Category: Byzantine Liturgy

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is Risen – Indeed He is Risen!
Christos Anesti! – Alithos Anesti!
Christos voskrese – Voistinu voskres!
Al Maseeh Qam! – Haqqan Qam!
Christus resurrexit! – Vere resurrexit!

Easter Sunday, 4/16/17 Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ
8:30 a.m. Procession and Paschal Matins
9:30 a.m. Pro Populo

Blessing of Artos (leavened bread)
Blessing of Easter Foods

Epistle: Acts 1:1-8
Gospel: John 1:1-17, Tone 7

Bright Monday, 4/17/17 —Venerable Father Simeon of Persia
10:00 a.m. +Bohdan Antonyshyn (Pan.)

Bright Tuesday, 4/18/17 —Venerable Father John, Disciple of Gregory the Decapolitan
9:00 a.m. +Ella Sowa (Pan.)

Bright Wednesday, 4/19/17  —Venerable Father John the Ancient Hermit
9:00 a.m.  no intention for the Liturgy

Bright Thursday, 4/20/17 —Venerable Father Theodore Trichinas
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Liturgy

Bright Friday, 4/21/17 —Holy Priest-Martyr Januarius and companions
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Liturgy

Bright Saturday, 4/22/17 —Venerable Father Theodore of Syceum
8:30 a.m.  All the deceased of Parish —Sorokousty

Thomas Sunday, 4/23/17   —Holy and Glorious Great Martyr, Victory-bearer and Wonderworker George

9:00 a.m.  Special Intention for the Liturgy
Distribution of the Blessed Artos and Anointing

10:30 a.m. Pro Populo
Distribution of the Blessed Artos and Anointing

Epistle: Acts  5:12-20
Gospel: John 20:19-31, Tone 8

Palm Sunday –Christ the King

Christ the King

The Roman Church has a separate feast of Christ the King in 1925, with Pius XI’s encyclical Quas Primas. It was to counter the rise of secularism by proclaiming that Christ is the only true king of the believers.

The original and ancient feast of Christ the King, however, is today, Palm Sunday. The Gospels record that Jesus is received in Jerusalem, imitating King David by riding into the city on a humble donkey. This is to become a central theme in Holy Week. The Sanhedrin will condemn Jesus for blasphemy, but will give him over to Pontius Pilate for execution for political reasons, that he set himself up as a rival king to the Emperor, a crime of treason. This is, in fact, the crime for which Pilate judges him, putting the accusation on the cross, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The feast today is of immense spiritual importance, but, unfortunately, got tangled up with the concept of “king” that the people had. They wanted a political Messiah who would free them from Roman rule. Instead, Jesus tells Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world,” and he forbids his followers to fight for him. The kingdom of God is not a kingdom of worldly power, but a kingdom of our hearts and minds given freely to Jesus, the Son of God, that we may live in peace with our neighbor and with the will of God, and may grow in wisdom and understanding.

St. Paul describes what the kingdom of God is like in today’s epistle: “ … whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8). We must question ourselves today, do we want a king like the mobs did, a political king who will validate our nationalism and support our ideologies, or do we want a king that deifies our souls and hearts and minds? Only the one, true, authentic King can be our redemption and spiritual glorification, in a kingdom established on love of God and love of neighbor. On Holy Saturday, then, we sing, “Let all mortal flesh keep silence and with fear and trembling stand … for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is coming to be sacrificed and to give himself as food for the faithful” (Cherubic Hymn, Paschal Vigil Liturgy).

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Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Palm Sunday, 4/09/17   – the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem

—Second Parish Mission

8:40 a.m. Lytija and Blessing of Bread
9:00 a.m. +Mary Plaskonos requested by Sylvia & Tony Plaskonos

Blessing of Pussywillows and anointing with the holy oil (myrovannia) of the faithful and distribution of blessed prosfora.

10:30 a.m. Pro Populo

Epistle: Phil.4:4-9
Gospel: John 12:1-18, Tone 6

Holy Monday, 4/10/17   Holy Martyrs Terence, Pompeius, and companions
8:00 a.m no intention for the Liturgy

Holy Tuesday, 4/11/17   Holy Priest-Martyr Antipas, Bishop of Pergamos
9:00 a.m. +Mychajlo, Evdokia, Volodymyr Stadnicki (Pan.) requested by Stadnicki family

Holy Wednesday, 4/12/17   Venerable Father and Confessor Basil, Bishop of Parios
9:00 a.m. Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

Holy Thursday, 4/13/17   Holy Priest-Martyr Artemon and companions
8:00 a.m. God’s blessing & health for Pyrohy Workers requested by Joan Nast
7:00 p.m. The Proclamation of the Lord’s Passion in the Gospels

Good Friday,  4/14/17   Holy Father Martin the Confessor, Pope of Rome
4:00 p.m. Vespers and Veneration of the Holy Shroud

Great Saturday, 4/15/17   Holy Apostles Aristarchus, Pudens and Trophimus
8:00 a.m.  Divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great
4:00 p.m. Blessing of Easter Foods
6:00 p.m. Blessing of Easter Foods
7:00 p.m. Prayer at the Tomb

Easter Sunday, 4/16/17  —The Glorious and Holy Sunday of the Resurrection of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ
8:30 a.m. Procession and Paschal Matins
9:30 a.m. Pro Populo

Blessing of Artos (leavened bread)
Blessing of Easter Foods

Epistle: Acts  1:1-8
Gospel: John 1:1-17, Tone 7

****During coming days, Bright Week, there is no fasting.

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Sunday, 4/02/17  Fifth Sunday of Great Lent —Commemoration of Our Venerable Mother, Mary of Egypt
9:00 a.m.  +Ella Sowa requested by Walnycky family
10:30 a.m. Pro Popolo

Epistle: Heb. 9:11-14
Gospel: Mark 10:32-45, Tone 5

Monday, 4/03/17  Venerable Father and Confessor Nicetas, Abbot of the Monastery of Medicius
8:00 a.m. +Ivan and Halyna Lobay requested by Maria Lobay

Tuesday, 4/04/17  Our Venerable Fathers Joseph the Hymnographer and George of Maleum
9:00 a.m. +Mary Plaskonos (40 days, Pan.) requested by the Plaskonos family

Wednesday, 4/05/17  Holy Martyrs Theodulus and Agathopedes and companions
9:00 a.m. Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

Thursday, 4/06/17  Repose of Our Holy Father Methodius, Teacher of Slavs
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 4/07/17  Venerable Father George, Bishop of Mitylene
7:00 p.m.  Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

Saturday, 4/08/17  Lazarus Saturday —Holy Apostles Herodion, Agabus, Rufus, Asyncretus, Phlegontus, and Hermes
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 4/09/17  Palm Sunday —the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem
8:40 a.m. Lytja and the Blessing of Bread
9:00 a.m. Special Intention

Second Sunday of the Parish Mission preached by Father Robert Markovitch

Blessing of Pussywillows and Anointing
10:30 a.m. Pro Popolo

Epistle: Phil. 4:4-9
Gospel: John 12:1-18, Tone 6

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Sunday, 3/26/17 Fourth Sunday of Lent —Commemoration of St. John Climacus
9:00 a.m +Mary Plaskonos requested by Cathy Kolesnik
10:30 a.m. Pro Populo

Epistle: Hebrews 6:13-20
Gospel: Mark 9:17-31, Tone 4

Monday, 3/27/17 Our Holy Mother Matrona of Thessalonica
8:00 a.m.  no intention for the Liturgy

Tuesday, 3/28/17 Our Venerable Father Hilarion the New; the Holy Stephen, the Wonderworker
8:00 a.m. +Carol Floramo requested by the Walnycky family

Wednesday, 3/29/17 Our Venerable Father Mark, Bishop of Arethusa; the Deacon Cyril and Others Martyred during the Reign of Julian the Apostate
9:00 a.m. Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts

Thursday, 3/30/17 Our Venerable Father John Climacus, Author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent
8:00 a.m +Ivan Bodnaruk requested by the Walnycky family

Friday, 3/31/17 Our Venerable Father Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra
7:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts

Saturday, 4/01/17 Our Venerable Mother Mary of Egypt
9:00 a.m. +Wolodymyra Basladynska (Pan.) requested by Dionizia Brochinsky

Sunday, 4/02/17 Fifth Sunday of Lent —Commemoration of Our Venerable Mother, Mary of Egypt
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. Pro Populo

Epistle: Hebrews 9:11-14
Gospel: Mark 10:32-45, Tone 5

Annunciation of Mary, the Mother of God

Annunciation of Mary, the Mother of God (Theotokos), March 25th
 
The Solemnity of the Annunciation is a Holy Day of Obligation. Our Worship begins at 9:45 a.m. with Lytijia and Blessing of Bread and at 10:00 a.m. with the Divine Liturgy, followed by anointing.
 
“Today is the Prelude of joy for the whole world. Let us then anticipate the feast and celebrate with glee, for behold, Gabriel is on his way with the glad tidings for the Virgin; he is about to cry out in fear and amazement: ‘Hail, O Woman full of grace! The Lord is with you!'” (Troparion)

Our Liturgy

In our Church, the Divine Liturgy is served according to three orders, those of the bishops, Saint John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great, and that of the Presanctified Gifts. Ordinarily it is the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom that is celebrated. The liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated 10 times a year, namely: on all five Sundays of Great Lent, on Great and Holy Thursday, on Great and Holy Saturday and on the feast of St. Basil the Great. From Monday to Friday during Lent, as a sign of the anticipation of Christ’s Pascha and the glorious second coming, the Church does not offer the Eucharistic oblation, that is, the Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom or St. Basil the Great. (Christ Our Pascha, 393)

Second Sunday of the Great Fast

Paralytic ManThe Epistle to the Hebrews begins today: ““At the beginning, O Lord, you established the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; and they will all grow old like a garment. You will roll them up like a cloak, and like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” In the first part of the journey we call the Great Fast, we remembered first the story of creation, and how God found it very good. But at the end of these two weeks, we heard that because of our sins, “The Lord regretted making human beings on the earth, and his heart was grieved. So the Lord said: I will wipe out from the earth the human beings I have created. (Genesis 6:6-7)” What is the inspired Scripture telling us – that the human race is completely broken and dysfunctional because we have refused to follow God’s loving providence? The Gospel (Mark 2:1-12) becomes a key hinge in this story. The paralytic man lowered through the roof is a symbol of our crippled, broken and dysfunctional human race. Fortunately, there are still some who know this and want to help heal it – the four friends who lower the broken man through the roof. And the healing follows, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Child, your sins are forgiven.’” (v. 5) We are broken and sinners, but if we can have faith, creation can be made good again – this is our hope. Sin is an offense against God, so those who do not have faith grumble, “Who but God alone can forgive sins?” (v. 7) Who but God alone can repair the damage done by rebellion against his plan? And so this story is key in the Gospel, Jesus is God, the Son of the Father, as he created the world, and is always “the same.,” he alone can repair the damage. To prove this, he makes the man to walk again. But Jesus is also a human being, and as such, has imparted the power to forgive sin to the Church, which is his body, and in which we find healing and forgiveness. This is truly a mystery beyond expression. Yet a further point can be made.

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Divine Liturgy for the coming week

During Great Lent the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great is prayed at Divine Liturgy and not the Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom.

Sunday, 3/12/17   Second Sunday of Lent —Commemoration of St. Gregory Palamas
9:00 Pro Populo
10:30 Thanksgiving Divine Liturgy requested by Maria Wysowskyj

Epistle: Hebrews 1:10-2:3
Gospel: Mark 2:1-12, Tone 2

Monday, 3/13/17  —Transfer of the Relics of Our Holy Father St. Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople
8:00 a.m.  No special intention for the Liturgy

Tuesday, 3/14/17 —Our Venerable Father St. Benedict of Nursia
8:00 a.m. +Helen Wasylyk requested by Sestrichi

Wednesday, 3/15/17 —The Holy Martyr Agapius and the Six Martyrs with Him
9:00 a.m.   Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts

Thursday, 3/16/17 —The Holy Martyrs Sabinus and Papas
8:00 a.m. +Rosemary DeFilippo (Pan.)

Friday, 3/17/17 —Our Venerable Father Alexis, Man of God
7:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts

Saturday,  3/18/17 —Our Holy Father Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem
8:30 a.m. All deceased of Parish
9:00 a.m. Sorokousty

Sunday, 3/19/17 Third Sunday of Lent —Veneration of the Holy Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ — First Parish Mission
9:00 a.m. +Gregory Dubno requested by Luba Dubno
10:30 a.m. Pro Populo

Epistle: Hebrews 4:14-5:6
Gospel: Mark 8:34-9:1, Tone 3

Friday Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified

The Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts is on Friday evening at 7:00 p.m.

The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated during Great Lent on those days when the ordinary Liturgy is not celebrated. This Lenten Liturgy is typically offered on Wednesdays and Fridays. “Strictly speaking, this office is not considered a ” complete Liturgy,” but is only a service of a solemn Holy Communion.”