SS. Cyril
& Methodius
Bulgarian Orthodox
Mission
St.
gregory palamas
Second Sunday of Great Lent
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Our services are held at:
St. Luke Orthodox Church
6801 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101
His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH: Diocesan Bishop
The Very Reverend Timothy Perry: Priest-in-charge
Orthodox Church in America
Diocese of Washington
Sunday of St. John of the Ladder (St. John Climacus)
The Fourth Sunday of Lent is dedicated to
St John of the Ladder (Climacus), the author of the work, The Ladder of Divine
Ascent. The abbot of St Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai (6th century)
stands as a witness to the violent effort needed for entrance into God's
Kingdom (Mt.10: 12). The spiritual struggle of the Christian life is a real
one, "not against flesh and blood, but against ... the rulers of the
present darkness ... the hosts of wickedness in heavenly places ..." (Eph
6:12). Saint John encourages the faithful in their efforts for, according to
the Lord, only "he who endures to the end will be saved" (Mt.24:13).
†
May Their Memory Be
Eternal †
The
newly departed servant Bojanka,
the
Patriarchs ALEXEI and PAVLE,
the
Archbishops GREGORY and JOB;
the
Priests Peter, Ishmael, Leo, Homer, Thomas, and Victor;
the
Matushki Mary, Platonida, Sophronia, and Barbara;
the
Readers Philemon, John, John, and Robert Michael; and
the
Servants of God Magdalena, Alexander, Sophia, Shafik, Michael, Steven, Christo,
Julia, Rada, Radka, Anna, Dale, Mary, Carmel, Thomas, Vasili, Mary Ellen,
Andrew, Irene, Stamatia, Peter, Steven, Olivera, George, Marianthe, Panaigioti,
Christophor, George, Stephen, &
Stefan.
Those
Who Are In Need of Prayer
The Holy Synod of Bishops;
the Priests Photius, Anthony, Milorad, Vadim,
and Joseph;
the Presbyteras Artemis, Marie, Miriam,
Juliana, Anne, & Alexandra;
the servants of God Alexandra, Jennifer,
Catherine, Albana, Mathew, Helen, Venko, Tanya, Vera, Kyriaki, Yekaterina,
Sasha, John, Carmeta, Charlie, Yonka, Helen, and Patricia.
Those who are traveling or are sick and
suffering and those who have asked us to pray for them, unworthy though we may
be, and
Those whose names we cannot remember
for the multitude of names.
Saints
Commemorated Today
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT — Tone 5. St. Gregory Palamas. Ven. Basil the
Confessor, Companion of Ven. Procopius at Decapolis (750). Bl. Nikolai,
Fool-for-Christ at Pskov (1576). Hieromartyr Proterius, Patriarch of Alexandria
(457). Hieromartyr Nestor, Bishop of Magydos in Pamphylia (250). Ven. Marina (Marana),
Cyra (Kira) and Domnica (Domnina), of Syria (ca. 450). Ven John Cassian the Roman (435) [from Feb 29 -
commemorated Feb. 28 in non-Leap Years]
Schedule of Services
Feb. 28 – 2nd Sunday of Lent:
St. Gregory Palamas - at SS Cyril & Methodius
Mar. 7 – 3rd
Sunday of Lent: the Veneration of Cross - at St. George Church
Mar. 14 – 4th Sunday of Lent:
St. John of the Ladder - at SS Cyril & Methodius
Mar. 21 – 5th Sunday of Lent:
St. Mary of Egypt - at St. George Church
Mar. 28 – Palm Sunday: Begin Holy Week -
at SS Cyril & Methodius
Apr. 4 - VELIKDEN, PASCHA,
EASTER: Services to be announced.
2010 Annual Parish Meeting
Today, the Annual Parish Meeting will take
place after the Divine Liturgy. The
agenda will include;
A. Opening Prayer (“O Heavenly King”)
B. Determination of Quorum
C. 2009 Parish Reports
- Parish Priest
- Parish Council President
- Parish Council Treasurer
- Parish Council Secretary
- Real Estate Select Committee
D. Recommendations for 2010
E. Election of 2010 Parish Council
F. Closing Prayer
Only members of
the parish in good standing may stand for nomination to the Parish Council or vote
at today’s meeting.
March Parish Council Meeting
The next meeting
of the Parish Council depends on Fr. Timothy receiving the blessing from His
Beatitude Metropolitan JONAH to install the newly elected parish council
members. The meeting is scheduled to be
held Thursday evening, March 11 at St. Luke Orthodox Church in MacLean,
VA. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM
and will end promptly at 9:00 PM.
The first order
of business for the Council will be to elect officers and then they will
consider goals for 2010.
Parish Bulletin
The Parish Bulletin is prepared bi-weekly by
Fr. Timothy. Should you have any
questions regarding contents, please contact him or consult www.oca.org.
The website of the Orthodox Church in America contains news, articles,
explanations of Orthodox belief, and links to other autocephalous churches. An electronic copy of the Weekly Bulletin is
posted on the parish web site: www.bocdc.org.
St. Timothy, Apostle of the Seventy
The Holy Apostle Timothy was
from the Lycaonian city of Lystra in Asia Minor. St Timothy was converted to
Christ in the year 52 by the holy Apostle Paul (June 29). When the Apostles
Paul and Barnabas first visited the cities of Lycaonia, St Paul healed one
crippled from birth. Many of the inhabitants of Lystra then believed in Christ,
and among them was the future St Timothy, his mother Eunice and grandmother
Loida (Lois) (Acts 14:6-12; 2 Tim. 1:5).
The
seed of faith, planted in St Timothy's soul by the Apostle Paul, brought forth
abundant fruit. He became St Paul's disciple, and later his constant companion
and co-worker in the preaching of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul loved St Timothy
and in his Epistles called him his beloved son, remembering his devotion and
fidelity with gratitude.
He
wrote to Timothy: "You have followed my teaching, way of life, purpose, faith,
longsuffering, love, and patience" (2 Tim. 3:10-11). The Apostle Paul
appointed St Timothy as Bishop of Ephesus, where the saint remained for fifteen
years. Finally, when St Paul was in prison and awaiting martyrdom, summoned his
faithful friend, St Timothy, for a last farewell (2 Tim. 4:9).
St
Timothy ended his life as a martyr. The pagans of Ephesus celebrated a festival
in honor of their idols, and used to carry them through the city, accompanied
by impious ceremonies and songs. St Timothy, zealous for the glory of God,
attempted to halt the procession and reason with the spiritually blind
idol-worshipping people, by preaching the true faith in Christ.
The
pagans angrily fell upon the holy apostle, they beat him, dragged him along the
ground, and finally, they stoned him. St Timothy's martyrdom occurred in the
year 93.
In
the fourth century the holy relics of St Timothy were transferred to
Constantinople and placed in the church of the Holy Apostles near the tombs of
St Andrew (November 30) and St Luke (October 18). The Church honors St Timothy
as one of the Apostles of the Seventy.
In
Russian practice, the back of a priest's cross is often inscribed with St
Paul's words to St Timothy: "Be an example to the believers in speech and
conduct, in love, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim. 4:12).