All Services in English. Tell friends, "Come and See."
Assumption of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2022-10-23
Bulletin Contents
Gadarene
Organization Icon
Assumption of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Street Address:

  • 801 Montecito Drive

  • San Angelo, TX 76903


Contact Information






Services Schedule

Alternating Sundays:

9 AM Orthros Prayer Service & 
10 AM Divine Liturgy Communion Service

10 AM Typica Service

The 10 AM Sunday services are followed by Coffee Hour and Fellowship.


Past Bulletins


Calendar & Announcements

LAST  CALL  FOR  BAKE  SALE  PRE-ORDERS

Use this LINK to pre-order Greek pastries. You can fill it out right on the screen. Then, PRINT and mail your completed form to the church (address is on the form), postmarked by October 28. Payment (by check) must be enclosed with the order form.

Did you miss the pre-order deadline? No worries, you can still purchase "extras" of our delicious pastries at the sale table on Saturday, November 12, between 9 am and 2 pm.

Pastries available are Baklava (phyllo nut pastry), Koulourakia (twisted butter cookies), Kourambiethes (wedding cookies), and Spanakopita (savory spinach pie). Yum!

~

NEW  ASSISTANT  BISHOP  TO  MET. ISAIAH  OF  DENVER

AXIOS for His Grace Bishop Constantine of Sassima! On Saturday, October 15, he was consecrated at Holy Trinity Cathedral in New York City. (Bishops are consecrated rather than ordained.)

~

UPCOMING  SERVICES

  • Sunday, October 23, 10am Typica service, followed by Coffee Hour.

  • Sunday, October 30, 9am Orthros, 10am Divine Liturgy, followed by Coffee Hour. 
    Fr. Nektarios Morrow, celebrant.

  • Sunday, November 6, 10am Typica service, followed by Coffee Hour.

  • Sunday, November 13, 9am Orthros, 10am Divine Liturgy, followed by Coffee Hour. 
    Fr. Mark Lichtenstein, celebrant.

  • Sunday, November 20, 10am Typica service, followed by Coffee Hour.

  • Sunday, November 27 (Thanksgiving Weekend), 9am Orthros, 10am Divine Liturgy, followed by Coffee Hour. 
    Fr. Mark Lichtenstein, celebrant.

  • Sunday, December 4, 10am Typica service, followed by Coffee Hour.

  • Sunday, December 11, 10am Typica service, followed by Coffee Hour.

  • Sunday, December 18, 9am Orthros, 10am Divine Liturgy, followed by Coffee Hour. 
    Fr. Mark Lichtenstein, celebrant.
     
  • Saturday, December 24 (Christmas Eve), 9am Orthros, 10am Divine Liturgy, followed by Coffee Hour. 
    Fr. Mark Lichtenstein, celebrant.

  • Sunday, December 25 (Christmas Day), 9am Orthros, 10am Divine Liturgy, followed by Coffee Hour. 
    Fr. Mark Lichtenstein, celebrant.

  • Sunday, January 1 (New Year's, St. Basil's Day, and Circumcision of Christ), 9am Orthros, 10am Divine Liturgy, followed by Coffee Hour. 
    Fr. Mark Lichtenstein, celebrant.

~

CHRISTMAS  SERVICES

  • The fasting period before Christmas starts November 15.

  • December 24 & 25: We will hold the usual Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services for the Nativity. Christmas Day is on a Sunday this year. 

~

ONLINE  CATECHISM  CLASS  ON  THURSDAYS

Join us each Thursday at 7:00 pm via Zoom for a weekly study and catechism session on the Orthodox Christian faith. 

On October 27 we will begin a new book which has been a standard survey of Eastern Orthodoxy, The Orthodox Church, by Timothy Ware. 

The session includes a 25-30 minute presentation followed by time for discussion, questions and answers.  The presentation is recorded to YouTube for those who may be unable to attend that week. 

One aspect of this series using this book is that The Orthodox Church has led many from other religious backgrounds to the Orthodox Christian faith.  We will give attention to many of these topics as we cover the book in the weeks ahead.  The first session will cover the Introduction and Chapter 1. 

Please let Fr. Nektarios know if you need a copy of the book (Email Fr. Nektarios). 

The Zoom link will be sent out as a reminder each Thursday morning.  Please join us, other catechumens and inquirers, and Orthodox Christians from throughout north-central Texas for an engaging session each week!

Topic: Catechism Session

Time: 7:00 pm Thursday evenings, on Zoom

Interested: Email Fr. Nektarios

~

FASTING

From now until mid-November, when we begin the Christmas fast, we are in a season of normal fasting, which is fasting on only Wednesdays and Fridays. 

Question: Why do we fast? 

Answer: Because Christ did. He also said that we need to fast to increase our spiritual strength. “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:29)

Question: Why do we fast on Wednesdays and Fridays even when it's not Lent? 

Answer: Because Christ was betrayed on a Wednesday, and crucified on a Friday.

~

CARING  MEALS  MINISTRY 

If you know someone who needs meals due to illness, birth, etc., please see Kathy Baughman or Noelle Bartl. Thank you to everyone who volunteers for this ministry. You are being the hands of Christ!

~

HELP  FOR  THE  GARCIA  FAMILY

As you know, Joanna Garcia continues to go through a very difficult time with her ongoing illness.  Joe is her faithful caregiver, so he is at home full-time helping her now.  They could really use some extra support from us!  
 
If you want to give a financial donation to help with medical expenses, etc., please make your check out to our church (Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, or AVMGOC for short), and make note that it's for the Garcias.
 
If you have any questions, please call or text Kathy at 325-277-0274.
 
The Garcias sure appreciate our prayers and support. Cards or notes of encouragement would brighten their days too.  You can send them to the church, and we will forward them on. The church address is Assumption Orthodox Church, 801 Montecito Dr., San Angelo, TX 76903.
 
Thank you for helping during this time of great need.

~

VOLUNTEER  OPPORTUNITY

The organizers of the Concho Christmas Celebration have invited our parish to be hosts for the Christmas light tour.

Date: Friday, December 23 

Time: one-hour shifts, from 6-9 pm

There will be a sign displayed that says we are the hosts, and it will have the name of our church.

What it involves is greeting people in their cars at the starting point of the tour, and handing out a little bag that has a survey card, a pencil, and a candy cane.

This will be a good way for people to meet members of our parish and see how friendly we are. It will also help spread Christmas cheer.

If you can volunteer, even for a little while, please see Presbytera or go to the sign-up sheet in the church kitchen, on the refrigerator. Thank you!

~

PARISH  COUNCIL

The next meeting will be Sunday, November 13, during Coffee Hour.

~

COFFEE  HOUR

We have open slots on the sign up sheet for Coffee Hour, which cann be found on the refrigerator in the church kitchen. Can you help host? It's okay to bring something simple, or even just one dish. Encourage others to sign up with you as co-hosts. "Many hands make the burden light." Thank you for your help!

~

Check out the rest of the bulletin online! See below for news from the world of Orthodoxy, online concerts and lecture series, and more.

~

SPECIAL  OCCASIONS

Birthdays: 

  • Eva Bartl
  • Georgiana Bartl
  • Noelle Bartl
  • Seraphina Bartl
  • Kathleen Baughman
  • Tim Beys
  • Ezekiel Choate
  • Yana Crusberg
  • Presbytera Constantina (Dena) Hademenos
  • Refaat Hanna
  • John Pete Kouvelis
  • Paul Lichtenstein
  • Don Mockaitis
  • Maria Elena Tolle
  • Lana Vaughn

Anniversaries: 

  • Theresa & Leo Jr. Alexander
  • Ezekiel & Reanna Choate

Namedays: 

  • October 26: Fr. Jim Hademenos & Dimitri Papachristos (both named after St. Demetrios)
  • November 8: Kayla Perkins
  • November 13: Alan Baughman (St. John Chrysostom)
  • November 14: Gregory Lichtenstein (St. Gregory Palamas)
  • November 16: Matthew McDaniel (St. Matthew the Apostle), Will Perkins

 

Memorials: none

~

AFTER  CHURCH

Please join us for refreshments in the Social Hall.

 

** As always, see the parish website for any changes and updates. **

 

BACK TO TOP

Fasting Recipes

JOYFUL  FASTING

When you hear that Lent is coming, do you close your eyes and groan? What if I said there is a secret to not starving when you fast — would that help you fast more cheerfully?

Well, there is. Fasting is about more than just food, of course, but let's face it: It's hard to do those other things when we are low on energy due to not getting good nutrition.

So here it is: The secret to fasting without starving is eating complementary protiens, such as beans + rice.

Proteins are made of amino acids. Meats, seafood, and dairy have all the amino acids our bodies need, so they are called "complete proteins."

Most fasting foods, however, rely on "partial proteins." In a beans-and-rice dish, for example, beans have some of the amino acids our bodies need daily...and rice has the others. They are complementary to each other, meaning that they complete each other by being together.

When we pair partial proteins together, we can create a "complete protein." Instead of feeling like we are starving during Lent, we can feel light and satisfied. We just need to know there are two categories of partial proteins, and we need one from each category to create a complete, satisfying protein.

Category 1: Beans*, seeds, peas, nuts**

Category 2: Rice, potatoes, corn, grains, bread, pasta, tortillas

*See below for tips on how to avoid gassiness from beans.
**It is not recommended to bring nut dishes to public events.

Did you know that fasting foods are supposed to be simple to prepare? This is so we can have more time to spend on praying, reading our Bibles, going to weekday services, studying about saints and Church history, giving alms, and doing good deeds for others, as caring Christ-followers should.

These physical actions of devotion, alms-giving, and doing good deeds are part of fasting. Why? Because we are fasting from some of our worldly activities (such as more-elaborate meal preparation) and devoting our time and attention to Christ.

It's not that elaborate meal preparation is unholy — not at all! Fancier cooking is simply an activity we give up on Wednesdays and Fridays, and all during Lent, so we can devote more of our time and energy to Christ.

Even so, fasting food can be tasty! Here are two examples:

  1. Try this Creamy Pea Pasta dish. The creamy green sauce is made using a blender to puree some of the peas, shallots (onion), and garlic. Frozen petite peas work very well in this sauce, and fresh garden mint and lemon make a delicious, aromatic flavor.

  2. This vegan Louisiana Red Beans and Rice dish uses smoked paprika to give it a deep, delicious taste. Serve it with a crunchy salad or stewed greens on the side.

Tips:

Worried about gas from beans? Watch this video about proper preparation of beans to make them more digestible.

If you prefer canned beans, we recommend using Eden Organic canned beans. They are prepared with overnight soaking to avoid gassiness.

Actually, soaking is good to do for more than just beans: Soaking any partial protien before cooking improves its digestibility. In other words, soaking before cooking makes it easier for your body to break down the food, and lets you absorb more nutrients from it. For more on this, see the article, "Living with Phytic Acid."

~

COOKBOOK  RECOMMENDATION

Looking for a fasting cookbook that deals with modern diets like paleo, gluten-free, and nut-free? That isn't ethnic?

  • Try Fasting as a Family by Melissa Naasko, blogger and mother of 11. Available from Ancient Faith and Amazon.

  • Melissa also has a useful Facebook page @FastingFamily.

Article on "Joyful Fasting" © 2022 Presvytera Suzanne Thorpe Lichtenstein, used by permission

 

BACK TO TOP

Denver Metropolis News

October 15 Ordination Scheduled for Denver Metropolis Auxiliary Bishop

UPDATE

Bishop-Elect Constantine of Sassima Receives Great Minima

Following his election in July 2022, His Grace Bishop Constantine of Sassima was ordained on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York and will serve as Auxiliary Bishop to His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver.

See the ordination address delivered on October 15 by Archbishop Elpidophoros.

In preparation for his ordination to be a bishop (which technically is a "consecration" rather than an "ordination"), he received the Great Minima at the Ecumenical Patriarchate. See www.goarch.org/-/bishop-elect-constantine-of-sassima-receives-great-minima-2022 for more information.

Newly Consecrated Bishop Constantine

On July 22, 2022, the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Holy and Sacred Synod announced the unanimous election of His Grace Bishop-elect Constantine of Sassima (Moralis) as an auxiliary Bishop for the Holy Metropolis of Denver. 

His Grace Bishop-elect Constantine of Sassima (Moralis) was born in 1966 in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the son of the late Petros (a refugee from Asia Minor born in Athens) and Sarah (of Mobile, Alabama), and is the youngest of three children.

From an early age, His Grace served as an acolyte at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation in Baltimore, MD under the late Fr. Constantine M. Monios of blessed memory, a mentor who encouraged him to pursue ordained ministry. In 1988, he began his studies at Hellenic College and graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in 1994.

He was ordained to both the holy Diaconate and Presbyterate in 1996 by the late Metropolitan Silas of New Jersey of blessed memory and was assigned to the Annunciation Cathedral in Baltimore — the same parish where he was baptized and raised — and has served as its pastor to the present day.

He was elevated to the rank of Confessor in the year 2000 and to the rank of Archimandrite in 2002, at which time he was also installed as Dean of the Annunciation Cathedral. On July 22, 2022, he was elected by the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Holy and Sacred Synod as the Bishop of Sassima.

With over 1,000 families at the Cathedral, His Grace worked tirelessly as the cathedral dean to serve the needs of the parish and the greater Baltimore community. He established a number of programs for youth and young adults, and is the founder of the Annunciation Senior Center. His Grace’s pride and joy, the Annunciation Senior Center, affords senior members of the community a safe haven for Christian fellowship while receiving the highest level of care, but has temporarily closed due to Covid.

He also served as the director of the Chesapeake region’s Camp Good Shepherd and  led four overseas pilgrimages.

His Grace currently serves on the Board of Trustees for both Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and St. Basil Academy.


October Youth Group Retreat

October GOYA Retreat


February 2023 College & Young Adult Conference

.February 2023 College & Young Adult Conference


Save the Date: 2023 Camp Emmanuel

Save the Date: 2023 Camp Emmanuel

The Metropolis of Denver's Camp Emmanuel is a week-long summer camp for Orthodox youth, aged 11-18. Camp involves prayer services, fun activities and games, music, and thoughtful conversation on spiritual topics. Our goal is to provide an edifying Orthodox Christian community that has a profound effect on each person's life, helping participants to develop both faith and friendships that will last a lifetime. 
 
In addition, we invite young adults to apply to become volunteer Camp Emmanuel staff members, to develop their spiritual life, leadership skills, and friendships within our camp setting. 

BACK TO TOP

BACK TO TOP

BACK TO TOP

Archdiocese News

The Clearinghouse of Liturgical Items is Now Online

10/18/2022

Throughout the Archdiocese there are parishes in need of liturgical items such as censers, chalice sets, baptismal fonts, kouvouklia, altar boy robes, liturgy books, icons and more. There are also many established parishes that have more of these items than they need.

100th Anniversary Commemoration: The Great Fire of Smyrna

10/18/2022

The Department of Greek Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, in conjunction with The Hellenic Book Club of New York, cordially invites you to a lecture that will be held at the Archdiocesan Hellenic Cultural Center, located at 27-09 Crescent Street, Astoria, N.Y. The event will be held on November 13th at 3:00 pm. The lecture will commemorate the “100th Anniversary: The Great Fire of Smyrna.”

Archdiocesan District Clergy Syndesmos

10/17/2022

With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, the Archdiocesan District Clergy Syndesmos met for their Fall meeting on Thursday, October 13th discussing various issues, events and concerns.
BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

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 has 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 touch 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

Prokeimenon. 8th Tone. Psalm 18.4,1.
Their voice has gone out into all the earth.
Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 1:11-19.

Brethren, I would have you know that the gospel which was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother.


Gospel Reading

6th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 8:26-39

At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me." For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.


BACK TO TOP

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 2nd Tone

When you descended into death, Life immortal, you vanquished the pow'r of hell by your resplendent divinity and when you raised the dead from the depths of darkness, all the heavenly powers cried out triumphantly: O giver of life, Christ our God, glory to you.

Apolytikion for James (Iakovos), the Brother of the Lord in the 4th Tone

As a disciple of the Lord, O righteous one, thou hast received the Gospel. As a Martyr thou art never turned away. As the brother of God thou hast boldness. As a hierarch thou canst intercede. Do thou intercede with Christ God that He save our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 2nd Tone

O unfailing protection of Christians, and our faithful advocate before the Creator: though we are sinners, do not ignore our entreaty; but in your goodness, grant your timely help to us who appeal to you in faith. Quickly make intercession; on our behalf make speedy supplication, O Theotokos, for you always protect those who honor you.
BACK TO TOP

Saints and Feasts

Gadarene
October 23

6th Sunday of Luke


Iakovbro
October 23

James (Iakovos) the Apostle, brother of Our Lord

According to some, this Saint was a son of Joseph the Betrothed, born of the wife that the latter had before he was betrothed to the Ever-virgin. Hence he was the brother of the Lord, Who was also thought to be the son of Joseph (Matt. 13: 55). But some say that he was a nephew of Joseph, and the son of his brother Cleopas, who was also called Alphaeus and Mary his wife, who was the first cousin of the Theotokos. But even according to this genealogy, he was still called, according to the idiom of the Scriptures, the Lord's brother because of their kinship.

This Iakovos is called the Less (Mark 15:40) by the Evangelists to distinguish him from Iakovos, the son of Zebedee, who was called the Great. He became the first Bishop of Jerusalem, elevated to this episcopal rank by the Apostles, according to Eusebius (Eccl. Hist., Book II: 23), and was called Obliah, that is, the Just, because of his great holiness and righteousness. Having ascended the crest of the Temple on the day of the Passover at the prompting of all, he bore testimony from there concerning his belief in Jesus, and he proclaimed with a great voice that Jesus sits at the right hand of the great power of God and shall come again upon the clouds of heaven. On hearing this testimony, many of those present cried, "Hosanna to the Son of David." But the Scribes and Pharisees cried, "So, even the just one hath been led astray," and at the command of Ananias the high priest, the Apostle was cast down headlong from thence, then was stoned, and while he prayed for his slayers, his head was crushed by the wooden club wielded by a certain scribe. The first of the Catholic (General) Epistles written to the Jews in the Diaspora who believed in Christ was written by this Iakovos.


Allsaint
October 23

Our Righteous Father Ignatius, Patriarch of Constantinople


Allsaint
October 24

Arethas the Great Martyr and His Fellow Martyrs

These Martyrs contested for piety's sake in the year 524 in Najran, a city of Arabia Felix (present-day Yemen). When Dhu Nuwas, ruler of the Himyarite tribe in south Arabia, and a Judaizer, took power, he sought to blot out Christianity, especially at Najran, a Christian city. Against the counsels of Arethas, chief man of Najran, the city surrendered to Dhu Nuwas, who immediately broke the word he had given and sought to compel the city to renounce Christ. Led by Saint Arethas, hundreds of martyrs, including women, children, and babes, valiantly withstood his threats, and were beheaded and burned. After the men had been slain, all the free-born Christian women of Najran were brought before the tyrant and commanded to abjure Christ or die; yet they rebuked the persecutor with such boldness that he said even the men had not insulted him so contemptuously. So great was their faith that not one woman was found to deny Christ in all Najran, although some of them suffered torments more bitter than most of the men. In alliance with Byzantium, the Ethiopian King Elesbaan liberated Najran from Dhu Nuwas soon after and raised up churches in honour of the Martyrs. Najran became a place of pilgrimage until the rise of Islam a century later. At the end of his life King Elesbaan, who was also called Caleb, retired into solitude as a hermit; he sent his crown to Jerusalem as an offering to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He also is commemorated on this day as a saint. Saint Arethas' name in Arabic, Harith, means "plowman, tiller," much the same as "George" does in Greek.


Allsaint
October 24

Sebastiane the Martyr


Allsaint
October 24

Monday of the 6th Week


Allsaint
October 24

Maglorious of Sark


Allsaint
October 25

Martyr Chrysanthe


Allsaint
October 25

The Holy Martyrs Marcian and Martyrius the Notaries

These Martyrs were disciples of Saint Paul the Confessor (see Nov. 6). Martyrius was a subdeacon, Marcian a chanter and reader. They were beheaded by the Arians in the year 346. Miracles were wrought at their tomb, and demons were cast out; Saint John Chrysostom began the building of the church in their honour in Constantinople, and it was completed by patriarch Sisinius.


Tabitha
October 25

Tabitha, who was raised from the dead by Peter the Apostle


Allsaint
October 25

Chrysaphios (or Chrysaphos) the Martyr


Demetrio
October 26

Demetrios the Myrrh-streamer & Great Martyr of Thessaloniki

Saint Demetrius was a Thessalonian, a most pious son of pious and noble parents, and a teacher of the Faith of Christ. When Maximian first came to Thessalonica in 290, he raised the Saint to the rank of Duke of Thessaly. But when it was discovered that the Saint was a Christian, he was arrested and kept bound in a bath-house. While the games were under way in the city, Maximian was a spectator there. A certain friend of his, a barbarian who was a notable wrestler, Lyaeus by name, waxing haughty because of the height and strength of his body, boasted in the stadium and challenged the citizens to a contest with him. All that fought with him were defeated. Seeing this, a certain youth named Nestor, aquaintance of Demetrius', came to the Saint in the bath-house and asked his blessing to fight Lyaeus single-handed. Receiving this blessing and sealing himself with the sign of the precious Cross, he presented himself in the stadium, and said, "O God of Demetrius, help me!" and straightway he engaged Lyaeus in combat and smote him with a mortal blow to the heart, leaving the former boaster lifeless upon the earth. Maximian was sorely grieved over this, and when he learned who was the cause of this defeat, he commanded straightway and Demetrius was pierced with lances while he was yet in the bath-house, As for Nestor, Maximian commanded that he be slain with his own sword.


Allsaint
October 26

Commemoration of the Great Earthquake in Constantinople (740)

The great earthquake commemorated here took place in 740, during the reign of Leo the Isaurian, the first of the Iconoclast emperors.


Nestor
October 27

Nestor the Martyr of Thessaloniki

As mentioned in the account concerning Saint Demetrius (October 26), this Saint contested during the reign of Maximian, in the year 290.


Allsaint
October 27

Procla, wife of Pontius Pilate


Agiaskepi
October 28

Holy Protection of the Theotokos

The Feast of the Protection commemorates the appearance of the most holy Theotokos in the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople in the tenth century, as recorded in the life of Saint Andrew the Fool for Christ's sake. While the multitudes of the faithful were gathered in church, Epiphanius, the friend of Saint Andrew, through the Saint's prayers, beheld the Virgin Mary above the faithful and spreading out her veil over them, signifying her unceasing protection of all Christians. Because of this we keep a yearly feast of gratitude, imploring our Lady never to cease sheltering us in her mighty prayers.

The Feast is celebrated on October 1. In the 1950s, the Church of Greece began to observe the Feast on October 28.


Eunice
October 28

Holy Martyrs Terrence and Eunice

Both the country and the time of the martyrdom of these holy Martyrs are unknown. All were beheaded, after having endured many bitter torments.


Allsaint
October 28

Our Righteous Father Steven the Sabbaite

Saint Steven passed his life in ascetical discipline in the Monastery of Saint Sabbas, from whence also he received the name Sabbaite. He was consecrated bishop and reposed about the year 790, bequeathing to the Church a number of melismatic troparia.


Allsaint
October 29

Anastasia the Martyr of Rome

Saint Anastasia, who was young in age and lived in a convent, was seized by the impious. Confessing Christ openly and with boldness and enduring manifold torments, she was beheaded in the year 256, during the reign of Valerian.


Allsaint
October 29

Avramios the Recluse & his niece Maria of Mesopotamia

Our Righteous Father Abramius, born in Edessa in Mesopotamia in 296, took up the monastic life and brought many pagans to Christ. Mary, his niece, upon the death of her parents, joined Abramius at his hermitage and under his guidance advanced swiftly in the love of God. Through the wiles of the evil one, however, she fell into sin, and falling from them into despair, she left her uncle and became a harlot. When he learned where his niece was, Abramius put on the clothes of a man of the world and went to visit her in disguise. Through his exhortations, Mary returned to her first hope in the mercy of God, was rescued from the life of harlotry, and ended her life in great holiness. He himself reposed in the year 366. Saints Abramius and Mary were friends of Saint Ephraim the Syrian, and it was he who wrote their account.


18_lukewriting
October 30

5th Sunday of Luke


BACK TO TOP

Wisdom of the Fathers

For if we, going about on the earth which is familiar and well known to us, being encompassed with a body, when we are journeying in a strange road, know not which way to go unless we have some one to lead us; how should the soul, being rent away from the body, and having gone out from all her accustomed region, know where to walk without one to show her the way?
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 28 on Matthew 8, 4th Century

Some say, 'Why do they [demons] possess people?' I answer those who wish to have this explained that the reason of these things is very deep. Somewhere one of His saints addressed God by saying, 'Your judgments are a vast abyss.' As long as we bear this in mind, we will perhaps not miss the mark.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
Commentary on Luke, Homily 44. (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture; vol 3: Luke, Intervarsity Press)

Since he [the demoniac] received the healing of his mind, Christ commanded him to depart from the tombs and the graves and to return to that spiritual home. He who had in him the grave of the mind became a temple of God.
St. Ambrose
Exposition of the Gospel of Luke. 6.53. Taken from: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture; vol 3: Luke, Downer's Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2003, p. 141.

BACK TO TOP