Saints RAPHAEL, NICHOLAS, & IRENE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Rev. Fr. Barnabas Powell, Proistamenos 3074 Bethelview Road, Cumming GA 30040 (770) 781-5250 www.stsrni.org [email protected] facebook.com/Sts Raphael, Nicholas and Irene Greek Orthodox Church Read our daily devotionals at www.FaithEncouraged.org February 5, 2017 Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee Triodion Begins Agatha the Martyr This Martyr, who was from Panormus (that is, Palermo) or perhaps Catania of Sicily, was a most comely and chaste virgin. After many exceedingly harsh torments, she gave up her spirit in prison at Catania in 251, because she did not consent to the seductions of Quintian, the Governor of Sicily. At her burial, an Angel placed a stone tablet on her grave inscribed with the words, "A righteous mind, self-determining, honor from God, the deliverance of her father-land." The following year this was fulfilled when Mount Etna erupted, spewing forth violent fire from which Catania was manifestly saved by Saint Agatha's prayers. The holy Martyr Agatha, the protectress and chief patroness of Sicily, is, with perhaps the exception of Saint Agnes of Rome, the most highly venerated Virgin Martyr of the West. Saint Damasus, Pope of Rome, and Saint Ambrose of Milan both wrote in praise of her. ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ Welcome to all visitors who are worshiping with us this morning. Please join us for Coffee Hour afterwards in the Parish Life Center (“PLC”). Reminder: If there is ever a luncheon prepared for donations to the church and you wish not to participate, the coffee and treats table is always available to everyone without a donation. Fellowship is the main focus of this time together! Visitors Meet & Greet with Father Barnabas ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ TODAY, February 5 Sunday of the Publican and For Today: Pharisee - Triodion Begins Ushers: Kosta Bozzuto and Len Vanerstrom Welcoming Ministry: Tina Maheras, Lily Waldron Coffee Hour hosted by: Sunday School Ministry GOD PARENTS SUNDAY Parish Council of 2016: Kosta Bozzuto, President; 8:45 a.m. - Orthos Greg Pappas, Vice President; Len Vanerstrom, 10:00 a.m. - Divine Liturgy Secretary; David Chapman, Treasurer; Sandy Athenson, Anthony Birozes, Marie Chapman, Chris Memorial: Robert “Joseph” Simcic and Foxhall, Helen McCart, Johnny Melts, Anne Trainor, Mary “Marika” Papoulas-Simcic (Parents of Barbara and Plutarch Vamvakias Theofilis, in-laws of Gary, and grandparents of Aristotle and Alexander); John Consos (40 days - husband and Acolytes: Jacob and Jimmy Atkinson, David father) Druffner, Evan Eifert, Spiro Kefalas, Christos Kaloudis, Thomas Miller, Mike Trainor, Aristotle & 2017 Parish Council Official Pledge/Oath of Office Alexander Theofilis, Alex & Niko Tzevelekos, Christos Zourzoukis, Senior Acolytes: Johnny Melts Children will attend Sunday School Classes immediately after Communion. Today they are Please say a special prayer for the following studying “Ruth” Individuals: God Parents honored at Coffee Hour today by Sunday School Ministry. A. Andropoulos, Ashley, Ava, D. Bethune, Bill, Carrie, C. Farr, Fulvio Cenciarelli , Perry, A. Harris, M. Hayes, B. Fulbright, D. Jeffrey, Appointments with Father Barnabas: If you would like Mariann, Maria, A. Papandreou, M. Samaltanos; to schedule any appointments or arrangements with Victor, Patsy, Joanne, Walter, Vasilios and S. & K. Father Barnabas, please contact the office Yalanzon. administrator in order to assure that there are no conflicts on his calendar. Thank you. Administrative Office Hours: Friendly Reminder: The Orthodox Church Tuesday – Friday; 10 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. practices “closed” communion. This means only Orthodox Christians who have properly *Are you interested in being a part of the prepared to receive the Eucharist should Orthodox Church? If so, the “Journey to approach the Chalice at communion. If you Fullness” classes are at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday have any questions, please see Fr. Barnabas nights. after service. Visit the Gift Shop for Inspiration and Gifts Sunday of Publican and Pharisee Triodion Begins On This day, we also Commemorate: Agatha the Martyr Polyeuktos, Partriarch Of Constantinople Antonios the New Martyr of Athens Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Apolytikion for St. Raphael in the Fourth Tone Singers and Chanters: Anthony Birozes, David Boyd, Lynn Lucher, Jimmy Smith, Todd Stewart Because of the finding of your holy relics, wise one, * the Island of Lesvos has been filled Resurrectional Apolytikion in the fully with the grace, * which God richly gave to Plagal of the Fourth Tone you. * You, O devout martyr Raphael, You descended from on high, O compassionate One, and paradoxically * appeared to many people, and condescended to be buried for three days, so that from the you grant cures and healings. * And therefore passions You might set us free. Our life and resurrection, O we the faithful re-joice in all your miracles. Lord, glory be to You. Apolytikion for St. Raphael in the First Tone Apolytikion of the Feast in the First Tone To the offspring of Ithaca, the pride and joy Lady full of grace, rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, for Christ of Lesvos, * monastic martyrs’ glory, let us offer our God, the Sun of righteousness has risen from you and to Raphael our songs of praise; * for lately he He illumined those in darkness. And you, righteous Elder, appeared, and pours out cures and healings to be glad in heart, receiving in your embraces the One who us all. * Inexplicably he appears to believers, liberates our souls and bestows on us the Resurrection. both in dreams and awake, who cry: * Glory to Christ who gave you His might. * Glory to Him Kontakion for the Departed in the who gave you miracles. * Glory to Him who Plagal of the Fourth Tone through you fulfills our prayerful requests. Remember, Lord, your servants; for you are good. Forgive Apolytikion in honor of Sts. Raphael, Nicholas & them all within they have erred in this life; for there is none without sins except for you, who are able to grant rest to the Irene departed. Having contended on Lesvos for the sake of Seasonal Kontakion in the First Tone Christ God, you have sanctified the island since the discovery of your sacred relics, O blessed You sanctified the virginal womb by Your birth, O Lord, ones; wherefore we honor you, O Godbearing and blessed the hands of Symeon fittingly, O Christ God; Raphael, together with Nicholas and virgin and even now You came and saved us. Now, give peace to Irene, as our divine protectors and intercessors our Nation in time of war, and empower our Leaders, so with the Lord. loved by You, the only one who loves humanity. EPISTLE READING St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 3:10-15 Prokeimenon. Mode Plagal 4. Psalm 75.11,1 Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them. Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel TIMOTHY, my son, you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at lconion, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. †††† Πρὸς Τιμόθεον β' 3:10-15 Προκείμενον. Ἦχος πλ δ. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 75.11,1 Εὔξασθε καὶ ἀπόδοτε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν. Στίχ. Γνωστὸς ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ὁ Θεός, ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ μέγα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, παρηκολούθηκάς μου τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, τῇ ἀγωγῇ, τῇ προθέσει, τῇ πίστει, τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ, τῇ ἀγάπῃ, τῇ ὑπομονῇ, τοῖς διωγμοῖς, τοῖς παθήμασιν, οἷά μοι ἐγένετο ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ, ἐν Ἰκονίῳ, ἐν Λύστροις, οἵους διωγμοὺς ὑπήνεγκα· καὶ ἐκ πάντων με ἐρρύσατο ὁ κύριος. Καὶ πάντες δὲ οἱ θέλοντες εὐσεβῶς ζῇν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διωχθήσονται. Πονηροὶ δὲ ἄνθρωποι καὶ γόητες προκόψουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον, πλανῶντες καὶ πλανώμενοι. Σὺ δὲ μένε ἐν οἷς ἔμαθες καὶ ἐπιστώθης, εἰδὼς παρὰ τίνος ἔμαθες, καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ βρέφους τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα οἶδας, τὰ δυνάμενά σε σοφίσαι εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ πίστεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. GOSPEL READING The Gospel according to Luke 18:10-14 The Lord said this parable, "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." †††† Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 18:10-14 Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολ ὴν ταύτην· Ἄνθρωποι δύο ἀνέβησαν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν προσεύξασθαι, ὁ εἷς Φαρισαῖος καὶ ὁ ἕτερος τελώνης. ὁ Φαρισαῖος σταθεὶς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα προσηύχετο· ὁ Θεός, εὐχαριστῶ σοι ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὥσπερ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἅρπαγες, ἄδικοι, μοιχοί, ἢ καὶ ὡς οὗτος ὁ τελώνης· νηστεύω δὶς τοῦ σαββάτου, ἀποδεκατῶ πάντα ὅσα κτῶμαι. καὶ ὁ τελώνης μακρόθεν ἑστὼς οὐκ ἤθελεν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐπᾶραι, ἀλλ᾿ ἔτυπτεν εἰς τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ λέγων· ὁ Θεός, ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ. λέγω ὑμῖν, κατέβη οὗτος δεδικαιωμένος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἢ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος· ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.