St. Stephen Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2018-10-07
Bulletin Contents
Exaltation
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St. Stephen Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (707)235-0316
  • Street Address:

  • 11055 Hirschfeld Way

  • Rancho Cordova, CA 95670


Contact Information




Services Schedule

 

Saturday

Vespers: 3:00pm

Sunday

Matins: 8:45am

Liturgy: 10:00am


Past Bulletins


Saints and Feasts

Exaltation
October 04

Apodosis of the Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross

Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered. The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole. Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, "Lord have mercy." It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.

Rest from labour. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.


Phocas
October 05

Phocas the Martyr, Bishop of Sinope

This saint was known for the many miracles he worked and for his apostolic zeal in shepherding the flock of Sinope. He contested for the Faith during the reign of the Emperor Trajan, in the year 102, when he was burned to death in a bath-house. A homily in his honour was composed by Saint John Chrysostom. The translation of his holy relics is celebrated on July 23.


Nativitybaptist
October 06

The Conception of St. John the Baptist

This came to pass fifteen months before the birth of Christ, after the vision of the Angel that Zacharias, the father of the Forerunner, saw in the Temple while he executed the priest's office in the order of his course during the feast of the Tabernacles, as tradition bears witness. In this vision, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias and said to him, "Thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John" (Luke 1:13). Knowing that Elizabeth was barren, and that both he and she were elderly, Zacharias did not believe what the Angel told him, although he had before him the example of Abraham and Sarah, of Hannah, mother of the Prophet Samuel, and of other barren women in Israel who gave birth by the power of God. Hence, he was condemned by the Archangel to remain speechless until the fulfilment of these words in their season, which also came to pass (Luke 1:7-24).


Thecla
October 07

Thecla the Protomartyr & Equal to the Apostles

This saint was from the city of Iconium. When she was eighteen years of age, she was instructed in the Faith of Christ and the hope of the resurrection by the Apostle Paul, whom also she followed, forsaking her betrothed and espousing a life of virginity for the sake of the Heavenly Bridegroom. Having preached Christ in various cities and suffered many things, she reposed in Seleucia of Cilicia at the age of 90.


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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 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.

Eighth Orthros Gospel
يوحنا 20: 11-18

11في ذلك الزمان َكَانَتْ مريم وَاقِفَةً عِنْدَ الْقَبْرِ خَارِجاً تَبْكِي. وَفِيمَا هِيَ تَبْكِي انْحَنَتْ إِلَى الْقَبْرِ، 12فَنَظَرَتْ مَلاَكَيْنِ بِثِيَابٍ بِيضٍ جَالِسَيْنِ وَاحِداً عِنْدَ الرَّأْسِ وَالآخَرَ عِنْدَ الرِّجْلَيْنِ، حَيْثُ كَانَ جَسَدُ يَسُوعَ مَوْضُوعاً. 13فَقَالاَ لَهَا: ((يَا امْرَأَةُ، لِمَاذَا تَبْكِينَ؟)) قَالَتْ لَهُمَا: ((إِنَّهُمْ أَخَذُوا سَيِّدِي، وَلَسْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَيْنَ وَضَعُوهُ!)). 14وَلَمَّا قَالَتْ هَذَا الْتَفَتَتْ إِلَى الْوَرَاءِ، فَنَظَرَتْ يَسُوعَ وَاقِفاً، وَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ يَسُوعُ. 15قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: ((يَا امْرَأَةُ، لِمَاذَا تَبْكِينَ؟ مَنْ تَطْلُبِينَ؟)) فَظَنَّتْ تِلْكَ أَنَّهُ الْبُسْتَانِيُّ، فَقَالَتْ لَهُ: ((يَا سَيِّدُ إِنْ كُنْتَ أَنْتَ قَدْ حَمَلْتَهُ فَقُلْ لِي أَيْنَ وَضَعْتَهُ، وَأَنَا آخُذُهُ)). 16قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: ((يَا مَرْيَمُ)) فَالْتَفَتَتْ تِلْكَ وَقَالَتْ لَهُ: ((رَبُّونِي!)) الَّذِي تَفْسِيرُهُ: يَا مُعَلِّمُ. 17قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: ((لاَ تَلْمِسِينِي لأَنِّي لَمْ أَصْعَدْ بَعْدُ إِلَى أَبِي. وَلَكِنِ اذْهَبِي إِلَى إِخْوَتِي وَقُولِي لَهُمْ: إِنِّي أَصْعَدُ إِلَى أَبِي وَأَبِيكُمْ وَإِلَهِي وَإِلَهِكُمْ)).18فَجَاءَتْ مَرْيَمُ الْمَجْدَلِيَّةُ وَأَخْبَرَتِ التَّلاَمِيذَ أَنَّهَا رَأَتِ الرَّبَّ، وَأَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهَا هَذَا. 

 

 


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 2nd Tone. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 11:31-33; 12:1-9.

Brethren, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands.

I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise --whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

البروكيمنون. 2nd Tone. مزمور 117: 14، 18.
الرب قوتي وتسبيحتي
أدباُ أدّبني الرب

فصل من رسالة بولس الثانية الى اهل كورنثس 11: 31-33 12: 1-9.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، اَللَّهُ أَبُو رَبِّنَا يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ، الَّذِي هُوَ مُبَارَكٌ إِلَى الأَبَدِ، يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي لَسْتُ أَكْذِبُ. فِي دِمَشْقَ وَالِي الْحَارِثِ الْمَلِكِ كَانَ يَحْرُسُ مدِينَةَ الدِّمَشْقِيِّينَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُمْسِكَنِي، فَتَدَلَّيْتُ مِنْ طَاقَةٍ فِي زَنْبِيلٍ مِنَ السُّورِ، وَنَجَوْتُ مِنْ يَدَيْهِ. إِنَّهُ لاَ يُوافِقُنِي أَنْ أَفْتَخِرَ. فَإِنِّي آتِي إِلَى مَنَاظِرِ الرَّبِّ وَإِعْلاَنَاتِهِ. أَعْرِفُ إِنْسَاناً فِي الْمَسِيحِ قَبْلَ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً. أَفِي الْجَسَدِ؟ لَسْتُ أَعْلَمُ، أَمْ خَارِجَ الْجَسَدِ؟ لَسْتُ أَعْلَمُ. اللهُ يَعْلَمُ. اخْتُطِفَ هَذَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الثَّالِثَةِ. وَأَعْرِفُ هَذَا الإِنْسَانَ. أَفِي الْجَسَدِ أَمْ خَارِجَ الْجَسَدِ؟ لَسْتُ أَعْلَمُ. اللهُ يَعْلَمُ. أَنَّهُ اخْتُطِفَ إِلَى الْفِرْدَوْسِ، وَسَمِعَ كَلِمَاتٍ لاَ يُنْطَقُ بِهَا، وَلاَ يَسُوغُ لإِنْسَانٍ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ بِهَا. مِنْ جِهَةِ هَذَا أَفْتَخِرُ. وَلَكِنْ مِنْ جِهَةِ نَفْسِي لاَ أَفْتَخِرُ إِلاَّ بِضَعَفَاتِي. فَإِنِّي إِنْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَفْتَخِرَ لاَ أَكُونُ غَبِيّاً، لأَنِّي أَقُولُ الْحَقَّ. وَلَكِنِّي أَتَحَاشَى لِئَلاَّ يَظُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْ جِهَتِي فَوْقَ مَا يَرَانِي أَوْ يَسْمَعُ مِنِّي. وَلِئَلاَّ أَرْتَفِعَ بِفَرْطِ الإِعْلاَنَاتِ، أُعْطِيتُ شَوْكَةً فِي الْجَسَدِ، مَلاَكَ الشَّيْطَانِ، لِيَلْطِمَنِي لِئَلاَّ أَرْتَفِعَ.مِنْ جِهَةِ هَذَا تَضَرَّعْتُ إِلَى الرَّبِّ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ أَنْ يُفَارِقَنِي. فَقَالَ لِي: ((تَكْفِيكَ نِعْمَتِي، لأَنَّ قُوَّتِي فِي الضُّعْفِ تُكْمَلُ)). فَبِكُلِّ سُرُورٍ أَفْتَخِرُ بِالْحَرِيِّ فِي ضَعَفَاتِي، لِكَيْ تَحِلَّ عَلَيَّ قُوَّةُ الْمَسِيحِ.


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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of St Stephen in the 1st Tone

For the struggles you endured for Christ God, a royal diadem crowns your head, O First Champion of Martyrs. For you refuted the folly of the Jews and beheld your Savior on the right of the Father. Ever beseech Him, therefore, for our souls.

Apolytikion of Protomartyr Thekla in the Third Tone

All aflame with love for your Creator, * from the teachings of the sacred preacher, * you disregarded as fleeting all things mundane. * And being bold in the face of the penalties, * you gave yourself as a beautiful gift to God. * Thekla, glorious companion of the Apostle Paul, * we pray you entreat your Bridegroom, Christ, * and ask Him to grant us His great mercy.

Kontakion of Protomartyr Thekla in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

O glorious virgin, thou wast entrusted with an apostolate, while shining brightly with virginal beauty and adorned with crowns of martyrdom. And, O Thecla, thou also didst subdue the bull's fury and change the fire to dew by thine entreaties, O first contestant among all womankind.
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Wisdom of the Fathers

That dead man was being buried, and many friends were conducting him to his tomb. But there meets him Christ, the Life and Resurrection, for He is the destroyer of death and of corruption; He it is "in Whom we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28); He it is Who has restored the nature of man to that which it originally was; and has set free our death-fraught flesh from the bonds of death.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, Homily 36.42, p. 153., 5th Century

The virgin's son met the widow's son. He became like a sponge for her tears and as life for the death of her son. Death turned about in its den and turned its back on the victorious one.
St. Ephrem the Syrian
Commentary on Tatian's Diatessaron, 6.23. (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. vol. 3: Luke, Intervarsity Press)

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Announcements

Saturday, October 6th 

 Fall Hafleh 

  at 6:00 pm

 

Saturday, October 20th 

Family Night

Movie, Pizza, and Q&A's

at 6:00 pm

 

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