Author: Michael Winn

Holy Martyr Agapius and His Six Companions

LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

10. Behold, this is the acceptable time,
this is the day of salvation.
Visit my soul in the abundance of Your love,
and in Your unique goodness, lighten the load of my sins.

9. Behold, this is the acceptable time,
this is the day of salvation.
Visit my soul in the abundance of Your love,
and in Your unique goodness, lighten the load of my sins.

In Tone 1

8. Through the supplication of all the saints and of the Theotokos,
grant us Your peace, O Lord, and save us,
since You alone are compassionate.

7. O saints, your confession of faith in the arena
destroyed the strength of devils and set us free from delusion.
When you were beheaded, you cried out:
O Lord, may the sacrifice of our souls be acceptable in Your sight;
for in our love for You, the Lover of humankind,
we have despised this temporal life.

6. How beautiful is the manner of your exchange, O saints;
for you have given your blood and received heaven.
Truly, you have done well!
You have obtained immortality by forsaking corruptible things.
Making a single choir with the angels,
you sing unceasingly the praises of the consubstantial Trinity.

5. O martyrs, worthy of praise,
though the earth may not have covered you, heaven received you,
opening to you the gates of Paradise, where you dwell,
delighting in the Tree of Life.
Beseech Christ to grant our souls
peace and great mercy.

In Tone 8

4. You seven martyrs of Christ
counted the assaults of the torturers and violent death to be nothing!
You hastened to battle with readiness and courage,
covering yourselves with the glory of victory!
You are numbered among all the righteous;
we call you blessed, glorifying you with them forever!

3. You seven martyrs of Christ
counted the assaults of the torturers and violent death to be nothing!
You hastened to battle with readiness and courage,
covering yourselves with the glory of victory!
You are numbered among all the righteous;
we call you blessed, glorifying you with them forever!

2. Martyred athlete Agapius,
you loved the well-spring of good things and the summit of desires!
You hastened to drain the cup of martyrdom,
calling on the divine name of the living God.
What courage was yours; what endurance,
by which you were openly given the gift of glory and splendor!

1. All-blessed martyrs,
you gave yourselves to voluntary slaughter;
you sanctified the earth with your blood
and illumined the air with your passage.
Now in the image of God you live in the heavens
ever praying for us to the never-fading Light!

In Tone 1, Glory…

What earthly delight endures unmingled with grief?
What earthly glory remains immutable?
All things are less than a shadow, more deluding than a dream.
In a single moment all these are effaced by death.
But in the light of Your countenance, O Christ, and in the enjoyment of Your beauty,
grant rest to those whom You have chosen;
for You love humankind.

Now…

Let us sing a hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary,
glory of the whole world!
She was herself formed by human seed,
yet she became the Mother of the Master,
the Gate of heaven, the theme of the angels’ hymn and the beauty of the faithful.
She was seen as being heavenly and the Tabernacle of the Godhead.
She indeed tore down the wall of enmity between God and man, and brought peace in its place.
She opened the Kingdom of Heaven.
Let us therefore cling fast to her for she is the anchor of faith,
and let us receive as our stronghold the Lord who was born of her.
Be of good cheer, then, and have confidence, O people of God,
for He will fight our enemies for us;
He is all-powerful!

 

Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
Your merciful love and Your truth* will guard me forever.
verse: I waited, I waited for the Lord and He stooped down to me; He heard my cry.

Reading I
Genesis 5:32–6:8

Prokeimenon II, Tone 6
As for me, I said: Lord, have mercy on me;* heal my soul for I have sinned against You.
verse: Blessed are those who consider the poor and the weak. The Lord will save them in the evil day.

Reading II
Proverbs 6:20–7:1

 

LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS

At Psalm 140

 

In Tone 1

10. O faithful, to undertake a spiritual fast,
we must speak no deceit with our tongues
nor place obstacles in the path of each other.
But by repentance let us brighten the lamp of our souls,
that with tears we may call out to Christ:
Forgive our trespasses, for You love humankind.

9. O faithful, to undertake a spiritual fast,
we must speak no deceit with our tongues
nor place obstacles in the path of each other.
But by repentance let us brighten the lamp of our souls,
that with tears we may call out to Christ:
Forgive our trespasses, for You love humankind.

8. O martyrs, worthy of praise,
though the earth may not have covered you, heaven received you,
opening to you the gates of Paradise, where you dwell,
delighting in the Tree of Life.
Beseech Christ to grant our souls peace and great mercy.

In Tone 3

7. Through the prayers of the divine apostles, O righteous Lord,
grant that this time of the Fast may be well spent.
In Your kindness grant repentance to our hearts,
that we all may be saved and give glory to You.

6. Your coming will be great and fearful, O Lord,
when You shall sit in just judgment.
Do not pass sentence on me,
for I am already condemned;
but show Your divine favour toward me,
through the intercession of Your apostles.

In Tone 6

5. O apostles of Christ who shine your light on all mortals,
you are the treasuries of the holy knowledge of God.
Through your prayers deliver from temptation those who praise you.
Guide us successfully through the course of this Fast;
direct our lives in peace,
so that with our eyes lifted up to the Passion of Christ,
we may with courage give praise to our God.

In Tone 1

4. The streams of your wisdom
were drawn from the spiritual clouds,
pouring forth a fountain of Orthodoxy upon the world.
We the faithful draw forth the sweetness from there
and we turn from the outpourings of heresy
as from the bitter waters of Marah!

3. The streams of your wisdom
were drawn from the spiritual clouds,
pouring forth a fountain of Orthodoxy upon the world.
We the faithful draw forth the sweetness from there
and we turn from the outpourings of heresy
as from the bitter waters of Marah!

2. As your most pure body lay in the tomb,
it did not in any way decay.
It was found to be whole, most blessed Nicephorus!
We bear it forth with zeal.
we rejoice, fed by the Orthodox faith,
and we bless you, divinely-wise one!

1. The Church which is honored by the name of the apostles,
received you, most blessed one,
for through your godly deeds,
you became a temple of God.
After your burial you are again buried in a holy manner
and you have buried the foolish talk of the heretics!

In Tone 1, Glory… Now…

We are caught in the stormy sea of temptations and sins,
striving in the tempest to reach your tranquil haven.
O Mother of God, we beg you, hear our cry;
stretch out your steady hand to your servants,
and rescue us from the raging of the enemy.

 

Prokeimenon I, Tone 8
Rejoice, rejoice in the Lord,* exult, O you just!
verse: Blessed are those whose offence is forgiven, whose sin is remitted.

Reading I
Genesis 4:16-26

Prokeimenon II, Tone 1
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us* as we have hoped in You.
verse: Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just; for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

Reading II
Proverbs 5:15-6:3

The First Sunday of Great Lent is kept as the anniversary of the restoration of the Holy Icons to veneration and honour after the final defeat of the iconoclast heresy. The Seventh Ecumenical Council in the year 787 condemned the iconoclast heresy, but the final restoration of the Holy Icons did not take place until 843, with a solemn procession on the first Sunday of Lent in that year. Ever since then, all the churches of the Byzantine tradition, including our Ukrainian Catholic Church, remember that event joyfully. The reference to “Orthodoxy” in the title of this First Sunday of Lent is not denominational; it refers to all those who venerate the Holy Icons properly in divine worship. The Catholic Church fully accepts the Seventh Ecumenical Council and the proper veneration and use of the Holy Icons. So the restoration of the Holy Icons is a cause of joy for all Christians who accept the proper use of the Holy Icons. In our own times, we rejoice further to see an increasing appreciation of the importance of the Holy Icons among Anglicans, Lutherans and other Western Christians. Continue reading March 9, 2014 First Sunday of the Great Fast – Sunday of Orthodoxy, Octoechos Tone 1 Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING

 

Kathisma Reading
There is no Kathisma reading.

 

At Psalm 140

In Tone 8

10. The angels praise You without ceasing, O King and Master,
and I fall before You crying like the Publican:
God be merciful to me and save me.

9. Since you are immortal, O my soul,
be not overwhelmed by the waves of this life;
but return to soberness and cry to Your Benefactor:
God be merciful to me and save me.

8. Give me tears, O God, as once You gave them to the woman that had sinned,
and count me worthy to wash Your feet
that have delivered me from the way of error.
As sweet-smelling ointment let me offer You a pure life,
created in me by repentance;
and may I also hear those words for which I long:
‘Your faith has saved you, go in peace.’

7. When I call to mind the many evil I have done,
and I think upon the fearful day of judgment,
seized with trembling I flee to You for refuge, O God who loves mankind.
Turn not away from me, I beseech You, who alone are free from sin;
but before the end comes grant compunction
to my humbled soul and save me.

In Tone 2

6. Let us all make haste to humble the flesh by abstinence,
as we set out upon the God-given course of the holy Fast;
and with prayers and tears let us seek our Lord and Saviour.
Laying aside all memories of evil, let us cry aloud:
We have sinned against You, Christ our King;
save us as the men of Nineveh in days of old,
and in Your compassion
make us sharers in Your heavenly Kingdom.

5. When I think of my works, deserving every punishment,
I despair of myself, O Lord.
For see, I have despised Your precious commandments
and wasted my life as the Prodigal.
Therefore, I entreat You:
Cleanse me in the waters of repentance,
and through prayer and fasting make me shine with light,
for You alone are merciful;
abhor me not, O Benefactor of all, supreme in love.

4. Let us set out with joy upon the season of the Fast,
and prepare ourselves for spiritual combat.
Let us purify our soul and cleanse our flesh;
and as we fast from food,
let us abstain also from every passion.
Rejoicing in the virtues of the Spirit
may we persevere with love,
and so be counted worthy
to see the solemn Passion of Christ our God,
and with great spiritual gladness
to behold His holy Passover.

In Tone 1

3. Martyrs, three in number,
you contended mightily against those who cruelly condemned you!
You endured many cruel pains with faith
and received the kingdom on high.
Therefore, pray that God will grant our souls peace and great mercy!

2. Let us praise Eutropius with spiritual songs,
together with the steadfast Cleonicus and Basiliscus!
By the grace of piety,
they utterly consumed the tinder of ungodliness with fire.
Now they illumine the ends of the earth
like brilliant beacons with divine and fiery radiance,
casting all delusion into darkness.

1. When your heads were cut off, courageous athletes,
you crushed the head of the enemy beneath your beautiful feet.
You are unwavering stars and living sacrifices,
treasures of the temple of heaven.
Glorious Eutropius, Basiliscus and Cleonicus,
entreat for peace for us all!

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

O how glorious is the miracle!
How did you enclose in your womb the God of All?
How did you carry the Creator of All as an infant?
Truly the mind and thought are confused;
your carrying of such a Child is beyond words.
O all-blessed and pure Theotokos,
pray to Him always to have mercy on our souls.

 

Great Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Do not turn Your face away from your son, for I am afflicted; hear me quickly. Be attentive to my soul and deliver it.
verse: Let Your salvation, Lord, help me.
verse: Let the poor see it and be glad.
verse: Seek God, and your souls shall live.

 

Aposticha

In Tone 4

Your grace has shone forth, O Lord,
it has shone forth and given light to our souls.
Behold, now is the accepted time:
behold, now is the season of repentance.
Let us caste off the works of darkness
and put on the armour of light,
that having sailed across the great sea of the Fast,
we may reach the third-day Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Saviour of our souls.

To You have I lifted up my eyes, O You that dwell in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hands of their master, as the eyes of the handmaiden look to the hands of their mistress, so do our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until He take pity on us.

Your grace has shone forth, O Lord,
it has shone forth and given light to our souls.
Behold, now is the accepted time:
behold, now is the season of repentance.
Let us caste off the works of darkness
and put on the armour of light,
that having sailed across the great sea of the Fast,
we may reach the third-day Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Saviour of our souls.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we are utterly humiliated. Let shame come upon them that prosper, and abatement on the proud.

You are glorified in the memorial of Your saints, O Christ our God:
at their intercessions
send down on us Your great mercy.

Glory… Now…

The ranks of angels glorify You, O Mother of God,
for you have given birth to Him that is God,
who dwells ever with the Father and the Spirit,
who created the angelic hosts out of nothing by an act of His will.
Entreat Him, all-pure Lady, to save and illumine the souls
of those who with true worship sing your praise.

 

After the Song of Simeon and the Trisagion Prayers, we follow the regular Lenten format for the end of Vespers.

On this night, we also follow the ceremony of mutual forgiveness (often a sermon is preached before the exchange of forgiveness). This ceremony of forgiveness may be celebrated every Sunday night up to the fifth week of the Great Fast.

 

Ceremony of Mutual Forgiveness

The clergy kneel facing the faithful and say:

Clergy: Bless me, brothers and sisters, and forgive me a sinner all the sins which I have committed this day, and every day of my life, in thought, word and deed.

All: May God forgive you, reverend Father!

The faithful kneel and say in turn:

All: Bless us, reverend Father, and forgives us sinners all the sins we have committed this day and every day of our lives in thought, word, and deed.

Clergy: May God forgive you and have mercy on you!

Now, all approach and venerate the icon, and then exchange forgiveness with everyone.

Forgive me!

God forgives! Forgive me and pray for me!

LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 5

10. Come, O faithful, let us fulfil the works of God in the light;
and let us walk with dignity as in the light of day;
let us tear up every unjust contract,
and let us cast aside every object of scandal for our neighbour.
Let us turn away from the pleasures of the flesh,
so that we may grow in our spiritual gifts.
Let us give food to the poor;
let us draw near to Christ, and in repentance, let us say:
O our God, have mercy on us.

9. Come, O faithful, let us fulfill the works of God in the light;
and let us walk with dignity as in the light of day;
let us tear up every unjust contract,
and let us cast aside every object of scandal for our neighbour.
Let us turn away from the pleasures of the flesh,
so that we may grow in our spiritual gifts.
Let us give food to the poor;
let us draw near to Christ, and in repentance, let us say:
O our God, have mercy on us.

In Tone 8

8. O martyrs of the Lord,
you sanctify all places,
and you heal all diseases.
Therefore, we implore you:
Pray that our souls be delivered from the snares of the Enemy.

7. O martyrs of the Lord,
we entreat you to beseech our God
and ask great mercy for our souls
and forgiveness for our many offences.

6. Your martyrs, O Lord,
forgetting the things of this life
and despising torture for the sake of the life to come,
were shown to be inheritors of the eternal life.
Therefore, they rejoice exceedingly with the angels.
Through their supplications, bestow great mercy upon Your people.

5. What honour and praise can fittingly be ascribed to the saints?
They bowed their necks under the sword for You, who left the heavens and came down.
They shed their blood for You, who emptied Yourself taking the form of a servant.
By emulating Your poverty, they humbled themselves unto death.
By their prayers, have mercy on us, O Lord, according to Your great compassion.

In Tone 2

4. Come, all you friends of the martyrs,
let us celebrate this feast in the joy of the Spirit;
for, on this day, the holy martyr Theodore prepares a spiritual banquet for us,
the lovers of the feast;
he brings joy to our hearts,
and we cry out to him:
Rejoice, invincible warrior, who has vanquished powerful tyrants;
and for the love of Christ our God,
you gave given over your body of flesh to torments.
Rejoice, for in the midst of dangers,
you showed yourself to be a valiant soldier of the heavenly army.
Therefore, we pray to you, O glory of martyrs,
intercede for the salvation of our souls.

3. O holy martyr Theodore,
you generously grant the God-given grace of your miracles
to all the faithful who hasten to you.
We rejoice in this, and we sing:
You are the liberator of captives and healer of the sick,
the wealth of the poor and salvation of those who sail the seas,
the defender of those who cherish your holy memory;
now, for all of us who praise you,
beseech Christ for His great mercy.

2. O holy martyr Theodore,
you are truly the “gift of God,”
for, being alive even after your death,
you are attentive to the requests of those who come to you.
A son was once seized from his mother
and made a prisoner in the pagan army;
the widow bathed your sanctuary with her tears;
and you were moved with compassion.
You mounted a white horse and mysteriously returned her child;
and even now, you do not cease to work miracles.
Beseech Christ our God to save our souls.

1. O Theodore, thrice-blessed,
with your name, I praise the gift of God;
you are a shining torch of the divine brightness.
By your deeds you have illuminated the universe.
You have shown yourself to be stronger than fire,
and you crushed the head of the treacherous dragon.
Therefore, Christ has placed on your head the crown of victory.
And now that you enjoy the divine favour,
O holy and great martyr,
beseech God for the salvation of our souls.

In Tone 6, Glory… 

The enemy used the apostate emperor as his servant
against the Christian people who were purified by the Fast;
he tried to defile them with food polluted by the blood of sacrifices.
But, you more wisely foiled his plan,
by appearing in a dream to the bishop of that time
and warning him of the danger.
We also offer you our sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and we honour you with the title of protector
as we celebrate the annual memory of this event.
We beseech you to preserve us from the evil designs of the enemy
by interceding with God for us,
O holy martyr Theodore.

In Tone 8, Now…

Out of His love for mankind
the King of heaven appeared on earth and dwelt with men,
for He assumed a human body from the pure Virgin
and was seen in the flesh He received from her.
He is the One and only God having two natures but not two persons.
Wherefore we profess and declare the truth that Christ our God is perfect God and perfect Man.
O Mother, who knew not carnal union,
intercede with Him that He may have mercy on our souls

 

Prokeimenon I, Tone 5
May the Lord answer in time of trial;* may the name of Jacob’s God protect you!
verse: May He send you help from His shrine and give you support from Sion!

Reading I
Genesis 2:20-3:20

Prokeimenon II, Tone 6
O Lord, arise in Your strength;* we shall sing and praise Your power.
verse: O Lord, Your strength gives joy to the king; how Your saving help makes him glad!

Reading II
Proverbs 3:19-34

LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS

At Psalm 140

In Tone 8

10. O faithful, while fasting bodily,
let us also fast in spirit.
Let us loosen every bond of injustice;
let us tear apart the strong chains of violence;
let us rip up all unjust assertions;
let us give bread to the hungry
and welcome the poor and homeless to our houses,
that we may receive from Christ our God, His great mercy.

9. O faithful, while fasting bodily,
let us also fast in spirit.
Let us loosen every bond of injustice;
let us tear apart the strong chains of violence;
let us rip up all unjust assertions;
let us give bread to the hungry
and welcome the poor and homeless to our houses,
that we may receive from Christ our God, His great mercy.

8. What honour and praise can fittingly be ascribed to the saints?
They bowed their necks under the sword for You,
the One who left the heavens and came down.
They shed their blood for You,
the One who took the form of a servant.
By emulating Your poverty
they humbled themselves unto death.
By their prayers, have mercy on us, O Lord,
according to Your compassion.

In Tone 2

7. Jesus, the true spiritual Sun,
sent you as lightning through all the world,
to overcome the darkness of error
by the brightness of your divine teachings;
O holy apostles, who have seen the Lord,
beseech Him to send His light and His mercy on us.

6. Elijah ascended in the divine chariot of his virtues,
and by his fasting he was carried to the heights of heaven in glory.
Strive, O my humble soul, as he did,
fast and shed all evil, malice, envy, and corrupting luxury
so that you may be delivered from all eternal pain of death
and cry out to Christ:
O Lord, glory be to You!

In Tone 5

5. O divine apostles,
fervent intercessors for the world and defenders of the faithful.
You received from Christ our God the boldness to intercede for us.
We beseech you that we may pass this solemn time of the Fast untroubled
and receive the grace of the consubstantial Trinity.
O great and glorious preachers, pray for our souls.

In Tone 4

4. Noble and victorious martyrs,
you were revealed in the final times
as unwaning stars in the Church’s honoured firmament.
You illumined all beneath the sun, all-praised ones,
with the splendour of your sufferings,
destroying the darkness of deception!
Therefore we celebrate your radiant and sacred suffering in faith,
enriched by your intercession.

3. Noble and victorious martyrs,
you were revealed in the final times
as unwaning stars in the Church’s honoured firmament.
You illumined all beneath the sun, all-praised ones,
with the splendour of your sufferings,
destroying the darkness of deception!
Therefore we celebrate your radiant and sacred suffering in faith,
enriched by your intercession.

2. Martyrs of Christ,
you were bound after a summary arrest
and shut up in prison for a lengthy time.
You were divine preservers of the faith,
who refused to submit to his evil commands.
Therefore the infamous beast was enraged and slew you with the sword.
Now you have joyfully inherited higher things,
joining yourselves to the Kingdom,
all-glorious two and forty!

1. Let us shout the praise of Constantine,
Basoes and Callistus,
Theodore and Theophilus,
and the rest of the divine company of athletes,
for they sacrificed themselves with joy,
electing to die for the Life of all.
Now they rest in the city of the living God,
entreating that on the day of judgment,
we may find remission of sins and complete deliverance.

Glory… Now…

Attend to the groaning of my broken heart, O bride of God.
Accept the lifting up of my hands.
Do not reject me, O Mary, spotless Virgin, full of love,
so that I may praise and magnify
Him, who in you magnified the human race.

 

Prokeimenon I, Tone 5
You, O Lord, will guard us, and will keep us,* from this generation, and forever!
verse: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer left a just man.

Reading I
Genesis 1:24-2:3

Prokeimenon II, Tone 6
Look at me and answer me* O Lord my God!
verse: How long, O Lord, will You forget me? How long will You hide Your face from me?

Reading II
Proverbs 2:1-22

Because of his wisdom and kindness, Theodotus was elected to the episcopacy and governed the Church of God with love and zeal. When the persecution of Christians began during the reign of the wicked Emperor Licinius, this godly man was brought to trial and put through many tortures. When the torturer Sabinus advised him to deny Christ and to bow down before pagan idols and to worship them, Theodotus replied, “If you knew the goodness of my God in Whom I hope, that because of these temporary sufferings, will make me worthy of eternal life, you also would wish to suffer in the same manner as I.” The torturers began to strike his body with nails, and he prayed to God with gratitude. Thinking his end was near, Theodotus counseled and taught the Christians who were assembled around him. By the Providence of God, the Emperor Constantine at that time proclaimed freedom to Christians and ordered that all who were sentenced be released for the sake of Christ. And so, this saint was freed and returned to his prior position in Kyrenia. Astortured as he was, Theodotus lived for several more years. After that, he found repose in the Lord, Whom he faithfully served and for Whom he suffered. In the year 302 A.D. his earthly life ended and was translated to the mansions of our Lord. (Prologue of Ohrid)

On the final day before Great Lent, the Gospel teaches us the importance of reconciliation with one another, of mutual forgiveness. Vespers and Matins for this Sunday sing about the Garden of Paradise, which we lost through the Fall of Adam and Eve. Again this reminds us that in this world we are exiles, that our true home is in the Eternal Paradise, the Heavenly Kingdom, and that the Paschal Pilgrimage leads us toward our eternal homeland. This Sunday is also called Cheese-Fare Sunday because according to the traditional rules of fasting, this is the last day when dairy products may be eaten. Some parishes have a meatless dinner on this day, to consume any remaining dairy products. Great Lent begins with Vespers on the evening of Forgiveness Sunday. The service is dramatic: it begins with the priest and deacon in bright vestments as though for a feast. At “Lord, I have cried,” we sing “Let us abstain from passions as we abstain from food, and persevere, to be worthy to see the Holy Passion of Christ our God, and the joy of His Holy Resurrection.” The Royal Doors are opened, and there is an Entrance. Suddenly, everything changes. We sing the great Prokeimenon: “Turn not Your Face away from Your servant, for I am in trouble, pay attention to me, draw near to my soul and redeem me!” Lent has arrived. The priest removes his bright vestments and puts on a dark epitrakhil, the Royal Doors are closed, and the rest of Vespers follows the Lenten pattern. The responses are sung according to the unique Lenten chant. “Behold, this is the favourable time, the season of conversion. Let us turn away from the works of darkness, and clothe ourselves with the armour of light, so that crossing the ocean of the Fast, we may come to the harbour of the Resurrection….” Just before the end of Vespers, the priest offers the Prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian. This is the first time this typical prayer of Lent appears in our worship. After Vespers, as we begin Lent, we offer one another mutual forgiveness. In our Lenten repentance, we are asking God to forgive us; God requires us to forgive one another as well. Mutual forgiveness is not easy; it requires the grace and help of God. (Bishop Basil Losten, Our Paschal Pilgrimage)

Continue reading March 2, 2014 Sunday of Forgiveness (Cheesefare), Octoechos Tone 8 Holy Priest-Martyr Theodotus, Bishop of Cyrenia

The great and glorious Baptist John was beheaded according to the wish and instigation of the wicked Herodias, the wife of Herod. When John was beheaded, Herodias ordered that his head not be buried with his body for she feared that this awesome prophet, somehow, would resurrect. Therefore, she took his head and buried it deep in the ground in a secluded and dishonorable place. Her maidservant was Johanna, the wife of Chuza a courtier of Herod. The good and devout Johanna could not tolerate that the head of the Man of God remain in this dishonorable place. Secretly she unearthed it, removed it to Jerusalem and buried it on the Mount of Olives. Not knowing of this, King Herod, when he learned of Jesus and how He worked great miracles, became frightened and said: “This is John whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead” (St. Mark 16:16). After a considerable period of time, an eminent landowner believed in Christ, left his position and the vanity of the world and became a monk, taking the name, Innocent. As a monk, he took up abode on the Mount of Olives exactly in the place where the head of the Baptist was buried. Wanting to build himself a cell for himself, he dug deep and discovered an earthen vessel and in it a head, which was mysteriously revealed to him, to be the head of the Baptizer. He reverenced it and reburied it in the same spot. Later, according to God’s Providence, this miracle-working relic [The head of St. John] traveled from place to place, sunk into the darkness of forgetfulness and again was rediscovered. Finally, during the reign of the pious Empress Theodora, the mother of Michael and the wife of Theophilus and at the time of Patriarch Ignatius it was translated to Constantinople. Many miraculous healings occurred from the relic of the Forerunner [Precursor]. It is important and interesting to note that while he was still alive, “John did no miracles” (St. John 10:41), however, his relics have been endowed with miraculous power. (Prologue of Ohrid) Continue reading February 24, 2014 Cheesefare Monday The First and Second Finding of the Precious Head of the Holy, Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John

Polycarp, this great apostolic man, was born a pagan. St. John the Theologian converted him to the Faith of Christ and baptized him. In his childhood, Polycarp became an orphan and according to a vision in a dream Callista, a noble widow, took him as her own son, raised and educated him. From his childhood Polycarp was devout and compassionate. He strove to emulate the life of St. Bucolus, then the Bishop of Smyrna, as well as the holy Apostles John and Paul, whom he knew and heard. St. Bucolus ordained him a presbyter and before his death, Bucolus designated him as his successor in Smyrna. The apostolic bishops, who gathered at the funeral of Bucolus, consecrated Polycarp as bishop. From the very beginning, Polycarp was gifted with the power of working miracles. He expelled an evil spirit from the servant of a prince and through prayer stopped a terrible fire in Smyrna. Upon seeing this, many pagans regarded Polycarp as one of the gods. He brought down rain in times of drought, healed illnesses, discerned, prophesized and so forth. He suffered during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Three days before his death, St. Polycarp prophesized: “In three days, I will be burned in fire for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ!” And on the third day when the soldiers arrested him and brought him to trial, he cried out: “Let this be the will of the Lord my God.” When the judge counseled him to deny Christ and to acknowledge the Roman gods, Polycarp said: “I cannot exchange the better for the worse!” The Jews especially hated Polycarp and endeavored to have Polycarp burned alive. When they placed him bound at the stake, he prayed to God for a long while. He was very old, grey and radiant as an angel. The people witnessed how the flame encircled him but did not touch him. Frightened by such a phenomenon, the pagan judges ordered the executioner to pierce him with a lance through the fire. When he was pierced, so much blood flowed from him that the entire fire was extinguished, and his body remained whole and unburned. At the persuasion of the Jews, the judge ordered Polycarp’s lifeless body be incinerated according to the custom of the Hellenes. So the evil ones burned the dead body of the lifeless one whom they could not burn while alive. St. Polycarp suffered on Great and Holy Saturday in the year 167 A.D. (Prologue of Ohrid) Continue reading February 23, 2014 Sunday of the Last Judgment (Meatfare), Octoechos Tone 7 Holy Priest-Martyr Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna

Pamphilus, the first of the martyrs, was a presbyter of the church at Caesarea in Palestine. He was a learned and devout man who corrected the text of the New Testament from the errors of the various copiers. He alone, recopied this salvific book and gave it to those who desired it. The second was the Deacon Valentine, old in years and grey in wisdom. He was an excellent authority of Holy Scripture and knew them completely by heart. The third was Paul, an honorable and distinguished man who, during a previous persecution, was cast into the fire for Christ. Besides them, there were five brothers, according to the flesh and spirit, who were born in Egypt and were returning to their homeland after being forced to work in the mines of Cilicia. At the gates of Caesarea they declared that they were Christians for which they were brought to court. To the question: “What are your names?” They responded: “The pagan names which our mother gave to us, we discarded and we call ourselves: Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Samuel and Daniel.” To the question: “Where are you from?” They responded: “From Jerusalem on High.” All of them were beheaded and with them a young man Porphyrius who sought the bodies of the martyrs in order to bury them. Porphyrius they burned alive as well as Seleucus, formerly an officer who had approached and kissed the martyrs before the sword fell on their heads. Also the aged Theodulus, a servant of a Roman judge, who, during the funeral kissed one of the martyrs. Finally Julian, who reverenced and praised the lifeless bodies of the martyrs. And so they gave little for much, the inexpensive for the precious and mortality for immortality and took up habitation with the Lord in the year 308 A.D. (Prologue of Ohrid) Continue reading February 16, 2014 Sunday of the Prodigal Son, Octoechos Tone 6 Holy Martyrs Pamphilus the Priest and Porphyrius and Their Companions