SAINT GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

april 5, 2015 our lord’s triumphant entry into jerusalem alm Sunday is the celebration of the triumphant entrance of into the royal city of Jerusalem. He Prode on a colt for which He Himself had sent, and He permitted the people to hail Him publicly as a king. A large crowd met Him in a manner befitting royalty, waving palm branches and placing their gar- ments in His path. They greeted Him with these words: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel! (John 12:13). This day together with the raising of Lazarus are signs pointing beyond themselves to the mighty deeds and events which consummate Christ’s earthly ministry. The time of fulfillment was at hand. Christ’s rais- ing of Lazarus points to the destruction of death and the joy of resurrection which will be accessible to all through His own death and resurrection. His entrance into Jerusalem is a fulfillment of the messianic prophecies about the king who will enter his holy city to establish a final kingdom. “Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of an ass” (Zech 9:9). Finally, the events of these triumphant two days are but the passage to Holy Week: the “hour” of suf- fering and death for which Christ came. Thus the triumph in a earthly sense is extremely short-lived. enters openly into the midst of His enemies, publicly saying and doing those things which mostly enrage them. The people themselves will soon reject Him. They misread His brief earthly triumph as a sign of something else: His emergence as a political messiah who will lead them to the glories of an earthly king- dom. The Holy Martyrs Agathopodes the Deacon and Theodulus the Reader lived in Thessalonica during the reign of the emperor Diocletian (284-305) and Maximian (284-305) and were among the church clergy. The holy Deacon Agathopodes was very old, and Theodulus very young. Both distinguished themselves by righteous life and piety. Once, St Theodulus had a vision in his sleep, in which an unknown person in radiant garb placed some object in his hand. When he awoke, he saw in his hand a beautiful ring with the image of the Cross and he realized that this was a sign of his future mar- tyrdom. By the power of the Cross depicted on the ring, the saint healed many of the sick and converted pagans to faith in Christ the Savior. When the emperor Diocletian issued an edict of a persecution against Christians (303), many attempt- ed to hide themselves from pursuit, but Sts Agathopodes and Theodulus fearlessly continued to proclaim the . Governor Faustinus of Thessalonica heard of this, and gave orders to bring them to him for trial. Seeing the youth and excellence of St Theodulus, Faustinus attempted flattery to persuade him to renounce Chris- 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 της εορτης. Ἦχος α. resurrectional of the feast. Mode 1. ὴν κοινὴν Ἀνάστασιν, πρὸ τοῦ σοῦ Πάθους o confirm the general resurrection before Your Tπιστούμενος, ἐκ νεκρῶν ἤγειρας τὸν Λάζα‐ ΤPassion, You resurrected Lazarus from the dead, ρον Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός· ὅθεν καὶ ἡμεῖς ὡς οἱ Παῖδες, O Christ our God. Therefore imitating the children, τὰ τῆς νίκης σύμβολα φέροντες, σοὶ τῷ Νικητῇ carrying the symbols of victory, we cry out to You the τοῦ θανάτου βοῶμεν· Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, Victor over death: “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. are You, the One, who comes in the name of the Lord.” Ἀπολυτίκιον της εορτης. Ἦχος δ. Apolytikion of the saint. Mode 4. υνταφέντες σοι διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος, Χριστὲ e were buried with You through Baptism, O Σὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, τῆς ἀθανάτου ζωῆς ἠξιώθημεν WChrist our God, and thus by Your Resurrection τῇ Ἀναστάσει σου, καὶ ἀνυμνοῦντες κράζομεν∙ we have been granted immortal life, and extolling You Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, εὐλογημένος ὁ we cry aloud, “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. You, the One who comes in the name of the Lord.” Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος πλ. β´. Kontakion. Mode 6. ῷ θρόνῳ ἐν οὐρανῷ, τῷ πώλῳ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, n heaven upon the throne, on earth upon the colt,* Τἐποχούμενος Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, τῶν Ἀγγέλων τὴν ΙYou were carried, O Christ our God;* and the αἴνεσιν, καὶ τῶν Παίδων ἀνύμνησιν προσεδέ‐ ξω praise of the , and the hymns of the children, βοώντων σοι· Εὐλογημένος εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, τὸν You received as they cried to You,* ‘Blessed are You, Ἀδὰμ ἀνακαλέσασθαι. the One, who is coming to call Adam back again.’

Be mindful to God, so that in every moment he may be mindful of you. If he is mindful of you, he wil give you salvation. Do not forget him, letting yourselves be seduced by vain distractions. Do you want him to forget you in your times of “temptations? Stay near him and obey him in the days of your prosperity. You will be able to rely on his word in difficult days, because prayer will keep you safe in his continual presence. Remain constantly before his face, think of him, remember him in your heart. Otherwise, if you only meet him from time to time, you risk losing your close friendship with him. —st. isaac the syrian” THE READINGS OF THE DAY

reading three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” Now the Letter of saint paul Judas said this, not because he cared for the poor, to the Philippians 4:4-9 but because he was a thief, and having the money box, he used to steal what was put into it. But Je- RETHREN, rejoice in the Lord always! sus said, “Leave her alone! She has kept this for the Again I will say, rejoice! Let your kindness day of my burial. For you always have the poor with Bbe known to all. The Lord is at hand! Do not you, but you do not always have me.” Meanwhile, be anxious about anything, but in everything, by a large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your re- there. They came, not only for Jesus’ sake, but also quests be known to God. And the peace of God, in order to see Lazarus whom he had raised from which surpasses all understanding, will guard your the dead. The chief priests even conspired to put hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Finally, Lazarus to death as well, because on his account brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and be- are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever lieved in him. On the next day, a great multitude things are pure, whatever things are lovely, what- had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus ever things are commendable, if there is any virtue was coming to Jerusalem, they took branches from or any praise, think about these things. What you palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, learned, received, heard, and saw in me—practice “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the Name of these things, and the God of peace will be with you. the Lord, the King of Israel!” Having found a young gospel reading donkey, Jesus sat on it. As it is written: “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion! Behold, your King is com- John 12:1-18 ing, sitting on a donkey’s colt.” His disciples did not ix days before the Passover, Jesus came to understand these things at first, but after Jesus was Bethany where Lazarus (who had been dead glorified, then they remembered that these things Sand whom Jesus had raised from the dead) were written about him, and that they had done lived. Therefore, they gave a supper for him there. these things to him. Now the multitude that had served while Lazarus was one of those been with Jesus when he had called Lazarus out of who sat at the table with him. Then Mary took a the tomb and raised him from the dead continued pound of fragrance of pure nard, very precious; she to testify about it. For this reason also, the crowd anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with had come out to meet him, because they had heard her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance that he had done this sign. of the ointment. Then , Simon’s son, one of his disciples and the one who would betray him, said, “Why was this ointment not sold for announcements upcoming church services: See page 7 of this bulletin for a schedule of Holy Week Services

HOLY WEEK begins this evening at 7pm with the Service of Orthros for Holy Monday (Bridegroom).

holy week / pascha flowers lenten journey A list of needs for Holy Week and Pascha can be Pascha Passport Book: Today is Palm Sunday of found on the back page of this Sunday Bulletin. Your Lent, Our Mother, St. Mary of Egypt - don’t forget to generosity is greatly appreciated! pick up today’s stamp. Next Sunday is Pascha! holy confession Pick up a postcard (one per family, please) and learn more about each Sunday during Lent. Fr. will be available for Confession dur- ing Holy Week by appointment. give a month towards our future palm sunday dinner As we did in 2014, we would again like to offer fami- lies and individuals the opportunity to help offset Following Divine Services today, Philoptochos in- our additional mortgage payment with a donation vites everyone to a Fish Dinner to raise money for of $640. If you would like to sponsor one month for charity. The dinner will be held at G&D Pizza in the 2015, please contact Fr. Michael. Crossroads shopping center. The cost of tickets is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Tickets are avail- pascha bread able now. Please see Georgia Pardalos to buy tickets. Philoptochos will be selling Easter Bread for $11 OCMC Missions coin box / loaf. If you ordered bread, it is available to pick up. Remeber the loaves are not Lenten and should NOT Please place your OCMC Missions Coin Box in the be eaten until Pascha. See Georgia Pardalos. basket in the Narthex. pascha potluck / lamb dinner pascha card fundraiser Please plan to join us for a lamb dinner and potluck Thank you to all who donated to the Pascha card this after the Agape Vespers (3pm) on Sunday, April 12. year - through your generosity, we raised $925 for the Please bring a favorite dish to share. There will also widow and children of Fr. Matthew Baker. be an egg hunt for children up to age 12. philoptochos - gift cards The next deadline for gift card orders will be April 14. Please see Ronni Harwood or Karen Sade to place an order

Prayer maintains the equilibrium of the world, reconciles people to God, produces holy tears, forms a bridge over temptations, and acts as a buttress between us and affliction. Prayer drives away the struggles of the spirit. It is the blessedness to come. It is an action that will never come to an end. “ —st. john of sinai, author of the ladder ” tianity and to offer sacrifice. St Theodulus replied Then Faustinus halted the execution and again that he had long ago renounced error and that he locked up the martyrs in prison. There the holy pitied Faustinus, who by embracing paganism had martyrs prayed fervently and both had the same condemned himself to eternal death. The governor dream. They were sailing in a ship, which was in offered the martyr a choice: the fortunes of life, or danger of being wrecked in a storm. The waves cast immediate death. The saint said that he would cer- them up on shore, arrayed in radiant white cloth- tainly choose life, but life eternal, and that he did ing. The told each other about the vision, not fear death. and they gave thanks to God for their impending When Faustinus saw that he would not persuade martyrdom. Theodulus, he began to talk with St Agathopodes. In the morning, when the martyrs were again The governor attempted to deceive him and said brought to Faustinus, they declared to him: “We that St Theodulus had already agreed to offer sac- are Christians and we are prepared to undergo any rifice to the gods. But Agathopodes did not believe suffering for Christ.” Faustinus gave orders to cast this. He was convinced that St Theodulus was pre- them into the sea. The waves carried St Agatho- pared to offer his life for the Lord Jesus Christ. podes to the rocks, and he loudly exclaimed, “This Not having any success, Faustinus commanded shall be for us a second Baptism, which will wash the martyrs to be taken to prison. The holy martyrs away our sins, and we shall come to Christ in puri- prayed fervently and boldly preached the Word of ty.” St Theodulus was also cast into the sea (+ 303). God to the imprisoned, so that many were convert- The bodies of the saints were washed up on ed to . Eutinios, the head of the prison, shore. They were dressed in radiant garb, but the reported this to the governor. ropes and stones used to weight them down were Faustinus again summoned them to trial and gone. Christians took their holy bodies and gave again he urged them to renounce Christ. Before them reverent burial. the eyes of St Theodulus they brought forth some Saint Publius lived a life of asceticism in the who had been Christians, but betrayed the Faith. desert during the reign of the emperor “You have conquered the weak, but you will never Julian the Apostate (361-363). Before a military conquer the strong warriors of Christ, even if you campaign against the Persians, the emperor sent invent greater torments,” exclaimed St Theodulus. a devil to explore the way for the army to go. The The governor commanded the martyr to produce venerable Publius foresaw the intent of the emper- the Christian books. “Here, is my body given for or. He stood in prayer with upraised hands, praying torture,” he answered, “do with it what you wish; day and night, and blocked the path of the devil. torture me fiercely, but I shall not hand over the sa- For ten days the evil spirit waited until the cred writings to be mocked by the impious!” monk concluded his prayer. Unable to proceed, he Faustinus gave orders to bring St Theodulus to returned to the emperor and reported that he had the place of execution, where an executioner read- been thwarted. In a rage against St Publius, Julian ied a sword in order to cut off his head. The mar- the Apostate vowed to avenge himself on the saint tyr bravely and with joy cried out, “Glory to You, upon his return from the campaign. He did not ful- O God, the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, Who fill this oath, since he soon perished. deigned to suffer for us. Here, by His grace, I am After the death of Julian, one of his military coming to You, and with joy I die for You!” commanders distributed his effects and received monastic tonsure at the hand of St Publius. On freedom from affections the Holy Spirit; one who drinks water has drunk the streams of compunction. However, as you are able, act and on self-mastery. thus to preserve your bodily health or in proportion to by St. Theodore the Studite your toil; for I have not issued an order, but I am giving My brothers, fathers and children, talking to you and you advice in the matter. And with regard to foods, my seeing you is for me comfort and consolation, while I children, I have the same advice, to flee irrational surfeit- am convinced that your reciprocal love and sight of me ing and wanton indulgence, from which come dissolute is the same also for you, since after God I have no one behaviour and the seeds of Sodom. But you are to act else, not father, not mother, not brothers, not relatives, with regard to eating and drinking and everything else not friends, apart from you my most dear members and so as to rule and not be ruled by pleasures; so as to mas- children and brothers and fathers, not have you any ex- ter and not be mastered by the flesh. And this is the best. cept me, an unprofitable sinner. This affiliation is of the This is the best formula for soul and body: for the bet- Holy Spirit. Flight from the world, alienation, the denial ter not be dominated by the worse. Be careful regarding of parents and all fleshly connections1 have secured this journeys outside and worldly contacts not to bring dis- union for us. Therefore this sacred fellowship is ac- turbances to the brotherhood. And those of you who are knowledged to be one soul and one will for all. So then I assigned to the boats for going in and out and bringing rejoice each time I speak to you and address you, and am in what is needed, do not associate with secular people, filled with zeal and am on fire for your love according to neither talk nor shout like them, but let your sailing4 be God and your salvation that your work as it progresses seemly, so that God may be glorified by it. may progress, as it increases, may increase, as it shines, I learn that some people are going down to the gar- may shine to my inexpressible joy. dens and asking the gardener for vegetables to eat and I beg you then, my children, now too stand steadfast that when, because of the rule, they do not get any, they and immovable from hope in God and by tearing apart pick a fight with the gardener. This is utterly satanic and the tangled wiles of the devil [ Cf. Eph. 6:11.] show is to occur no longer, since those of you who behave thus yourselves to be above the passions as you trample down will be subjected to punishments. Is what is put before the pleasures and desires of the flesh and guard from ev- you not sufficient? How are you going to make war on ery side your virginity and purity of soul and body. You passion if you are defeated by a cabbage? You will be- realize that it is springtime when every animate nature come weaker than a feather if you do not fortify yourself is moved to reproduction. Let your sleep be in mod- by thought through self-mastery. In short people both eration, as I said to you before Easter, let your food be do become and have become perfect from imperfect, regulated as prescribed.2 It is good, says the Apostle, not very great from small, healthy from weak, men from to eat meat or to drink wine, or do anything that makes boys, and we too at least have become and let us con- your brother stumble.[Rom. 14:21.] And I too, my tinue to become and let us not be slothful, let us not brothers, say by way of advice, not as a regulation, for the be sluggish. The Lord gives strength and might. [Cf Ps. sake of your precious souls, not to the sick but to those 67:35.] Spreading his wings he received them and took who are in good health, it is good not to drink wine, par- them on his back. [Deut. 32:11.] Thus he loves to save ticularly for the younger ones, for through wine the pas- us, thus he is near to those that call on him. [Ps. 144:18.] sions are enflamed. We have in ourselves the tempest of Thus then the Lord of glory will comfort your hearts the physical pleasures; why then do we add the waves and firmly establish your souls and tightly gird your of wine to it? Taste therefore and see that self-mastery loins, beloved children, for the battle line, for war with in this regard is good. [Cf. Ps. 33:8.] For you will see the adversary, for victory, for the routing of opponents, yourself by abstinence from wine rising above thoughts, for glory, for his praise, for inheritance of the kingdom freed from fever of the soul, awake to the love of God of heaven, for to him belongs glory, with the Father and and aroused for those things that are better and abound his all-holy and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever, and in salvation. One who abstains from wine is filled with to the ages of ages. Amen. 8

SCHEDULE: Holy and Great Week Holy Sunday, April 5 7:00pm Orthros of Great Monday in commemoration of the Beautiful Joseph and the Withered Fig Tree

Holy Monday, April 6 7:00pm Orthros of Great Tuesday, in commemoration of the Parable of the Ten Virgins

Holy Tuesday, April 7 7:00pm Orthros of Great Wednesday, in commemoration of the Sinful Woman who anointed the feet of the Lord with her tears

Holy Wednesday, April 8 9:30am Divine Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts

3:45pm Mystery of Holy Oil

7:00pm Orthros of Great Thursday, in commemoration of the Washing of the Feet and the Mystical Supper

Holy Thursday, April 9 7:00am Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great

7:00pm The Holy, Saving and Dread Passion of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ

Holy Friday, April 10 9:00am Great Hours

3:00pm The Unnailing

7:00pm Orthros of Great Saturday (Lamentations)

Holy Saturday, April 11 9:30am Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great

11:15pm Vigil of the Great and Holy Pascha of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ Anastasi meal of soup and bread following services.

PASCHA, April 12 3:00pm Vespers of Love Paschal Picnic following services. 11

Flowers and Decorations for Holy Week and Pascha

It is a tradition to decorate the interior of Orthodox Churches with fresh flowers for the commemoration of our Lord’s dread and fearful passion and the celebration of His Glorious Resurrection. Any offering that will help us defray the cost of flowers this year will be greatly appreciated.

PALM SUNDAY HOLY FRIDAY Palm Leaves ...... $100 Flowers for Kouvouklion ...... 6 @ $100 Decorated icon: Palm Sunday ...... $300 Rose Petals ...... $100 White Orchids ...... 6 @ $14 ea. HOLY SUNDAY EVENING Decorated icon: Bridegroom Service ...... $300 HOLY SATURDAY Bay Leaves ...... $100 HOLY WEDNESDAY Olive Oil...... $40 PASCHA Decorated icon: Mystical Supper ...... $300 Garland for Icon Screen ...... 4 @ $65, 1 @ $250 Icon for Resurrection (stationary) ...... $300 HOLY THURSDAY Paschal Candle for Holy Altar ...... $150 Wreath for Crucified Lord, “Stavromenos” ...... $180 Additinoal floral expenses ...... $200 Decorated icon: Crucifixion ...... $300

If you would like to donate any of these items (or a part of any item), please see Fr. Michael or send a check to the Church with the item being donated noted in the memo area of your check.