SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST GREEK ORTHODOX september 21, 2014

first sunday of luke

Saint Xariton the Confessor suffered at Iconium during one of the persecutions against Christians under the emperor Aurelian. The grace-bearing example of the holy Protomartyr Thekla (Sep- tember 24) encouraged him in his confessor’s deed. She being a native of his city, whose memory he in particular deeply venerated. St Xariton bravely denounced the pagan gods and staunchly confessed faith in the One True God, Christ the Savior. The holy Confessor underwent fierce tortures but, through the Provi- dence of God, he remained alive. When the persecution abated, the saint was set free from prison and he dedicated all his life to the service of the Lord. Journeying to on pilgrimage to the holy places, he fell into the hands of robbers. They tied him up and threw him in a cave, intending to kill him later, and they hastened away on busi- ness. The saint prayed fervently in expectation of death. He gave thanks to God and entreated him to do with him according to His will. At this time a snake crawled into the cave and began to drink wine from a vessel setting there, poisoning it with its deadly venom. Returning to the cave, the robbers drank the poisoned wine and they all perished. St Xariton gave thanks to God and began his ascetic struggles at the place of his miraculous rescue. He distributed the plundered gold of the robbers to the poor, and in the robbers cave he built a church, around which in time there formed a , the renowned Pharan Lavra in Palestine. St Xariton compiled a strict rule for his monastery. Yearning for solitude, the monk went farther into the desert, but there also he did not reject those who sought his spiritual guidance, and he founded two more : the and the Souka, named the “Old Lavra.” At the end of his life, St Xariton struggled in a cave on a hill near the Souka monastery, but he did not cease to provide guidance for all three of the monasteries he founded. According to Tradition, St Xariton compiled the office of taking monastic vows. St Xariton the Confessor died in extreme old age and was buried, in accord with his last wishes, in the Pharan

1510 audubon drive • columbia, missouri, 65201 • tel. 573.817.0050 / fax 573.449.8452 email: [email protected] • web: www.saintlukecolumbia.org at the small entrance we sing

Ἀπολυτίκιον. Ἦχος βαρυς. apolytikion. Mode varys. ατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, ἠνέῳξας y means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished Kτῷ Λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον, τῶν Μυροφόρων Bdeath. To the robber You opened Paradise. The τὸν θρῆνον μετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις lamentation of the myrrh-bearing women You trans- κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας· ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, formed, and You gave Your Apostles the order to pro- παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. claim to all that You had risen, O Christ our God, and granted the world Your great mercy. Ἀπολυτίκιον του οσιου. Ἦχος πλ. δ. apolytikion of the saint. Mode pl. 8. αῖς τῶν δακρύων σου ῥοαῖς, τῆς ἐρήμου τὸ ith the rivers of your tears you made the bar- Τἄγονον ἐγεώργησας, καὶ τοῖς ἐκ βάθους στε- Wren desert bloom; and with your sighs from ναγμοῖς, εἰς ἑκατὸν τοὺς πόνους ἐκαρποφόρησας, deep within, you made your labors bear their fruits καὶ γέγονας φωστὴρ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ, λάμπων τοῖς a hundredfold; and you became a star, illuminating θαύμασιν· Χαρίτων Πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ὅσιε, πρέσβευε the world by your miracles, * O Chariton our devout Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἠμῶν. father. Intercede with Christ our God, for the salva- tion of our souls. Ἀπολυτίκιον του ναου. πλ. α´. Apolytikion for the Church. Mode pl. 1. ουκάν τον πανύμνητον καὶ ἅγιον ἀπόστο- he holy Apostle, the All-hymned Luke, * who is Λλον, τὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας γνωστὸν συνθέτην Tacknowledged by the Church of Christ * as the re- τῶν Πράξεων τῶν Ἀποστόλων, τόν τε σεμνὸν τοῦ corder of the Acts of the Apostles, * and the splendid Εὐαγγελίου Χριστοῦ ὑπομνηματιστήν, ἀξίως τιμή- author of the Gospel of Christ. * Let us praise with sa- σωμεν ὕμνοις ὁσίοις, ὡς νοσημάτων ἀνθρωπίνων cred hymns as a physician, * who heals the infirmities καὶ φυσικῶν ἀσθενειῶν θεραπευτήν, τὸν καθαίρο- of man, * and the ailments of nature, * who cleanses ντα πληγὰς τοῦ πνεύματος, καὶ ἀδιαλείπτως πρε- spiritual wounds, and prays unceasingly for our souls. σβεύοντα ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν. Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος δ. Kontakion. Mode 4. ροστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε, μεσι- rotection of Christians unshamable, mediation Πτεία, πρὸς τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀμετάθετε, μὴ παρίδῃς, Pwith the Creator immovable, we sinners beg you, ἁμαρτωλῶν δεήσεων φωνάς, ἀλλὰ πρόφθασον, ὡς do not despise the voices of our prayers, but antici- ἀγαθή, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν, τῶν πιστῶς κραυ- pate, since you are good, and swiftly come unto our γαζόντων σοι· Τάχυνον εἰς πρεσβείαν, καὶ σπεῦσον aid as we cry out to you with faith: Hasten to inter- εἰς ἱκεσίαν, ἡ προστατεύουσα ἀεί, Θεοτόκε, τῶν cession, and speed now to supplication, O Theotokos τιμώντων σε. you who defend, now and ever those who honor you. THE READINGS OF THE DAY

epistle reading gospel reading The second letter of paul luke 5:1-11 to the corinthians 6:1-10

RETHREN, working together with him, then, t that time, Jesus was standing by the lake we entreat you not to accept the grace of God of Gennesaret. And he saw two boats by Bin vain. For he says, “At the acceptable time I Athe lake; but the fishermen had gone out of have listened to you, and helped you on the day of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one salvation.” Behold, now is the acceptable time; be- of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to hold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obsta- put out a little from the land. And he sat down and cle in any one’s way, so that no fault may be found taught the people from the boat. And when he had with our ministry, but as servants of God we com- ceased speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into mend ourselves in every way: through great endur- the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And ance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; took nothing! But at your word I will let down the by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were break- power of God; with the weapons of righteousness ing, they beckoned to their partners in the other for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dis- boat to come and help them. And they came and honor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ well known; as dying, and behold we live; as pun- knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful ished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always man, O Lord.” For he was astonished, and all who rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having were with him, at the catch of fish which they had nothing, and yet possessing everything. taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Ze- bedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and fol- lowed him.

Whatever happens, great or small, disregard it and dismiss it. Indifference of course is a bad thing, but on the other hand, it is not good to give total attention to whatever happens to one and thus lose one’s peace so that the soul is harmed. “ —st. dorotheos of gaza ” announcements Saturday, January 25, Great Vespers, 5pm

memorial service: 40 day memorial for Rev. Fr. John Orfanakos upcoming church services: Saturday, October 4, Great Vespers, 5pm.

heritage festival come families, the elderly and disabled individuals Thank you to everyone who volunteered their in Columbia. All items should be laundered prior time and talent to the Heritage Festival. Thank you to donation. Today is the last day for donations. to all who generously donated for the festival Wish philoptochos - special donation List. A limited number of pastries will be available Today there will be a donation basket in the narthex today after Divine Liturgy. for proceeds benefiting the National Philoptochos community pot-luck Aid to Greece and Cyprus Campaign. Thank you Please join us for the community pot luck after Di- for your generosity. Please continue to keep those vine Services. If you were not able to bring a dish to who are suffering hardships in your prayers. share, there will be a basket for donations. Thank craft club you. Join us for a trip to the Corn Maze after the Craft club will meet on Wednesday, October 1 at meal. 6pm. Please join us! Bring a craft project that you catechism are working on. If you are interested in learning more about becom- ing an Orthodox Christian, please see Fr. Michael. philoptochos - gift cards The next deadline to order gift cards will be Oc- tober 14. These cards make great gifts and also are great for everyday spending. Proceeds benefit the ministries of Philoptochos. Four $25 gift cards to If you want to avoid falling into Macy’s are available today for purchase. Please anger and resentment, try not to see Ronni Harwood or Karen Sade to purchase feel any passionate attachment or to order other gift cards. “ philoptochos - warm up columbia to material things. —st. dorotheos of gaza Philoptochos will be collecting new or gen- tly used coats, blankets, winter hats, scarves, and gloves during the month of September. Voluntary Action Center will be distributing them to low in- ” monastery in the church, built on the site of an entire scroll of his prophetic sayings and the robbers’ cave. read them to the people in the Temple of Je- Saint Herodion of Elias Lake and Novgorod, rusalem. Together with his teacher, St Baruch was a disciple of St Cornelius of Komel (May grievously lamented the destruction of Jeru- 19, 1537). After the death of his mentor, he salem by Nebuchadnezzar, and he taught and settled at Elias Lake, 20 kilometers from White censured the Jews, and he suffered spite and Lake, and there on a peninsula he built himself vexation from them. He witnessed the stoning a cell and established a church in honor of the of the holy Prophet Jeremiah, and buried his Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, marking body. the beginning of the Elias Lake Ozadsk monas- After the martyr’s death of the Prophet Jere- tery. miah, St Baruch lived a short while and died in The monk was strict at fasting, he spent the Egypt, in the sixth century before Christ. The nights at prayer and he received the Holy Mys- holy Prophet Baruch prophesied the return of teries every Saturday. An angel told the monk the Jews from the Babylonian Captivity, and of his approaching end. He died as a schema- the desolation of Babylon. He clearly proph- monk on September 28, 1541 and was buried esied the coming into the world of the Son of in the chapel he had built. God, Who would “dwell with mankind.” His The first icon of St Herodion was painted prophecy begins with the words, “He is our after his appearance to a certain Sophonios. God, and no other can compare with Him” Sophonios impiously thrust his staff into the (Bar 3:36). grave of St Herodion and was struck blind, The Book of the Prophet Baruch is regarded but after praying to the saint, he recovered his as uncanonical and is appended to the Book of sight. the Prophet Jeremiah. On the eve of the Nativ- A short Life of St Herodion was written by ity of Christ it is read as one of the Old Testa- Archimandrite Metrophanes of White Lake ment readings, listed as a prophecy of Jeremi- monastery, who in 1653, with the blessing of ah. Metropolitan (afterwards Patriarch) Nikon, The Holy Martyrs Alexander, Alpheius, Zo- witnessed a miracle worked from the relics of simus, Mark the Shepherd, Nikon, Neon, He- St Herodion. Then an annual commemoration liodorus and others suffered for confessing the of the saint was established. At the place of the Christian Faith in various places of Asia Minor chapel of St Herodion a church was built in during the reign of Diocletian (284-305). honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy The- St Mark, a shepherd, was arrested for his otokos together with a chapel dedicated to St open confession of the Christian Faith in Pi- Herodion of Elias Lake. sidian Antioch. The thirty soldiers guarding The Holy Prophet Baruch was an insepa- him were converted by St Mark, and they were rable companion, disciple, friend and scribe of beheaded at Nicea, but St Mark was sentenced the great Prophet Jeremiah (May 1). He wrote to tortures. The brothers Sts Alexander, Alpheius and his younger brother, Boleslav, to occupy the Zosimus were blacksmiths from the settlement princely throne. of Katalitea, or Kalitea. They were summoned Boleslav invited his brother to the dedica- to forge the instruments of torture which tion of a church, and then asked him to stay would be used on St Mark the Shepherd. The another day. In spite of the warnings of his iron did not melt and fuse, however, and the servants, the holy prince refused to believe in hands of the blacksmiths grew numb. Hear- a conspiracy and exposed his life to the will ing a voice summoning them to suffer with St of God. On the following day, September 28, Mark, the brothers believed in Christ. 935, when Wenceslaus went to Matins, he was After fierce torture they poured molten tin wickedly murdered at the doors of the church down their throats. After enduring many tor- by his own brother and his brother’s servants. tures, St Mark was beheaded at Claudiopolis. His body was stabbed and discarded without When they carried the head of the holy martyr burial. into the pagan temple of Artemis, all the idols The mother, hearing of the murder of her fell down and were smashed. The witnesses son, found and placed his body in a recently of this miracle, Nikon, Neon, Heliodorus and consecrated church at the princely court. They other young men and women, believed in were not able to wash off the blood splashed Christ, confessed their faith and died martyrs on the church doors, but after three days it dis- at Maromilium. appeared by itself. The Holy Prince Wenceslaus (Vyacheslav) of After repenting of his sin, the murderer the Czechs was a grandson of the holy Martyr transferred the relics of St Wenceslaus to and Princess Ludmilla (September 16), and he Prague, where they were placed in the church was raised by her in deep piety. He began to of St Vitus, which the martyr himself had con- rule at age eighteen after the death of his father structed (the transfer of the relics of St Wenc- Prince Bratislav (+ 920). eslaus is celebrated on March 4). The memory In spite of his youthful age, he ruled wisely of Prince Wenceslaus has been honored from and justly and concerned himself much about of old in the . the Christian enlightenment of the people. The Saint Cyril and his wife Maria were the par- holy prince was a widely educated man, and he ents of St (September 25). studied in the Latin and Greek languages. They belonged to the nobility, but more im- St Wenceslaus was peace-loving. He built portantly, they were pious and faithful Chris- and embellished churches, and in Prague, tians who were adorned with every virtue. the Czech capital, he raised up a magnificent When the child in Maria’s womb cried out church in the name of St Vitus, and he had three times in church during Liturgy, people respect for the clergy. Envious nobles de- were astonished. Although frightened at first, cided to murder the saint and, at first, to in- Maria came to see this event as a sign from God cite his mother against him, and later to urge that her child would become a chosen vessel of divine grace. She and her husband agreed The ascetic recalled that from the time of that if the child was a boy, they would bring his youth he had suffered much, tormented by him to church and dedicate him to God. This fleshly lust, and nothing could deliver him from child, the second of their three sons, was born it, neither hunger nor thirst nor heavy chains. around 1314. He was named Bartholomew at He then went into the cave wherethe relics his baptism. of St Anthony rested, and he fervently prayed Because of civil strife, St Cyril moved his to the holy Abba. After a day and a night the family from Rostov to Radonezh when Bar- much-suffering John heard a voice: “John! It is tholomew was still a boy. necessary for you to become a recluse, in order Later, when their son expressed a desire to to weaken the vexation by silence and seclu- enter the monastic life, Sts Cyril and Maria sion, and the Lord shall help you by the prayers asked him to wait and take care of them until of His monastic saints.” The saint settled into they passed away, because his brothers Ste- the cave from that time, and only after thirty phen and Peter were both married and had years did he conquer the fleshly passions. their own family responsibilities. The young Tense and fierce was the struggle upon the Bartholomew obeyed his parents, and did ev- thorny way on which the monk went to vic- erything he could to please them. They later tory. Sometimes the desire took hold of him to decided to retire to separate monasteries, and forsake his seclusion, but then he resolved on departed to the Lord after a few years. It is be- still greater effort. The holy warrior of Christ lieved that Sts Cyril and Maria both reposed in dug out a pit and with the onset of Great Lent 1337. he climbed into it, and he covered himself up Forty days after burying his parents, Bar- to the shoulders with ground. He spent the tholomew settled their estate, giving his share whole of Lent in such a position, but the burn- to his brother Peter. He then went to the mon- ing of his former passions did not leave him. astery when he was twenty-three years old, The enemy of salvation brought terror upon and was tonsured on October 7 with the name the ascetic, wishing to expel him from the cave: Sergius (in honor of the martyr St Sergius who a fearsome serpent, breathing fire and sparks, is commemorated on that day). As everyone tried to swallow the saint. For several days knows, St Sergius of Radonezh became one of these evil doings continued. Russia’s greatest and most revered saints. On the night of the Resurrection of Christ St Cyril was glorified by the Orthodox the serpent seized the head of the monk in Church of Russia in 1992. He is also commem- its jaws. Then Saint John cried out from the orated on January 18, and on July 6 (Synaxis of depths of his heart: “O Lord my God and my the Saints of Radonezh). Savior! Why have You forsaken me? Have Saint John the Much-Suffering pursued as- mercy upon me, only Lover of Mankind; de- ceticism at the Kiev Caves Lavra, accepting liver me from my foul iniquity, so that I an not many sorrows for the sake of virginity. trapped in the snares of the Evil one. Deliver me from the mouth of my enemy: send down needed for painting, then he gave one third to a flash of lightning and drive it away.” Suddenly the poor, keeping only one third for himself. a bolt of lightning flashed, and the serpent van- St Alypius was never famous, and he painted ished. A Divine light shone upon the ascetic, icons only to serve God. He was ordained a hi- and a Voice was heard: “John! Here is help for eromonk and was known for working miracles you. Be attentive from now on, that nothing even in his lifetime. St Alypius healed a man worse happen to you, and that you do not suf- from Kiev who suffered from leprosy and de- fer in the age to come.” cay of the body by anointing his wounds with The saint prostrated himself and said: the paints he used to paint icons. “Lord! Why did You leave me for so long in Many icons painted by the saint were glo- torment?” “I tried you according to the power rified with miracles. There was one instance of your endurance,” was the answer. “I brought when angels of God painted icons for him. upon you temptation, so that you might be A certain man of Kiev, having built a church, purified like gold. It is to the strong and pow- entrusted two monks of the Caves to commis- erful servants that a master assigns the heavy sion the icons for it. The monks concealed the work, and the easy tasks to the infirm and to money and said nothing to St Alypius. After the weak. Therefore pray to the one buried waiting a long time for the icon to be painted, here (Moses the Hungarian), he can help you the man went to the igumen to complain about in this struggle, for he did greater deeds than the monk. Only then did they discover that he Joseph the Fair” (March 31). The monk died had not been told of the commission. When in the year 1160, having acquired grace against they brought the boards given by the customer, profligate passions. His holy relics rest in the they found that beautiful images had already Caves of St Anthony. been painted on them. Saint Alypius of the Near Caves, one of the When the church built for the icons was first and finest of Russian iconographers, was consumed by fire, all of the icons remained a monastic disciple of St Nikon (March 23). unharmed. One of these icons (the Dormi- From his youth he pursued asceticism at the tion of the Most Holy Theotokos) received the Kiev Caves monastery. He studied the iconog- title Vladimir-Rostov (August 15), was taken raphy of the Greek masters, and from the year by Great Prince Vladimir Monomakh (1113- 1083 beautified the Caves monastery church 1125) to a church he had built at Rostov. of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. St Alypius (he died on August 17 not ear- If he learned that the icons in some church lier than the year 1114) was buried in the Near had become worn, he took them with him and Caves. On the right hand of St Alypius the first restored them without charge. St Alypius also three fingers were folded perfectly alike, and painted icons for those who were not able to the last two were bent to the palm. It seems that pay him. If they did pay him for his work, he he died while signing himself with the Sign of set aside one third to purchase the materials he the Cross.