St. Stephen Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2023-03-12
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St. Stephen Orthodox Church

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  • 11055 Hirschfeld Way

  • Rancho Cordova, CA 95670


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Services Schedule

 

Saturday

Vespers: 3:00 pm

Sunday

Matins: 8:30 am

Liturgy: 10:00 am


Past Bulletins


Saints and Feasts

02_palamas2
March 12

Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas

This divine Father, who was from Asia Minor, was from childhood reared in the royal court of Constantinople, where he was instructed in both religious and secular wisdom. Later, while still a youth, he left the imperial court and struggled in asceticism on Mount Athos, and in the Skete at Beroea. He spent some time in Thessalonica being treated for an illness that came from his harsh manner of life. He was present in Constantinople at the Council that was convened in 1341 against Barlaam of Calabria, and at the Council of 1347 against Acindynus, who was of like mind with Barlaam; Barlaam and Acindynus claimed that the grace of God is created. At both these Councils, the Saint contended courageously for the true dogmas of the Church of Christ, teaching in particular that divine grace is not created, but is the uncreated energies of God which are poured forth throughout creation: otherwise it would be impossible, if grace were created, for man to have genuine communion with the uncreated God. In 1347 he was appointed Metropolitan of Thessalonica. He tended his flock in an apostolic manner for some twelve years, and wrote many books and treatises on the most exalted doctrines of our Faith; and having lived for a total of sixty-three years, he reposed in the Lord in 1359.

His holy relics are kept in the Cathedral of Thessalonica. A full service was composed for his feast day by the Patriarch Philotheus in 1368, when it was established that his feast be celebrated on this day. Since works without right faith avail nothing, we set Orthodoxy of faith as the foundation of all that we accomplish during the Fast, by celebrating the Triumph of Orthodoxy the Sunday before, and the great defender of the teachings of the holy Fathers today.


Allsaint
March 12

Prokopios the Confessor of Decapolis

Saints Procopius and Basil, fellow ascetics, lived about the middle of the eighth century, during the reign of Leo the Isaurian (717-741), from whom they suffered many things for the sake of the veneration of the holy icons. They ended their lives in the ascetical discipline.


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Sixth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:36-53

At that time, having risen from the dead, Jesus went up and stood among His disciples and said to them, "Peace be with you." But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave Him a piece of broiled fish [and some honeycomb], and He took it and ate before them. Then He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then He opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name in all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands, He blessed them. While He blessed them, He parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the Temple blessing God.

Sixth Orthros Gospel
لوقا 24: 36-53

في ذلك الزمان،36 قام يسوع من بين الأموات ووقف وَسْطِ تلاميذه وَقَالَ لَهُمْ:سَلاَمٌ لَكُمْ!37 فَجَزِعُوا وَخَافُوا، وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ نَظَرُوا رُوحًا.38 فَقَالَ لَهُمْ:مَا بَالُكُمْ مُضْطَرِبِينَ، وَلِمَاذَا تَخْطُرُ أَفْكَارٌ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ؟39 اُنْظُرُوا يَدَيَّ وَرِجْلَيَّ: إِنِّي أَنَا هُوَ! جُسُّونِي وَانْظُرُوا، فَإِنَّ الرُّوحَ لَيْسَ لَهُ لَحْمٌ وَعِظَامٌ كَمَا تَرَوْنَ لِي.40وَحِينَ قَالَ هذَا أَرَاهُمْ يَدَيْهِ وَرِجْلَيْهِ.41 وَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ غَيْرُ مُصَدِّقِين مِنَ الْفَرَحِ، وَمُتَعَجِّبُونَ، قَالَ لَهُمْ:«أَعِنْدَكُمْ ههُنَا طَعَامٌ؟42 فَنَاوَلُوهُ جُزْءًا مِنْ سَمَكٍ مَشْوِيٍّ، وَشَيْئًا مِنْ شَهْدِ عَسَل.43 فَأَخَذَ وَأَكَلَ قُدَّامَهُمْ.44 وَقَالَ لَهُمْ:هذَا هُوَ الْكَلاَمُ الَّذِي كَلَّمْتُكُمْ بِهِ وَأَنَا بَعْدُ مَعَكُمْ: أَنَّهُ لاَ بُدَّ أَنْ يَتِمَّ جَمِيعُ مَا هُوَ مَكْتُوبٌ عَنِّي فِي نَامُوسِ مُوسَى وَالأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالْمَزَامِيرِ.45 حِينَئِذٍ فَتَحَ ذِهْنَهُمْ لِيَفْهَمُوا الْكُتُبَ.46 وَقَالَ لَهُمْ:هكَذَا هُوَ مَكْتُوبٌ، وَهكَذَا كَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَنَّ الْمَسِيحَ يَتَأَلَّمُ وَيَقُومُ مِنَ الأَمْوَاتِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّالِثِ،47 وَأَنْ يُكْرَزَ بِاسْمِهِ بِالتَّوْبَةِ وَمَغْفِرَةِ الْخَطَايَا لِجَمِيعِ الأُمَمِ، مُبْتَدَأً مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ.48 وَأَنْتُمْ شُهُودٌ لِذلِكَ.49 وَهَا أَنَا أُرْسِلُ إِلَيْكُمْ مَوْعِدَ أَبِي. فَأَقِيمُوا فِي مَدِينَةِ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى أَنْ تُلْبَسُوا قُوَّةً مِنَ الأَعَالِي.50 وَأَخْرَجَهُمْ خَارِجًا إِلَى بَيْتِ عَنْيَا، وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ وَبَارَكَهُمْ.51 وَفِيمَا هُوَ يُبَارِكُهُمُ، انْفَرَدَ عَنْهُمْ وَأُصْعِدَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ.52 فَسَجَدُوا لَهُ وَرَجَعُوا إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ بِفَرَحٍ عَظِيمٍ،53 وَكَانُوا كُلَّ حِينٍ فِي الْهَيْكَلِ يُسَبِّحُونَ وَيُبَارِكُونَ اللهَ. آمِينَ.

 

 


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 6th Tone. 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 1:10-14; 2:1-3.

IN THE BEGINNING, Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; they will perish, but thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment, like a mantle thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years will never end." But to what angel has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet?" Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?

Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him.

البروكيمنون. 6th Tone. مزمور 27: 9، 1.
خلص يالله شعبك وبارك ميراثك
Verse: إليك يا رب صرخت، إلهي

فصل من رسالة بولس الى العبرانيين 1: 10-14 2: 1-3.

أَنْتَ يَا رَبُّ فِي الْبَدْءِ أَسَّسْتَ الأَرْضَ، وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ هِيَ عَمَلُ يَدَيْكَ. هِيَ تَبِيدُ وَلَكِنْ أَنْتَ تَبْقَى، وَكُلُّهَا كَثَوْبٍ تَبْلَى، وَكَرِدَاءٍ تَطْوِيهَا فَتَتَغَيَّرُ. وَلَكِنْ أَنْتَ أَنْتَ، وَسِنُوكَ لَنْ تَفْنَى)). ثُمَّ لِمَنْ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ قَالَ قَطُّ: ((اِجْلِسْ عَنْ يَمِينِي حَتَّى أَضَعَ أَعْدَاءَكَ مَوْطِئاً لِقَدَمَيْكَ؟)) أَلَيْسَ جَمِيعُهُمْ أَرْوَاحاً خَادِمَةً مُرْسَلَةً لِلْخِدْمَةِ لأَجْلِ الْعَتِيدِينَ أَنْ يَرِثُوا الْخَلاَصَ! لِذَلِكَ يَجِبُ أَنْ نَتَنَبَّهَ أَكْثَرَ إِلَى مَا سَمِعْنَا لِئَلاَّ نَفُوتَهُ، لأَنَّهُ إِنْ كَانَتِ الْكَلِمَةُ الَّتِي تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا مَلاَئِكَةٌ قَدْ صَارَتْ ثَابِتَةً، وَكُلُّ تَعَدٍّ وَمَعْصِيَةٍ نَالَ مُجَازَاةً عَادِلَةً، فَكَيْفَ نَنْجُو نَحْنُ إِنْ أَهْمَلْنَا خَلاَصاً هَذَا مِقْدَارُهُ؟ قَدِ ابْتَدَأَ الرَّبُّ بِالتَّكَلُّمِ بِهِ، ثُمَّ تَثَبَّتَ لَنَا مِنَ الَّذِينَ سَمِعُوا.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
The Reading is from Mark 2:1-12

At that time, Jesus entered Capernaum and it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak thus? It is a blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-he said to the paralytic-"I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
مرقس 2: 1-12

1 في ذلك الزمان دَخَلَ يسوع كَفْرَنَاحُومَ أَيْضاً بَعْدَ أَيَّامٍ فَسُمِعَ ، أَنَّهُ فِي بَيْتٍ. 2وَلِلْوَقْتِ اجْتَمَعَ كَثِيرُونَ حَتَّى لَمْ يَعُدْ يَسَعُ وَلاَ مَا حَوْلَ الْبَابِ. فَكَانَ يُخَاطِبُهُمْ بِالْكَلِمَةِ. 3وَجَاءُوا إِلَيْهِ مُقَدِّمِينَ مَفْلُوجاً يَحْمِلُهُ أَرْبَعَةٌ. 4 وَإِذْ لَمْ يَقْدِرُوا أَنْ يَقْتَرِبُوا إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْلِ الْجَمْعِ، كَشَفُوا السَّقْفَ حَيْثُ كَانَ. وَبَعْدَ مَا نَقَبُوهُ دَلَّوُا السَّرِيرَ الَّذِي كَانَ الْمَفْلُوجُ مُضْطَجِعاً عَلَيْهِ. 5فَلَمَّا رَأَى يَسُوعُ إِيمَانَهُمْ ، قَالَ لِلْمَفْلُوجِ: (( يَا بُنَيَّ، مَغْفُورَةٌ لَكَ خَطَايَاكَ)). 6وَكَانَ قَوْمٌ مِنَ الْكَتَبَةِ هُنَاكَ جَالِسِينَ يُفَكِّرُونَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ: 7((لِمَاذَا يَتَكَلَّمُ هَذَا هَكَذَا بِتَجَادِيفَ؟ مَنْ يَقْدِرُ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ خَطَايَا إلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ؟)) 8 فَلِلْوَقْتِ شَعَرَ يَسُوعُ بِرُوحِهِ أَنَّهُمْ يُفَكِّرُونَ هَكَذَا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: ((لِمَاذَا تُفَكِّرُونَ بِهَذَا فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ؟ 9أَيُّمَا أَيْسَرُ، أَنْ يُقَالَ لِلْمَفْلُوجِ : مَغْفُورَةٌ لَكَ خَطَايَاكَ ، أَمْ أَنْ يُقَالَ: قُمْ وَاحْمِلْ سَرِيرَكَ وَامْشِ؟ 10وَلَكِنْ لِكَيْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ لاِبْنِ الإِنْسَانِ سُلْطَاناً عَلَى الأَرْضِ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ الْخَطَايَا)). قَالَ لِلْمَفْلُوجِ: 11((لَكَ أَقُولُ : قُمْ وَاحْمِلْ سَرِيرَكَ وَاذْهَبْ إِلَى بَيْتِكَ!)). 12فَقَامَ لِلْوَقْتِ وَحَمَلَ السَّرِيرَ وَخَرَجَ قُدَّامَ الْكُلِّ ، حَتَّى بُهِتَ الْجَمِيعُ وَمَجَّدُوا اللَّهَ قَائِلِينَ: ((مَا رَأَيْنَا مِثْلَ هَذَا قَطُّ!)). 

 

 


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 6th Tone

Angelic powers were above Thy tomb, and they that guarded Thee became as dead. And Mary stood by the grave seeking Thine immaculate Body. Thou hast despoiled Hades and wast not tried thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst grant us life. O Thou Who didst arise from the dead, Lord, glory be to Thee.

ان القوات الملائكية ظهروا على قبرك الموقر والحراس صاروا كالاموات ومريم وقفت عند القبر طالبة جسدك الطاهر فسبيت الجحيم ولم تجرب منها وصادفت البتول مانحاً الحياة فيامن قام من الاموات يارب المجد لك.

Apolytikion for Sun. of St. Gregory Palamas in the 8th Tone

Light of Orthdoxy, pillar and teacher of the Church, adornment of monastics, invincible champion of theologians, O Gregory thou wonderworker, boast of Thessalonica, herald of grace: ever pray that our souls be saved.

Apolytikion of Procopius the Confessor in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

With the rivers of your tears, you have made the barren desert fertile. Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, your labors have borne fruit a hundred-fold. By your miracles you have become a light, shining upon the world. O Prokopios, our Holy Father, pray to Christ our God, to save our souls.

Kontakion of Procopius the Confessor in the Fourth Tone

O renowned Procopius, having obtained thee as a morning star this day, the Church dispelleth all the gloom of evil doctrine, while hon'ring thee, O thou initiate of Heaven and man of God.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 8th Tone

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!"
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Wisdom of the Fathers

Take up your bed. Carry the very mat that once carried you. Change places, so that what was the proof of your sickness may now give testimony to your soundness. Your bed of pain becomes the sign of healing, its very weight the measure of the strength that has been restored to you.
St. Peter Chrysologus
Homily 50.6. Taken from: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Vol. 2: Mark. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2005, p. 27.

Now Matthew indeed saith, that "they brought him," but the others, that they also broke up the roof, and let him down. And they put the sick man before Christ, saying nothing, but committing the whole to Him.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 29 on Matthew 9, 1. B#54, pp. 195, 196, 4th Century

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