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Let us worship the Word, O you faithful, praising Him that with the
Father and the Spirit is co-beginningless God, Who was born of a
pure Virgin that we all be saved; for He was pleased to ascend the
Cross in the flesh that He assumed, accepting thus to endure death.
And by His glorious rising, He also willed to resurrect the dead.
O Christ our God, begging forgiveness of our sins, we venerate Your Pure Icon, O Good One. Of your own
will you condescended to ascend upon the Cross in the flesh and deliver those You created from the
bondage of the enemy. Wherefore, thankfully, we cry out, "When You came to save the world, Your filled
all things with joy, O Our Savior.”
Ti ypermacho stratigo ta nikitiria, os lytrotheisa ton deinon efharistia, anagrafo si e polis sou Theotoke,
all’os ehousa to kratos aprosmahiton, ek pantinon me kyndinon eletheroson, ina krazo si, Here nymfi
anymfefte.
O Champion Leader, we your faithful inscribe to you the prize of victory as gratitude for being rescued
from calamity, O Theotokos. But since you have invincible power, free us from all kinds of perils so that
we may cry out to you: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded.
Sunday of orthodoxy
St. Tarasios, Patriarch of Constantinople
February 25th, 2018
+Fast: Wine/Oil Allowed+
Today’s scripture reading
Epistle reading
St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-40
Prokeimenon. Mode 4.
Daniel 3.26,27
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.
Brethren, by faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David
and Samuel and the prophets -- who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received
promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won
strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign enemies to flight. Women received their
dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better
life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they
were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats,
destitute, afflicted, ill-treated -- of whom the world was not worthy -- wandering over deserts and
mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not
receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they
should not be made perfect.
Gospel pericope
John 1:43-51
At that time, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and he
said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus
of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of
Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of
him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael said to him, "How do you
know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I
saw you." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You
shall see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see
heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."
Announcements
Liturgical/Program Schedule:
TODAY: Oratorical Festival during Coffee Hour and Youth Broomball- 1pm John Withers
Sport Complex
Mon. Feb. 26th: Great Compline, 6pm
Wed. Feb. 28th : Pre-sanctified Liturgy and Lenten Potluck after service, 6pm
Wed. Feb. 28th: Parish Council Meeting after Liturgy
Thurs. March 1st: JOY Faith Night, 5:30pm
Fri. March 2nd: 2nd SALUTATIONS to the Holy Theotokos, 6pm
Sunday of Orthodoxy: There will be no catechetical classes to allow the children to participate in the
procession with the holy icons.
GOYA Lock-in: a reminder to all our GOYAN’s that our annual overnight Lock-in will be Friday,
March 16th beginning with the Salutations Service at 6pm.
Coffee Fellowship Openings: We still need volunteers to host Coffee Hour on March 18th and
March 25th. Please consider helping us with this important social time following the Divine Liturgy.
The signup sheet is posted in the hallway leading to the Hall. Keep in mind we are currently in a
fasting period.
HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION—Only Orthodox Christians (i.e. the Orthodox Church
does not observe ‘open communion’) in good standing are encouraged to receive Holy Communion frequently,
provided they have prepared themselves spiritually, mentally and physically. They must be on time for the Divine
Liturgy, and be in a Christ-like, humble state of mind. They should be in a confession relationship with their priest
or spiritual father, have observed the fasts of the Church, and they should have self-examined their conscience.
On the day of receiving Holy Communion, it is not proper to eat or drink anything before coming to church. When
you approach to receive Holy Communion, state your Christian (baptismal) name clearly, and hold the red
communion cloth to your chin. After receiving, wipe your lips on the cloth, step back carefully, hand the cloth to
the next person and make the sign of the Cross as you step away. Please do not be in a rush while
communing! Please take special care not to bump the Holy Chalice.
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The Council decided on a doctrine by which icons should be venerated but not worshipped. In answering
the Empress' invitation to the Council, Pope Hadrian replied with a letter in which he also held the
position of extending veneration to icons but not worship, the last befitting only God. The decree of the
Council for restoring icons to churches added an important clause which still stands at the foundation of
the rationale for using and venerating icons in the Orthodox Church to this very day: "We define that the
holy icons, whether in color, mosaic, or some other material, should be exhibited in the holy churches
of God, on the sacred vessels and liturgical vestments, on the walls, furnishings, and in houses and
along the roads, namely the icons of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, that of our Lady the
Theotokos, those of the venerable angels and those of all saintly people. Whenever these
representations are contemplated, they will cause those who look at them to commemorate and love
their prototype. We define also that they should be kissed and that they are an object of veneration and
honor (timitiki proskynisis), but not of real worship (latreia), which is reserved for Him Who is the
subject of our faith and is proper for the divine nature. The veneration accorded to an icon is in effect
transmitted to the prototype; he who venerates the icon, venerated in it the reality for which it stands".
An Endemousa (Regional) Synod was called in Constantinople in 843 under Empress Theodora. The
veneration of icons was solemnly proclaimed at the Hagia Sophia Cathedral. The Empress, her son
Michael III, Patriarch Methodios, and monks and clergy came in procession and restored the icons in their
rightful place. The day was called "Triumph of Orthodoxy." Since that time, this event is
commemorated yearly with a special service on the first Sunday of Lent, the "Sunday of Orthodoxy".
Today’s liturgical commemorations
1. SAINT TARASIUS, PATRIARCH OF
CONSTANTINOPLE
This great saint was a contemporary of St. Anthony the Great. It is said about him that he wore
the same cassock for eighty years. St. Anthony greatly respected him and used to say that
Paphnutius was a true ascetic who was able to come and to save souls.
SYNODIKON OF ORTHODOXY
As the Prophets saw, as the Apostles taught, as the Church has received, as the
Teachers express in dogma, as the inhabited world understands together with them, as
grace illumines, as the truth makes clear, as error has been banished, as wisdom makes
bold to declare, as Christ has assured, so we think, so we speak, so we preach,
honouring Christ our true God, and his Saints, in words, in writings, in thoughts, in
sacrifices, in churches, in icons, worshipping and revering the One as God and Lord,
and honouring them because of their common Lord as those who are close to him and
serve him, and making to them relative veneration. This is the Faith of the Apostles;
this is the Faith of the Fathers; this is the Faith of the Orthodox; this Faith makes fast the
inhabited world. These preachers of true Faith, we praise as brothers and as those we
long to have as our fathers, to the glory and honour of the true Faith for which they
struggled. The Holy Trinity has glorified them. By their contests and struggles and
teachings for the sake of true religion to the point of death, we entreat God that we may
be guided and strengthened and beg that we may be shown to be imitators of their
inspired way of life until the end, by the mercies and grace of the great and first high-
priest Christ, our true God; at the intercessions of our most-glorious Lady, the
Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, of the God-like Angels and all the Saints. Amen.
Prokeimenon: Who is so great a God, as our God! You are the God who alone works
wonders! (3)