Assumption of the Virgin Mary Byzantine Catholic Church

Transcription

1 Schedule of Liturgical Services Assumption of the Virgin Mary Parish and St. Nicholas Parish For the Week of December 30, January 6, 2019 SATURDAY DECEMBER 29, 2018 Tone 7, page 156,290 3:00 3:30 PM Mystery of Reconciliation (Confession) 4:00 PM Divine Liturgy - ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY +Lynda Brannon req. by Mother, Irene Chumar SUNDAY DECEMBER 30, 2018 Tone 7, page 156, 290 8:00 AM Divine Liturgy - ST.NICHOLAS 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy - ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY For the Parish Family of Assumption of the Virgin Mary Parish and St. Nicholas Festal Anointing following the weekend Divine Liturgies in honor of the Feast of the Synaxis of the Theotokos MONDAY DECEMBER 31, :00 AM MOLEBEN of Thanksgiving for all Blessings which we received through all ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2019 Tone, page 305 SOLEMN CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD NEW YEAR S DAY BASIL THE GREAT-ARCHIBISHOP 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy - ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY 7:00 PM Divine Liturgy - ST.NICHOLAS SATURDAY JANUARY 5, 2019 Antiphons and Tone, page 312 SOLEMN VIGIL OF THEOPHANY 3:00 3:30 PM Mystery of Reconciliation (Confession) 4:00 PM Divine Liturgy - ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY + Michael Tymoch req. by John & Mary Ann Kegg The Great Sanctification of Water following the Divine Liturgy SUNDAY JANUARY 6, 2019 Antiphons and Tone, page 312 SOLEMN THEOPHANY OF OUR LORD 8:00 AM Divine Liturgy - ST.NICHOLAS The Great Sanctification of Water following the Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy - ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN MARY For the Parish Family of Assumption of the Virgin Mary Parish and St. Nicholas Festal Anointing following the weekend Divine Liturgies in honor of the Feast of the Theophany of our Lord Assumption of the Virgin Mary Byzantine Catholic Church Grand and Malone Streets Trenton, NJ Saint Nicholas of Myra Byzantine Catholic Church 191Norman Avenue * Roebling, NJ Church Office 411 Adeline Street * Trenton * New Jersey Monday and Tuesday 9:00 AM to Noon Phone Number Parish Contact Information Fr. Yuriy Oros Administrator Roebling Rectory Trenton Rectory Cell Phone yuriyorosit@gmail.com Mark your calendar for Coffee Social at our parishes ST. NICHOLAS ROEBLING JANUARY 19, 2019 ST.MARY TRENTON FEBRUARY 10, 2019 JANUARY 19, 2019 MARCH 10, 2019 FEBRUARY 17, 2019

2 Fashengy! A Joint Celebration With the Parishes Of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Levittown), Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Trenton) and St. Nicholas (Roebling) Sunday, March 3, 2019 at Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Trenton) A Fun-Filled fantastic celebration to prepare us for the Great Fast Luncheon and Party followed by the celebration of Forgiveness Vespers What s Going to be Happening? Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM Followed by Food! Music! Dancing! Then the Celebration of Forgiveness Vespers to begin the Great Fast, More Details to Follow. CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS will be available by the end of January. If you wish to receive a copy of your statement, please fill out the form below and drop it off in the collection basket. A self-addressed stamped envelope would be appreciated, but not required. Name: Address: 2018 Envelope Number: CONTRIBUTION SATEMENT REQUEST Church Offering Envelopes Are now available - You may have a different envelope number for If there is not a box of envelopes for you, please take a box and make a notation on the sheet next to the envelopes of your name and number taken. A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped to beautifully decorate our Church (inside and out) and prepare it for Christmas! THANK YOU!!! Thank you so much for your generosity and kindness shown to me and my family during the Nativity Season. In the New Year may you be blessed with all the good things God has to give. Please be assured of my prayers. And I ask for a kind remembrance in yours. I am proud to be your pastor! Fr. Yuriy and Family! I ask you that as we begin the New Year to reflect on your stewardship of time and talent. What can you do for the good of Assumption of the Virgin Mary also ask that as we begin the New Year you reflect on your stewardship of time Parish? Talk with me and we will find something for you! We have so much to do here and the parish does need your contribution of time, talent and treasure. I have been blessed by your warm welcome and we look forward to working with you to make Assumption of the Virgin Mary Parish realize its fullest potential. And my wishes for all of you in this New Year will be the next: Take time to pray it is the greatest power on earth. Take time to think it is the source of power. Take time to read it is the foundation of wisdom. Take time to play it is the secret of staying young. Take time to be quiet it is the opportunity to see God. Take time to love and be loved it is God's greatest gift. Take time to laugh it is the music of the soul. Take time to be friendly it is the road to happiness. Take time to dream it is what the future is made of.

3 Fashengy! A Joint Celebration With the Parishes Of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Levittown), Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Trenton) and St. Nicholas (Roebling) Sunday, March 3, 2019 at Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Trenton) A Fun-Filled fantastic celebration to prepare us for the Great Fast Luncheon and Party followed by the celebration of Forgiveness Vespers What s Going to be Happening? Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM Followed by Food! Music! Dancing! Then the Celebration of Forgiveness Vespers to begin the Great Fast, More Details to Follow. CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS will be available by the end of January. If you wish to receive a copy of your statement, please fill out the form below and drop it off in the collection basket. A self-addressed stamped envelope would be appreciated, but not required. Name: Address: 2018 Envelope Number: CONTRIBUTION SATEMENT REQUEST Church Offering Envelopes Are now available - You may have a different envelope number for If there is not a box of envelopes for you, please take a box and make a notation on the sheet next to the envelopes of your name and number taken. A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped to beautifully decorate our Church (inside and out) and prepare it for Christmas! Especial THANK YOU to Blake Dimon for all Flowers (inside) and all decorations outside of our Church. THANK YOU!!! Thank you so much for your generosity and kindness shown to me and my family during the Nativity Season. In the New Year may you be blessed with all the good things God has to give. Please be assured of my prayers. And I ask for a kind remembrance in yours. I am proud to be your pastor! Fr. Yuriy and Family I ask you that as we begin the New Year to reflect on your stewardship of time and talent. What can you do for the good of St. Nicholas also ask that as we begin the New Year you reflect on your stewardship of time Parish? Talk with me and we will find something for you! We have so much to do here and t he parish does need your contribution of time, talent and treasure. I have been blessed by your warm welcome and we look forward to working with you to make St. Nicholas Parish realize its fullest potential. And my wishes for all of you in this New Year will be the next: Take time to pray it is the greatest power on earth. Take time to think it is the source of power. Take time to read it is the foundation of wisdom. Take time to play it is the secret of staying young. Take time to be quiet it is the opportunity to see God. Take time to love and be loved it is God's greatest gift. Take time to laugh it is the music of the soul. Take time to be friendly it is the road to happiness. Take time to dream it is what the future is made of.

4 THE BYZANTINE RITE CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD WITH THE TRADITIONAL BLESSING OF THE WATER One of the most impressive ceremonies of the Byzantine Rite is the Solemn Blessing of the Water on the Feast of the Epiphany commemorating Christ s baptism in the River Jordan. The Epiphany, one of the most ancient and venerable festivities, originated in Palestine where it was celebrated with a vigil and special services on the spot where, according to Christian tradition, Our Lord was actually baptized. The Feast of the Epiphany was established as a solemn feast in the Eastern Church in the middle of the IV century. 1. The Greek word epiphany means manifestation and applied by the Christians to the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, it specifically meant the manifestation of His divinity. St. John Chrysostom (d. 407) elucidates: Why do we call this day Epiphany? Because Jesus Christ manifested Himself to all people, not when He was born, but, rather, when He was baptized. Until that time He was unknown to the people, as testified by St. John the Baptist, saying,: There stands among you One, Whom you don t know!. The solemn baptism of the catechumens was also administered in the Eastern Church on the eve of the Epiphany since the IV century. The early Fathers of the Church referred to this as the Mystery of Illumination or Enlightenment (0. SI. Prosvischenije ). Thus the Epiphany was also called The Feast of Lights or The Day of Illumination (cf. St. Gregory of Nazianz, Oration XL, 1-6). 2. The Solemn Blessing of Water, in commemoration of Christ s Baptism in the Jordan, is the main feature of the Feast of Epiphany. St. Basil the Great (d. 379) affirms that the blessing of water came to us as a mystical tradition (ct. On the Holy Spirit, XXVII, 66) and that the water, through the prayer and blessing of the priest, receives a quickening power of the Holy Spirit. (Ibid., XV, 35) St. Ambrose (d. 397) also taught that it was the Holy Spirit Who consecrated the waters through the prayer of the minister. (cf. On the Holy Spirit, L. I. c. VII, 88) Consequently, in the prayer for the blessing of the water we always find the epiklesis-the invocation of the Holy Spirit. The Solemn Blessing of Water according to the liturgical prescriptions should take place on the Eve of the Epiphany. However, the presently prevailing custom is to bless the water on the Feast of the Epiphany itself. The Greek word baptism originally means a dipping in water, an immersion. The ceremony of dipping the candle is taken three times for Baptism is bestowed on us in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (Mt. 28:19) This also reminds us of our own baptism and our commitment to Christ. Continuing the prayer, the celebrant repeats the words : THEREFORE YOU, 0 LOVING KING, COME TO US ALSO NOW THROUGH THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SANCTIFY THIS WATER three times, each time breathing over the water in the form of a cross, the gesture of exorcism, purifying the water from the contamination and influence of the evil powers. Then the celebrant, continuing the prayer, makes the sign of the cross in the water three times with his fingers, each time repeating the words: THEREFORE ALSO NOW, 0 MASTER, SANCTIFY THIS WATER BY YOUR HOLY SPIRIT. This liturgical gesture symbolizes the blessing of Jordan, as though Jesus Christ Himself comes and touches the waters in order that to all who are sprinkled with it, drink of it, or wash with it it may bring sanctification, healing, cleansing and blessing. (cf. Prayer) After imparting the blessing of peace to the faithful, the celebrant immerses the holy cross (generally a wooden cross) into the water three times and each time intones the troparion, At Your baptism in the Jordan... (cf. back cover) which is completed by the cantor and the faithful. This final part of the ceremony symbolizes the manifestation of the Holy Trinity as Jesus Christ [the Second Person) stepped out of the water, described in a poetic way by the troparion. Following this, the concluding stichera, Let us, the faithful sing... is sung by the people while the celebrant sprinkles the altar and the walls of the church with the freshly blessed water. When the priest returns, the faithful come up in single file to kiss the holy cross and to be sprinkled with the newly blessed water, conferring upon them the blessing of the Jordan as a token of their Divine Liturgy, when the majority of the parish faithful are present. In the Old Country, it was a custom to go in procession to the nearest stream or river to perform the ritual of the Blessing of the Water. A stream symbolizes the living waters of the Jordan River where Our Saviour came to be baptized by st. John. This is described in the sticheras of St. Sophronius which are sung during the procession to the stream or river. In the ritual, after the incensing of the water, the scriptural readings of the prophecies (Is. 35 : 1-10; 55:1-13; 12:3-6), the Epistle (I Cor. 10:1-4) and the Gospel (Mk. 1 :9-11) are taken. In his Gospel, St. Mark informs us that as Our Lord Jesus Christ was coming out of the river, the heavens opened and the Spirit descended upon Him as a dove. And a voice came from heaven, saying: You are my Beloved Son and my favor rests on You!' The lighted triple candle, called Trojca, which is held in front of the celebrant during the Gospel, is a reminder of that mystical manifestation of the Blessed Trinity at the baptism of Christ. The intonation of the Ektenia of Peace, into which special petitions are inserted, follows. In these petitions we implore God to sanctify these waters by the descent of the Holy Spirit in order that they may bring to us the blessing of the Jordan, defend us against the snares of the devil, heal our spiritual and physical weaknesses, sanctify our homes, and fill us with the graces of the Holy Spirit. The Ektenia ends with the long prayer of the consecration of the water, now ascribed to St. Sophronius, entitled Poem or Hymn (Gr. poiema). This prayer is indeed a poem in praise of the mysteries of the Epiphany and the regeneration of all creation through Jesus Christ. During this prayer, when the celebrant comes to the words: GREAT ARE YOU, 0 LORD, AND WONDERFUL ARE YOUR WORKS, AND OUR WORDS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO PRAISE YOUR WONDERS, he blesses the water with the burning triple candle, the Trojca, by dipping it into the water while saying the words. This he does three times, repeating the words, and dipping in one of the three candles of the Trojca each time. This is done in commemoration of Our Lord s baptism, when He, the Son of God, the redemption. During the kissing of the cross, the faithful continue to sing the troparion and the kontakion of the Feast and fill their containers with the newly blessed [Holy] water to take to their homes. It is a custom among our people to drink of the Holy Water for the purification of their souls and bodies and cure of their weakness. This custom is very ancient and came to us with the ritual itself. The taking of the Holy Water to their homes is to have in it a fount of continued blessings and protection against all evil.

5 Readers Assumption of the Virgin Mary Date Day Reader December 29 Saturday John Kashner December 30 Sunday John Soganic January 5 Saturday Anna Jane Petty January 6 Sunday Stephanie Hennessey January 12 Saturday Christopher Hoare January 13 Sunday Andrew Stitko January 19 Saturday Gregory Embley January 20 Sunday Roger Embley January 26 Saturday John Kashner January 27 Sunday John Soganic

6 Readers Saint Nicholas Date Sunday, January 6 Sunday, January 13 Sunday, January 20 Reader Martha Hatrak Sarah Winder MaryAnn Yurcisin Sunday, January 270 Julie Winder Mysteries if Initiation (Baptism, Chrismation and Eucharist): By appointment with pastor, sponsor must be a practicing Catholic. Mystery of Matrimony: By arrangement with pastor at least six month prior to date of marriage. Witness must be a practicing Catholic. Definition of "practicing Catholic:" Baptized & Chrismated person who attends Divine Liturgy on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, receives the Holy Mysteries of Eucharist and Penance and contributes to the support of the parish and Eparchy.