Saints Cyril & Methodius
Equals to the Apostles and Teachers of the Slavs
Bulgarian Orthodox Mission
(Elevation
of the Cross)
(Celebrated on
September 14)
September 11,
2011
13th
SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST — Tone 4. Sunday Before the
Elevation of the Cross. Afterfeast of the Nativity of the
Theotokos. Ven. Theodora of Alexandria (474-491). Translation of
the Relics of Ven. Sergius and Herman, Wonderworkers of Valaam. Martyrs Demetrius, his wife Euanthia, and their son Demetrian, at
Skepsis on the Hellespont (1st c.). Martyrs Diodorus,
Didymus, and Diomedes, of Laodicea. Martyr Ia and
9,000 Martyrs with her, of Persia (362-364). St. Euphrosynus
the Cook, of Alexandria (9th c.). The
Weeping "KAPLUNOVSKAYA" Kazan' Icon of the Most-holy Theotokos
(1689).
The Mission’s services are being hosted through the
gracious support of:
Fr. John Vitko and the parishioners of St. Luke
Orthodox Church
6801 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101
We are a Parish
of the
Orthodox Church
in America
Archdiocese of
Washington
The Tradition: Elevation of the Cross
The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Creating Cross of the Lord: The
pagan Roman emperors tried to completely eradicate from human memory the holy
places where our Lord Jesus Christ suffered and was resurrected for mankind.
The Emperor Hadrian (117-138) gave orders to cover over the ground of Golgotha
and the Sepulchre of the Lord, and to build a temple of the pagan goddess Venus
and a statue of Jupiter.
Pagans gathered at this place and
offered sacrifice to idols there. Eventually after 300 years, by Divine
Providence, the great Christian sacred remains, the Sepulchre of the Lord and
the Life-Creating Cross were again discovered and opened for veneration. This
took place under the Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337. In the year 323
Constantine became the sole ruler of the vast Roman Empire.
In 313 he had issued the Edict of
Milan, by which the Christian religion was legalized and the persecutions
against Christians in the Western half of the empire were stopped. The ruler
Licinius, although he had signed the Edict of Milan to oblige Constantine,
still fanatically continued the persecutions against Christians. Only after his
conclusive defeat did the 313 Edict of toleration extend also to the Eastern
part of the empire. The Holy Equal of the Apostles Emperor Constantine, having
gained victory over his enemies in three wars ith, had seen in the heavens the
Sign of the Cross, and written beneath: "By this you shall conquer."
Ardently desiring to find the Cross on
which our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, St Constantine sent his mother, the
pious Empress Helen (May 21), to Jerusalem, providing her with a letter to St
Macarius, Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Although the holy empress Helen was
already in her declining years, she set about completing the task with
enthusiasm. The empress gave orders to destroy the pagan temple and the statues
in Jerusalem. Searching for the Life-Creating Cross, she made inquiry of
Christians and Jews, but for a long time her search remained unsuccessful.
Finally, they directed her to a certain
elderly Hebrew by the name of Jude who stated that the Cross was buried where
the temple of Venus stood. They demolished the pagan
temple and, after praying, they began to excavate the ground. Soon the Tomb of
the Lord was uncovered. Not far from it were three crosses, a board with the
inscription ordered by Pilate, and four nails which had pierced the Lord's Body
(March 6).
In order to discern on which of the
three crosses the Savior was crucified, Patriarch Macarius alternately touched
the crosses to a corpse. When the Cross of the Lord touched the dead one, he
came to life. Having beheld the raising of the dead man, everyone was convinced
that the Life-Creating Cross was found.
Christians came in a huge throng to
venerate the Holy Cross, beseeching St Macarius to elevate the Cross, so that
even those far off might reverently contemplate it. Then the Patriarch and
other spiritual leaders raised up the Holy Cross, and
the people, saying "Lord have mercy," reverently prostrated before
the Venerable Wood. This solemn event occurred in the year 326.
St Helen took part of the Life-Creating
Wood and nails with her to Constantinople. The emperor Constantine gave orders
to build at Jerusalem a majestic and spacious church in honor of the
Resurrection of Christ, also including under its roof the Life-Giving Tomb of
the Lord and Golgotha. The temple was constructed in about ten years. The
church was consecrated on September 13, 335. On the following day, September
14, the festal celebration of the Exaltation of the Venerable and Life-Creating
Cross was established.
Another event connected to the Cross of
the Lord is remembered also on this day: its return to Jerusalem from Persia
after a fourteen year captivity. During the reign of
the Byzantine emperor Phocas (602-610) the Persian emperor Khozroes II in a war
against the Greeks defeated the Greek army, plundered Jerusalem and captured
both the Life-Creating Cross of the Lord and the Patriarch Zachariah (609-633).
The Cross remained in Persia for
fourteen years and only under the emperor Heraclius (610-641), who defeated
Khozroes and concluded peace with his successor and son Syroes, was the Cross
of the Lord returned to the Christians.
With great solemnity the Life-creating
Cross was transferred to Jerusalem. Emperor Heraclius in imperial crown and
royal purple carried the Cross of Christ into the temple of the Resurrection.
With the emperor went Patriarch Zacharios. At the gates by which they ascended
Golgotha, the emperor suddenly stopped and was not able to proceed farther. The
emperor was told to remove his royal trappings and to walk barefoot,
since He Who bore the Cross for the salvation of the world from sin had made
His way to Golgotha in all humility. Then Heraclius donned plain garb, and
without further hindrance, carried the Cross of Christ into the church.
In a sermon on the Exaltation of the
Cross, St Andrew of Crete (July 4) says: "The Cross is exalted, and
everything true gathers together, the Cross is exalted, and the city makes
solemn, and the people celebrate the feast".
†
May Their Memory Be Eternal †
The Bishops
Nestor, Gregory, Job, and Nicholas;
the
Priests Peter, Ishmael, Michael, Leo, Homer, Thomas, Victor, and Milorad;
the
Matushki Mary, Platonida, Sophronia, and Barbara;
the
Readers Philemon, John, John, and Robert Michael; and
the Servants of
God, Andrew, Ivan, Dhimitra, Bistra, Gerard, Ruby, Timothy, Megan,
Bojanka, Magdalena, Alexander, Sophia, Shafik, Julia, Rada, Radka, Anna, Dale,
Olivera, Marianthe & Panaigioti, Krustio, and George.
Those Who Are In
Need of Prayer
The Priests
Photius, Anthony, Vadim, Thomas, Paul, and Joseph;
the
Presbyteras, Artemis, Marie, Miriam, Mica, Helen, Rose, Juliana, & Anne;
the servants of
God, Zell, Andrew, Paulie, Flora, Karen, Stella, Victor, Erin, Kyriaki, Helen,
Paulina, Jane, Denny, Oliver, Marion, Ellen, Marios & Sophia, Alexandra
& Joseph, Catherine & Wayne, John & Carmeta, John & Carol,
Dimitrie & Rachael, Charlie & Karen, Chariessa & Nicholas, and
David & Patricia.
Schedule of Services
Sept. 11 – SS Cyril & Methodius, 1:30; Sunday before Elev. of the
Cross
Sept. 18 – at St. Mark Church, 9:30; Sunday after Elevation of
the Cross
Sept. 25 – SS Cyril & Methodius, 1:30; Celebrate Dimitrovden
Oct. 2 – at St. Mark Church, 9:30; Day after “the Protection of
the Theotokos”
Oct. 9 – SS Cyril & Methodius, 1:30; The
Righteous Abraham
Oct. 16 – at St. Mark Church, 9:30
Oct. 23 – SS Cyril & Methodius, 1:30; Apostle James
Oct. 30 – at St. Mark Church, 9:30
Nov. 6 – SS Cyril & Methodius, 1:30; Liturgy with Zadushnitsa
Nov. 13 – at St. Mark Church, 9:30; St. John Chrysostom
Nov. 20 – SS Cyril & Methodius, 1:30; Forefeast Entry of the
Theotokos
Nov. 27 – at St. Mark Church, 9:30
Candle Lighting During the Liturgy
Praying before the iconostasis icons and lighting candles during the services may be done at most any
time during the divine liturgy. However, at the time of the sermon, candle
lighting is to be paused.
16th
All-America Council of the OCA
The 16th All-American Council
will be held October 31 through November 4, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in
Bellevue, Washington. Ms. Nadya
Choparinoff was elected at the August Parish Council meeting to represent our
Mission at the Council.
The official Agenda of the
Council may be found on “oca.org”.
September Parish Council Meeting
The September regular Parish
Council meeting will take place after the Divine Liturgy on September 25. The divine liturgy
begins at 1:30. The meeting is open to
the public and non-members may discuss the issues, but only members of the
Parish Council may cast a vote.