Services at St. Andrew

Sunday 3/19

+ SUNDAY OF THE HOLY CROSS : +Orthros @8:15am & Divine Liturgy @9:30am

On the Third Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Services include a special veneration of the Cross, which prepares the faithful for the commemoration of the Crucifixion during Holy Week.

Baptism:On Sunday March 19^th at 1:00 pm Robert and Maria (Konstas) Haney will baptize their son.

Caregiver session @11:30am in room 101

Daily Caregiving and Memory Loss.
Overview of Brain health: Advocacy and Practical Advice

Divine Services

Monday 3/20 @6pm Office of the Great Compline

Wednesday 3/22 @ 6:30pm PAN ORTHODOX*Pre-Sanctified Gifts Liturgy

Friday 3/24 @6:30 PM Great Vespers & Salutations

Saturday 3/25 +Annunciation of the Theotokos +Orthros @8am & D.L. @9:15am

Ιερές Ακολουθίες

Δευτέρα 20/3 Ακολουθία Μέγα Απόδειπνων ώρα 6μμ

Τετάρτη 22/3 Προαγιασμένη Λειτουργία ώρα 6:30μμ

Παρασκευή 24/3 ώρα 6:30μμ Μέγας Εσπερινός & Χαιρετισμοί

Σάββατο 25/3 +Ευαγγελισμός τής Θεοτόκου +Όρθρος 8πμ Θ. Λ. ώρα 9:15πμ

*Pan Orthodox Pre-Sanctified on Wednesday 3/22 | Our neighboring Orthodox parishes will join us for service and then we will host them for a Lenten repast (contact office if you would like to bring a Lenten dish

Participation in services is also available via livestream - go to: Home | St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church (orthodoxws.com) and choose LIVESTREAM on the Menu bar

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

Online Giving System: Website: https://www.standrewgonj.org/ and choose PayPal / online WeShare | Consider making your donations using our New Abundant App

Announcements

SUNDAY COFFEE Hour ON 3/12/23 is hosted by DOP

Bagels are donated by Jimmy Psaras of ALFA BAGELS on Route 10 in Randolph, NJ
Coffee is donated by Aristotle Leontopoulos of Coffee Associates in Edgewater, NJ
Coffee Hour is hosted by: 3/26* Bakaliko, 4/2* Philoptochos, 4/9* Palm Sunday ALL,*LENT , 4/16 PASCHA, 4/23 DOP, 4/30 GOYA, 5/7 Philoptochos, 5/14 Parish Council, 5/21 DOP

Caregiver session @11:30am in room 101 :
Daily Caregiving and Memory Loss. Overview of Brain health: Advocacy and Practical Advice

AGAPE GROUP LUNCHEON Tuesday, March 21ST at 11:30am at St. Andrew Social Hall rescheduled from last Tuesday

KNITTING & PILLOW MINISTRY AT 11:00 AM on Wednesday March 22nd

ORTHODOX LENTEN/BIBLE STUDY - 4TH session Friday March 21ST
Once again we will be having our Orthodox Lenten Study/Bible Study on Friday mornings 10:00 am during Lent. Please come and talk about important Lenten themes and how they affect our lives.

COLLECTING heavy coats ● shoes ● blankets: Our Church has partnered with St. John’s Ukrainian Church in Whippany to collect items for the people and children of Ukraine. They frequently ship to Ukraine and have allowed our Church to drop off items. They desperately need new or gently used heavy coats ● shoes ● blankets Please drop off in our social hall through February and March.

Camp Good Shepherd
July 16-22nd Ages 8-18 at Camp Linwood MacDonald in Sandyston, NJ
To Register go to http://app.campdoc.com/register/cgsn
Also on our Metropolis Website here: https://www.nj.goarch.org/camp-good-shepherd

Hellenic Afternoon School
25^th of March Greek Independence Day Program will be held in the gym on Sunday March 26^th. Please join the students and their families as we commemorate 25^th of March. It’s a double Celebration as we observe the “The Annunciation of the Theotokos” as well as our national holiday of the “Greek Independence Day”.

Greek Indenpendence Day Parade - April 30th in NYC

Presentation on Human Trafficking Friday March 31^st @ 7:30pm
Learn about the dangers of human trafficking| Speaker Linda Blackiston
Saint Andrew Social Hall |RSVP & information contact Maro Schuster

Bake Sale: See attached flyer
Koulourakia, Kourambiethes, Melomakarona (Finikia), $6
Baklava $15| Gift Tray$35, RED Paschal Eggs $20 | pre-order w Maria 973-691-8168

Tsoureki $20 See attached flyer
Pre-order w. Betty 973-704-0377 deadline April 1^st | Pick-up April 10^th

Tricky Tray Friday May 12^th :
Philoptochos’ main fundraiser | A portion of the proceeds will go to charities: Please contact a committee member or email SaintAndrewsTT@gmail.com to let us know your contribution. Marina Venizelos, Melissa Dobias, Antonia Clapsis, Irene Laoudis, Yiota Louca, Julie Ioannou and Maro Schuster. All donations should be mailed or delivered by April 23rd.

Fr. John's Message

The Lord’s Voice 3-19-2023

Lord’s Voice 3-19-23

THE CROSS AND BELIEVERS

On today's Sunday, and while we are in the middle of Great Lent, the Church raises the precious and life-giving Cross of the Lord and calls us to worship Him. That is, to express our love, faith, devotion, and gratitude to Christ who sacrificed himself for our salvation, since "He who does not confess the martyrdom of the Cross” - says Saint Polycarp of Smyrna in his letter to the Philippians – “is from the devil."

The Epistle reading of the day helps us to establish our faith in the person of the Lord. Paul points out: "Brothers, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Because we have a great high priest, Jesus, the Son of God, who reached up to the throne of God" (Heb. 4:14). The high priestly office of the Lord originates from His voluntary sacrifice on the cross, which is ultimately performed for the life and the salvation of the world, the overcoming, healing and restoration of man from sin. With the crucifictory sacrifice of Christ, all the sacrifices and worship of the Old Testament were completed, the value of which lay in the foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Christ .

It is precisely this confession concerning the person of Christ that all of us who belong to Him must keep, and faithfully safeguard. Jesus Christ is the Son and Word of the living God, who, as the Apostle says, can share in our weaknesses, because He was tested in everything, because He became a man like us, yet without sinning. Sin does not belong to man’s nature, it does not come from God; it is the fruit of the misuse of human freedom.

Through the conscious and firm confession of our faith - with deeds and words - we become colleagues in the mystery of our salvation, which is provided to us as a grace with the Cross and the Resurrection of the Lord.

Priests of God

The Lord Jesus, as Paul writes, is the eternal Priest and kings of the ages "according to the order of Melchizedek." The name Melchizedek means King of justice and peace. Melchizedek offered the patriarch Abraham a sacrifice of bread and wine (Gen. 14:17-20). In the person of Melchizedek, whose father or mother or family tree no one knows; nor when he was born or when he died (Heb. 7:3), Christ is represented, who is "motherless from the Father" and "fatherless from the mother". That is, as God he has no mother and as a man he has no father. The sacrifice of Christ is also foreshadowed, the effect of which, with the serving of the divine Eucharist, reaches the ages and manifests the coming Kingdom of God.

The Lord was honored and glorified by God and His Father as the Eternal Priest. But also, every believer who has been baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity and has put on Christ (Gal. 3:27) as light and as grace, participates in the general Priesthood of Christ, in His prophetic, high priestly and royal office, as we read in Revelations: "He made us a kingdom, priests to God and his father" (Rev. 1:6).

Therefore, apart from the special Priesthood that the Bishop, the Presbyter and the Deacon bear, and without which there can be no Church and Christianity, there is also the general Priesthood, in which the laity participate, i.e. the people of God. It basically consists in the sacrificial and eucharistic offering to God of our own selves, and through us, of all creation; and then in the activation of the gift of prayer for the whole world, for all the descendants of Adam, for those who lived, for those who are alive and those who will live, until the end of the ages.

Therefore, those of us who have the gift of the special Priesthood and those of us who are participating in the general Priesthood of Christ, let us bless and let us thank God, because "through him - Christ - therefore we are offering a sacrifice of praise for all to God, that is the fruit of lips confessing his name" (Heb. 13:15).

Archim. NK

Daily Calendar

Monday 3/20
@6pm Office of the Great Compline

Pre-Marriage Counseling 2/3

Tuesday 3/21

@11:30am Agorae Luncheon(Rescheduled from 3/14)

Wednesday 3/22
@11am Pillow & Knitting Group Meets
@6:30pm Pan Orthodox Pre-Sanctified Gifts Liturgy followed by Lenten Meal in social Hall

Thursday 3/23
@4:30pm Hellenic Afternoon School Classes
Greek Dance ●Group 1 @6:30pm ●Group 2 @7:15pm ● GROUP 3 /GOYA @8:00pm
@7:00 pm Goya Monthly meeting

Friday 3/24
@6:30PM Great Vespers & Salutations at Saint Andrew

Saturday 3/25
Annunciation of the Theotokos +Orthros @8:15am & Divine Liturgy @9:30am
Faith Kitchen – GOYA hosting (Note changed w. Philoptochos)

Sunday 3/26
Sunday of St. John Climacus +Orthros @8:15am & Divine Liturgy @9:30am
Memorials: +Panagiotis Mitrakos, +Michael Dontas, +Polytimi Nikolaou, +Eugenia Sedereas
HAS March 25^th Celebration in gym

Monday 3/27
@6pm Office of the Great Compline
Pre-Marriage Counseling 3/3

Tuesday 3/28
@7pm Philoptochos Meeting

Wednesday 3/29
@6:30pm Pre-Sanctified Gifts Liturgy

News - Flyers - Registrations - Other

EFFECTIVE PARISH ASSESSMENT

All parishioners of Saint Andrew Church are invited to take the EPS survey. Please help us asses your needs and wants for our Parish to be more effective for you.

PLEDGE 2023

When filling out your 2023 PLEDGE, we ask that you prayerfully consider your Christian Stewardship Commitment, commensurate with your resources and your gratitude for the bounties and blessings our Lord has bestowed on you.

Stewardship

Christian Stewardship is about becoming good caretakers ...

Our Lenten Journey

Lenten Services

Lenten Services - The Great Compline (Mondays) - The Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts (Wednesdays) - Salutations or Akathist to the Theotokos (Fridays)

Philoptochos Tsoureki - Bakaliko Bake Sale

Philoptochos Tsoureki @ $20 each Order by Sunday April 1st - Bakaliko Bake Sale

Camp Good Shepherd

Camp Good Shepherd - Ages 8-18 - July 16th - 22nd Camp Linwood MacDonald in Sandyston, NJ Registration is open

Greek Independence Day Parade

Greek Independence Day Parade - April 30th - NYC

Caregiver

Caregiver session @11:30am in room 101 Daily Caregiving and Memory Loss. Overview of Brain health: Advocacy and Practical Advice

Lord's Voice

FONI KYRIOU 3-19-23

Prayer List

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

Please keep these names in your prayers

George, Michael, Helen, Tasos, Evangelia, Christine, Rebecca, Argirios, Panagiotis, Paul, Gavin, Christos, John, Michelle, Katie, Nicole, Ioanna Angela, Stefanos, Eugenia, Sarah, Vasilios, Alexandros, Nikolaos, Kyriaki, James, Florence, Konstantinos, Ekaterini, Antonia, Georgia, Olga, Angeliki, Vasilis, Hariklia, Alex, Peter, Alexandra, Dimitra, Kenneth, Andy, Dutch, Danny, Irene, Pamela, Anita, Maria, Sophia, Ioannis, Maurice, Pat, Bonita, Maria, Deryl, Mary, Elena, Konstantinos, Zenovia, Joanne, Anna, Panayiota, Thomas, Robert, Eleni, Leslie, Martin, Paula, Valerie, David, Barbara, Cesar, Angeliki, Maria, Demetri, Karen, Andrew, Stan, Vasiliki, Marios, Theodore, Fr. Konstantine, Mary, Eftihia, Ioannis, David , Andreas, Robert, Antonis, Susan, Alexandros, Gregory, Sophia, Tara, children and families of Ukraine, Ioanna, Landon, Lueda, Christine, Vasiliki, Anastasia, Aikaterini, Cynthia, Demetrios, Robin, Paraskevi, Theodore, Eleni, Athena, Katerina, Sophia,

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.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Seventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:1-10

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying and the napkin, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Seventh Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:1-10

Τῇ μιᾷ τῶν Σαββάτων Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἔρχεται πρωῒ σκοτίας ἔτι οὔσης, εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον· καὶ βλέπει τὸν λίθον ἠρμένον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου. Τρέχει οὖν, καὶ ἔρχεται πρὸς Σίμωνα Πέτρον, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄλλον μαθητήν, ὃν ἐφίλει ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ᾞραν τὸν Κύριον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου, καὶ οὐκ οἴδαμεν ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν. Ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ Πέτρος καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητής, καὶ ἤρχοντο εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον. Ἔτρεχον δὲ οἱ δύο ὁμοῦ· καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς προέδραμε τάχιον τοῦ Πέτρου, καὶ ἦλθε πρῶτος εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ παρακύψας, βλέπει κείμενα τὰ ὀθόνια· οὐ μέντοι εἰσῆλθεν. Ἔρχεται οὖν Σίμων Πέτρος ἀκολουθῶν αὐτῷ, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα· καὶ τὸ σουδάριον, ὃ ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, οὐ μετὰ τῶν ὀθονίων κείμενον, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς ἐντετυλιγμένον εἰς ἕνα τόπον. Τότε οὖν εἰσῆλθε καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς ὁ ἐλθὼν πρῶτος εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ εἶδε, καὶ ἐπίστευσεν. Οὐδέπω γὰρ ᾔδεισαν τὴν Γραφήν, ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῆναι. Ἀπῆλθον οὖν πάλιν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς οἱ μαθηταί.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-6.

BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in another place, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."

Προκείμενον. Plagal Second Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 27.9,1.
Σῶσον, Κύριε τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου.
Στίχ. Πρὸς σἐ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι ὁ Θεός μου.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 4:14-16, 5:1-6.

Ἀδελφοί, ἔχοντες οὖν ἀρχιερέα μέγαν, διεληλυθότα τοὺς οὐρανούς, Ἰησοῦν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, κρατῶμεν τῆς ὁμολογίας. Οὐ γὰρ ἔχομεν ἀρχιερέα μὴ δυνάμενον συμπαθῆσαι ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ἡμῶν, πεπειραμένον δὲ κατὰ πάντα καθʼ ὁμοιότητα, χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας. Προσερχώμεθα οὖν μετὰ παρρησίας τῷ θρόνῳ τῆς χάριτος, ἵνα λάβωμεν ἔλεον, καὶ χάριν εὕρωμεν εἰς εὔκαιρον βοήθειαν. Πᾶς γὰρ ἀρχιερεύς, ἐξ ἀνθρώπων λαμβανόμενος, ὑπὲρ ἀνθρώπων καθίσταται τὰ πρὸς τὸν θεόν, ἵνα προσφέρῃ δῶρά τε καὶ θυσίας ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν· μετριοπαθεῖν δυνάμενος τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσιν καὶ πλανωμένοις, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς περίκειται ἀσθένειαν· καὶ διὰ ταύτην ὀφείλει, καθὼς περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ, οὕτως καὶ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ, προσφέρειν ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν. Καὶ οὐχ ἑαυτῷ τις λαμβάνει τὴν τιμήν, ἀλλὰ καλούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, καθάπερ καὶ Ἀαρών. Οὕτως καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς οὐχ ἑαυτὸν ἐδόξασεν γενηθῆναι ἀρχιερέα, ἀλλʼ ὁ λαλήσας πρὸς αὐτόν, Υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε. Καθὼς καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ λέγει, Σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Holy Cross
The Reading is from Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

Sunday of the Holy Cross
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 8:34-38, 9:1

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι. ὃς γὰρ ἂν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ σῶσαι, ἀπολέσει αὐτήν· ὃς δ᾿ ἂν ἀπολέσῃ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, οὗτος σώσει αὐτήν. τί γὰρ ὠφελήσει ἄνθρωπον ἐὰν κερδήσῃ τὸν κόσμον ὅλον, καὶ ζημιωθῇ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ; ἢ τί δώσει ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ; ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν ἐπαισχυνθῇ με καὶ τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ μοιχαλίδι καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ, καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπαισχυνθήσεται αὐτὸν ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων τῶν ἁγίων. Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι εἰσί τινες τῶν ὧδε ἑστηκότων, οἵτινες οὐ μὴ γεύσωνται θανάτου ἕως ἂν ἴδωσι τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐληλυθυῖαν ἐν δυνάμει.

Saints and Feasts

March 19

The Holy Martyrs Chrysanthus and Daria

Saint Chrysanthus, who was from Alexandria, had been instructed in the Faith of Christ by a certain bishop. His father, who was a senator by rank and a pagan, had him shut up in prison for many days; then, seeing the unchanging disposition of his mind, he commanded that a certain young woman named Daria be brought from Athens. She was a very beautiful and learned maiden, and also an idolater, and Chrysanthus' father wedded him to her so that he might be drawn away from the Faith of Christ because of his love for her. Instead of this however, Chrysanthus drew Daria unto piety, and both of them boldly proclaimed Christ and received the crown of martyrdom in 283, during the reign of Numerian, when they were buried alive in a pit of mire.

March 19

Demetrios the New Martyr

March 19

Sunday of the Holy Cross

With the help of God, we have almost reached the middle of the course of the Fast, where our strength has been worn down through abstinence, and the full difficulty of the labour set before us becomes apparent. Therefore our holy Mother, the Church of Christ, now brings to our help the all-holy Cross, the joy of the world, the strength of the faithful, the staff of the just, and the hope of sinners, so that by venerating it reverently, we might receive strength and grace to complete the divine struggle of the Fast.

March 25

Annunciation of the Theotokos

Six months after John the Forerunner's conception, the Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth, a town of Galilee, unto Mary the Virgin, who had come forth from the Temple a mature maiden (see Nov. 21). According to the tradition handed down by the Fathers, she had been betrothed to Joseph four months. On coming to Joseph's house, the Archangel declared: "Rejoice, thou Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." After some consideration, and turmoil of soul, and fear because of this greeting, the Virgin, when she had finally obtained full assurance concerning God's unsearchable condescension and the ineffable dispensation that was to take place through her, and believing that all things are possible to the Most High, answered in humility: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." And at this, the Holy Spirit came upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her all-blameless womb, and the Son and Word of God, Who existed before the ages, was conceived past speech and understanding, and became flesh in her immaculate body (Luke 1:26-38).

Bearing in her womb the Uncontainable One, the blessed Virgin went with haste from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea, where Zacharias had his dwelling; for she desired to find Elizabeth her kinswoman and rejoice together with her, because, as she had learned from the Archangel, Elizabeth had conceived in her old age. Furthermore, she wished to tell her of the great things that the Mighty One had been well-pleased to bring to pass in her, and she greeted Elizabeth and drew nigh to her. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, she felt her six-month-old babe, Saint John the Baptist, prophesied of the dawning of the spiritual Sun. Immediately, the aged Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and recognized her as the Mother of her Lord, and with a great voice blessed her and the Fruit that she held within herself. The Virgin also, moved by a supernatural rejoicing in the spirit, glorified her God and Savior, saying: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour," and the rest, as the divine Luke hath recorded (1:39-55)

March 26

Sunday of St. John Climacus

The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast.

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Grave Mode

Thou didst abolish death by Thy Cross; Thou didst open Paradise to the thief; Thou didst transform the myrrh-bearers' lamentation, and didst bid Thine Apostles to preach that Thou art risen, O Christ God, granting great mercy to the world.

Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, ἠνέῳξας τῷ Λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον, τῶν Μυροφόρων τὸν θρῆνον μετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας, ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Apolytikion for Sun. of the Holy Cross in the First Mode

Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance; grant Thou unto the faithful victory over adversaries. And by the power of Thy Cross do Thou preserve Thy commonwealth.

Σώσον Κύριε τόν λαόν σου καί ευλόγησον τήν κληρονομίαν σου, νίκας τοίς Βασιλεύσι κατά βαρβάρων δωρούμενος καί τό σόν φυλάττων διά τού Σταυρού σου πολίτευμα.

Apolytikion for the Church in the First Mode

Hymn of the Apostle St. Andrew: As first of the Apostles to receive the call, and very brother of the prince of them, intercede O Andrew, with the Master of all of us, peace to all the world to grant, and to our souls His great mercy.

Απολυτίκιο του Αποστόλου Ανδρέου: Ως των Αποσόλων πρωτόκλητος, και του κορυφαίου αυτάδελφος, τον Δεσπότην των όλων Ανδρέα ικέτευε, ειρήνην τη οικουμένη δωρήσασθαι, και ταις ψυχαίς ημών το μέγα έλεος

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"

Τὴ ὑπερμάχω στρατηγῶ τὰ νικητήρια, ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν εὐχαριστήρια, ἀναγράφω σοὶ ἡ Πόλις σου Θεοτόκε, Ἀλλ' ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον, ἐκ παντοίων μὲ κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον, ἵνα κράζω σοί, Χαῖρε νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε.

Wisdom of the Fathers

The key to knowledge is the humility of Christ. The door of the Kingdom of Heaven is open, not to those who only know in their learned minds the mysteries of faith and the commandments of their Creator, but to those who have progressed far enough to live by them.

St. Bede the Venerable

Unknown, 8th century

To deny oneself means to give up one's bad habits; to root out of the heart all that ties us to the world; not to cherish bad thoughts and desires; to suppress every evil thought; to avoid occasions of sin; not to desire or to do anything out of self-love, but to do everything out of love for God. To deny oneself, according to St. Paul means "to be dead to sin. . . but alive to God."

St. Innocent of Alaska

The Lenten Spring, SVS Press, p. 147, 19th Century

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Apolytikion for Sun. of the Holy Cross in the First Mode

Apolytikion for the Church in the First Mode

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Wisdom of the Fathers