St. Stephen Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-03-10
Bulletin Contents
Allsaint
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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: 3:00 pm

Sunday

Matins: 8:15 am

Liturgy: 9:30 am


Past Bulletins


Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
March 10

Porphyrios, Bishop of Gaza

Saint Porphyrius had Thessalonica as his homeland. He became a monk in Scete of Egypt, where he lived for five years. He went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, after which he spent five years in much affliction in a cave near the Jordan. Stricken with a disease of the liver, he departed to Jerusalem, where he was ordained presbyter and appointed Keeper of the Cross at the age of 45. Three years later he was made Bishop of Gaza. He suffered much from the rulers and pagans of Gaza; but with the friendship of Saint John Chrysostom, and the patronage of the Empress Eudoxia, he razed the temple of the idol Marnas in Gaza and built a great church to the glory of God. He reposed in 450.


Photini
March 10

Photini the Samaritan Woman & her martyred sisters: Anatole, Phota, Photis, Praskevi, & Kyriaki

Saint Photini lived in 1st century Palestine and was the woman that Christ met at Jacob's Well in Samaria as recorded in the Gospel according to John (4:4-26). After her encounter with Christ, she and her whole family were baptized by the Apostles and became evangelists of the early Church. Photini and her children eventually were summoned before the emperor Nero and instructed to renounce their faith in Christ. They refused to do so, accepting rather to suffer various tortures. After many efforts to force her to surrender to idolatry, the emperor ordered that she be thrown down a well. Photini gave up her life in the year 66.

St. Photini is commemorated on three occasions during the year: February 26 (Greek tradition), March 20 (Slavic tradition), and the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman on the 5th Sunday of Pascha.


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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
يوحنا 20: 1-10

1 في ذلك الزمان وفِي أَوَّلِ الأُسْبُوعِ جَاءَتْ مَرْيَمُ الْمَجْدَلِيَّةُ إِلَى الْقَبْرِ بَاكِراً، وَالظّلاَمُ بَاقٍ. فَنَظَرَتِ الْحَجَرَ مَرْفُوعاً عَنِ الْقَبْرِ. 2فَرَكَضَتْ وَجَاءَتْ إِلَى سِمْعَانَ بُطْرُسَ وَإِلَى التِّلْمِيذِ الآخَرِ الَّذِي كَانَ يَسُوعُ يُحِبُّهُ، وَقَالَتْ لَهُمَا: ((أَخَذُوا السَّيِّدَ مِنَ الْقَبْرِ، وَلَسْنَا نَعْلَمُ أَيْنَ وَضَعُوهُ!)). 3فَخَرَجَ بُطْرُسُ وَالتِّلْمِيذُ الآخَرُ وَأَتَيَا إِلَى الْقَبْرِ. 4وَكَانَ الاِثْنَانِ يَرْكُضَانِ مَعاً. فَسَبَقَ التِّلْمِيذُ الآخَرُ بُطْرُسَ وَجَاءَ أَوَّلاً إِلَى الْقَبْرِ، 5وَانْحَنَى فَنَظَرَ الأَكْفَانَ مَوْضُوعَةً، وَلَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَدْخُلْ. 6ثُمَّ جَاءَ سِمْعَانُ بُطْرُسُ يَتْبَعُهُ، وَدَخَلَ الْقَبْرَ وَنَظَرَ الأَكْفَانَ مَوْضُوعَةً، 7وَالْمِنْدِيلَ الَّذِي كَانَ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ لَيْسَ مَوْضُوعاً مَعَ الأَكْفَانِ، بَلْ مَلْفُوفاً فِي مَوْضِعٍ وَحْدَهُ. 8فَحِينَئِذٍ دَخَلَ أَيْضاً التِّلْمِيذُ الآخَرُ الَّذِي جَاءَ أَوَّلاً إِلَى الْقَبْرِ، وَرَأَى فَآمَنَ، 9لأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا بَعْدُ يَعْرِفُونَ الْكِتَابَ: أَنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَقُومَ مِنَ الأَمْوَاتِ. 10فَمَضَى التِّلْمِيذَانِ أَيْضاً إِلَى مَوْضِعِهِمَا. 

 

 


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 4th Tone. Psalm 146.5;134.3.
Great is our Lord, and great is his power.
Verse: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 8:8-13; 9:1-2.

Brethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

البروكيمنون. 4th Tone. مزمور 146: 5، 134: 3.
عظيم هو ربنا وعظيمة هي أفعاله
Verse: سبحوا الرب لأن الرب صالح

فصل من رسالة بولس الاولى الى اهل كورنثس 8: 8-13 9: 1-2.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، إِنَّ الطَّعَامَ لاَ يُقَدِّمُنَا إِلَى اللهِ لأَنَّنَا إِنْ أَكَلْنَا لاَ نَزِيدُ وَإِنْ لَمْ نَأْكُلْ لاَ نَنْقُصُ. وَلَكِنِ انْظُرُوا لِئَلاَّ يَصِيرَ سُلْطَانُكُمْ هَذَا مَعْثَرَةً لِلضُّعَفَاءِ. لأَنَّهُ إِنْ رَآكَ أَحَدٌ يَا مَنْ لَهُ عِلْمٌ مُتَّكِئاً فِي هَيْكَلِ وَثَنٍ أَفَلاَ يَتَقَوَّى ضَمِيرُهُ إِذْ هُوَ ضَعِيفٌ حَتَّى يَأْكُلَ مَا ذُبِحَ لِلأَوْثَانِ؟ فَيَهْلِكَ بِسَبَبِ عِلْمِكَ الأَخُ الضَّعِيفُ الَّذِي مَاتَ الْمَسِيحُ مِنْ أَجْلِهِ. وَهَكَذَا إِذْ تُخْطِئُونَ إِلَى الإِخْوَةِ وَتَجْرَحُونَ ضَمِيرَهُمُ الضَّعِيفَ تُخْطِئُونَ إِلَى الْمَسِيحِ. لِذَلِكَ إِنْ كَانَ طَعَامٌ يُعْثِرُ أَخِي فَلَنْ آكُلَ لَحْماً إِلَى الأَبَدِ لِئَلاَّ أُعْثِرَ أَخِي. أَلَسْتُ أَنَا رَسُولاً؟ أَلَسْتُ أَنَا حُرّاً؟ أَمَا رَأَيْتُ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحَ رَبَّنَا؟ أَلَسْتُمْ أَنْتُمْ عَمَلِي فِي الرَّبِّ؟! إِنْ كُنْتُ لَسْتُ رَسُولاً إِلَى آخَرِينَ فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا إِلَيْكُمْ رَسُولٌ لأَنَّكُمْ أَنْتُمْ خَتْمُ رِسَالَتِي فِي الرَّبِّ.


Gospel Reading

Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)
The Reading is from Matthew 25:31-46

The Lord said, "When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)
متى 25: 31-46

31 قال الرب مَتَى جَاءَ ابْنُ الإِنْسَانِ فِي مَجْدِهِ وَجَمِيعُ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ الْقِدِّيسِينَ مَعَهُ ،فَحِينَئِذٍ يَجْلِسُ عَلَى كُرْسِيِّ مَجْدِهِ. 32وَيَجْتَمِعُ أَمَامَهُ جَمِيعُ الشُّعُوبِ ،فَيُمَيِّزُ بَعْضَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ كَمَا يُمَيِّزُ الرَّاعِي الْخِرَافَ مِنَ الْجِدَاءِ، 33فَيُقِيمُ الْخِرَافَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَالْجِدَاءَ عَنِ الْيَسَارِ. 34ثُمَّ يَقُولُ الْمَلِكُ لِلَّذِينَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ: تَعَالَوْا يَا مُبَارَكِي أَبِي ،رِثُوا الْمَلَكُوتَ الْمُعَدَّ لَكُمْ مُنْذُ تَأْسِيسِ الْعَالَمِ. 35لأَنِّي جُعْتُ فَأَطْعَمْتُمُونِي. عَطِشْتُ فَسَقَيْتُمُونِي. كُنْتُ غَرِيباً فَآوَيْتُمُونِي. 36عُرْيَاناً فَكَسَوْتُمُونِي. مَرِيضاً فَزُرْتُمُونِي. مَحْبُوساً فَأَتَيْتُمْ إِلَيَّ. 37فَيُجِيبُهُ الأَبْرَارُ حِينَئِذٍ قَائِليِنَ : يَارَبُّ ،مَتَى رَأَيْنَاكَ جَائِعاً فَأَطْعَمْنَاكَ ،أَوْ عَطْشَاناً فَسَقَيْنَاكَ؟ 38وَمَتَى رَأَيْنَاكَ غَرِيباً فَآوَيْنَاكَ ،أَوْ عُرْيَاناً فَكَسَوْنَاكَ؟ 39وَمَتَى رَأَيْنَاكَ مَرِيضاً أَوْ مَحْبُوساً فَأَتَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ؟ 40فَيُجِيبُ الْمَلِكُ وَيَقَوُلَ لَهُمْ : الْحَقَّ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ: بِمَا أَنَّكُمْ فَعَلْتُمُوهُ بِأَحَدِ إِخْوَتِي هَؤُلاَءِ الأَصَاغِرِ ،فَبِي فَعَلْتُمْ.41((ثُمَّ يَقُولُ أَيْضاً لِلَّذِينَ عَنِ الْيَسَارِ: اذْهَبُوا عَنِّي يَا مَلاَعِينُ إِلَى النَّارِ الأَبَدِيَّةِ الْمُعَدَّةِ لِإِبْلِيسَ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ، 42لأَنِّي جُعْتُ فَلَمْ تُطْعِمُونِي. عَطِشْتُ فَلَمْ تَسْقُونِي. 43كُنْتُ غَرِيباً فَلَمْ تَأْوُونِي. عُرْيَاناً فَلَمْ تَكْسُونِي. مَرِيضاً وَمَحْبُوساً فَلَمْ تَزُورُونِي. 44حِينَئِذٍ يُجِيبُونَهُ هُمْ أَيْضاً قَائِليِنَ : يَارَبُّ مَتَى رَأَيْنَاكَ جَائِعاً أَوْ عَطْشَاناً أَوْ غَرِيباً أَوْ عُرْيَاناً أَوْ مَرِيضاً أَوْ مَحْبُوساً وَلَمْ نَخْدِمْكَ؟ 45فَيُجِيبُهُمْ قَائِلاً : الْحَقَّ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ: بِمَا أَنَّكُمْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوهُ بِأَحَدِ هَؤُلاَءِ الأَصَاغِرِ فَبِي لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا. 46فَيَمْضِي هَؤُلاَءِ إِلَى عَذَابٍ أَبَدِيٍّ وَالأَبْرَارُ إِلَى حَيَاةٍ أَبَدِيَّةٍ)). 

 

 


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 7th Tone

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.

حطمت بصليبك الموت، وفتحت للص الفردوس، وحولت نوح حاملات الطيب، وأمرت رسلك ان يكرزوا ، بانك قد قمت ايها المسيح الاله ، مانحاً العالم الرحمة العظمى.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 1st Tone

O God, when You come upon the earth in glory, the whole world will tremble. A river of fire will bring all before Your Judgment Seat and the books will be opened, and everything in secret will become public. At that time, deliver me from the fire which never dies, and enable me to stand by Your right hand, O Judge most just.

Apolytikion of Photine, the Samaritan Women in the Third Tone

All illumined by the Holy Spirit, thou didst drink with great and ardent longing of the waters Christ Saviour gave unto thee; and with the streams of salvation wast thou refreshed, which thou abundantly gavest to those athirst. O Great Martyr and true peer of Apostles, Photine, entreat Christ God to grant great mercy unto us.

Kontakion of Photine, the Samaritan Women in the Third Tone

Photine the glorious, the crown and glory of the Martyrs, hath this day ascended to the shining mansions of Heaven, and she calleth all together to sing her praises, that they might be recompensed with her hallowed graces. Let us all with faith and longing extol her gladly in hymns of triumph and joy.
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Wisdom of the Fathers

"Christian love is the 'possible impossibility' to see Christ in another man, whoever he is..."
Alexander Schmemann
Great Lent, 20th Century

So great was the honour and providential care which God bestowed upon man that He brought the entire sensible world into being before him and for his sake. The kingdom of heaven was prepared for him from the foundation of the world (cf. Matt. 25:34); God first took counsel concerning him, and then he was fashioned by God's hand and according to the image of God (cf. Gen. 1:26-27). God did not form the whole man from matter and from the elements of this sensible world, as He did the other animals. He formed only man's body from these materials; but man's soul He took from things supercelestial or, rather, it came from God Himself when mysteriously He breathed life into man (cf. Gen. 2:7).
St. Gregory Palamas
Topics of Natural and Theological Science no. 24, The Philokalia Vol. 4 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 356, 14th century

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