Sunday after Christmas Icon of the Theophany (Epiphany) of Our Lord
This Week s Liturgy Schedule Sun. 12/31 Sunday after Christmas- Memory of Joseph, David & James Tone 5 Epistle: Galatians 1:11-19 Gospel: Matthew 2:13-23 Sat. 4:00 PM +James Sandrock by Jennifer Ball (Fr. Joe) Sun. 9:00 AM Parishioners of St. Stephen Cathedral (Fr. David) Mon. 1/1 Circumcision of Our Lord / Our Holy Father Basil the Great p. 305 10:00 AM +Sharon Kostyun by Peter Kostyun (Bishop John) Tue. 1/2 Pre-festive Day of Theophany- Our Holy Father Sylvester, Pope of Rome p. 372 8:00 AM +John & Anna Rudo by John Rudo (Fr. Joe) Wed. 1/3 Pre-festive Day of Theophany- The Holy Prophet Malachi p. 366 8:00 AM +Fr. Francis Vivona (Fr. James) Thu. 1/4 Pre-festive Day of Theophany No Morning Divine Liturgy Fri. 1/5 Vigil of the Theophany of Our Lord 9:00 AM Office of the Royal Hours of Theophany (Fr. Diodoro) 7:00 PM Vigil Vesper/Liturgy and Great Blessing of Water Handout & p. 314 Parishioners of St. Stephen Cathedral (Bishop John) Sat. 1/6 The Theophany of Our Lord (Holyday of Obligation) p. 312 9:00 AM +John & Anna Rudo by John Rudo (Bishop John) Sun. 1/7 Sunday after Theophany- Synaxis of John the Baptist p. 316 Tone 6 Epistles: Ephesians 4:7-13 & Acts 19:1-8 Gospels: Matthew 4:12-7 & John 1:29-34 Sat. 4:00 PM Parishioners of St. Stephen Cathedral (Fr. David) Sun. 9:00 AM +John & Ann Rudo by John Rudo (Fr. Diodoro)
Great Vespers Vigil Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Saturday, December 30, 2017 Service begins on page 104 of the Green Book Psalm 103 Bless the Lord, O My Soul Version A Pg 104 Version with melody Lamp-Lighting Psalms & Great Incensation Tone 2 Pg 128 Hymns of Vespers (Holy Fathers) Tone 2 Handout O Joyful Light Pg 117 Holy God (Trisagion) Version A Pg 27 Prokeimenon & Alleluia (Resurrection & Saints) Pgs 148 & 304 Let us Who Mystically (Cherubikon) Christmas Pg 292 Nicene Creed Version A Pg 51 Holy, Holy, Holy Version A Pg 56 We Praise You (Anamnesis) Christmas Pg 293 or Handout Magnification Christmas Pg 293 or Handout Our Father Tone 5 Pg 70 Communion Hymn (Nativity & Saints) Pgs 294 & 305 We Have Seen the True Light Version A Pg 82 May Our Mouth Be Filled Version A Pg 84 Blessed Be the Name Version A Pg 88 Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Sunday, December 31, 2017 Sunday of the Forefathers Service begins on page 11 of the Green Book 1st & 2nd Antiphons (Christmas) Pg 289 Hymn of the Incarnation Version A Pg 21 3rd Antiphon Christmas Pg 295 Entrance Hymn Christmas Pg 295 Troparion of the Resurrection Tone 5 Pg 146 Troparion of Christmas Tone 4 Pg 290 Troparion of the Saints Tone 4 Pg 303 Kontakion of the Saints Tone 2 Pg 303 Holy God (All you who have baptized) Version B Pg 32 Prokeimenon- Christmas Pg.291 & Saints Pg. 304 Alleluia Pg. 292 Let us Who Mystically (Cherubikon) Christmas Pg 292 Nicene Creed Version A Pg 51 Holy, Holy, Holy Version C Pg 57 We Praise You (Anamnesis) Christmas Pg 293 Magnification Christmas Pg 293 Our Father Tone 5 Pg 70 Communion Hymn (Nativity & Saints) Pgs 294 & 305 We Have Seen the True Light Version A Pg 82
SPECIAL SPONSORS This space is available for advertisements to help subside the cost of the bulletin. If you know of a business and/or an organization that would like to advertise in our bulletin please contact Fr. Diodoro for promotional rates. Thank you. Vital Biz Group, PLLC Nicholas Stefaniak III, CPA Strategies for Today s Business info@vitalbizgroup.com Scottsdale AZ 85258 www.vitalbizgroup.com 480-526-7909 Office 602-577-4991 Cell ************************************************************************************************* LOUIE S ULTRA CLEANERS WWW.LOUIESULTRACLEANERS.COM Eco-friendly Dry Cleaning/ Alterations & Repairs/ Wedding Gown Preservation Leather & Suede/ Household Items 4410 W. Union Hills Dr. Glendale, AZ 85308 (623) 582-4470 10855 N. Tatum Blvd. Phoenix AZ 85028 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS +RT. REV. FRANCIS VIVONA JCL Please remember in your prayers +Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Francis Vivona JCL who passed away Thursday, December 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was the founding and current pastor of Our Lady of Wisdom Italo Greek Byzantine Catholic Church in Las Vegas Nevada and the Judicial Vicar of the Holy Mother of God Eparchy of Phoenix. Archimandrite Vivona was a vibrant and energetic priest who was well known for his ability to organize, complete and pay off the mortgage for building projects in the parishes he ministered to. His knowledge of Canon Law was of great benefit to our eparchy for the many years he headed the eparchial tribunal, assisting pastors in the canonical aspect of marriage annulments, marriage preparation and transfer of rites. Bishop Pazak and Bishop Dino along with clergy from our eparchy celebrated the Parastas Service for a Priest on Thursday, December 28 and on Friday December 29 the Funeral Divine Liturgy for a Priest at Our Lady of Wisdom Italo Greek Byzantine Catholic Church in Las Vegas. May God grant to his priestly servant Francis blessed repose and eternal memory!
The Great Blessing of the Waters - The Feast of Theophany All over the world, throughout the month of January, Byzantine Catholics will assemble to bless the waters. Sometimes we simply bless a large tub of water in church, but often we will go in procession to a spring, stream, lake or even to the sea. This links the ceremonies of the Church with the natural environment in a way which goes back to a time long before Christianity. In places like Russia and the Ukraine, the water is usually covered with ice. People may simply cut a hole in the ice, but it is a Russian custom to cut away a huge cross-shaped hole. As part of the ceremony, the priest plunges a large cross into the water. In Mediterranean lands young men dive into the water to recover the cross, while crowds cheer them on. Then the priest or the deacon scoops up a large bowl full of blessed water - Theophany Water as we call it. He takes a large bunch of basil, or other fresh herbs, dips it into the bowl, and blesses everyone by sprinkling them with the water. People laugh, and children wriggle in surprise as the chilly water hits them. I have seen people glistening with showers of ice and frost as the dripping herbs are shaken over them. Then everyone crowds forward to drink the Theophany Water, for spiritual and physical healing. The feast of the Baptism of Christ has been celebrated since early Christian times. This was one of the special days when the learners (called the catechumens ) were received into the Church. In those early centuries, Christmas was not celebrated in the way it is today. After several years of instruction, and a long fast (probably the origin of the Advent fast which was later linked to Christmas) the catechumens were baptized and anointed with holy oil (chrism). This type of reception was common in January right across all Christian lands for many centuries. (We have descriptions from places as far apart as Greece, Italy and Ireland.) The ancient service of baptism and Chrismation survive almost unaltered among Byzantine Catholics, although we receive people throughout the year nowadays. Byzantine Catholics call this festival of Christ's Baptism the "Theophany". In the Gospels you have the simple account of John the Baptist immersing Jesus in the Jordan, Then the Gospel writers add a strange story. The Holy Spirit comes down like a dove, and the voice of the Father speaks from the heavens, proclaiming Christ as His Son. The early Christians understood this story as teaching about the presence of the Holy Trinity. The Greek word for this sort of event gives us the English word "Theophany" - an event which shows the presence and glory of God. "For You of Your own brought all things out of nothingness into being. By Your power You hold
together the creation... All the spiritual powers tremble before You. The sun sings Your praises; the moon glorifies You; the stars supplicate before thee; the light obeys You... You have stretched out the heavens like a curtain; You have established the earth upon the water... You, the uncircumcised God, without beginning and beyond speech, have come upon earth, taking the form of a servant and being made in the likeness of man... You have sanctified the waters of Jordan, sending down from on high the most Holy Spirit... Therefore, O King who loves mankind, do You Yourself be present now as then through the descent of Your Holy Spirit, and sanctify this water... Confer upon it the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan. Make it a source of incorruption, a gift of sanctification, a remission of sins, a potent protection against disease... that all who draw from it and partake of it may have it for cleansing of their souls and bodies, for the healing of their passions, for the sanctification of their dwellings... " This is the point where the priest gives the blessing in the name of the Holy Trinity and plunges the cross into the water three times. The people crowd forward to be blessed with the water. They will also bring bottles to take water home. People will use this water throughout the year for protection against evil and healing of illness. Over the next few weeks the priest will visit houses in the parish to bless the homes and the families with Theophany Water. In the ancient Church it was the custom to baptize catechumens at the Vespers of Theophany, so that Baptism also is revealed as the spiritual illumination of mankind. The origin of the Feast of Theophany goes back to Apostolic times, and it is mentioned in The Apostolic Constitutions. From the second century we have the testimony of Saint Clement of Alexandria concerning the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, and the night vigil before this Feast. There is a third century dialogue about the services for Theophany between the holy martyr Hippolytus and Saint Gregory the Wonderworker. In the following centuries, from the fourth to ninth century, all the great Fathers of the Church: Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom, Ambrose of Milan, John of Damascus, commented on the Feast of Theophany. The monks Joseph the Studite, Theophanes and Byzantios composed much liturgical music for this Feast, which is sung at Orthodox services even today. Saint John of Damascus said that the Lord was baptized, not because He Himself had need for cleansing, but to bury human sin by water, to fulfill the Law, to reveal the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and finally, to sanctify the nature of water and to offer us the form and example of Baptism. On the Feast of the Baptism of Christ, the Holy Church proclaims our faith in the most sublime mystery, incomprehensible to human intellect, of one God in three Persons. It teaches us to confess and glorify the Holy Trinity, one in Essence and Indivisible. It exposes and overthrows the errors of ancient teachings which attempted to explain the Creator of the world by reason, and in human terms.
The Church shows the necessity of Baptism for believers in Christ, and it inspires us with a sense of deep gratitude for the illumination and purification of our sinful nature. The Church teaches that our salvation and cleansing from sin is possible only by the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit, therefore it is necessary to preserve worthily these gifts of the grace of holy Baptism, keeping clean this priceless garb, for As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ (Gal 3:27). On the day of Theophany, all foods are permitted, even if the Feast falls on a Friday. EPISTLE READING: TITUS 2: 11-14 & 3:4-7 FEAST OF OUR LORD S THEOPHANY The grace of God has appeared, offering salvation to all men. It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires, and live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age as we await our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of the great God and of our Savior Christ Jesus. It was he who sacrificed himself for us, to redeem us from all unrighteousness and to cleanse for himself a people of his own, eager to do what is right. But when the kindness and love of God our savior appeared, he saved us; not because of any righteous deeds we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the baptism of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he lavished on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs, in hope, of eternal life. GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 3:13-17 Later Jesus, coming from Galilee, appeared before John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. Joh tried to refuse him with the protest, I should be baptized by you, yet you come to me! Jesus answered: Give in for now. We must do this if we would fulfill all of God s demands. So John gave in. After Jesus was baptized, he came directly out of the water. Suddenly the sky opened and he saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and hover over him. With that a voice from the heavens said, This is my beloved Son. My favor rests on him.
Feast of the Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ Theophany is the Feast which reveals the Most Holy Trinity to the world through the Baptism of the Lord (Mt.3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22). God the Father spoke from Heaven about the Son, the Son was baptized by the Saint John the Forerunner, and the Holy Spirit descended upon the Son in the form of a dove. From ancient times this Feast was called the Day of Illumination and the Feast of Lights, since God is Light and has appeared to illumine those who sat in darkness, and in the region of the shadow of death (Mt.4:16), and to save the fallen race of mankind by grace.
Sunday after Christmas / Memory of Joseph, King David & the Holy Apostle James December 31, 2017 Christ is born! Glorify Him! Welcome to Saint Stephen Byzantine Catholic Cathedral. We are delighted you have come to pray with us. Our Church follows the teachings of Jesus Christ as found in the Gospel and passed on to us through the teachings of the Holy Apostles and Holy Tradition. Saint Stephen Byzantine Catholic Cathedral 8141 North 16th Street, Front Sunday Divine Liturgy Phoenix, Arizona 85020-3950 Saturday 4:00 PM Office: 602.943.5379 Fax 602.997.4093 Sunday 9:00 AM Website www.stsbcc.org Weekday Services See Bulletin Served by: Most Rev. John S. Pazak, CSsR., Bishop Most Reverend Gerald N. Dino, Bishop Emeritus Very Rev. Diodoro Mendoza, Rector rectorss@eparchyofphoenix.org Rev. Joseph Hutsko, Vice-Rector huts1009@gmail.com Very Rev. Archpriest David M. Petras, Retired Msgr. Kevin McAuliffe, In Residence Deacon John Montalvo - Deacon James Danovich - Deacon Adam Lowe Sister Christopher Malcovsky, OSBM The Anointing with the Holy Spirit Visit www.ecpubs.com for more publications. Eastern Christian Bulletin Service -- PO Box 3909 -- Fairfax, VA 22038-3909 www.ecbulletin.com Ph: 703-691-8862 Fax: 703-691-0513