Holy anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church

703 W. Center Street, Rochester, MN (507) 282-1529 http://www.holyanargyroi.org

church@holyanargyroi.org Rev. Fr. Mark Muñoz, Proistamenos
ΑΠΟΛΤΣΙΚΙΑ ΣΗ΢ ΗΜΕΡΑ΢/APOLYTIKIA FOR TODAY
Ευφραινέσθω τά ουράνια, αγαλλιάσθω τά επίγεια,
ότι εποίησε κράτος, εν βραχίονι αυτού, ο Κύριος,
επάτησε τώ θανάτω τόν θάνατον, πρωτότοκος τών
νεκρών εγένετο, εκ κοιλίας άδου ερρύσατο ημάς,
καί παρέσχε κόσμω τό μέγα έλεος.
Let the Heavens rejoice; let earthly things be glad; for
the Lord has wrought might with His arm, He has
trampled upon death by death. The first-born of the
dead has He become. From the depths of Hades has
He delivered us, and has granted great mercy to the
world.
Ev τῇ Γεννήσει τὴν παρθενίαν ἐφύλαξας. Ἐν τῇ
Κοιμήσει τὸν κόσμον οὐ κατέλιπες Θεοτόκε.
Μετέστης πρὸς τὴν ζωήν, Μήτηρ ὑπάρχουσα τῆς
ζωῆς, καὶ ταῖς πρεσβείαις ταῖς σαῖς λυτρουμένη,
ἐκ θανάτου τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

In birth, you preserved your virginity; in death, you

did not abandon the world, O Theotokos. As mother
of life, you departed to the source of life, delivering our souls from death by your intercessions.
ΚΟΝΤΑΚΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ/KONTAKION FOR TODAY

Τὴν ἐν πρεσβείαις ἀκοίμητον Θεοτόκον, καὶ προστασίαις ἀμετάθετον ἐλπίδα, τάφος καὶ
νέκρωσις οὐκ ἐκράτησεν, ὡς γὰρ ζωῆς Μητέρα, πρὸς τὴν ζωὴν μετέστησεν, ὁ μήτραν
οἰκήσας ἀειπάρθενον.
Neither the grave nor death could contain the Theotokos, the unshakable hope, ever vigilant in
intercession and protection. As Mother of life, He who dwelt in the ever-virginal womb
transposed her to life.

Dormition of the holy theotokos

August 15th, 2010
 Today’s scripture readings

Epistle reading
St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians 2:5-11

BRETHREN, have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who,
though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be
grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of
men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto
death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on
him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel pericope
Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28

At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her
house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his
teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said,
"Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to
help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled
about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall
not be taken away from her." As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice
and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you!"
But he said, "Blessed indeed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
 COMMUNION PRAYERS
I believe and confess, Lord, that You are truly the Christ, the Son of
the living God, Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I
am the first. I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body and that
this is truly Your precious Blood. Therefore, I pray to You. Have
mercy upon me, and forgive my transgressions, voluntary and
involuntary, in word and deed, known and unknown. And make me
worthy without condemnation to partake of Your pure Mysteries for
the forgiveness of sins and life eternal. Amen.

Behold, my Maker, I approach Holy Communion. Burn me not as I partake, for You are fire
which burns the unworthy, but cleanse me from every stain.

Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not reveal Your
mystery to Your enemies, nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to
You: Lord, remember me in Your kingdom.

Seeing the Divine Blood, have fear, O man, for it is coal that burns the unworthy. It is God’s
Body that deifies and nourishes me; it deifies the spirit and nourishes the mind mystically.

You have smitten me with yearning, O Christ, and with Your divine love You have changed me.
Burn away my sins with spiritual fire and make me worthy to be filled with Your joy, that
rejoicing in Your goodness, I may magnify Your two Comings.

How shall I, who am unworthy, enter into the splendor of Your saints? If I dare to enter the bridal
chamber, my clothing will accuse me, since it is not a wedding garment; and being bound up, I
shall be cast out by the angels. In Your love, Lord, cleanse the vileness of my soul and save me.

Loving Master, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, let not these holy Gifts be to my condemnation
because of my unworthiness, but for the cleansing and sanctification of soul and body and the
pledge of the future life and kingdom. It is good for me to cling to God and to place in Him the
hope of my salvation.

Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not reveal Your
mystery to Your enemies. Nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to
You: Lord remember me in Your kingdom.
 Announcements
Liturgical/Program Schedule:
Mon. Aug. 16th: NO Adult Religious Education
Wed. Aug. 18th: Parish Council Meeting, 7pm
Sat. Aug. 21st: Great Vespers- 6pm

Today’s Artoklasia: is offered in honor of the Dormition Feast by Mrs. Maria Thomas.

Greek Fest ’10: is quickly approaching! Our festival has grown over the years which translates into
more work and more workers needed. Presbytera Michelle is the volunteer coordinator and will be
contacting parishioners to solicit assistance. There is a sign-up poster in the narthex, please visit it
and sign in where you are able to help. Please consider your availability for working shifts on the
weekend of Aug. 27th-29th. Thank you to all who are anticipating lending a hand this year!

Discounted Festival Tickets: are also now available for advance purchase, please remember to get the
word out with your family, friends, and co-workers! 12 tickets for $10, normally a $1 each. Please note
that all parishioners and volunteers will be expected to pay for their food-last year we ‘ate’ into our
profits by providing meals gratis. This is a crucial fundraiser for our parish and our cooperation is
necessary to ensure its success.

HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION—Only Orthodox Christians in good standing are encouraged
to receive Holy Communion frequently, provided they have prepared themselves spiritually, mentally and
physically. They must be on time for the Divine Liturgy, and be in a Christ-like, humble state of mind. They should
be in a confession relationship with their priest or spiritual father, have observed the fasts of the Church, and they
should have self-examined their conscience. On the day of receiving Holy Communion, it is not proper to eat or
drink anything before coming to church. When you approach to receive Holy Communion, state your Christian
(baptismal) name clearly, and hold the red communion cloth to your chin. After receiving, wipe your lips on the
cloth, step back carefully, hand the cloth to the next person and make the sign of the Cross as you step away.
Please do not be in a rush while communing! Please take special care not to bump the Holy Chalice.
 Today’s commemoration
The Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God.

The Lord who, on Sinai, gave the Fifth Commandment: 'Honour

thy father and thy mother', showed by His own example how one
must reverence one's parents. Hanging in agony on the Cross,
He remembered His mother, and, indicating the Apostle John,
said to her: 'Woman, behold thy son!', and to John: 'Behold thy
mother!' And, with this concern for His mother, He breathed His
last. John had a home on Sion in Jerusalem, where he settled
the Mother of God and left her to pass her remaining days on
earth. By her prayers, her kindly advice, her meekness and
patience, she was of immense help to her Son's apostles. She
spent virtually the rest of her life in Jerusalem, often going round
the places that reminded her of the great events and the great
works associated with and performed by her Son. She especially
visited Golgotha, Bethlehem and the Mount of Olives. Of her
journeys farther afield, her visit to St Ignatius the God-Bearer is
recorded, as are those to St Lazarus the Four-days-dead, Bishop
of Cyprus, to the Holy Mountain, to which she gave her blessing,
and her stay in Ephesus with John during a fierce persecution of
Christians in Jerusalem. In old age, she often prayed to her Lord
and God on the Mount of Olives, on the spot from which He ascended, to take her from this world. One
day, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and revealed that she would enter into rest in three days'
time, and the angel gave her a palm-branch to be carried in her funeral procession. She returned home
with great joy, with the heartfelt hope that she would see Christ's apostles once more in this life. The Lord
fulfilled her desire and all the apostles, brought by angels and clouds, gathered together at John's house
on Sion. It was with great joy that she saw the holy apostles, and she encouraged, advised and upheld
them, then peacefully gave her soul into God's hands without the slightest physical pain or struggle. The
apostles took the coffin containing her body, from which an aromatic fragrance arose, and, accompanied
by many Christians, took it to the Garden of Gethsemane, to the grave of Ss Joachim and Anna. A
Jewish priest, Antony, touched the coffin with his hand, intending to overturn it, but at that moment an
angel of God cut off both his hands. He cried out with the pain, begging the apostles' help, and was
healed in confessing his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It was left to the Apostle Thomas, who was
delayed, again by God's providence, to reveal a new and glorious mystery about the holy Mother of God.
He arrived on the third day, and desired to embrace the body of the holy and most pure. When the
apostles opened her grave, he found only the winding-sheet - the body was not in the grave. That
evening, she appeared to the apostles, surrounded by a multitude of angels, and said to them: 'Rejoice; I
will be with you always!' It is not known exactly how old the Mother of God was at the time of her falling-
asleep, but the prevailing belief is that she had reached the age of sixty.
 Pearls from the desert…
A brother said to Abba Poemen, “Give me a word,” and he said to
him, “As long as the pot is on the fire, no fly nor any other animal can
get near it, but as soon as it is cold, these creatures get inside. So it
is for the Christian; as long as he lives in spiritual activities, the
enemy cannot find a means of overthrowing him.”

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Sunday School Registration
New this year is registration for children in our Sunday School Program.
The purpose of the registration is to ascertain the number of children in
each class to ensure that the proper materials are ordered. Calli Kelly is in
charge of the registration and would like everyone to know that if you have children
between the ages of 3-18 she will be contacting you. If you have any questions
regarding registration please email Calli at callikelly@pitel.net First day of Sunday
School is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 12th.
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Rochester Honkers Orthodox Church Day!

Join us today, 1pm at Mayo Field for a Honkers

baseball game! Cost is only $10 and you get:
entrance ticket, hot dog (fast is over today!), and
pop!
 Icon of the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos

The Icon of the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos shows her on her deathbed surrounded
by the Apostles. Christ is standing in the center (1.) looking at His mother. He is holding a small
child clothed in white representing the soul of the Virgin Mary. With His golden garments, the
angels above His head, and the mandorla surrounding Him, Christ is depicted in His divine
glory.

1. Christ, appearing in His Glory, stands in the center of the icon cradling the soul of
His Mother, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.

The posture of the

Apostles direct
attention toward
the Theotokos (2.).
On the right Saint
Peter censes the
body of the
Theotokos. On the
left Saint Paul (3.)
bows low in honor
of her.
2. The Apostles bow their heads in reverence to the Theotokos as Saint Peter (right)
censes her body (detail).
Together with the Apostles are several bishops (4.) and women. The bishops traditionally
represented are James, the brother of the Lord, Timothy, Heirotheus, and Dionysius the
Areopagite. They are shown wearing episcopal vestments. The women are members of the
church in Jerusalem.

3. The Apostle Paul bows in honor of the Theotokos 4. Also in attendance to pray for the Theotokos were
(detail). several Bishops (detail).

Hymn for Artoklasia:

“Rich men have turned poor and gone hungry,
but they that seek the Lord shall not be
deprived of any good thing.”
“Πλούσιοι επτώχευσαν καί επείνασαν,
οι δέ εκζητούντες τόν Κύριον, ουχ
ελαττωθήσονται παντός αγαθού.”
“Plousi eptohevsan kai epeinasan, e de
ekzitountes ton kyrion, ouk elatothisontai
pantos agathou.”