SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

october 1, 2017—second sunday of luke

he Holy Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos: “Today the Virgin stands in the midst of the Church, and with choirs of Saints she invisibly prays to God for us. Angels and Bishops venerate Her, Apostles and prophets rejoice together, Since for our sake she prays to the Eternal God!” TThis miraculous appearance of the Mother of God occurred in the mid-tenth century in , in the Blachernae church where her robe, veil, and part of her belt were preserved after being transferred from Palestine in the fifth century. On Sunday, October 1, during the All Night Vigil, when the church was overflowing with those at prayer, the Fool-for-Christ Saint Andrew (October 2), at the fourth hour, lifted up his eyes towards the heavens and beheld our most Holy Lady Theotokos coming through the air, resplendent with heavenly light and surrounded by an assembly of the Saints. Saint John the Baptist and the holy Apostle John the Theologian accompanied the Queen of Heaven. On bended knees the Most Holy Virgin tearfully prayed for Christians for a long time. Then, coming near the Bishop’s Throne, she continued her prayer. After completing her prayer she took her veil and spread it over the people praying in church, protecting them from enemies both visible and invisible. The Most Holy Lady Theotokos was resplendent with heav- enly glory, and the protecting veil in her hands gleamed “more than the rays of the sun.” Saint Andrew gazed trembling at the miraculous vision and he asked his disciple, the blessed Epiphanius standing beside him, “Do you see, brother, the Holy Theotokos, praying for all the world?” Epiphanius answered, “I do see, holy Father, and I am in awe.” The Ever-Blessed Mother of God implored the Lord Jesus Christ to accept the prayers of all the people call- ing on His Most Holy Name, and to respond speedily to her intercession, “O Heavenly King, accept all those who pray to You and call on my name for help. Do not let them go away from my icon unheard.” Saints Andrew and Epiphanius were worthy to see the Mother of God at prayer, and “for a long time ob- served the Protecting Veil spread over the people and shining with flashes of glory. As long as the Most Holy Theotokos was there, the Protecting Veil was also visible, but with her departure it also became invisible. After taking it with her, she left behind the grace of her visitation.” At the Blachernae church, the memory of the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God was remem- bered. In the fourteenth century, the Russian pilgrim and clerk Alexander, saw in the church an icon of the

1510 audubon drive 0 columbia, missouri, 65201 0 tel. 573.817.0050 / fax 573.449.8452 email: [email protected] 0 web: www.saintlukecolumbia.org the hymns of the third antiphon Today is Mode Plagal 4 Before the Entrance… mortal. And therefore, O devout Romanos, your spirit rejoices with the angels. Resurrectional Apolytikion. mode pl. 4. Apolytikion for the Church. ou descended from on high, O compassionate mode pl. 1. YOne, and condescended to be buried for three he holy Apostle, the All-hymned Luke, * who is days, so that from the passions You might set us Tacknowledged by the Church of Christ * as the free. Our life and resurrection, O Lord, glory be to recorder of the Acts of the Apostles, * and the splen- You. (x2) did author of the Gospel of Christ. * Let us praise After the Entrance… with sacred hymns as a physician, * who heals the infirmities of man,* and the ailments of nature, * Resurrectional Apolytikion. who cleanses spiritual wounds, and prays unceas- mode pl. 4. ingly for our souls. ou descended from on high, O compassionate . YOne, and condescended to be buried for three mode 2. days, so that from the passions You might set us free. Our life and resurrection, O Lord, glory be to Protection of Christians unshamable, media- You. Otion with the Creator immovable, we sinners beg you, do not despise the voices of our prayers, Apolytikion for the Aposlte. but anticipate, since you are good, and swiftly come mode 3. unto our aid as we cry out to you with faith: Hurry to intercession, and hasten to supplication, O The- holy Apostle Ananias, make intercession to otokos who defend now and ever those who honor our merciful God, that He grant our souls for- O you. giveness of offenses. Apolytikion for the Venerable Ascetic. mode pl. 4. n you, O Father, is preserved undistorted what Iwas made in the image of God; for taking up the cross, you followed Christ and by example taught, that we should overlook the flesh, since it passes away, and instead look after the soul, since it is im- the readings of the day epistle reading gospel reading The Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 6:16-7:1 Luke (6: 31-36)

rethren, what agreement can there be be- he Lord said: “As you would like others to tween God’s sanctuary and idols? For you do to you, do the same to them. If you love are a sanctuary of the living God. Even as those who love you, what credit is that to BGod said, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them; Tyou? Even sinners love those who love them! And and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” if you do good to those who do good to you, what Therefore: ‘Come out from among them and be credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same! separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive will receive you. I will be a Father to you. You will be [back], what credit is that to you? For even sinners to me sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.” lend to sinners, to receive back as much. But love Since we have these promises, beloved, let us purify your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, so nothing back. Then your reward will be great and that we may bring [our] holiness to completion in you will be children of the Most High, for he is kind the fear of God. [even] to the ungrateful and evil. Therefore, be mer- ciful, even as your Father is also merciful.”

Throughout the whole Eastern Church, even when there are no relics of the martyrs, whenever the Gospel is to be read the candles are lighted, although “the dawn may be reddening the sky, not of course to scatter the darkness, but by way of evidencing our joy. —st. jerome” announcements upcoming church services: NO GREAT THIS WEEK

Welcome Fr. Anastasios! Breast Cancer Awareness Please welcome Fr. Anastasios, associate pastor October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. of Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Town Philoptochos has information about Breast Cancer & Country, MO, who is substituting for Fr. Michael in the Narthex. today. Church Attire Bookstore There is no allowance for Church “summer-wear.” Spiritual reading is part of Orthodox Christian An Orthodox Christian should always dress for living — visit the Bookstore today! Church in modest attire (in every season), so as Altar Server Robes not to draw attention to him/herself, becoming a distraction to others. Traditionally women wear Thank you to all who donated towards the altar dresses or skirts of at least knee length; dresses, boy robes. Donations are still needed for additional blouses / tops should, at minimum, include short sizes. Please see Father if you would like to help. sleeves and cover the shoulder. Women should not Buddy Pack Supply Drive wear lipstick or lip gloss to Church - it leaves a residue Thanks to all for the donations to the Buddy Pack on the icons and on the spoon. Men Drive! should dress in pants and polo or button-down Hope and Joy shirts. Shorts should never be worn in Church. Ad- Hope and Joy children are invited to go Lazer ditionally, tight-fitting clothing is not appropriate for Bowling on Saturday, October 21 at 3pm. Please see women or men. Calin Chindris to register. Parish Feast Day Pot Luck There will be a Parish Feast day Pot Luck held on Sunday, October 15. Please sign up on the form in the Narthex so that we know what food items ev- eryone plans to bring. Most Holy Theotokos praying for the world, depict- Therefore, in the festal celebration of the Pro- ing Saint Andrew in contemplation of her. tection of the Mother of God, the Russian Church The Primary Chronicle of Saint Nestor reflects sings, “With the choirs of the Angels, O Sovereign that the protective intercession of the Mother of Lady, with the venerable and glorious prophets, God was needed because an attack of a large pagan with the First-Ranked Apostles and with the Hi- Russian fleet under the leadership of Askole and eromartyrs and Hierarchs, pray for us sinners, glo- Dir. The feast celebrates the divine destruction of rifying the Feast of your Protection in the Russian the fleet which threatened Constantinople itself, Land.” Moreover, it would seem that Saint Andrew, sometime in the years 864-867 or according to the contemplating the miraculous vision was a Slav, Russian historian Vasiliev, on June 18, 860. Ironical- was taken captive, and became the slave of the local ly, this Feast is considered important by the Slavic inhabitant of Constantinople named Theognostus. Churches but not by the Greeks. Churches in honor of the Protection of the Moth- The Primary Chronicle of Saint Nestor also notes er of God began to appear in Russia in the twelfth the miraculous deliverance followed an all-night century. Widely known for its architectural merit is Vigil and the dipping of the garment of the Mother the temple of the Protection at Nerl, which was built of God into the waters of the sea at the Blachernae in the year 1165 by holy Prince Andrew Bogoliubsky. church, but does not mention Saints Andrew and The efforts of this holy prince also established in Epiphanius and their vision of the Mother of God at the Russian Church the Feast of the Protection of prayer. These latter elements, and the beginnings of the Mother of God, about the year 1164. the celebrating of the Feast of the Protection, seem At Novgorod in the twelfth century there was a to postdate Saint Nestor and the Chronicle. A fur- monastery of the Protection of the Most Holy The- ther historical complication might be noted under otokos (the so-called Zverin monastery) In Moscow (October 2) dating Saint Andrew’s death to the year also under Tsar Ivan the Terrible the cathedral of 936. the Protection of the Mother of God was built at the The year of death might not be quite reliable, or church of the Holy Trinity (known as the church of the assertion that he survived to a ripe old age after Saint Basil the Blessed). the vision of his youth, or that his vision involved On the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy some later pagan Russian raid which met with the Theotokos we implore the defense and assistance same fate. The suggestion that Saint Andrew was a of the Queen of Heaven, “Remember us in your Slav (or a Scythian according to other sources, such prayers, O Lady Virgin Mother of God, that we not as S. V. Bulgakov) is interesting, but not necessar- perish by the increase of our sins. Protect us from ily accurate. The extent of Slavic expansion and every evil and from grievous woes, for in you do we repopulation into Greece is the topic of scholarly hope, and venerating the Feast of your Protection, disputes. we magnify you.” In the PROLOGUE, a Russian book of the twelfth The Holy Apostle Ananias of the Seventy (Octo- century, a description of the establishment of the ber 1), was the first Bishop of Damascus. The Lord special Feast marking this event states, “For when ordered him to restore the sight of Saul, the former we heard, we realized how wondrous and merciful persecutor of Christians, then baptize him (Acts was the vision... and it transpired that Your holy 9:10-19, 22:12). Saul became the great preacher and Protection should not remain without festal cel- Apostle Paul. Saint Ananias boldly and openly con- ebration, O Ever-Blessed One!” fessed Christianity before the Jews and the pagans, despite the danger. From Damascus he went to preach at Eleuthe- tearfully implored him to remain in the wilderness ropolis, where he healed many of their infirmities. with his flock. Lucian, the prefect of the city, tried to persuade the The igumen was afraid that the emperor would holy one to offer sacrifice to idols. Because of Ana- find out that his favorite court singer was on the nias’ staunch and solid confession of Christ, Lucian Holy Mountain and force him to return to court. ordered that he be tortured. Harsh torments did Wishing to avoid the emperor’s displeasure the igu- not sway the witness of Truth. Then the torturers men journeyed to Constantinople to explain what led him out beyond the city, where they stoned him. had become of John and begged him not to hinder The saint prayed for those who put him to death. the young man from his salvific path. His relics were later transferred to Constantinople. Thereafter John Koukouzelis sang on the right Saint John Koukouzelis, a native of Dirrachia cleros in the cathedral on Sundays and feastdays. (), was orphaned in childhood. Endowed Once, after singing an before an icon of with a very fine voice, he entered the Constantinople the Mother of God, John was granted a great mercy. court school. He found favor with the emperor John The Mother of God appeared to him in a dream and Comnenos (1118-1143) and became a chief court said, “Rejoice, John, and do not cease to sing. For singer. The sumptuousness and luxury of the im- that, I shall not forsake you.” With these works she perial court bothered the pious youth. Once, when placed into John’s hand a golden coin, then became asked what he had eaten for dinner, he replied, invisible. This coin was placed beneath the icon. “Beans and peas.” The name Koukouzelis (beans Many miracles have been credited to the coin and and peas) stuck with him ever after. the icon. The icon, named the “Koukouzelissa” in John began to seek ways to escape the entice- memory of Saint John is located in the Lavra mon- ments of the court, as well as a marriage arranged astery of Saint Athanasius. It is commemorated on for him by the emperor. By the will of God, John October 1, and on the 10th Friday after Pascha. met an igumen from Mt. Athos who had come to The Mother of God appeared to Saint John again Constantinople on monastery business. John re- and healed him of a grievous affliction of his legs, vealed to the Elder his desire to leave the court. The caused by the long standing in church. Saint John’s Elder blessed John to come to the Holy Mountain. remaining days were spent in intense ascetic ef- There John was accepted and tonsured a monk. forts. He also worked hard on the discipline of He was given the obedience of tending the mon- church singing, gaining the title of both master astery’s flock of goats. He took the flock to remote teacher and regent (overseer). areas of the Holy Mountain to graze. There in the He arranged and compiled melodies for church wilderness the youth was able to to pray, contem- stichera verses, troparia and kontakia. He edited plate God, and sing the divine hymns in solitude. texts of hymns and wrote his own troparia. Some Charmed by the angelic beauty of his voice, the ani- of his compositions are also in the following manu- mals gathered around him and listened as though scripts: “A Book, by the Will of God Encompassing entranced. All the Order of Progression of Church Services, Out of modesty and humility the singer did not Compiled by Master Teacher John Koukouzelis,” reveal his gift to the brethren. But once, a wilder- “Progression of Services, Compiled by Master ness dweller overheard his moving pastoral song Teacher John Koukouzelis, “From the Beginning of and informed the igumen. Saint John then revealed Great Vespers through to the Completion of the Di- to the igumen that he had been a court singer. He vine Liturgy,” and “The Science of Song and Singing Signs with all the Legitimate Hand-Placement and of the monastery in honor of the Protection of the with all the Arrangements of Song.” Most Holy Theotokos. Foreseeing the hour of his death, Saint John took The Most Holy Virgin appeared to the Elder Dor- his leave of the brethren, and in his last wishes bade otheus with various Russian Saints: the holy Great them to bury him in the Church of the Archangel Prince Vladimir and the Pskov Princes Vsevolod- that he built. Church singers reverence Saint John Gabriel and Dovmont-Timothy, Saint Anthony of Koukouzelis as their own special patron saint. Kiev Caves, Cornelius of Pskov, Euphrosynus of Saint Gregory Domesticus (leading chanter) was Spaso-Elazar and Sava of Krypetsk, Blessed Nich- the contemporary of Saint John Koukouzelis, and olas of Pskov and Saint Niphon, Archbishop of lived in the of Mt. Athos in piety and Novgorod, the organizer of the Pskov Spaso-Mirozh asceticism. Like Saint John, he also sang in the right monastery. choir in the Great Lavra, and was even called Greg- Proceeding from the Pechor side from the Spaso- ory Koukouzelis in honor of his instructor. Saint Mirozhsk monastery across the River Velika, the Gregory was known for his technical skill and for Mother of God with the Saints entered the church the sweetness of his voice. He chanted the Vigil ser- of the Protection monastery. The Saints besought vice with great reverence and compunction, never the All-Pure Virgin to have pity on the sinful citi- sitting down in church. zens of Pskov and save the city “from the imposi- Patriarch Callistus I (June 20) had started the tion of woes.” The Most Holy Theotokos, having practice of singing “All of creation rejoices” at the promised the city Her mercy, gave orders to set up Liturgy of Saint Basil in place of “It is truly meet....” the Pechersk icon at the place of Her appearance. Patriarch Philotheus (October 8), who succeeded During the battle the Polish tried to breach the him, restored “It is truly meet” to Saint Basil’s Lit- fortress wall, but through the intercession of the urgy. Soon after this Saint Gregory sang “All of cre- Mother of God and the Saints, they were not able to ation rejoices” at Liturgy on the eve of Theophany break through into the city. After their deliverance in the presence of Patriarch Gregory of Alexandria. from the enemy, the grateful people of Pskov built The Most Holy Theotokos appeared to Saint Greg- a church in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy ory and thanked him for singing the hymn in her Theotokos. honor. She also handed him a gold coin. From that For the temple of the Protection Most Holy The- time forward, “All of creation” has been sung at the otokos, the Pskov-Pechersk icon of the Mother of Liturgy of Saint Basil. God was painted, which has also been given the The Feast of the Pskov-Protection Icon of the name, “Appearance of the Mother of God to the El- Most Holy Theotokos was established in memory der Dorotheus.” The appearance of the Most Holy of the miraculous deliverance of Pskov from the in- Theotokos occurred on September 7, and celebra- vading troops of the Polish king Stephen Bathory in tion of the Pskov-Pechersk Icon was established on 1581. During the siege, they carried forth the won- October 1. A special service was compiled for the derworking Dormition Icon of the Mother of God Feast of the Most Holy Theotokos. in procession from the monastery. On the eve of the decisive fighting, the pious blind Elder Dorotheus the Smith had a vision of the Most Holy Theotokos at the spot where the enemy had prepared to attack, at a corner of the fortress Pray to the Mother of God Pray to Her with Authenticity by St. John of Kronstadt When praying to the Lord, to the Mother of God, or to the saints, always remember that the Lord will ray, my brethren, to the Mother of God when give you according to your heart. He will “grant thee the storm of enmity and malice bursts forth P according to thine own heart.” Whatever the heart in your house. She, Who is all-merciful and all- is, such will be the gift. If you pray with faith, sin- powerful, can easily pacify the hearts of men. Peace cerely, with all your heart, not hypocritically, then a and love proceed from the one God, as from their gift will be given you by the Lord in accordance with Source, and Our Lady--in God, as the Mother of your faith, in accordance with the degree of the fer- Christ the Peace, is zealous, and prays for the peace vor of your heart. And, on the contrary, the colder of the whole world, and above all--of all Christians. your heart is, the more incredulous and hypocriti- She has the all-merciful power of driving away cal it is, the more useless will be your prayer; not from us at Her sign the sub-celestial spirits of evil- only this, the more it will anger the Lord, Who is -those ever-vigilant and ardent sowers of enmity a Spirit, and seeks to be worshipped in spirit and and malice amongst men, whilst to all who have re- in truth. Therefore, whether you call upon the Lord course with faith and love to Her powerful protec- Himself, or His Mother, or the angels, or saints, call tion, She soon speedily gives both peace and love. upon them with all your heart; whether you pray Be zealous yourselves also in preserving faith and for anyone living or departed, pray for them with love in your hearts; for if you do not care for this, your whole heart, pronouncing their names with then you will be unworthy of the intercession for heartfelt fervor; whether you pray that any spiritual you--of the Mother of God; be also most fervent and blessing may be granted you or anyone else, that most reverent worshippers of the Mother of the Al- you or anyone near to you may be delivered from mighty Lord; for it is truly meet to bless Her--the any misfortune, or from sins, passions, or bad hab- ever-blessed; the entirely spotless Mother of our its, pray for this with your whole heart, desiring for God, the highest of all creatures, the Mediatrix for yourself or others with your whole heart the bless- the whole race of mankind. Strive to train yourself ings you pray for, being firmly resolved to forsake, in the spirit of humility, for She Herself was more or desiring others to free themselves from sins, pas- humble than any mortal, and only looks lovingly sions and sinful habits, and the Lord will grant you upon the humble.” He hath regarded the low estate the gift according to your heart. “Ask what ye will, of His handmaiden” (said She to Elisabeth), of “God, and it shall be done unto you.” You see, therefore, Her Saviour.” that it is absolutely necessary to wish and long for She is a Treasury of Blessings that which you ask; for then only you will obtain it. “Pray one for another that ye may be healed.”

Our Lady, the Mother of God, is the most beauti- fully adorned temple of the Holy Trinity. She is, after God, the treasury of all blessings, of purity, holiness, of all true wisdom, the source of spiritual power and constancy.