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St. Andrew Church
Publish Date: 2021-01-10
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St. Andrew Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (973) 584-0388
  • Fax:
  • (973) 584-3573
  • Street Address:

  • 1447 Sussex Turnpike

  • Randolph, NJ 07869-1830
  • Mailing Address:

  • 1447 Sussex Turnpike

  • Randolph, NJ 07869-1830


Contact Information








Services Schedule

On Sunday we celebrate

Orthros at 8:45 am & Divine Liturgy at 10am

Weekday Orthros and Liturgies begin at 8am 

 

 


Past Bulletins


Services at St. Andrew

Attending services at Saint Andrew

Below are the links for upcoming services.

Registration to services will be open until allowed seating has been reached.

Just Click on the Eventbrite Link  below and make your Reservation.

You will then get a confirmation that you may attend the service. For Sunday’s Liturgy please come to church by 10:15am. Late arrivals will lose their reservation if we have people waiting to be seated.  If you are not able to attend please cancel your reservation. If you are having problems with link or do not have access to the internet call the church office 973-584-0388 (leave a message and we’ll get back to you).

 

1/9 Saturday

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/134429360837

@8am Orthros & @9am Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom

Divine Liturgy Youth & Family Worship for Sunday School Students & Families @9am

 

1/10 Sunday

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/134433435023

 Sunday after Epiphany

 @8:45am Orthros & 10am Divine Liturgy of SJC

 

A 40 Day Memorial Service will be held for the repose of the soul of +Cassandra Kaviris as well as a Two-Year Memorial service for the repose of the soul of +George Kaviris, beloved parents of Thalia, Christos Nikolopoulos and Ron Collins and grandparents of Zoe and Artemis.  

  An Annual Memorial Service will be held for the repose of the soul of our ever-memorable brother +Anastasios (Ernest) Stamoutsos beloved husband of Maria, devoted father to Gus (Mary) and Frieda Stamoutsos.

  A Trisagion Service will be held for the repose of the soul of +Photini (Frances) Pavlos, beloved mother of Tina (Tom) Castrorina.

   May their memory be eternal.  

 

Community’s Vasilopita: On Sunday January 10th as our yearly tradition has it, we will cut our Community’s Vasilopita.

 

Prayers/Liturgy can  always be found at: https://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs/dcs.html 

 

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Announcements

Community’s Vasilopita.

On Sunday January 10th as our yearly tradition has it, we will cut our Community’s Vasilopita.  Fr. John will bless the Vasilopita with the cutting knife crosswise in the “Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

He then will cut the center in a circle as an offering to our Lord Jesus, Who is first in our life. Then he will proceed to cut wedges starting with a piece for the Ever-Virgin Mary, for Saint Basil and for St. Andrew.  Subsequently, a wedge will be cut and received by a representative on behalf of each one of our St. Andrew ministries and organizations. Please join us in wishing all a Blessed and fruitful New Year.

 

Stewardship 2020 

If you have not submitted your stewardship 2020 or fulfilled your commitment to Saint Andrew, please do so as our ministries depend on your support.

Stewardship 2021 Update

On January 7th, 2020 83 families made their 2021 Pledge to Saint Andrew Greek Orthodox Church totaling $109,580.  The average pledge for 2021 is $1320

Saint Andrew Family News issues are on our Web site :  https://www.standrewgonj.org/

 Attending services at Saint Andrew

1. Wear your mask throughout the service

2. Social distancing is 6 feet please

3. No seating where indicated..

.... see more in attached flyer.. 

Live Stream of Services : From the Church's Facebook Page

use this link if yoiu do not  have FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/St-Andrew-Greek-Orthodox-Church-Randolph-NJ-758987230951158/ 

 

Prayers/Liturgy can always be found at: https://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs/dcs.html

Light a Virtual Candle

We know we can't physically be at church, but if you're following the live video stream of the services and would like to continue to light a candle as you "enter" the church or would like to "drop some money in the basket" please consider a donation by lighting a "virtual candle".

Just go to the church's Facebook page and select "posts". You can light your virtual candle via the Facebook donate button which you should be able to see.

If you don't have Facebook or prefer not to donate through Facebook, you can always go to the Saint Andrew Website and select either PayPal or WeShare from the home page.

Father John will pray for the living and the reposed during Liturgy.

Just email him at prayersstandrew@gmail.com  PLEASE indicate Living or Reposed 

 

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Fr. John's Message

A THANKFUL HEART

I give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart. Psalm 9:1

Friday, January 8

 Dying to the Old and Living for Christ

For he is not a real Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical. He is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, spiritual and not literal. His praise is not from men but from God.

Romans 2: 28-29

 

Good morning Prayer Team!

 There is a difference between giving out of gratitude and giving out of obligation. When we give out of obligation, we never really give with joy. And I’m not talking only about giving money. When we give time and attention to something and we only do so out of obligation, there is no joy in that. 

 In order to rectify the disorder and chaos that resulted from the Fall of mankind, God gave His people rules to follow in order to maintain good order. The Jews were God’s chosen people. And to be a Jew, each male needed to be circumcised, and each person needed to follow laws and commandments. The problem was that these rules became ends unto themselves. People “loved” the rules and stopped loving each other. People criticized others for not following the rules to the “nth” degree. The “temple elite”—the Pharisees and other ruling classes—oppressed temple-goers and in some cases, even took advantage of people’s lack of understanding of the law to penalize them in ways that hurt financially. (This is why Jesus turned over the tables in the temple, because it had become a place of commerce instead of a place of worship.)

 This is why St. Paul writes in his Epistle to the Romans that one is a Jew, and today a Christian, based not on what is outside, but what he holds in his own heart. Anyone can come to church on a Sunday and act unchristian the rest of the week. Anyone can wear a cross around his or her neck while doing all manner of unchristian things. 

 This is why we talk about a thankful heart and not a thankful wallet or a thankful career. A thankful heart might manifest itself into a generous spirit or a noble career, but it starts with a thankful heart. 

 There are so many things in life that we cannot change. I can’t change that traffic is heavy every morning on the way to work as an example. But I can change how I react to the traffic. I can’t change certain people who don’t get along with me. But I can change how I react to them. 

 And there are many things in life that we can change. We CAN control what we eat and whether or not we exercise. We CAN control how often we pray and worship. And we CAN control how we react in all circumstances, even though we don’t control the circumstances themselves.

 At the center of how we approach each challenge is our heart. A heart that is grateful seeks to glorify God in all circumstances. This is what it means when read about putting away the old man and living for Christ. It means putting away the very human desire for power, greed and retribution when wronged, and instead living in Christ by seeking love as the first recourse in any situation, and cultivating the grateful heart that puts love, and therefore Christ, above all.

 Lord, guard my heart today. Give me a thankful heart. Allow my heart to meditate on what is good and right and noble and true. Amen.

 Guard your heart today!

+ Fr. Stavros 

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Daily Calendar

we will be live-streaming the services on the church’s Facebook page

 Use this link if yoiu do not have not have FACEBOOK 

 https://www.facebook.com/St-Andrew-Greek-Orthodox-Church-Randolph-NJ-758987230951158/ 

 

 2021

 1/17 12th Sunday of Luke | +St. Anthony the Great

1/17  Memorial Service: +Kyriaki (Kay) Lewis, +Margaret Paxos, +Alyxsondra Laoudis

1/18 +St. Athanasios the Great & Cyril, Patriarchs of Alexandria

1/20 + St. Euthymios the Great

1/23 Divine Liturgy Youth & Family Worship @ 9:00AM

 

1/24 14th Sunday of Luke 

 1/25 @ 7:30pm Parish Council Meeting virtual

 1/26 @ 7pm Philoptochos Monthly Meeting virtual

 1/28 @ 7pm GOYA Monthly Meeting virtual

 1/30 +Synaxis of The Three Hierarchs: |+Basil the Great, +Gregory the Theologian, & +John Chrysostom

 

1/31 15th Sunday of Luke 

 

 

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News - Flyers - Registrations - Other

    Services at Saint Andrew

    Services at Saint Andrew

    Attending services with COVID Protocols


    Youth + Family + Worship

    Youth + Family + Worship

    Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom - Saturdays at 9am on January 9 & 23 and February 6 & 13. This educational year, our Religious Education Department is focusing on “Family and Orthodoxy” and encouraging all our Religious Education families to participate. Materials and instructions will be provided via email and at our Services.


    Stewardship Letter

    Stewardship Letter

    in English and Greek | “The Ekklesia extends far beyond the four walls of any church building.”


    STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE

    STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE

    We ask you to prayerfully consider your blessings and make your 2021 commitment to Saint Andrew.


    Services at Saint Andrew

    Services at Saint Andrew

    January-February 2021


    Philoptochos

    Philoptochos

    new member or renew your 2021 membership


    Greening the Parish

    Greening the Parish

    Webinar series ... stewards of Creation: sessions at 6pm on: 1/7, 1/8, 1/14, 1/15


    SCHOLARSHIPS

    SCHOLARSHIPS

    $250,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS Applications accepted through January 31, 2021


    Crossroad

    Crossroad

    Crossroad Summer Institute: ages 16-18


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Prayer List

If you would like us to remember you or your loved one in our prayers, please contact the office. 973-584-0388 or send us an email to info@standrewgonj.org 

Names will be kept on this list for approximately 3 months. Please resubmit Names if needed.   Fr. John will pray for the Names above during the Proskomide “Offering of gifts” during the first part of the Divine Liturgy when our priest prepares the mystical gifts of bread and wine. Please keep these names in your prayers as well.

Christos, Athanasios, Andreas, Joanna, Evangelia, Alice,  Larry,  Diana, Julia, Maria,   Catherine, Mark, Vasiliki-Christina, Christina, Eleni, Fr._Konstantine, Prz._Spiridoula,  Linda, Jeremy, Angeliki, Nikolaos, Kyriacos, Olga, Antonia, Angeliki,   Sofie, Marina, Vasiliki, Klaus, Lori, Despina, Bob, Julie, Kyriaki, Sergios, Nikoletta, Roger, Constantinos, Ioanna, Alexandra, Dimitri, Maria, Eleni, Anastasia, George,  Vasiliki, Jeff, George, Eugenia, Joanna, Eliana, Constantinos, Elena, Nicholas, Konstantinos, Georgia, Vasileke, Jutta, Irene, George, Eftihia, Christina, Athanasios,  Anna, John, Rick, Christine, John, Freda, Estelle, Christina, Fotios, Julie, Joanna, Efthymios, Evangelos, John, Joanna, Lisa, Rich, Magdalini, Irini, Christos, Fr._Christos, Nancy, Brian, Thomas, Vasilios,  Evanthia, , John, Stavroula, Anna Christina, Manny, Mary, George, Susan, Dimitrios, Peter, Michael, Ryan, Ioannis, Monica, Katerina, Tasia, Christina, Andrew, Andrew, Margaret, Eleni, Paraskevi, Panagotis, Maria, Caroline, Demetrios, Konstantinos, Susan, Afrodite, Aristea, Konstantinos,….  

Prayer for a Sick Person:

Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent Your only-begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ to heal every sickness and infirmity, visit and heal (me) Your servant from all physical and spiritual ailments through the grace of Your Christ. Grant (me) patience in this sickness, strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health.  Lord, You have taught us through Your word to pray for each other that we may be healed.  I pray that You heal (me) as Your servant and grant (me) the gift of complete health. For You are the source of healing and to You I give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

 

 
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Ninth Orthros Gospel
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.

Ninth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:19-31

Οὔσης ὀψίας τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τῇ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων, καὶ τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων ὅπου ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ συνηγμένοι διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ. Ἐχάρησαν οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ ἰδόντες τὸν Κύριον. Εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς πάλιν· Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. Καθὼς ἀπέσταλκέ με ὁ πατήρ, κἀγὼ πέμπω ὑμᾶς. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησε καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Λάβετε Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον· ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφίενται αὐτοῖς, ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται.

Θωμᾶς δὲ εἷς ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος, οὐκ ἦν μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ὅτε ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί· Ἐωράκαμεν τὸν Κύριον. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὴν χεῖρά μου εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω. Καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ πάλιν ἦσαν ἔσω οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ Θωμᾶς μετ᾽ αὐτῶν. Ἔρχεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων, καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ εἶπεν· Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. Εἶτα λέγει τῷ Θωμᾷ· Φέρε τὸν δάκτυλόν σου ὧδε καὶ ἴδε τὰς χεῖράς μου, καὶ φέρε τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ βάλε εἰς τὴν πλευράν μου, καὶ μὴ γίνου ἄπιστος, ἀλλὰ πιστός. Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Ὅτι ἑώρακάς με, πεπίστευκας· μακάριοι οἱ μὴ ἰδόντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες. Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλα σημεῖα ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐνώπιον τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, ἃ οὐκ ἔστι γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ· ταῦτα δὲ γέγραπται ἵνα πιστεύσητε ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἵνα πιστεύοντες ζωὴν ἔχητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. First Mode. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:7-13.

BRETHREN, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (in saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Προκείμενον. First Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 32.22,1.
Γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ' ἡμᾶς.
Στίχ. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε δίκαιοι ἐν Κυρίῳ

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους 4:7-13.

Ἀδελφοί, ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Διὸ λέγει, Ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος ᾐχμαλώτευσεν αἰχμαλωσίαν, καὶ ἔδωκεν δόματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Τὸ δέ, Ἀνέβη, τί ἐστιν εἰ μὴ ὅτι καὶ κατέβη πρῶτον εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς; Ὁ καταβάς, αὐτός ἐστιν καὶ ὁ ἀναβὰς ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα. Καὶ αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν τοὺς μὲν ἀποστόλους, τοὺς δὲ προφήτας, τοὺς δὲ εὐαγγελιστάς, τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους, πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων, εἰς ἔργον διακονίας, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ· μέχρι καταντήσωμεν οἱ πάντες εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον, εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ.


Gospel Reading

Sunday after Epiphany
The Reading is from Matthew 4:12-17

At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Sunday after Epiphany
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 4:12-17

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ὅτι ᾿Ιωάννης παρεδόθη, ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, καὶ καταλιπὼν τὴν Ναζαρὲτ ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς Καπερναοὺμ τὴν παραθαλασσίαν ἐν ὁρίοις Ζαβουλὼν καὶ Νεφθαλείμ, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ ῾Ησαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· γῆ Ζαβουλὼν καὶ γῆ Νεφθαλείμ, ὁδὸν θαλάσσης, πέραν τοῦ ᾿Ιορδάνου, Γαλιλαία τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὁ λαὸς ὁ καθήμενος ἐν σκότειεἶδε φῶς μέγα, καὶ τοῖς καθημένοις ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτουφῶς ἀνέτειλεν αὐτοῖς. ᾿Απὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς κηρύσσειν καὶ λέγειν· μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικε γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.


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Saints and Feasts

Greg_nyssa
January 10

Gregory of Nyssa

Saint Gregory, the younger brother of Basil the Great, illustrious in speech and a zealot for the Orthodox Faith, was born in 331. His brother Basil was encouraged by their elder sister Macrina to prefer the service of God to a secular career (see July 19); Saint Gregory was moved in a similar way by his godly mother Emily, who, when Gregory was still a young man, implored him to attend a service in honor of the holy Forty Martyrs at her retreat at Annesi on the River Iris. Saint Gregory came at his mother's bidding, but being wearied with the journey, and feeling little zeal, he fell asleep during the service. The Forty Martyrs then appeared to him in a dream, threatening him and reproaching him for his slothfulness. After this he repented and became very diligent in the service of God.

Gregory became bishop in 372, and because of his Orthodoxy he was exiled in 374 by Valens, who was of one mind with the Arians. After the death of Valens in 378, Gregory was recalled to his throne by the Emperor Gratian. He attended the Local Council of Antioch, which sent him to visit the churches of Arabia and Palestine, which had been defiled and ravaged by Arianism. He attended the Second Ecumenical Council, which was assembled in Constantinople in 381. Having lived some sixty years and left behind many remarkable writings, he reposed about the year 395. The acts of the Seventh Ecumenical Council call him 'Father of Fathers."


Allsaint
January 10

Dometian, Bishop of Melitene

Saint Dometian lived in the years of the Emperor Justin II, who reigned from 565 to 578, and the Emperor Maurice, who reigned from 582 to 602. Born of pious parents named Theodore and Eudocia, he received a thorough education in both secular and sacred knowledge. After he had lived in lawful wedlock a short time, his wife died, and he, for his virtue was made Bishop of Melitene in Armenia at the age of thirty. As a kinsman and trusted friend of the Emperor Maurice, he received from him great largesse, which he spent on the building of churches and the help of the poor; he was entrusted with the dealings of Byzantium with Persia. While in Constantinople, he reposed in peace in the year 602.

Allsaint
January 10

Theosebia the Deaconess, sister of Basil the Great & Gregory of Nyssa


17_anthony2
January 17

Anthony the Great

Saint Anthony, the Father of monks, was born in Egypt in 251 of pious parents who departed this life while he was yet young. On hearing the words of the Gospel: "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor" (Matt. 19:21), he immediately put it into action. Distributing to the poor all he had, and fleeing from all the turmoil of the world, he departed to the desert. The manifold temptations he endured continually for the span of twenty years are incredible. His ascetic struggles by day and by night, whereby he mortified the uprisings of the passions and attained to the height of dispassion, surpass the bounds of nature; and the report of his deeds of virtue drew such a multitude to follow him that the desert was transformed into a city, while he became, so to speak, the governor, lawgiver, and master-trainer of all the citizens of this newly-formed city.

The cities of the world also enjoyed the fruit of his virtue. When the Christians were being persecuted and put to death under Maximinus in 312, he hastened to their aid and consolation. When the Church was troubled by the Arians, he went with zeal to Alexandria in 335 and struggled against them in behalf of Orthodoxy. During this time, by the grace of his words, he also turned many unbelievers to Christ.

Saint Anthony began his ascetic life outside his village of Coma in Upper Egypt, studying the ways of the ascetics and holy men there, and perfecting himself in the virtues of each until he surpassed them all. Desiring to increase his labors, he departed into the desert, and finding an abandoned fortress in the mountain, he made his dwelling in it, training himself in extreme fasting, unceasing prayer, and fierce conflicts with the demons. Here he remained, as mentioned above, about twenty years. Saint Athanasius the Great, who knew him personally and wrote his life, says that he came forth from that fortress "initiated in the mysteries and filled with the Spirit of God." Afterwards, because of the press of the faithful, who deprived him of his solitude, he was enlightened by God to journey with certain Bedouins, until he came to a mountain in the desert near the Red Sea, where he passed the remaining part of his life.

Saint Athanasius says of him that "his countenance had a great and wonderful grace. This gift also he had from the Saviour. For if he were present in a great company of monks, and any one who did not know him previously wished to see him, immediately coming forward he passed by the rest, and hurried to Anthony, as though attracted by his appearance. Yet neither in height nor breadth was he conspicuous above others, but in the serenity of his manner and the purity of his soul." So Passing his life, and becoming an example of virtue and a rule for monastics, he reposed on January 17 in the year 356, having lived altogether some 105 years.


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Second Mode

Angelic powers were above Thy tomb, and they that guarded Thee became as dead. And Mary stood by the grave seeking Thine immaculate Body. Thou hast despoiled Hades and wast not tried thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst grant us life. O Thou Who didst arise from the dead, Lord, glory be to Thee.
Ἀγγελικαὶ Δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμά σου, καὶ οἱ φυλάσσοντες ἀπενεκρώθησαν, καὶ ἵστατο Μαρία ἐν τῷ τάφῳ, ζητοῦσα τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα. Ἐσκύλευσας τὸν ᾍδην, μὴ πειρασθεὶς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, ὑπήντησας τῇ Παρθένῳ, δωρούμενος τὴν ζωήν, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ των νεκρῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Apolytikion for Theophany Afterfeast in the First Mode

When Thou wast baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest; for the voice of the Father bare witness to Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the certainty of the word. O Christ our God, Who hast appeared and hast enlightened the world, glory be to Thee.
Ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ βαπτιζομένου σου Κύριε, ἡ τῆς Τριάδος ἐφανερώθη προσκύνησις, τοῦ γὰρ Γεννήτορος ἡ φωνὴ προσεμαρτύρει σοί, ἀγαπητὸν σὲ Υἱὸν ὀνομάζουσα, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐν εἴδει περιστεράς, ἐβεβαίου τοῦ λόγου τὸ ἀσφαλές. Ὁ ἐπιφανεῖς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, καὶ τὸν κόσμον φωτίσας δόξα σοί.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

You appeared to the world today, and Your light, O Lord, has left its mark upon us. With fuller understanding we sing to You: "You came, You were made manifest, the unapproachable light."
Ἐπεφάνης σήμερον τὴ οἰκουμένη, καὶ τὸ φῶς σου Κύριε, ἐσημειώθη ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, ἓν ἐπιγνώσει ὑμνούντάς σε. Ἦλθες ἐφάνης τὸ Φῶς τὸ ἀπρόσιτον.
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Wisdom of the Fathers

For as persons not even knowing where to put a step forward, so they sat, overtaken by the darkness.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 14 on Matthew 4, 4th Century

Take heed, then, often to come together to give thanks to God, and show forth His praise. For when ye assemble frequently in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and the destruction at which he aims is prevented by the unity of your faith.
St. Ignatius of Antioch
Epistle to the Ephesians Ch. 13, 2nd century

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