Ambo ST. THEODOSIUS ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL

733 Starkweather Ave. December 17, 2006 Cleveland, Ohio 27th Sunday after Pentecost Sunday of the Holy Forefathers Mailing: Prophet Daniel and the Three 8200 Biddulph Rd Holy Youths Brooklyn, OH 44144 T 216.741.1310 F 216.741.7275 Memory Eternal! www.sttheodosius.org Protodeacon Peter Homik

• Archpriest John Zdinak December 15, 2006 Dean

• Archpriest Pavel Soucek Retired/Attached

• Protodeacon Peter Homik Funeral Service for Fr. Peter will be at • Subdeacon Theodore Lentz 7:00 PM Monday evening, Sacristan December 18, 2006 • Reader Julius Kovach Ecclesiarch & Choirmaster Divine Liturgy and Burial will take place at 9:00 AM Tuesday Morning, December 19, 2006 Divine Services Eve Sundays & Feast Days All Services and visitation will be at 5:00 PM Confessions St. Theodosius Cathedral. 6:00 PM Great Vespers His Eminence Archbishop JOB will Sundays and Feast Days preside at the services for Fr. Peter 8:40 AM 3rd and 6th Hour 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy

St. Theodosius Orthodox Cathedral Ambo - Page 1 His almighty help. He surpassed all the Chal- Prophet Daniel dean astrologers and sorcerers in his wis- Commemorated on December 17 dom, and was made a confidant to King Nebuchadnezzar. The Holy Prophet Daniel is the fourth of the major prophets. Once, Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream which terrified him (Daniel 2:1-6). He sum- In the years following 600 B.C. Jerusalem moned magicians, sorcerers, and Chaldeans was conquered by the Babylonians, the before him to interpret the dream. When they Temple built by Solomon was destroyed, and asked him what he had dreamt, the king re- many of the Israelite people were led away fused to tell them. He said, "If you do not into the Babylonian Captivity. Among the cap- make known to me the dream and its inter- tives were also the illustrious youths Daniel, pretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, Ananias, Azarias and and your houses shall be laid in ruins." The Misael. Babylonian wise men protested that King Nebuchadnez- no magician or sor- zar of Babylon or- cerer could be ex- dered that they be pected to do this. instructed in the Only the gods could Chaldean language reveal the dream and wisdom, and and its meaning, dressed them in fin- they told him. ery. Handsome chil- dren of princely line- The king ordered all age were often cho- the wise men of sen to serve as Babylon to be exe- pages in the palace. cuted. When they For three years, they sought Daniel and would be fed from his companions to food from the king's put them to death, table. After this they Daniel asked that the would be allowed to king's sentence not stand before his be carried out. He throne. Daniel was renamed Baltasar, An- said that he could tell the king what he anias was called Shadrach, Misael was dreamt, for it had been revealed to him in a called Mishach, and Azarias was known as vision. Daniel was brought before the king Abednego. But they, cleaving to their faith, and was able to reveal not only the content of disdained the extravagance of court, refusing the dream, but also its prophetic significance. to defile themselves by eating from the king's After this, the king elevated Daniel to be ruler table and drinking his wine. Instead, they of the whole province of Babylon, and the lived on vegetables and water. chief of all the wise men.

The Lord granted them wisdom, and to St During these times King Nebuchadnezzar or- Daniel the gift of insight and the interpretation dered a huge statue to be made in his like- of dreams. The holy Prophet Daniel pre- ness. It was decreed that when people heard served his faith in the one God and trusted in (continued on page 5)

St. Theodosius Orthodox Cathedral Ambo - Page 2 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2006 St. Theodosius Cathedral 733 Starkweather Avenue 3:00 P.M. In September 2001, the Cathedral was FREE ADMISSION re-consecrated with the placement in its altar November 14, 2006 of Holy Relics from Saints of America. Almost Dear Fathers, $750,000 in restoration work was completed ✴ DedicationZOE for Life! Would lik eof to m akZOEe this inform aHousetion available to y oonu for y ouSundayr upcoming , bulletins and calendars. Please include as you are able . and you are cordially invited to participate in JanuaryBeth Hudak 21, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. at 5935 our annual holiday event to experience the Cleveland State Road, Parma. Call Kathy by Janu- beauty of this national landmark and an January 22, 2007 ZOE bus to Washington, D.C. ary 10th at 440-842-6639. departs at 4:00 am from new home at example of Orthodox Christianity in practice. The pleasure of your company 5935 State Road, Parma, OH Contact Kathy to reserve your seat at Landmark is requested at the 440-842-6639 The Cathedral Choir presents a program dedication and house blessing ✴ of ZOE House on JanuarySunday, January 2 122,, 2007 2007 bus to the Annual of a cappella liturgical music of The at 6:00 p.m. MarZchOE H oforuse Life in WHelpashington, Wanted! D.C. 4:00 Orthodox Church followed by sing-a-long Concert 5935 State Road Parma, OH Have you been thinking the time has come for caroling for all! am ZOE House. Contactyou to do someth inKathyg meaningful? toHave youre - Refreshments, fellowship and tours been longing to get involved with ZOE’s work, FREE TOURS of the Cathedral begin at immediately following but haven’t known how? Do you have lots of serve your seat at e440-842-6639.nthusiasm, creativity and organizatio na l Kindly RSVP to Kathy by January 10th at skills? If the answer is yes, ZOE needs you! 1:00 P.M. and continue until 2:30 P.M. 440-842-6639 Join us. The rewards are overwhelming! Call Paula at 440-893-9990, or call For additional infor m ation, please call ✴ Call Paula at 440-893-9990,Iryna at 440-582-1051, let us seeor how Irynayou can put your talents to work for Him. the C athedral O ffice at 216-741-1310 at 440-582-1051 to volunteer at ZOE for You are welcome to attend our Life. regular liturgical services: Saturday evening VESPERS at 6:00 pm Sunday morning LITURGY at 9:00 am Visit our website: www.sttheodosius.org Thank You for Your Continuing Donations to the This year we present our Cathedral Roof Fund. As of December 10, 2006, 30th ANNUAL CONCERT! $32,706 has been collected toward our goal of $50,000.

Cleveland Deanery OVERNIGHT join the ministry of greeters in 2007. see Friday – Saturday December 29 – 30, 2006 michael tabeling to 8:00 p.m. Friday until 10:00 a.m. Saturday at learn more St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Church Gymnasium Presentation: “What Type of Person Was Christ?” FOCA Christmas Party Tuesday, December 26, 2006 @ Mapleside Farms in Brunswick. A $1 gift exchange will also happen. Call Darrell Felon for reservations & more info. 440.238.3837.

Chicken Paprikash Dinner Sunday, January 28, 2007 For details and registration contact your Youth Coordinator (after Liturgy) at St. Michael’s Woodside or St. Michael’s at 440-526-5192. Deadline for Registration is December 22. Adults $12 - Children $5 Hosted by St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Church 5025 E. Mill Road, Broadview Heights, OH 44147 Tickets go on sale after January 1st 440-526-5192

St. Theodosius Orthodox Cathedral Ambo - Page 3 Prayer Requests Upcoming Events Departed: Charlotte Marko + 11/20/06 December 17 - Bring in all “Angel Tree” Gifts Herbert Posnik + 11/24/06 Protodeacon Peter Homik +12/15/06 December 17 - Cathedral Open House & Christmas Concert Ill-afflicted: December 26 - FOCA party @ Mapleside Farms Helen Baldner Mary Marhefka December 27-29 - Parish Teen Retreat John Clements Eileen Eschuk December 29-30 - Teen Retreat @ St. Michael’s Henry & Julia Grabowski John & Ann Shuleva Jan Tkacz January 21 - ZOE House dedication & blessing Jeanne Twitchell Billy J Spurlock January 22 - ZOE for Life bus to Washington DC James Sheehan Julia Zimmerman January 26 - Tatiana Ball @ St. Sergius in Parma Mary Wazevich Valentina Ponomarenko January 28 - Chicken Paprikash Dinner @ St. Michael’s Natalie Ponomarenko Roy A. Baldner Michael & Jennifer Turczyk Helen Kozak Nick Jarachovic Christmas Outreach - Thanks to all who helped make our first “Angel Tree” Program a success!

Maura & Will Oprisko & Unborn Child Emily & Jason Grimes & Unborn Child I have sinned in deed, word and thought, knowingly and un- knowingly, willingly and unwillingly, thoughtfully and thought- lessly, and it is impossible to enumerate all of my sins because Parish Council News of their multitude. But I truly repent of these and all others not The next Parish Council Meeting is 6:00 PM, Mon- mentioned by me because of my forgetfulness and I ask that day, December 18, 2006 @ they be forgiven through the abundance of the Mercy of God. Ridge Manor. Any parish member is welcome. from “A Preparation for Confession” by St. John Kronstadt

AMBO MAILING INFORMATION Please review your records and make sure that your AMBO Subscription is up to date! Recall that we ask for a $25/year contribution to defray the cost of postage. Write [email protected] to subscribe to the AMBO.PDF e-mail list. Coffee Hour & Greeters Schedules Coffee Hour Hosts: Greeters: 2006 Dues 12/17 Patti Sankovic & Natalia Steven & Eileen Bondor $250.00 per Pricinovskis 12/24 Maca Tyler Mike Tabeling & Karen Felon Adult member 12/31 Donna Jacak Linda Smotzer (18 and older) 1/7/07Mary Swit, Tammy Ponomarenko 1/14 Dan & Lavinia Morris St. Theodosius Orthodox Cathedral Ambo - Page 4 The Sunday that falls between December 11-17 is known as the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers. These are the ancestors of Christ according to the flesh, who lived before the Law and under the Law, especially the Patriarch Abraham, to whom God said, "In thy seed shall all of the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:3, 22:18).

Daniel continued from page 2 The holy Prophet Daniel grieved deeply for his people, who then were undergoing righteous the sound of trumpets and other instruments, chastisement for a multitude of sins and of- they should fall down and worship the golden fenses, for transgressing the laws of God, re- idol. Because they refused to do this, the three sulting in the grievous Babylonian Captivity holy youths Ananias, Azarias and Misael were and the destruction of Jerusalem: "My God, cast into a fiery furnace. The flames shot out incline Thine ear and hearken; open Thine over the furnace forty-nine cubits, felling the eyes and look upon our desolation and that of Chaldeans standing about, but the holy youths Thy city, in which Thy Name is spoken; for we walked in the midst of the flames, offering do not make our supplication before Thee be- prayer and psalmody to the Lord (Daniel cause of our own righteousness, but because 3:26-90). of Thy great mercy" (Dan 9:18). Because of Daniel's righteous life and his prayers for the The Angel of the Lord appeared in the furnace people's iniquity, the destiny of the nation of and cooled the flames, and the young men Israel and the fate of all the world was re- remained unharmed. This "Angel of Great vealed to the holy prophet. Counsel," as he is called in iconography, is identified with the Son of God (Daniel 3:25, While interpreting the dream of King Nebu- Isaiah 9:6). In the first Canon for the Nativity of chadnezzar, the holy, glorious Prophet Daniel the Lord (Ode 5), the Church sings: "Thou spoke of a great and final kingdom, the King- hast sent us Thine Angel of Great Counsel." dom of our Lord Jesus Christ (Dan 2:44). The The emperor, upon seeing this, commanded prophetic vision about the seventy weeks (Dan them to come out, and was converted to the 9:24-27) speaks about the signs of the First true God. and the Second Comings of the Lord Jesus Christ, and is connected with those events Under King Baltasar, St Daniel interpreted a (Daniel 12:1-12). mysterious inscription ("Mane, Thekel, Phares"), which had appeared on the wall of St Daniel interceded for his people before King the palace during a banquet (Daniel 5:1-31), Cyrus, who esteemed him highly, and who de- foretelling the downfall of the Babylonian king- creed freedom for the Israelite people. Daniel dom. Under the Persian emperor Darius, St himself and his fellows Ananias, Azarias and Daniel was slandered by his enemies, and Misael, all survived into old age, but died in was thrown into a den with hungry lions, but captivity. According to the testimony of St Cyril they did not touch him, and he was not of Alexandria (June 9), Sts Ananias, Azarias harmed. The emperor Darius then rejoiced and Misael were beheaded on orders of the over Daniel and ordered people throughout his Persian emperor Chambyses. realm to worship the God of Daniel, "since He is the living and eternal God, and His Kingdom St Daniel and the three holy youths are also shall not be destroyed, and His dominion is commemorated on the Sunday of the Holy forever" (Daniel 6:26). Forefathers, and on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers (Sunday before the Nativity).Z

St. Theodosius Orthodox Cathedral Ambo - Page 5 Weekly Schedule Sunday December 17 Friday December 22 27th Sunday After Pentecost Pre-feast of the Nativity 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy 5:00 PM Confessions 6:00 PM Royal Hours Monday December 18 7:00 PM Funeral Service Protodeacon Peter Saturday December 23 Homik @ Cathedral Pre-feast of the Nativity 6:00 PM Vespers Tuesday December 19 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy & Funeral Protodeacon Sunday December 24 Peter Homik @ Cathedral 28th Sunday After Pentecost 5:00 PM Confessions Sunday Before the Nativity 6:00 PM Vespers Eve of the Nativity 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Wednesday December 20 6:00 PM Vigil of the Nativity Pre-feast of the Nativity 5:00 PM Confessions Monday December 25 6:00 PM Vespers Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Thursday December 21 Pre-feast of the Nativity Tuesday December 26 5:00 PM Confessions Synaxis of The Holy Theotokos 6:00 PM Vespers 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy

St. Theodosius Orthodox Cathedral 8200 Biddulph Rd Brooklyn, OH 44144

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