Museum for instance, we can see things that belonged to President Lincoln, including the blood-stained pillow on which he died. More importantly, we treasure the relics of saints, the holy instruments of God.

During the Middle Ages, the "translation of relics," meaning the removal of relics from the tombs, their placement in reliquaries and their dispersal, grew. Sadly, abuses grew also. With various barbarian invasions, the conquests of the Crusades, the lack of means for verifying all relics and less than reputable individuals who in their greed preyed on the ignorant and the superstitious, abuses did occur. Even St. Augustine denounced impostors who dressed as monks selling spurious relics of saints. Pope St. Gregory forbade the selling of relics and the disruption of tombs in the catacombs. Unfortunately, the popes or other religious authorities were powerless in trying to control the translation of relics or prevent forgeries. Eventually, these abuses prompted the Protestant leaders to attack the idea of relics totally. Unfortunately, the abuses and the negative reaction surrounding relics have led many people to this day to be skeptical about relics. In response, the Council of Trent defended invoking the prayers of the saints and venerating their relics and burial places. "The sacred bodies of the holy martyrs and of the other saints living with Christ, which have been living members of Christ and the temple of the Holy Spirit and which are destined to be raised and glorified by Him unto life eternal, should also be venerated by the faithful. Through them, many benefits are granted to men by God." Since that time, the Church has taken stringent measures to ensure the proper preservation and veneration of relics. In all, relics remind us of the holiness of a saint and his cooperation in God's work. At the same time, relics inspire us to ask for the prayers of that saint and to beg the grace of God to live the same kind of faith-filled live.

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With unity of faith, let us celebrate a solemn feast of all those who from the ages have found grace before God. Let us remember all the Saints: the Patriarchs, and Apostles of Christ, the Martyrs, and the Ascetics of all ages; they intercede unceasingly for the peace of the world and for the salvation of our souls.

Come, O faithful, let us celebrate, with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, the glorious memory of all the Saints: the Baptist of the Lord, the Apostles and Prophets, the Martyrs, the Bishops, and the Doctors of the Church, the Blessed Ones, the Ascetics, and all the Just, together with all the Holy Women. Let us venerate their blessed memory, and together, let us all sing: O Christ our God and Supreme Goodness, through their prayers grant peace to Your Church, victory over the Enemy, and salvation for our souls.

You are pillars of the Church and the fulfillment of the Gospel, O divine ranks of Martyrs. By your deeds you have fulfilled the words of the Savior; for through you the gates of Hades, once opened against the Church, have now been closed; and through the shedding of your blood you dried up the sacrifices poured out for the idols. And having built up the faith of believers through your martyrdom, you filled the heavenly spirits with admiration. You stand before Christ, wearing your crowns; intercede with Him for our souls.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT - VESPERS

O holy father John, truly have you ever carried on your lips the praises of the Lord, and with great wisdom have you studied the words of Holy Scripture, that teach us how to practice the ascetic life. So have you gained the riches of grace, and you have become blessed, overthrowing all the purposes of the ungodly.

Most glorious father John, with the fountain of your tears you have cleansed your soul, and by keeping vigils through the night you have gained God’s mercy. You were raised on wings, O blessed one, to the love of Him and of His beauty; and as is right you dwell now in His unending joy, with your fellow soldiers in the spiritual fight, O holy saint of God.
O holy father John, through faith you have lifted up your mind on wings to God; hating the restless confusion of this world, you have taken up your Cross; and, by following Him who sees all things you have subjected your rebellious body to His guidance through ascetic discipline, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

O holy father, hearing the voice of the Gospel of the Lord, you have forsaken the world, counting as naught its riches and its glory; and so you have cried out to all: “Love God, Set nothing higher than His love, that, when He comes in glory,

you may find rest with all the saints.” at their prayers, O Christ, guard and save our souls.
Let us honor John, angel upon earth and man of God in heaven, adornment of the world, joy of the good and virtuous, glory of the ascetics. For planted in the house of God he has blossomed with the flower of holiness, and spread abroad like a cedar in the desert, causing the sheep of Christ’s spiritual flock to increase in sanctity and righteousness.

VESPERS – FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

The prophets, inspired by Your Spirit, O Lord, foretold that You, whom nothing can contain or grasp, and who has shone forth in eternity before the morning star from the immaterial and bodiless womb of the Father, was to become a child, taking flesh from the Virgin, being joined to men and seen by those on earth. At the prayers of these Your prophets, in Your compassion count us worthy of Your light, for we sing the praises of Your ineffable and holy Resurrection.

The divinely-inspired prophets preached You in word and honored You in works, and they received as their reward a life without end. For they steadfastly refused, O Master, to worship the creation instead of You, the Creator; They renounced the whole world for the Gospel’s sake, and in their suffering they were conformed to Your Passion which they had foretold. At their intercessions, count us worthy to pass through the period of the Fast without offence, for You alone are rich in mercy.

You who are uncircumscribed, O Master, in Your divine nature, were pleased in the last times to take flesh and be circumscribed;
and in assuming flesh, You have also taken on Yourself all its distinctive properties. Therefore we depict the likeness of Your outward form, venerating it with an honor that is relative. So we are exalted to the love of You, and following the holy traditions handed down by the apostles, from Your icon we receive the grace of healing.

As a precious adornment the Church of Christ has received the venerable and holy icons of the Savior Christ, of God’s Mother and of all the saints. Celebrating now their triumphant restoration, she is made bright with grace and splendor, and drives away all heretics. With great rejoicing she gives glory to God who loves mankind, and who for her sake has endured His voluntary Passion.

The grace of truth has shone upon us; the mysteries darkly prefigured in the times of old have now been openly fulfilled.

For behold, the Church is clothed in a beauty that surpasses all things earthly, through the icon of the incarnate Christ that was foreshadowed by the ark of testimony. This is the safeguard of the Christian faith; for is we hold fast to the icon of the Savior whom we worship, we shall not go astray. Let all who do not share this faith be covered with shame; but we shall glory in the icon of the Word made flesh, which we venerate but worship not as an idol. So let us kiss it, and with all the faithful cry aloud: O God, save Your people and bless Your inheritance.

THE LAST JUDGMENT: MEAT-FARE SUNDAY

This Sunday is called “Meat-Fare” because during the week following it a limited fasting – abstention from meat – is prescribed by the Church. This prescription is to be understood in the light of what has been said about the meaning of preparation. The Church begins now to “adjust” us to the great effort, which she will expect from us seven days later. The Church gradually takes us into that effort – knowing our frailty, foreseeing our spiritual weakness.

On the eve of that day, the Church invites us to a universal commemoration of all those who have “fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection and life eternal.” This is indeed the Church’s great day of prayer for her departed members. To understand the meaning of this connection between Lent and the prayer for the dead, one must remember that Christianity is the religion of love. Christ left with His disciples not a doctrine of individual salvation but a new commandment “that they love one another,” and He added: “By this shall all know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Love is thus the foundation, the very life of the Church, which is, in the words of St. Ignatius of Antioch, the “unity of faith and love.” Sin is always absence of love, and therefore separation, isolation, war of all against all. The new life given by Christ and conveyed to us by the Church is, first, a life of reconciliation, of “gathering into oneness of those who were dispersed,” the restoration of love broken by sin. However, how can we even begin our return to God and our reconciliation with Him if in ourselves we do not return to the unique new commandment of love? Praying for the dead is an essential expression of the Church as love. We ask God to remember those whom we remember and we remember them because we love them. Praying for them, we meet them in Christ who is Love and who, because He is Love, overcomes death, which is the ultimate victory of separation and loveless-ness. In Christ, there is no difference between living and dead because all are alive in Him. He is the Life and that Life is the light of man. Loving Christ, we love all those who are in Him; loving those who are in Him, we love Christ: this is the law of the Church and the obvious rationale for her of prayer for the dead. It is truly our love in Christ that keeps them alive because it keeps them “in Christ.” 

It is love again that constitutes the theme of “Meat-Fare Sunday.” The Gospel lesson for the day is Christ’s parable of the Last Judgment (Matt. 25:31-46). When Christ comes to judge us, what will be the criterion of His judgment? The parable answers: love – not a mere humanitarian concern for abstract justice and the anonymous “poor,” but concrete and personal love for the human person, any human person, that God makes me encounter in my life. This distinction is important because today more and more Christians tend to identify Christian love with political, economic, and social concerns; in other words, they shift from the unique person and its unique personal destiny, to anonymous entities such as “class,” “race,” etc. Not that these concerns are wrong. It is obvious that in their respective walks of life, in their responsibilities as citizens, professional men, etc., Christians are called to care, to the best of their possibilities and understanding, for a just, equal, and in general more humane society. All this, to be sure, stems from Christianity and my inspired by Christian love. But Christian love as such is something different, and this difference is to be understood and maintained if the Church is to preserve her unique mission and not become a mere “social agency,” which definitely she is not.

Christian love is the “possible impossibility” to see Christ in another man, whoever he is, and whom God, in His eternal and mysterious plan, has decided to introduce into my life, be it only for a few moments, not as an occasion for a “good deed” or an exercise in philanthropy, but as the beginning of an eternal companionship in God Himself. For, indeed, what is love if not the mysterious power which transcends the accidental and the external in the “other” – his physical appearance, social rank, ethnic origin, intellectual capacity – and reaches the soul, the unique and uniquely personal “root” of a human being, truly the part of God in him? If God loves every man it is because He alone knows the priceless and absolutely unique treasure, the “soul” or “person” He gave every man. Christian love then is the participation in that divine knowledge and the gift of that divine love. There is no “impersonal” love because love is the wonderful discovery of the “person” in “man,” of the personal and unique in the common and general. It is the discovery in each man of that which is “lovable” in him, of that which is from God.

Christian love aims beyond “this world.” It is itself a ray, a manifestation of the Kingdom of God; it transcends and overcomes all limitations, all “conditions” of this world because its motivation as well as its goals and consummation is in God. And we know that even in this world, which “lies in evil,” the only lasting and transforming victories are those of love. To remind man of this personal love and vocation, to fill the sinful world with this love – this is the true mission of the Church.

The parable of the Last Judgment is about Christian love. Not all of us are called to work for “humanity,” yet each one of us has received the gift and the grace of Christ’s love. We know that all men ultimately need this personal love – the recognition in them of their unique soul in which the beauty of the whole creation is reflected in a unique way. We also know that men are in prison and are sick and thirsty and hungry because that personal love has been denied them. And, finally, we know that however narrow and limited the framework of our personal existence, each one of us has been made responsible for a tiny part of the Kingdom of God, made responsible by that very gift of Christ’s love. Thus, on whether or not we have accepted this responsibility, on whether we have loved or refused to love, shall we be judged. For “inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto Me…”

VERSES FOR VESPERS – MEATFARE SUNDAY

When you shall come, O righteous Judge, to execute just judgment, seated on Your Throne of glory, a river of fire will draw all men amazed before Your judgment seat; the powers of heaven will stand beside You, and in fear mankind will be judged according to the deeds that each has done. Then spare us, Christ, in Your compassion, with faith we entreat You, and count us worthy of Your blessings with those that are saved.

The books will be opened and the acts of men will be revealed before the unbearable judgment-seat; and the whole vale of sorrow shall echo with the fearful sound of lamentation, as all the sinners, weeping in vain, are sent by Your just judgment to everlasting torment. Therefore, we beseech You, O compassionate and loving Lord: spare us who sing Your praise, for You alone are rich in mercy.

The trumpets shall sound and the tombs shall be emptied, and all mankind in trembling shall be raised. Those that have done good shall rejoice in gladness, awaiting their reward; those that have sinned shall tremble and bitterly lament, as they are sent to punishment and parted from the chosen. O Lord of glory, take pity on us in Your goodness, and count us worthy of a place with them that have loved You.

I lament and weep when I think of the eternal fire, the outer darkness and the nether world, the dread worm and the gnashing of teeth, and the unceasing anguish that shall befall those who have sinned without measure, by their wickedness arousing You to anger, O Supreme in love. Among them in misery, I am first: but O Judge compassionate, in Your mercy save me.

When the thrones are set up and the books are opened, and God sits in judgment, O what fear there will be then! When the angels stand trembling in Your presence and the river of fire flows before You, what shall we do then, guilty of many sins? When we hear Him call the blessed of His Father into the Kingdom, but send the sinners to their punishment, who shall endure His fearful condemnation? But Savior, who alone love mankind, King of the ages, before the end comes turn me back through repentance

and have mercy on me.

THE SCRIPTURAL READINGS OF GREAT LENT

The backbone of the organization of the 6 weeks of Great Lent is the system of readings and celebrations of the Saturdays and Sundays of Great Lent. The Gospel readings of the Saturdays and Sundays of Great Lent are taken from the Gospel of Saint Mark with one exception: the first Sunday of Lent, when the Gospel is taken from the Gospel according to Saint John. The Epistle readings are from Hebrews.

The reasons of this selection are obvious. As far the Gospels are concerned, Mark is the evangelist who presents Christ as the prototype of a Martyr, actually the unique, true and authentic Martyr. In view of the liturgical celebration of the passion of Christ during Holy Week, what else would be more suitable and appropriate than to read the Gospel that emphasizes the martyr character of Christ. As far as the Epistle readings are concerned, the Epistle to the Hebrews, is the Epistle that emphasizes the intercessional, mediatory and placatory role of Christ's self-sacrifice: "For Christ has entered not into a sanctuary made with hands... but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. ... He suffered once for all anticipating the end of all the worlds, in order to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself ... So, Christ having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to appear for their salvation to those who are eagerly waiting for Him." (Hebrews 9: 24-28 the Epistle reading of Saturday of the 5th week of Lent.)

Now, based on the readings, the Sundays of Lent are dedicated to a variety of themes, with which the spiritual stream of Lent flows naturally into the climate of Holy Week. Thus, according to the Gospel of the 1st Sunday, Philip calls Nathaniel to get to know Jesus personally. He calls him with the words "come and see". The words of Philip are obviously an allusion to the visual character of Holy Icons. The 2nd Sunday is dedicated to the double healing of the paralytic, through the forgiveness of his sins followed by the restoration of his physical health. The relationship between this Gospel passage and the penitential character of Lent is obvious! The 3rd Sunday is dedicated to the self-denial, self-sacrifice and Cross, not of Christ, but of every faithful person who wants to follow Christ. The 4th Sunday's gospel is the miracle of a healing of a demon-possessed young man. When the disciples asked Christ why they were not able to heal the boy, Christ in reply emphasizes the instrumental importance of Prayer and Fasting to the effect of getting rid of the evil powers. There is nothing more relevant to the struggle of Fasting and the insistence on Prayer that constitute the main aspects of Lenten spirituality. Finally the 4th and the 5th Sundays' readings contain preannouncements of Christ's voluntary death on the cross, whereas the 5th also contains the lesson of humility and self-offering as a response to the selfish and naive worldly query of the disciples about "who is greater" among them. Let us add here that all these Sunday Gospel themes are the continuation of the fundamental ideas proclaimed through the Gospel readings of the first 4 Sundays of the Triodion, the most significant among them being that of limitless love towards neighbors, which is expressed as an unconditional gift of forgiveness.

SUNDAY OF THE PUBLICAN AND PHARISEE

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men--extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess'. But the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 18.10-14)

The words by which the preparatory weeks for the fast of Great Lent, speak of a paradox. 'He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted'. As these words are proclaimed in our churches on the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, we have just come from hearing another paradox proclaimed in the same Sunday's epistle: 'Yes, all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution' (2 Tm 3.12). Humbleness brings exaltation, the pursuit of godliness brings persecution; and so we turn our eyes toward Lent.

The Publican's cry, 'God, be merciful unto me, a sinner!’ is a phrase not uncommon to the Christian world. Indeed, it is partially in reference to this Scriptural passage that the words of the Jesus Prayer in its most common form can be attributed; and in the form of the Prayer, the words of the tax collector are thus uttered by many of the faithful hundreds, if not thousands, of times in their own lives. But what of these words that we pray?

'God, have mercy on me' is a petition of unequalled frequency in the Church's worship and prayer. Countless litanies embrace it as a refrain, prayer services and memorials beg it repeatedly, and there are portions of the Offices in which it is said in sequences of three, twelve, forty or even fifty. It is the one phrase that many of the faithful, no matter how limited their linguistic knowledge otherwise, will know in all three of the Church's great traditional tongues: Lord, have mercy. Kyrie, eleison.

The words are simple, yet powerful. To beg God's mercy is a grave and awesome mystery in its own right, for the mercy of God is the foundation of the universe. We are made bold to ask for nothing less than that gift which goes beyond all comprehension and understanding, that gift by which the very planets and the stars have their being and we mortal humans have our breath. There is no little content to this cry.

But the Gospel for this Sunday does not speak so much of what the words of the tax collector say, but what they do not say. His prayer is not recounted until we have heard the words of another man, the Pharisee, one of the order of great religious teachers in the late Jewish world, the righteousness of whom must nonetheless be exceeded by anyone entering the Kingdom of Heaven. It is, interestingly, this Pharisee's prayer that abounds in words, in things said. 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men--extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess'. The Pharisee has made what might have seemed a reasonable prayer, if we strip away for a moment its uncharitable tone. He is not an extortionist, and gives thanks to God for this fact. He keeps justice, for which fact he again offers thanks. Nor is he an adulterer, nor a tax collector, the latter group being one known for fraud, deception and theft, especially of the poor and misfortunate. He keeps the fasts. He offers of his wealth in tithes to the temple. He seems in every way 'religious'.

But his prayer has said too much, has revealed something of him that he certainly did not intend, yet which is nonetheless true. It has made objects of the elements in his religious life, and thus shown that he does not understand their true and deeper purpose. He has judged another, even if in seeming 'justice', and thus brought judgment upon his own head. His askesis has made him proud, and thus not only failed to serve its intended end, but counteracted it altogether. And from the very outset, the Pharisee's prayer has set him apart from his brethren. 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men'. Prayer, which by engendering union with God thus ought in purity to make men one, has been twisted into a divisive act that rends men apart.

Still, we must not judge the Pharisee. We must not hear the words of the Gospel and inwardly cry, 'Thanks to Thee, O God, that I do not pray as he did!', for then, by another great paradox, we pray exactly as he did. The holy Gospel does not recount the Pharisee's prayer that we may see how other, poorer men pray, but that we may see with objective perspective how we pray. Though we may be more familiar with the words of the Publican, we must admit with pained heart that, of the two men, the Pharisee is far more like unto our own selves than the humbled and humble tax collector.

As with so much of the mystery that is God's gracious revelation in the Scriptures, we find that this story is our story. It is not only the Publican and the Pharisee, two long distant and removed figures, who go to the temple to pray, but we ourselves who approach God's great mercy. And it is we who stand and proclaim, whether in our moments of prayer or in the activities of our daily lives, that 'we are not like other men; we are just; we are not adulterers; we fast; we tithe; we are faithful'. And it is to us that the loving Lord Jesus proclaims: 'Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled'.

It is this message that the Gospel for this Sunday means to instill in our hearts: not that we pray like the Publican, no matter how often we may recite his words; but that we pray like the Pharisee--that we are proud and haughty, and therefore must be humbled. The tax collector is not our associate but our example, the one whom we are to follow and strive to emulate. 'Grant unto me the humility of the Publican'. The Pharisee is he who speaks of us, but the Publican he who speaks to us. 'God, have mercy upon me' must be the words of our prayer; but they cannot be purely our prayer whilst we still pray that 'we are not like other men', that we are 'just'. Justice is far from us who are, as the tax collector proclaimed, sinners. We have no weight with God, no claim to His grace. We have only the ability to come before Him and beg His mercy exactly as we are. Lent is coming. In three weeks, the Vespers of Forgiveness will see in the fast proper, the actual period of 'joyful sorrow' that marks the journey into Pascha. But even now the Church begins to situate herself into that spirit which is necessary for joy, for sorrow, for repentance: the spirit of humility which can only come as our pride is brought low and in the depth of our hearts we realize that there is no other cry which mortal man can make in the presence of his King than the words of the humble collector of tax: God, be merciful unto me, a sinner!

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Propers from Vespers

Brothers, let us not pray like the Pharisee: He who exalts himself will be humbled! Let us prepare to abase ourselves by fasting; Let us cry aloud with the voice of the Publican: O God, forgive us sinners!  

The Pharisee went up to the temple with a proud and empty heart; The Publican bowed himself in repentance. They both stood before you, O master: The one, through boasting, lost his reward, But the other, with tears and sighs, won your blessing: Strengthen me, O Christ our God, as I weep in your presence, Since you are the lover of mankind!

I know the value of tears, almighty Lord: They delivered Hezekiah from the gates of death, And rescued the harlot from repeated sins. Tears justified the Publican instead of the Pharisee: I pray you, Lord:  number me with the former, and have mercy on me!

The Pharisee went up to the temple with a proud and empty heart; The Publican bowed himself in repentance. They both stood before you, O master: The one, through boasting, lost his reward, But the other, with tears and sighs, won your blessing: Strengthen me, O Christ our God, as I weep in your presence, Since you are the lover of mankind!

Now that you see the difference, my soul, Between the Pharisee and the Publican, Flee from the vainglory of such a braggart; Emulate instead the prayer of repentance, crying aloud: God, be merciful to me, a sinner!

THE FEAST OF THEOPHANY: GREAT COMPLINE

By fire and the Spirit, You wash away the sin of the world. When the Baptist saw You coming, he was afraid. He trembled and cried out, saying: “I dare not hold Your spotless head. Sanctify me with Your Epiphany, O Master Who love mankind!”

Let us imitate the wise virgins, let us go and meet the Master Who appears; like a bridegroom He comes forth to John. Seeing You the Jordan holds back in fear. John cries out: “I dare not hold Your immortal head.” The Spirit comes down in the form of a dove to sanctify the waters. And a voice from heaven resounds: “This is My Son, Who comes to the world to save the human race.” O Lord, glory to You!

Christ is baptized. He comes up from the water. With Himself He raises up the world. He sees the heavens opened which Adam had shut against Himself and His posterity. The Spirit affirms the divinity, since He rushes to join One Who is also divine. A voice comes from heaven, for from heaven comes the One Whom the Spirit affirms: He is the Savior of our souls.
Touching Your spotless head, the hand of the Baptist trembled. Not daring to minister to You, the river Jordan turned back. Since it stood in awe of Joshua, the son of Nun, How could it not fear You, his Maker? But You, our Savior, fulfilled Your plan to save the world by Your Epiphany, O God Who love mankind.

Today creation is enlightened. Today all things rejoice, in heaven and on earth together. Angels and people join forces, for where the King is present His army must be. Therefore let us all run to the Jordan! Let us see how John baptizes the sinless brow of One not made by human hands! Let us in unison join in the Apostle’s song: “The grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all, shining on the faithful and granting them great mercy.

VESPERS FOR THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY

Come, let us rejoice in the Lord as we tell of the present mystery. Destroyed is the middle wall of partition; the flaming sword turns back, the cherubim withdraw from the tree of life, and I partake of the delight of Paradise from which I was cast out through disobedience. For the Father’s express Image, the Imprint of His eternity, takes the form of a servant, and without undergoing change He comes forth from a Mother who knew not wedlock. For what He was, He has remained, true God: and what He was not, He has taken upon Himself, becoming man through love for mankind. To Him let us cry aloud: God born of a Virgin, have mercy on us.

When Jesus the Lord was born of the holy Virgin, the whole world was enlightened. The shepherds watched in the fields, the Magi adored and the angels sang hymns of praise; but Herod was troubled: for God appeared in the flesh, the Savior of our souls.

Your Kingdom, O Christ our God, is a Kingdom of all the ages, and Your rule is from generation to generation. Made flesh of the Holy Spirit and made man of the ever-Virgin Mary, You have enlightened us by Your coming. Light of Light, Brightness of the Father, You have made all creation shine with joy. Everything that breathes praises You, the Image of the Father’s glory. O God–the One who is–and always was, who shone forth from a Virgin, have mercy on us.

 O Christ what shall we offer You; for our sake You appeared on earth as man? Every creature made by You offers thanks to You. The angels offer You a hymn; the heavens, a star; the Magi, gifts; the shepherds, their wonder; the earth, its cave; the wilderness, the manger: and we offer You a Virgin Mother. O pre-eternal God, have mercy on us.

When Augustus reigned alone on earth, the many kingdoms of men came to an end; and when You were made man of the pure Virgin, the many gods of idolatry were made powerless. The cities of the world passed under one single rule; and the nations came to believe in one sovereign Godhead. The peoples were enrolled by the decree of Caesar; and we, the faithful, were enrolled in the name of the divinity, when You, our God, were made man. Great is Your mercy: Lord, glory to You.

Christ is Born! Let us Glorify Him!

Vespers

Starting this Saturday, at 4:30 PM, Vespers will be celebrated at St. John the Baptist.  Please join us!

In the Byzantine Tradition the liturgical day begins in the evening with the setting of the sun. This practice follows the Biblical account of creation: “And there was evening and there was morning, one day” (Gen 1:5).

The Vesper service in the Church always begins with the chanting of the evening psalm: “...the sun knows it’s time for setting, You make darkness and it is night….” (Psalm 104: 19-20) This psalm, which glorifies God’s creation of the world, is man’s very first act of worship, for man first of all meets God as Creator.

Bless the Lord, oh my soul, O Lord my God, Thou art very great…

O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all. The earth is full of Thy creatures (Ps 104:24).

Following the psalm, the Great Litany, the opening petition of all liturgical services of the Church is intoned. In it we pray to the Lord for everyone and everything.

Following this litany a number of psalms are chanted, a different group each evening. These psalms normally are omitted in parish churches though they are done in monasteries. On the eve of Sunday, however, sections of the first psalm and the other psalms which are chanted to begin the week are usually sung even in parish churches.

Psalm 141 is always sung at Vespers. During this psalm the evening incense is offered:

Lord, I call upon Thee, hear me. Hear me, O Lord.

Let my prayer arise in Thy sight as incense.

And let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. Hear me, O Lord.

(Psalm 141:1-2).

At this point special hymns are sung for the particular day. If it be a Church feast: songs in honor of the celebration are sung. On Saturday evenings, the eve of the Lord’s Day, these hymns always praise Christ’s resurrection from the dead.

The special hymns normally end with a song called a Theotokion which honors Mary, the Mother of Christ. Following this, the vesperal hymn is sung. If it be a special feast or the eve of Sunday, the celebrant will come to the center or the church building with lighted candles and incense. This hymn belongs to every Vesper service.

O Tranquil Light of the holy glory of the Immortal Father, heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ. Now we have come to the setting of the sun and behold the light of evening. We praise God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For it is right at all times to worship Thee with voices of praise, O Son of God and Giver of Life, therefore all the world glorifies Thee.

Christ is praised as the Light which illumines man’s darkness, the Light of the world and of the Kingdom of God which shall have no evening (Isa 60:20, Rev 21:25).

A verse from the Psalms, the prokeimenon, follows—a different one for each day, announcing the day’s spiritual theme. If it be a special day, three readings from the Old Testament are included. Then more evening prayers and petitions follow with additional hymns for the particular day, all of which end with the chanting of the Song of St Simeon:

Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation: which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and to be the glory of Thy people Israel (Lk 1:29-32).

After proclaiming our own vision of Christ, the Light and Salvation of the world, we say the prayers of the Thrice-Holy (trisagion) through to the Our Father. We sing the main theme song of the day, called the Troparion, and we are dismissed with the usual benediction.

The service of Vespers takes us through creation, sin, and salvation in Christ. It leads us to the meditation of God’s word and the glorification of his love for men. It instructs us and allows us to praise God for the particular events or persons whose memory is celebrated and made present to us in the Church. It prepares us for the sleep of the night and the dawn of the new day to come. On the eves of the Divine Liturgy, it begins our movement into the most perfect communion with God in the sacramental mysteries.

THE CONCEPTION OF ST. ANNE (December 9)

Joachim and Anna were without children.  In Jewish tradition, childlessness was seen as a curse from God.  When Joachim went to the Temple to bring an offering, he was publicly reproached by the elders.  In shame, Joachim went off to the desert to pray. Anna, fearing Joachim was dead and lamenting her shame at being childless, was weeping and praying in the garden.  An angel appeared to her and told her she would have a child.  She was so overjoyed, she promised to dedicate the child to the service of the Lord.  At the same moment, an angel appeared to Joachim to tell him that Anna would have a child.  Joachim got up and ran immediately back to Anna.  They met each other at the Temple Gate and embraced with love.  Anna knew immediately that she would bear a daughter “whose name would be proclaimed throughout the world and through whom all nations would be blessed.”  The feast celebrates two main ideas:  Mary was conceived without sin because God was preparing her to be the Mother of His Son Jesus. The vocation of marriage lived in love reflects the love of God for all creation.

THE  ICON

The love between Joachim and Anna is revealed to us through the Icon.  Their embrace shows their devotion to each other and to God.  Both Joachim and Anna incline their heads to each other and their faces touch as a symbol of their reverence for each other.  There are two houses in the Icon, one behind Joachim and one behind Anna.  Both the doors and windows are wide open symbolizing the openness between husband and wife and the openness between humanity and God.  A red banner draped between the roofs connects the two houses: another symbol of separation overcome—between man and woman, but also between humanity and the Creator.  Joachim means “The Lord will judge.”  Anna means “Divine Grace.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Pope Pius IX, on December 8, 1854, declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, ‘ex cathedra’ which means it is infallible.  All Catholics believe that Mary, as the Mother of God, was granted a special grace by God and was conceived without original sin. The Virgin Mary was always filled with every blessing and gift of the Holy Spirit in whose grace she certainly grew throughout her life.  Though born without original sin, according to the view of the Eastern Fathers, she was not made exempt from the temporal penalties of Adam -- from sorrow, bodily infirmities, and death.
 In our Church, we celebrate the Conception and Birth of three people:  St. John the Baptist, Mary, the Mother of God and Jesus Christ. The Conception of St. John the Baptist is celebrated on September 23 and his birth date is June 24. In the Byzantine Rite, the Immaculate Conception is celebrated on December 9 and the birth date of Mary is September 8. March 25, the Annunciation, is the Conception date for Jesus and his birth date is December 25. The theological significance of these dates is that only Jesus, who is the Son of God, has a perfect nine months between Conception and Birth.

FEAST OF  THE  CONCEPTION  OF  SAINT  ANNE 

The feast widely known as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated in the Eastern Church on December 9 as the Feast of the Conception of Saint Ann. This feast commemorates Saint Anne’s conception of Mary, the Mother of God.  In the United States of America the Ukrainian Catholic Church celebrates this feast on December 8.
 The writings of the early Church tell us that Mary’s parents, Joachim and Ann, had lived devoutly in marriage for fifty years and had prayed earnestly for a child.  The Lord God answered their prayers by allowing Ann to conceive a child who would be the mother of God’s own Son, Jesus Christ.
 The Ukrainian Catholic liturgical tradition venerates the Most Holy Mother of God as "All-Immaculate" and "Most Immaculate”.  We say that she was immaculately conceived in the sense that, from the moment of her conception, she was free of all sin and had no propensity to sin.  (Mankind’s propensity to sin was one of the legacies of Adam and Eve’s fall from grace.)  The Western Church, on the other hand, defined the Virgin Mary's "Immaculate Conception" to say that she was, from the first moment of her conception, preserved free from the "stain of original sin."
The difference between the Western and Eastern traditions in this regard lies precisely in the nature of Original Sin itself. The West follows St. Augustine’s view that we inherit not only the effects of Original Sin (illness, pain, death, propensity to sin), but also the "stain" of the sin itself. The Eastern Church places its attention on the process by which God shares His divine nature with human beings. In choosing disobedience, Adam broke his union with God, making it impossible to fulfill his nature.  This was the Original Sin: Adam’s rejection of the only true life given to him by God. (It was only through Christ that humanity could be reunited with the Father.) The Eastern Fathers understood Original Sin only in terms of the inherited impact of this sin upon humanity. They would see it as impossible for someone to inherit the actual stain or guilt of a sin committed by another, even if it was the forefather Adam.
We are therefore not born with any stain of a sin committed by someone else, but only with the effects of that sin.   Adam’s personal sin resulted in death for all his descendants, the experience of concupiscence and the propensity to be tempted and to sin. According to the faith of the Eastern Church, the Mother of God never had any sin, original or actual, on her soul.  The Church has always believed that Mary was preserved from original sin by a "singular grace and privilege" given her by God "in view of the merits of Jesus Christ" as Redeemer of the human race. Mary, like every other human being, needed the redemptive benefits of Christ; but, in anticipation of what God did for all through Christ, she alone was preserved from original sin "from the first moment of her conception," and sanctifying grace was given to her before sin could have taken effect in her soul.
The Virgin Mary was always filled with every blessing and gift of the Holy Spirit in whose grace she certainly grew throughout her life.  Though born without original sin, according to the view of the Eastern Fathers, she was not made exempt from the temporal penalties of Adam -- from sorrow, bodily infirmities, and death.

VERSES FOR VESPERS (December 9)

Our liturgical tradition also provides us with catechesis. Here are the verses sung at Vespers, which tell us the symbolism and the importance of  this feast – The Conception of Saint Anne

• The barren Anna leaped for joy when she gave birth to Mary the Virgin, who in turn will give birth in the flesh to God the Word.  Overflowing with happiness, she cried out: Rejoice with me, all tribes of Israel, for I have conceived and put aside my burden of childlessness as the Creator has deigned. He heard my prayer and healed the pains of my yearning heart.
• O Anna, the One who made waters gush forth from a rock bestows as a fruit of your womb, the ever-Virgin Lady. Through her, our salvation will come. Because of this you were delivered from shame. No longer will you be on earth as a fruitless soil, for you have produced an earth which will bring forth the Tree of Life. According to His will, He delivered mankind from all shame when He became man out of His compassionate mercy.
• The sayings of the prophets are now being fulfilled: the holy mountain is planted in the womb; the divine ladder is set up; the throne of the great king is ready; the God-inspired city is being adorned. The unburnable bush is beginning to bud forth, and the treasure house of grace is overflowing. It is spreading over the rivers of unfruitfulness of the God-wise Anna whom we glorify.
• Today the mystery which has been announced from eternity, whose depth angels and men cannot measure, appears in the arms of Anna. Mary, the maiden of God is prepared to be the dwelling of the Kings of the ages who will renew our human nature. Let us entreat her with a pure heart and say: Since you are the intercessor for all Christians, implore your Son and God to save our souls.
• It is fitting that the Queen of heaven and earth, who is more precious than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, be conceived and remain immaculate as the angels, so that they who are servants of the Lord can boast of their own Queen, the Mother of God. Glory and praise to the Lord who willed it so, the Creator of all things.
• It is fitting that the unique and chosen woman be conceived without sin, and the power of Satan is now taken away; for the Mother of God will never bow before him. Glory and praise to the Lord who willed it so, the Creator of all things.
• It is fitting that the Second Eve be created and remain without sin in the manner of the Second Adam; for the rebirth of mankind now takes place, just as the fall came through the first Adam and the first Eve. Christ has renewed all through his new birth, and it was Mary that gave birth to Him. Glory and praise to the Lord who willed it so, the Creator of all things.
• Anna, whose name means divine grace, once cried out in her prayer, asking for a child. She invoked the God and Creator of all, saying: Lord of Hosts, You know what shame it is to be barren. Heal the pains of my heart. Make my fruitless womb fruitful so that we may offer to You the child who is born as a gift, and that with one mind, we may bless, praise, and glorify Your love through which the world obtains great mercy.
• Anna was praying with great fervor, beseeching the Lord for a child, when she heard the voice of an angel who told her that God had granted her wish, saying plainly: Do not doubt, for your prayer has reached the Lord. Wipe away your tears, for you shall be an olive tree bringing forth a beautiful branch. You will bring forth the Virgin from whom will blossom the flower, Christ-in-the-flesh, who will grant great mercy to the world.
• Joachim and Anna, the righteous couple, gave birth to the precious heavenly fruit, the ewe-lamb, who in turn will give birth in a manner beyond understanding to the Lamb of God who is to be sacrificed for all. Because of this, they offer to the Lord an unceasing and humble hymn of praise. Let us, therefore, praise them with fervor. And let us joyfully celebrate the birth of the One who was born of them, Mary, the Mother of God; because through her, great mercy is granted to all of us. 

Apostle Andrew, the Holy and All-Praised First-Called (November 30)

The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was the first of the Apostles to follow Christ, and he later brought his own brother, the holy Apostle Peter, to Christ (John 1:35-42). Andrew was from Bethsaida, and from his youth he turned with all his soul to God. He did not enter into marriage, and he worked with his brother as a fisherman. When John the Baptist began to preach, St Andrew became his closest disciple. St John the Baptist himself sent to Christ his own two disciples, the future Apostles Andrew and John the Theologian, declaring Christ to be the Lamb of God. After Pentecost, St Andrew went to the Eastern lands preaching the Word of God. He went through Asia Minor, Thrace, Macedonia, he reached the River Danube, went along the coast of the Black Sea, through Crimea, the Black Sea region and along the River Dnipro he climbed to the place where the city of Kiev now stands.
He stopped overnight on the hills of Kiev. Rising in the morning, he said to those disciples that were with him: “See these hills? Upon these hills shall shine forth the beneficence of God, and there will be a great city here, and God shall raise up many churches.” The apostle went up around the hills, blessed them and set up a cross. Having prayed, he went up even further along the Dnipro and reached a settlement of the Slavs, where Novgorod was built. From here the apostle went through the land of the Varangians towards Rome for preaching, and again he returned to Thrace, where in the small village of Byzantium, the future Constantinople, he founded the Church of Christ. On his journeys, Andrew endured many sufferings and torments from pagans: they cast him out of their cities and they beat him. In Sinope they pelted him with stones, but remaining unharmed, the persistent disciple of Christ continued to preach to people about the Savior. Through the prayers of the Apostle, the Lord worked miracles. By the labors of the holy Apostle Andrew, Christian Churches were established, for which he provided bishops and clergy. The final city to which the Apostle came was the city of Patra, where he was destined to suffer martyrdom.
The Lord worked many miracles through His disciple in Patra. The infirm were made whole, and the blind received their sight. Through the prayers of the Apostle, the illustrious citizen Sosios recovered from serious illness; he healed Maximilla, wife of the governor of Patra, and his brother Stratokles. The miracles accomplished by the Apostle and his fiery speech enlightened almost all the citizens of the city of Patra with the true Faith. Few pagans remained at Patra, but among them was the prefect of the city, Aegeatos. The Apostle Andrew repeatedly turned to him with the words of the Gospel. But even the miracles of the Apostle did not convince Aegeatos. The holy Apostle with love and humility appealed to his soul, striving to reveal to him the Christian mystery of life eternal, through the wonderworking power of the Holy Cross of the Lord. The angry Aegeatos gave orders to crucify the apostle. The pagan thought he might undo St Andrew’s preaching if he were to put him to death on the cross.
St Andrew accepted the decision of the prefect with joy and with prayer to the Lord, and went willingly to the place of execution. In order to prolong the suffering of the saint, Aegeatos gave orders not to nail the saint’s hands and feet, but to tie them to the cross. For two days the apostle taught the citizens who gathered about. The people, in listening to him, with all their souls pitied him and tried to take St Andrew down from the cross. Fearing a riot of the people, Aegeatos gave orders to stop the execution. But the holy apostle began to pray that the Lord would grant him death on the cross. Just as the soldiers tried to take hold of the Apostle Andrew, they lost control of their hands. The crucified apostle, having given glory to God, said: “Lord Jesus Christ, receive my spirit.” Then a blazing ray of divine light illumined the cross and the martyr crucified upon it. When the light faded, the holy Apostle Andrew had already given up his holy soul to the Lord. Maximilla, the wife of the prefect, had the body of the saint taken down from the cross, and buried him with honor.

Verses for Vespers:

When he who is called the Morning Star, the splendor of the glory of the eternal Father, in His great mercy took up his abode on earth, you, glorious Andrew, were the first to meet him for your heart was enlightened with the perfect brightness of His divinity. We bless you as the herald of the apostles of Christ our God! Pray that He may enlighten and save our souls.

When He who was proclaimed by the voice of the Forerunner, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,
bringing life and salvation to all the earth, you, holy Andrew, were the first to follow Him. You were offered to Him as the first-fruits of the human race. You proclaimed to Peter your brother: we have found the Christ!” Pray that He may save our souls.

When He who clothed Himself in human flesh, taking our nature from the fruitful womb of the Virgin, appeared on earth as the Teacher of Righteousness, your heart was made glad, Andrew, lover of purity! He raised you from earth to the ineffable glory of God! Pray that He

Celebrating St. Nicholas: When Santa Went to Jail

The Nativity Fast has begun and Christmas is just around the corner. Trees are soon to be decorated. Children around the world will make lists, check them twice and anxiously await the arrival of Santa Claus. However, parents beware! Jolly old St. Nick served time in prison. I’m not kidding! The man who slides down your chimney with a bag full of presents went to jail for assault. Should parents be concerned? Should we run a background check on Santa before letting him into our homes this year? Before we rush to fit Santa with a bright orange jumpsuit, a look back into history is needed. The man the world knows as Santa Claus is actually the embodiment of one of the great spiritual figures of ancient times. His name is Nicholas of Myra. Nicholas is not simply another Christmas legend among many – for Christians, he is honored as a saint and wonderworker. St. Nicholas of Myra was born during the third century in what is modern-day Turkey. The son of wealthy parents who died during an outbreak of disease, St. Nicholas chose to use his inheritance to serve the poor -especially children. One story tells of a man with three daughters who were to be sold into slavery because their family had no money. Amazingly, three bags of gold appeared in their home, providing the needed money for the family. The bags of gold, tossed by St. Nicholas through an open window, are said to have landed in shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings.
So how did St. Nicholas end up in jail? St. Nicholas’ service to the poor led him to become a bishop in the city of Myra. As part of his duties, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The Council of Nicaea was a meeting of leaders who came together to understand the fundamentals of the Christian Faith. At this meeting, a skilled orator named Arius argued against the beliefs we know as Christianity today. Nicholas, hearing these arguments, became enraged and struck Arius in front of the Roman Emperor Constantine. The Council was horrified, and St. Nicholas was stripped of his leadership position, put in chains, and thrown into jail for his crime. St. Nicholas was wrong to strike Arius and knew that violence in the name of faith can never be justified. He prayed for forgiveness while remaining steadfast in his defense of the Christian Faith. Ancient Tradition then has it that God, seeing his faith and humility, visited St. Nicholas in his prison cell one night, removed his chains, and returned to him his garments and staff. The next morning, the prison guards found him in his jail cell dressed as a bishop silently reading and praying. The Emperor received word of these mysterious events and quickly ordered him released, realizing that God had sent him a message. Nicholas then rejoined the Council of Nicaea and helped put into words what we know as Christianity today.
So yes, Santa Claus went to jail and in doing so taught that forgiveness is better than revenge and that humility is a quality that makes us uniquely human. Today, the works of St. Nicholas of Myra inspire people around the world, and many say that even now he walks among us, making the impossible possible. At a time when the holidays are defined by Black Friday and family stress, what better way to return to our roots then to pause on December 6th and celebrate a man who reminds us that our lives have meaning when we practice forgiveness and serve others? This year, remember the time Santa Claus went to jail and the life of St. Nicholas of Myra -the saint who knows how to not only throw a mighty punch but more importantly works wonders even today.

Verses for Vespers:

O holy Nicholas, Bishop of Christ, you lived your life with people of Myra. But since your spirit was anointed, your fragrance of sanctity was known by all. Now you anoint the faithful who show their love for you. O Father, deliver us from all distress and sorrow as you pray to the Lord for us.

O holy Nicholas, true servant of Christ, you are truly a protector of your faithful flock; and whenever you were asked for help, you gladly assisted those who sought your aid. Now you are also ready by day or by night to deliver us from all distress and sorrow.

When you appeared in a dream to Constantine the King, you gave him this warning: Release at once from prison those you have unjustly confined, for they are innocent; no murder did they commit as you claim. O King, listen to me, or else I shall call upon the Lord.

O holy Nicholas, holy preacher of Christ, always ready to help all on land or at sea. Whether they be near or far, you have compassion for all. You are a precious helper; therefore, we who gather here ask you to pray to the Lord that we be delivered from all distress and sorrow.

What crowns of praise shall we confer upon the saintly Nicholas? Once present in the flesh in Myra, he is present in spirit to all who love him purely. He is the leader and defender of everyone, a comforter in distress and a haven of all in danger, a pillar of piety and conqueror for believers. For his sake, Christ overcame enemies and shows us great mercy.

 With what songs of praise shall we extol the saintly Nicholas? He is the foe of wickedness. He is an outstanding leader,
a great defender and teacher of the Church. He confounds all who show dishonor. He is the refuter of Arius and his companions. Because of him, Christ put down their raging and showed great mercy.

With what hymns of prophecy shall we extol the saintly Nicholas? Living in the present, he saw far into the future. He spoke truly about faraway things as though they were near. He oversees the whole world and delivers the afflicted. He appeared in a dream to the God-wise king. He delivered prisoners who were unjustly accused of murder. Today he grants us the mercy of Christ.

The Consecration (Ordination) Of A Bishop

The Consecration (Ordination) of a is the process during which a candidate for the Episcopate receives the fullness of the grace of the Priesthood through the Sacred Mystery of Ordination by the laying of hands (in the Greek: Cheirotonia) in succession from the Holy Apostles. The office of Bishop is the highest clerical rank in the Church. At his Consecration, a Bishop receives grace not only to perform the Sacred Mysteries but also to bestow the grace of Ordination on others. The Scriptural foundation for Cheirotonia is found in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:15-26; Acts 6:2-6) and the Epistles to Timothy (1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6). The procedure leading to the Consecration of a new Bishop involves two stages: first, the selection of the candidate, usually referred to as the election, and second, the Consecration ritual of Cheirotonia during a Divine Liturgy. An Episcopal Ordination begins before the Divine Liturgy, when the Bishop-Elect, vested in an epitrachelion and phelonion and carrying the Holy Gospel, is escorted by two Deacons through the Royal Doors to the center of the Solea. There the Archbishop and his concelebrant Hierarchs are seated on their thrones, facing the Sanctuary. The Bishop-Elect opens the Holy Gospel and reads a document containing his Confession of Faith.  He at first professes the Nicean-Constantinopolitan Creed, then receives the blessing of his Consecrating Bishops. He returns again to the Solea where he continues his profession of faith by promising to adhere to the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils and to honor and in no way alter – neither dogmas nor traditions, but adhere to them and teach them to his divinely chosen flock. After receiving the Hierarchs' blessing a second time, he completes his profession of faith by promising to maintain the unity of peace in the Church and to be free from any evil intentions and by pledging his obedience to the ruling Patriarch or First Hierarch of his Diocese. Finally, he receives the blessing once again of the assembled Hierarchs and presents his signed profession of faith to his Consecrating Bishop. During the Divine Liturgy, after the Trisagion the Bishop-Elect kneels before the Holy Table, touching his forehead to it while the Gospel Book is opened and laid, with the writing down, upon his neck. All of the Consecrating Bishops place their hands on the Gospel and say the Prayer of Consecration, during which the Holy Spirit descends upon the new Bishop and imparts the grace of the Episcopate upon him. The Bishop is then clothed in the vestments of a Bishop and presented to the people. The ancient participation of the laity in the Consecration of Bishops is retained in their triple acclamation of Axios ("He is worthy") at the time the omophorion is placed on the new Bishop's shoulders.
According to the Canon 1 of the Apostolic Canons, the Consecration of a Bishop must be accomplished by three or more Bishops.
After his Consecration, if he is elected to be a ruling Bishop of a Diocese, he is formally enthroned (installed) as the ruling Bishop by the Senior (Consecrating) Bishop. The enthronement usually takes place at the end of the Consecration Liturgy.
The Consecrating Bishop leads the newly ordained Bishop through the Royal Doors to the congregation and then bestows upon him the final liturgical items associated with the Episcopacy. With the bestowal of each liturgical item he exclaims: Axios! (He is worthy!)
The congregation responds each time, "Axios! Axios! Axios!" (He is worthy!) The Archbishop presents him with the Pastoral Staff, the emblem of Episcopal authority that the Church entrusts to him, saying: Receive this Staff to shepherd the flock of Christ entrusted to you. To the obedient let it be a help and a support. With it, lead the disobedient and the wayward to admonishment and instruction.
The newly ordained Bishop is led by the Bishops to his Episcopal Throne where he pronounces the final blessing of the Divine Liturgy, to which the faithful respond Eis Polla Eti Despota – Many Years Master!

Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God (October 1)

“We sing your praises, O Most Holy Virgin, Mother of Christ our God,and we glorify your all-glorious patronage.”

Among the Marian feasts in our Liturgical Year, the feast of the Patronage of the Most Holy Mother of God deserves special consideration. The cult of the Mother of God as the Protectress of our nation reaches like a golden thread from the times of the Kievan princes to the present day. The secret of honoring the Mother of God as a Protectress lies, perhaps, in the fact that we are dealing here not with human but with heavenly and more powerful intercession. Every person, family and nation would like to enjoy such an intercession and protection. From the very beginning of the Kievan State, we have had great and powerful enemies. It is no wonder then that our people sought the assistance and protection of the Most Holy Mother of God whose intercession is all-powerful. For our people, then, the feast of the Patronage has always been, and still remains, a day of great manifestation of love and gratitude to the Most Holy Mother of God, a day of joyous praise and glorification of her protection and intercession.

The Institution of the Feast of Patronage

The chief motive that led to the institution of this feast was a vision granted to St. Andrew, the Fool for Christ, when the Saracens besieged the capital of Constantinople. The people, terror-stricken, gathered in the church of the Most Holy Mother of God at Blachernae where her mantle was preserved, and there they held an all-night prayer vigil. The greatly distressed people filled the church to overflowing. Among the gathering were St. Andrew and his disciple, Epiphany, both of whom also prayed for the protection of the city. After the service, St. Andrew saw the Most Holy Mother of God in radiant light as she was approaching from the royal doors (a name the Greeks gave to the main doors of the church) in the company of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Theologian and amid the singing of a great choir of Saints. The Mother of God proceeded toward the altar where she knelt down and prayed long, shedding tears. Afterwards she arose, removed from her head a luminous veil, and stretched it out wide over the people in church. Then she disappeared. St. Andrew and his disciple, Epiphany, saw the vision and understood that the Mother of God came to rescue the city. News of the miracle spread throughout the whole city like a flash of lightning. The enemy retreated and the city was saved.

From this veil, which in Ukrainian is called pokrov, the feast got its name: Pokrov Presvyatoyi Bohorodytsi (The Veil (or Protection) of the Most Holy Mother of God). The veil became the symbol of the protection and intercession of the Blessed Virgin.

Who was St. Andrew the Fool? Historians generally agree that he was a Slav from the southern part of Rus’-Ukraine. He, together with other slaves, was brought to Constantinople where he became the slave of a wealthy lord. Here he learned and loved the Christian faith. Meditating on the words of St. Paul: “We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ” (I Cor 4:10), he began to act like a fool, hence, his name. Having gained his freedom from his master, he spent much time in prayer and the reading of Holy Scriptures.

At what period did St. Andrew live and when did the miracle of protection take place? It is difficult to give a clear and adequate answer to this question. The opinions of the historians in regard to this question are divided. Some say that St. Andrew lived during the reign of Leo I, the Great (457-474), that is, in the fifth century, while others, who represent the majority, place the time of his existence during the reign of Emperor Leo VI, the Wise, (886-911), that is, at the beginning of the tenth century.

The feast of the Patronage was a local feast among the Greeks, which they ceased to celebrate after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. No one knows precisely why October 1 became the day of the feast. Probably because St. Andrew had the vision on that day, or perhaps because, as some think, on that day the Eastern Church celebrates the memory of St. Roman the Melodist, who composed many hymns in honor of the Most Pure Virgin Mary. On the day following the feast, the Church commemorates St. Andrew the Fool.

The Feast of the Patronage in Ukraine

In her services the Eastern Church fondly emphasizes the three most beautiful privileges of the Mother of God: the Divine Maternity, Perpetual Virginity and her Intercession for us before God. The latter privilege, above all, won the hearts of our people. Our princes, kings, armies, our Kozaks and Hetmans gladly chose the Most Pure Mother of God as their Protectress and Guardian. Here we shall mention some examples. Prince Jaroslav Mudry (The Wise), in 1036, defeated the nomadic Pechenegs and out of gratitude to God and His Most Holy Mother, he built the beautiful Cathedral of St. Sophia in Kiev and erected the Church of the Annunciation of our Blessed Mother on the Golden Gates. In 1037, in the church of the Annunciation, he placed the whole nation under the protection or patronage of the Mother of God. Thus, by the will of our monarch, the Most Holy Mother of God was proclaimed officially the Patroness, Defender and Queen of our nation. In hard times our princes and their armies would hasten to Her for assistance. The Grand Prince Mstyslav who ruled in Tmutorokan, at a battle with the Cherkasses promised to build a church in honour of the Mother of God, if she assisted him in defeating the enemy. He defeated the enemy and gladly kept his promise. The Grand Prince Volodymyr Monomakh, in his memoirs, claimed that he owed his victory over the Polovtsians to God and the Most Pure Virgin Mary. He even composed a special prayer in her honor. Our princes and their armies, when marching against the Polovtsians in 1103, turned to God and to the Blessed Virgin for assistance, and utterly defeated the Polovtsians. Prince Ihor Sviatoslavych, the hero of the heroic epic “’Song of Ihor’s Campaign,” after his escape from captivity, went to pay homage to the miraculous icon of the Mother of God in Pyrohoscha, to thank her for her assistance in his escape. The Galician King, Danylo, after a successful campaign against Bohemia, placed expensive gifts at her feet.

Some of our princes used icons of the Mother of God or prayers in her honor on their seals. In recent times in Ukraine very ancient gold, bronze and copper necklaces of icons were discovered, called enkolpions in Greek (round or oval medallions suspended from the neck, hearing a representation of our Lord or our Blessed Mother). One such enkolpion has the Greek inscription on it reading: “O Mother of God, be my Protection and Defense. Amen.”

Our renowned Zaporozhian Kozaks built a church in honor of the Patronage of the Most Holy Mother of God with an icon representing her Patronage at the Sich, the centre of Kozak power. Above the icon of the Blessed Mother were written the words: “I shall deliver and protect my people,” and from the Zaporozhians, represented below the icon, there is a ribbon reaching up to the Mother of God with the inscription on it: “We implore you, cover us with your holy veil (omophor) and deliver us from all evil.” Before they began their campaigns against the enemy, the Kozaks assisted at the Moleben service in honour of their Protectress and fervently sang: “Under your patronage we fly, O Virgin Mother of God; do not despise our prayers in our afflictions, but deliver us from our miseries, you who alone are pure and blessed.” After returning home safely, they would hasten to her in sincere gratitude. In their battle hymn: “Come now, Boys, to Arms!” they sang the words: “St. George will help us to rout the Turk and so will the Most Pure Mother.”

Following the example of their leaders, our people have cultivated a sincere devotion to the Mother of God as their Guardian, Protectress and Intercessor. They always turned to her with great confidence, invoking her help whether in their personal or family troubles or whether in times of national crisis. Her holy icon is found in every Ukrainian home. The history of our nation has recorded many miracles that are attributed to the aid of the Mother of God, especially during times of enemy invasion of our land.

Who does not know about the miraculous protection of the Pochaiv monastery during the Turkish siege in July of 1675? In response to the fervent prayers of the monks and the faithful, the Mother of God appeared over the monastery church and with her omophor (veil), she protected the monastery. That miraculous event was immortalized by the Ukrainian song in honour of the Mother of God: “The evening star appeared and stood over Pochaiv.” Among the Ukrainian people, the veneration of the B1essed Mother of God as Intercessor and Protectress is best illustrated in the village chronicle of Yazhiv Staryj in Western Ukraine. Recalling the frightful incursions of the Tartar hordes and the heavenly protection of the Most Blessed Mary, he writes: “The people, terrified and impoverished, fled to their small church, threw themselves down on their knees before the icon of the Mother of God, and prayed fervently that they would always be given protection.”

The Spirit of the Service of the Feast of the Patronage of the Mother of God

The service of this feast reflects the hundreds of years of deep faith of the Eastern Church and of the faith of our people in the intercession and protection of the Most Holy Mother of God. In the verses of the vespers service, the Church calls upon all the faithful to celebrate the feast of the Patronage: “Come, all you lovers of the feast, and let us praise the venerable protection of the Mother of God. For she stretched forth her Hands imploringly to her Son, and the world fell under her protection. Therefore, let us celebrate gloriously with our lips and hearts, with spiritual songs and melodies, together with all lovers of the feast.”

In the verses of Vespers and Matins services, in the troparion and canon, holy Church pours forth and expresses her childlike love, her unreserved trust in Mary’s powerful protection and immediate help, her role in our salvation and her very great maternal mercy: “O Most Pure Mother of God,” – we sing in the first verse of the Great or Solemn Vespers service – “you are a great Intercessor for those in sorrow. You are swift help, salvation and strength of the world. You are the depth of mercy, the fount of divine wisdom, and the protectress of the world. Let us, the faithful, extol and glorify her unspeakable and glorious patronage. Rejoice, O Full of grace, the Lord is with you, grant the world great mercy.” At Matins, we read: “Zealous and invincible Advocate, sure and infallible hope, bulwark, protection and refuge of those who have recourse to you, O ever-Virgin Pure, together with the angels implore your Son and God to give the world peace, salvation and great mercy.” We also praise Mary’s privilege of curing the sicknesses of soul and body and of delivering from misfortune: “As the Mother of God, you received from God the gift of healing the ills of all Christians; of delivering them from misfortune; of releasing them from sin and of saving them from captivity and all necessity. Therefore, do not despise us either, O Lady, for you know what we need: health of body and salvation of soul.”

In 1912, St. Pope Pius X remarked to our Bishop Nykyta Budka: “Your nation cannot perish, for it has two guarantees: your nation loves the Eucharistic Christ and the Most Pure Virgin Mary. With these guarantees the nation cannot perish.”

Yes, we believe firmly, that the fervent devotion our nation has toward the Most Pure Mother of God as its Protectress and Advocate is the greatest guarantee that she will never abandon our nation, but will intercede in its behalf before her Son and implore from Him that very great grace that the kingdom of darkness and slavery will fall in our native land and that the kingdom of her God-Son will reign once more. Then again, as in the past, our people shall flock to her altars in the hundreds and thousands to pay her veneration as their faithful and untiring Advocate, Guardian and Queen.