long and boring? archive/april-2013... · church bulletin ~ april 2013! page 1 albanian orthodox...

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CHURCH BULLETIN ~ APRIL 2013 PAGE 1 Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America ~ www.aoaa.org SS Peter and Paul Albanian Orthodox Church ~ sspeterpaulphila.org 9230 Old Bustleton Avenue ~ Philadelphia, PA 19115 ~ Church Phone: 215-676-3311 Pastor: Father Stephen Siniari ~ Phone: 609-385-3757 ~ Email: [email protected] FATHER STEPHEN’S MESSAGE TO THE FAITHFUL ...A certain quiet sadness permeates the service: vestments are dark, the services are longer than usual and more monotonous, there is almost no movement. Readings and chants alternate, yet nothing seems to happen. At regular intervals the priest comes out of the sanctuary and reads always the same short prayer and the whole congregation punctuates every petition of that prayer with prostrations. Thus for a long time we stand in this monotony - in this quiet sadness. But then we begin to realize that this very length and monotony are needed if we are to experience the secret and at first unno- ticeable "action" of the service in us. Little by little we begin to understand, or rather to feel, that this sadness is indeed "bright," that a mysterious transformation is about to take place in us. It is as if we were reaching a place to which the noises and the fuss of life, of the street, of all that which usually fills our days and even nights, have no access - a place where they have no power. All that which seemed so tremendously important to us as to fill our mind, that state of anxiety which has virtually become our second nature, disappear somewhere and we begin to feel free, light, and happy. It is not the noisy superficial happiness which comes and goes twenty times a day and is so frag- ile and fugitive; it is a deep happiness which comes not from a single and particular reason but from our soul having in the words of Dostoevsky, touched, "another world." And that which it has touched is made up of light and peace and joy, of an inexpressible trust. We understand then why the services had to be long and seemingly monotonous. We understand that it is simply impossible to pass from our "nor- mal" state of mind made up almost entirely of fuss, rush, and care, into this new one without first "quieting down," without restoring in our- selves a measure of inner stability. This is why those who think of church serv- ices only in terms of "obligations," who always in- quire about the required minimum ("How often must we go to church?" “How often must we pray?") can never understand the true nature of worship which is to take us into a different world and that of God's Presence - but to take us there slowly because our fallen nature has lost the ability to accede there naturally. -- Father Alexander Schmemann in Great Lent Long and Boring? Sincere and many thanks to all who participated, prepared, and prayed for Margot and me during the Service of Thanksgiving last month, and especially to Tish for the wonderful meal.

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Page 1: Long and Boring? Archive/April-2013... · CHURCH BULLETIN ~ APRIL 2013! PAGE 1 Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America ~ SS Peter and Paul Albanian Orthodox Church ~ sspeterpaulphila.org

CHURCH BULLETIN ~ APRIL 2013

! PAGE 1

Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America ~ www.aoaa.orgSS Peter and Paul Albanian Orthodox Church ~ sspeterpaulphila.org9230 Old Bustleton Avenue ~ Philadelphia, PA 19115 ~ Church Phone: 215-676-3311

Pastor: Father Stephen Siniari ~ Phone: 609-385-3757 ~ Email: [email protected]

FATHER STEPHEN’S MESSAGE TO THE FAITHFUL

...A certain quiet sadness permeates the service: vestments are dark, the services are longer than usual and more monotonous, there is almost no movement. Readings and chants alternate, yet nothing seems to happen.

At regular intervals the priest comes out of the sanctuary and reads always the same short prayer and the whole congregation punctuates every petition of that prayer with prostrations.

Thus for a long time we stand in this monotony - in this quiet sadness. But then we begin to realize that this very length and monotony are needed if we are to experience the secret and at first unno-ticeable "action" of the service in us.

Little by little we begin to understand, or rather to feel, that this sadness is indeed "bright," that a mysterious transformation is about to take place in us. It is as if we were reaching a place to which the noises and the fuss of life, of the street, of all that which usually fills our days and even nights, have no access - a place where they have no power.

All that which seemed so tremendously important to us as to fill our mind, that state of anxiety which has virtually become our second nature, disappear somewhere and we begin to feel free, light, and happy.

It is not the noisy superficial happiness which comes and goes twenty times a day and is so frag-ile and fugitive; it is a deep happiness which comes not from a single and particular reason but from our soul having in the words of Dostoevsky, touched, "another world."

And that which it has touched is made up of light and peace and joy, of an inexpressible trust.

We understand then why the services had to be long and seemingly monotonous. We understand that it is simply impossible to pass from our "nor-mal" state of mind made up almost entirely of fuss, rush, and care, into this new one without first "quieting down," without restoring in our-selves a measure of inner stability.

This is why those who think of church serv-ices only in terms of "obligations," who always in-quire about the required minimum ("How often must we go to church?" “How often must we pray?") can never understand the true nature of worship which is to take us into a different world and that of God's Presence - but to take us there slowly because our fallen nature has lost the ability to accede there naturally.

-- Father Alexander Schmemann in Great Lent

Long and Boring?

Sincere and many thanks to all who participated, prepared, and prayed for Margot and me during the Service of Thanksgiving last month, and especially to Tish for the wonderful meal.

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CHURCH BULLETIN ~ APRIL 2013

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LITURGICAL SCHEDULE ~ APRIL/MAY 2013Events and Announcements

Pre-Sanctified - Wednesday, April 3, 10, 17, 24 - 7 PM

Lazarus Saturday - April 27 - Divine Liturgy, 9 AM

Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem & Blessing of Palms - Sunday, April 28 - Divine Liturgy, 10 AM

Holy Wednesday (Holy Unction) - May 1 - 7 PM

Holy Thursday (Twelve Passion Gospels) - May 2 - 7 PM

Holy Friday (Vespers, Taking Down from Cross) - May 3 - 3 PM; (Lamentations at Tomb) - 7 PM

Holy Saturday (Vesperal Liturgy of St Basil) - May 4 - 9 AM; Orthros/Pashkal Canon/Liturgy - 11 PM

Pascha Sunday (Agape Vespers; Gospel in many Languages) - May 5 - Noon

SCHEDULE OF OTHER SERVICESBible Study - Every Wednesday - 7 PM - 8:30 PM in the Church Hall - Led by Fr. Dn. Gregory

*Will resume Wednesday, May 8

CHURCH NEWS AND REMINDERSMembership Dues 2013 are $125 - Dues

can be paid at any time to our treasurer, James Schaeffer.

Coffee Hour - The Coffee Hour sign up sheet is lo-cated upstairs in the Church Hall by the door to the kitchen. Please write your name, email address and phone number by the date you sign up for. Questions, see Linda Biando.

Special Services If you are planning to have a spe-cial service in the Church, please be considerate and notify either Father Stephen or the Church Committee one week in advance.

When you are planning for a Baptism, Wedding, Funeral, or any other Prayer Service in the Church, please speak with Father

Stephen in advance to determine if there is any way you can contribute to help the Church in helping others. Thank you.

Please note: if the services of the Church Choir are re-quired, please notify the Choir Director, Christina Murianka, as soon as possible.

No Smoking/No Cell Phones Please remem-ber that SS Peter & Paul has a no smoking policy in the building and that ringers on cell phones should be off during the Divine Liturgy.

Church Council Meeting - Monday, April 8, 7 PM. All Parishioners are welcome to attend.

PLEDGES & DONATIONS Pledges for our New Lift - The projected total cost will be $70,000. We have received pledges totaling $11,000 thus

far. We ask that you prayerfully consider a pledge or donation (which can be fulfilled over a 2 year period) towards completion of the Lift Project which will benefit many in our community for years to come. Contact our Parish Treasurer, James Schaeffer, or any member of the Parish Board to make your pledge and support the community of SS Peter & Paul. Thank you for your generosity! Now is the perfect time to make your pledge for this much needed addition to our Church! Please be generous and pledge as soon as possible. Thank you for your generosity!

Ladies Society Lenten Luncheon apprecia-tion - A most sincere thank you to all who volunteered their time, efforts and services and to all those who participated in this year’s Lenten Luncheon.

Easter Flowers Donation - Please donate gener-ously to defray the cost of Pascha flowers. We hope to have envelopes for your donations available soon.

Collection Sundays - 1st Sunday - Collection for the Poor; 2nd Sunday - IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Chari-ties); 3rd Sunday - Pastoral Fund. May God bless you for your gen-erosity!

Other Donations: Church LibraryPop Tab Collections for Ronald McDonald House Wine: Altar wine: Manischewitz Concord Grape (please do

not donate any other brand of concord grape)

THE JOY OF GIVING

Please note: this is a curtailed Service Schedule due to our recovering priest. Any changes to the schedule (specifi-cally Holy Days falling on weekdays) will be announced in Church, emailed to you & posted on our website.

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CHURCH BULLETIN ~ APRIL 2013

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Events and Announcements (Continued)

UPCOMING EVENTS AT OTHER LOCATIONS

Lenten Mission Vesper Services - All Services at 4 PM (sponsored by the OCA Clergy Brotherhood):April 7 - St Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church - 1855 Middletown Rd, Gradyville, PA 19039 - 610-459-5310April 14 - St Thomas Greek Orthodox Church - 615 Mercer St, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 - 856-665-1731April 21 - St Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church - 4th & Fairmount Ave, Phila, PA 19123 - 215-627-6148

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Retreat (10 AM - 12 Noon, Room 7) - 64 Hershey Ave, Lan-caster, PA 17603 - 717-394-1735 http://www.annunciationorthodox.org/index.php/en/30-newsflash/89-adult-lenten-forum

Saturday, April 13 - Holy Land Revisited. Power point presentation on the recent parish pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Prosopon School of Iconology 25th Anniversary Conference April 12-13 at Erdman Center, Princeton Theological Seminary. Cost is $45 which includes dinner, breakfast, lunch. Go to the following website to register (you can only pay through PayPal): http://prosoponanniversary.org/Home_Page.html

St Philip’s Annual Lenten Retreat (9 AM - 5:30 PM, Vespers at 6 PM) - 1970 Clearview Rd, Souderton, PA 18964 - 215-721-4947 - [email protected] - http://www.st-philip.net/news.html Saturday, April 13 - Christian Hospitality: Living Images of Christ, presented by Paul Finley (Director, St Herman House of Hospitality, Ohio). Event is free, call to let them know you are coming (offerings received). Flyer is posted in our foyer area.

St John Chrysostom Sunday School Lazarus Saturday Retreat - Saturday, April 27. Liturgy be-gins at 10 AM and Retreat follows until 3 PM. They will be making Meshe and different crafts and Fr Brooks Led-ford (who served at St John’s from 2001-2002) will meet with the children. If interested in coming, contact Steve Coraluzzi at [email protected]

St John Chrysostom Albanians & Friends for the Cure (Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure) - Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12. Once again, St John’s is sponsoring a team and collecting donations for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Please join their team and accompany them as they walk in solidarity to find a cure for breast cancer. Use the following link to register for the race or make a donation to help find the c u r e ( a c l i c k a b l e l i n k i s o n o u r w e b s i t e ’ s S e r v i c e & E v e n t S c h e d u l e P a g e ) : http://rfcphl.convio.net/site/TR?team_id=50211&pg=team&fr_id=1080&et=yB7mxel1C2VfOjNghp54mw&s_tafId=41893

* If you wish to register and/or make a donation but do not have internet access, please contact Donna Dimitri at: 609-685-1651 for more information.

Down Syndrome Association of DE “Buddy Walk”: Team John - Sunday, May 19, U of D Athletic Complex, Newark, DE, 11 AM - 3 PM (This comes via St John Chrysostom) A mes-sage from Susan Melnik, John’s mother. John has Downs Syndrome and they have partici-pated in the Buddy Walk for the past 3 years: Team Brother John looks forward to another great Buddy Walk this year. Please come out to do the walk, have some fun, & picnic with us un-der the Brother John tent. We are always looking for new faces to join us as we celebrate. John has learned to run like the wind, climb to great heights, say his ABC’s & 123’s, sing along with his favorite band (Maná), & try new foods. John would love to show you his new skills in person. If you can’t make the day, you can still contribute to our team “Brother John” by donating online:

http://secure.dsadelaware.org/BuddyWalk/BuddiesAndTeams/Team.aspx?TeamID=483

UPCOMING EVENTS AT SS PETER & PAUL

SS Peter & Paul Annual Spring Clean Up/Fix Up Day - Scheduled for Saturday, April 13, 9 AM. Rain Date: Saturday, April 20. If you are at all able, please reserve this time to come and help beautify our Church for Pascha. Thank you!

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CHURCH BULLETIN ~ APRIL 2013

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MISCELLANEOUS

E-mails: New Bulletins are available online by Saturday 8 PM on the last Saturday of the month. If you would like to be kept up-to-date by e-mail or to be removed from our “paper” mailing list, please e-mail Alicia at: [email protected]

SS Peter & Paul Church Store - Open Sun-days at 9:30 AM (1/2 hour before Divine Liturgy) Items available: SS Peter & Paul 90th Year Celebration DVD ($15); Divine Lit-urgy Books, Icons; Crosses (Baptismal, lapel pins, Georgian style, orthodox); Prayerbooks (English); Censors; CDs and cassettes; Religious Books. Also available: In Their Own Tongue, a documentary chronicling the Albanian Archdiocese in America.

Daily Bread - Suspended until further noticeWeekly Devotional Lights - Envelopes are avail-

able at the Church Store counter for special prayers to be said dur-ing the week in conjunction with the burning of the Seven-Day Vo-tive Light hanging above the Royal Doors. Suggested offering: $10, which will go towards building up our Pastoral Fund with the ulti-mate goal of supporting a full time priest.

Announcements/News about Parishioners - If you have any items to include in next month’s Bulletin, please see Al ic ia o r ca l l he r a t 215-530-0118 o r ema i l : [email protected] The deadline for the next Bulletin is Sun-day, April 21. Parishioners will be able to pick up the Bulletin at the Church on Sunday 4/28/13. Bulletins will be mailed to any Parishioners unable to attend.

Please remember to let Alicia know the names of our mem-bers who are ill or in need of prayer so that they can be in-cluded in our Bulletins. ***Please note: You cannot arbi-trarily be removed from the Prayer List. You must let Alicia know to remove your name. Thank you.

Thank You to all members of the Parish who have helped out or volunteered in any way with their time and efforts, and a very special thank you to anyone whose name was inadvertently omitted from the Bulletin.

A Very Happy Birthday is wished to the following parishioners and friends who are cele- brating April Birthdays: Stuart Barenbaum, Belinda Mentzer, Sally O’Brien, Rose Shaloka,

Sharon Spause, Margaret Vesho. May God grant them all many, many years!

Parishioner’s Corner

Anyone with Email Access (who is not currently receiving email Bulletin notifications from Alicia) - please email Alicia at [email protected] to be put on the list to receive a pdf version of the Bulletin and no paper Bulletin. Please help us conserve paper and expenses! Thank you!

Al Antony recently underwent surgery with some minor complications. We are all very happy that Al is better and once again back with us! Please keep Al in your prayers! May God grant him good health!

Congratulations to Katherine & Harry Halkedis on the birth of their new grandchild! John (Jack) Halkedis Petit was born to Anne Halkedis & John Petit on Saturday, March 16, 2013. His weight was 7 lbs 10 oz and he was 20 1/2” long. Congratulations also to his big sister, Cali! May God grant John many, many years!

Beautiful Pascha Cards are available. Please see Donna Bacon. Suggested donation: $1.50 per card.

GENERAL INTEREST

Ancient Faith Radio 24 hour a day internet Orthodox radio station: http://ancientfaithradio.com

Make a Purchase through Amazon and Help St George Cathedral in South Boston - Go to the Cathedral website: www.saintgeorgecathedral.com and scroll down to “Shop Amazon” on the left side.

Change your Electricity Provider & Benefit Our Church - Switch through this website (http://www.sspeterpaul.streampowerup.biz) & SS Peter & Paul will receive $4/month for each person who switches and Sophia Demas will receive $1/month (donated to our Church). If you do not have access to the internet, just bring your electric bill to Church and you’ll be able to get signed up. A direct link is on our website on: “Current Announcements” page.

(Continued on next page)

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CHURCH BULLETIN ~ APRIL 2013

! PAGE 5

Please continue to pray for the full and speedy recovery of: Gregory Vrato, Sr., Matthew Murianka, Joyce Dorsey, Mary Palmerick, Thimi Daka, Sophie Bacon, Margot Craig, Eteri Okropiridze, Mary Ann Clark, Alexandra Pana, Nicholas Desloges, Martha Murianka, Anthony Sarris, Jeannie Rifkin, Nick Zeo, His Eminence Archbishop Nikon, Eurania (Elaine) Quirias, Lester Speero, Lester Paul Speero, Sandy Speero, George Speero, Fr Stephen Siniari, Al AntonyGod knows the names and ages of all who need His love and mercy...

Let Us Keep Them in our Prayers

Special Announcements from Fr. StephenFather Stephen may be reached at 609-385-3757, Monday - Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM or by email:

[email protected]. Please remember that all confessions and consultations on Sunday mornings shall take place from 9 AM to 10 AM before the Divine Liturgy. Thank you.

Father Dudash may be reached at 484-552-8079 or by email: [email protected]

Memory Eternal+Vitaly Savchenko fell asleep in the Lord a few days before March 18th. A Memorial Service was held on Saturday, 3/30/13 at the Church of Our Lady, Joy of All Who Sorrow and the Parishioners of SS Peter & Paul also remembered him with a Memorial Service on Sunday, 3/31. Vitaly will be missed at SS Peter & Paul.

May Vitaly’s memory be eternal!

Greeting Card Recycling Project - Please bring in any Nativity, Pascha or Icon greeting cards. The Sunday School chil-dren are “recycling” them into postcards and sending them to our Parishioners who are “shut-ins”. We want them to know that they are still loved and remembered. The cards will be sent during the respective holiday seasons.

The Following Items Are Needed - 1) Unwanted tools in good condition; 2) Empty honey jars for holy water. Thank you!

Volunteers Needed for Clean Up after Coffee Hour - The sponsoring of Coffee Hour has worked out well (sponsors are still needed). We need volunteers to help with the clean up after Coffee Hour. Please volunteer to help. Thank you!

Donate An Item a Month Campaign - We are in need of the following items: paper coffee cups, paper plates, napkins. Your continued help is truly appreciated! No styrofoam, please! A sincere “Thank You” to all parishioners who so kindly donated any requested items.

Gregory Vrato, Sr., is at the John Neumann Nursing Home, Room 729, at the intersection of Haldeman & Tomlinson Road (make a right on Tomlinson and the parking lot is immediately on your right). Visitors are welcome anytime from noon to 8 PM

Please continue to keep Gregory in your prayers. May God grant him good health!

Parishioner’s Corner (Continued from page 4)

Memory Eternal+Nicholas Naum fell asleep in the Lord on March 31st at the age of 90. Nick had been staying at Cherry Hill Senior Living and was a longtime parishioner at St John Chrysostom. Beloved husband for 40 years to the late Gertrude (nee Fulgowski), loving brother of George Naum (Claire) of Auburn, ME; Althea Austin (Earl) of Auburn, ME; and Catherine Akerley (the late Russell) of Media, PA. Nick is also survived by 10 nieces and nephews and by many great and great-great nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held on Friday, April 5th at the Schetter Funeral Home. Interment will take place in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Auburn, ME. You may share condolences with the family at: http://www.schetterfh.com/nrtre/obituaries.html

Contributions in Nick’s memory may be made to St John Chrysostom Albanian Orthodox Church, 237 North 17th St, Phila, PA 19103.

May Nick’s memory be eternal!

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CHURCH BULLETIN ~ APRIL 2013

! PAGE 6

Great LentFasting Guidelines According to

the Holy Canons

From sundown on Cheesefare Sunday to Pascha:Abstinence of: ! Meat & meat products! Dairy products & eggs! Fish with backbones! Olive Oil! Wine (all alcoholic beverages)No abstinence of:" Shellfish! Fruit! Vegetables and vegetable products (includes !! ! grains: rice, wheat, flour, non-egg pasta, !! ! breads; tofu/bean curd; nuts)No food should be eaten between meals. At meal time, smaller portions should be eaten.Feast-Day Exceptions:" Annunciation (March 25) & Palm Sunday: Fish, !! Wine, & Oil permittedExceptions on weekends:" On Saturdays* and Sundays, Olive Oil & Wine !! are permitted. The quantity and number of !! times food may be consumed is not restricted.! *No exception on Great Saturday on which a strict fast " is kept.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT FASTING IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT

PRAYER AND ALMSGIVING---------------

Fasting, to whatever extent, should be undertaken after consultation and with a blessing from your spiritual Father.

It can be good to reduce or eliminate TV, Facebook, and all other unnecessary media.

Fasting prior to Communion (throughout the year):Complete fast from bedtime or midnight from all food and drink. For an evening Liturgy, a complete fast from all food and drink after lunch. Any breakfast and lunch meal should include fasting foods only.

True Lenten Discipline

Fast from judging others......Feast on Christ dwelling in them

Fast from emphasis on differences......Feast on the unity of all life

Fast from apparent darkness......Feast on the reality of all light

Fast from thoughts of illness......Feast on the healing power of God

Fast from words that pollute......Feast on phrases that purify

Fast from discontent......Feast on gratitude

Fast from anger......Feast on patience

Fast from pessimism.....Feast on optimism

Fast from worry......Feast on God’s providence

Fast from complaining......Feast on appreciation

Fast from negatives......Feast on positives

Fast from unrelenting pressures......Feast on unceasing prayer

Fast from hostility......Feast on non-resistance

Fast from bitterness......Feast on forgiveness

Fast from self-concern......Feast on compassion for others

Fast from personal anxiety......Feast on eternal truth

Fast from discouragement......Feast on hope

Fast from facts that depress......Feast on verities that uplift

Fast from lethargy......Feast on enthusiasm

Fast from thoughts that weaken......Feast on promises that inspire

Fast from shadows of sorrow......Feast on the sunlight of serenity

Fast from idle gossip......Feast on purposeful silence

Fast from problems that overwhelm......Feast on prayer that sustains

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CHURCH BULLETIN ~ APRIL 2013

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GREATMARTYR, VICTORY-BEARER AND WONDERWORKER GEORGE(Commemorated on April 23)

The Holy Great Martyr George the Victory-Bearer was a native of Cappadocia (Asia Minor). His father was martyred when George was still a child. His mother, owning lands in Palestine, moved there with her son and raised him in strict piety.

St George entered into the service of the Ro-man army where he came to the notice of the emperor Diocletian (284-305) and joined the imperial guard with the rank of comites, or military commander. The pagan emperor was concerned with the danger presented to pa-gan civilization by the triumph of the Crucified Savior and gave all his governors full freedom in their court proceedings against Christians.

St George distributed all his wealth to the poor, freed his servants, and appeared in the Senate, speaking out against the emperor. He confessed himself a Christian, and ap-pealed to all to acknowledge Christ: “I am a servant of Christ, my God, and trusting in Him, I have come among you voluntarily, to bear witness concerning the Truth.” The em-peror attempted to persuade George not to throw away his youth, glory and honors, but to offer sacrifice to the gods. The confessor replied, “Nothing in this inconstant life can weaken my resolve to serve God.”

The next day St George again answered the emperor, “You will grow tired of tormenting me sooner than I will tire of being tormented by you.” They tied the Great Martyr to a wheel, beneath which were boards pierced with sharp pieces of iron which slashed the saint’s naked body. At first he loudly cried out to the Lord, but soon quieted down. Dio-cletian gave orders to remove the body from the wheel, and went to a pagan temple to offer thanks. At this very moment it got dark, thunder boomed, and a voice was heard: “Fear not, George, for I am with you.” Then a wondrous light shone and an angel of the Lord appeared and said to him, “Rejoice!” St George stood up healed. When the soldiers led him to the pagan temple the pagans be-came convinced that a miracle had occurred

and came to believe in the Life-Creating God of the Christians.

The emperor became even more furious and gave St George over to new and fiercesome torments, but the brave sufferer, strengthened by the power of God, remained unyielding.

The emperor concluded that the saint was being helped by magic, and asked what sort of power was helping him. St George said, “Do not imagine that it is any human learning which keeps me from being harmed by these torments. I am saved only by calling upon Christ and His Power. Whoever believes in Him has no regard for tortures and is able to do the things that Christ did” (John 14:12). Diocletian asked what sort of things Christ had done. The Martyr replied, “He gave sight to the blind, cleansed the lepers, healed the lame, gave hearing to the deaf, cast out de-mons, and raised the dead.” The emperor commanded him to raise up a dead person. At the graveyard, the saint cried out, “O Lord! Show to those here present, that You are the only God in all the world. Let them know You as the Almighty Lord.” Then the earth quaked, a grave opened, the dead one emerged from it alive. Having seen with their own eyes the Power of Christ, the people wept and glorified the true God.

Diocletian had St George again locked up in prison. The people began to visit the prison and they there received healing and help from the saint. The exploits and the miracles of the Great Martyr George had increased the number of the Christians, and Diocletian made a final attempt to compel the saint to offer sacrifice to the idols by offering to make St George his co-administrator. The holy martyr feigned willingness, went up to the idol, made the Sign of the Cross and ad-dressed it as if it were alive: “Are you the one who wants to receive from me sacrifice befit-ting God?” The demon inhabiting the idol cried out, “I am not a god and none of those like me is a god, either. The only God is He Whom you preach. We are fallen angels, and

we deceive people because we are jealous.” St George cried out, “How dare you remain here, when I, the servant of the true God, have entered?” Then noises and wailing were heard from the idols, and they fell to the ground and were shattered.

The holy empress Alexandra confessed Christ at the feet of the Great Martyr. Diocletian pro-nounced the death sentence on the Great Martyr George and the holy Empress Alexan-dra, who followed St George to execution. Along the way she surrendered her soul to God. At the place of execution the saint prayed that the Lord would forgive the tortur-ers who acted in ignorance, and that He would lead them to the knowledge of Truth. Calmly and bravely, the holy Great Martyr George bent his neck beneath the sword, receiving the crown of martyrdom on April 23, 303.

The most famous of St George’s miracles are depicted in iconography. Outside the saint’s native city of Beirut was a large lake, inhab-ited by an enormous dragon-like serpent which devoured people. On the advice of the demons inhabiting the idols, the ruler decided that each day the people would draw lots to feed their children to the serpent. The ruler sacrificed his only daughter and sent her off to the lake where she awaited her death. St George rode up on his horse, signed himself with the Sign of the Cross and rushed at the serpent. St George pierced the throat of the serpent with his spear and trampled it with his horse. He told the girl to bind the serpent with her sash, and lead it into the city. The people fled in terror, but the saint halted them with the words: “Don’t be afraid, but trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in Him, since it is He Who sent me to save you.” Then the saint killed the serpent with a sword, and the people burned. Twenty-five thousand men, not counting women and children, were then baptized. Later, a church was built and dedi-cated to the Most Holy Theotokos and the Great Martyr George.

Reading & Icon Courtesy of OCA Website

HOLY DAYS AND NAME DAYS IN APRIL April 1 - St Mary of EgyptApril 6 - St Methodius, Enlightener of the SlavsApril 7 - Repose of St Tikhon, Patriarch of MoscowApril 9 - St Vadim, Monk Martyr of PersiaApril 14 - St John Climacus (of the Ladder); St Martin, Confessor, Pope of RomeApril 16 - Virgin Martyrs Agape, Irene & ChioniaApril 21 - St Mary of EgyptApril 22 - Apostles Nathaniel, Luke & Clement of the SeventyApril 23 - Holy Greatmartyr, Victory-bearer & Wonderworker GeorgeApril 25 - Holy Apostle and Evangelist MarkApril 27 - Lazarus SaturdayApril 28 - Entry into Jerusalem, Palm Sunday; St Jason & St SosipaterApril 29 - Holy MondayApril 30 - Holy Tuesday; Holy Apostle James, Brother of St John; St Ignatius Brianchaninov