Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most
Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let
us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

1 April 2018
Holy Week Books are essential for this week

Palm Sunday –- The Triumphant Entry of our Lord into Jerusalem

The Feast of St Mary of Egypt – St Euthymios of Suzdal – St Abraham Vladimir the
Wonderworker of Bulgaria – St Gerontios the Canonarch of Kiev Far Caves – St Makarios,
Abbot of Pelecete Monastery – St Gerontios & St Basilides – St Achas – St John Shavteli of
Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia & St Eulogios of Salosi, Prophet and Fool for Christ,
Great Georgian Hymnographers – St Barsanuphrios of Optina Monastery

FIRST FESTAL ANTIPHON – PALM SUNDAY – PSALM 114/115 - TONE 2

1. Igapisa, oti isakousete Kyrios tis fonis tis deiseos mou. 1. I have Loved, because the Lord shall hear the voice of
Alalaxate to Theo en foni Agalliaseos. my Supplication. Shout to God with the voice of
Rejoicing!
✞ Tes Presvies tis Theotokou, Soter, Soson imas.
Through the Intercessions of the Theotokos, O
2. Perieshon me odines Thanatou, kindini Adou evrosan Saviour, Save us.
me. ✶ 2. The pains of Death surrounded me; the dangers of
Hades found me. ✶
3. Thlipsin
ke odinin evron, Le to Onoma Kyrious 3. I found affliction and grief. Then I called upon the
epekalesamin. ✶ Lord’s Name. ✶
4. Evapestiso enopion Kyriou, en Hora Zonton. ✶ 4. I shall be well pleasing before the Lord in the Land of
the Living. ✶
✞ Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati, ke nin ke ai ke is ✞ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
tous Eonas ton eonon. Spirit, now and forever, and to the Ages of ages.
Amin ✶ Amen ✶
SECOND FESTAL ANTIPHON – PSALM 115/116 – PALM SUNDAY TONE 2
1.Epitefsa, dio elalisa. Ego de etapinothin sfodra. 1. I believed, therefore I spoke. I was greatly humbled.

Soson imas, Iie Theou, O epi polou onou kathesthis,
Save us, O Son of God, Who was seated on a donkey’s
psalontas Si, Allilouia! colt, who sing to Thee: Alleluia!
2. Ti antapodoso to Kyrio peri panton, on antapedoke mi? 2. What shall I render to the Lord for everything He has
✶ granted me? ✶
3. Potirion Sotiriou lipsome ke to Onoma Kyriou 3. I will take up the Cup of Salvation. And call upon the
epikalesome. ✶ Name of the Lord. ✶
4. Si Thiso Thisian eneseos, ke to Onoma Kyriou 4. I will offer a Sacrifice of Praise. ✶
epikalesome. ✶
✞ Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati, ke nin ke ai ke is ✞ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
tous Eonas ton eonon. Spirit, now and forever, and to the Ages of ages.
Amin Amen
SMALL ENTRANCE HYMN - TONE 1
Evlogimenos O erhomenos en Onomati Kyriou. Theos Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord. God is
Kyrios ke epefanen imin. Soson imas, Iie Theou, O epi the Lord, and He Appeared to us. Save us, O Son of
polou onou kathesthis, psalontas Si, Allilouia! God, Who sat on a donkey’s colt, who sing to Thee:
Alleluia!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION – PALM SUNDAY – TONE 1
Tin kinin anastasin pro tou Sou Pathous Pistoumenos, ek To confirm the General Resurrection before Thy Passion,
nekron igiras ton Lazaron, Hriste O Theos. Othen ke Thou Resurrected Lazaros from the dead, O Christ our
imis os i Pedes, ta tis Nikis simbola ferontes, Si to Nikiti God. Therefore, imitating the children, carrying the
tou Thanatou oomen. Osanna en tis Ipsistis, Symbols of Victory, we cry out to Thee the Victor over
evlogimenos O erhomenos, en Onomati Kyriou. Death: Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed art Thou Who
comes in the Name of the Lord.
TRIODION APOLYTIKION – PALM SUNDAY – TONE 4
Sintafentes Si dia tou Vaptismatos, Hriste O Theos imon, tis We were buried with Thee through Baptism, O Christ our
Athanatou Zois ixiothimen ti Anastasi Sou, ke God, and thus by Thy Resurrection, we have been
animnountes krazomen. Osanna en tis Ipsistis, granted Immortal Life, and extolling Thee, we cry
Evlogimenos O erhomenos, en Onomati Kyriou. aloud: Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed art Thou Who
comes in the Name of the Lord.
TRIODION KONTAKION – PALM SUNDAY – TONE (6) PLAGAL 2
To Throno en Ourano, to polo epi tis Gis, epohoumenos In Heaven upon the throne, on Earth upon the colt, Thou
Hriste O Theos, ton Angelon tin enesin, ke ton Pedon were carried, O Christ our God; and the Praise of the
animnisin prosedexo voonton Si. Evlogimenos i O Angels, and the Hymns of the children, Thou received
erhomenos, ton Adam anakalesasthe. as they cried to Thee: Blessed art Thou, Who came to
Call Adam again.

PALM SUNDAY – TRIUMPHAL ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM – 1 APRIL 2018 1.

 THE MEGALYNARION – PALM SUNDAY – TONE 4
( INSTEAD OF “AXION ESTIN” )

Theos Kyrios, ke Epefanen imin. Sistisasthe eortin, ke
God is the Lord, and He Appeared to us. O Christians,
Agallomeni, defte Megalinomen Hriston, meta vaion ke appoint a Feast, and with exultant Joy, come, let us
kladon, imnis kravgazontes. Evlogimenos O erhomenos, Magnify Christ, waving our palms and branches, crying
en Onomati Kyriou - Sotiros imon! aloud in Hymns: Blessed is He Who comes in the Name
of the Lord – our Saviour!
PROKEIMENON – PSALM 117/118 – PALM SUNDAY – TONE 4
Evlogimenos O erhomenos en Onomati Kyriou. Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord.
Exomologisthe to Kyrio, oti Agathos, oti is ton eona to Eleos Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is Good; for His Mercy
Aftou. endures forever.
PALM SUNDAY MATINS GOSPEL: MATTHEW 21: 1 – 11 & 15 - 17
CHRIST’S TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM
At that time, when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two Disciples,
saying to them: “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with
her. Loosen then and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say: “The Lord has need
of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
All this was done so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, Thy King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, a foal of a donkey.”
So the Disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on
them, and set Him on them. A very great multitude spread their clothes upon the road; others cut down branches
from the trees and spread them upon the road. The multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out,
saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!”
And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying: “Who is this?” And the multitudes said: “This is
Jesus, the Prophet from Nazareth of Galilee!” But when the Chief Priests and Scribes saw the Wonderful Things that
He did, and the children crying out in the Temple and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant,
and said to Him: “Dost Thou hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them: “Yes. Have you never read: “Out
of the mouth of babes and nursing infants Thou has perfected praise”?
And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.
Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem is Spiritually Interpreted as OUR NEED TO LAY DOWN OUR
celebrated by the Holy Church on Palm Sunday. FLESH AND INDEED, OUR VERY LIVES, FOR CHRIST.
By the time of Christ, Jewish Nationalism had led to the ✶ “Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!”
expectation of a political Messiah to deliver them comes from Psalm 117:25-26, which was associated
from Roman oppression and rule and to re-establish with MESSIANIC EXPECTATION.
King David’s Kingdom. It was recited daily for six days during the Feast of
In utter Humility, our Lord Jesus emphasised the fact that Tabernacles, and seven times on the 7th Day as
He had not come to establish an earthly Kingdom branches were waved.
because He did not enter Jerusalem on a horse or in ✶ “Hosanna!” means “Save, we pray!”
a chariot like a conquering hero but instead He At Vespers of Palm Sunday we sing: “Keep the Feast with
entered on a donkey – a real sign of His Humility and the children, and holding branches in your hands,
Peace. (SEE THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH 9:9 LXX) sing ‘Hosanna....’” many Liturgical Hymns of this day
 CHRIST’S TRIUMPHAL ENTRANCE INTO THE HOLY CITY emphasise the perfect Praises of the children, which,
DECLARED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF unlike that of adults, were innocent, fitting,
ALMIGHTY GOD. unashamed and from pure Love.
 IT WAS ALSO A DIVINE PROMISE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST’S  W E ARE ALL CALLED TO GLORIFY CHRIST IN THE SAME SPIRIT OF
FINAL ENTRANCE INTO THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM UNASHAMED AND PURE LOVE!
TOGETHER WITH ALL FAITHFUL BELIEVERS AND OF HIS In contrast, the adults’ Praises carried earthly
ACCEPTING THE NEW JERUSALEM AS HIS PURE BRIDE. (SEE expectations and hidden agendas which, when left
THE REVELATION OF CHRIST – THE APOCALYPSE 21:2) unfulfilled, led them to rebel against our Lord Jesus
The Orthodox Christian Church – “the New Jerusalem” - is truly the Christ just a mere five days later!
All Pure Bride of Christ , Her Divine Bridegroom. mp The evil one always uses our human weaknesses and selfish
St Matthew recorded in his Holy Gospel that there was A desires against us and against the Will of God.
COLT AS WELL AS A DONKEY and our Holy Church Fathers In the case of Christ our Saviour, the enemies of God used the
regard the two animals as REPRESENTING THE FAITHFUL earthly desires and expectations of the people as an excuse
HEBREWS AND THE GENTILES WHO ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN for their unjust and unlawful punishment and execution of
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Christ.
At Vespers of Palm Sunday we sing: “Thy riding upon a However, the Lord our God, voluntarily submitted to their evil
foal prefigured how the untamed and uninstructed schemes so that He could enter Hades, smash open its gates
Gentiles would pass from unbelief to Faith.” and set the Righteous free. From that moment onwards, the
Righteous would Repose in Peace in Paradise until Judgement
Those people who spread their clothes upon the ground
Day. mp
before our Lord Jesus Christ, did so as a spontaneous
gesture of reverence to a great King and it is
THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE PHILIPPIANS 4 : 4 – 9
Brethren: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say: Rejoice! Let all men know your Forbearance.
The Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by Prayer and Supplication, with
Thanksgiving; let your requests be made known to God. And the Peace of God, which surpasses all Understanding,
will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
Finally, Brethren: whatever is True, whatever is Honourable, whatever is Just, whatever is Pure, whatever is Lovely,
whatever is Gracious – if there is any Excellence, if there is anything worthy of Praise, think of these Things.
What you have learnt and received and heard and seen in me – do. And the God of Peace will be with you.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST JOHN 12 : 1 – 18
THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY OF CHRIST INTO JERUSALEM
Six days before Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazaros was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There
they made him supper, and Martha served. Lazaros was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Mary took a
pound of costly myrrh of pure nard and anointed the Feet of Jesus and wiped His Feet with her hair. The house will
filled with the fragrance of the myrrh.
One of His Disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was to betray Him), said: “Why was this myrrh not sold for three hundred
denarii and given to the poor?” This he said not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and as
he had the money box, he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said: “Leave her alone! Let her keep it for the day
of My Burial. The poor you will always have with you.”
2. 4 7 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T – 1 0 T H OF TRIODION – 6TH OF LENT – PALM SUNDAY – 24 APRIL 2016
When the great multitudes of Judeans heard that He was there, they went – and not only on account of Jesus, but also
to see Lazaros, whom He had raised from the dead.
The Chief Priests planned to put Lazaros also to death, because on account of him, many of the Judeans were going
away and believing in Jesus.
The next day a great crowd who had come to the Feast heard that Jesus was going to Jerusalem, so they took
branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, crying: “Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the
Lord! Even the King of Israel!”
Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it as it was written: ‘Fear not, O Daughter of Zion. Behold! Thy King is
coming, seated on a donkey’s colt!’ His Disciples did not understand this at first, but when Jesus was Glorified, then
they remembered that this had been written of Him and had been done to Hm.
The crowd that had been with Him when He had called Lazaros out of the tomb and Raised him from the dead bore
witness. The reason why they went to meet him was that they heard He had done this Sign.
THIS WAS THE THIRD PASSOVER THAT IS MENTIONED BY ST JOHN THE The fact that OUR LORD JESUS put such a greedy thief like
DIVINE THEOLOGIAN in his Holy Gospel and it is the Judas Iscariot in charge of the money, shows that BY
setting for the final week of our Lord and Saviour’s EVERY MEANS POSSIBLE HE TRIED TO SAVE JUDAS ISCARIOT:
earthly Ministry, which is narrated in careful detail. Christ fulfilled Judas Iscariot’s lust for money by
 OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAD ALREADY BEEN GLORIFIED entrusting him with their limited funds and HE
THROUGH HIS SIGNS (DIVINE MIRACLES) AND WORDS, AND ALLOWED HIM TO EXERCISE APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY.
IT REMAINED FOR HIM TO BE ULTIMATELY GLORIFIED OUR LORD ALSO WASHED THE FEET OF JUDAS ISCARIOT, just as He
THROUGH HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. did to each of His other Disciples, and HE ALLOWED
THE OTHER DISCIPLES HAD made the same sort of comment JUDAS ISCARIOT TO PARTAKE OF THEIR LAST SUPPER - FROM THE
as Judas Iscariot concerning the expensive oil of SAME TABLE OF HIS MYSTICAL SUPPER – THE VERY FIRST HOLY
spikenard but with VERY DIFFERENT MOTIVES TO HIS. EUCHARIST/COMMUNION.
At the house of Simon the Leper – (the one grateful leper ✶✶ YET, DESPITE ALL THAT, JUDAS ISCARIOT NEVER OVERCAME HIS
in a group of ten whom our Lord Jesus had healed) – TERRIBLE GREED AND SELFISHNESS.
a woman had also used very expensive fragrant oil WHEN JUDAS ISCARIOT IS REFERRED TO AS BEING “ONE OF THE
with which to anoint His Head and although the TWELVE,” IT EMPHASISES THE DEPTH AND EXTENT OF HIS FATAL
Disciples protested at the extravagance, our Lord BETRAYAL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO ACCEPTED HIM
accepted that anointing was an honour from INTO THE INNER SANCTUM OF HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY.
someone who had newly discovered Faith in Him. It proves and emphasises HOW SHOCKING, DEVASTATING AND
CHRIST HAD ACCEPTED HER LOVING GESTURE AS A SIGN OF HIS DANGEROUS THOUGHTLESS, SELF-SERVING MOTIVES REALLY ARE
APPROACHING BURIAL. (MATTHEW 26:6 - 13) – BOTH TOWARDS GOD AND OUR FELLOW SINNERS!
✶✶ Nevertheless, according to St John Chrysostom, His T RUST IS A P RICELESS , I RREPLACEABLE G IFT WE GI VE TO ONE
Disciples were not wrong in principle because MERCY ANOTHE R .
SHOWN TO THE POOR IS MORE FITTING THAN OUTWARD SIGNS I F THAT TRUST IS B ROKEN OR DAMAGE D , IT CAN NEVER BE REPAIRE D
OR GESTURES SHOWN EVEN TO GOD. (MATTHEW 25:40; JAMES OR RE GAINED .
1:27) Consequently, if we break the trust of others – whether in us or
✶✶However, the Disciples did not understand that ONCE in others - we will be severely judged due to the
SUCH A GIFT HAD BEEN GIVEN, IT WAS A GREATER MERCY TO inestimable and irreparable damage and hurt it causes
ACCEPT IT WITH LOVE – AGAPE.
everyone concerned!
Therefore, without fail treat the Wonderful Gift of Trust with the
✶✶ St John Chrysostom taught us: “If anyone had asked
utmost respect and care – and never for a moment think
Christ before the woman did this, He would not have
that lies, deception, theft, etc will remain a hidden secret!
approved it. But after she had done it, HE LOOKED ONLY Sooner or later, God will expose our wickedness to the Bright
TO THE MOTIVE ITSELF. For after the fragrant oil had
Light of His Divine Truth for the whole Universe to behold!
been poured, what good was a rebuke? A LWAYS BE ABSOLUTELY TRUST WORTHY TO OT HERS AS YOU WOULD
“Likewise, if you see anyone providing a Sacred Vessel or LIKE THE M T O BE TO YOU !!
Ornament for the walls of a church, do not spoil his Exposure of our sins is far more devastating and shameful than
zeal. But IF BEFOREHAND HE ASKS ABOUT IT, COMMAND HIM we can begin to understand – so we must ensure that we
TO GIVE INSTEAD TO THE POOR.” remain Steadfastly Righteous and Trustworthy through
✶ JUDAS ISCARIOT WAS MOTIVATED BY HIS INSATIABLE GREED WHILE constant Prayers for Guidance and Spiritual Assistance!
THE OTHER DISCIPLES WERE MOTIVATED BY THEIR VIRTUE OF ✶ B E ASHAMED OF YOU R SINS WHEN YOU COMMIT THEM OR ARE
CHARITY/LOVE. TEMPTED to do so, rather than when you Repent them and
Confess them before God and His Holy Priesthood. mp
PALM SUNDAY – THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM OF OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST
✞ In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the only our Lord Jesus Christ, but the Righteous St
Holy Spirit... Lazaros as well.
Dearly Beloved, Today - Sunday before Holy Pascha - the Jesus Christ never wanted to increase the spite and
Holy Church of Christ celebrates His Triumphant malice of His foes – especially the Scribes and
Entrance into Jerusalem. Pharisees who had immense influence over the
Six days before the Passover, our Lord Jesus Christ went people.
to Bethany, where St Lazaros (who had been four Therefore, He often avoided direct and open
days dead) and his Righteous sister, St Martha and St confrontation with them.
Mary lived. But the time had finally come to take all the wrath and
While He visited them, many of those who had spite of these people upon Himself.
accompanied Him and His Apostles from Jericho, had To prevent any justification of His enemies’ unbelief and
spread the Joyful Tidings that the Great Messiah was animosity towards Him, as well as to prevent their
approaching Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, later accusations that He had hidden His Glory and
having rested for a while in Bethany. His predestined Messianic Mission from them, our
Hearing this news, Christ's enemies, the self-righteous Lord made His Triumphant, ceremonial Entry into the
Scribes and Pharisees went to Bethany - not only on Holy City of Jerusalem, thereby fulfilling all that the
account of our Lord Jesus - but also to see St Lazaros, Holy Prophets of God had foretold concerning Him.
Whom He had raised from the dead. (JOHN 12:9). Having rested a while in Bethany, our Lord Jesus Christ
The number of people believing in and accepting our set out for the Holy City, having commanded two of
Lord Jesus Christ as our Divine Saviour (Messiah) was His Faithful Apostles — in all likelihood St Peter and St
growing from day to day, including many Judeans - John - to go to a nearby village to fetch a donkey and
who had, been hostile towards Him – until they had her young colt for Him.
witnessed the Great Miracle He had wrought when He At the gates of the town, as instructed, they found the
raised and restored to full health, an already donkey and her colt, which they led to our Saviour.
decomposing St Lazaros from four days of Death. The young colt had never been ridden nor borne a yoke.
The Divine Miracle angered and confused the Scribes (1 SAMUEL 6:7)
and Pharisees even more so they resolved to kill not However, the Apostles spread their cloaks upon its back
and our Lord Jesus seated Himself upon it.
PALM SUNDAY 1 APRIL 2018 3.
Thus our Eternal Lord and King triumphantly entered
Jerusalem - not in a splendid royal chariot drawn by
powerful horses, but on a young colt, covered, not
with rich cloths, but with the well-worn cloaks of His
Faithful Apostles!
In this most humble manner, the prophecies of the
ancient Holy Prophets of God were fulfilled: “... Tell
the Daughter of Zion: ‘... Behold! Thy King is coming
to Thee, humble, and mounted on an ass, and on a
colt, the foal of an ass.’” (MATTHEW 21:5).
The Meek and Humble Entry of our Lord Jesus Christ in to
Jerusalem was symbolised His Peace and Humility for
it was a complete contrast to the pompous, triumphal
processions of Kings or conquering heroes at that
time.
The manner whereby our Divine Saviour entered
Jerusalem for that last time, shows us that His
Kingdom is not of this temporary, material world.
It shows us that our Lord Jesus Christ – the Incarnate,
Eternal Son of God - was sent by God the Father,
Whose Glorious Kingdom of Love is Heavenly and
Eternal.
Our Lord Jesus was welcomed, exalted and
accompanied by throngs of people who had followed
Him from Bethany or had met Him along the way.
Having ascended the Mount of Olives, He stopped. From
this hill a beautiful view opened out over Jerusalem.
The tumultuous Joy of the people following the Great
Miracle-Worker who had raised St Lazaros from the
dead, grew even greater at the sight of that beautiful
and sacred city.
Not only His Apostles and Faithful Disciples, but all who
believed in Him Rejoiced with a Great Joy and Love,
for they believed that He was the promised Messiah.
However, they erroneously believed that , as the King of
Glory, He would reign from ‘ the Throne of David,’ and
Deliver them from the oppressive yoke of the Roman
Empire.
At the gates of Jerusalem our Lord Jesus was met by
another great multitude of people who also Rejoiced
and waved branches of palm leaves, singing and
exalting Him, while laying their garments down along
His Path, as was usual to show their willingness to
serve a conquering hero or King of those days. (MATTHEW
21:7-8)
All this was done as an expression of their particular
reverence for the Great Messiah Whom they had
awaited for so many centuries, and had so happily
gone out to welcome into their Holy City.
During our Lord's Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem, all the
people who had gone to Jerusalem in their multitudes
THE ETERNAL, INSPIRED WISDOM
ST PIMEN
We all need Humility and the Fear of God more than we
need to breathe! Two wrongs do not make a right so
if others wrong us, we must return it with something
good. In this way our good deeds expunges their
wrongdoing.
ELDER THADDEUS VITOVNIC
Those who Live in the Kingdom of Heaven radiate saintly
thoughts – Divine Thoughts. The Kingdom of God
creates within us an atmosphere of Paradise – quite
the opposite of the hellish atmosphere that is exuded
by those who have Hades in their heart! The Role of
Faithful Disciples of Christ is to filter the Earth’s
atmosphere, so that the Atmosphere of the Kingdom of
God continuously gains ground.
ELDER AMBROSIOS LAZARIS
We forgive others – we do not quarrel with them. We do
not annihilate others – we put iodine on their Wounds.
Be Joyful. Love one another! Forgive one another!
Pray. Love God, our Ever Blessed Lady, Theotokos,
and all our Saints. No curses can emerge from a
mouth that prays constantly!
ELDER JOSEPH OF VATOPEDI
A humbled heart, which has first been Wounded by the
arrows of the enemy ad then, after Repentance, by
the Paternal Love of our Saviour, has no other way of
expressing itself but by tears. It is naive to think we
can follow in the Footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ
without shedding tears!
4. PALM SUNDAY
– from far and wide - to celebrate the Passover, and
those who had witnessed St Lazaros' (temporary)
resurrection and had been astounded by that Divine
Miracle, cried out in Joyous Rapture the ancient
words: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He
Who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the
highest!”
The Humble and Meek Procession of our Divine Lord and
Saviour through the streets of Jerusalem surpassed
and eclipsed all the triumphant processions that
humanity had ever known.
Seeing the heartfelt Joy of the great multitudes of people
surrounding Him, our Lord Jesus grew sorrowful for
He Loved all mankind but He knew that many of the
same people, who now Rejoiced and cried out aloud
and hailed Him as their long-awaited Messiah, would
very soon - in a few days - cry out just as loudly:
“Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (JOHN 19:6)
Furthermore, our Lord Jesus Christ also knew that the
Holy City of Jerusalem would soon be destroyed by
the Roman Empire – totally desolated - with not one
stone left standing upon another.
As He had drawn closer to Jerusalem, our Lord Jesus had
wept, and said: "Would that even today you knew
the things that make for Peace! But now they are
hidden from your eyes!” (LUKE 19:41-42).
It was certainly not for Himself that our Loving Lord wept.
He wept and grieved because He knew that God's Chosen
People of the Old Covenant were perishing in their
ignorance and error.
Our Most Compassionate and Merciful Lord God grieved -
not only for Jerusalem and His Chosen People, but for
the whole universe!
His Divine Gaze reached across the centuries, and
beheld all the sins of our future generations, and it
was for them and for us that He grieved in His Soul -
for them and for each of us, He wept and He prayed.
Thus, the Triumphant Entrance of our Divine Saviour into
Jerusalem which we celebrate today - Palm Sunday -
was accomplished.
At our Lord's Entrance into Jerusalem, we see Him making
His Way to His voluntary Suffering and Death for the
sake of our Eternal Salvation.
And we also see the Image of Christ's Spiritual Eternal
Kingdom – His Heavenly Kingdom of Love, Truth,
Peace and Humility.
Amen
http://orthochristian.com/52768.html
OF OUR HOLY FATHERS
ST JAMES TSALIKIS
If we are not Spiritually Strong and the behaviour of
others bothers us, let us not condemn them. It is better
to avoid them and to have no dealings with them.
And it they are heretics, then we should avoid them
entirely and have nothing to do with them at all for
keeping company with heretics is dangerous. It can
poison us and deliver a mortal Spiritual Wound!
ELDER PHILOTHEOS ZERVAKOS
Whatever actions we get used to while we are young will
be those that give us pleasure when we are old as
well – whether they are good or bad. St Gregory told
us that if we got used to lying and stealing while
young, we will continue to do so for the rest of our life.
Even if we are dishonoured, punished or mocked, we
will still take pleasure in vice. If we got used to
drinking when we were young, we will continue enjoy
getting drunk when we are old, even when we realise
how much harm it is causing us and our family. The
same is true of smoking for we would rather do
without food than be deprived of our addiction. And
this is also true of the Holy Virtues, for if we are used to
attending Church when we are young, we will
continue to do so as we age. If we are used to
praying, partaking of the Holy Mysteries and being
charitable, we will get the same pleasure as we grow
older. But, sadly, wickedness is doubly bad and
increases, if we learn bad habits and commit sin with
Repentance while still very young!
1 APRIL 2018
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever,
and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and
Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit
ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

13 April 2018

Bright Friday

First Friday of Pascha – Source of Life

The Feast of St Artemon the Presbyter of Laodicea, Syria – St Crescens of Myra, Lycia – St Thomais of Alexandria -

PASCHAL APOLYTIKION – TONE (5) PLAGAL 1

✶ ✞ Hristos Anesti, ek nekron, Thanato thanaton ✶ ✞ Christ is Risen from the dead; By Death trampling
patisas, Ke tis en tis mnimasin, Zoin harisamenos [3] upon death, And has bestowed Life to those in the
tombs. [3]
PASCHAL APOLYTIKION & STIHI – TONE (5) PLAGAL 1
✞Anastito O Theos, ke diaskorpisthitoan i ehthri aftou, ke PRIEST ✞Let God Arise, and let His enemies be scattered,
figetosan apo prosopou aftou i misountes Afton.✶ and let those who hate Him flee from before His
1. Oseklipi kapnos eklipetosan, os tikete kiros apo Sight.✶
prosopou piros.✶ 1. As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish, as wax melts
2. Outos apolounte i amartoli apo prospou tou Theou. Ke before the fire. ✶
i Dikei evfranthitosan. ✶ 2. So shall the sinners perish from the Sight of God. And
let the Righteous be glad. ✶
3. Afti i imera, in epiisen O Kyrios. Agalia-sometha ke 3. This is the Day the Lord made. Let us greatly Rejoice
evfranthomen en afti.✶ and be glad therein.✶
✞ Doxa Patri, ke Io, ke Agio Pnevmati ✶ ✞ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ke nin ke Ai ke is tous eonas ton eonon. Spirit ✶

Amin Now and ever, and to the Ages of ages.

Amen
THE GREAT LITANY,
FIRST PASCHAL ANTIPHON – PSALM 65/66 – TONE 2
1. Alalazate to Theo, pasa i Gi! 1. Shout to God, all the Earth!
✶ ✞Tes Presvies tis Theotokou, Soter, Soson imas. ✶ ✞Through the Intercessions of the Theotokos, O
2. Psalate di to Onomati Aftou, dote Doxan enesi Aftou. ✶ Saviour, Save us.
2. Sing now to His Name; give Glory to His Praise. ✶
3. Ipate to Theo: Os Fovera ta Erga Sou. En to plithi tis
Dinameos Sou psevsonte Se i ehthri Sou...✶ 3. Say to God, “How Awesome art Thy Works! In
4. Greatness of Thy Power Thine enemies will lie to
5. . Pasa i gi proskinisatosan Si ke psalatosan Si, Thee... ✶
psalatosan to Onomati Sou. ✶ “ . . . Let all the earth worship Thee and sing to Thee; let
✞ Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati, ke nin ke ai ke is them sing to Thy Name!” ✶
tous Eonas ton eonon. ✞ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Amin ✶ Spirit, now and forever, and to the Ages of ages.
Amen ✶
SMALL LITANY 
SECOND FESTAL ANTIPHON – HOLY PASCHA – TONE 2
1. O Theos iktirise imas ke Evlogise imas, epifane to 1. May God be Gracious to us, and Bless us; may He
Prosopon Aftou ef’ imas ke eleise imas. cause His Sight to shine upon us and have Mercy on
us.
✶ ✞ Soson imas Iie Theou, O A N A S T A S E K N E K R O N , ✶ ✞ O Son of God, W H O A R O S E F R O M T H E D E A D , Save us
psallontas Si: Allilouia! who sing to Thee: Alleluia
2. Tou gnone en ti gi tin Odon Sou, en pasin Ethnesi to 2. That we may know His Way on the earth - Thy
Sotirion Sou. ✶ Salvation among all the Gentiles. ✶
3. Exomologisasthosan Si lai, O Theos, 3. Let the Nations give Thanks to Thee, O God; let all the
exomologisasthosan Si lai pantes. ✶ people praise Thee. ✶
4. Evlogise imas O Theos, ke fovithitosan Afton panta ta 4. May God Bless us , and let all the ends of the Earth be
perata tis Gis. ✶ in fear of Him. ✶
✞ Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati, ke nin ke ai ke is
tous Eonas ton eonon. ✞ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Amin Spirit, now and forever, and to the Ages of ages.
Amen
”O MONOGENIS...” – SMALL LITANY 

BRIGHT FRIDAY – THE LIFE-GIVING SPRING 13 APRIL 2018 5.

 THIRD FESTAL ANTIPHON – HOLY PASCHA – TONE (5) PLAGAL 1
1. Anastito O Theos, ke diaskorpisthitosan i ehthri Aftou, 1. . Let God Arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and
ke figetosan apo Prosopou Aftou imisountes Afton. let those who hate Him flee from His Sight.
✶ ✞Hristos Anesti ek nekron, Thanato Thanaton ✶ ✞Christ has Risen from the dead, by Death
patistas, ke tis en tis mnimasi, Zoin harisamenos! trampling upon Death, and has bestowed Life to
those in the tombs!
2. Os eklipi kapnos eklipetosan, os tikete kiros apo 2. As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish; as wax melts
Prosopou Piros... ✶ before the fire... ✶
3. Outos apolounte i amartoli apo Prosopou tou Theou ke i 3. Let
sinners perish from the Sight of God. And let the
Dikei evfranthitosan. ✶ Righteous be glad... ✶
4. Afti i imera, in epiisen O Kyrios! Agalliasometha ke 4. This is the Day the Lord made! Let us greatly Rejoice
evfranthomen en Afti! ✶ and be glad therein! ✶
SMALL ENTRANCE HYMNS

PASCHAL IPAKOI – TONE 4

Prolavouse ton orthron e peri Mariaim, ke evrouse ton When the Women with Mary had gone before dawn and
ithon apokilisthenta tou mnimatos, ikouson ek tosou found that the stone had been rolled away from the
Angelou: “Ton en Foti aidio iparhonta, meta nekron ti sepulchre, they heard from the Angel: “Why do You
zitite os Anthropon? Vlepete ta entafia spargana. seek among the dead, as mortal man, the One Who
Dramete, ke to kosmo kiriate, os igerthi O Kyrios, exists in Everlasting Light? See the grave wrappings in
thanatosas ton Thanaton. Oti iparhi Theou Iios, tou the Tomb. Run and proclaim to the world that our Lord
Sozontos to genos ton anthropon. has Risen, and put Death to death; for He is the Son of
God Who Saves mankind.
PASCHAL KONTAKION – OUR LADY, THEOTOKOS – TONE 1
O Naos Sou, Theotoke, anedihthi Paradisos, os potamous Thy Church, O Theotokos, is like Paradise, since it pours
aizoous, anavlizon iamata. O proserhomeni Pistos, os forth Healings and Cures like Ever-living Rivers. We
Zoodohou ek Pigis, Risin antloumen, ke Zoin tin Eonion. come to It with Faith, and we draw Strenth and Eternal
Presvevis gar Si, to ek Sou tehthenti Sotiri Hristo, Life from Its Water, through Thou who art the Spring
Sothine tas psihas imon. that received Life Himself. For Thou Intercede with
Christ our Saviour, Who was Born of Thee, and Thou
Entreat Him to Save our soul.
PASCHAL KONTAKION – TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
I ke en Tafo katilthes Athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tin Although Thou went down into the Tomb, O Immortal,
dinamin. Ke Anestis os Nikitis, Hriste O Theos, Gynexi Thou brought down the dominion of Hades; and Thou
Myrooris fthegxamenos: “Herete!” ke tis Sis Apostolis Rose as Victor, O Christ our God. And Thou called out:
Irinin doroumenos, O tis pesousis parehon Anastasin. “Hail!” to the Myrrhbearing Women, and granted Peace
to Thine Apostles, O Lord Who to the fallen grant
Resurrection.
INSTEAD OF THE THRICE HOLY HYMN
✞ Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe. ✞ As many of you as were Baptised into Christ have put
Allelouia! (3) on Christ. Alleluia!
✞ Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati, ke nin ke ai ke is ✞ Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
tous Eonas ton eonon. Spirit, now and forever, and to the Ages of ages.
Amin Amen
Hriston enedisasthe. Allelouia! Have put on Christ. Allelouia!
Dynamis! Power!
Kelefson, Despota! With Thy Blessing, Master.
Evlogimenos O erhomenos en Onomati Kyriou. Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord.
Evlogison, Despota, tin Ano Kathedran Master, Bless the Throne on High.
Evlogimenos i, O epi Thronou Doxis tis VasiliasSou, O Blessed art Thou on the Throne of Glory of Thy Kingdom,
Kathimenos epi ton Heroubim, pantote, nin ke ai ke is seated upon the Cherubim always, now and forever,
tous eonas ton eonon. and to the Ages of ages.
Amin Amen
Me Dynamis! With Power!
✞ Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe. ✞ As many of you as were Baptised into Christ have put
Allelouia! on Christ: Alleluia!
PROKEIMENON – PSALM 103/104 – TONE 4
Os Emegalinthi ta Erga Sou, Kyrie. Panta en Sofia epiisas. Magnified shalt be Thy Work, O Lord; all things Thou hast
made in Wisdom
Evlogi, i psihi mou, ton Kyrion. Kyrie O Theos mou, Bless, O my soul, the Lord. O my God, Thou art
emegalinthis sfodra. exceedingly Magnified!
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 3 – 1 – 8
In those day, Peter and John were going up to the Temple at the Hour of Prayer – the Ninth Hour. And a man, lame
from birth, was being carried, whom they laid each day at the gate of the Temple, called ‘Beautiful” to beg for alms
of those who entered the Temple.
Seeing Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he asked them for alms. And Peter directed his gaze, together with
John, at him and said: “ Look at us.” And he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from
them. But Peter said: “I have no silver nor gold, but I give you what I have. In the Name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up. And immediately his feet and ankles were
strengthened. And leaping up, he stood, and walked about, and entered the Temple with them, walking, and
leaping, and praising God.
✶✶ “...at the Hour of Prayer – the Ninth Hour...” means  P S A L M 5 4 : 1 8 “...Evening and Morning, and at
that the Apostles observed REGULAR HOURS OF PRAYER just Midday, I shall pray...”
as the Faithful People of God had done for centuries.
6. BRIGHT FRIDAY – THE LIFE-GIVING SPRING 13 APRIL 2018
 D A N I E L 6 : 1 1 ”... (Daniel) knelt down on his knees The Holy Mystery of Healing – Holy Unction – manifests the
three times that day and prayed and gave Living Presence of Almighty God in His Holy Church
Thanks to God as he was doing before...” and It confirms the Divine Message of the Holy Gospel
The practise of praying at the First Hour – 06:00 – Third of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hour – 09:00 – Sixth Hour – 12:00 – and Ninth Hour – VV “...In the Name of Jesus Christ...” – To pray in the
15;00 – of every day was carried over into the New Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, does not
Covenant Church and our Life in Christ as His Faithful simply mean attaching this phrase to the end of our
Disciples. Prayers.
We still observe these Hours in our Eastern Orthodox Instead, when we pray in the Name of our Lord Jesus
Christian Church in our private Prayers, in our Christ, it means that we must pray according to His
Monasteries and in some of our Parishes. Divine Will.
The Sixth and the Ninth Hours are part of our Traditional Just as an emissary of a King can only be said to be
Hours of Liturgical Prayer. speaking in that Sovereign’s name – on his behalf – if
✶✶ THE HOLY APOSTLES OF CHRIST PARTICIPATED NOT ONLY IN he says what the King would want him to say.
PREACHING AND TEACHING, BUT ALSO PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL Similarly, we can only pray in the Name of Christ when
HEALING. we pray according to what He wants or according to
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAD BESTOWED HIS DIVINE AUTHORITY ON His Divine Truth and Purpose.
HIS HOLY APOSTLES SO THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO FULFIL HIS Our Prayers are certainly not to for God to do whatever
COMMANDMENTS. we want, but rather for us to pray properly in Humility
 M A T T H E W 2 8 : 1 6 - 2 0 - “..make Disciples of all and Obedience to His Divine Will and Truth.
the Nations, Baptising them in the Name of the  M A T T H E W 6 : 1 0 - “... THY WILL be done, on Earth, as
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, it is in Heaven...”
teaching them to observe all things that I have
commanded you.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST JOHN 2 : 12 - 22
At that time, our Lord Jesus went to Capernaum with His Mother and His Brothers and His Disciples. And they stayed for
a few days. The Passover of the Judeans was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
In the Temple He found those who were selling oxen, and sheep, and pigeons, and the money-changers at their
business. And making a whip of cords, He drove them all – with the sheep and oxen – out of the Temple.
And He poured out the coins of the money-changers, and overturned their tables. And He told those who sold the
pigeons: “Take these things away! You shalt not make My Father’s House a house of trade!”
His Disciples remembered that it was written: “Zeal for Thy House will consume Me!”
The Judeans said to Him: “What Sign hast Thou to show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them: “Destroy this Temple,
and in three days I will raise it up!” The Judeans said: “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and will
Thou raise it up in three days?!” However, He spoke of the Temple of His Body.
When, therefore, He was Raised from the dead, His Disciples remembered that He had said this. And they believed the
Scriptures and the Words that our Lord Jesus had spoken.
✶✶ OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS RIGHTEOUS FAMILY WERE According to the Synoptic Gospels of St Matthew, St
DEVOUT AND FAITHFUL TO GOD IN ALL THINGS. Mark and St Luke, the significant Cleansing of the
Every Judean family would make every effort to travel to Holy Temple of God in Jerusalem by our Lord Jesus
Jerusalem to participate in the celebrations of the Christ occurred at the end of His Public Ministry.
Great Holy Feasts. However, St John the Beloved Apostle and Theologian
The Old Covenant Passover was a most significant Feast, placed it at the beginning of our Divine Saviour’s
which celebrated the Chosen People of God being earthly Mission.
freed from their slavery to the Egyptians and being Certain of our Holy Fathers believed that our Lord Jesus
granted the Promised Land. Christ performed this bold Cleansing of the Temple
OUR NEW COVENANT HOLY PASCHA CELEBRATES OUR SPIRITUAL twice during His three years of Public Ministry.
FREEDOM FROM ENSLAVEMENT TO SIN AND DEATH, AND SINCE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS NOT A LEVITICAL PRIEST, HIS
CHRIST’S GLORIOUS RESURRECTION AND OUR FUTURE AUTHORITY TO CLEANSE THE TEMPLE AS HE DID WAS
RESURRECTION INTO ETERNAL LIFE IN GOD’S HEAVENLY VEHEMENTLY CHALLENGED.
KINGDOM – OUR PROMISED LAND. ✶✶ THE TERM “JEWS” (OR JUDEANS) IN THE HOLY GOSPEL
✶✶ “...In the Temple He found those who were selling...” ACCORDING TO ST JOHN OFTEN REFERS SPECIFICALLY TO THE
LIVE ANIMALS AND BIRDS THAT WERE USED AS SACRIFICIAL OLD COVENANT LEADERS.
OFFERINGS AS WELL AS MONEY CHANGERS who traded the In this case, however, he was referring to THE CHIEF
Roman coins for Jewish coins because the Roman PRIESTS AND THE ELDERS OF THE TEMPLE.
coins bore the image of Caesar, which were thus ✶✶“What Sign hast Thou to show us for doing this?”
considered a defilement of the Holy Temple of God. OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR WAS AT THAT TIME CAREFUL NOT TO REVEAL
Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Cleansing of the Holy Temple also HIS TRUE DIVINE IDENTITY TO THOSE WHO WOULD REJECT
points out THE NECESSITY OF KEEPING THE HALLOWED AND MOCK HIM.
GROUND OF OUR HOLY TEMPLES FREE FROM ALL EARTHLY HE CONFOUNDED THEM WITH A DIFFERENT QUESTION
PURSUITS AND MATERIAL PROFITEERING. CONCERNING ST JOHN THE BAPTIST AND HIS RIGHTEOUS
Candles and various other monetary exchanges (in memory of FORERUNNER.
the departed, fees for Baptisms and Marriages, donations,  M a t t h e w 2 1 : 2 5 : “...The Baptism of John – Where is
etc) are conducted in the Vestibule/Narthex of the church, it from? From Heaven or from men?”
which is considered a suitable place for such transactions. BOTH THE ELDERS’ QUESTION OF CHRIST’S AUTHORITY TO
Penitents would be restricted to the Narthex until they had CLEANSE THE TEMPLE AND THE QUESTION OUR LORD PUT TO
Repented their sins, while mothers with their 40 day old THEM CONCERNING ST JOHN THE BAPTIST REQUIRED THE
infants would wait there for their “Churching” and restoration EXACT SAME ANSWER!
to receiving the Holy Mysteries. Consequently, IF THEY HAD ANSWERED CORRECTLY that the
The first part of Holy Baptism – “The Making of a Catechumen” – Baptism of St John was according to Divine Will then
is conducted in the Narthex where Prayers are recited over THEY WOULD HAVE TO CONFESS THAT OUR LORD JESUS
the Candidate and Vows are sworn, renouncing Satan and CHRIST TRULY HAD DIVINE AUTHORITY AND IS ‘FROM HEAVEN’
all his evil works, and swearing Sacred Allegiance to Christ and not merely ‘a poor Carpenter from Nazareth.’
our Divine Saviour and Lord God, after which the Holy By not answering the Elders directly, OUR LORD JESUS
Mysteries of Baptism and Chrismation take place on the CHRIST ALSO TEACHES US NOT TO ANSWER THOSE WHO
Soleas in front of the Iconostasis and the Holy Sanctuary. ENQUIRE ABOUT THE HOLY THINGS OF GOD WITH MALICIOUS,
MOCKING INTENTIONS.
As each of us is also a Sacred, Sanctified Temple of
✶✶✶THE ULTIMATE “SIGN” WOULD BE HIS DEATH AND
God, our heart and mind – our body and soul – must
RESURRECTION!
be regularly Cleansed of earthly contamination and
Later, as a result of their challenging Christ by using
sin through constant Repentance-Confession, and
their own limited principles, THE ELDERS CONVICTED
partaking of Holy Eucharist.

BRIGHT FRIDAY – THE LIFE-GIVING SPRING 13 APRIL 2018 7.

 THEMSELVES by their answer to our Lord’s Parable
concerning “the Two Sons and the Vineyard.”
 M A T T H E W 2 1 : 3 1 – Our Lord told them:
“Assuredly, I say to you that Tax Collectors
and Harlots will enter the Kingdom of God
before you!”
✶✶ “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it
up!”
According to our New Covenant with God, the Temple of
God is our Lord Jesus Christ Himself!
NO MATTER WHAT THEY TRIED TO DO TO OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR, HIS
HOLY CHURCH – HIS HOLY BODY – WOULD ENDURE FOREVER,
for He is Eternal – “... He is the same yesterday, today
and tomorrow...”
ALMIGHTY GOD CANNOT BE DESTROYED FOR HE ALONE IS LORD AND
MASTER OVER ALL CREATION!
Creatures cannot destroy nor harm our Eternal, Immortal
and Almighty Creator!
AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST SHOWED
HIMSELF TO ALL HIS HOLY APOSTLES AND FAITHFUL DISCIPLEs,
as well as to many more people, thereby PROVING THAT
HE IS INDEED IMMORTAL AND ALMIGHTY – AND ALSO SHOWING
US THAT WE, TOO, WILL BE RESURRECTED INTO ETERNITY –
ETERNAL LIFE OR ETERNAL DEATH.
THIS SHORT LIFESPAN IS ONLY THE BRIEF PREPARATORY PERIOD
BEFORE ETERNITY – and every human being, whether
BRIGHT FRIDAY – THE LIFE-GIVING SPRING
Today we commemorate the Life-Giving Spring of the
Most Holy Theotokos.
There once was a beautiful church in Constantinople
dedicated to our Lady, the All Holy Mother of God,
which had been built in the fifth century by the
Righteous Emperor Leo the Great in the Seven Towers
district.
Before becoming Emperor, St Leo was walking in a
wooded area where he met a blind man who was
thirsty and asked St Leo to help him find water.
Although he agreed to search for water, St Leo was
unable to find a drop anywhere.
Suddenly, he heard a Voice telling him that there was
water nearby.
He looked again, but still could not find the water.
Then he heard the Voice saying: “Emperor Leo! Go into
the deepest part of the woods, and you will find
water there. Take some of the cloudy water in your
hands and give it to the blind man to drink.
“Then take the clay and put it on his eyes. Then you
shall know who I am.”
St Leo obeyed these instructions, and the blind man
regained his sight.
Later, St Leo became Emperor, just as our Lady, the Ever
Blessed Theotokos had prophesied.
St Leo had a church built over the site at his own
expense, and the water continued to work Miraculous
cures.
Therefore, it was referred to as “The Life-Giving Spring.”
THE ETERNAL, INSPIRED WISDOM
ABBESS THEOSEMNI OF CRETE
We have to respect other people, whether they make
mistakes or not, We should not destroy them, we
should not wound them nor berate them. For what
Love requires is to exculpate the, to Love them and
to take all the blame ourselves.
ELDER SOPHRONY OF ESSEX
The Path of our Life in Christ is – in general terms – like
this: Initially we are attracted to God by the Gift of
Divine Grace, and once we have been thus
attracted, there begins a very long period of trial.
Our Freedom is tested, as is our Trust in God – and it is a
harsh test indeed!
At first our requests to God – great and small – even
those just barely expressed – are fulfilled by our
Lord God, usually very quickly and in most
wonderful ways.
But when the period of testing arrives, then everything
changes and it is as if the Heavens have closed and
have become deaf to our Entreaties.
And we ask the great question – has God abandoned
us? Is this possible?
8. BRIGHT FRIDAY – THE LIFE-GIVING SPRING
believers or not – will be Resurrected on the Eighth
Day – our Entry into Eternity.
✶✶ “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple...” THE
TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM HAD TAKEN MANY YEARS TO BUILD AND
TO REBUILD THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES.
IN THE YEAR 70, THE ROMAN EMPIRE FINALLY DESTROYED GREAT
TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM, “... leaving not one stone
standing on top of another!”
All that remains is the “Wailing Wall” – a foundation wall
where the Jewish Faithful pray – and Temple Mount,
upon which the Moslems have constructed their
golden dome mosque and another smaller mosque,
which they fanatically defend against the Israelites.
As our Lord Jesus Christ had explained to St Photini, the
Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well, THE TRUE HOLY
TEMPLE OF GOD IS CERTAINLY NOT RESTRICTED TO TIME, NOR
PLACE, NOR ETHNICITY.
WE CAN TURN TO GOD WHEREVER WE ARE – any time and
anywhere – for HE IS ALWAYS WITH US, as He Himself
clearly and concisely told us repeatedly.
Consequently, we should ALWAYS BE AWARE OF HIS DIVINE
PRESENCE AND ACT ACCORDINGLY!
After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, the church was
torn down by the Moslems, and the stones were used
to build a mosque.
Only a small chapel remained at the site of the church.
Twenty-five steps led down into the chapel, which had a
window in the roof to let the light in.
The Holy Spring was still there, surrounded by a railing.
After the Greek Revolution in 1821, even this little chapel
was destroyed and the Spring was buried under the
rubble.
Faithful Christians later obtained permission to rebuild
the chapel, and work began in July 1833.
While workmen were clearing the ground, they
uncovered the foundations of the earlier church.
The Sultan allowed them to build not just a chapel, but a
new and beautiful church on the foundations of the
old one.
Construction began on 14 September 1833, and was
completed on 30 December 30, 1834.
Patriarch Constantine II consecrated the church on 2
February 1835, dedicating it to our Beloved Lady, the
Most Holy Theotokos.
The Turks desecrated and destroyed the church again on
6 September 1955.
A smaller church now stands on the site, and the waters
of the Life-Giving Spring continue to work Miracles.
The Holy Icon of the Life-Giving Spring of the Most Holy
Theotokos is commemorated on 4 April.
https://oca.org/saints/lives
OF OUR HOLY FATHERS AND MOTHERS
ABBESS GABRIELLA
If anything is unpleasant, do not even think about it
and do not speak of it to anyone else.
ST GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN
The Law commands that if an animal (belonging to
someone else) strays or falls into a ditch, we should
rescue it and take care of it. Give that people are
not of any less value, it follows that we should show
great Kindness towards other human beings, since
we have a Duty to be sympathetic even to irrational
beasts.
ST MARK THE ASCETIC
Those who wish to have their sins remitted, welcome
being humbled. Those who judge their neighbours
are simply prolonging their own wickedness. It is
better to pray for others to God with Fear and Love,
than to censure them for every sin they commit.
ELDER AMBROSIOS LAZARIS
Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ is here! Why do we
not believe it? Believe it and all will be well. Only
believe! Do not fear. The Grace of God is
enveloping us all. Just wait! Ask the Lord our God
for Love. All the Holy Virtues are contained in Love.
13 APRIL 2018
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever,
and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and
Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit
ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

Tone 1 15 April 2018

2nd Sunday of Pascha – The Belief of St Thomas

Sunday of Antipascha
Feast of St Aristachos, St Pudens & St Trophimos of the Seventy Apostles of Christ – St Basilissa &
St Anastasia, Disciples of St Peter & St Paul, of Rome – St Suchias & his 16 Soldiers of Georgia – St Sava the Goth of Wallachia
– St Basil of Piana Marului – St Ephraim the Great of Atsquri, Georgia

RESURRECTION GOSPEL 1 MATTHEW 28 : 16 - 20

THE GREAT COMMISSION OF CHRIST

PASCHAL APOLYTIKION – TONE (5) PLAGAL 1

✶ ✞ Hristos Anesti, ek nekron, Thanato thanaton ✶ ✞ Christ is Risen from the dead; By Death trampling
patisas, Ke tis en tis mnimasin, Zoin harisamenos [3] upon death, And has bestowed Life to those in the
tombs. [3]
ENTRANCE HYMN – TONE 2
En Ekklisies Evlogite ton Theon, Kyrion ek Pigon Israil. ✞ In the Churches Bless God - the Lord Who is the Source of
Soson imas Iie Theou, O Anastast ek nekron... Israel: ✞ Save us, O Son of God, Who Rose from the
dead...
Psallontas Si: Allilouia! Who sing to Thee: Alleluia!
HYMNS AFTER THE SMALL ENTRANCE

PASCHAL APOLYTIKION – ST THOMAS SUNDAY – TONE (7) VARYS/GRAVE

Esfragismenou tou Mnimatos, i Zoi ek Tafou anetilas Hriste O Life, Thou rose from the Tomb, even though it was
O Theos. Ke ton Thiron keklismenon, tis Mathites secured with a seal, O Christ God. And although the
epestis i panton Anastasis, pnevma evthesdi’ afton doors were bolted, Thou went to Thy Disciples, O
egkenizon imin, kata to Mega Sou Eleos. Resurrection of all. Through them Thou Renew a
Right Spirit in us, according to Thy Great Mercy.
RESURRECTION KONTAKION – TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
I ke en Tafo katilthes Athante, alla tou Adou kathiles tin Although Thou went into the Tomb, O Immortal, yet Thou
dinamin. Ke Anestis os Nikitis, Hriste O Theos, Gynexi brought down the dominion of Hades; and Thou Rose
Myroforis fthegxamenos, ‘Herete!’ Ke tis Sis Apostolis as Victor, O Christ our God. And Thou called out:
Irinini doroumenos, O tis pesousi parehon Anastasin. “Hail!” to the Myrrhbearing Women, and granted Peace
to Thine Apostles, O Lord Who to the fallen grants
Resurrection.
MEGALYNARION –ST THOMAS SUNDAY - INSTEAD OF THE AXION ESTIN
Se tin fainin lampada, ke Mitera tou Theou, tin arizilon O Brightly Shining Lantern, and the Mother of our God, O
Doxan, ke anoteran panton ton piimaton, en imnis Conspicuous Glory! Thou art Superior to all Creation!
Megalinomen. We Hymn and Magnify Thee!
RESURRECTION PROKEIMENON – TONE 3
Megas O Kyrios imon, ke megali i ishis aftou. Great is our Lord, and Great is His Strength.
Enite ton Kyrion, oti Agathos Kyrios. Pasalate to Onomati Praise the Lord, for the Lord is Good; sing unto His Name,
Aftou, oti Kalon. for it is Good.
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 5 : 12 – 20
In those days, many Signs and Wonders were done among the people by the hands of the Apostles. (And they were all
together in Solomon’s Portico.) None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honour.
And more than ever Believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. They carried out the sick
into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, so that as Peter went by, at least his shadow might fall on some
of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with
unclean spirit, and they were all Healed.
The High Priest rose up, and all who were with him – that is, the party of the Sadducees – and filled with jealousy they
arrested the Apostles and put them in the common prison.
An Angel of the Lord at night opened the prison doors and led them out, saying: “Go and stand in the Temple, and
speak to the people all the Words of this Life.”
THE POWER OF THE LORD OUR GOD RESTS IN HIS CHURCH. While many people had great Faith, ST PETER WAS GRANTED
A PARTICULAR GRACE TO HEAL IN ORDER TO DRAW PEOPLE TO
THE HOLY UNITY OF THE CHURCH.

2ND SUNDAY OF PASCHA – ANTIPASCHA – BELIEF OF ST THOMAS –15 APRIL 2018 9.

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WORKED HIS DIVINE MIRACLES THROUGH Spiritually Purified by their extremely pious Life in
MERE HUMAN BEINGS AFTER PENTECOST when God the Holy Christ – BY THE DIVINE POWER OF GOD ALONE.
Spirit descended to help us fulfil our Sacred Duties to The fact that our Lord God works Miracles both through
God and to one another according to the Will of God His Holy Saints and through created, physical objects,
the Father. shows us that HIS CREATION ITSELF IS BEING RENEWED.
THESE DIVINE MIRACLES WERE EVEN MORE MARVELLOUS than ✶✶ ANGELS ARE THE MESSENGERS OF GOD WHO FULFIL HIS DIVINE
when God works His Divine Miracles directly Himself, WILL IN ALL THINGS. They act as OUR INTERCESSORS,
for THEY ARE NOT POSSIBLE THROUGH ANY HUMAN EFFORT OR GUARDIAN ANGELS, SPIRITUAL GUIDES AND HOLY PROTECTORS.
POWER, BUT ONLY BY THE DIVINE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF St Luke mentioned the fact that an Angel of God “...
ALMIGHTY GOD. opened the prison doors and led...” (the Apostles) out
THESE WORKS, which are attested to by St Luke in his Book of the prison.
of the Acts of the Apostles INCLUDED THE SPREADING OF OUR The Angel also instructed the Apostles to “Go and stand
LORD’S HOLY GOSPEL – HIS DIVINE TRUTH AND TEACHINGS – inthe Temple and speak to the people all the Words
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE KNOWN WORLD, AS WELL AS of this Life,” thereby encouraging them to continue
INNUMERABLE MIRACULOUS HEALINGS AND EVEN THE RAISING their Sacred Mission of spreading the Holy Gospel and
OF THE DEAD. Divine Truth of Christ our Lord.
Furthermore, this passage reveals how GOD WORKS On another occasion an Angel of God also freed St Peter
THROUGH HIS PHYSICAL CREATION – FOR EVEN LIGHT AND from his chains and led him out of the prison despite
SHADOW ARE GRANTED DIVINE POWER. having been securely chained and guarded by
These Divine Miracles that were performed through the soldiers deep within a military stronghold. (Acts 12: 1 –
Holy Apostles of Christ followed those that were 11)
performed directly by our Lord Jesus and show that The interaction of our Lord God’s Holy Angels and His
HE LIVES AND WORKS THROUGH HIS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES. People seemed almost natural to the early Apostles
Of particular significance is the way that PHYSICAL OBJECTS and Disciples of our Lord.
(SUCH AS HANDKERCHIEFS OR ROBES OR BELTS, ETC) MAY The Angel at the Empty Tomb of our Resurrected Lord
BECOME INSTRUMENTS OF DIVINE GRACE WHEN TOUCHED BY Jesus Christ was the first to announce “He is Risen!”
THOSE OF GREAT FAITH IN GOD. He then instructed the shocked Holy Myrrhbearers to go
Miracle Working objects such as these are Sanctified by to tell the other Holy Apostles and Faithful Disciples
contact with those who have been Sanctified and the greatest of all Good Tidings.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST JOHN 20 : 19 – 31
THE SACRED COMMISSION OF THE HOLY APOSTLES
On the evening of that day – the first day of the week – the doors being shut where the Disciples were for fear of the
Judeans, Jesus came and stood among them, and said to them: “Peace be with you!” And when He had said this,
He showed them His Hands and His Side.
The Disciples were glad when they beheld our Lord.
Jesus said to them again: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, even so, I send you.” And having said this,
He breathed on them, and said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.
If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Thomas – one of the Twelve, who was called “the Twin” – was not with them when Jesus had Appeared. The other
Disciples told him: “We have seen our Lord!” He said to them: “Unless I see in His Wrists the imprint of the nails, and
place my finger in the marks of the nails, and place my hand in His Side, I will not believe!”
And eight days later, His Disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus
came, and stood amidst them, and said: “Peace be with you!”
To Thomas He said: “Put your finger here, and see My Wrists; and stretch forth your hand, and place it in My Side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe!” And answering, Thomas said to Him: “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him: “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen, yet
believe!”
Many other Signs were done by Jesus in the presence of His Disciples, which are not written in this book. These are
written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ – the Son of God – and that believing, you may have Life in
His Name.
✶✶ THIS ACCOUNT IS ONE OF ELEVEN DIVINE APPEARANCES OF Years later, after the Dormition and entombment of our Lady
OUR RESURRECTED LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, TO HIS Theotokos, once again, it was St Thomas who had arrived
FAITHFUL HOLY APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES. late, and upon whose insistence the sealed, guarded
✶✶ ST THOMAS HAD BEEN NICK-NAMED “THE TWIN” BY OUR LORD tomb had been opened to pay his last respects, which
BECAUSE HE ALWAYS EXAMINED EVERYTHING CAREFULLY revealed the absence of Her Sanctified, All Pure Body. mp
BEFORE ACCEPTING IT AS TRUTH OR WORTHY.
✶ Eight days later, our Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ
ST THOMAS HAD GREAT FAITH AND WAS DEVOTED TO OUR LORD, again appeared before His Faithful Apostles and
ALWAYS READY TO ACCOMPANY HIM, no matter where it
Disciples to invite St Thomas to touch Him and to
led them or how dangerous it might be for them. examine His Wounds, yet His Faithful Apostle, St
ST THOMAS HAD NO DOUBTS CONCERNING OUR SAVIOUR, BUT Thomas, had no need to do so and instead,
TYPICALLY, WOULD NOT TAKE THE WORD OF OTHERS BEFORE
spontaneously made his heartfelt Confession:
CHECKING THEM OUT FOR HIMSELF. Hence his “My Lord and my God!”
declaration “Unless I see ...”
The “Eighth Day” is also an oblique reminder of Judgement Day
This characteristic attribute of St Thomas is described in
and Eternity, when the Divine Truth of all Creation is clearly
our Hymns as “Blessed” for IT WAS NOT A DOUBT OF
revealed and judged! mp
RESISTANCE TO THE TRUTH BUT RATHER HIS DESIRE FOR DIVINE
TRUTH – ABSOLUTE TRUTH, not anyone’s idea of truth or ✶✶ O UR LORD JESUS CHRIST COMMISSIONED HIS HOLY APOSTLES
reality. TO CONTINUE HIS DIVINE MISSION on Earth, by
ST THOMAS’ INCREDULITY WAS “... A DOUBT THAT GAVE BIRTH TO GRANTING THEM THE POWER AND ENERGY OF THE HOLY
FAITH...” WHEN THE TRUTH WAS CONFIRMED BY REVELATION. SPIRIT WHO MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO ACHIEVE ALL
Hymns of Sunday of St Thomas state that CHRIST SAID TO GOOD THINGS ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD THE
ST THOMAS: “... Thine incredulity will teach My FATHER, THROUGH CHRIST.
Passion and Resurrection to all!” ✶✶ OUR LORD JESUS GRANTED THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO
And indeed it is affirmed that the “double-mindedness” HIS HOLY APOSTLES – AND THROUGH THE UNBROKEN
of St Thomas “... brought the heart of Believers to APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION, TO THE GENERATIONS OF
Knowledge!” ORDAINED BISHOPS AND PRIESTS throughout the
The final Conversion to Faith of St Thomas’ need for centuries - so that THEY COULD EITHER FORGIVE OR
Truth led him to the clearest Confession of our RETAIN THE SINS OF THOSE WHO REPENTED THEIR SINS
Saviour’s Divinity, addressing Him so sincerely as AND WHO CONFESSED AND SOUGHT DIVINE FORGIVENESS
“My Lord and my God!” AND ABSOLUTION THROUGH THE HOLY MYSTERY OF
REPENTANCE-CONFESSION.

10. 2ND SUNDAY OF PASCHA – ANTIPASCHA – BELIEF OF ST THOMAS –15 APRIL 2018
✶✶ It is significant that our Lord “...breathed upon
them...” in order to bestow the Divine Authority,
Power and Energy of the Holy Trinity for OUR
CREATOR BREATHES LIFE INTO EACH CONCEPTION OF
MANKIND just as HE HAD ORIGINALLY BREATHED LIFE
SECOND SUNDAY OF HOLY PASCHA – ANTIPASCHA – THE BELIEF
✞ In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit...
Dearly Beloved, THROUGHOUT BRIGHT WEEK WE LIVED IN THE
PASCHAL JOY OF OUR RISEN SAVIOUR - and our Joy, just like
that of His Holy Apostles, was mixed with confusion, for
not long ago, we remembered the Death of Him Who
is the Source of Life, yet now we Rejoice, having been
raised to Life by Him Who had been laid in His Tomb.
Just like His Holy Apostles and Faithful Disciples during
those first days after our Lord’s Resurrection, WE VIVIDLY
REMEMBERED THE PASSION OF CHRIST ACCORDING TO THE 12
GOSPEL READINGS - our Lord’s terrible scourging,
crucifixion and Death, the taking down of His
Precious Body from the Cross, our Lamentation
Hymns at His Funeral Procession and Burial, followed
by the anticipation of the Glorious Miracle of
Resurrection.
From the very early hours of the morning on the day of
our Lord’s Resurrection, THE GOOD TIDINGS WERE CARRIED
THROUGHOUT CREATION.
DESPITE THE HEAVENLY ANGELS, THE HOLY MYRRHBEARERS AND
THE PAID GUARDS OF THE SANHEDRIN ALREADY KNOWING THAT
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAD TRULY BEEN RESURRECTED,
which was proved when the heavy stone sealing the
entrance had rolled aside to reveal the Empty Tomb
with only the abandoned burial clothes, and the
neatly folded Facecloth, THE HOLY APOSTLES REMAINED
GATHERED TOGETHER BEHIND LOCKED DOORS IN FEAR OF THE
JEWISH AND ROMAN AUTHORITIES.
THEIR UNCERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WERE NOT AT ALL SURPRISING
NOR UNEXPECTED, FOR THEY WERE WITNESS TO THE GREATEST
MIRACLE IN THE HISTORY OF CREATION – mankind had
killed God, and then He had Resurrected from the
dead and Saved our perishing human race from the
Claws of Hell!
AFTER OUR LORD’S ARREST, HIS DISCIPLES HAD FORGOTTEN ALL OF
HIS PROPHESIES AND REVELATIONS concerning the things
that had occurred and which were about to take
place.
Although the Holy Myrrhbearers had told them what had
occurred at the Tomb, and what the Angel of the Lord
had said, THEY STILL COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT CHRIST IS
RISEN!
EVEN WHEN CHRIST HIMSELF APPEARED IN THEIR MIDST, despite
the locked doors, THEY HESITATED to trust their own
heart, which burnt and trembled with utter Joy in the
Presence of God.
THIS INCREDULITY - OUR HUMAN WEAKNESS, WHICH IS INCAPABLE OF
ENCOMPASSING THE MAGNITUDE OF THE MIRACLE that had
happened - was expressed by St Thomas who has
stated: “Unless I see the nail marks in His Hands and
put my finger where the nails were, and put my
hand into His Side, I will not believe!” ( J O H N 2 0 : 2 5 )
We should not refer to St Thomas as being “doubting,” for
we must CONSIDER THE DEPTH HIS FAITH.
St Thomas was certainly not like the mocking Judeans
and others who had yelled at our Crucified Saviour:
“Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will
believe in Him!.” ( M A T T H E W 2 7 : 4 2 )
Nor is St Thomas in any manner similar to those scoffers
who dared to say: “If there is God, let Him show
Himself to us, and we will believe in Him and live
happily ever after!”
THE ANCIENT SCRIBES AND PHARISEES KNEW ABOUT OUR LORD
JESUS CHRIST’S MIRACLES AND AT LEAST SOME OF THEM MUST
HAVE REALIZED EXACTLY WHO “JESUS OF GALILEE” TRULY IS!
YET EVERY TIME THEY WERE CONFRONTED BY THE DIVINE, THEY
BECAME EVEN MORE ROOTED IN THEIR BLASPHEMY!
Having heard that our Lord Jesus had Healed a man
who had been born blind – born without eyes! -
instead of Praising and Glorifying the Great Mercy of
God, they spewed curses, blasphemy and false
accusations against the Son of God: “This Man is a
sinner! … steeped in sin at birth!” ( J O H N 9 : 2 4 & 3 4 )
2ND SUNDAY OF PASCHA – ANTIPASCHA – BELIEF
INTO THE MOUND OF EARTH WITH WHICH HE FORMED
ADAM, OUR ORIGINAL FOREFATHER.
✶✶ THROUGH THIS DIRECT DIVINE CONSECRATION AND THROUGH
THE CONTINUITY OF THE UNBROKEN APOSTOLIC
SUCCESSION, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST’S OWN ETERNAL
PRIESTHOOD IS COMMUNICATED TO THE ORDAINED
BISHOPS AND PRESBYTERS OF HIS HOLY CHURCH.
OF ST THOMAS
Having heard that Christ had Resurrected a four-day-old
already decomposing corpse and, indisputably
having no more acceptable nor reasonable doubts
about our Merciful Saviour’s True Divinity, the Elders of
the Hebrew Nation decided “…to kill Lazaros as well.”
(JOHN 12:10)
Finally, AFTER BEING FACED WITH THE INDISPUTABLE TRUTH OF
CHRIST’S MIRACULOUS RESURRECTION WHEN THEY HEARD THE
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS of the terrified guards who had
fallen on the ground trembling when the huge rock
had suddenly rolled aside and they found themselves
in the presence of a shining Angel of God who
revealed the Empty Tomb, THE JEWISH ELDERS HAD
BRIBED THE SOLDIERS TO REMAIN SILENT.
THEY THEN LIED OUTRIGHT TO THE PEOPLE BY CLAIMING THAT THE
DISCIPLES HAD REMOVED OUR LORD’S BODY FROM THE TOMB
AND HIDDEN IT SOMEWHERE, WHICH DEEPENED THEIR
BLASPHEMY AND ENSURED THEIR ETERNAL
CONDEMNATION! ( M A T T H E W 2 8 : 4 & 1 1 - 1 4 ) ,
CONTEMPORARY SCRIBES AND PHARISEES ALSO WORSEN THEIR
BLASPHEMIES AND HERESIES even when having
Encountered our Living Lord Jesus Christ yet
REMAINING UNCONVINCED EVEN BY THE MOST OBVIOUS OF
DIVINE MIRACLES AND TRUTH.
St Thomas was, therefore, definitely not like them at all,
for he proved it by his SINCERE FAITHFULNESS AND
SACRIFICIAL LOVE FOR OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR.
After accompanying our Divine Redeemer for three years,
ST THOMAS AND ALL THE OTHER DISCIPLES UNDERSTOOD VERY
WELL THE DANGERS THAT OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST FACED from
the Spiritually Blind, self-righteous Scribes and
Pharisees, SO WHEN OUR LORD ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS
GOING TO JERUSALEM, HIS APOSTLES TRIED TO DISSUADE HIM
from doing so by reminding Him of the threats against
Him. ( J O H N 1 1 : 8 )
HOWEVER, IT WAS ST THOMAS WHO DECLARED: “Let us also go,
that we may die with Him” ( J O H N 1 1 : 1 6 )
We would never have heard such courageous words
from a ‘doubter’!
AFTER THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST, ST THOMAS WENT TO PREACH
THE GOSPEL IN ONE OF THE FURTHEST AND MOST DIFFICULT TO
REACH PLACES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD—INDIA, WHERE HE WAS
EVENTUALLY MARTYRED.
On that day, a week after the Resurrection, when our
Lord Jesus Christ Appeared once again in the midst of
His Disciples, St Thomas was present.
But WHEN OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR INVITED HIM TO TOUCH HIS
WOUNDS as St Thomas had said he would need to do to
prove He was indeed our Risen Lord, ST THOMAS WHO SO
SELFLESSLY LOVED HIS TEACHER, IMPULSIVELY CONFESSED HIS
FAITH IN HIM BY JOYFULLY EXCLAIMING: “My Lord and my
God!”
Our Lord had nicknamed St Thomas “the Twin” “Didymos”
because, being “double-minded,” HE ALWAYS LIKED TO
CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK FACTS BEFORE ACCEPTING THEM
AND CONFIRMING THEM AS TRUTH.
Consequently, to such a person as St Thomas, God
comes! THIS IS THE KIND OF PERSON WHO FULLY UNDERSTANDS
DIVINE TRUTH!
IN HIS DESIRE TO SAVE MANKIND, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
SUFFERED EVERY DEGREE OF TEMPTATION, HUMILIATION,
DEGRADATION AND TORTURE – being slapped and beaten,
being mocked and brutally scourged, being stripped
naked in public, tortured and slowly suffocated to
death by crucifixion!
HE WAS ALSO PREPARED TO ENDURE ST THOMAS POKING AT HIS
WOUNDS WITH HIS FINGERS, IF NECESSARY, after His Glorious
Resurrection, BUT INSTEAD ST THOMAS HAD SO JOYFULLY
CONFESSED HIS UNWAVERING FAITH!
IF OUR GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL LORD IS AWAITED, HE WILL
APPEAR IN OUR MIDST as He did with the hidden,
frightened Disciples so long ago, BUT WHAT WILL HE HEAR
WHEN WE ENCOUNTER HIS DIVINE PRESENCE?
OF ST THOMAS –15 APRIL 2018 11.
WILL HE HEAR OUR MOST JOYFUL CONFESSION OF FAITH - “O my
Lord and my God!” or will we mock and dishonor Him
like His enemies?
WILL WE WORSHIP HIM WITH ALL OUR BEING, as did St. Thomas,
or will we crucify Him with our arrogant lack of
Repentance, and stone Him with the sharp, jagged
rocks of our sins?
THE ETERNAL, INSPIRING WISDOM
THE KEY TO HUMILITY - KNOWING
THOSE WHO ARE HUMBLE ARE THOSE WHO CAN ADMIT THEIR
MISTAKES.
St Paisios of Mount Athos took this fact a step further, for
he pointed out that IT IS EVEN BETTER IF WE ARE AWARE OF
OUR WEAKNESSES:
“... Those who realise their mistakes, have already
progressed half way. However, it is also very
important for us to sense or know our own
weaknesses, for it is much better to be aware of
them rather than to continuously Struggle while
neglecting them (our weaknesses.)”
THE IMPORTANCE OF
IN OUR MODERN SOCIETY, THE HOLY VIRTUE OF HUMILITY IS
CERTAINLY NOT HIGHLY VALUED.
It is more common to encourage our children to become
self-assertive, forceful, independent...
However, AS DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, WE MUST STRIVE TO ACQUIRE
HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, WHICH IS
ESSENTIAL FOR OUR SPIRITUAL WELFARE AND GROWTH.
We know that THE LORD OUR GOD LOVES US AND WANTS TO
PROTECT US. HE ALONE KNOWS ALL OUR PROBLEMS AND ALL
OUR WEAKNESSES, for He is All Knowing, and being
Omnipotent, HE ALONE CAN HELP US TO ACHIEVE GREAT
SPIRITUAL HEIGHTS AS LONG AS WE ARE HUMBLE AND
OBEDIENT.
St Paisios pointed out: “... the difficulty that our Lord
faces – the only difficulty with which He cannot help
us – is when our soul lacks Humility and Obedience.
It makes Him sorrowful for although He beholds His
Beloved creatures suffering, He cannot offer us His
Help.
This is due to the fact that whatever Help He can grant
us, it will harm us when we lack Humility – when we
lack a humble mind and soul...”
This is because WE ARE OVERTAKEN BY OUR PASSIONS, which
God has permitted, so that we will eventually
understand that WE ARE NOT IN CONTROL of anything
and that ONLY BY THE GRACE AND MERCY OF GOD CAN WE
ACHIEVE ANYTHING WORTHY.
WHEN OUR SOUL IS ENSLAVED BY PRIDE AND EGOCENTRICITY, WE
HAVE NO ROOM FOR GOD, Who we have rejected DUE TO
OUR PRIDEFUL ATTITUDE.
WHY DOES HUMILITY LEAD US TO
HUMILITY IS THE MOST ESSENTIAL HOLY VIRTUE FOR REPENTANCE
FOR IT IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY THE HOLY VIRTUE OF
OBEDIENCE, AND THESE BY THESE TWO HOLY VIRTUES WE ARE
ABLE TO ACQUIRE ALL THE OTHER HOLY VIRTUES.
In order to properly Repent, we cannot and must not
boast of our Spiritual Feats, but rather humble
ourselves with a genuine desire to Transform
ourselves.
The inward Spiritual Poverty of the Repentant Publican
(Tax Collector) rather than the arrogant, self-
righteousness of the Pharisee is our best example, for
the Pharisee who was so convinced of his ‘Perfection’
IS BAPTISM
ST GREGORY PALAMAS REMINDED US THAT OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
DIED AND WAS RESURRECTED, THEREBY SHOWING US THAT
DEATH IS NO LONGER THE END OF OUR EXISTENCE.
Christ told His Disciples that HE WOULD COME AGAIN TO JUDGE
THE WHOLE WORLD, and that He would take up to
Heaven AND BESTOW HIS KINGDOM ON THOSE WHO ARE
JUSTIFIED.
OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR THEN INSTRUCTED HIS DISCIPLES TO BAPTISE
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT,
HAVING MADE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS.
YET THERE IS FAR MORE TO BAPTISM FOR OUR LORD EXPECTED
THOSE WHO WERE BAPTISED TO TEACH OTHERS HIS DIVINE
TRUTH AND TO FULFILL EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD
COMMANDED: “... TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL
12. 2ND SUNDAY OF PASCHA – ANTIPASCHA – BELIEF
O Lord, through the Intercessory Prayers of St Thomas,
Thy Faithful Apostle, grant us Faith, and help our
unbelief!.
Amen.
REVEREND FATHER SERGEI SVESHNIKOV
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
HTTP://WWW.PRAVMIR.COM/ARTICLE_593.HTML
OF OUR HOLY CHURCH FATHERS
OUR WEAKNESSES
The importance of being aware of our personal
weaknesses means that we then have A CHANCE TO
AVOID OUR HABITUAL MISTAKES.
For example, if we have a problem of drinking too much,
we can then avoid any activities or company that
encourages excessive drinking. If we are prone to
anger or arguments, then WE CAN AVOID CIRCUMSTANCES
THAT CAUSE US TO SIN - to become angry or
confrontational.
WE CAN ORGANISE OUR DAILY ACTIVITIES IN WAYS THAT WILL AVOID
ANY SITUATION WHERE OUR WEAKNESSES LEAD US TO COMMIT
HABITUAL SINS.
HUMILITY
WITHOUT GOD, WE CAN DO NOTHING WORTHWHILE for WHILE WE
ARE IN A STATE OF SELF-IMPORTANCE AND ARROGANT PRIDE WE
REJECT OUR LORD GOD, having put ALL OUR TRUST IN
OURSELVES AND BEING OBSESSED WITH GETTING WHATEVER WE
WANT, ANY WAY WE CAN!
St Paisios explained: “... God will not grant us what we
want, no matter how hard we try, unless we humble
ourselves.
“If our aim is to acquire Humility and Obedience, God
will grant us whatever we require.
“Our Loving Lord only desires one thing from us –
Humility, which also makes us Obedient...”
He does not need anything else from us.
We must make every effort to humble ourselves, so that
He can then make us True Partakers of His Divine
Grace, which is initially granted to us through the
Holy Mystery of Baptism and Chrismation...
Our Lord God only asks us to Humble ourselves, and to
respond to His Divine Love with Thanksgiving and
appreciation of His Abundant Love and Blessings.
Thus, Divine Grace will grant us Love of God and the
ability to know Him and to grow closer to Him.
Divine Grace does everything for us, if only we are
Humble and Obedient, which allows Him to act
within us...”
St Peter advised us: “...clothe yourselves, all of you , with
Humility towards one another, for God opposes the
proud, but grants Grace to the Humble. Humble
yourselves therefore, under the Mighty Hand of God,
that in due time, He may Exalt you! Cast all your
anxieties upon Him for He cares about you!” ( 1 P E T E R
5:5-7)
RIGHTEOUSNESS?
remained closed to Spiritual Transformation and
Renewal due to that terrible pride!
St Gregory Palamas taught us that “... Humility leads up
to the Heights of Righteousness, whereas self-
conceit leads down to the depths of sin, for anybody
who thinks he is something great, even before God,
is rightly abandoned by God, as one who thinks that
he does need His Help. Anyone who despises
himself, on the other hand, relies on Mercy from
Above, wins God’s Sympathy, Help and Grace, for “...
the Lord resists the proud, but grants Grace to the
lowly.” ( P R O V E R B S 3 : 3 4 )
SUFFICIENT ?
THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU.”
(MATTHEW 28:20)
St James taught us that “... whosoever shall keep the
whole Law, and offend in one point, is guilty of all.”
(JAMES 2:10)
Consequently, WE ARE NOT AT LIBERTY TO PICK AND CHOOSE
WHAT WE THINK IS VIRTUOUS! WE MUST FULFIL
EVERYTHING CHRIST COMMANDED AND TAUGHT. A
LITTLE BIT OF WHAT HE TAUGHT US IS NOT ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY
US!
http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.co.za
OF ST THOMAS –15 APRIL 2018
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most
Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And
let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

Tone 2 22 April 2018

Sunday of Holy Pascha - the Holy Myrrhbearers

rd
3
The Feast of St Theodore the Sykeote, Bishop of Anastasiopolis – St Gabiel of Pskov - St
Nathaniel, St Luke & St Clement of the 70 Apostles - St Vitalios the Monk of St Seridos
Monastery of Gaza – St Sava, Hieromartyr of Serbia – St Platon, the New Hieromartyr
of Banjaluka

RESURRECTION GOSPEL 4 - LUKE 24 : 1 - 12

RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION – TONE 2

Ote katilthes pros ton Thanaton, i Zoi i Athanatos, tote ton When Thou condescended to Death, O Life Immortal,
Adin enekrosas ti astrapi tis Theotitos. Ote de ke tous Thou slayed Hades with the lightning flash of Thy
tethneotas ek ton katahthonion anestisas, pase e Divinity. When also Thou raised up the dead from the
Dinamis ton Epouranion ekravgazon. Zoodota Hriste, O subterranean abodes, all the Powers of Heaven cried
Theos imon, Doxa Si! aloud: O Life-giver, Christ our God, Glory to Thee!
PASCHAL APOLYTIKION - HOLY MYRRHBEARERS – TONE 2
O efshimon Iosif, apo tou xilou kathelon, to ahranton Sou The noble Joseph taking down Thy spotless Body from
Soma, sindoni kathara, ilisas ke aromasin, en Mnimati the Tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud with sweet
keno, kidevsas apetheto; alla trimeros Anestis Kyrie, spices and laid it for burial in a new tomb; but on the
parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos! third day Thou arose, O Lord, granting the world Thy
Great Mercy!
THEOTOKION
Tes Myroforis Ginexi, Para To Mnima Epistas, O Angelos The Angel standing by the Grave cried to the
Evoa: To Myra Tis Thanitis Iparhi Armodia, Hristos De Myrrhbearing Women: Myrrh is fitting for the dead,
Diafthoras Edihthi Allotrios; Alla Kravgasate: Anesti O but Christ has been shown to be a stranger to
Kyrios, Parehon To Kosmo To Mega Eleos! corruption. But cry aloud: The Lord has Risen,
granting the world His Great Mercy!
SEASONAL KONTAKION – PASCHA – TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
I ke en Tafo katilthes Athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tin Although Thou descended in the grave, O Immortal One,
dinamin; ke Anestis os Nikitis, Hriste O Theos, Gynexi yet Thou destroyed the power of Hades; and Thou
Myroforis fthengxamenos: Herete! Ke tis Sis Apostolis arose as Victor, O Christ our God! To the Myrrh-
Irinin doroumenos, O tis pesousi parehon Anastasin. bearing Women Thou said: Rejoice! And to Thine
Apostles Thou granted Thy Peace: the One Who grants
Resurrection to the fallen ones.
TRIODION PROKEIMENON – PSALM 117/118 – TONE 2
Ishis mou ,e imnisis mou O Kyrios ke egeneto mi is Sotirian. The Lord is my Strength and my Song, and became my
Salvation.
Pedevon epedefse me O Kyrios ke to Thanato ou Paredoke The Lord Chastened and Corrected me, and did not give
me. me up to Death.
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 6: 1 – 7
In those days, when the number of Disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the
Hellenists because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. So the Twelve summoned the multitude of
Disciples and said: “It is not desirable that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables. Therefore, Brethren,
seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and Wisdom, whom we may appoint
over this business; for we will give ourselves continually to Prayer and the Ministry of the Word.”
And their words pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen - a man full of Faith and the Holy Spirit - and
Philip Prochoros, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas - a proselyte from Antioch - whom they set before the
Apostles. And when they had prayed they laid hands on them.
Then the Word of God spread, and the number of Disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the
Priests were Obedient to the Faith.
“The Hebrews” referred to the local JEWISH CHRISTIANS IN So it is evident that VARIOUS PROBLEMS THAT FACED THE EARLY
JERUSALEM who spoke Aramaic, while “the Hellenists” CHURCH AROSE NOT ONLY FROM OUTSIDERS, BUT ALSO DUE TO
were GREEK-SPEAKING JEWISH CHRISTIANS FROM OTHER DISSENSION OR MISUNDERSTANDING FROM WITHIN.
PARTS OF THE HELLENISED WORLD WHO HAD SETTLED IN However, THESE VARIOUS INITIAL DIFFICULTIES WERE QUICKLY
JERUSALEM. RESOLVED DUE TO THE MUTUAL RESPECT AND LOVE OF ONE
St John Chrysostom noted that this particular complaint ANOTHER WITHIN THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST.
showed A LACK OF ORDER AMONG THE QUICKLY GROWING ✶ PROBLEMS HAVE ALWAYS ARISEN DUE TO THE “HUMAN FACTOR” –
MULTITUDE OF FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS, even though THE WHEN OUR EGOS AND SELFISHNESS DOMINATE AND RULE
NEGLECT OF THE HELLENISTIC WIDOWS AND ORPHANS WAS OUR EMOTIONS AND ACTIONS.
CERTAINLY NOT MALICIOUS NOR INTENTIONAL.

2ND SUNDAY OF PASCHA – ANTIPASCHA – BELIEF OF ST THOMAS –15 APRIL 2018 13.
However, ALL PROBLEMS MUST ALWAYS BE VERY QUICKLY While “THE MULTITUDE” SUBMITTED THE NAMES OF THE FIRST
REPENTED, RESOLVED AND FORGIVEN, so that we may SEVEN DEACONS, THE HOLY APOSTLES OF CHRIST ORDAINED
CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON OUR FAITHFUL AND TRUE WORSHIP OF THEM.
ALMIGHTY GOD, WHILE CONSTANTLY CORRECTING AND Thus THE SYNERGY BETWEEN LAITY AND CLERGY WAS
REPENTING OUR OWN PERSONAL FLAWS, which is the entire DEMONSTRATED in the selection of these Church
Purpose of this earthly life, before Eternity. Servants and leaders.
The term “Disciples” generally refers to ALL FAITHFUL Whether these first chosen Deacons held the Liturgical
BELIEVERS AND FOLLOWERS of our Lord and Saviour, Office of Deacon, or whether their Diaconate was
Jesus Christ, and NOT ONLY TO HIS TWELVE APOSTLES OR more Service-oriented, THEY RECEIVED THEIR SACRED
THOSE WHO WERE CLOSE TO HIM and who accompanied OFFICE BY MEANS OF HOLY ORDINATION BY THE DIVINELY
Him during His Public Ministry. AUTHORISED APOSTLES OF CHRIST.
✶✶ To be A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST means that we are really ✶✶ THE INCREASE IN NUMBERS OF FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF
trying to LEARN ALL THE SACRED TEACHINGS AND CHRIST ONLY OCCURS WHEN THREE GREAT PILLARS OF
COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR SO THAT WE CHURCH LIFE ARE FULLY IN PLACE:
CAN APPLY THEM TO OUR EVERY WORD, THOUGHT AND WORSHIP
DEED: THIS IS LIFE IN CHRIST, WHICH TAKES MUCH EVANGELISM
EFFORT AND A FAITHFUL WILLINGNESS TO OBEY GOD AT CHARITY/LOVE
ALL TIMES. Furthermore, this wonderful Growth occurs WHEN
While THE MINISTRIES OF THE WORD AND OF SERVING widows EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL STRUGGLES OR PROBLEMS HAVE
(and orphans) are important Sacred Tasks, they BEEN ADDRESSED, RESOLVED AND REPENTED.
CANNOT BE PERFORMED BY THE SAME PEOPLE AND STILL THE FIRST PRESBYTERS (PRIESTS) WERE CHRISTIAN CONVERTS WHO
RECEIVE PROPER ATTENTION. HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN HEBREW PRIESTS but they had not
Therefore, THE HOLY CHURCH DEVELOPED DIVERSIFIED, necessarily been Ordained into the Priestly Ministry
NECESSARY MINISTRIES. within the Christian Church after their Conversion to
In the Orthodox Church to this very day, OUR BISHOPS AND the New Covenant of God.
PRESBYTERS (PRIESTS) ARE CALLED TO FOCUS ON “...PRAYER According to the Canons of the Orthodox Church, recent
AND THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD...” OF GOD, WHILE THE converts to Orthodoxy cannot be Ordained into the
OTHER ESSENTIAL MINISTRIES OF CHRIST’S HOLY CHURCH ARE Holy Priesthood of Christ until they have at least a
ACCOMPLISHED BY DEACONS AND THE LAITY (the people or few years’ Spiritual Experience in the Holy Church.
congregation) of each Parish. This is IN ORDER TO PREVENT PREVIOUS OR OTHER BELIEFS AND
✶✶ DEACONS WHO ARE CALLED TO SERVE ARE REQUIRED TO BE PRACTISES FROM INFILTRATING AND DISTORTING ORTHODOX
NOT ONLY SPIRITUAL, BUT ALSO “FULL OF WISDOM,” TEACHINGS AND WORSHIP, WHICH MUST BE CAREFULLY AND
WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR MANAGING THEIR SACRED CORRECTLY PRESERVED FOR ALL GENERATIONS.
TASKS.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST MARK 15 : 43 – 16 : 8
At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, who was also himself looking for the Kingdom of
God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the Body of Jesus. Pilate wondered if He were already dead –
and, summoning the Centurion, he asked him whether He was already dead. And when he learnt from the
Centurion that He was dead, he granted the Body to Joseph.
And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking Him down, wrapped Him in the linen shroud, and laid Him in a Tomb
that had been hewn out of rock. And he rolled a stone against the door of the Tomb.
Mary Magdalene and Mary, the Mother of Joses saw where He was laid. And when the Sabbath had past, Mary
Magdalene and Mary, the Mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go to Anoint Him.
And very early on the first day of the week they went to the Tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying one
to another: “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the Tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone
had rolled back – for it was very large. And entering the Tomb, they saw a young Man sitting on the right side –
dressed in a white robe. And they were amazed.
He said to them: “Do not be amazed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth Who was crucified. He has Risen – He is not here.
Behold the place where they laid Him. But go – tell His Disciples, and Peter, that He is going before you to Galilee.
There you will see Him, as He told you.”
And they went out and fled from the Tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come upon them. And they said
nothing to anyone - for they were afraid...
If it had been His Faithful Apostles who had buried our UNLIKE ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING – DEATH WITHOUT SPIRITUAL
Lord Jesus Christ, the sceptics and enemies of Divine OR PHYSICAL CORRUPTION – A DEATH LEADING TO ETERNAL
Truth could claim that His Most Precious Body had VICTORY OVER THE TOMB ITSELF.
simply been hidden away by them and that there was Furthermore, the description of the New Tomb according
no Resurrection. to several sources, clearly shows that IT WAS A VERY
✶✶ However, ST JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, BEING BOTH A COUNCIL SPECIAL TOMB FIT FOR A MOST IMPORTANT PERSON – AND WHO
MEMBER (OF THE SANHEDRIN) AND AN ACKNOWLEDGED “GOOD IS MORE IMPORTANT AND INFLUENTIAL THAN OUR LORD JESUS
AND JUST MAN” TOGETHER WITH ST NIKODEMOS – ALSO OF CHRIST – OUR ONE AND ONLY ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST AND KING
GOOD REPUTATION AND SOCIAL STATUS - REFUTED ANY – OUR ONLY ETERNAL GOD INCARNATE!
POSSIBILITY THAT OUR LORD’S BODY WAS MERELY REMOVED AND Other facts to be considered is that :
HIDDEN BY HIS FAITHFUL APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES. 1. NOT ONLY WAS A HUGE, HEAVY ROCK PLACED - WITH MUCH
AS A WEALTHY AND HIGHLY PROMINENT, RESPECTED MEMBER OF EFFORT - AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE TOMB AND THEN
HEBREW SOCIETY, ST JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA WAS ABLE TO SEALED,
PERSONALLY APPROACH THE ROMAN GOVERNOR, PONTIUS
2. TWO ROMAN SOLDIERS STOOD ON GUARD AS WELL, because
PILATE, TO REQUEST THE BODY OF CHRIST, Whom Pontius
the devious Hebrew leaders had alleged that Christ’s
Pilate, the Roman Governor, had already
Body would be removed by His Disciples so that they
acknowledged as having been unjustly tried,
could then proclaim His Resurrection from the dead
punished and condemned to death by crucifixion.
as He had truthfully and precisely foretold.
✶✶ THE FACT THAT PONTIUS PILATE “...MARVELLED THAT HE WAS
✶✶ AFTER CHRIST HAD RESURRECTED AND DEPARTED, A POWERFUL
ALREADY DEAD...” CONFIRMS THE DIVINE TRUTH THAT EARTHQUAKE announced the Glorious Event by BREAKING
CHRIST PANTOKRATOR CHOSE THE EXACT HOUR OF THE SEALS, ROLLING AWAY THE ROCK blocking the entrance
HIS DEATH, HAVING SACRIFICED HIMSELF FREELY AND and REVEALING TO ALL MANKIND THE EMPTY TOMB,
WILLINGLY FOR THE SAKE OF ALL HUMANITY. containing only the discarded Shroud (Soudarion)
Usually crucifixion victims suffered for a very long time, and carefully folded Facecloth (Mandylion).
sometimes for days, before dying but WHEN THE SABBATH ✶✶✶ THE ROCK ROLLED AWAY - NOT SO THAT CHRIST COULD EXIT
DAY WAS APPROACHING, HEBREW CRIMINALS’ LEGS WERE THE TOMB BUT TO REVEAL TO MANKIND THAT HE HAD TRULY
SHATTERED SO THAT THEY QUICKLY DIED from the most RISEN!
painful green fracture injuries. THE TERRIFIED SOLDIERS – WHO ALSO WITNESSED THE EMPTY TOMB -
✶✶ YET AS PROPHESIED, NOT A BONE OF OUR LORD WAS BROKEN! RAN AWAY IN FEAR OF THE PUNISHMENT THEY FACED FROM THE
✶✶THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF A NEW TOMB THAT “...had ROMAN AUTHORITIES.
been hewn out of rock...” AND “...where no one had THEY WERE EVENTUALLY INTERROGATED AND THEN PAID BY THE
ever lain before...” is that CHRIST SUFFERED A DEATH HEBREW AUTHORITIES TO BLATANTLY LIE to everyone that

14. 3RD SUNDAY OF HOLY PASCHA – THE HOLY MYRRHBEARERS – 22 APRIL 2018
 the Disciples had removed the Body of Christ after
knocking them unconscious!
Habitual liars, thieves and deceivers always accuse others of their
own sins – and they REJECT Divine Truth – the Absolute Truth –
because it is something that is totally alien to them.
CHRIST DIED JUST BEFORE THE SABBATH SO THE USUAL BURIAL
CUSTOMS OF THE HEBREWS COULD NOT BE COMPLETED by His
Mother and Disciples, and they had to return on the
first day of the week – Sunday – to do so.
ST JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA AND ST NIKODEMOS HAD UNNAILED OUR
LORD FROM HIS CROSS AND WRAPPED HIS NAKED BODY IN A
FOURTEEN FOOT LONG “FINE LINEN” CLOTH that became the
Burial Shroud, also gathering up any bloody soil that
surrounded the Cross, to be buried with Him.
THEY HAD CARRIED HIM TO THE TOMB AND WRAPPED HIM WITH
OTHER LINEN STRIPS SOAKED WITH THE 100 POUNDS OF
BITTER ALOES THAT ST NIKODEMOS SUPPLIED.
THE MANDYLION OR FACE CLOTH WAS GENTLY AND RESPECTFULLY
PLACED OVER HIS FACE AS SOON AS THEY TOOK HIM DOWN
FROM THE CROSS, WHICH REMAINED UNDER THE OUTER BURIAL
CLOTHS, which were SOAKED WITH BITTER ALOES AND DRIED
AS HARD AS CONCRETE.
✶✶✶ THEREFORE, WHEN ST PETER AND ST JOHN SAW THE FOLDED
MANDYLION, THEY WERE AMAZED –
No doubt, they were even more shocked when they noticed the
Image of Christ upon it – which became known as the Holy Icon
“Not-Made-By-Hands” – the first Holy Icon of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which was copied by others over the centuries.
St Joseph of Arimathea and St Nikodemos showed their absolute
faith, honour and worship of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour by
all their actions: going directly to Pontius Pilate for permission to
Unnail our Lord from the Cross, purchasing the best quality of fine
linen available in which to wrap His Precious Body, donating a
newly hewn Tomb carved from solid stone and in a beautiful
garden –nothing but the best resting place for Christ our Saviour –
and their own personal attention to all the necessary Burial Rites,
including the supply of 100 pounds of Bitter Aloes!
St John the Divine Apostle, our Ever Blessed Lady Theotokos and Her
close companion, St Mary Of Magdala watched and witnessed
our Lord’s Burial.
ACCORDING TO OLD COVENANT LAW, THE BODIES OF THE DECEASED
WERE NOT WASHED BUT ANOINTED WITH AROMATIC OILS – and
in the cases of violent death, all blood and body parts
were carefully gathered, wrapped and buried
together with the rest of the body.
Although the Apostles and Disciples had gone into hiding
for fear of the Roman and Hebrew authorities, the
eight devoted Holy Myrrh-bearing Women, led by our
Most Blessed Lady Theotokos bravely went to fulfil
their Sacred Duty out of their profound Love and
Respect for Christ our Lord and Saviour.
The first day of the week is Sunday.Our Lady Theotokos was the legal
“Mother” of St Joseph the Betrothed’s seven children - St James, St
Joses, St Jude, St Simon, St Salome (mother of St John and St
James), St Ester and another daughter, who were actually Her
cousins and probably much older than Her.
Since She preferred and insisted on remaining humbly in the
background of Her Beloved Son and Lord, the Apostles, Disciples
and Evangelists respectfully referred to Her in obscure ways such
3RD SUNDAY OF HOLY PASCHA – SUNDAY
Christ is Risen! He is Truly Risen!
✞ In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit...
Dearly Beloved - AMONG THE GREAT HOLY VIRTUES ADORNING
THE LIFE OF THE HOLY MYRRHBEARING WOMEN, THEIR HOLY
ZEAL FOR OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS THE MOST STRIKING AS
WELL AS THEIR ABSOLUTE REVERENCE AND COURAGE of soul.
The Judean and Roman authorities had placed two
guards at the Tomb of Christ our Saviour, to prevent
any of His Faithful Disciples from going there at night
“...to steal and hide...” His Most Precious Body.
A huge, very heavy stone had been rolled up to seal the
entrance of our Lord’s Tomb so that NO ONE COULD
POSSIBLY ENTER OR EXIT IT IN SECRET, and, in addition, they
had placed two strong, armed soldiers on guard so
that NO ONE COULD APPROACH THE TOMB WITHOUT BEING
CHALLENGED OR ARRESTED.
However, NONE OF THESE OBSTACLES FRIGHTENED NOR
DISCOURAGED THE EIGHT HOLY MYRRHBEARERS, LED BY OUR
EVER BLESSED LADY, THEOTOKOS.
THEIR UNWAVERING LOVE, SACRED REVERENCE, AND COURAGE
SURMOUNTED ALL POSSIBLE OBSTACLES OR DANGER, and not
even an entire legion of soldiers would have shaken
their resolve to anoint our Divine Saviour’s Precious
Body with the fragrant Myrrh that they had purchased
and prepared for that purpose.
3RD SUNDAY OF HOLY PASCHA – THE HOLY MYRRHBEARERS – 22 APRIL 2018
as “...the Mother of Joses...” or “...the Mother of James and
Salome,..” etc.
THE ANGEL OF GOD – POSSIBLY ARCHANGEL GABRIEL WHO IS THE
ANGELIC MESSENGER AND BEARER OF GOOD TIDINGS FROM
GOD TO US HUMAN BEINGS – SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED ST
PETER, WHICH REVEALED OUR LORD’S SPECIAL CARE AND LOVE
EVEN FOR ONE OF HIS APOSTLES WHO HAD DENIED HIM AT A
CRUCIAL TIME.
According to St Theophylact the deeply repentant and
sorrowful St Peter would have said of himself: ‘I denied
the Lord, and therefore I am no longer His Apostle!’ Yet
THE ANGEL’S WORDS SHOWED THAT OUR LORD GOD HAD
ALREADY FORGIVEN ST PETER AND STILL LOVED HIM AS BEFORE.
✶✶ This is another Divine Teaching that clearly shows us
that WHENEVER AND WHATEVER WE TRULY REPENT WITH ALL
SORROW AND HUMILITY, WE ARE FORGIVEN BY GOD WHO LOVES
US - EVEN THE WORST OF SINNERS - FOR HE DOES NOT REQUIRE
OR DESIRE ANYONE TO SUFFER ETERNAL CONDEMNATION AND
PERPETUAL SPIRITUAL DEATH.
For this reason, WE MUST NEVER DARE TO JUDGE ONE ANOTHER
AND NOT EVEN OURSELVES FOR GOD’S DIVINE LOVE AND GRACE
IS FAR BEYOND ANYTHING WE CAN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND OR
APPRECIATE.
Our Blessed Lady Theotokos and Mary Magdalene “...
said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid...” does
not mean that they never told the others what they
had experienced so early on that first Resurrection
Day.
✶✶ OUR LADY THEOTOKOS “...KEPT MANY THINGS TO HERSELF...”
THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, ONLY SPEAKING OF THEM WHEN IT
BECAME NECESSARY TO DO SO and in order to confirm the
Absolute Truth of Christ’s Holy Gospel and Hissinless
Life on earth as God Incarnate and Perfect Man – AND
THEN ONLY TO THOSE WHO WOULD FULLY APPRECIATE AND
UNDERSTAND THEM.
Only after our Risen Lord Jesus Christ had appeared to
the other Holy Apostles and faithful Disciples, did they
speak of their experiences of that very early Sunday
morning – Holy Pascha.
THE STATEMENT THAT “...THEY WERE AFRAID...” MIGHT HAVE
REFERRED TO THE ENORMOUS SHOCK OF NOT ONLY WITNESSING
THE OPENED TOMB WITH THE ABANDONED BURIAL CLOTHS AND
THE PRESENCE OF THE ANGEL OF GOD, BUT ALSO A RELUCTANCE
TO TELL THE OTHERS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE BELIEVED THEM
and – being men – the Apostles would have thought
the Myrrh-bearing Women were merely “hysterical” or
“delusional” due to their intense grief
AS THE ADORING MOTHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, OUR LADY
THEOTOKOS WOULD HAVE BEEN INDESCRIBABLY TRAUMATISED BY
HAVING WITNESSED CHRIST’S TERRIBLE SUFFERING,
✶✶ HOWEVER, SHE WAS ALSO DEEPLY FAITHFUL AND FILLED WITH
DIVINE GRACE THAT ENABLED HER - MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE -
TO APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO
ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS DIVINE WILL FOR ALL HUMANITY.
IN HER PROFOUND WISDOM AND LOVE FOR GOD AND HER FELLOW
MANKIND, SHE WOULD KEEP MANY THINGS – ESPECIALLY THE
DIVINELY MYSTERIOUS THINGS – TO HERSELF, knowing that
others would either not understand or would
misinterpret or blaspheme them.
OF THE HOLY MYRRHBEARING WOMEN
THESE EIGHT HOLY MYRRHBEARERS WERE FAR MORE COURAGEOUS
THAN ANY OF THE MEN, for the Apostles and the male
Disciples had feared the Judean and Roman
authorities, so they had hidden themselves behind
locked doors.
St Peter was the most impulsive Apostle - fervent and
firm in Faith - yet fearing arrest and torture, he thrice
denied knowing or associating with our Lord Jesus
Christ (which our Saviour had foreseen, and which St
Peter immediately bitterly and most sorrowfully
regretted and Repented.)
WOMEN WERE BY NATURE TIMID AND ANXIOUS DUE TO THEIR SOCIAL
POSITION AND CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WERE REGARDED BY MEN
AS BEING ‘WEAK AND HELPLESS’ ALTHOUGH THEIR CAPABILITIES
OFTEN OUTWEIGHED THOSE OF MEN.
AS WIVES AND MOTHERS, WOMEN WERE ALWAYS WORRIED AND
CONCERNED ABOUT THE WELFARE OF THEIR FAMILY AND THOSE
WHOM THEY LOVED.
THESE FAITHFUL DISCIPLES WERE INTENSELY FOCUSED AND
DETERMINED TO FULFIL THEIR SACRED DUTIES CONCERNING THE
INTERMENT OF OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR’S CRUCIFIED BODY, which
proved how much stronger and braver they were
than men!
THEY DISREGARDED THE WRATH AND VENGEANCE OF THE
MISGUIDED, SPIRITUALLY BLIND JEWISH LEADERS AND THE WELL
KNOWN BRUTALITY OF THE ROMAN SOLDIERS.
15.
WHILE THE MALE APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES HAD HIDDEN
THEMSELVES, THESE HOLY MYRRHBEARERS HAD SET OFF FOR THE
TOMB EVEN BEFORE THE DAY HAD DAWNED, having gone first
to the marketplace to purchase the necessary
ingredients for the fragrant Myrrh with which to
Anoint the crucified, scourged and brutalised Body of
our Compassionate, Gentle, Loving and Merciful Lord
and Saviour.
O Blessed Women! HOW WERE THEY SO UNAFRAID to go out into
the darkness of night? And HOW HAD THEY DARED TO
APPROACH THE TOMB that was guarded by hostile,
armed soldiers? And HOW COULD THEY BELIEVE THAT
SOMEHOW THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT HUGE, HEAVY
STONE THAT SEALED THE ENTRANCE?
SUCH ASCETIC FEATS SPRANG FROM THEIR UTTER DEVOTION,
REVERENCE, AND EXTREME COURAGE, COMPELLED BY THEIR
STEADFAST LOVE OF GOD WHO MAKES ALL THINGS POSSIBLE!
Perhaps regarded as “feeble” or “weak” due to their
feminine nature, yet THESE EIGHT HOLY MYRRHBEARERS
PROVED TO BE STRONGER, BRAVER AND MORE FAITHFUL THAN
ALL THE OTHERS!
These Holy Myrrhbearers truly fulfilled the Words of our
Lord Jesus Christ, Who said:
 2 C O R I N T H I A N S 1 2 : 9 - “....My Strength is made
Perfect in weakness ...” . and
 1 C O R I N T H I A N S 1 : 2 7 – “... God hath chosen the weak
things of the world to confound the things that are
mighty...”
(Our Lord was referring to a quotation of the Old
Testament )
 cf. P S A L M 8 : 2 & M A T T H E W 2 1 : 1 6 – “...From the mouths
of infants and nurslings Thou prepared Praise...”
Furthermore, THE DIVINE TRUTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS
ENGRAVED UPON THEIR HEART AND TESTIFIED TO BY THEIR
ACTIONS:
 M A T T H E W 1 0 : 2 8 - “...fear not those who kill the body,
but are not able to kill the soul.”
 P S A L M 3 0 : 2 – “...Be of good Courage, and He shall
Strengthen your heart, all you who Hope in the Lord.”
THESE EIGHT HOLY MYRRHBEARERS COMPLETED THE APOSTOLIC
WORK EVEN BEFORE OUR LORD’S APOSTLES HAD BEGUN THEIR
SACRED MISSION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD!
THEY DISPLAYED THE ABSOLUTE FAITH AND COURAGE OF THE HOLY
MARTYRS BEFORE ANY OF THEM HAD DONE SO!.
St Elias/Elijah the great Holy Prophet of God, who had
been ablaze with Holy Zeal, had rebuked the King,
Ahab, and THESE HUMBLE, FAITHFUL WOMEN HAD
CONFOUNDED THE JEWISH AND ROMAN AUTHORITIES!
St Gideon had once crushed a multitude of Midianites
with three hundred soldiers (cf. Judges 7:25).
THESE HOLY MYRRHBEARING WOMEN, TOGETHER WITH THE
RIGHTEOUS AND EQUALLY COURAGEOUS, ST JOSEPH OF
ARIMATHEA AND ST NIKODEMOS, PROVED TO BE STRONGER
THAN ALL THE JEWISH AND ROMAN SECURITY MEASURES, for
THEY BECAME FEARLESS MINISTERS WHO WERE READY EVEN
UNTO DEATH TO SERVE HIM WHO CAME TO SERVE MANKIND
and to lay down His Life for the Redemption of all
mankind for all time!
THESE MOST HOLY WOMEN, TOGETHER WITH THE MOST PURE AND
EVER VIRGIN MARY – the Ever Blessed All Holy Mother of
God - with the greatest Faith, Devotion and Courage
HAD GATHERED TOGETHER TO FULFIL AND TO COMMEMORATE
THE VERY FIRST SACRED SERVICE TO OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR.
CONSEQUENTLY, THEY WERE BLESSED AND SANCTIFIED EVEN BEFORE
THE OTHER HOLY APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES, TO PREACH THE
GLORIOUS RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOUR,
JESUS CHRIST!.
Beloved Faithful! These eight remarkable Holy
Myrrhbearing Disciples of Christ are mentioned in all
the Holy Gospels.
 M A R K 1 6 : 1 & M A R K 1 5 : 4 7 – OUR EVER BLESSED ALL HOLY
LADY, THEOTOKOS, who is obliquely referred to as being
“...the Mother...” (according to Mosaic Law) of St James
and St Joses, (sons of St Joseph the Betrothed and his late wife,
St Salome, sister to St Anna and thus an aunt of Panagia.)
 LUKE 8: 1 – 3; MATTHEW 27: 55-56; MARK 15:40;
L U K E 2 3 : 4 9 J O H N 1 9 : 2 5 – ST MARY OF MAGDALA - a
mature, financially secure and independent woman
16. 3RD SUNDAY OF HOLY PASCHA – THE HOLY MYRRHBEARERS – 22 APRIL 2018
who became a close companion of Theotokos and the
other female Disciples, using her own resources to
provide for our Lord and all His Disciples as they went
about during those first three years of Christ’s public
Ministry, as well as afterwards.
She is wrongly identified as one of the fallen women who
were forgiven by Christ.
Because St Mary Magdalene was a very devout and
pious woman who humbly and obediently Loved and
served God, Satan thought she would be the bearer of
the Messiah so he had possessed her with “...seven
demons...” that our Lord Jesus Christ cast out.
After our Divine Saviour’s Ascent into Heaven, she
travelled to Rome where she reported the injustice of
our Lord’s Passion to the Emperor. As a result, Pontius
Pilate was banished to Spain where he suffered a
cruel demise.
 M A R K 1 6 : 1 – ST MARY THE WIFE OF CLEOPAS, was another
daughter of St Joseph the Betrothed and his late wife –
a cousin of our Lady Theotokos as well as Her
“Daughter” according to Her Betrothal to Her aged
uncle.
 M A T T H E W 2 7 : 5 6 ; 2 8 : 1 ; M A R K 1 6 : 1 ; L U K E 2 4 : 1 0 – ST
SALOME – another daughter of St Joseph the Betrothed
and his late wife, a cousin and “daughter” of our
Lady Theotokos, who was married to ZEBEDEE and the
mother of St James and St John, whom Christ had
nick-named “the Sons of Thunder.”
 L U K E 8 : 3 - ST JOANNA, the wife of Chuza, King Herod’s
Steward, who recovered the venerable head of St
John the Baptist and Forerunner from the cesspool
into which it had been thrown by order of the wicked
adulteress, Herodias.
Having reverently cleaned and wrapped it, St Joanna
placed it in a container, which she then carried to the
Mount of Olives where she buried it on land
belonging to Herod, where it remained for many
years until by means of a Vision it was recovered.
 L U K E 8 : 3 - ST SUSANNA, was another daughter of St
Joseph the Betrothed and thus a “daughter” to her
cousin, the Ever Blessed Theotokos.
 L U K E 1 0 : 3 8 – 4 2 - ST MARTHA AND ST MARY were the two
sisters of St Lazaros of Bethany, who often hosted our
Divine Saviour and His Disciples on the way to
Jerusalem or Galilee. Before His Passion, our Lord
Jesus Christ had raised St Lazaros from the dead, four
days after he had died.
THESE FAITHFUL DISCIPLES WHO WERE OUR LORD’S PIOUS AND
RIGHTEOUS FAMILY AND FRIENDS, ALL FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT
JESUS CHRIST IS TRULY THE ETERNAL, INCARNATE SON OF GOD
– the long awaited Divine Messiah Who had been
proclaimed by the ancient Holy Prophets of God -
Who came to Earth to Save mankind.
EACH OF THESE HOLY WOMEN LED A PURE AND HOLY LIFE OF
PRAYER AND FASTING, ABSTINENCE, AND ALMSGIVING, ABIDING
IN SACRED LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER, and, as much as they
were able, lovingly offered hospitality to our Lord
Jesus Christ as well as all His Faithful Apostles and
Disciples who accompanied Him.
Nevertheless, THE FAITH AND PIOUS DEVOTION OF THESE HOLY
MYRRHBEARERS WAS NOT LIMITED TO THEIR OWN SPIRITUAL
LIFE, FOR THEY NOT ONLY WELCOMED OUR LORD - and all His
Apostles and Disciples into their homes - washed their
feet, served them at the table, and provided them
with shelter and accommodation, and the
opportunity to rest, but THEY ALSO ACCOMPANIED OUR LORD
JESUS CHRIST WHENEVER THEY COULD, AND THUS WITNESSED
HIS INNUMERABLE DIVINE MIRACLES, AND LISTENED CAREFULLY
TO HIS TEACHINGS so that they, too, were COMPELLED BY
THEIR PROFOUND LOVE OF GOD TO BOLDLY CONFESS THEIR
FAITH TO OTHERS AND HELPED TO SPREAD THE TRUTH that He
is indeed the Eternal, Divine Son of God, and the
Saviour of the world.
Amen
ARCHIMANDRITE CLEOPAS (ILIE)
ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY
HTTP://ORTHOCHRISTIAN.COM/103154.HTML
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most
Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And
let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

23 April 2018

St George the Great Holy Martyr & Trophy-bearer

Also the Feast of St Alexandria the Empress, wife of Diocletian – St Anatolios & St
Protoleon the Soldiers, converted witnesses of St George’s Martyrdom –St
Lazaros of Bulgaria

PASCHAL APOLYTIKION - HOLY PASCHA

✞Hristos Anesti ek nekron, Thanato Thanaton patistas, ke ✞ Christ has Risen from the dead, by Death trampling
tis en tis mnimasi, Zoin harisamenos! upon Death, and has bestowed Life to those in the
tombs!
ISODIKON – TONE 2
En Ekklisias Evlogite ton Theon, Kyrion ek pigon Israil. Bless God in the churches, the Lord from the Fountains of
Soson imas, Iie Theou, O Anastas ek nekron, psallontas Israel. Save us, O Son of God, Who arose from the
Si, Allelouia! dead, who sing to Thee: Alleluia!
PASCHAL APOLYTIKION – TONE 2
Ote katilthes pros ton Thanaton, i Zoi i Athanatos, tote ton When Thou descended into Death, O Lord Who Thyself
Edin enekrosas ti astrafpi tis Theotitos, ote de ke tous art Immortal Life, Thou mortified Hades by the
tethneots ek ton katahthonion anestisas, pase e Dinamis Lightning Flash of Thy Divinity. And when Thou
ton Epouranion ekravgazon. Zoodota Hriste O Theos Raised the dead from the underworld, all the Heavenly
imon, ✞ Doxa Si! Powers cried out: O Giver of Life! Christ our God! ✞
Glory to Thee!
PASCHAL APOLYTIKION - THE HOLY MYRRH-BEARERS – TONE 2
Tes Myroforis Ginexi, para to Mnima epistas, O Angelos The Angel standing by the Tomb cried to the Myrrh-
evoa: To Myra tis thnitis iparhi armodia, Hristos de bearing Women: Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but
diafthoras edihthi allotrios; alla kravgasate: Anesti O Christ has been shown to be a stranger to corruption.
Kyrios, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos! But cry aloud: The Lord has Risen, granting the world
His Great Mercy!
MENAION - FESTAL APOLYTIKION – ST GEORGE THE GREAT HOLY MARTYR – TONE 4
Os ton ehmaloton eleftherotis, ke ton ptohon iperaspistis, Being renowned for setting captives free and for
asthenounton iatroa, Vasileon Ipermahos, Tropeofore defending those in poverty, the Physician of the sick
Megalomartys Georgie,
resveve Hristo to Theo, sothine and the Champion of Emperors, Great and Victorious
tas psihas imon. Martyr George: Intercede with Christ our God,
beseeching Him to Save our soul.
PATRONAL APOLYTIKION OF THE PARISH CHURCH 
SEASONAL KONTAKION – PASCHA – TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
I ke en Tafo katilthes Athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tin Although Thou entered the Tomb, O Immortal One, Thou
dinamin; ke Anestis os Nikitis, Hriste O Theos, Gynexi destroyed the power of Hades; and Thou arose as
Myroforis fthengxamenos: Herete! Ke tis Sis Apostolis Victor, O Christ our God! To the Myrrh-bearing Women
Irinin doroumenos, O tis pesousi parehon Anastasin. Thou said: Rejoice! And to Thine Apostles Thou
granted Thy Peace: O Thou Who grants Resurrection to
the fallen.
MATINS GOSPEL LUKE 21 : 12 – 19
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: “...Beware of men, for they will lay their hands on you and persecute you,
delivering you up to the Synagogues and prisons; you will be brought before Kings and Rules for My Name’s
Sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for Testimony. Therefore, settle it in your hearts not to meditate
beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and Wisdom, that all your adversaries will not
be able to contradict or resist.
“You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.
And you will be hated by all for My Name Sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost.
”By your Patience possess your soul.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ emphasised THE NECESSITY OF BEING about the past or the future, over which we have no
WATCHFUL AND VIRTUOUS RATHER THAN FOCUSSING ON control.
CONSTRUCTING ‘TIMETABLES’ OR WORRYING ABOUT THINGS He cautioned them about THE INITIAL SORROWS AND THE
THAT HAVE NOT YET HAPPENED. GREAT TRIBULATION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO SUFFER BEFORE
WE MUST LIVE IN THE PRESENT, FULFILLING OUR SACRED DUTIES OUR LORD’S REAPPEARANCE AT THE END OF THE AGES.
ACCODING TO THE WILL OF GOD, EACH AND EVERY DAY, The period of the “Great Tribulation” includes THE ENTIRE
instead of wasting our time and energy worrying CHRISTIAN ERA and is not merely limited to the final

ST GEORGE THE GREAT HOLY MARTYR & TROPHY-BEARER 23 APRIL 2018 17.
 years before our Lord Jesus Christ’s Glorious Furthermore, GOD, BY HIS DIVINE GRACE, ENABLES US TO
Appearance on the Eighth Day. PROPERLY EXPRESS OURSELVES SO THAT OTHERS WILL BE ABLE TO
Our Lord’s warnings against THE DECEPTIONS OF MEN HAVE COMPREHEND AND BE ENLIGHTENED – ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE
PROVED TO BE AS EXTREMELY DESTRUCTIVE AND DANGEROUS as WILLING TO RECEIVE DIVINE TRUTH and not reject it before
He had said – ESPECIALLY THE BLASPHEMOUS AND HERETICAL they heard it.
TEACHINGS of the false “christs” and ‘prophets’ who Throughout the centuries, as our Lord had warned us, HIS
have caused more harm to mankind and corrupted FAITHFUL DISCIPLES HAVE BEEN BETRAYED EVEN BY THOSE
our Lord’s Divine Truth than Satan could have hoped CLOSELY RELATED TO THEM.
for!! HE ASSURED US THAT DESPITE ALL THE HORRORS AND CRUELTY OF
PEOPLE HUNGER AND THIRST FOR DIVINE TRUTH but all they get MANKIND THAT MAY BE BROUGHT TO BEAR UPON HIS FAITHFUL
is the distorted heresy of the Spiritually Blind and DISCIPLES, THEY WOULD BE PRESERVED INTACT BY DIVINE
ignorant who are self-serving and ungodly. GRACE.
These self-appointed ‘religious leaders’ prove time and In many cases, after enduring long and brutally hideous
again to be egocentric charlatans who rob people of tortures, CERTAIN HOLY MARTYRS WERE RESTORED TO FULL
their material possessions, and – even worse – their HEALTH, much to the alarm of the ungodly enemies of
faith in God! Christ.
Our Lord encouraged His Apostles not to despair when Our Divine Saviour urges us to BE PATIENT IN ALL
brought before the authorities but rather to MAKE USE CIRCUMSTANCES for PATIENCE IS A GREAT AND HOLY VIRTUE
OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TO THE DIVINE TRUTH OF OUR that acquires for us many of the other Holy Virtues -
TRIUNE, ALMIGHTY LORD GOD. and especially BESTOWS UPON US HIS DIVINE GRACE THAT
ENABLES US TO ACCOMPLISH THE IMPOSSIBLE!
FESTAL PROKEIMENON – PSALM 63/64 – TONE (7) VARYS/GRAVE
The Righteous Man shall be glad in the Lord, and shall Hope in Him.
Hear my voice, O God, in my Supplication
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 12: 1 – 11
About that time, Herod the King laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the Church. He killed James, the
brother of John, with the sword. And when he saw that it pleased the Judeans, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
This was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. When he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to
four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending, after Passover, to take him out to the people.
Peter was kept imprisoned. Earnest Prayers for him were made to God by the Church.
The very night that Herod was about to take him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains,
and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold! An Angel of the Lord appeared, and a Light
shone in the cell. He struck Peter on his side to wake him, saying to him: “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off his
hands. The Angel said to him: “Put your sandals on your feet!” And he did so. And he said to him: “Wrap your
cloak around you and follow me!” And he went out and followed him.
He did not know that what was done by the Angel was real, but thought that he was seeing a Vision.
When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to
them of its own accord. And they went out, and passed on through one street. And immediately the Angel left him.
And Peter came to himself, and said: “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent His Angel to rescue me from the hand of
Herod and from all that the Judeans were expecting!”
HEROD AGRIPPA WHO REIGNED BETWEEN 41 – 44, WAS THE THE REALITY AND POWER OF GOD AND HIS HEAVENLY HOSTS WHO
GRANDSON OF KING HEROD THE GREAT, the paranoid and ACT ON HIS BEHALF, IS CLEARLY EVIDENT FROM THIS EVENT.
wicked Tetrarch Ruler of Judea under the authority of St Peter had been chained between two guards, and
the Roman Empire, who was responsible for the imprisoned in a highly secured structure, yet the
terrible Slaughter of the Holy Innocents. Angel was able to release him and lead him to
After hearing about St John the Baptist’s remarkable birth to his freedom without raising any alarms or reactions from
barren, elderly mother and later, hearing from the three Magi the soldiers or anyone else who all seemed oblivious
about a Great King Who had been born, Herod put the two to them.
facts together and ordered the wholesale murder of all EVERYTHING BECOMES POSSIBLE BY THE GRACE AND WILL OF GOD,
young boys who were two years of age and younger. WHICH IS CLEARLY EVIDENT FROM THE SHACKLES DROPPING
By Divine Will, St John the Forerunner and Christ our Divine Saviour FROM ST PETER’S WRISTS AND ANKLES, AND THE GATES OPENING
escaped the brutal, merciless slaughter, and fulfilled their AUTOMATICALLY.
Sacred Mission. ✶✶ Only when St Peter stood alone in the street, away
THE PERIOD OF HEROD AGRIPPA’S REIGN DETERMINE WHEN ST from the prison, did he understand that “...the Lord
JAMES WAS EXECUTED AND WHEN ST PETER WAS IMPRISONED. has sent His Angel to rescue...” him.
ST JAMES WAS THE FIRST OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST’S TWELVE ST PETER’S INITIAL CONFUSION AND SUBSEQUENT UNDERSTANDING
APOSTLES TO BE MARTYRED, thereby revealing that BY 44 SHOW US THAT GOD’S HOLY WORKS ARE NOT ALWAYS CLEAR TO
THERE WAS ALREADY AN EVER INCREASING POPULAR US WHILE THEY ARE UNFOLDING.
PERSECUTION OF THE FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST. However, ONLY IN HINDSIGHT DOES HIS DIVINE PURPOSE USUALLY
✶✶The “...Days of Unleavened Bread...” marked THE BECOME CLEAR.
FASTING PERIOD OF PASCHA and thus THE COMMEMORATION The Angel had woken St Peter from his sleep, and as he
OF OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR’S PASSION AND GLORIOUS was not yet fully awake, the Angel had to instruct St
RESURRECTION. Peter to put on his sandals and his cloak, and then to
✶✶ THE POWER OF INTERCESSORY PRAYER OF THE HOLY CHURCH OF follow him.
CHRIST on behalf of Her Leaders IS PROVED BY THE ALL THIS WAS DONE WITHOUT THE GUARDS BEING AT ALL AWARE –
MIRACULOUS ANGELIC DELIVERANCE OF ST PETER. EITHER THEY WERE ALL FAST ASLEEP, OR UNDER A TYPE OF
✶✶ THE ANGELS ARE FAITHFUL HEAVENLY SERVANTS AND HYPNOTIC STATE.
MESSENGERS OF THE LORD OUR GOD, Who sends them to We can only imagine the confusion, the frustration and
HELP MANKIND ACCORDING TO HIS DIVINE WILL, COMPASSION the fear of the soldiers when they discovered that their
AND LOVE. important prisoner had disappeared so mysteriously!
They act as OUR GUARDIAN ANGELS, SPIRITUAL GUIDES, Furthermore, St Peter’s escape must have caused quite a
TEACHERS AND PROTECTORS WHO INTERCEDE ON OUR BEHALF lot of fury, accusations and uproar between Herod
WITH GOD, and when we learn to OBEY THEIR WISE ADVICE Agrippa, the self-righteous Jewish Leaders and the
AND CAUTIONARY WARNINGS against evil and harm, we Roman authorities responsible for his imprisonment.
make good Spiritual Progress. CONSEQUENTLY, ST PETER, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE OTHER HOLY
Thus we ACKNOWLEDGE THEM IN OUR RULE OF PRAYER EVERY DAY, APOSTLES AND FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST WERE ABLE TO
APOLOGISING for stressing them by our careless actions, CONTINUE THEIR SACRED MISSION AND FULFIL THE WILL OF
AND THANKING THEM for their constant assistance. GOD, AS THE NEW COVENANT, CHRISTIAN CHURCH CONTINUED
TO GROW THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

18. ST GEORGE THE GREAT HOLY MARTYR & TROPHY-BEARER 23 APRIL 2018
 THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST JOHN 15 17 – 16 : 2
At that time our Lord Jesus Christ said to His Disciples: “...This I Command you: Love one another!
“If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its
own; but because you are not of this world, for I Chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
“Remember the Word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his Master!’ If they persecuted Me, they will
persecute you; if they kept My Word, they will keep yours also.
“But all this they will do to you for My Name sake, because they do not know Him Who sent Me. If I had not come
and spoken to them, they would not have sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin.
“He who hates Me, hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the Works that no one else did, they would
not have sin. Now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father. But it is to fulfil the Word that is written in
their Law: ‘... for they hated Me without a cause.’
“When the Counsellor comes, Whom I shall send to you from the Father – even the Spirit of Truth, Who Proceeds from
the Father – He will bear Witness to Me.
“And you also are Witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
“I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the Synagogues – indeed, the
Hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering Service to God!”
✶✶ This passage of the Gospel according to St John is COMFORTED AND ENCOURAGED BY THE DIVINE PRESENCE OF
read on FEAST DAYS COMMEMORATING A HOLY MARTYR. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.
✶✶ OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST CONTINUALLY COMMANDED US TO ✶✶ GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR DIVINE AND LIFE-GIVING
LOVE ONE ANOTHER – unconditionally – JUST AS GOD LOVES “COUNSELLOR,” “COMFORTER,” “PARAKLETE” – OUR DIVINE
US, even though we are habitual sinners. “ADVOCATE,” OR “HELPER” AS WELL AS “THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH.”
HIS ETERNAL, HEAVENLY KINGDOM IS A KINGDOM OF AGAPE – GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT OF TRUTH IS IN EACH TRUE BELIEVER. WE
DIVINE LOVE. Unless we strive to acquire that ARE CALLED BY GOD TO KNOW HIM – TO NURTURE A CLOSE
Marvellous, most vital Holy Virtue of Love, we cannot SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
expect to become worthy Heavenly Citizens! God the Holy Spirit PRAYS IN US AND FOR US, especially when
✶✶ The term “world” is used in several distinct ways in we do not know how to pray – ENABLING US TO PRAY in
Holy Scipture. the Name of the our Lord Jesus Christ and in the
In some cases, it refers to all that is Glorious, Beautiful and Name of the Holy Trinity.
Redeemable in God’s Magnificent, Perfect Creation. Furthermore God the Holy Spirit GRANTS US WORDS OF
In others, it refers to that which is finite (limited) in WITNESS OR TESTIMONY WHEN WE SPEAK OF OR TEACH THE
contrast to that which is Eternal. HOLY GOSPEL TO OTHERS.
In other instances, however, “world” refers to EVERYTHING DURING THE HOLY MYSTERY OF BAPTISM AND CHRISTMATION, WE
THAT IS IN REBELLION AGAINST GOD, as mentioned in this ARE GRANTED THE DIVINE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHICH
particular passage. ENABLES US TO FULFIL ALL OUR SACRED TASKS AND DUTIES
REBELLION AGAINST THE LORD OUR GOD REVEALS SEVERAL THINGS: ACCORDING TO THE LOVE AND WILL OF GOD.
1. WHILE UNION WITH CHRIST BRINGS US LOVE, TRUTH, AND We have confidence in THE DOCTRINE (TEACHINGS) OF OUR
PEACE, IT ALSO BRINGS US PERSECUTION, BECAUSE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST’S HOLY APOSTLES, for GOD THE HOLY
FALLEN WORLD HATES DIVINE LOVE AND TRUTH SPIRIT IS THE DIVINE TEACHER WHO BROUGHT TO
2. THE FALLEN WORLD hates our Lord Jesus Christ, so it also REMEMBRANCE NOT ONLY ALL THE WORDS. TEACHINGS AND
HATES ALL THOSE OF US WHO STRIVE TO BECOME LIKE HIM - REVELATION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, BUT ALSO THE FULL
by Living in Him – by fulfilling all His Divine UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR MEANING AND PURPOSE
Commandments and Teachings in our daily WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST for GOD
existence. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR DIVINE INSTRUCTOR SINCE THE DAY OF
3. THE FALLEN WORLD HATES OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BECAUSE IT PENTECOST when He descended upon His Holy Apostles
NEITHER KNOWS NOR DESIRES TO KNOW GOD, OUR – for HE GUIDES US, TEACHES US AND LEADS US INTO DIVINE
HEAVENLY FATHER, TRUTH.
4. HATRED FOR OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, IS St Ireneaus explained: “... where the Church is, there is
UTTERLY UNREASONABLE AND IRRATIONAL, for He brings the Holy Spirit and the Fullness of Divine Grace.”
us – all mankind – Love and Great Mercy, so He is THROUGH THE DIVINE ILLUMINATION OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE
hated WITHOUT CAUSE OR REASON! WORLD WILL BE CONVICTED – proven how wrong it is!
✶✶ WITH RESPECT TO GOD’S WORKING SALVATION IN THE WORLD, THE WORLD WILL BE CONVICTED AND CONDEMNED CONCERNING:
the Eternal Son of God, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, HAS SENT 1. Its SIN - the ultimate of which is THE DENIAL OF OUR
US GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT – THE LIFE-GIVING “PARAKLETE,” LORD JESUS CHRIST
“COUNSELLOR” AND “COMFORTER” – FROM GOD THE FATHER. 2. RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH IT FAILED TO ACCEPT FROM OUR
Our Lord Jesus Christ very clearly and concisely tells us LORD JESUS CHRIST WITH FAITH AND THANKSGIVING
that GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT PROCEEDS FROM GOD THE 3. JUDGEMENT, FOR ALL WHO REJECTED OUR LORD JESUS
FATHER ALONE! CHRIST WILL RECEIVE THE SAME ETERNAL
In other words, GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT RECEIVES HIS ETERNAL CONDEMNATION AS SATAN has already received
EXISTENCE ONLY FROM GOD THE FATHER. being the inventor of all sin and the cause of
In conformity with our Lord Jesus Christ’s Divine Death, as ruler of this fallen world.
Revelation, the Nicene Creed – our Creed of Faith – ✶✶ OUR LORD JESUS IS KIND, COMPASSIONATE AND LOVING, SO HE
confesses our True Belief “...in the Holy Spirit, the DOES NOT WANT ANY OF HIS BELOVED DISCIPLES TO BE
Lord, the Giver of Life, Who PROCEEDS FROM THE DECEIVED, MISGUIDED AND DESTROYED by the evil one and
FATHER, Who, together with the Father and the Son, his wicked machinations, that cause the weak and
is Worshipped and Glorified...” ignorant people to carry out his fatal desires.
WHILE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE ETERNAL WORD AND SON OF THEREFORE, OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR HAS NOT ONLY CAUTIONED US
GOD IS BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER ALONE, GOD THE HOLY AGAINST ALL TEMPTATIONS AND WICKEDNESS, BUT ALSO
SPIRIT PROCEEDS FROM GOD THE FATHER ALONE. ENCOURAGED US BY REMINDING US THAT WE ARE NEVER ALONE
Thus, THE SOURCE – THE FOUNTAINHEAD – OF BOTH PERSONS OF FOR WE HAVE FAR MORE LOVE, POWER AND PROTECTION THAN
THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, IS GOD THE FATHER. WE REALISE.
✶✶ “Sorrow” refers to “... extreme grief leading to Not only do we have an Almighty Triune God Who Love
despondency or despair...” (total hopelessness) us and Who enables us to achieve great things, but
which is a sinful passion for Faithful Disciples of we also have all His Heavenly Hosts and Holy Saints
Christ, for great is the tyranny of despondency...” as who constantly intercede on our behalf and who
St John Chrysostom commented. watch over, comfort and guide us.
This sin is constantly referred to in the writings of our Holy Consequently, AS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF OUR LORD JESUS
Desert Fathers. CHRIST, WE MUST NEVER BECOME OVERWHELMED NOR DEFEATED
When the world persecutes the Faithful, or when God BY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT REST ASSURED IN THE LOVE
seems to be absent the FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST OF GOD.
FIGHT AGAINST DESPONDENCY OR DESPAIR, and are
ST GEORGE THE GREAT HOLY MARTYR & TROPHY BEARER
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen! Eternal Glory and the Unfading Crown of Martyrdom
Dearly Beloved: The Holy Church venerates as Saints a to worldly glory, publicly Confessing their Faith in
number of warriors who served in the Roman army. Christ and not denying it although it cost them their
Christianity was then very widespread, and when life.
Christians suffered persecutions, they preferred

ST GEORGE THE GREAT HOLY MARTYR & TROPHY-BEARER 23 APRIL 2018 19.
St George the Great Holy Martyr had lived during the time
of Emperor Diocletian, who ruled from 248-305 – a
pagan worshipping Emperor who was extremely
antagonist towards Christians - his persecutions
against Christians continuing until 305, being
possibly the cruellest and longest.
Eventually Diocletian became mentally ill, and his victims
began to “persecute and chase” him. He was
continually threatened with murder. So he left his
palace on the Dalmatian coast and lived in isolation,
never receiving anyone except his guards, whom he
feared as well. His life became quite torturous until his
death in 313, which ended the persecutions against
Christians.
He had died all alone, in abject terror of everyone -
having been haunted to death in the horror of all his
fears, which gave him no peace at all but caused him
a foretaste of Hell.
According to a tutor of the palace, Lactantios, (who had
lost his employment when he converted to
Christianity, and then wrote a book about Emperor
Diocletian,) initially, Emperor Diocletian did not
repress Christians so fiercely—that is, not to death.
However, all those who persecuted the Church of Christ
ended badly - the clearest example being Diocletian,
whom Lactantios had known during the Emperor’s
best years as well as during his period of insanity.
Diocletian’s insanity was due to being terrorized by inner
fears that the Christians and our Lord Jesus Christ
would punish him for all the murders he committed,
so he persecuted them even more obsessively.
The first form of persecution was the decree forcing all
who served in the army to make offerings to the ‘gods’
but if they refused to do so they were dismissed.
Emperor Diocletian visited the oracles, who always gave
confusing answers to questions that were put to them
but these pagan oracles feared the Christians so they
encouraged him to persecute them.
In 303, Diocletian issued a very harsh decree ordering all
Holy Scripture in the Christians’ possession to be
handed over to the authorities and burnt in the town
squares.
His father-in-law, Galerius, set two fires in the palace in
Nicomedia where Diocletian resided, and accused
the Christians of the arson. Diocletian immediately
ordered all Christian Priests and Deacons to be
arrested, and forced to sacrifice to the gods.
Having refused to do so they were tortured and thrown to
ravenous wild beasts, adding extraordinarily large
numbers of Holy Martyrs to our Victorious Sainthood.
Persecution of all Christians became even more rampant
throughout the entire Roman Empire when Diocletian
ordered the arrest and torture of all soldiers, not only
officers, who believed in Christ and confessed their
Faith in Christ.
St. George came from a noble Christian family, and was
therefore well educated. He was handsome and one
of the bravest soldiers, and because he was so gifted
and distinguished in battle, Diocletian had very
quickly promoted him and made him Commander of
the Imperial Guard.
When all Roman citizens were compelled to sacrifice to
the pagan idols on the public squares once a month,
it was discovered that there were many thousands of
Christians, who were all be tortured and murdered –
from infants to the elderly – for refusing to do so.
St. George resolved to confess his Faith in God and Christ
before the Emperor and the Senate.
St. George boldly stood before them all and loudly
confessed his Faith in Christ as our King and declared
his preference to serve Christ rather than the Emperor
of a pagan empire, neither by wielding the sword
nor by military conquest, but by offering himself as a
sacrifice for the Love of Christ our Divine Saviour and
Lord God. He was prepared to be martyred!.
The Confession of St George, whom the Emperor had
admired and loved, and the Senate had praised and
honoured, provoked much confusion and regret—but
also enraged displeasure.
St. George was instantly arrested and imprisoned, and
when he steadfastly refused to renounce his Christian
Faith, he was subjected to the most brutal tortures the
executioners could invent!
His feet were locked in red-hot iron sandals with nails, he
was put on the wheel, thrown into the sea with a stone
20. ST GEORGE THE GREAT HOLY MARTYR & TROPHY-BEARER
around his neck - but as it says in his Akathist, he
stood on the waves of the sea as on dry land - he was
thrown into quicklime, but remained unharmed.
God grants His Holy Martyrs special Spiritual Strength,
which I have witnessed in prison, when completely
weak and very sick people who are barely breathing
experienced no suffering at all, and continued to
Confess God, even blessing their tormentors.
So it was with all the Holy Martyrs, whom God grants Holy
Strength, and sometimes they experience none of
their obvious physical suffering- even thought their
flesh was torn with iron claws, nails were pounded
into their hands and feet, they were burnt with fire,
with red-hot metal instruments, yet they felt no pain,
for God granted them this amazing Holy Strength to
endure - pass through their sufferings without
trauma!
And the fact that they never denied God, and that after
they were tortured, they remained unharmed, led
many witnesses to Repentance, and join the Sacred
Ranks of Faithful Christians, which is why our Holy
Fathers say that “....the Blood of the Martyrs is the
seed of Christianity...” or “..the Blood of Martyrs water
the Roots of the Holy Church of Christ.”
The more Christians were tortured and killed, the more
Christians came out of their blood. Converts had
witnessed their Steadfastness, the Power of God and
His Divine Miracles, and they Repented - right then
and there, during the tortures, they Confessed their
Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Scores of Christians and Converts were thrown into the
arena, where the hungry, brutalised beasts ripped
them to shreds or the executioner tortured them until
they perished.
There was a close connection between St. George and
me. When I was in prison I always called upon him,
and he helped me in many circumstances. From that
time on and to this day I never cease to pray to him
every day. I am convinced that between a Saint and
those who pray to him a close Relationship is formed,
and often many of the Saints’ qualities, if we have a
close Spiritual Connection with them, appear in us
also.
In my case, for example, just as St. George went through
prison, so did I; as St. George was Strengthened by
God in difficult circumstances, so was I Strengthened
in the most difficult moments, when I might have
perished not only physically but also spiritually.
The presence of St George Strengthened me, because we
who bear his name receive firmness in Faith and
Spiritual Protection, which God grants us through him.
Pray to the Saint whose name you bear, and he [or she]
will help you. Turn to your Patron Saint in times of
sorrow and sickness; in difficult circumstances and in
moments of joy: “St. John (or, St. George), my
protector, pray to God for me, a sinner!”
Pray to the Saints who will hear your Prayer! They are our
‘Advocates’ before God - of all those who bear their
names, bringing our Prayers before God and
interceding on our behalf.
At the end of life, when we depart for the other world, our
Patron Saint will be standing next to us. If we
venerated him and prayed to him, he will stand next
to our Guardian Angel to protect us from Satan’s
accusations.
This is because at our personal judgment the devil pulls
out all our sins, even those we don’t remember,
exhibits them for everyone to see, and throws them on
the scales. So we need an Advocate to defend us,
with all our good deeds, for we will be so humiliated
that we may not remember any of our good deeds,
just as we forget our sins.
However, our Guardian Angel and Patron Saint will place
all our good deeds on the scales. And often one tear
surpasses all the evil deeds we did throughout our
entire life.
Therefore, we must always remember our Patron Saints
whose names we bear, and pray that they will Protect
and Guide us, our relatives and friends, our Nation
and all mankind.
FATHER GEORGE CALCIU
TRANSLATION BY ORTHOCHRISTIAN.COM
HTTP://ORTHOCHRISTIAN.COM/79345.HTML
23 APRIL 2018
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most
Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And
let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

25 April 2018
St Mark the Holy Apostle & Evangelist
Founder & First Patriarch of Alexandria & All Africa
Also the Feast of St Sylvester, Abbot of Obnora, Disciple of St Sergios of Radonezh -
PASCHAL APOLYTIKION – TONE (5) PLAGAL 1
✶ ✞ Hristos Anesti, ek nekron, Thanato thanaton ✶ ✞ Christ is Risen from the dead; By Death trampling
patisas, Ke tis en tis mnimasin, Zoin harisamenos [3] upon death, And has bestowed Life to those in the
tombs. [3]
SMALL ENTRANCE HYMNS

ISODIKON – TONE 2
En Ekklisias Evlogite ton Theon, Kyrion ek pigon Israil. Bless God in the churches, the Lord from the Fountains of
Soson imas, Iie Theou, O Anastas ek nekron, psallontas Israel. Save us, O Son of God, Who arose from the
Si, Allelouia! dead, who sing to Thee: Alleluia!
PASCHAL APOLYTIKION –HOLY MYRRHBEARERS - TONE 2
Ote katilthes pros ton Thanaton, i Zoi i Athanatos, tote ton When Thou descended into Death, O Lord Who Thyself
Edin enekrosas ti astrafpi tis Theotitos, ote de ke tous art Immortal Life, Thou mortified Hades by the
tethneots ek ton katahthonion anestisas, pase e Dinamis Lightning Flash of Thy Divinity. And when Thou
ton Epouranion ekravgazon. Zoodota Hriste O Theos Raised the dead from the underworld, all the Heavenly
imon, ✞ Doxa Si! Powers cried out: O Giver of Life! Christ our God! ✞
Glory to Thee!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION - ST MARK, APOSTLE & EVANGELIST – TONE 3
Apostole Agie, ke Evangelista Marke, Presveve to Eleimoni O Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, Intercede with our
Theo, ina ptesmaton afesin, parashi tes psihes imon. Merciful God to grant remission of sins to our souls.
PATRONAL HYMN OF THE PARISH 
PASCHAL KONTAKION – HOLY MYRRH-BEARERS – TONE 2
To Here tes Myroforis fthengxamenos, ton thrinon tis In saying: “Rejoice!” to the Myrrhbearers, Thou allayed the
Promitoros Evas katepafsas, ti Anastasi Sou Hriste O lament of the First Mother, Eve, at Thy Resurrection, O
Theos. Tis Apostolis de tis sis kirittin epetaxas. O SOTIR Christ our God. And Thou ordered Thy Apostles to
EXANESTI TOU MNIMATOS! proclaim: “THE SAVIOUR HAS RISEN FROM THE TOMB!”
FESTAL PROKEIMENON - PSALM 18/19 – TONE 4
Their proclamation went forth into all the Earth, and their words to the ends of the world.
The Heavens declare the Glory of God; the firmament shows the Creation of His Hands.
THE FIRST UNIVERSAL EPISTLE OF ST PETER 5 : 6 – 14
Brethren, humble yourselves therefore under the Mighty Hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. Cast all your
anxieties on Him, for He cares for you. Be sober. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring
lion, seeking someone to devour! Resist him, first in your Faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is
required of your Brotherhood throughout the world.
The God of All Grace, Who has Called you to His Eternal Glory in Christ, will Himself restore, establish and Strengthen
you after you have suffered a little while. To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
By Silvanos, a Faithful Brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring this is the True
Grace of God. Stand fast in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise Chosen, sends you greetings, and so does
Mark, my Son. Greet each other with the kiss of Love. Peace to all who are in Christ. Amen.
✶✶ HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE ARE TWO UTTERLY ESSENTIAL HOLY UNDERSTAND HOLY SCRIPTURE NOR CAN WE KNOW HOW TO LIVE
VIRTUES. IN CHRIST THROUGH CORRECT RULES OF PRAYER AND WORSHIP,
✶✶ HUMILITY IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL HOLY VIRTUES THAT CAN and practise them properly by UNDERSTANDING ALL
ONLY BE ACQUIRED AND LEARNT THROUGH SINCERE, WILLING ASPECTS OF ORTHODOX LIFE IN CHRIST.
SUBMISSION AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD AND TO HIS ORDAINED By submitting ourselves in Humility and Obedience to
BISHOPS AND PRESBYTERS, WHO ARE OUR SPIRITUAL FATHERS. God and to others who teach and guide us, WE HUMBLE
WE MUST BE HUMBLE IN ORDER TO OBEY AND FULFIL THE DIVINE OURSELVES “... under the Mighty Hand of God...”
TRUTH – THE DIVINE TEACHINGS AND COMMANDMENTS OF OUR THE DEEPER OUR FAITH, THE MORE WE REST ASSURED IN THE LOVE
LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST. AND CARE OF OUR LORD GOD, having “...cast all our
THESE ARE VERBALLY TAUGHT TO US by His Chosen Apostles anxieties on Him.”
and those whom He has Called to Teach and Guide WHATEVER CIRCUMSTANCES ARISE, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE OUR
others ACCORDING TO HIS DIVINE TRUTH. GRATITUDE TO GOD FOR HIS GREAT MERCY, for there are
In the Orthodox Church of Christ, VERBAL TRADITION IS always far worse things being experienced by others.
ESSENTIAL TO WRITTEN TRADITION, because UNLESS WE ARE Our Lord Jesus and our Spiritual Fathers repeatedly urge
VERBALLY INSTRUCTED IN THE TRUE TEACHINGS AND us to ALWAYS “... be sober...” and “... be watchful..” so
COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST OUR LORD, WE CANNOT BEGIN TO that we DO NOT FALL INTO SATAN’S SNARES!

ST MARK, THE HOLY APOSTLE & EVANGELIST OF CHRIST OUR LORD & SAVIOUR 25 APRIL 2018 21.
WE MUST HOLD ON TIGHTLY TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST Who
leads us safely along His Path of Righteousness.
THE EVIL ONE EXAMINES US INDIVIDUALLY IN ORDER TO FIND OUR
WEAKNESSES, WHICH HE THEN USES AGAINST US.
WE ARE TEMPTED BY MEANS OF OUR SENSES – being lured into
sin through the weakness and desire of our taste,
smell, sight, touch, thoughts, and speech, which
become words and deeds THAT REVEAL OUR SPIRITUAL
STATE.
WE ARE ALSO TEMPTED INTO SIN BY OUTSIDE INFLUENCES SUCH AS
THE FLATTERY AND PRAISES OF OTHERS THAT LEAD US INTO
SPIRITUALLY FATAL VAINGLORY, PRIDE AND EGOTISM – ALL OF
WHICH ENTICE US AWAY FROM GOD AND HIS SACRED VIRTUES
THAT ARE SO VITAL TO OUR ETERNAL SALVATION.
Consequently, INSTEAD OF STRIVING TO ACQUIRE HEAVENLY
TREASURES, we stupidly and stubbornly chase after THE
FLEETING PLEASURES OF TEMPORARY, CORRUPTIBLE WORLDLY
THINGS THAT ALIENATE US FROM GOD, FROM OTHERS AND EVEN
FROM OURSELVES!
WHEN OUR DEADLY ADVERSARY CANNOT TEMPT US, HE TRIES TO
FRIGHTEN US WITH THREATS OF PAIN, SUFFERING AND
PERSECUTION SO THAT WE WILL BETRAY OUR FAITH AND EVEN
RENOUNCE THE LORD OUR GOD!!
If we STEADFASTLY FOCUS ON OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND
EVERYTHING HE HAS TAUGHT US FOR OUR ETERNAL SALVATION,
we will not be distracted nor enticed by Satan’s
deceptions.
Therefore, WE MUST LEARN EVERYTHING WE CAN FROM OUR LORD
AND HIS APOSTLES CONCERNING HIS DIVINE TRUTH SO THAT WE
ARE SPIRITUALLY ARMOURED AND PROTECTED AGAINST THE LIES
AND DECEPTIONS OF THE EVIL ONE AND HIS DEMONS (who are
spirits as well as wicked, debauched and depraved
people!)
AT EVERY MOMENT OF THIS SHORT LIFE, WE MUST BE SPIRITUALLY
ALERT AND WATCHFUL in order to faithfully follow our
Lord Jesus Christ and not drift away from His Divine
Presence and Love.
EVEN WHEN WE ARE SUFFERING, WE DRAW EVER CLOSER TO GOD
Who Perfects, Establishes, Strengthens and Settles us in
His Heavenly Kingdom of Eternal Love, Peace and Joy.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ called the Twelve to Himself, and began to send them out, two by two. And He
granted them Power over unclean spirits. He Commanded them to take nothing for the Journey except a staff – no
bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts – to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics. And He said to them:
“In whatsoever place you enter a house, stay there until you depart that place. And whomever will not receive
you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust from under your feet as a testimony against
them. Truly, I say unto you: it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgement than for
their city!”
They went out and preached that people should Repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many
who were sick, and Healed them.
✶✶ THE TWELVE APOSTLES OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ARE OFTEN
REFERRED TO AS EITHER “APOSTLES” OR “DISCIPLES.”
 A DISCIPLE IS A STUDENT WHO IS UNDER THE DISCIPLINE OF A
TEACHER OR SPIRITUAL FATHER, especially while being
taught and Spiritual Enlightened by a Holy Father.
WE ARE ALL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, as we are under the
Discipline of our Lord Jesus Christ WHOM WE STRIVE
TO OBEY IN ALL THINGS.
 AN “APOSTLE” IS ONE WHO HAS BEEN SPECIFICALLY SENT OUT to
prepare the people or to Enlighten them
concerning the Lord our God.
THE HOLY APOSTLES OF CHRIST – THE TWELVE AND THE SEVENTY –
HAD BEEN CHOSEN BY OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR TO PREPARE THE
PEOPLE FOR HIS HOLY GOSPEL, AND LATER, TO SPREAD THE
HOLY GOSPEL AND ALL DIVINE TRUTH THROUGHOUT THE
WORLD.
OUR LORD BESTOWED HIS DIVINE AUTHORITY AND POWER UPON HIS
TWELVE APOSTLES TO ENABLE THEM TO PERFORM DIVINE
MIRACLES – i.e. the MIRACLES THAT GOD ALONE CAN DO –
while He performed His Miracles directly as our
Creator and Lord God.
According to St Matthew’s account, THEY WERE LISTED “TWO
BY TWO” AS OUR LORD HAD SENT THEM OUT ON THEIR FIRST
MISSIONARY JOURNEY to prepare the way for Him and to
Heal the ailing and cast out demons from those who
were possessed, thereby increasing the Judean’s
acceptance of and belief in our Divine Saviour. (CF.
MATTHEW 10:1-15)
THE LISTS OF THE NAMES OF THE TWELVE HOLY APOSTLES OF
CHRIST MAY VARY DUE TO SOME OF THEM HAVING TWO NAMES
WHEREBY THEY WERE KNOWN:
 ST SIMON PETER AND ST ANDREW, HIS BROTHER;
 ST JAMES AND ST JOHN, THE SONS OF ZEBEDEE;
 ST PHILIP AND ST BARTHOLOMEW NATHANIEL;
 ST THOMAS AND ST MATTHEW LEVI;
 ST JAMES, SON OF ALPHAEUS AND ST LEBBAEUS THADDEUS;
 ST SIMON THE CANAANITE AND ST JUDAS ISCARIOT, WHO
WOULD BETRAY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
22. S T M A R K , T H E H O L Y A P O S T L E & E V A N G E L I S T O F C H R I S T O U R L O R D & S A V I O U R
SO THE ONLY THING WE MUST FEAR, IS BEING DECEIVED BY THE EVIL
ONE AND THUS BEING ALIENATED FROM OUR MOST BELOVED
LORD GOD.
“Babylon” is a reference to ROME, which, like ancient
Babylon to which the Faithful People of God had been
exiled, was a place of MUCH CONFUSION AND TRIBULATION.
Furthermore, ST PETER, ST PAUL AND INNUMERABLE OTHER
CHRISTIANS SOONER OR LATER, SUFFERED TERRIBLE
PERSECUTION, TORTURE AND EXECUTION IN ROME.
“The kiss or Love or Peace” was A PART OF OUR LITURGICAL
PRACTISE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW COVENANT
CHURCH OF CHRIST.
To this day, we greet each other with “the Kiss of Peace,”
which is A CHEEK TO CHEEK GREETING OF MUTUAL LOVE IN
CHRIST.
IN THE DIVINE LITURGY OF ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, THE KISS OF
PEACE OCCURS BETWEEN THE GREAT ENTRANCE WITH THE HOLY
GIFTS AND THE RECITATION OF THE NICENE CREED OF FAITH.
Historically, the entire Congregation greeted each other
with the Kiss of Peace, which SIGNIFIES FORGIVENESS,
RECONCILIATION AND BANISHMENT OF EVERY REMEMBRANCE OF
INJURY, RECALLING THE DIVINE COMMANDMENT OF OUR LORD:
“If you bring your gift to the Altar, and there
remember that your Brother has something against
you, leave your gift there before the Altar, and go
your way. First be reconciled with your Brother, and
then come and offer your gift.” (MATTHEW 5: 23-24)
However, since this often caused a raucous disruption of
the Divine Liturgy, THE KISS OF PEACE IS PERFORMED ONLY
BY THE CLERGY IN THE HOLY SANCTUARY.
ONCE A YEAR, AT VESPERS OF CHEESEFARE SUNDAY, THE HOLY
SERVICE OF FORGIVENESS, THE CONGREGATION WILL GIVE THE
KISS OF PEACE TO ONE ANOTHER.
This is just before the beginning of Great Lent, which is a
period of intense Spiritual Contemplation, Fasting
(self-denial and discipline), Prayers and Repentance-
Confession, as we proceed towards Holy Week and
Pascha.
TO ST MARK 6 : 7 – 13
✶✶ Our Lord Jesus Commanded His Apostles to “...take
nothing for the Journey except a staff...” so that they
would LEARN TO TRUST GOD’S PROVIDENCE – i.e. not to
worry about food nor shelter, for THEY WOULD RECEIVE
WHATEVER THEY NEEDED through their Faith.
✶✶ “A staff” is THE WALKING STICK THAT ALL MEN TOOK WITH
THEM TO PROTECT THEM AND TO AID THEM AS THEY WALKED FOR
GREAT DISTANCES.
✶✶ The Apostles were instructed to wear “...sandals and
not to put on two tunics...” because THEY WOULD HAVE
FAR TO WALK AND THUS COULD NOT WALK BAREFOOT, which
they were used to as Fishermen, and an extra tunic
was also unnecessary for THE WEATHER WOULD BE GOOD
AND THEY WOULD BE ACCOMMODATED AT NIGHT WHEN IT WAS
COLD.
Our Lord knew that THERE WOULD ALWAYS BE DEVOUT PEOPLE
WHO WOULD OFFER HIM AND HIS APOSTLES FOOD AND SHELTER,
AND OFTEN, OTHER ESSENTIAL ITEMS, as they travelled far
from their homes.
ST PAUL AND HIS DISCIPLES UNDERTOOK ALL THEIR MISSIONARY
JOURNEYS IN THE SAME MANNER, working for wages if
necessary, so that they never became a burden to
others but always “paid their way” voluntarily.
If we share each other’s ‘burdens’ we lighten ‘the weight’ -
by DOING WHATEVER WE CAN TO ASSIST EACH OTHER, WITHOUT
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY OF
OTHERS.
GOD GRANTS US ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH OTHERS, and
THE MORE WE DO SO, THE MORE WE RECEIVE – not always in
the same way, but in a variety of other ways!
✶✶ THOSE WHO REJECTED CHRIST AND HIS DISCIPLES WOULD BE
REJECTED BY GOD AT THEIR FINAL JUDGEMENT, for WHATEVER
WE THINK, SPEAK OR DO NOW HAS A CONSEQUENCE, BOTH NOW
AND LATER, which is the reason for our Lord’s severe
warning.
Initially, His Mission was to Redeem His Chosen People of
Israel, so their rejection had dire consequences for
them, unless they eventually accepted Him as Lord.
25 APRIL 2018
 Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most
Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints.
And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

Tone 3 29 April 2018

Sunday of Holy Pascha – The Paralytic of Bethesda

th
4

The Feast of St Jason & St Sosipator of the 70 Apostles – St Kerkyras – St Ioannou

(Kaloktenos) Metropolian of Thivon – St Thognes, St Rufos, St Antipater, St Theostihos,
St Artemas, St magnos, St Theodotos, St Thavmasios & St Philemon of Cyzikos,
Hellespont – St Memnon the Wonderworker of Egypt – St Diodoros & St Rhodopianos,
the Deacons of Aphrodisias, Anatolia - St Basil, Bishop of Zakholmsk, Serbia – St John Valaha of Romania – St
Nektarios of Optina – The Holy Martyrs of Lazeti, Georgia – St Endelion the Recluse of Cornwall

RESURRECTION GOSPEL 5 - LUKE 24 : 12 – 35

OUR RESURRECTED LORD JESUS CHRIST ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS

PASCHAL APOLYTIKION – TONE (5) PLAGAL 1

✶ ✞ Hristos Anesti, ek nekron, Thanato thanaton ✶ ✞ Christ is Risen from the dead; By Death trampling
patisas, Ke tis en tis mnimasin, Zoin harisamenos [3] upon death, And has bestowed Life to those in the
tombs. [3]
ISODIKON – SMALL ENTRANCE HYMN – TONE 2
En Ekklisies evlogite ton Theon, Kyrion ek Pigon Israil. Bless God in the churches, let the Lord from the Fountains
Soson imas, Iie Theou, O Anastas ek nekron. of Israel. Save us, O Son of God, Who arose from the
dead.
RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION – TONE 3
Evfrenestho ta Ourania, agaliastho ta epigia, oti epiise Let the Heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad, for the
Kratos en Vrahioni Aftou O Kyrios. Epatise to Thanato Lord has shown Strength with His Arm; He has
ton Thanaton.Prototokos ton nekron egeneto. Ek kilias trampled down Death by Death; He has become the
Adou errisato imas ke pareshe to kosmo to Mega Eleos. First-born of the dead; from the womb of Hades He
has delivered us, and to the world He has granted
PATRONAL APOLYTIKION OF THE PARISH CHURCH Great Mercy.
PASCHAL KONTAKION – TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
I ke en Tafo katilthes Athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tin Although Thou descended into the Tomb, O Immortal
dinamin; ke Anestis os Nikitis, Hriste O Theos, Ginexi One, yet Thou destroyed the power of Hades; and Thou
Myroforis fthengxamenos: Herete! Ke tis sis Apostolis arose as Victor, O Christ our God! To the Myrrh-
Irinin doroumenos, O tis pesousi parehon Anastasin. bearing Women Thou said: Rejoice! And to Thine
Apostles Thou granted Thy Peace: the One Who grants
Resurrection to the fallen.
RESURRECTION PROKEIMENON – PSALM 46/47 – TONE 3
Sing Praises to our God! Sing Praises! Sing Praises to our King! Sing Praises!
O Clap your hands, all you Nations. Shout to God with the voice of Rejoicing.
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 9 : 32 – 42
In those days, it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout the quarters, he went down also to the Saints who dwelt at
Lydda. There he found a certain man named ‘Aeneas,’ who had been bed-ridden for eight years, suffering from
palsy. And Peter said to him: “Aeneas: Jesus Christ makes Thee whole! Arise, and make Thy bed.” And he
immediately arose. And behold! all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and turned to the Lord.
And at Joppa there was a certain Disciple named ‘Tabitha,’ which is translated as ‘Dorcas.’ She was full of Good Works
and Almsgiving, which she had done. And it came to pass in those days that she became ill and died. When they
had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber. And due to the fact that Lydda was close to Joppa, and the
Disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, requesting him to hasten to them.
Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they took him into the upper chamber. And all the widows stood
around him, weeping, and showing him the cloaks and garments that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
After putting them all outside, Peter knelt down, and prayed. And turning to the body, he said: “Tabitha! Arise!” She
opened her eyes, and when she beheld Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand, and helped her up, and when he
had called the Saints and widows, he presented her to them, alive.
And it became known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in our Lord.
Lydda is approximately 25 miles northwest of Jerusalem The later use of the term, referring to Holy People who
and Sharon was a region north of Lydda along the lived particularly exemplary lives and who have been
Mediterranean coastline. Canonised (Glorified) by the Holy Church of Christ
THE TERM “SAINTS” REFERRED TO ALL CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS, for all does not negate this primary meaning.
who believe in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ with ✶✶ ST PETER WAS ABLE TO COMPLETELY HEAL the paralysed
their whole heart AND WHO ARE SANCTIFIED BY THE HOLY Aeneas BY INVOKING THE AMAZING DIVINE HEALING
SPIRIT ARE BY DEFINITION “SAINTS.”

4TH SUNDAY OF HOLY PASCHA – THE PARALYTIC OF THE SHEEP POOL AT BETHESDA – 29 APRIL 2018 23
 POWER OF OUR LORD THROUGH HIS HOLY NAME, WHICH CHRIST’S HOLY GOSPEL AND LEADING MANY SOULS TO
CONTINUES IN CHRIST’S HOLY CHURCH TO THIS VERY DAY. SINCERE REPENTANCE AND ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST.
The Divine Signs or Miracles of the Holy Apostles of Christ St Peter’s raising St Tabitha from the dead parallels
convinced many witnesses and others who then Christ’s raising the daughter of the Synagogue Ruler,
turned to the Lord. Jairus, from death.
✶✶ THESE DIVINE SIGNS OR MIRACLES PROVE THE GREAT MERCY
AND POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD – THUS CONFIRMING
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST JOHN 5 : 1 – 15
THE PARALYTIC AT THE SHEEP’S POOL IS HEALED AFTER 38 YEARS BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
At that time our Lord Jesus went up to Jerusalem. There is in Jerusalem, by the Sheep Gate, a pool, which is called in
Hebrew: ‘Bethesda,’ having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people: blind, lame and paralysed –
waiting for the moving of the water. An Angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water.
Whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.
A certain man was there who had an infirmity for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he
already had been in that condition for a long time, He said to him: “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man
answered Him: “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am going,
another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him: “Rise. Take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man
was made well, took up his bed and walked.
That day was the Sabbath. The Hebrews, therefore, said to him who was cured: “It is the Sabbath! It is not lawful for
you to carry your bed!” He answered them: “He Who made me well said to me: ‘Take up your bed and walk.’” They
asked him: “Who is the Man Who said to you: ‘Take up your bed and walk?’” But the one who was healed did not
know Who it was. Jesus had withdrawn – a multitude being in that place.
Afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him: “Behold! You have been made well. Sin no more, lest a
worse thing come upon you.”The man departed and told the Judeans that it was Jesus Who had made him well.
✶✶THIS DIVINE HEALING WAS THE THIRD SIGN OR MIRACLE THAT ST MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO DO SO, BUT CHOOSE TO DO
JOHN THE DIVINE APOSTLE RECORDED IN HIS HOLY GOSPEL, NOTHING EXCEPT TO BLAME GOD AND UNJUSTLY
which EXEMPLIFIES THE DIVINE POWER OF CHRIST OUR LORD COMPLAIN!!
TO RESTORE A PERSON TO WHOLENESS – TO FULL HEALTH, ✶ ✶✶ GOD DOES EVERYTHING IN HIS OWN TIME AND ACCORDING TO
DESPITE THE DEGREE OF AFFLICTION. HIS OWN DIVINE WILL
The Feast, which is referred to, was THE OLD COVENANT ✶✶✶ ONLY HE KNOWS WHAT IS BEST FOR US AND HOW TO HELP US.
PENTECOST – ALSO KNOWN AS “THE FEAST OF WEEKS,” WHICH We usually have to correct OUR OWN PERSONAL SPIRITUAL
CELEBRATES THE GRANTING OF THE DIVINE LAW – THE TEN CONDITION before we are able to receive or experience
COMMANDMENTS OF GOD – TO ST MOSES ON MOUNT SINAI. God’s Divine Grace and Mercy:
(the references to the Law of Moses later in this chapter We need to Repent our sins, to humble ourselves, to learn
confirm this interpretation of our Holy Church Fathers..) Obedience to God, to Forgive others, to do unselfish and
✶ The double-basin Pool of Bethesda, which was believed Loving (Charitable) Acts of Mercy without exception, learn
to have had miraculous curative powers, has been re- to be Patient, Kind, Gentle, Generous, develop a positive
discovered about 100 yards North of the Temple area, attitude and to fulfil all our Sacred Duties and
near to the Sheep Gate. Commitments with willing and eager heart and soul! mp
THE WATER FOR THIS HIGH-GROUND POOL CAME FROM
✶✶ ALTHOUGH IT MAY SEEM STRANGE THAT OUR LORD ASKED THE
UNDERGROUND SPRINGS and was used TO WASH THE
SACRIFICIAL LAMBS BEFORE THEY WERE SLAUGHTERED AS BLOOD PARALYSED MAN IF HE WANTED TO BE HEALED, IT WAS A
MOST RELEVANT QUESTION FOR SEVERAL REASONS:
OFFERINGS FOR THE ATONEMENT AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS
ACCORDING TO THE OLD COVENANT LAW.
➤ It made public the fact that THE SICK MAN KEPT HIS
FAITH EVEN IN A SITUATION THAT WAS SEEMINGLY
✶✶ THE POOL OF BETHESDA FUNCTIONED AS A TYPE OF HOLY
HOPELESS, for how could a paralytic ever be the
BAPTISM:
first into the water?
➤ UNDER THE OLD COVENANT, ALTHOUGH A GREAT
MULTITUDE WAITED to enter the water for physical
➤ O UR LORD DREW ATTENTION away from the water and
towards THE NEED WE ALL HAVE FOR THE HELP AND
healing after an Angel of God had touched it
ENCOURAGEMENT OF OTHERS, WHICH IS FULFILLED IN
and stirred it up, ONLY ONE PERSON WAS HEALED AT
CHRIST HIMSELF, Who became Man in order to
A TIME.
heal all ailing and fallen mankind.
The water was special because IN AN INDIRECT MANNER IT
➤ NOT EVERYONE WHO IS ILL ACTUALLY DESIRES HEALING, for
WAS PART OF THE BLOOD SACRIFICES of the Holy Temple of
sadly, some prefer to remain infirm in order to
Jerusalem, since the sacrificial animals were
have an excuse or licence to complain, to
cleansed in the water.
avoid any responsibility for their lives, or to
➤ However, DIVINE GRACE WAS LIMITED TO THE FIRST
continue drawing the pity of others!
PERSON WHO ENTERED THE WATER – BUT NOT TO THE
Although MOSAIC LAW DID NOT SPECIFICALLY FORBID THE
REST.
CARRYING OF BURDENS ON THE SABBATH, it was prohibited
✶✶ GOD’S NEW COVENANT BAPTISM IS GRANTED TO ALL NATIONS
and explicitly forbidden in Rabbinical Teachings.
AS A DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN CHRIST’S OWN SACRIFICIAL
 JEREMIAH 17 : 23 The Lord said: “... if you will not hear
DEATH – WITHOUT THE MEDIATION OF HIS ANGELS.
Me so as to Sanctify the Sabbath Days, and bear
➤ Holy Baptism of the New (Bloodless) Covenant
no burdens, nor enter the gates of Jerusalem on
GRANTS US ALL HEALING OF THE BODY AND OF THE
the Sabbath Days, then I will kindle a fire in her
IMMORTAL SOUL,
gates. It will consume the streets of Jerusalem
➤ AS WELL AS THE DIVINE PROMISE OF ETERNAL
and will not be quenched.”
RESURRECTION OF THE BODY.
ST JEREMIAH THE HOLY PROPHET OF GOD DELIVERED THE WORD OF
Furthermore, DIVINE GRACE OF THE NEW COVENANT IS
THE LORD WHICH COMMANDED THAT ISRAEL STOP VIOLATING
INEXHAUSTIBLE AND IS OFFERED TO ALL WHO SEEK IT.
THE SABBATH DAY. The Reward for Obedience to God is
✶✶ According to St John Chrysostom, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
a gathering of the Nations into Jerusalem to offer
SINGLED OUT THE MAN WHO HAD SUFFERED FOR THIRTY-
sacrifices, and although this was done after the Exile,
EIGHT YEARS – PATIENTLY WAITING TO BE HEALED.
IT WAS NOT COMPLETELY FULFILLED UNTIL THE GENTILES
 THEREBY CHRIST TEACHES US TO PERSEVERE AND TO HAVE
JOINED THE PROCESSION ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
PATIENCE.
✶✶ The Truth that CHRIST IS LORD OVER THE SABBATH is made
 IT IS ALSO A JUDGEMENT OR CONDEMNATION AGAINST
clear by His Command to the Paralytic and by the
THOSE WHO LOSE HOPE OR PATIENCE ALTOGETHER –
man’s unhesitating Obedience to Him.
 AND THOSE WHO DESPAIR – WHO LOSE ALL HOPE AND FAITH
As is often the case in the Holy Gospel according to St
IN GOD’S DIVINE PROVIDENCE BECAUSE THEIR
John, “HEBREWS” REFERS TO THE LEADERS - and not to the
CIRCUMSTANCES ARE NOT ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN
people in general – WHOSE MALICE IS QUITE EVIDENT
WILL AND DESIRES,
BECAUSE THEY FOCUSED SOLELY ON THE “VIOLATION” OF THE
 We are especially Judged WHEN WE HAVE ONLY MINOR
SABBATH RATHER THAN ON THE GREAT MIRACLE OF THE LONG-
PROBLEMS THAT CAN BE EASILY RESOLVED IF ONLY WE
SUFFERING PARALYTIC.

24. 4TH SUNDAY OF HOLY PASCHA – THE PARALYTIC OF THE SHEEP POOL AT BETHESDA – 29 APRIL 2018
✶✶ THE GENUINE AND PROFOUND FAITH OF THE MAN IS
DEMONSTRATED BY HIS IMMEDIATELY GOING TO THE TEMPLE
TO OFFER HIS HEARTFELT THANKSGIVING AND WORSHIP,
instead of going home, or anywhere else to show
off his healed body.
ALL MIRACULOUS HEALINGS HAD TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TEMPLE
PRIESTS, FOLLOWED BY VARIOUS CLEANSING AND SACRIFICIAL
RITES ACCORDING TO MOSAIC LAW.
✶ WHILE THERE IS A GENERAL CONNECTION BETWEEN SIN AND
SUFFERING, this connection is not always one to one,
for THE INNOCENT OFTEN SUFFER WHILE THE GUILTY SEEM
TO BE SPARED EARTHLY CONSEQUENCES.
✶✶ Nevertheless, OUR SINS USUALLY LEAD DIRECTLY TO MOST OF
THE SUFFERING OF THIS WORLD – OUR OWN SUFFERING AND
– EVEN WORSE - THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS DUE TO OUR
SELFISH OR THOUGHTLESS ACTIONS.
Christ’s dire warning: “Sin no more...” was NOT ONLY
ADDRESSED TO THE HEALED MAN, BUT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE
OF US!
4TH SUNDAY OF HOLY PASCHA – THE PARALYTIC
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
Dearly Beloved, we may wonder why the Gospel account
of the Healing of the Paralytic of Bethesda was chosen
for the 4th Sunday of the Paschal Season, although
those concerning St Thomas and the Holy Myrrh-
bearers are understandable.
Perhaps our incomprehension is rooted in our modern
separation of Holy Pascha from the Holy Mystery of
Baptism.
In the early Church from at least the time of Tertullian
Holy Pascha was considered as the time for Baptism,
and the spectacle of many Catechumens lining up to
be Baptised in the Baptistery (a separate building in
those days) and then processing with solemn Joy into
the church to be Anointed with the laying on of hands
by the Bishop forged an indelible link in people’s
minds between Pascha and Baptism.
Even now in our Pascha-night Liturgy, in place of the
Trisagion Hymn we sing the ancient Baptism Hymn:
“As many as have been Baptised into Christ...”
In early Sacred Tradition, Pascha meant Baptism and
Baptism always had a Paschal feel to it as they were
inextricably linked.
That might explain why all the Sunday Gospels in the
Paschal Season after Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-
bearers focus upon water –
 The helpless Paralytic is Healed at the Pool of
Bethesda
 the Samaritan woman Encounters our Lord Jesus
Christ at Jacob’s Well
 the man born without eyes, is granted physical and
Spiritual Sight as he washes in the Pool of Siloam.
In all these Gospels accounts, water is significant - a
clear echo of Holy Baptism for those to whom Baptism
was linked with Pascha.
As early as Tertullian (in his book ‘On Baptism’, chapter 5),
THE DESCENT OF THE ANGEL OF GOD INTO THE BETHESDA POOL
FORESHADOWED THE SPIRITUAL AND TRANSFORMATIVE POWER
OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISM.
As we examine the story of the Paralytic of Bethesda in
greater depth, it is important to see that in its original
context the Bethesda Pool was not a Source of
Salvation for the Paralytic, but a rival alternative to it -
if not its positive impediment.
The Paralytic lay near to the pool, having suffered for
thirty-eight years in his wretched condition, yet
always hoping to be Healed.
When the waters were stirred (by an Angel, as everyone
thought), he hoped that one day he would be the first
one into the pool to soak up the Divine Power and be
restored to full health.
However, having been paralysed for so long, he no
longer had any friends or relatives who could help
him get to the water so others always reached the
waters first.
ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
Those who exercise Restraint spend their Life at ease and in great Spiritual Freedom, for Frugality feeds the body, since
the organism is able to absorb only a little at a time. More than that not only does not nourish the body, but
actually destroys it.
4TH SUNDAY OF HOLY PASCHA – THE PARALYTIC
 SIN CAUSES SPIRITUAL DEATH, WHICH ONLY REPENTANCE CAN
RESOLVE BY RETURNING US TO SPIRITUAL LIFE IN CHRIST.
✶✶ IF WE STUBBORNLY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, CONFESS AND
REPENT OUR SINS THEY WILL DESTROY OUR SOUL – leading
to a far worse consequence than any terrible,
painful or disabling affliction of the body!
✶✶ Our only hope is to RESIST ALL TEMPTATION AND SIN BY
BESEECHING THE LORD OUR GOD FOR HIS DIVINE STRENGTH
AND ASSISTANCE.
THE HEALED PARALYTIC DID NOT REPORT OUR LORD JESUS TO
THE HEBREW LEADERS IN A MALICIOUS MANNER BUT AS A
WITNESS OF CHRIST’S ABSOLUTE GOODNESS.
Although THOSE MISGUIDED LEADERS WERE ONLY INTERESTED
IN THE VIOLATION OF THE SABBATH, THE RESTORED MAN
EMPHASISED THAT IT WAS OUR LORD JESUS WHO HAD HEALED
HIM, WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT CARRYING HIS BED –
i.e. WITHOUT BLAMING CHRIST FOR CAUSING HIM TO BREAK
THE SABBATH.
OF BETHESDA POOL
Nevertheless, he continued to wait patiently, hoping to
find Salvation one day.
When our Lord asked him, “Do you want to be healed?”
he did not reply: “Yes Lord, please heal me!”
He was still hoping that someone would be kind enough
carry him into the pool, so he answered, “Sir, I have
no man to put me into the pool ...”
But his Salvation was not in the pool - It was in our Lord
Jesus Who simply said: “Rise! Take your pallet, and
walk!” And the Paralytic immediately obeyed Him.
The Paralytic had no need of the Pool of Bethesda after
all! ALL HE NEEDED WAS THE LOVE AND COMPASSION OF OUR
GRACIOUS DIVINE SAVIOUR!
In the subtext of St John’s Holy Gospel, THE POOL OF
BETHESDA FUNCTIONED AS AN IMAGE OF THE LAW AND THE
PARALYTIC AS AN IMAGE OF ISRAEL HOPING TO FIND SALVATION
IN THE LAW.
THE PARALYTIC HAD WAITED FOR SALVATION FOR MANY LONG
YEARS IN HIS WRETCHED CONDITION, EVEN AS ISRAEL HAD
WAITED AND SUFFERED FOR MANY LONG YEARS FOR DIVINE
SALVATION.
The Bethesda Pool was thought to have been STIRRED BY A
HOLY ANGEL, even as THE LAW HAD BEEN GIVEN “...by the
Direction of Angels.” (ACTS 7:53)
THE POOL OF BETHESDA HAD FIVE PORTICOES even as THE MOSAIC
LAW HAD FIVE BOOKS—a detail noticed by Saint
Augustine. (JOHN 5:4),
Like the Paralytic who had to stop relying on the Pool for
Salvation and turn instead to Christ, so ISRAEL HAD TO
STOP RELYING UPON THE LAW TO SAVE THEM, AND ALSO TURN
TO CHRIST.
THE OLD COVENANT WAS REPLACED BY THE NEW COVENANT.
The contrast between the Old and the New Covenant is
clearly evident throughout St John’s Gospel - not
Jewish water, but Christ’s Wine, not the old Temple,
but Christ’s Body, not the Manna in the Wilderness, but
Christ’s Flesh.
Christian Faith involved turning from the Old Covenant
and Teachings to the New Covenant and Teachings,
as Sacred Jewish history veered upward into the
Eternal, Heavenly Kingdom and the Eschaton. (“the
Last Days”)
It was as St Isaiah had foretold long ago: “Remember
not the former things, nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a New Thing; now it springs
forth, do you now perceive it?” (ISAIAH 43:18-19)
This is the Newness of Holy Pascha, and the New Life
granted to us in our Holy Baptism.
The Paralytic found New Life in Christ - not in the ancient
Pool of Bethesda, but in the Living Christ.
Our Paschal Season reminds us that this Holy Church of
Christ our Divine Saviour is where we find New Life
and constant Renewal as well.
ARCHPRIEST LAWRENCE FARLEY | 12 MAY 2014
HTTP://WWW.PRAVMIR.COM/PARALYTIC-POOL/
OF THE SHEEP POOL AT BETHESDA – 29 APRIL 2018 25
 EVERY MAN IS AN IMAGE OF GOD,
We must always remember that EVERY HUMAN BEING IS AN
IMAGE OF GOD, AND THAT ALL HIS GLORY IS WITHIN US, in our
heart.
Mankind looks upon the face of others, whilst GOD LOOKS
UPON OUR HEART.
CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, THE MOST HOLY GOD, “...is not
ashamed to call us sinners ‘Brethren’...”
Therefore WE MUST NOT BE ASHAMED OF OUR BROTHERS AND
SISTERS WHO ARE POOR, OBSCURE, SIMPLE PEOPLE -whether
they are our relatives according to the flesh or not.
WE MUST NOT BE PROUD IN OUR DEALINGS WITH THEM – we must
not despise them - for we are all Brethren in Christ —
we were all Born of Water and the Spirit in the
Baptismal Font and have become Children of God.
As Christians, WE ARE ALL BEING NOURISHED WITH THE BODY AND LOVE FOR GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR, IN OUR PRESENT CORRUPT
BLOOD OF THE SON OF GOD - THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD –
PARTICIPATING IN ALL THE HOLY MYSTERIES OF THE CHURCH
AND PRAYING OUR LORD’S PRAYER, ADDRESSING GOD AS OUR
HEAVENLY FATHER.
To Love God with all our heart means to LOVE WITH ALL OUR
SOUL MEEKNESS, HUMILITY, PURITY AND CHASTITY, WISDOM,
TRUTH, MERCY, OBEDIENCE, FOR THE SAKE OF GOD, and
NEVER TO ACT CONTRARY TO THESE VIRTUES - that is, we
must not become proud, irritated, or angry; nor
commit adultery even in the heart; nor violate
Chastity, neither by look, thought, nor gesture.
WE MUST AVOID EVERY INCONSIDERATE, NEEDLESS WORD AND DEED,
SHUN EVERY INIQUITY; hate avarice and covetousness;
flee from self-will and disobedience.
THE ETERNAL, INSPIRED WISDOM OF OUR
ST JOHN OF KRONSTADT:
We must strive for our Salvation all together, not each,
separately. We must Struggle and Triumph, but we
must not ever think that we are worthy or wise, for if
we do, we accuse God of being unkind and unwise!
ST PAISIOS OF MOUNT ATHOS
The Joy felt by those who are truly Spiritual, is not the
same as the worldly joy that is sought by so many
people these days.
Let us not confuse things.
Did the Saints have the kind of Joy that we are seeking?
Did our Lady, Theotokos? Did our Lord Jesus Christ
laugh? What Saint went through this life without
pain? What Saint had the kind of joy so many
Christians in our day and age are seeking?
For most of us do not want to hear anything that is
‘unpleasant,’ so that we do not become ‘upset’ and
lose our calm composure!
If, in order to be ‘happy,’ we do not want to be worried,
and if, in order to be Meek, we do not want to lose our
‘peace of mind,’ then we are indifferent!
Spiritual Forbearance is one thing, but forbearance born
of indifference is quite another!
ST DIMITRI OF ROSTOV
Love, Love, Love our Lord! And never forget – the proof of
our Love for Him is the faithful observance of His
Commandments. The beginning of our Love for Him
is the Humility of the Publican. The Fulfilment of our
Love is Victory over the demonic passions and the
Purification of our heart. The result of our Love is the
Residing in our heart of Him Who said: “Blessed are
the Pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew
5:8)
ST ISAAC THE SYRIAN
Fasting is a Commandment that was given for human
nature to observe from the beginning, and the First-
Created fell from there.
ST SERAPHIM OF SAROV
If, out of Love for God and a Life of Virtue, we are not
overly concerned about ourselves and believe that
God will look after us, this Trust in God’s Providence is
both real and sensible.
ST NILOS THE ASCETIC
If we are bound, we cannot run. Nor is a mind that works
like a slave for some passion or other capable of real
26. 4TH SUNDAY OF HOLY PASCHA – THE PARALYTIC
As Christian we ought to PRAY FOR ALL CHRISTIANS, AS FOR
OURSELVES, that God may prosper us all in Life, in Faith,
and in Spiritual Wisdom, and may free us from our
sins and passions.
In accordance with Christian Love, which sees in all other
Christians - its own members and members of Christ
our God - our common Saviour, DESIRING FOR THEM THE
SAME AS FOR OURSELVES, AND STRIVING BY EVERY MEANS
POSSIBLE TO DO UNTO THEM AS WE WOULD LIKE DONE UNTO US.
Our God of Love is Unchangeable, and WE, TOO, OUGHT TO
BE UNCHANGEABLE AND CONSTANT IN OUR LOVE FOR GOD AND
FOR EACH OTHER.
“Love never fails...” whilst dislike, hatred, or indifference
and neglect are inventions of the evil one.
STATE IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT SELF-SACRIFIce.
We who wish to fulfil the Divine Commandment
concerning Love for God and our neighbour, ought to
DEVOTE OURSELVES IN GOOD TIME TO GREAT DEEDS AND
PRIVATIONS FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE WHOM WE LOVE.
“Hereby we perceive the Love of God, because He
(Christ) laid down His Life for us.”
“Greater Love hath no man than this, that a man lay
down his life for his friends.”
EXCERPTS FROM THE DIARY OF ST. JOHN OF KRONSTADT “ON LOVE” & “ MY
LIFE IN CHRIST” – “ MOMENTS OF SPIRITUAL SERENITY AND
CONTEMPLATION, OF REVERENT FEELING, OF EARNEST SELF-AMENDMENT,
AND OF PEACE IN GOD” BY ST. JOHN OF KRONSTADT.
HOLY FATHERS & HOLY MOTHERS
Prayer, for it is dragged here and there by is
impassioned thoughts, and cannot be still. We will
never manage to pray purely if we re involved with
material things and are upset over continuous
commitments, for Prayer means freedom from all
concern.
ST LUKE THE DOCTOR
We must not be sad, nor grieve more that necessary, for
then we are giving an opportunity to the evil one to
strike us with great force...!
ELDER CLEOPA ILIE
The evil one has neither the power nor permission to lord
it over us, to deceive us nor to bend our will towards
sin. He merely brings us into temptation through a
variety of sly ploys, fantasies and recollections, with
our feelings, the weaknesses of our nature and with
pleasure and thoughts.
ST THEOPHAN THE RECLUSE
The Holy Fear of God is the Root of every Good Work. We
must never let it out of our heart – not even for a
second! Like a candle, the Holy Fear of God lights up
and Illumines all our thoughts, all the inner
movements of our heart. It teaches us to make Good
Spiritual Progress, and to do everything as the Work of
God [not our own!]. The Fear of God teaches us to
stand like those who are in the Very Presence of our
King, and teaches us to go forward carefully – as
though holding a full glass of water and trying not to
spill a drop!
A RCHIMANDRITE G EORGI OS K APSANI S OF G REGORI OU M ONASTE RY
There is no such thing as a Christian without a Cross and
Spiritual Struggle! There is no such thing as a
Christian who can follow an ‘easy’ Path! Some people
erroneously thing that being a Christian means to
observe certain Commandments, and having an easy
life, with comforts, with worldly prosperity and security
in worldly terms. But that is not at all what a Life in
Christ means! For Faithful Disciples of Christ are those
who Struggle every day, in order to Love God and to
Love their Brethren in Christ.
ABBESS MAKRINA OF OUR LADY THE GUIDE MONASTERY
If we do not have Prayer, we have nothing – only disorder
and negligence!
OF THE SHEEP POOL AT BETHESDA – 29 APRIL 2018