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St. Luke Church
Publish Date: 2021-04-25
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Palmsunday
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St. Luke Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (413) 525-4551
  • Fax:
  • (413) 525-4552
  • Street Address:

  • 400 Prospect Street

  • East Longmeadow, MA 01028
  • Mailing Address:

  • 400 Prospect Street

  • East Longmeadow, MA 01028


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion for Palm Sunday in the First Mode

O Christ our God, before Your Passion, You raised Lazarus from the dead to confirm the common Resurrection for all. Therefore, we carry the symbols of victory as did the youths, and we cry out to You, the victor over death, "Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. "

Apolytikion for Palm Sunday in the Fourth Mode

O Christ, Our God, we have been Buried with You through Baptism, and by Your Resurrection made worthy of Life immortal. Praising You, we cry out, "Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Second Mode

In Heaven, He is seated upon a Throne and on earth He rides upon a foal. O Christ our God, accept the praise of the Angels and the hymn of the Children who cry out to You, "Blessed are You who comes to recall Adam."
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Palm Sunday
The Reading is from Matthew 21:1-11; 15-17

At that time, when Jesus drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If any one says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and he will send them immediately." This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

"Tell the daughter of Zion,
Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their garments on them, and he sat thereon. Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, "Who is this?" And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee." But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant; and they said to him, "Do you hear what they are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read,

'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings,
you have brought perfect praise'?"

And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 117.26,1.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Verse: Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His mercy endures forever.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians 4:4-9.

BRETHREN, rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.


Gospel Reading

Palm Sunday
The Reading is from John 12:1-18

Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazaros was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Lazaros was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me."

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazaros, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazaros also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" And Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it; as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this had been written of him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazaros out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign.


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Did You Know?

Did You Know?

Faith means to have trust in God


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Words from the Saints and our Fathers

Words from our Fathers

To confirm the general resurrection before Your Passion, You resurrected Lazarus from the dead, O Christ our God. Therefore imitating the children, carrying the symbols of victory, we cry out to You the Victor over death: "Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are You, the One, who comes in the name of the Lord."

Dismissal Hymn of Palm Sunday


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Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

There are no Memorial or Trisagion prayers this week


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Parish News

Parish News

1.  TODAY is Palm Sunday

2. HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE 

a.  Palm Sunday evening -- Bridegroom @ 6: 30 pm

b.  Holy Monday Morning -- Presanctified @ 9 am

c.  Holy Monday Evening -- Bridegroom @ 6: 30 pm

d.  Holy Tuesday Evening -- Bridegroom @ 6: 30 pm

e.  Holy Wednesday Morning -- Presanctified @ 9 am

f.  Holy Wednesday Afternoon -- Holy Unction @ 3 pm

g.  Holy Wednesday Evening -- Bridegroom/Washing of the Disciples' Feet @ 6: 30 pm (followed by anointing of the faithful)

h.  Holy Thursday Morning -- Vesperal Liturgy @ 7 am

i.  Holy Thursday Evening -- The Twelve Gospels @ 6: 30 pm followed by the Royal Hours

j.  Holy and Great Friday --  Apokathelosis (The Un-nailing) @ 2: 30 pm

k.  Holy Friday Evening -- The Lamentations @ 6: 30 pm

l.  Holy Saturday -- Vesperal Liturgy @ 9 am ("The First Anastasi")

m.  Holy Saturday and Holy PASCHA (May 1-2) -- 11: 45 pm

n.  Agape Vespers (May 2) -- 10: 30 am

3. Many thanks to Lynne Georgeopolus for covering these past few weeks while Paula has been away for family reasons.  God bless you!

4. Philoptochos News 

EPITAPHIOS DECORATING will take place on HOLY AND GREAT FRIDAY 

Please JOIN Leia and Lynne Georgeopolus (co-chairs) for this event in the Pappas Hall on Friday, April 30, 2021, at 10 am! This is a very special traditional St. Luke parish-wide Pascha event, and we encourage all to take part! This event will be COVID compliant for the safety of all participants. 

 

LAST CALL TO PICK-UP EASTER BAKE SALE PRE-ORDERS CURBSIDE TODAY!

Immediately following Sunday Liturgy, Philoptochos will have all Easter Bake Sale PRE-ORDERS ready! Go to your car and pull up outside the double doors located at the hall/church office entrance. A team member will come to your car curbside and get your name and then retrieve your items. If you still need to remit payment for your order, we ask that you have your check or exact cash payment ready.

NOTE: WE WILL NOT HAVE CHANGE AVAILABLE.

 

EASTER BREADS for SALE! Did you forget to PRE-ORDER? We still have large and mini loaves of bread available for purchase while supplies last! Additional BREADS may be purchased following Sunday Liturgy in the Narthex. 

 

Sign Up to dye a dozen or two Red Eggs for Pascha! Please see a Philoptochos board member in the Narthex following Sunday Liturgy to add your name to the list and grab a bag or two of the pre-packaged red tulle with ribbons. 

 

A SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS...BECAUSE SOMETIMES, the BREAD COUNT SALE outnumbers the workshop production! That’s exactly what happened at our most recent bread workshop. Did we despair? NO! A dedicated team shopped, prepared, rolled, and BAKED the BREAD for a second straight day! On behalf of the Philoptochos board, WE would like to give our sincere gratitude to Vicki LaRoche, Victor & Mary Galiatsos, John & Georgette Piponidis, Maria Laware, Bill Sakel, Priscilla Johnson, Judy Lelas-George, Evangelia Tsikrikis, and Rosanne Desautels. We could not have filled all the orders without your extraordinary efforts! 

 

A SPECIAL THANK YOU to Stephanie Bologa (chairperson), GOYA members, their families, and all participants who took part in the Palm Folding event following the Saturday of Lazurus Liturgy yesterday in preparation for Palm Sunday! 

 

SPRING BLESSING BAGS! Please take a moment to pick up one or two bags to distribute to our neighbors in need. The basket is located in the Narthex.

 

6. The schedule for Romeos & Juliets is as follows:  May 27, June 24, and July 22, at 12 noon.  We will be meeting via Zoom video and Zoom call.  Please contact Father at frpklostri@gmail.com for the Meeting ID and passcode


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Saints and Feasts

Palmsunday
April 25

Palm Sunday

On Sunday, five days before the Passover of the Law, the Lord came from Bethany to Jerusalem. Sending two of His disciples to bring Him a foal of an ass, He sat thereon and entered into the city. When the multitude there heard that Jesus was coming, they straightway took up the branches of palm trees in their hands, and went forth to meet Him. Others spread their garments on the ground, and yet others cut branches from the trees and strewed them in the way that Jesus was to pass; and all of them together, especially the children, went before and after Him, crying out: "Hosanna: Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel" (John 12:13). This is the radiant and glorious festival of our Lord's entry into Jerusalem that we celebrate today.

The branches of the palm trees symbolize Christ's victory over the devil and death. The word Hosanna means "Save, I pray," or "Save, now." The foal of an ass, and Jesus' sitting thereon, and the fact that this animal was untamed and considered unclean according to the Law, signified the former uncleanness and wildness of the nations, and their subjection thereafter to the holy Law of the Gospel.


25_mark2
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.


Jcbrdgrm
April 26

Holy Monday

The holy Passion of our Saviour begins today, presenting Joseph the all-comely as a prefiguring of Christ. He was the eleventh son of Jacob, and his first son by Rachel; because he was so beloved of his father, his own brethren came to envy him and cast him into a pit. Later they sold him to foreigners for thirty pieces of silver, who later sold him again in Egypt. Because of his virtue, his master gave him much authority in governing his house; because he was fair of countenance, his master's wife sought to draw him into sin with her; because of his chastity, he refused her, and through her slanders was cast into prison. Finally, he was led forth again with great glory and was honoured as a king. He became lord over all Egypt and a provider of wheat for all the people. Through all this, he typifies in himself the betrayal, Passion, death, and glorification of our Lord Jesus Christ (see Gen., chapters 37, 39 41).

To the commemoration of Patriarch Joseph is added also the narration concerning the fig tree, which on this day was cursed and subsequently dried up because of its unfruitfulness. It portrayed the Jewish synagogue, which had not produced the fruit demanded of it, that is, obedience to God and faith in Him and which was stripped of all spiritual grace by means of the curse (Matt. 21:18-20).


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Wisdom of the Fathers

But observe the wisdom of the Evangelist, how he is not ashamed to parade their former ignorance. That it was written they knew, that it was written of Him they knew not. For it would have offended them if He being a King were about to suffer such things, and be so betrayed.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 66 on John 12, 2. B#58, p.245., 4th Century

Besides, they could not at once have taken in the knowledge of the Kingdom of which He spake; for another Evangelist saith, that they thought the words were spoken of a kingdom of this world. (Matt. xx. 21.)
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 66 on John 12, 2. B#58, p.245., 4th Century

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