Christ is in our midst!
1. VIGIL LIGHT: This week vigil light is offered to the honor of God in memory of Henriette Hartig who fell asleep in the Lord by Christopher Komondy
2. AFTER DIVINE LITURGY: Dear parishioners and guests, after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls are available in the church hall.
3. FOOD DRIVE: Judy Ellis leads the mercy project which provides food items to the needy. A container is in our church vestibule for non-perishable food. This collection will be taken every week. Father Iura will distribute the food to those in need. Thanks for your generous support.
4. DORMITION BLESSING: Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos, who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. For being the Mother of Life, she was translated to life, by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb (Kontakion for the Dormition).
As part of our celebration of Dormition on Tuesday, August 15, we will bless herbs and flowers for use in the home. Please bring herbs and flowers to Divine Liturgy (10:00 a.m. and at 7:00 p.m.). As a point of liturgical fact, the Church asks God to bless herbs and flowers –and thus us– to remind all of us of the gifts God has given us for our sustenance, healing and beauty.
Holy Tradition educates us that all the Apostles, except St. Thomas who was late, were transported mystically to Jerusalem in order to be with the Mother of God – the Theotokos – as she reposed, and to given her a burial. When Thomas arrived the next day, the Apostles opened the tomb so that he could kiss Mary farewell. The opened tomb revealed that the body of the holy Virgin of Mother of God was missing, and filled with herbs and flowers. This event was a sure sign of her great purity and holiness.
What happens to Mary happens to all of us who imitate her holy life of humility, obedience, and love.
5. UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY: Will be celebrated this year on Sunday, August 27, 2017. The Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. A Proclamation Ceremony will take place on the New Haven Green at noon. The Annual Independence day picnic will commence at 1:00 p.m. at the Church Hall and Church garden. All are invited to attend. Saint Mary’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church will celebrate their mass at 10:00 a.m. and join us on the New Haven Green and at our picnic afterwards.
Today, the Holy Father appointed Father Andriy Rabiy as an auxiliary bishop of the archieparchy of Philadelphia of the Ukrainians. He was assigned Father Andriy Rabiy the titular see of Germaniciana; he is currently protosyncellus (Vicar General) of the same archieparchy.
As the Apostles recognized, “it is good for us to be here”.
The Connecticut State Ukrainian Day Committee has a long and proud history of serving our diocese and the Ukrainian community in Connecticut. Each year in September the Committee organizes a Ukrainian festival on the Stamford diocesan grounds for thousands of visitors from the East Coast. This year marks the 50th festival which will be held on Sunday, September 10th. All proceeds are donated to various diocesan and Ukrainian community causes.