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Sunday Before the Theophany of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ

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Sunday Before the Theophany of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ SUNDAY BEFORE THE THEOPHANY OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST Icon of the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan – January 6th 2 Vol. 60, No. 1 JANUARY 4, 2015 AD SUNDAY BEFORE (AND FORE-FEAST OF) “ENLIGHTENMENT”, ALSO KNOWN AS “THEOPHANY” JANUARY 4 BRIGHT VESTMENTS. We transfer to another day, or omit, the memory of the saints of January 4: Synaxis (Gathering-Собор-Sobor) in honor of the Seventy Holy Apostles; Our Venerable Father Theoctistus (800), Hegumen (Abbot) of the Cucomo Monastery in Sicily. For the liturgical propers for an English Divine Liturgy, we use the Troparion of Tone 5 in the blue Anthology: p. 345; in Ukrainian: p. 470, continuing with prop- ers for the Sunday before Theophany, pp. 765-768. Since the Pre-Feast of Theophany (Jan. 2-5) propers are omitted in the Anthology, we will print them in the bulletin. SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 4:00-4:30 PM – Fr. Ivan will be available for Holy Mystery of Confession for those who wish to make use of it. Of course, one may confess in the presence of any other Catholic priest, as well; and, if anyone should be in need of an additional time slot, all you have to do is ask any priest. SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 5:00 PM – DIVINE LITURGY (English, recited) +Mykola Durkacz (Birthday remembrance) Fr. Ivan Chirovsky There will be no 7:45 am MATINAL LITURGY on the morning of SUNDAY, JANUARY 4 9:00 AM – DIV. LIT. (English, Ukrainian & O. C. Slavonic; choir) +John & Mary Witkowsky, Florence & Bob Burlando (Mary & Tony Burlando) Fr. Ivan 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM – ECF CLASSES. Although EASTERN CHRISTIAN FORMA- TION CLASSES resume on January 11, 2015, parents are reminded that their children’s presence at Christmas and Theophany worship services still remains as an integral and vital part of “Eastern Christian Formation.” 11:30 AM - DIVINE LITURGY (English; congregational) God’s Blessings on Parishioners Fr. Ivan 2:00-3:35 PM - JANUARY 4 - “Royal Hours-Office of Readings” for Theophany of our Lord. (all English, cantored). This most important Liturgy of the Word teaches us how to meditate properly on the scriptures implied by the Feast of the Theophany, namely, using Septuagint Greek text and numbering for O.T.: (1 hour) Psalms 5, 22 and 26, Isaiah 35:1- 10, and Acts of the Apostles 13:25-33 with Matthew 3:1-11; (3 Hour) Psalms 28, 41 and 50, Isaiah 1:16-20, and Acts of the Apostles 19:1-8 with Mark 1:1-8; (6 Hour) Psalms 73, 76 and 90, Isaiah 12:3-6, and Romans 6:3-11 with Mark 1:9-15; and (9 Hour) Psalms 92, 113 and 85, Isaiah 49:8-15, and Titus 2:11-14 and 3:4-7 with Matthew 3:13-17. Attendance at this Office of Readings does not satisfy the obligation to gather for Theophany. 3 WEEKDAY SERVICES AND EVENTS Theophany Eve. (MONDAY) JANUARY 5 Holy Martyrs Theopemptus and Theonas (284-305); the Venerable Syncletica of Alexandria (c. 350) NO DIVINE LITURGY on this day in the morning THE CHURCH OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, JANUARY 5 and opened instead on THURSDAY, JANUARY 8 ABSTINENCE FROM MEAT on Jan. 5 is OBLIGATORY, while ABSTINENCE FROM DAIRY PRODUCTS is ENCOURAGED All are invited to come and join our parish family for the Supper of Generous-Bountiful Eve (Щедрий Вечір) on January 5th. We ask that everyone start arriving no sooner than 5:00 pm, but also so that we may begin the Dinner no later than 5:30 pm. In this way we hope that the volunteers/responders may be ready to clean up at 6:15 pm and thus be able to participate in worship services by 7:00 PM THE FEAST OF THE “ENLIGHTENMENT”, ALSO KNOWN AS “THEOPHANY” IS ONE OF THE TWELVE MAJOR FEASTDAYS AND A HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION ALL SHOULD DO THEIR BEST TO ATTEND THE “ROYAL HOURS” ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT 2:00PM. ATTENDING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TWO SERVICES IS OBLIGATORY: MONDAY EVENING (mostly English, cantored) JANUARY 5th 6:45 PM – Altar servers are asked to arrive by this time. 7:00 PM – Segment of Great Compline. 7:15 PM – 9:45 PM – First Divine Liturgy of Theophany will be the Vigil Service (first part of Vespers of Theophany with Epistle, Gospel and remainder of the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great for Theophany, ending with First (Great) Water Blessing. According to St John Chrysostom, we should come prepared for this service by having read at home and by reflecting upon the scriptures of this day: (1) Genesis 1:1-13; (2) Exodus 14:15-18, 21- 23, 27-29; (3) Exodus 15:22-16:1; (4) Joshua 3:7-8 and 3:15-17; (5) 2[4] Kings 2:6-14; (6) 2[4] Kings 5:9-14; (7) Isaiah 1:16-20; (8) Genesis 32:1-10; (9) Exodus 2:5-10; (10) Judges 6:36-40; (11) 1[3] Kings 18:30-39; (12) 2 [4] Kings 2:19-22; (13) Isaiah 49:8-15; (Prokeimenon verses) Ps 26[27]:1; (14) Epistle: 1 Corinthans 9: 19-27; (Alleluia verses) Ps 44 [45]:1a, 3a; (15) Luke 3:1-18. At the water blessing: (16) Isaiah 35:1-10; (17) Isaiah 55:1-13; (18) Isaiah 12:3-6. (Prokeimenon verses) Ps 26[27]:1; Epistle: (19) 1 Corinthans 10:1-4; (Alleluia verses) Ps 28 [29]:3, Ps 113 [114]:5; Gospel: (20) Mark 1:9-11. God’s blessings on Parishioners (Fr. Ivan Chirovsky) NOTE FOR ROMAN (LATIN) RITE CATHOLICS: the vespers part of the Monday evening service is not a “prelude to the Mass.” The vespers at the beginning & the water blessing at the end are both integral parts of this special “First Mass” of this very holy and very great feast day. 4 TUESDAY MORNING (mostly Ukrainian, cantored) JANUARY 6th In last week’s church bulletin the lector announcements and the weekday services schedule gave two different sets of times for this liturgy; the 2012 schedule was copied into the weekday services schedule, without noticing that the times needed to be corrected to go back to the regular schedule which was lsited in the lector announcements. We apologize for the confusion. The correct times are now listed in both places: 9:00 AM – Altar servers are asked to arrive by this time. 9:15 AM – Segment of Great Compline. 9:30 AM – Second Divine Liturgy of Theophany will be the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, with heavily shortened Second (Lesser) Water Blessing, if it is deemed necessary. According to St John Chrysostom, we should come prepared for this service by having read at home and by reflecting upon the scriptures of this day: (Mat- ins) Mark 1:9-11; (Divine Liturgy) (Prokeimenon verses) Ps 117 [118]:26,27,1; (Epistle) Titus 2:11-14,3:4-7; (Alleluia verses) Ps 28:1,3; (Gospel) Matthew 3:13-17. LaVerne LeRose (Priscilla Fello) (Fr. Ivan Chirovsky) Post-feast of Theophany (no fasting or abstinence) (WEDNESDAY) JANUARY 7 Коли хтось, бажаючи святкувати Різдво за старим (Юліянським) календарем, прибуде на цю службу, отець Іван радо відслужить Літургію із змінними частинами Різдва. В іншому випадку, служба буде за новим (Григоріянським) календарем. If someone who celebrates Christmas on the Julian (old) Calendar comes to attend this Divine Liturgy, then Father Ivan will gladly celebrate using the propers for December 25 for them. Otherwise, the propers for Jan. 7 on the Gregorian (New) Calendar are those of the Synaxis (Synaxis- Собор / Sobor-Gathering) in honor of the Holy and Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptizer of our Lord, John. 9:30 AM, in Chapel: +Lubomyr Kuzmak (Roxana Kuzmak) (Fr. Ivan Chirovsky) 31ST THURSDAY AFTER PENTECOST (Post-feast of Theophany) JANUARY 8 Our Venerable Father George the Chosebite (610-41); Our Venerable Mother Dominica (474- th 91); and the holy Father Emilian, Confessor of the Faith (9 century) BRIGHT (WHITE) VEST- MENTS. No Divine Liturgy on this morning 31ST FRIDAY AFTER PENTECOST (Post-feast of Theophany) JANUARY 9 Normally, for the Feast of Theophany, from January 6 until January 14, inclusive, there is a general dispensation from all abstinence & fasting; also we do not kneel or prostrate for prayers, either at home or at church. However, although some Byzantine Typikons may prescribe that January 9 should also be a fast free day, the rule currently be- ing observed in our Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church considers today to be a day of abstinence from meat, or equivalent penance. Holy Martyr Polyeuctus (249-51) No Divine Liturgy on this morning SATURDAY AFTER THEOPHANY (Post-feast of Theophany) JANUARY 10 Our Holy Father Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa (after 394) BRIGHT (LIGHT BLUE) VESTMENTS; the Ven. Dometian, Bishop of Miletene (582-602); Our Ven. Fr. Marcian, Presbyter and Econome of the Great Church (450-457); Holy Theosebia the Deaconess (385) who was the sister of Sts Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, and Peter, Bishop of Sebaste; holy Hierarch Theophan the Recluse, Bishop of Tambov (1894) No Divine Liturgy on this morning. 10:00 am-AKATHIST HYMN TO MOTHER OF GOD for children and grandchildren, in chapel 5 SUNDAY AFTER (AND POST-FEAST OF) “ENLIGHTENMENT”, ALSO KNOWN AS “THEOPHANY” JANUARY 11 BRIGHT VESTMENTS. According to the Typikon of Fr. I. Dolnystky, the January 11 comemoration of Our Venerable Father Theodosius, Founder of the Cenoebitic Monastic Life (529) is combined with the Post-Feast. For the liturgical propers for an English Divine Liturgy, we use the Troparion of Tone 6 in the blue Anthology: p.
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