SS.

kosmas & damianos Orthodox Church (goa)

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

frmark@rochesterorthodoxchurch.org Rev. Fr. Mark Muoz, Proistamenos

/APOLYTIKIA FOR TODAY , , , . , , , , , . The heavenly powers appeared at Your tomb, and those guarding it became like dead. Mary stood at Your grave seeking Your pure body. You stripped the power of Hades, not touched by its corruption. You met the virgin woman as one who grants life. O Lord, who rose from the dead, glory to You. , , , , , , . You ascended in Glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Your blessing assured them that You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. , , , ' , , , . Most glorified are You, O Christ our God, Who has established our Fathers as luminous stars upon the earth, and through them did guide us all to the true Faith. O Most Merciful One, glory be to You . /KONTAKION FOR TODAY , , , , , , , ' , ' . O Christ our God, upon fulfilling Your dispensation for our sake, You ascended in Glory, uniting the earthly with the heavenly. You were never separate but remained inseparable, and cried out to those who love You, "I am with you and no one is against you."

Sunday of the fathers of the 1st ecumenical synod

St. Tychon the Wonderworker

June 16th, 2013

Todays scripture readings

Epistle reading

Acts of the Apostles 16:16-34

IN THOSE DAYS, Paul had decided to sail past Ephesos, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. And from Miletos he sent to Ephesos and called to him the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' " And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

Gospel pericope

John 17: 1-13

At that time, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work which you gave me to do; and now, Father, you glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made. "I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world; yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you; for I have given them the words which you gave me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you did send me. I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are mine; all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

Announcements
Liturgical/Program Schedule:
Mon. June 17th: AC/DC Religious Ed, 6pm Tue. June 18th- Thurs. June 20th: Fr. Mark @ National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in D.C. Sat. June 22nd: Saturday of Souls, Orthros/Divine Liturgy 8:30am Sun. June 23rd: Holy Pentecost/Kneeling Vespers
Sanctify those who love the beauty of Your house: Due to necessary budgetary cuts we no longer have the luxury of paid janitorial services, which means we as a parish are responsible for maintaining the good order of our facilities. Erline Holman has graciously volunteered to coordinate cleaning crews to keep our Church in proper order. Were asking for volunteers to assist in this important effort, if youd like to help out please call Erline at (507) 259-5443 for more info. Thank you!!! Saturday, June 22nd: is the Saturday before Pentecost which is always celebrated as a Psychosabbaton or Saturday of Souls. Please prepare your individual kollyva trays accompanied with the names of those Orthodox Christians who have fallen asleep for commemoration. Orthros/Divine Liturgy will begin at 8:30am. HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNIONOnly Orthodox Christians (i.e. the Orthodox Church
does not observe open communion) 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.

Todays liturgical commemorations

. SAINT TIKHON, BISHOP OF AMATHUS Saint Tikhon was a miracle-worker. Following the death of Blessed Mnemonius, Tikhon was unanimously elected a bishop and consecrated by the renowned Epiphanius for the Diocese of Amathus. His purity of life and zeal for Orthodoxy recommended him for this office. There were still pagans on Cyprus at that time. With apostolic zeal St. Tikhon undertook to convert the unbelievers into believers. In that, he had great success. After lengthy labor in the vineyard of the Lord, Tikhon took up habitation in blessed eternity about the year 425 A.D. He was called a miracleworker because of the many miracles he worked during his life. Tikhon's father was a baker. When his father left him alone in the store, he would distribute bread free of charge to the poor. Once, his father reproached him for this. Tikhon prayed to God and their granary was so filled with wheat that the door could not be opened without difficulty. Again, at another time, he planted withered branches of a vine and the vine became green and, in due time, brought forth fruit. 2. THE HOLY MARTYRS TIGRIUS AND EUTROPIUS Tigrius and Eutropius were among the clergy of St. John Chrysostom. When evil men banished Chrysostom from Constantinople, the cathedral church [Hagia Sophia] was set on fire and a flame rose from it and fell upon the houses of the persecutors of this beacon of the Church. The people saw the finger of God in that but the enemies of Chrysostom attributed this fire to his adherents. Many of those who were accused suffered bitterly because of that, among them Tigrius, the presbyter and Eutropius, the reader. Optatius, the mayor of the city, an unbaptized Greek with particular malice, began a pursuit for Chrysostom's followers. Tigrius, in his youth, was a slave of a wealthy man who castrated him. Freeing himself of slavery, he dedicated himself completely to the service of the Church and in this service shone as a shining ray. Optatius subjected this "meek, humble, charitable and hospitable" man to great tortures and then banished him into exile to Mesopotamia where he died in prison. Eutropius, chaste from birth, pure, blameless and kind was beaten by oxen whips and by canes and finally hanged. When Christians took his body to bury it, sweet angelic singing was heard in the air.

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Save the Date:

Vacation Church School
Monday-Friday Aug. 5th -9th
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