St. Stephen Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2019-01-06
Bulletin Contents
22_anastasia3
Organization Icon
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

22_anastasia3
January 04

Anastasia the Great Martyr

This Saint, who was from Rome, was a most comely, wealthy, and virtuous maiden, the daughter of Praepextatus and Fausta. It was her mother who instructed her in the Faith of Christ. The Saint was joined to a man named Publius Patricius, who was prodigal in life and impious in disposition, but she was widowed after a short time. Henceforth, she went about secretly to the dwellings of the poor and the prisons where the Martyrs of Christ were, and brought them whatever was needed for their daily subsistence. She washed their wounds and loosed them from their fetters, and consoled them in their anguish. Also, because the Saint, through her intercessions, has healed many from the ill effects of spells, potions, poisons, and other harmful substances, she has received the name "Deliverer from Potions." Since the fame of her deeds had spread about, she was arrested by Diocletian's minions, and after enduring many torments she was put to death by fire in the year 290.


Tencrete
January 05

Ten Martyrs of Crete

These Saints, who were all from Crete, contested for piety's sake during the reign of Decius, in the year 250. Theodulus, Saturninus, Euporus, Gelasius, and Eunician were from Gortynia, the capital; Zoticus was from Knossos; Agathopus, from the port city of Panormus; Basilides, from Cydonia; Evarestus and Pompey, from Heraklion. Haled before the Governor as Christians, they were subjected to torments for thirty days, being scourged, racked, dragged upon the ground through dung heaps, stoned, spit upon. They were questioned again, but their costancy roused the Governor to greater fury. After subjecting them to torments more bitter still, he had them beheaded.


Eugenia
January 06

Eugenia the Righteous Nun-martyr of Rome

This Martyr was the daughter of most distinguished and noble parents named Philip and Claudia. Philip, a Prefect of Rome, moved to Alexandria with his family. In Alexandria, Eugenia had the occasion to learn the Christian Faith, in particular when she encountered the Epistles of Saint Paul, the reading of which filled her with compunction and showed her clearly the vanity of the world. Secretly taking two of her servants, Protas and Hyacinth, she departed from Alexandria by night. Disguised as a man, she called herself Eugene while pretending to be a eunuch, and departed with her servants and took up the monastic life in a monastery of men. Her parents mourned for her, but could not find her. After Saint Eugenia had laboured for some time in the monastic life, a certain woman named Melanthia, thinking Eugenia to be a monk, conceived lust and constrained Eugenia to comply with her desire; when Eugenia refused, Melanthia slandered Eugenia to the Prefect as having done insult to her honour. Eugenia was brought before the Prefect, her own father Philip, and revealed to him both that she was innocent of the accusations, and that she was his own daughter. Through this, Philip became a Christian; he was afterwards beheaded at Alexandria. Eugenia was taken back to Rome with Protas and Hyacinth. All three of them ended their life in martyrdom in the years of Commodus, who reigned from 180 to 192.


Nativity
January 07

The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

The incomprehensible and inexplicable Nativity of Christ came to pass when Herod the Great was reigning in Judea; the latter was an Ascalonite on his fathers's side and an Idumean on his mother's. He was in every way foreign to the royal line of David; rather, he had received his authority from the Roman emperors, and had ruled tyrannically over the Jewish people for some thirty-three years. The tribe of Judah, which had reigned of old, was deprived of its rights and stripped of all rule and authority. Such was the condition of the Jews when the awaited Messiah was born, and truly thus was fulfilled the prophecy which the Patriarch Jacob had spoken 1,807 years before: "A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until there come the things stored up for him; and he is the expectation of the nations" (Gen.49:10).

Thus, our Saviour was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judea, whither Joseph had come from Nazareth of Galilee, taking Mary his betrothed, who was great with child, that, according to the decree issued in those days by the Emperor Augustus, they might be registered in the census of those subject to Rome. Therefore, when the time came for the Virgin to give birth, and since because of the great multitude there was no place in the inn, the Virgin's circumstance constrained them to enter a cave which was near Bethlehem. Having as shelter a stable of irrational beasts, she gave birth there, and swaddled the Infant and laid Him in the manger (Luke 2:1-7). From this, the tradition has come down to us that when Christ was born He lay between two animals, an ox and an ass, that the words of the Prophets might be fulfilled: "Between two living creatures shalt Thou be known" (Abbacum 3:2), and "The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib" (Esaias 1: 3).

But while the earth gave the new-born Saviour such a humble reception, Heaven on high celebrated majestically His world-saving coming. A wondrous star, shining with uncommon brightness and following a strange course, led Magi from the East to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King. Certain shepherds who were in the area of Bethlehem, who kept watch while tending their sheep, were suddenly surrounded by an extraordinary light, and they saw before them an Angel who proclaimed to them the good tidings of the Lord's joyous Nativity. And straightway, together with this Angel, they beheld and heard a whole host of the Heavenly Powers praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men" (Luke 2:8-14).


BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

The Reading is from John 21:1-14

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish. The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

يوحنا 21: 1-14

1في ذلك الزمان أَظْهَرَ أَيْضاً يَسُوعُ نَفْسَهُ لِلتَّلاَمِيذِ عَلَى بَحْرِ طَبَرِيَّةَ. ظَهَرَ هَكَذَا: 2كَانَ سِمْعَانُ بُطْرُسُ، وَتُومَا الَّذِي يُقَالُ لَهُ التَّوْأَمُ، وَنَثَنَائِيلُ الَّذِي مِنْ قَانَا الْجَلِيلِ، وَابْنَا زَبْدِي، وَاثْنَانِ آخَرَانِ مِنْ تَلاَمِيذِهِ مَعَ بَعْضِهِمْ. 3قَالَ لَهُمْ سِمْعَانُ بُطْرُسُ: ((أَنَا أَذْهَبُ لأَتَصَيَّدَ)). قَالُوا لَهُ: ((نَذْهَبُ نَحْنُ أَيْضاً مَعَكَ)). فَخَرَجُوا وَدَخَلُوا السَّفِينَةَ لِلْوَقْتِ. وَفِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ لَمْ يُمْسِكُوا شَيْئاً. 4وَلَمَّا كَانَ الصُّبْحُ ، وَقَفَ يَسُوعُ عَلَى الشَّاطِئِ. وَلَكِنَّ التَّلاَمِيذَ لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ يَسُوعُ. 5فَقَالَ لَهُمْ يَسُوعُ: ((يَا غِلْمَانُ أَلَعَلَّ عِنْدَكُمْ إِدَاماً؟)). أَجَابُوهُ: ((لاَ!)) 6فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: ((أَلْقُوا الشَّبَكَةَ إِلَى جَانِبِ السَّفِينَةِ الأَيْمَنِ فَتَجِدُوا)). فَأَلْقَوْا، وَلَمْ يَعُودُوا يَقْدِرُونَ أَنْ يَجْذِبُوهَا مِنْ كَثْرَةِ السَّمَكِ. 7فَقَالَ ذَلِكَ التِّلْمِيذُ الَّذِي كَانَ يَسُوعُ يُحِبُّهُ لِبُطْرُسَ: ((هُوَ الرَّبُّ!)). فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ سِمْعَانُ بُطْرُسُ أَنَّهُ الرَّبُّ، اتَّزَرَ بِثَوْبِهِ، لأَنَّهُ كَانَ عُرْيَاناً، وَأَلْقَى نَفْسَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ. 8وَأَمَّا التَّلاَمِيذُ الآخَرُونَ فَجَاءُوا بِالسَّفِينَةِ، لأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا بَعِيدِينَ عَنِ الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ نَحْوَ مِئَتَيْ ذِرَاعٍ، وَهُمْ يَجُرُّونَ شَبَكَةَ السَّمَكِ. 9فَلَمَّا خَرَجُوا إِلَى الأَرْضِ نَظَرُوا جَمْراً مَوْضُوعاً وَسَمَكاً مَوْضُوعاً عَلَيْهِ وَخُبْزاً. 10قَالَ لَهُمْ يَسُوعُ: ((قَدِّمُوا مِنَ السَّمَكِ الَّذِي أَمْسَكْتُمُ الآنَ)).11فَصَعِدَ سِمْعَانُ بُطْرُسُ وَجَذَبَ الشَّبَكَةَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ، مُمْتَلِئَةً سَمَكاً كَبِيراً ، مِئَةً وَثلاَثاً وَخَمْسِينَ. وَمَعْ هَذِهِ الْكَثْرَةِ لَمْ تَتَخَرَّقِ الشَّبَكَةُ. 12قَالَ لَهُمْ يَسُوعُ: ((هَلُمُّوا تَغَدَّوْا!)). وَلَمْ يَجْسُرْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ التَّلاَمِيذِ أَنْ يَسْأَلَهُ: مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ إِذْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الرَّبُّ. 13ثُمَّ جَاءَ يَسُوعُ وَأَخَذَ الْخُبْزَ وَأَعْطَاهُمْ وَكَذَلِكَ السَّمَكَ. 14هَذِهِ مَرَّةٌ ثَالِثَةٌ ظَهَرَ يَسُوعُ لِتَلاَمِيذِهِ بَعْدَمَا قَامَ مِنَ الأَمْوَاتِ.

 

 


Epistle Reading

The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:9-10; 32-40

BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us,that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

رسالة بولس الى العبرانيين 11: 9-10 ; 32-40

يَُّا إِخْوَة، بِالإِيمَانِ إِبْرَاهِيمُ تَغَرَّبَ فِي أَرْضِ الْمَوْعِدِ كَأَنَّهَا غَرِيبَةٌ، سَاكِناً فِي خِيَامٍ مَعَ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ الْوَارِثَيْنِ مَعَهُ لِهَذَا الْمَوْعِدِ عَيْنِهِ. لأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَنْتَظِرُ الْمَدِينَةَ الَّتِي لَهَا الأَسَاسَاتُ، الَّتِي صَانِعُهَا وَبَارِئُهَا اللهُ. وَمَاذَا أَقُولُ أَيْضاً؟ لأَنَّهُ يُعْوِزُنِي الْوَقْتُ إِنْ أَخْبَرْتُ عَنْ جِدْعُونَ، وَبَارَاقَ، وَشَمْشُونَ، وَيَفْتَاحَ، وَدَاوُدَ، وَصَمُوئِيلَ، وَالأَنْبِيَاءِ، الَّذِينَ بِالإِيمَانِ قَهَرُوا مَمَالِكَ، صَنَعُوا بِرّاً، نَالُوا مَوَاعِيدَ، سَدُّوا أَفْوَاهَ أُسُودٍ، أَطْفَأُوا قُوَّةَ النَّارِ، نَجَوْا مِنْ حَدِّ السَّيْفِ، تَقَّوُوا مِنْ ضُعْفٍ، صَارُوا أَشِدَّاءَ فِي الْحَرْبِ، هَزَمُوا جُيُوشَ غُرَبَاءَ، أَخَذَتْ نِسَاءٌ أَمْوَاتَهُنَّ بِقِيَامَةٍ. وَآخَرُونَ عُذِّبُوا وَلَمْ يَقْبَلُوا النَّجَاةَ لِكَيْ يَنَالُوا قِيَامَةً أَفْضَلَ. وَآخَرُونَ تَجَرَّبُوا فِي هُزُءٍ وَجَلْدٍ، ثُمَّ فِي قُيُودٍ أَيْضاً وَحَبْسٍ. رُجِمُوا، نُشِرُوا، جُرِّبُوا، مَاتُوا قَتْلاً بِالسَّيْفِ، طَافُوا فِي جُلُودِ غَنَمٍ وَجُلُودِ مِعْزَى، مُعْتَازِينَ مَكْرُوبِينَ مُذَلِّينَ، وَهُمْ لَمْ يَكُنِ الْعَالَمُ مُسْتَحِقّاً لَهُمْ. تَائِهِينَ فِي بَرَارِيَّ وَجِبَالٍ وَمَغَايِرَ وَشُقُوقِ الأَرْضِ. فَهَؤُلاَءِ كُلُّهُمْ، مَشْهُوداً لَهُمْ بِالإِيمَانِ، لَمْ يَنَالُوا الْمَوْعِدَ، إِذْ سَبَقَ اللهُ فَنَظَرَ لَنَا شَيْئاً أَفْضَلَ، لِكَيْ لاَ يُكْمَلُوا بِدُونِنَا.


Gospel Reading

The Reading is from Matthew 1:1-25

The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.

متى 1: 1-25

1 كِتَابُ مِيلاَدِ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ ابْنِ دَاوُدَ ابْنِ إِبْراهِيمَ: 2إِبْراهِيمُ وَلَدَ إِسْحاقَ. وَإِسْحاقُ وَلَدَ يَعْقُوبَ. وَيَعْقُوبُ وَلَدَ يَهُوذَا وَإِخْوَتَهُ. 3وَيَهُوذَا وَلَدَ فَارِصَ وَزَارَحَ مِنْ ثَامَارَ. وَفَارِصُ وَلَدَ حَصْرُونَ. وَحَصْرُونُ وَلَدَ أَرَامَ. 4وَأَرَامُ وَلَدَ عَمِّينَادَابَ. وَعَمِّينَادَابُ وَلَدَ نَحْشُونَ. وَنَحْشُونُ وَلَدَ سَلْمُونَ. 5وَسَلْمُونُ وَلَدَ بُوعَزَ مِنْ رَاحَابَ. وَبُوعَزُ وَلَدَ عُوبِيدَ مِنْ رَاعُوثَ. وَعُوبِيدُ وَلَدَ يَسَّى.6وَيَسَّى وَلَدَ دَاوُدَ الْمَلِكَ. وَدَاوُدُ الْمَلِكُ وَلَدَ سُلَيْمَانَ مِنَ الَّتِي لأُورِيَّا. 7وَسُلَيْمَانُ وَلَدَ رَحَبْعَامَ. وَرَحَبْعَامُ وَلَدَ أَبِيَّا. وَأَبِيَّا وَلَدَ آسَا. 8وَآسَا وَلَدَ يَهُوشَافَاطَ. وَيَهُوشَافَاطُ وَلَدَ يُورَامَ. وَيُورَامُ وَلَدَ عُزِّيَّا. 9وَعُزِّيَّا وَلَدَ يُوثَامَ. وَيُوثَامُ وَلَدَ أَحَازَ. وَأَحَازُ وَلَدَ حَزَقِيَّا. 10وَحَزَقِيَّا وَلَدَ مَنَسَّى. وَمَنَسَّى وَلَدَ آمُونَ. وَآمُونُ وَلَدَ يُوشِيَّا. 11وَيُوشِيَّا وَلَدَ يَكُنْيَا وَإِخْوَتَهُ عِنْدَ سَبْيِ بَابِلَ. 12وَبَعْدَ سَبْيِ بَابِلَ يَكُنْيَا وَلَدَ شَأَلْتِئِيلَ. وَشَأَلْتِئِيلُ وَلَدَ زَرُبَّابِلَ. 13وَزَرُبَّابِلُ وَلَدَ أَبِيهُودَ. وَأَبِيهُودُ وَلَدَ أَلِيَاقِيمَ. وَأَلِيَاقِيمُ وَلَدَ عَازُورَ. 14وَعَازُورُ وَلَدَ صَادُوقَ. وَصَادُوقُ وَلَدَ أَخِيمَ. وَأَخِيمُ وَلَدَ أَلِيُودَ. 15وَأَلِيُودُ وَلَدَ أَلِيعَازَرَ. وَأَلِيعَازَرُ وَلَدَ مَتَّانَ. وَمَتَّانُ وَلَدَ يَعْقُوبَ. 16وَيَعْقُوبُ وَلَدَ يُوسُفَ رَجُلَ مَرْيَمَ الَّتِي وُلِدَ مِنْهَا يَسُوعُ الَّذِي يُدْعَى الْمَسِيحَ. 17فَجَمِيعُ الأَجْيَالِ مِنْ إِبْراهِيمَ إِلَى دَاوُدَ أَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ جِيلاً ، وَمِنْ دَاوُدَ إِلَى سَبْيِ بَابِلَ أَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ جِيلاً ، وَمِنْ سَبْيِ بَابِلَ إِلَى الْمَسِيحِ أَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ جِيلاً. 18أَمَّا وِلاَدَةُ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ فَكَانَتْ هَكَذَا: لَمَّا كَانَتْ مَرْيَمُ أُمُّهُ مَخْطُوبَةً لِيُوسُفَ ، قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجْتَمِعَا ، وُجِدَتْ حُبْلَى مِنَ الرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ. 19فَيُوسُفُ رَجُلُهَا إِذْ كَانَ بَارّاً ، وَلَمْ يَشَأْ أَنْ يُشْهِرَهَا ، أَرَادَ تَخْلِيَتَهَا سِرّاً. 20وَلَكِنْ فِيمَا هُوَ مُتَفَكِّرٌ فِي هَذِهِ الأُمُورِ ، إِذَا مَلاَكُ الرَّبِّ قَدْ ظَهَرَ لَهُ فِي حُلْمٍ قَائِلاً: ((يَا يُوسُفُ ابْنَ دَاوُدَ ، لاَ تَخَفْ أَنْ تَأْخُذَ مَرْيَمَ امْرَأَتَكَ ، لأَنَّ الَّذِي حُبِلَ بِهِ فِيهَا هُوَ مِنَ الرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ.21فَسَتَلِدُ ابْناً وَتَدْعُو اسْمَهُ يَسُوعَ . لأَنَّهُ يُخَلِّصُ شَعْبَهُ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُمْ)). 22وَهَذَا كُلُّهُ كَانَ لِكَيْ يَتِمَّ مَا قِيلَ مِنَ الرَّبِّ بِالنَّبِيِّ القَائِلِ : 23((هُوَذَا الْعَذْرَاءُ تَحْبَلُ وَتَلِدُ ابْناً ، وَيَدْعُونَ اسْمَهُ عِمَّانُوئِيلَ)) الَّذِي تَفْسِيرُهُ: اَللَّهُ مَعَنَا .24فَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَظَ يُوسُفُ مِنَ النَّوْمِ فَعَلَ كَمَا أَمَرَهُ مَلاَكُ الرَّبِّ ، وَأَخَذَ امْرَأَتَهُ. 25وَلَمْ يَعْرِفْهَا حَتَّى وَلَدَتِ ابْنَهَا الْبِكْرَ. وَدَعَا اسْمَهُ يَسُوعَ. 

 

 


BACK TO TOP

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Sun. of the Holy Fathers in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

You are greatly glorified, O Christ our God, who established our Fathers as luminaries upon the earth, and through them led us all to the true Faith. O Most compassionate, glory to You.

Kontakion of Sun. of the Holy Fathers in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

The Church was strengthened into one faith through the preaching of the Apostles and the doctrines of the Fathers. The Church is robed in truth woven of the word of God from above. It teaches truth, and glorifies the great mystery of faith.

Apolytikion of Holy Nativity in the Fourth Tone

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shined the light of knowledge upon the world; for thereby they that worshipped the stars were instructed by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. O Lord, glory be to Thee.

Kontakion of Holy Nativity in the Third Tone

Today, the Virgin bears Him who is transcendent, and the earth presents the cave to Him who is beyond reach. Angels, along with shepherds glorify Him. The Magi make their way to Him by a star. For a new child has been born for us, the God before all ages.
BACK TO TOP

Wisdom of the Fathers

Why were the heavens opened? To inform you that at your baptism also this is done, God calling thee to your country on high.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 12 on Matthew 3, 4th Century

Christ is illumined, let us shine forth with Him. Christ is baptized, let us descend with Him that we may also ascend with Him.
St. Gregory the Theologian
Oration on the Holy Lights, Epiphany 381, 10-16., 4th Century

BACK TO TOP

Support St. Stephen's

 

amazon smile

 

BACK TO TOP

Forms & Flyers

BACK TO TOP

Announcements

nativity

Does Your Employer Match Donations?

Many companies offer matching gift programs to encourage employees

to contribute to charitable organizations. Some provide matching

funds to support employee volunteer hours. 

Please find out if your company will match your donation to

Saint Stephen Orthodox Church. 

  

2019 Board of Trustees

We have positions available on the Board of Trustees for the

upcomming year.  If you are interested in making a difference in

your community and serving your parish, please contact

Fr. Romanos or any of the current Board members.

Thank You and God Bless You!

 

Parish Meeting

January 20th, 2019

 

 

BACK TO TOP