REJOICE ALWAYS
St. George Church
Publish Date: 2017-04-23
Bulletin Contents
This Week....
Gospel and Epistle Readings
REFLECTION FOR THE WEEK
Wisdom of the Fathers
Saints and Feasts
Hymns of the Day
St. George Church
General Information
- Phone:
- (212) 265-7808
- Email:
- FrJimK@goarch.org
- Street Address:
- 307 West 54th Street
- New York, NY 10019
- Mailing Address:
- 307 West 54th Street
- New York, NY 10019
Contact Information
Services Schedule
SUNDAY WORSHIP in English and Greek:
Matins / Morning Service 9:30 AM
Divine Liturgy 10:30 AM
Past Bulletins
- Publish Date:
- 2017-05-28
- Publish Date:
- 2017-05-21
- Publish Date:
- 2017-05-14
- Publish Date:
- 2017-05-07
- Publish Date:
- 2017-04-30
- Publish Date:
- 2017-04-09
This Week....
Welcome to Saint George Church
ORTHROS/MATINS AT 9:30 AM
DIVINE LITURGY AT 10:30 AM
JOIN US!
All are Welcome
Visit us on our web site and on facebook.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
COMMUNITY EVENT: Taverna Night
Saturday, May 6 7:00-11:00
"...I was a stranger and you welcomed me...."
WELCOME TO SAINT GEORGE CHURCH. We hope you will return and join us on Sundays and to participate in our various programs as you are able. Fellowship hour follows Divine Liturgy and we welcome you to join us for fellowship, food and refreshments. Visit us online to learn about our church and our various programs. Sign up for our weekly bulletin and become a supporting member at www.SaintGeorgeNYC.org.
VIEW THE COMPLETE MATINS SERVICE FOR TODAY IN ENGLISH & GREEK HERE.
YOUR ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED FOR COFFEE & FELLOWSHIP HOUR. We invite individuals & families to support this ministry by providing food items and assisting with set-up, serving and/or clean-up. Thanks to all that assist in this important ministry of outreach, hospitality and fellowship.
TAVERNA NIGHT 2017 IS SATURDAY, MAY 6 - MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Tickets are on sale at the Candle Stand
PLEASE HELP SAINT GEORGE CHURCH BY OFFERING ITEMS FOR THE TAVERNA NIGHT AUCTION AND RAFFLE. Gift baskets of many types are welcome - beauty baskets, wine baskets, kitchen baskets, baby baskets and more are welcome. Dinner certificates, Show and Performance Tickets, Hotel Stays, and certificates for other various services are welcome. Contact FrJimK@goarch.org for a donation request letter. Taverna Night is Saturday, May 6. Auction & Raffle items are needed by Sunday, April 30. Mark your calendar and plan to attend.
VISIT OUR MINISTRIES PAGE: CLICK HERE
“Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:15)
Stop by the
SAINT GEORGE BOOKSTORE
in the Church Hall
"I was hungry and you fed me...."
MARILENA'S MEALS
Join our Saint George Marilena's Meals program, preparing and delivering 70 meals each month and feeding those in need in New York City on the last Sunday of each month. Preparers and deliverers are welcome! If you have a car, please volunteer to drive. Thank you!!!
October Marilena's meals was sponsored by Zaphra Reskakis and Helen Vitelas. November was sponsored by Maria & Taso Pardalis. December was sponsored by Efstathia "Soula" Lolis. January was sponsored by Terri & John Skiadas. February is sponsored by Dina Manos. March is sponsored by Cally Kordaris. April is sponsored by Kate and Luke Swezey-Scandalios. May is sponsored by Alexia and Katerina Skiadas. June is sponsored by Alexandra Dimitrakakis. September is sponsored by Darrin Dayton in memory of his grandparents George & Edna Gallanis. October is sponsored by Nick & Tina Plagos. November is sponsored by George, Cindy and Sophia Koumbaroulis. THANK YOU!
BESTSELLING AUTHOR RETURNED TO SAINT GEORGE IN NOVEMBER
Signed Books are Available for Purchase in the Church Hall.
Patricia Schultz, NY Times Bestselling Author of 1000 Places to See Before you Die spoke on her volume 1000 Places to See in the US and Canada
Patricia Schultz is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers 1,000 Places to See Before You Die and 1,000 Places to See in the United States and Canada Before You Die. A veteran travel journalist with 30 years of experience, she has written for guides such as Frommer’s and Berlitz and periodicals including The Wall Street Journal and Travel Weekly, where she is a contributing editor. She also executive-produced a Travel Channel television show based on 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Her home base is New York City.
Patricia is also known to us as Mrs Nick Stringas. All proceeds to the St George Renovations Fund.
Congratulations!!!
to Taso & Maria Pardalis on the birth of Chloe Georgia
to Anthony & Irene Louh on the birth of George Jakub
&
to Kevin & Christina White on the birth of Penelope Helene
Maria P. Tsakos
Saint George Sunday School
Sunday School is held from October - May following Holy Communion in the Church Hall. Just before Holy Communion, Fr Jim invites the children to come forward to the seats behind the pulpit where they will be offered a brief sermon/reflection, after which Holy Communion is offered and then the children proceed to the Church Hall.
SUNDAY SCHOOL FACULTY We are blessed to have four excellent teachers for our Sunday School this year: Elena L, Alexandra L., Alexandra S. and Christopher S. All love the kids and love teaching them about the faith. Elena L, (PhD) is a post doctoral researcher at Columbia University Medical Center. Alexandra L. is a teacher by profession and has recently earned her masters degree. Alexandra S is a lawyer by profession and a long-time member of Saint George Church. Christopher S. received an MDiv from St Vladimir's Seminary. Fr. Jim serves as spiritual advisor to our Sunday School.
Parents are asked to complete a Sunday School Registration Form and give it to the teachers. Parents are welcome to help with bringing the children downstairs and as needed during class.
AFTER SUNDAY SCHOOL PROJECTS The children are engaged in projects following Sunday School ranging from art projects to community service projects. The children enjoy painting & building various art & design projects. They have participated with fun science projects and have assisted with preparing Marilena's meals.
This past spring, and again this winter, our children assembled 100 emergency hygeine packets for IOCC - International Orthodox Christian Charities (www.iocc.org/take-action/assemble-emergency-kits). The packets are warehoused near IOCC headquarters in Baltimore so that they may be shipped on short notice when emergencies arise anywhere in the world. Supplies for the preparaton of 100 hygeine packets last spring were provided by Cally Kordaris. This project will be repeated by the Sunday School again in the fall. To be a one-time sponsor of this project, the cost is $500. Contact FrJimK@goarch.org.
Do Your Best: A traditional American proverb says, “God makes this request of his children: Do the best you can – where you are, with what you have, now.” The story of Jesus Christ feeding the 5,000 illustrates this through the boy’s offering of all that he had – five loaves and two fish. This boy did his best with what he had, and Jesus used it to perform an incredible miracle.
We are Stewards of the Gospel: We are called to guard the Gospel message, but not to hoard it. We are instructed not to hide our light under a bushel. As we share the voice of Christ, the message we share is one of hope, truth, grace, divine power, life and invitation. In this busy, ever-changing world, His voice of wisdom is needed to guide us in discerning what is good, what is true and what will bring us closer to Him and to one another.
Saint George Church seeks to offer:
- A sense of Peace and Presence of God in worship;
- Opportunities to Serve Others;
- Meaningful opportunities for Fellowship;
- Education in aspects of the Faith for all ages; and
- A well-maintained and inspiring place of worship & fellowship
SAINT GEORGE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
Our mission is to bring together young professional members & friends of St George Church to form stronger friendships through events & activities. We accomplish our mission through Laughing, Learning and Giving, alternating between social, philanthropic and spiritual activities. Questions or Ideas? Contact Sarah at sgalanis@hotmail.com .
Contact Sarah at sgalanis@hotmail.com to be added to the YP e-list.
VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF SAINT GEORGE
ST GEORGE CHURCH 2nd FLOOR UPDATE
The 2nd floor renovations are nearing completion. We are awaiting the arrival of a 10 foot tall stained glass window from a church in England dating to the 1880s. This has been donated by an individual that visited our parish and was moved by our hospitality. The window, which has been restored, will be installed & back-lit on the west wall.
We are also installing a stair-lift to assure that all are able to participate in gatherings and events on the second floor.
Most of the steam pipes rising through the church space have been removed and the holes in the ceiling have been closed. Potential water damage to walls & iconography from occasionally leaking steam pipes has been eliminated and past damage has been repaired and painted.
The aging florescent lights and wiring above the icons lining the walls of the church have been replaced with LED lights. The beautifully restored icons may now be enjoyed with brighter, more even lighting at a fraction of the energy cost. They also run cool and are easier on the artwork.
The New Saint George Church Library has been Built
Donations of Books are Welcome
Many thanks to Dean Pardalis and George Xerakias of APEX Design, our general contractors, for providing their expertise and services at no cost to the church, while donating many materials and resources to our ongoing renovation of Saint George Church.
Thank you all for your support.
Bible Reading In private study, when a Christian profitably reads the Bible, receiving inspiration and strength from it, family members, friends, relatives and even acquaintances will inevitably notice the difference. Any person who comes into contact with such a Christian cannot but notice the growing peace, love and inner assurance - the spirit of Christ - in that Christian, and will frequently ask (if not ask, certainly think) what gives that person such strength and radiance. God will provide many opportunities to the growing Christian for sharing with others his or her experience with the Bible. What better witness for the truth of the Christian faith than a solid Christian life nourished by Holy Scripture and radiating true Christian love at home, at Church and at work? The Christian's own life becomes a kind of gospel, a living Bible, in which other people observe, read and experience the truths of God in action.
From Bread for Life, by Father Theodore Stylianopoulos
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Religious Education
PROSPHORO (offering bread)
A prosphoro (Greek for offering) is a small loaf of leavened bread used in Orthodox Christian liturgies. The term originally meant any offering made to a temple, but in Orthodox Christianity it has come to mean specifically the bread offered at the Divine Liturgy (Eucharist). We are blessed at Saint George that Kyria Dina Manos bakes prosphora for us as needed. This is a very special ministry and we thank God for Kyria Dina's service to our church.
WINE FOR HOLY COMMUNION If you would like to offer wine to be used for the preparation of Holy Communion at Saint George Church, you are welcome to do so. The sweet wines that we use for Holy Communion are: Mavrodaphne, Commondaria and Nama Byzantino.
STEWARDSHIP OF FAMILY
Throughout our lives and the roles we assume within the family, we are stewards of the love, authority, trust and respect that exist among members of the family. Unlike material possessions, these are not diminished by use. But if mishandled, they can be lost. Love, authority, trust and respect require the most diligent stewardship, because once they are lost, they are most difficult to recover.
OUR CALLING:
Research shows that most unchurched Americans would come to church if invited. As the visible presence of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, we are called to witness to those within and those outside the community of believers. If we believe that in Orthodoxy we have the fullness of the Truth, then we have the great responsibility to share it with all people. The very nature of this mission implies creative witness within society in word and in deed. Bring a friend to Church!
SUNDAY PARKING: is available for $10 at ICON Parking on 54th St just east of 8th Ave. Bring your ticket to the candle stand to be validated. Effective from 8:00 AM-2:00 PM after which regular rates will apply.
“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea
until we have someone to forgive.”
C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity
What is Christian Stewardship?
Stewardship is caring for the needs of others.
Stewardship is offering one’s self to God as He offered Himself to us.
Stewardship is what a person does after saying “I believe…” as proof of that belief.
Williams and McKibben in Oriented Leadership
Click here to set up regular or 1-time stewardship contributions to St. George Church.
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Matins Gospel Reading
First Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Matthew 28:16-20
At that time, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Amen."
Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 146.5;134.3.
Great is our Lord, and great is his power.
Verse: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.
The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 12:1-11.
ABOUT THAT TIME, Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword; and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the Church.
The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison; and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, "Wrap your mantle around you and follow me." And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him. And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."
Gospel Reading
Thomas Sunday
The Reading is from John 20:19-31
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them: "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him: "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them: "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe."
Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said: "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to Him: "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
REFLECTION FOR THE WEEK
A number of years ago during the years of communism, a certain old Romanian priest would never greet anyone with the typical “Hello” or “Good Morning”. Instead, he greeted anyone he met with a radiant smile and the words “Rejoice always!” Now this may seem like an unusual way to greet someone, but it is even more incomprehensible when one learned that this priest was in terrible prison, while his son and daughter, along with two sons-in-law also suffered in prison. Even though his entire family endured horrible persecution, the priest still greeted everyone by saying, “Rejoice always!”
In the Palm Sunday epistle reading, we hear St. Paul offer similar words - “Rejoice in the Lord always” - to the persecuted believers in Philippi, while he himself languished in a prison cell.
How can anyone in prison, someone suffering, anyone facing difficult circumstances, exhort others to “rejoice?” What is this holy joy that such people as St. Paul, and that Romanian priest radiated.
“Rejoice always! Rejoice in the Lord always.” Such phrases obviously imply JOY, yet in our world today too many people don’t understand what brings joy. Many think joy comes with constant pleasure, and thus busy themselves with trivial and meaningless pursuits to occupy and fill their time. Others think that material success and excess will make their lives joyful, while still others say that popularity and fame are the only way for true happiness.
Think for a moment about those who you know who may reflect a deep inner, authentic joy, and tell me who they are. Over the years of my life I have been blessed to meet a few such people – people who exemplified and exuded holy joy. I knew three dear simple old women who endured the horrors and fears of communism in Albania, yet carried an inner joy during all their years of uncertainty and suffering. Archbishop Anastasios of Albania is another model for me. I stayed close to him during numerous difficult times in Africa and in Albania, yet I witnessed how he exuded an inner joy during the most challenging times. Then there was Bishop Gerasimos of blessed memory during my seminary years, a simple, gentle, humble soul who exuded joy. I developed a nice relationship with some nuns of Mother Teresa and they were another great example of people with joy. Most of these people were individuals with very little material wealth, yet all possessed a great faith that acted as the source of their true joy!
Ultimately for us Christians, there is only one source of everlasting impenetrable joy – and that source is God Almighty. To know Jesus Christ in the depths of our souls, to allow Him to enter into our hearts and guide our lives, and to be filled with his Holy Spirit is the ultimate definition and experience of joy, because He is precisely the source.
When someone abides in God, he/she is connected to all that God has created, and thus, the entire world becomes a beautiful place. Even in the midst of chaos and darkness, sadness and evil, when logic tempts us to despair, our relationship with Christ gives us a different and refreshing perspective, filling us with hope and love. This is why the saints radiated joy in spite of their hardships and martyrdoms. This is St. Paul and that Romanian priest under communism could rejoice under any and every circumstance.
These saints discovered the secret of the Christian life – that God is always with us, and that faith in Him chases away all fear, despair and hopelessness. When we abide in His love, we discover the security and comfort to rejoice even in the midst of tragedy or uncertainty.
I don’t say we rejoice because of tragedy, but instead, we can rejoice in the midst of tragedy. In any and every situation, we will be able to see something positive and good. If God is with us, there is always hope and a glimmer of light.
Holy Week took us through the darkest days of humanity, reminding us of this unquenchable joy in the midst of tragedy. On Holy Thursday we traveled through the passion of Christ, when everything seemed dark and hopeless. Jesus was betrayed by one of his dear friends, his followers abandoned him, and his closest companion denied knowing him. Christ was put on trial, condemned, ridiculed, beaten, and crucified by his own people. Yet the story did not end with suffering and death. Although evil seems to prevail, God has the final say!
Our sadness and despair turned to inexpressible joy as we hear on Pascha night, “Come receive the light from the unwaning light, and let us glorify him who is risen from the dead!”
From a human perspective, the situation seemed hopeless. From God’s point of view, victory was certain. Here is the secret of how the saints could rejoice in even the worst of situations. If we know the Risen Lord, and have His Spirit abiding within us, than we automatically have His Joy shining from our lives!
So how can we make joy a central part of our lives? Let me offer three concrete suggestions:
First, we need to allow Christ to ENTER INTO AND rule our lives. On Palm Sunday, as Jesus entered into Jerusalem as a king, people lined up on the streets to greet and praise him. “Hosanna to God in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” We are called to join with the crowd in praising Him, yet just like the crowd, we have a decision before us. Will our cry of “hosanna” be a sincere cry, where we ask Christ to come and dwell at the center of our lives, or will we cry out in a superficial manner like they did 2000 years ago, honoring him for a day, but rejecting, denying and even crucifying him later in our lives.
If Christ is truly our king, we need to find time not only during Lent but throughout the entire year to commune with Him through prayer and meditation, Bible study and frequent participation in the Holy Sacraments, no matter how busy our schedule is. Excuses of being too busy simply reflect our insincerity.
A second way of being filled with joy is to NEVER ALLOW THE ANXIETIES AND TROUBLES OF LIFE TO DROWN OUT OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD. In the same passage where St. Paul says to “Rejoice in the Lord always!” he also counsels “don’t about anything, but in everything, through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God that passes all understanding will abide richly in your heart.” In other words, holy joy comes when we learn to place all our concerns and troubles in God’s hands, and then to believe that he is in control!
A third way to discover joy is to be thankful for everything in our lives. An incredible example of gratitude is the Romanian priest I mentioned at the beginning of the sermon. When a fellow prisoner asked this priest how he could rejoice when he and his family suffered so much, he replied, “Rejoicing is easy if we follow St. Paul’s lesson to “Rejoice with those who rejoice.” When we learn to rejoice with all those who rejoice, we have plenty of motivation for joy. For example, I sit in jail yet I rejoice with those who are free. I can’t go to Church and am not able to receive Holy Communion, but I rejoice with the millions of people around the world who go to Church and receive Communion every week. I can’t see my children and my grandchildren, but I rejoice with those surrounded by their loved ones . . . When we rejoice with those who rejoice, we can find many reasons to radiate joy.”Let us pray that Christ may enter more fully into the depths of our hearts and lives as our Lord and King! If Jesus abides there, guiding us every moment of every day, then we will truly discover the source of ineffable joy! We will be able to “rejoice always” and give thanks in every circumstance.
Wisdom of the Fathers
The Lord stoops to the level even of our feeble understanding. He works a miracle of His invisible power in order to satisfy the doubts of unbelieving minds."
On the Trinity, 1.20. Taken from: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Vol: John. Intervarsity Press, 2007, p. 369.
Saints and Feasts
April 23
Thomas Sunday
Though the doors were shut at the dwelling where the disciples were gathered for fear of the Jews on the evening of the Sunday after the Passover, our Saviour wondrously entered and stood in their midst, and greeted them with His customary words, "Peace be unto you." Then He showed unto them His hands and feet and side; furthermore, in their presence, He took some fish and a honeycomb and ate before them, and thus assured them of His bodily Resurrection. But Thomas, who was not then present with the others, did not believe their testimony concerning Christ's Resurrection, but said in a decisive manner, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe." Wherefore after eight days, that is, on this day, when the disciples were again gathered together and Thomas was with them, the Lord Jesus came while the doors were shut, as He did formerly. Standing in their midst, He said, "Peace be unto you"; then He said to Thomas, "Bring hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not unbelieving, but believing."
And Thomas, beholding and examining carefully the hands and side of the Master, cried out with faith, "My Lord and my God." Thus he clearly proclaimed the two natures - human and divine - of the God-man (Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-29).
This day is called Antipascha (meaning "in the stead of Pascha," not "in opposition to Pascha") because with this day, the first Sunday after Pascha, the Church consecrates every Sunday of the year to the commemoration of Pascha, that is, the Resurrection.
April 23
George the Great Martyr and Triumphant
George, this truly great and glorious Martyr of Christ, was born of a father from Cappadocia and a mother from Palestine. Being a military tribune, or chiliarch (that is, a commander of a thousand troops), he was illustrious in battle and highly honoured for his courage. When he learned that the Emperor Diocletian was preparing a persecution of the Christians, Saint George presented himself publicly before the Emperor and denounced him. When threats and promises could not move him from his steadfast confession, he was put to unheard-of tortures, which he endured with great bravery, overcoming them by his faith and love towards Christ. By the wondrous signs that took place in his contest, he guided many to the knowledge of the truth, including Queen Alexandra, wife of Diocletian, and was finally beheaded in 296 in Nicomedia.
His sacred remains were taken by his servant from Nicomedia to Palestine, to a town called Lydda, the homeland of his mother, and then were finally transferred to the church which was raised up in his name. (The translation of the Saint's holy relics to the church in Lydda is commemorated on November 3; Saint Alexandra the Queen, on April 21.)
If April 23 falls on or before Great and Holy Pascha, the Feast of St. George is translated to Bright Monday.
April 24
2nd Monday after Pascha
April 24
Elizabeth the Wonderworker
Saint Elizabeth was born in Heraclea of Thrace. She lived in virginity and exhausted herself with ascetical labours and every kind of hardship from the time of her youth, and was deemed worthy of the grace of wonderworking from God; she reposed in peace in Constantinople in the middle of the fifth century.
April 24
Nicholas the New-Martyr of Magnesia
April 24
Mellitus, Archbishop of Canterbury
April 24
Savvas the General of Rome
April 25
Mark the Apostle and Evangelist
Mark was an idolater from Cyrene of Pentapolis, which is near Libya. Having come to the Faith of Christ through the Apostle Peter, he followed him to Rome. While there, at the prompting of Peter himself and at the request of the Christians living there, he wrote his Gospel in Greek, and it is second in order after Matthew's. Afterwards, travelling to Egypt, he preached the Gospel there and was the first to establish the Church in Alexandria. The idolaters, unable to bear his preaching, seized him, bound him with ropes, and dragged him through the streets until he, cut to pieces on rocks, gave up his soul. It is said that he completed his life in martyrdom about the year 68. He is depicted in holy icons with a lion next to him, one of the living creatures mentioned by Ezekiel (1:10), and a symbol of Christ's royal office, as Saint Irenaeus of Lyons writes.
If April 25 falls on or before Great and Holy Pascha, the Feast of St. Mark is translated to Bright Tuesday.
Hymns of the Day
Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode
Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.
Apolytikion for Thomas Sun. in the Grave Mode
Whilst the tomb was sealed, Thou, O Life, didst shine forth from the grave, O Christ God; and whilst the doors were shut, Thou didst come unto Thy disciples, O Resurrection of all, renewing through them an upright Spirit in us according to Thy great mercy.
Apolytikion for Great Martyr George in the Fourth Mode
Liberator of captives, defender of the poor, physician of the sick, and champion of kings, O trophy-bearer, Great Martyr George, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.
Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode
Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.
The translations of hymns are under copyright and used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further reproduced, in print or on other websites or in any other form, without the prior written authorization of the copyright holder: