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Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2019-06-02
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Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (408) 246-2770
  • Fax:
  • (408) 246-0143
  • Street Address:

  • 1260 Davis Street

  • San Jose, CA 95126
  • Mailing Address:

  • 986 Chapman Street

  • San Jose, CA 95126


Contact Information






Services Schedule

Saturdays:

    5:00 p.m. - Great Vespers.

Sundays: from the first Sunday after Labor Day to mid May

Orthros followed by 1st Divine Liturgy 7:15 a.m.
2nd Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m.
Church School 10:00 a.m.

Sundays: other than above days

Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m.

Feast Days: see calendar.

Confessions: Please call office.


Past Bulletins


Schedule of Services

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

Friday, May 31

4:00pm - Blessing of the Waters/Agiasmo 

Saturday, June 1

4:00pm - Vespers

 

Sunday, June 2 - Sunday of the Blind Man

8:30am - Orthros + Liturgy

 

Monday, June 3

5:30pm - Paraklesis to the Theotokos

 

Thursday, June 6 - Holy Ascension

8:30am - Orthros + Liturgy

 

Saturday, June 8

5:00pm - Vespers

 

Sunday, June 9 - Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council

8:30am - Orthros + Liturgy

 

 

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News and Events

Nicholasflyer_med

YEMISTA FESTIVAL COOKING

Please come and help with the upcoming, scheduled festival cooking!  Food and camaraderie happily included!

Yemista:  We will be preparing stuffed tomatoes and peppers in the Community Center on Thursday, May 30th at 9:00am.  For more information, please call Nicki Poulos at 408-723-2613.

 

 


LEMONS, ROSEMARY, AND MINT NEEDED FOR FESTIVAL

The AHEPA family will be hosting the Dining Room in the Community Center for the festival.  We plan to use vases as centerpieces that will contain lemons, rosemary and mint.  We anticipate about 26 tables and expect to use 3-4 lemons per vase. 

Please bring lemons to the church office between Tuesday, May28th and Friday, May 31st.  As mint and rosemary wilt quickly, please bring them on Friday, May 31st. We plan to fill the vases Friday afternoon about 3pm.  Thank you for your help.

 


COFFEE HOUR TEAM

Sunday Coffee Team: No Coffee Hour this Sunday due to Festival.

For more information about joining the coffee hour teams, please contact Marcella Fotis at 408-723-4124.  

 


FESTIVAL NEEDS – CONTRIBUTIONS WELCOME!

Your contributions can help to defray the Festival costs! Please pick up a Festival Items List flyer in the Narthex or the Church Office.   Donors are able to sponsor in any amount!  Payments can be made directly to the Church Office or by contacting Harry Mavrogenes at 408-250-5610.  Online donations are welcome! Please visit our website at https://saintnicholas.org/,  and select «Donate»!

 


ST. ANNA'S PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS

FESTIVAL TIME: Every year St. Anna Philoptochos has its boutique in Room 3.  If you wish to make a donation to the boutique, you can bring your gently used items to the church on Sunday, or call/e-mail Laurie Sahines, Chairperson at (408) 823-0111 or lsahines@comcast.net, and make arrangements to meet her at the church on Fridays to drop off the items. 

FESTIVAL BOUTIQUE:    Every year the Festival Boutique needs people to assist.  If you want to help in the festival, but it is difficult for you to work in many of the other booths of the festival--this is the place for you!  Workers in the festival boutique work two-hour shifts, are out of the heat and sun, sit on a chair, and watch our visitors as they look at the items we have for sale.  Thank you for helping St. Anna during the festival!! 

 


FESTIVAL PARKING PASSES

Please note that festival parking passes will not be available at the Church Office.  The passes will be distributed to the festival booth leaders to pass out to their workers.  All others who do not belong to a dedicated festival booth, please contact John Kouretas at 650-996-5260.


LIMITED OFFICE HOURS

The church office will be open limited hours on Tuesday, June 4th.  Please call before coming to the office at 408-246-2770 or you can leave a message on voicemail.   If you need immediate assistance, please text or call either Fr. Demosthenes at 408-784-9364 or Fr. Nebojsa at 707-315-7823.


OFFICE CLOSED

The Church Office will be closed on Thursday, June 6th for the Archdiocesan observance of the Ascension.


PHILOKALIA BOOKSTORE

Please note the bookstore will be closed from June 9th to July 7th.   The bookstore will re-open on Sunday, July 14th.   Please contact the church office at 408-246-2770 if you have any questions.

 


SATURDAY OF THE SOULS - JUNE 15

Saturday of the Souls (Psychosavato) is on Saturday, June 15, 2019, the day before Holy Pentecost. Please bring the names of the deceased to the church office by Friday, June 14th or to the Altar on the day of the service.  If you wish to make kollyva, you are welcome to bring a small dish to the service.
 
 

CONFESSIONS

Confessions with Father Demosthenes are available only by appointment.  Please call the church office or Father Demosthenes directly at 408-784-9364.   


STS. PETER AND PAUL MISSIONS MINISTRY

We are excited to announce the opening of the first floor of the new St. Ignatius High School in India.  His Eminence Konstantinos, Metropolitan of Singapore and South Asia, presided over the dedication that took place last weekend and Rosa Deamant from our Ministry was able to attend as well.  The need is, however, still urgent, as they are set-up for re-accreditation in 2020.  To find out more about Sister Nektaria’s Mission in India and to support this cause, please stop by at the Missions’ booth during the Greek Festival weekend.  We will be face painting, doing henna and selling watermelon.

Our booth is also looking for help, and we offer community service hours to the youth.  To volunteer your time, follow this link.

 https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F44AFAB23A3FE3-2019

For more information on this and other missionary activity, please contact Maria Aji at stspeterpaulmissions@gmail.com, or follow our Saints Peter and Paul Missions Ministry Facebook page and the Fili website:  www.fili-inc.com


STEWARDSHIP 2019 - COMPLETE ONLINE

As stewards of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, God has gifted us with the honor of being the caretakers of our Orthodox faith.   As caretakers, we are responsible for ensuring that there is a safe and welcoming spiritual home in which to come together to worship for the glory of God. 

Your continuing support spiritually, socially and financially are vital to the well being of our parish.  We humbly request if you have not had an opportunity to complete your 2019 stewardship pledge, use the following link to do so online.  When completing this, we ask that you make time to pray and reflect on the many gifts that the Church has given you.  Increasing your stewardship contribution will assist in growing our parish and provide an environment in which our community will flourish.

Stewardship Link:

https://saintnicholas.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/28/responses/new

Father Demosthenes and the Stewardship Committee: Mary Ann Devetzis, Jeff Contos, and Peter Panayotopoulos


REALOPTIONS - A MINISTRY OF ST. ANNA PHILOPTOCHOS

We currently have 2 clear bins labeled for donations to The Real Options Medical Clinic. One in the bookstore and the other bin is outside the Sunday school office. You can put your donations of diapers, baby products and clothing for newborn thru 2 yrs. Gift cards to Walmart and Target are also accepted. You can also contact me directly to receive the above items. The Real Options Center was thrilled with the donation of 2 very gently used strollers that were donated last week. Tax receipts are available.  God Bless You all for your generosity to these women and families in need.  For more information please contact Ruth Duterte ruthrad1@aol.com  or 408-483-3009.


PASTORAL VISITS

In case of a special need and you would like a pastoral visit, the priests would be happy to visit after receiving a call from an immediate family member due to privacy concerns.   Please text or call either Fr. Demosthenes at 408-784-9364 or Father Nebojsa at 707-315-7823 or call the church office at 408-246-2770.

 


DONATIONS VIA FACEBOOK

We are a registered non-profit on Facebook and you can donate any time (without any fees for the church) by pressing the donate button in this link:

https://www.facebook.com/SaintNicholasOrg/


GREEK PASTRIES, KOLLYVA & ARTOKLASIA

If you wish to order kollyva, paximadia, koulourakia or other Greek pastries, or artoklasia, please see below.  Payment is arranged with the makers and not the church.  If there is anyone who wants to be added to the makers list, please call the church office.

For kollyva:

Marcella Fotis 408-723-4124

Maria Anagnostou 408-316-6609

For paximadia, koulourakia, and other Greek pastries:

Maria Tsaboukos 408-723-5175

Antonia Komianos 408-472-3888

Marcella Fotis 408-723-4124

For artoklasia:

Marcella Fotis 408-723-4124

Maria or Despina Anagnostou 408-316-6609

 


MONASTERY OF THE HOLY THEOTOKOS, THE LIFE GIVING SPRING FUNDRAISER - FELTON

The Saint Lawrence Orthodox church is hosting a benefit dinner in support of the Monastery of the Theotokos, the Life-Giving Spring on Sunday, June 9th, 4:30-7:30pm, $70 Adults, $35 Children (12 and under).  For more information, please call Maria - 408-316-6609 or email  Meroulas@yahoo.com


ADULT RESORT CAMP - ST. NICHOLAS RANCH

Adult Resort Camp is at St. Nicholas Ranch, Dunlap, from Monday to Friday, September 16-20th.  Lodging and meals is included in the cost. For reservations call 559-338-2103 or for more information, call Fr. Jim Pappas at 559-233-0397.


MISSION IN JAMAICA

Jamaica is approximately 50% Christian.  The Orthodox Church in Jamaica, as we know it, was established in 2015 by Metropolitan Athenagoras, Archbishop of Mexico, in response to the efforts of a young Jamaican, Moses Myers, who converted to Orthodoxy (from a Pentecostal Holiness Church) in March 2014.  At this time there is no permanent priest, and the people need catechism and encouragement in the faith.  This is truly moving into mission territory! 

Last year was the first OCMC team to Jamaica.  Twelve individuals taught vacation Bible school material and interacted in the evenings with adults; they were able to put on more than one VBS because of the team size.  This year fewer than half that number has signed up.  Join us …get your passport ready…set your sights on August 8-17 for an experience of your lifetime in serving and learning!  See the OCMC website and/or contact Roberta Sardell, a member of our missions ministry, about more details.     r.sardell@yahoo.com


SUNDAY BULLETIN NOTICE

To avoid any confusion on our part as we compose and print the Sunday bulletin, we ask that anyone who wishes to include a notice in the Sunday bulletin submit the notice in writing to the office BY TUESDAY AT 5PM!  Please don't wait until the last minute or send a note into the altar on a Sunday morning while the liturgy is in progress.

In addition, all ongoing (same message) bulletin entries will be in for four weeks, four times a year.  Please review these entries and plan accordingly.

 


SMALL HALL BULLETIN BOARD

Please check with Father Demosthenes in the office before posting anything on the bulletin board in the Small Hall.  Notices, announcements, advertisements, etc. that have not been approved will be removed.  Thank you for your kind cooperation.


BULLETIN SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Please note that all information in the weekly bulletin is subject to change.


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Saints and Feasts

Jcblind1
June 02

Sunday of the Blind Man

The Lord Jesus was coming from the Temple on the Sabbath, when, while walking in the way, He saw the blind man mentioned in today's Gospel. This man had been born thus from his mother's womb, that is, he had been born without eyes (see Saint John Chrysostom, Homily LVI on Matthew; Saint Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V:15; and the second Exorcism of Saint Basil the Great). When the disciples saw this, they asked their Teacher, "Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" They asked this because when the Lord had healed the paralytic at the Sheep's Pool, He had told him, "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee" (John 5:14); so they wondered, if sickness was caused by sin, what sin could have been the cause of his being born without eyes. But the Lord answered that this was for the glory of God. Then the God-man spat on the ground and made clay with the spittle. He anointed the eyes of the blind man and said to him, "Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam." Siloam (which means "sent") was a well-known spring in Jerusalem used by the inhabitants for its waters, which flowed to the eastern side of the city and collected in a large pool called "the Pool of Siloam."

Therefore, the Saviour sent the blind man to this pool that he might wash his eyes, which had been anointed with the clay-not that the pool's water had such power, but that the faith and obedience of the one sent might be made manifest, and that the miracle might become more remarkable and known to all, and leave no room for doubt. Thus, the blind man believed in Jesus' words, obeyed His command, went and washed himself, and returned, no longer blind, but having eyes and seeing. This was the greatest miracle that our Lord had yet worked; as the man healed of his blindness himself testified, "Since time began, never was it heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind," although the Lord had already healed the blind eyes of many. Because he now had eyes, some even doubted that he was the same person (John 9:8-9); and it was still lively in their remembrance when Christ came to the tomb of Lazarus, for they said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have caused that even this man should not have died?" Saint John Chrysostom gives a thorough and brilliant exposition of our Lord's meeting with the woman of Samaria, the healing of the paralytic, and the miracle of the blind man in his commentaries on the Gospel of Saint John.


Allsaint
June 02

Nicephorus the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Nicephorus was born in Constantinople about the year 758, of pious parents; his father Theodore endured exile and tribulation for the holy icons during the reign of Constantine Copronymus (741-775). Nicephorus served in the imperial palace as a secretary. Later, he took up the monastic life, and struggled in asceticism not far from the imperial city; he also founded monasteries on the eastern shore of the Bosphorus, among them one dedicated to the Great Martyr Theodore.

After the repose of the holy Patriarch Tarasius, he was ordained Patriarch, on April 12, 806, and in this high office led the Orthodox resistance to the Iconoclasts' war on piety, which was stirred up by Leo the Armenian. Because Nicephorus championed the veneration of the icons, Leo drove Nicephorus from his throne on March 13, 815, exiling him from one place to another, and lastly to the Monastery of Saint Theodore which Nicephorus himself had founded. It was here that, after glorifying God for nine years as Patriarch, and then for thirteen years as an exile, tormented and afflicted, he gave up his blameless soul in 828 at about the age of seventy. See also March 8.


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Special Services

MEMORIAL SERVICES 

Please join in prayer for the souls of those who have fallen asleep in the Lord:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kontakion of the Fallen Asleep

Remember, O Lord, as good, your servants, and forgive whatever sins in life they committed, for no one is without sin, except you the Mighty One; and grant rest to them who have been removed from among us.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eighth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:11-18

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, Μαρία δὲ εἱστήκει πρὸς τῷ μνημείῳ κλαίουσα ἔξω. ὡς οὖν ἔκλαιε, παρέκυψεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον καὶ θεωρεῖ δύο ἀγγέλους ἐν λευκοῖς καθεζομένους, ἕνα πρὸς τῇ κεφαλῇ καὶ ἕνα πρὸς τοῖς ποσίν, ὅπου ἔκειτο τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ. καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῇ ἐκεῖνοι· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; λέγει αὐτοῖς· ὅτι ἦραν τὸν Κύριόν μου, καὶ οὐκ οἶδα ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν. καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἐστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν ἑστῶτα, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐστι. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; τίνα ζητεῖς; ἐκείνη δοκοῦσα ὅτι ὁ κηπουρός ἐστι, λέγει αὐτῷ· κύριε, εἰ σὺ ἐβάστασας αὐτόν, εἰπέ μοι ποῦ ἔθηκας αὐτόν, κἀγὼ αὐτὸν ἀρῶ. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· Μαρία. στραφεῖσα ἐκείνη λέγει αὐτῷ· ῥαββουνί, ὃ λέγεται, διδάσκαλε. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· μή μου ἅπτου· οὔπω γὰρ ἀναβέβηκα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου· πορεύου δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου καὶ εἰπὲ αὐτοῖς· ἀναβαίνω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ πατέρα ὑμῶν, καὶ Θεόν μου καὶ Θεὸν ὑμῶν. ἔρχεται Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἀπαγγέλλουσα τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὅτι ἑώρακε τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ.

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that He had said these things to her.


Epistle Reading

Προκείμενον. Plagal 1st Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 11.7,1.
Σὺ Κύριε, φυλάξαις ἡμᾶς καὶ διατηρήσαις ἡμᾶς.
Στίχ. Σῶσον με, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐκλέλοιπεν ὅσιος.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 16:16-34.

Ἐν ταῖς ἡμεραῖς ἐκείναις, ἐγένετο δὲ πορευομένων ἡμῶν εἰς προσευχὴν παιδίσκην τινὰ ἔχουσαν πνεῦμα πύθωνος ἀπαντῆσαι ἡμῖν, ἥτις ἐργασίαν πολλὴν παρεῖχε τοῖς κυρίοις αὐτῆς μαντευομένη.αὕτη κατακολουθήσασα τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τῷ Σίλᾳ ἔκραζε λέγουσα· οὗτοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι δοῦλοι τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου εἰσίν, οἵτινες καταγγέλλουσιν ἡμῖν ὁδὸν σωτηρίας. τοῦτο δὲ ἐποίει ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας. διαπονηθεὶς δὲ ὁ Παῦλος καὶ ἐπιστρέψας τῷ πνεύματι εἶπε· παραγγέλλω σοι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐξελθεῖν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς. καὶ ἐξῆλθεν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ. ᾿Ιδόντες δὲ οἱ κύριοι αὐτῆς ὅτι ἐξῆλθεν ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς ἐργασίας αὐτῶν, ἐπιλαβόμενοι τὸν Παῦλον καὶ τὸν Σίλαν εἵλκυσαν εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας, καὶ προσαγαγόντες αὐτοὺς τοῖς στρατηγοῖς εἶπον· οὗτοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἐκταράσσουσιν ἡμῶν τὴν πόλιν ᾿Ιουδαῖοι ὑπάρχοντες, καὶ καταγγέλλουσιν ἔθη ἃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν παραδέχεσθαι οὐδὲ ποιεῖν ῾Ρωμαίοις οὖσι. καὶ συνεπέστη ὁ ὄχλος κατ᾿ αὐτῶν. καὶ οἱ στρατηγοὶ περιρρήξαντες αὐτῶν τὰ ἱμάτια ἐκέλευον ῥαβδίζειν, πολλάς τε ἐπιθέντες αὐτοῖς πληγὰς ἔβαλον εἰς φυλακήν, παραγγείλαντες τῷ δεσμοφύλακι ἀσφαλῶς τηρεῖν αὐτούς· ὃς παραγγελίαν τοιαύτην εἰληφὼς ἔβαλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἐσωτέραν φυλακὴν καὶ τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν ἠσφαλίσατο εἰς τὸ ξύλον. Κατὰ δὲ τὸ μεσονύκτιον Παῦλος καὶ Σίλας προσευχόμενοι ὕμνουν τὸν Θεόν· ἐπηκροῶντο δὲ αὐτῶν οἱ δέσμιοι. ἄφνω δὲ σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγας, ὥστε σαλευθῆναι τὰ θεμέλια τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου, ἀνεῴχθησάν τε παραχρῆμα αἱ θύραι πᾶσαι καὶ πάντων τὰ δεσμὰ ἀνέθη. ἔξυπνος δὲ γενόμενος ὁ δεσμοφύλαξ καὶ ἰδὼν ἀνεῳγμένας τὰς θύρας τῆς φυλακῆς, σπασάμενος μάχαιραν ἔμελλεν ἑαυτὸν ἀναιρεῖν, νομίζων ἐκπεφευγέναι τοὺς δεσμίους. ἐφώνησε δὲ φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ὁ Παῦλος λέγων· μηδὲν πράξῃς σεαυτῷ κακόν· ἅπαντες γάρ ἐσμεν ἐνθάδε. αἰτήσας δὲ φῶτα εἰσεπήδησε, καὶ ἔντρομος γενόμενος προσέπεσε τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τῷ Σίλᾳ,καὶ προαγαγὼν αὐτοὺς ἔξω ἔφη· κύριοι, τί με δεῖ ποιεῖν ἵνα σωθῶ; οἱ δὲ εἶπον· πίστευσον ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστόν, καὶ σωθήσῃ σὺ καὶ ὁ οἶκός σου. καὶ ἐλάλησαν αὐτῷ τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ. καὶ παραλαβὼν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς νυκτὸς ἔλουσεν ἀπὸ τῶν πληγῶν, καὶ ἐβαπτίσθη αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ αὐτοῦ πάντες παραχρῆμα, ἀναγαγών τε αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ παρέθηκε τράπεζαν, καὶ ἠγαλλιάσατο πανοικὶ πεπιστευκὼς τῷ Θεῷ.

Prokeimenon. Plagal 1st Mode. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 16:16-34.

IN THOSE DAYS, as we apostles were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying. She followed Paul and us, crying, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." And this she did for many days. But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice." The crowd joined in attacking them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one's fetters were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, "Men, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with all his household that he had believed in God.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Blind Man
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 9:1-38

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, παράγων εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον τυφλὸν ἐκ γενετῆς. Καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες· ῥαββί, τίς ἥμαρτεν, οὗτος ἢ οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἵνα τυφλὸς γεννηθῇ; ἀπεκρίθη ᾿Ιησοῦς· οὔτε οὗτος ἥμαρτεν οὔτε οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ. ἐμὲ δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ πέμψαντός με ἕως ἡμέρα ἐστίν· ἔρχεται νὺξ ὅτε οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐργάζεσθαι. ὅταν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ᾦ, φῶς εἰμι τοῦ κόσμου. ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἔπτυσε χαμαὶ καὶ ἐποίησε πηλὸν ἐκ τοῦ πτύσματος, καὶ ἐπέχρισε τὸν πηλὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ τυφλοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὕπαγε νίψαι εἰς τὴν κολυμβήθραν τοῦ Σιλωάμ, ὃ ἑρμηνεύεται ἀπεσταλμένος. ἀπῆλθεν οὖν καὶ ἐνίψατο, καὶ ἦλθε βλέπων. Οἱ οὖν γείτονες καὶ οἱ θεωροῦντες αὐτὸν τὸ πρότερον ὅτι τυφλὸς ἦν, ἔλεγον· οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ καθήμενος καὶ προσαιτῶν; ἄλλοι ἔλεγον ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν· ἄλλοι δὲ ὅτι ὅμοιος αὐτῷ ἐστιν. ἐκεῖνος ἔλεγεν ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι. ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ· πῶς ἀνεῴχθησάν σου οἱ ὀφθαλμοί; ἀπεκρίθη ἐκεῖνος καὶ εἶπεν· ἄνθρωπος λεγόμενος ᾿Ιησοῦς πηλὸν ἐποίησε καὶ ἐπέχρισέ μου τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ εἶπέ μοι· ὕπαγε εἰς τὴν κολυμβήθραν τοῦ Σιλωὰμ καὶ νίψαι· ἀπελθὼν δὲ καὶ νιψάμενος ἀνέβλεψα. εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ· ποῦ ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος; λέγει· οὐκ οἶδα. ῎Αγουσιν αὐτὸν πρὸς τοὺς Φαρισαίους, τόν ποτε τυφλόν. ἦν δὲ σάββατον ὅτε τὸν πηλὸν ἐποίησεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς καὶ ἀνέῳξεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς. πάλιν οὖν ἠρώτων αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι πῶς ἀνέβλεψεν. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πηλὸν ἐπέθηκέ μου ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, καὶ ἐνιψάμην, καὶ βλέπω. ἔλεγον οὖν ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων τινές· οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἔστι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι τὸ σάββατον οὐ τηρεῖ. ἄλλοι ἔλεγον· πῶς δύναται ἄνθρωπος ἁμαρτωλὸς τοιαῦτα σημεῖα ποιεῖν; καὶ σχίσμα ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς. λέγουσι τῷ τυφλῷ πάλιν· σὺ τί λέγεις περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἤνοιξέ σου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν ὅτι προφήτης ἐστίν. οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν οὖν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι περὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι τυφλὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέβλεψεν, ἕως ὅτου ἐφώνησαν τοὺς γονεῖς αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἀναβλέψαντος καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτοὺς λέγοντες· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς ὑμῶν, ὃν ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι τυφλὸς ἐγεννήθη; πῶς οὖν ἄρτι βλέπει; ἀπεκρίθησαν δὲ αὐτοῖς οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπον· οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς ἡμῶν καὶ ὅτι τυφλὸς ἐγεννήθη· πῶς δὲ νῦν βλέπει οὐκ οἴδαμεν, ἢ τίς ἤνοιξεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἡμεῖς οὐκ οἴδαμεν· αὐτὸς ἡλικίαν ἔχει, αὐτὸν ἐρωτήσατε, αὐτὸς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λαλήσει. ταῦτα εἶπον οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐφοβοῦντο τοὺς ᾿Ιουδαίους· ἤδη γὰρ συνετέθειντο οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι ἵνα, ἐάν τις αὐτὸν ὁμολογήσῃ Χριστόν, ἀποσυνάγωγος γένηται. διὰ τοῦτο οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ εἶπον ὅτι ἡλικίαν ἔχει, αὐτὸν ἐρωτήσατε. ἐφώνησαν οὖν ἐκ δευτέρου τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὃς ἦν τυφλός, καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ· δὸς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ· ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν. ἀπεκρίθη οὖν ἐκεῖνος καὶ εἶπεν· εἰ ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν οὐκ οἶδα· ἓν οἶδα, ὅτι τυφλὸς ὢν ἄρτι βλέπω. εἶπον δὲ αὐτῷ πάλιν· τί ἐποίησέ σοι; πῶς ἤνοιξέ σου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς; ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς· εἶπον ὑμῖν ἤδη, καὶ οὐκ ἠκούσατε· τί πάλιν θέλετε ἀκούειν; μὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς θέλετε αὐτοῦ μαθηταὶ γενέσθαι; ἐλοιδόρησαν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπον· σὺ εἶ μαθητὴς ἐκείνου· ἡμεῖς δὲ τοῦ Μωϋσέως ἐσμὲν μαθηταί. ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι Μωϋσεῖ λελάληκεν ὁ Θεός· τοῦτον δὲ οὐκ οἴδαμεν πόθεν ἐστίν. ἀπεκρίθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἐν γὰρ τούτῳ θαυμαστόν ἐστιν, ὅτι ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε πόθεν ἐστί, καὶ ἀνέῳξέ μου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς. οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἀκούει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις θεοσεβὴς ᾖ καὶ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ποιῇ, τούτου ἀκούει. ἐκ τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐκ ἠκούσθη ὅτι ἤνοιξέ τις ὀφθαλμοὺς τυφλοῦ γεγεννημένου. εἰ μὴ ἦν οὗτος παρὰ Θεοῦ, οὐκ ἠδύνατο ποιεῖν οὐδέν.ἀπεκρίθησαν καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ· ἐν ἁμαρτίαις σὺ ἐγεννήθης ὅλος, καὶ σὺ διδάσκεις ἡμᾶς; καὶ ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω.

῎Ηκουσεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ὅτι ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω, καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὸν εἶπεν αὐτῷ· σὺ πιστεύεις εἰς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ; ἀπεκρίθη ἐκεῖνος καὶ εἶπε· καὶ τίς ἐστι, Κύριε, ἵνα πιστεύσω εἰς αὐτόν; εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· καὶ ἑώρακας αὐτὸν καὶ ὁ λαλῶν μετὰ σοῦ ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν. ὁ δὲ ἔφη· πιστεύω, Κύριε· καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ.

Sunday of the Blind Man
The Reading is from John 9:1-38

At that time, as Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, "Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is he"; others said, "No, but he is like him." He said, "I am the man." They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight." They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes and I washed, and I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was a division among them. So they again said to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess him to be Christ he was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age, ask him."

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, "Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?" And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you." He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

But I assert that he even received benefit from his blindness: since he recovered the sight of the eyes within.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 56 on John 9, 4th Century

When, then, have they taken place, save when the Word of God Himself came in the body? Or when did He come, if not when lame men walked, and stammerers were made to speak plain, and deaf men heard, and men blind from birth regained their sight? For this was the very thing the Jews said who then witnessed it, because they had not heard of these things having taken place at any other time.
St. Athanasius
Incarnation of the Word 38, 4th Century

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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal 1st Mode

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.
Χριστός ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν, θανάτῳ θάνατον πατήσας, καί τοῖς ἐν τοῖς μνήμασι ζωήν χαρισάμενος.

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal 1st Mode

Let us worship the Word who is unoriginate * with the Father and the Spirit, and from a Virgin was born * for our salvation, O believers, and let us sing His praise. * For in His goodness He was pleased * to ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to undergo death, * and to raise up those who had died, * by His glorious Resurrection.
Τὸν συνάναρχον Λόγον Πατρὶ καὶ Πνεύματι, τὸν ἐκ Παρθένου τεχθέντα εἰς σωτηρίαν ἡμῶν, ἀνυμνήσωμεν πιστοὶ καὶ προσκυνήσωμεν, ὅτι ηὐδόκησε σαρκί, ἀνελθεῖν ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ, καὶ θάνατον ὑπομεῖναι, καὶ ἐγεῖραι τοὺς τεθνεῶτας, ἐν τῇ ἐνδόξῳ Ἀναστάσει αὐτοῦ.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal 4th 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.
Εἰ καὶ ἐν τάφῳ κατῆλθες ἀθάνατε, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ᾍδου καθεῖλες τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ ἀνέστης ὡς νικητής, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, γυναιξὶ Μυροφόροις φθεγξάμενος. Χαίρετε, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις εἰρήνην δωρούμενος ὁ τοῖς πεσοῦσι παρέχων ἀνάστασιν.
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