Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
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Saints RAPHAEL, NICHOLAS, & IRENE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Rev. Fr. Barnabas Powell, Proistamenos 3074 Bethelview Road, Cumming GA 30040 (770) 781-5250 www.stsrni.org [email protected] facebook.com/Sts Raphael, Nicholas and Irene Greek Orthodox Church Read our daily devotionals at www.FaithEncouraged.org August 6, 2017 Holy Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Reading: Our Lord had spoken to His disciples many times not only concerning His Passion, Cross, and Death, but also concerning the coming persecutions and afflictions that they themselves would endure. Since all these evils were near at hand, but the enjoyment of good things which they hoped to receive in their stead was yet to come, our Savior desired to give them full assurance, evidently and openly, concerning that glory which is prepared for those who endure to the end. Therefore, fulfilling that which He had promised shortly before, that "there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom" (Matt. 16:28), He took His three foremost disciples and ascended Mount Tabor, where He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as the light. Suddenly, together with this dread and marvelous effulgence of light, there appeared those pinnacles of the Prophets, Moses and Elias, who spoke with the Lord Jesus concerning His saving Passion which was about to take place. Standing before Him as reverent servants, they showed that He is the Lord of both the living and the dead, for Moses came forth from Hades, having died many centuries before, and Elias, as it were from heaven, whither he had been taken up while yet alive. After a little while a radiant cloud overshadowed them and out of the cloud they heard that same voice which had been heard at the Jordan at the Baptism of Christ, testifying to the Divinity of Jesus and saying: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased; hear ye Him" (Matt. 17: 5). Such are the marvels, truly worthy of God, celebrated in this present feast, which is an image and prefiguring of the future state of the righteous, whose splendor the Lord spoke of, saying: "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun" (Matt. 13:43). It is because of this that the Kontakion of this Feast is said daily (when there is not a great feast) in the Service of the Typica in perpetual commemoration of the glory that will be the lot of the Saints. According to tradition, the Lord's Transfiguration came to pass forty days before His Crucifixion; this is why the Transfiguration is celebrated forty days before the Exaltation of the Cross. ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ Welcome to all visitors who are worshiping with us this morning. Please join us for Coffee Hour afterwards in the Parish Life Center (“PLC”). Reminder: If there is ever a luncheon prepared for donations to the church and you wish not to participate, the coffee and treats table is always available to everyone without a donation. Fellowship is the main focus of this time together! Visitors Meet & Greet with Father Barnabas ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ TODAY, August 6 For Today: Ushers: David Chapman and Marie Chapman Holy Transfiguration Welcoming Ministry: Deborah Bowen Coffee Hour hosted by: Manolakis Family 9:00 a.m. Orthos Parish Council of 2017: Kosta Bozzuto, President; 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy Greg Pappas, Vice President; Len Vanerstrom, Secretary; David Chapman, Treasurer; Sandy No Sunday School today. Athenson, Anthony Birozes, Marie Chapman, Helen McCart, Johnny Melts, Anne Trainor, Rusty Waldron and Plutarch Vamvakias Appointments with Father Barnabas: If you would like to schedule any appointments or arrangements with Acolytes: Jacob and Jimmy Atkinson, David Father Barnabas, please contact the office Druffner, Evan Eifert, Spiro Kefalas, Christos administrator in order to assure that there are no Kaloudis, Thomas Miller, Mike Trainor, Aristotle & conflicts on his calendar. Thank you. Alexander Theofilis, Alex & Niko Tzevelekos, Christos Zourzoukis, Senior Acolytes: Johnny Melts Administrative Office Hours: Tuesday – Friday; 10 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Please say a special prayer for the following *Are you interested in being a part of the Individuals: Orthodox Church? If so, the “Journey to Fullness” classes are at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday Ruth, A. Andropoulos, Ashley, Ava, Austin Cohen, D. Bethune, Bill, Carrie, Chris V., Emilie C. Estelle nights. S., Gus P., Hayes Family., Perry, A. Harris, M. Hayes, D. Jeffrey, Jo, M. Birozes, Mariann, Maria, Visit the Gift Shop for Inspiration and Gifts Mary M., A. Papandreou, Mary S., Nikko, Victor, Patsy, Joanne, Walter, Vasilios and S. & K. Yalanzon. Friendly Reminder: The Orthodox Church practices “closed” communion. This means only Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared to receive the Eucharist should approach the Chalice at communion. If you have any questions, please see Fr. Barnabas after service. HOLY TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Apolytikion for St. Raphael in the Fourth Tone Singers and Chanters: Anthony Birozes, David Boyd, Lynne Lucher, and Jimmy Smith Because of the finding of your holy relics, wise one, * the Island of Lesvos has been filled Apolytikion of the Feast in the Grave Tone fully with the grace, * which God richly gave to you. * You, O devout martyr Raphael, You were transfigured upon the mountain, O Christ paradoxically * appeared to many people, and our God, showing to Your disciples Your glory as you grant cures and healings. * And therefore much as they could bear. Do also in us, sinners we the faithful re-joice in all your miracles. though we may be, shine Your everlasting light, by the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Giver of Apolytikion for St. Raphael in the First Tone light. Glory to You. To the offspring of Ithaca, the pride and joy of Lesvos, * monastic martyrs’ glory, let us offer Μετεμορφώθης ἐν τῷ ὄρει Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, δείξας to Raphael our songs of praise; * for lately he τοῖς Μαθηταῖς σου τὴν δόξαν σου, καθὼς appeared, and pours out cures and healings to ἠδυναντο. Λάμψον καὶ ἡμῖν τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς, τὸ us all. * Inexplicably he appears to believers, φῶς σου τὸ ἀΐδιον, πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου, both in dreams and awake, who cry: * Glory to φωτοδότα δόξα σοι. Christ who gave you His might. * Glory to Him who gave you miracles. * Glory to Him who Kontakion of the Feast in the Grave Tone through you fulfills our prayerful requests. Apolytikion in honor of Sts. Raphael, Nicholas & Upon the mountain were You transfigured, and Irene Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as they were able, O Christ our God; so that when they Having contended on Lesvos for the sake of would see You crucified they might understand Christ God, you have sanctified the island since that Your Passion was deliberate, and declare to the the discovery of your sacred relics, O blessed world that in truth You are the Father's radiance. ones; wherefore we honor you, O Godbearing Raphael, together with Nicholas and virgin Irene, as our divine protectors and intercessors with the Lord. EPISTLE READING Prokeimenon. Mode 4. Psalm 103.24,1 O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom. Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul. The reading is from St. Peter's Second Universal Letter 1:10-19 BRETHREN, be more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore I intend always to remind you of these things, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to arouse you by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. And I will see to it that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. †††† Προκείμενον. Ήχος δ'. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 103.24,1 Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου Κύριε, πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας. Στίχ. Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον. Πέτρου β' 1:10-19 τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα είναι απο Ἀδελφοί, σπουδάσατε βεβαίαν ὑμῶν τὴν κλῆσιν καὶ ἐκλογὴν ποιεῖσθαι· ταῦτα γὰρ ποιοῦντες οὐ μὴ πταίσητέ ποτε· οὕτως γὰρ πλουσίως ἐπιχορηγηθήσεται ὑμῖν ἡ εἴσοδος εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον βασιλείαν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Διὸ οὐκ ἀμελήσω ἀεὶ ὑμᾶς ὑπομιμνῄσκειν περὶ τούτων, καίπερ εἰδότας, καὶ ἐστηριγμένους ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ ἀληθείᾳ. Δίκαιον δὲ ἡγοῦμαι, ἐφʼ ὅσον εἰμὶ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ σκηνώματι, διεγείρειν ὑμᾶς ἐν ὑπομνήσει· εἰδὼς ὅτι ταχινή ἐστιν ἡ ἀπόθεσις τοῦ σκηνώματός μου, καθὼς καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐδήλωσέν μοι. Σπουδάσω δὲ καὶ ἑκάστοτε ἔχειν ὑμᾶς μετὰ τὴν ἐμὴν ἔξοδον τὴν τούτων μνήμην ποιεῖσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ σεσοφισμένοις μύθοις ἐξακολουθήσαντες ἐγνωρίσαμεν ὑμῖν τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δύναμιν καὶ παρουσίαν, ἀλλʼ ἐπόπται γενηθέντες τῆς ἐκείνου μεγαλειότητος.