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Свети Кирил и
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SS. Cyril & Methodius
Bulgarian Orthodox Mission
Sunday before theophany
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Our services are held
at:
St. Luke Orthodox Church
6801 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101
We are a parish of
the
Orthodox Church in America
Theophany
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 St 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.
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 (Book V:13). From the second century
we have the testimony of St 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 St 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. St 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
Wednesday or Friday.
May Their Memory Be Eternal
The
Archbishop GREGORY;
the
Archimandrite Innocent;
the
Priests Peter, Homer, Ishmael, Elary, Leo, and Victor;
the
Presbyteras Mary, Elizabeth, Sophronia, Barbara, and Platonida;
the
Reader Robert Michael;
the
servants of God, George, Anna, Elena, Olivera, Helen, Christo, Radka, Dale, Philemon,
Carmel, Thomas, Thomas & Marion, Andrew & Irene, Stamatia & Peter, Panigyoti & Marianthi,
Ginka, Elvetizio & Eva, Vasili, Mary Ellen, George, Christophor, Rada,
Julia, and Mary.
(If you wish to add a name to this list, please
contact Fr. Timothy)
Those Who Are In Need of
Prayer
Priests
Photius, Anthony, Mileta, Milorad, and Joseph;
Presbyteras
Artemis, Marie, Miriam, & Alexandra;
The
servants of God, Jose, Kasia, Catherine, Mathew, Elisabeth, Stella, Helen, Venko,
Tanya, Petya, Charlie, Vera, Magdalena, Bojanka, Albana, Yekaterina, Sasha,
John, Carmeta, Charlie, and Patricia.
(If
you wish to add a name to this list, please contact Fr. Timothy)
Schedule of Services
(All Services
begin at 2:00, except Pascha)
Sunday, January 18 Ven. Prochorus, Vranski desert in
Bulgaria
Sunday, February 1 Sunday of Zacchaeus
(preparation for Great Lent)
Sunday, February 15 Sunday of the Prodigal Son (prep. for
Great Lent)
Sunday, March 1 Forgiveness
Sunday (Begin Great Lent)
Sunday, March 15 St. Gregory
Palamas (Second Sunday of Lent)
Sunday, March 29 St. John Climacus
(Fourth Sunday of Lent)
Sunday, April 12 Palm
Sunday
Sunday, April 19 PASCHA
January Parish Council Meeting
The next Monthly Parish Council Meeting will
be held Thursday evening, January 8 at St. Luke Orthodox Church in MacLean,
VA. The meeting will begin at 7:00
PM and will end promptly at 9:00 PM.
Parishioners are welcome and encouraged to attend the meeting but are
respectfully reminded that only Parish Council members may vote.
The Council will be preparing the Agenda
for the Annual Meeting, looking into a strategy for growth, and the liturgical
schedule.
2009 Annual Parish Meeting
The Annual Parish Meeting will take
place after the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, January 18, 2009. The Annual Parish Meeting agenda will include,
1/ TreasurerŐs Financial Report on 2008, 2/ PriestŐs Report on 2008 and Outlook
for 2009, 3/ Adoption of 2008 Annual Parish Meeting Minutes, 4/ Budget for
2009, 5/ Election of 2009 Parish Council members, and 6/ New Business (items
proposed and accepted by the Parish Council by January 4). Only members of good standing may
either stand for nomination to the Parish Council and vote.
Българска
Православна
Мисия
Свети
Свети Кирил и
Методи,
Равноапостоли
и Учители на
Славяните
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Църкви в
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Diocez Washington i
New York
