“This is none other than the House of God. The Holy Prophet Aggaeus (Haggai) And this is the Gate of Heaven” The Prophet Aggaeus, whose name means "festive," was born Genesis 28:17 in Babylon at the time of the captivity Of the Jews. He began to prophesy in Jerusalem after their return thereto, and to ad- monish the people to rebuild the Temple, in the days of Zorobabel, the second year of the reign of Darius Hystaspes, King of Persia, about the year 520 before Christ. His proph- ecy, divided into two chapters, is ranked tenth among the mi- nor Prophets. Our Righeous Mother Blessed Empress Theophania Saint Theophania, who was born in Constantinople, was of royal lineage. Instructed in letters, and adorned with many vir- tues, she was united in marriage to Emperor Leo the Wise (reigned 886-912). But counting the glory of the earthly kingdom as nought, she spent her nights and days in serving God with psalms and hymns and prayers, working various good deeds until she surrendered her spirit to God in peace, while still in her youth, be- ing, according to some, about twenty years of age, according to others, twenty-seven. Her holy relics are still preserved in the patriarchal church in Constantinople as a source of healing for those that draw nigh with faith and longing. She was also the builder of the Holy Patriarchal and Stavropigeal Monastery of St. Anastasia the Protector from Po- tions in Chalke (883) THE LORD’S PRAYER (In English and Phonetic Arabic) ur Father who art in heaven, Hallowed-be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who tres- O pass against us, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. ABANA’L LATHEE FILL SAMAWAT; LEE YATA KADASS ISMUK St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Cathedral ﮐﺎﺘﺩﺭﺍﺌﻴﺔ ﺍلقديس جﺎوﺭجﻴوس ﺍﻷنطﺎكﻴَّﺔ ﺍﻷﺭثوذكسﻴَّﺔ LEE YATEE MALA KUTUK; LEE TAKUN MASHI ATUK KAMA FILL SAMA KADHA LEEKA ALA’L-ARD 3754 Woodley Rd. Toledo, Ohio 43606-1159 KHUBZANAL JAOHARI ATINA’L YAOM;WATRUK-LANA MA ALAINA Phone: 419-475-7054 KAMA NATRUKU NAHNU LIMAN;LANA ALAIH Fax: 419-475-3502 WALA TUD KHILINA FI TAJRIBA;LA KIN-NAJJINA-MINA’L SHIRIR www.saintgeorgetoledo.com December 16, 2018 ﺍﻷب مﺎيكل شﺎهﻴن Dean/Pastor Father Michael G. Shaheen Wishing all of you who were born Phone: 419-260-1621 in the month of December [email protected] Metropolitan JOSEPH, Archbishop of the Antiochian Orthodox A Very Happy Birthday Office Administrator Archdiocese of North America Kh. Adma Shaheen 419-475-7054 [email protected] Bishop ANTHONY Michaels Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest St. George Choir Director Salam Swade 02 Jeanine Khoury 08 Don Bernardini Father Michael G. Shaheen Chanters Dean/ St. George Cathedral Anis Haddad 10 Tom Zogaib 10 Tony Khoury, Nadeem Khoury, Wafeek Khoury, William Swade Pauline Skaff 11 Ron Darrow 13 Sunday December 16, 2018 Sub Deacons Sunday of the Forefathers (Ancestors) of Anthony Pedro 14 Victor Abed 15 Christ Prophet Haggai; Theophania the empress; Christopher Haddad; Michael Saba Modestos, archbishop of Jerusalem Tone IV Eothinon VII Nolan Ansara 15 Kimberly Legendre 15 Altar Captains Troparion for the Resurrection IV Tony Sommer, Mathew Ade, Having learned the joyful message of the Jackie Abed 16 Michael Skaff III 16 Tony Pedro, Christopher Hughes Resurrection from the angel the women disciples of the Lord cast from them Labib Hajjar 17 Tony Pedro 17 Concierge their parental condemnation. And Michael Goodman 419-324-4115 proudly broke the news to the Disciples, Joanne Eberflus 19 Barbara Sahley 20 saying: Death hath been spoiled; Christ St. George Parish Council God is risen, granting the world Great Rose Kallil 21 Rebecca Skaff 21 Chair: Keith Haddad Mercy Beverly Bardwell 22 Kristine Haddad 27 بﺎللحن ﺍلرﺍبع Vice Chair: Ryan Sommer َّ Treasurer: John Ellis إن تلميذا ِت الر ِب تعللل َمل ِم ِ لم اللملْ ِز ال َر ِي الل ِ ليل ل ِ البهج، و ِطر َح ِم ال ليليَّل ِ الليل ِ، خل ، ونل ِطل َبل ِم اللر ل ِ Secretary: Nadia Swade Ray Deeb 29 Karam Istephan 29 ِ ِ فت ِخرا ٍت وق ئْ ٍت . ق، ب ِي المو ت، وق م المسي ح اﻹللُ Chancellor: Mitchell Howard نِ ًح العِ ل ِم الر َحم ِ الع َظ ِمى. ,George Bardwell Jr., Mike Saba Andrea Bassett, David Joseph, Steven Miller 29 Sylvia David 30 Dr. Hassan Seaman, Elias Hajjar, Frank Troparion of the Conception of the Fuller, Kathy Hughes, Karyn Hajjar, Theotokos by St Anna IV Brad Mc Arthur, Tony Sommer, Sabah Today have the bonds of barrenness Maurice McArthur 31 Mitri. been loosened; God, having heard the Compiled and edited by: prayers of Joachim and Anna, promised Kh. Adma Shaheen them openly that they should give birth, beyond hope, to the Maiden of God, Celebration of the Feast of the Nativity from whom He, the infinite One was to be born, becoming man, commanding the angel Of our Lord Jesus Christ to shout to her: Rejoice, O full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Troparion for St. George IV Sunday December 23, 2018 As Deliverer of Captives and Defender of the Poor, Healer of the Infirm, Champion of Orthros 9:00 am, Liturgy 10:00 am Kings, Victorious Great Martyr George, intercede with Christ our God, for our salvation. A Night in Bethlehem Play (lunch to follow) Troparion of The Forefathers II Monday December 24, 2018 Thou hast justified by faith the ancient Forefathers, and through them Thou hast gone The celebration of the before and betrothed unto Thyself the Church of the Gentiles. Let the saints, therefore, Feast of The Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. take pride in glory; for from their seed sprouted forth a noble fruit, and it was she who Festal Orthros 5:00 pm, Hierarchical Liturgy 6:00 pm gave birth to Thee without seed. Wherefore, by their pleadings, O Christ God, save our souls. Sunday December 30, 2018 Orthros 9:00 am, Liturgy 10:00 am TODAY’S INSPIRATION Sunday January 6, 2019 “Don’t criticize or judge other people- regard everyone else as an angel. Orthros 9:00 am, Liturgy 10:00 am Justify their mistakes and weaknesses and condemn only Theophany (blessing of the Holy Water) yourself as the worst sinner. This is step one in any type of spiritual life.” St. Seraphim Rose The Feast of Theophany Sunday January 6, 2019 Traditionally, houses are blessed annually on, or shortly after, the Feast of Theophany. The blessing of homes by these holy The Epistle waters maintains the spiritual association between the family Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the God of our Fathers. church and the parish, as well as again providing for the shar- For Thou art just in all that Thou hast done for us. ing of God's spiritual gifts. House blessings should not be over- looked, for it is in this way that the grace of God is extended to The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians. 3:4-11 individual dwellings. Brethren, when Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, Therefore, Kh. Adma will be calling you to have Father passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these, the Michael come, visit you and bless your home throughout wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, the church year. If you are in need or would like a visit when you lived in them. But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and haven't heard from Father Michael, then please the and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put Cathedral office to schedule one at 419-475-7054. off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. Here there cannot be Greek On this Feast Day, our dear fiends Beverly Bardwell, Joann Eberflus & Sharon and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Grzywinski serve us traditional Zalabee to celebrate Theophany. Christ is all, and in all. The Holy Gospel The Reading of the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke 14:16-24 he Lord spoke this parable: “A man once gave a great banquet, and in- vited many; and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for all is now ready.’ But, one by one, they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought Ta field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.