Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost & Thirteenth Sunday of Luke November 26, 2017 ST. GEORGE ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH 44 Bowers Street, Lowell, MA 01854 Phone: (978) 452-4816 Fax: (978) 452-6041 Email: [email protected] Web: www.saintgeorgelowell.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/saintgeorgelowell Rt. Rev. Fr. Leonard Faris, Pastor WORSHIP SERVICE Sunday: Matins (Orthros) Service 9:00 a.m. Sunday School, Every other Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m. Church Office Hours; Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Divine Liturgy begins at 10:00 a.m. and we should not arrive late. When we do arrive late and the Epistle or Gospel is being read or the priest is preaching the sermon or the Great Entrance is taking place, please REMAIN in the Vestibule until it is finished before entering the Church. At the end of the Divine Liturgy please keep your conversation until the “Coffee Hour”. We should leave the Church in silence. Important Notice: The reception of Holy Communion is limited to Orthodox Christians who have prepared them- selves by prayer, fasting and recent Confession. Confessions are heard on Sunday mornings during the Matins Ser- vice or by special appointment. The Eucharistic Fast begins at midnight on Saturday and ends up with the receiv- ing of Holy Communion. If you are on medication or a young child, you can have a light breakfast before coming to church. If you have any questions, please call Fr. Leonard. Thank you, + Father Leonard Prayer Requests and Bulletin News: All prayer requests and articles for the weekly bulletin must be submitted each week by Noon, Tuesday: emailed to Fr. Leonard at [email protected] or call 978-452-4816, otherwise, the requests and articles will be published the following week. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT If anyone is in the hospital it is the duty of the family to inform the priest so that he can visit the patient. Also, if anyone is homebound and would like to receive Holy Communion, he/ she or a family member should contact Fr. Leonard to make arrangements to bring the Sac- rament to the shut-in. Fr. Leonard is always happy to bring the Sacraments to those in Hos- pitals, Nursing Homes or at home. Thank you and God bless! Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone 8 From the heights Thou didst descend, O Compassionate One, and Thou didst submit to the three-day burial, that Thou might deliver us from passion; Thou art our Life and our resurrection: O Lord, glory to thee! Entrance Hymn Ha-lum-mu lu li-nas-jud, wa-li-nar-ka’ lil-ma-sih, khal-lis-na ya bna l-lah, ya man qa-ma min bal-nil-am-wat, li-nu-rat-til la-ka, Hal-li-lu-ia Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone 8 (repeated) Troparion of St. George, Tone 4 As deliver of captives and defender of the poor, healer of the infirmed, champion of kings, victorious great martyr George, intercede with Christ our God, for our souls’ salvation. Kontakion of the Preparation of Christ’s Nativity, Tone 3 Today the Virgin cometh to the cave where she will give birth in an ineffable manner to the Word Who is before all the ages. Rejoice, therefore, O universe, when thou hearest it heralded; Glorify Him, with the angels and the shepherds, Who chose to be seen as a new-born babe, the God Who is before all the ages. THE EPISTLE Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them. God is known in Judah; His Name is great in Israel. The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians. (4:1-7) Brethren, I, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, Who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. THE GOSPEL The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (18:18-27) At that time, a man came testing Jesus and asking, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother.’” And the man said, “All these I have observed from my youth.” And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the man heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. Jesus, seeing him sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Prayers are being offered for Prayers are being offered in Memory of: the Health and Safety of: Nora Abdelahad Charles Abdelahad Eleanor Husson Connie Abodeely George Abodeely N. Mary Husson Lorice Ansara Miriam Abodeely Terry Husson Kadir Phyllis Arsenault Mazen Alwarad Emtisal & Musalam Kazmeh June Behrakis Toula Anasoulis Siham Khadij Ed & Lillian Betor Andrew Ansara George Lowe David and Cindy Boragine Elias Ansara Efthymios & Paraskevi Manolis Ida Boragine John Ansara George Matook Miriam Calache Maurice Ansara Nafie Moses George Ellis Gladys Assaly Frederick & Matilda Noonan Mr. & Mrs. Elias Grivas Linda Assaly Anisse Saad Veronique, Annabelle & Chloe Yaacoub Awad Hanna Saad Groff Juliette Bahou Mary Saati Duayne Habib Laurice Bahou George W. & Mary Saba Rosalind Hajjar & Family Widad Batten Badwi Sabbouh Mary Howie James “Jimmy” Beaudry Freda Sadak Dorothea Husson Mary Bogosian Veto & Vasiliki Selvagio Lloyd Jennings Dorothy Boragine James Demetri Sarantos Joe Kadir Sal Boragine Eleanor Shalhoup Nabil Khoury Cleopatra Bouras Fred Simon Fr. Stephen and Family Sofie & Paul Brown Judy Skaff Rose Lowe Toma Calache Mildred & Arthur Skaff Marcotte Family Dr. Christos Daoulas Minnie Skaff Thomas Marcotte Fred Ead Nellie Husson Skaff Fred Noonan Frances Ellis Ricky Skaff Paul & Lillian Panagopoulos Frank Ellis Stephen Skaff Presbytera Niki Sarantos & Family George & Elsie Faris T. Michael Skaff Eric Soucy Mary V. Faris Edmond Solomon Amad Tayebi Elizabeth & Joseph J. B. Taleb Jack Trottier Ghareeb Elaine Viera Dr. Vartan & Lisa John & Irene Gkolias Leon Yeghiazarians Yeghiazarians & Family George P. Habib Charles Zaharias Genia Yeghiazarians Philip Hajjar Mary Ann Zaharias Christian Yianopoulos Nahil Zananiri MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE ETERNAL!! Venerable Alypius the Stylite of Adrianopolis Saint Alypius the Stylite was born in the city of Adrianopolis in Paphlagonia. His mother, a Christian, was widowed early, and she sent her son to be educated by Bishop Theodore. She distributed her substance to the poor, then began to live an ascetic life near the church as a deaconess. Saint Alypius, from his early years, wanted to devote his life to God and yearned for the solitary life, although Bishop Theodore would not give him permission to do so. Once, when Saint Alypius was accompanying his bishop to Constantinople, the holy Martyr Euphemia (September 16) appeared to him in a vision, summoning Saint Alypius to return to Adrianopolis and found a church in her name. With contributions offered by be- lievers in Adrianopolis, Saint Alypius did build a church in the name of the holy Martyr Euphemia, on the site of a dilapidated pagan temple infested by legions of devils. Beside the church, under the open sky, the saint erected a pillar over a pa- gan tomb. For fifty-three years Saint Alypius struggled upon the pillar, praying to God and teaching those who came to him. The demons which infested the pagan cemetery fell upon the ascetic by night and pelted him with stones. Saint Alypius, wanted nothing to stand in the way of the attacks of the spirits of darkness, then even took down the boards that served him as a roof, protecting him from the rain and wind. In the face of the saint’s conquer- ing steadfastness, the demons fled the place forever, which had been sanctified by his deed of voluntary martyrdom. Fourteen years before his death, Saint Alypius was no longer able to stand. He was compelled to lie on his side because of the weakness of his legs, and endured grievous sufferings with humble gratitude. Around the saint’s pillar two monasteries sprang up: a men’s monastery on the one side, and a women’s monastery on the other. Saint Alypius introduced strict monas- tic rules for both monasteries and he directed both monasteries until his death. Saint Alypius reposed in the year 640, at age 118. The body of the venerable stylite was buried in the church he founded in honor of the holy Martyr Euphemia. The relics of the saint of God healed many of those who came in faith. WISH TREE Beginning today, we will once again be sponsoring the Wish Tree for underprivileged children.