+
Sunday, February 25th 2007 +
1st Sunday of Lent - Sunday of
Orthodoxy
Tone:
4 + Eothinion: 4
*******************************************************************************************************
+ In the
Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
“We worship Thine Immaculate Icon, O Good One,
asking forgiveness of our failings, O Christ our God; for of Thine own will
Thou was well-pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, that Thou might deliver
from slavery to the enemy those whom Thou had fashioned. Wherefore, we cry to
Thee thankfully: Thou did fill all things with joy, O our Saviour, when Thou
came to save the world.” Amen.
+ The
Epistle +
Verse: “Blessed art Thou, O
Lord, God of our Fathers.
For Thou art righteous
in all things Thou has done for us.”
The
Reading is from the Letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews.
(Chapter 11:24-26, 32-40)
Brethren, by faith Moses, when he became
of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to
suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of
sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in
Egypt; for he looked to the reward. And what more shall I say? For the time
would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of
David and Samuel and the prophets: who
through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises,
stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of
the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned
to flight the armies of the foreigners.
Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured,
not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still
others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and
imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain
with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being
destitute, afflicted, tormented — of whom the world was not worthy. They
wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good
testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something
better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
+ The
Holy Gospel +
The
Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. John
(Chapter 1: 43-51)
At that time, Jesus decided to go to Galilee.
And He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida,
the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have
found Him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of
Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come
out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him,
“Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an
Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Nathanael said to Jesus, “How do you
know me?” Jesus answered him, Before Philip called you, when you were under the
fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God!
You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, I saw
you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than
these.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven
opened, and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Meditation:
“Sunday of Orthodoxy”
For more than 100 years the Church of Christ
was troubled by the persecution of the Iconoclasts of evil belief, beginning in
the reign of Leo the Isaurian (717-741) and ending in the reign of Theophilus
(829-842). After Theophilus’ death, his widow the Empress Theodora, together
with the Patriarch Methodios, established Orthodoxy anew. This ever-memorable
Queen venerated the Icon of the Mother of God in the presence of Patriarch
Methodios and the other confessors and righteous men, and openly cried out
these holy words: “If anyone does not offer relative worship to the Holy Icons,
not adoring them as though they were gods, but venerating them out of love as
images of the archetype, let him be anathema.” Then with common prayer and
fasting during the whole first week of the 40 Day Fast, she asked God’s
forgiveness for her husband. After this, on the 1st Sunday of Lent, she and her
son, Michael the Emperor, made a procession with all the Clergy and people and
restored all the Holy Icons, and again adorned the Church of Christ with them.
This is the holy deed that all we Orthodox commemorate today, and we call this
radiant and venerable day the Sunday of Orthodoxy, that is, the triumph of true
doctrine over heresy.
The
Triumph of Faith
Sunday of Orthodoxy marks a historic event in
the life of the Orthodox Church: the restoration of icons (843 AD) as an
important way of living and expressing the Christian faith. This celebration
was first held in Constantinople in 878 AD and has been commemorated ever since
for over a thousand years as a crowning feast of the Orthodox people: “The
Triumph of Orthodoxy.” A special observance on the Sunday of Orthodoxy is the
procession of Icons, headed by the Icon of Christ, while the hymn of this feast
is chanted. The Icon of Christ, and all the Icons of the Virgin Mary and the
Saints, have two special meanings. First they remind us how real our salvation
is! The living Christ, our risen Lord, is the same as Jesus of Nazareth who
took on flesh and blood, walked on this planet, and became one of us in order
to lead us to Heaven. His Mother and all the Saints in Scripture and tradition
were also real people, like all of us, families, relatives, friends, jobs,
responsibilities, and problems. Second, the Icons of Christ and His Saints –
the Virgin Mary, the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Ascetics, and
Fathers – remind us that we all belong to one family of God. Through these
historical men and women God worked patiently and lovingly to achieve a
resounding triumph over sin and evil in the world and to open up to us the
gates of His Kingdom. The story of the Bible and the story of the Church is the
story of Almighty God working through His people for grace, forgiveness, truth,
love, and salvation. It is a story of faith, a celebration of faith, a song of
faith, a triumph of faith amidst trials and sufferings. And the story continues
in every land; every local parish, and every Christian family today! God is
working in our midst gathering His people into His Kingdom. The past examples
and heroes of the faith belong to us and we belong to them. God unites us all
in Christ by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Icons
are Symbols, Not Idols
Just as we express our Christian faith by
means of bread, wine, water, music, and other symbols, so also we express our
faith through Icons. Icons are
symbols, not idols. Icons are venerated, not worshipped.
When we venerate icons the honor is directed to Christ or to the Saint depicted
on the icon, not to the wood, paint, or colors of the Icon. The power of Icons
is not mechanical or magical, but spiritual. It is a working of God’s grace in
the act of a personal expression of faith and through the intercessory prayers
of the saints who live in God’s glory. Icons teach us about Christ and His
ministry, as well as about the saints and their record of faith. As sacred art,
Icons are windows to heaven: they seek to symbolize the transfigured cosmos and
the victory of redeemed creation by the glory of Christ. In the words of St.
John of Damascus: “the Icon is a song of triumph, and a revelation, and an
enduring witness to the victory of Saints.”
The
Confession of Faith
The reality of our salvation and the fact that
we belong to one family of God are celebrated in the public confession of faith
which we make during the procession of Icons. This confession of faith reads:
“As the prophets beheld, as the Apostles have
taught,…as the Church has received…as the teachers have dogmatized,…as the
Universe has agreed,…as Grace has shown forth,…as Truth has revealed,…as
falsehood has been dissolved,…as Wisdom has presented,…as Christ Awarded,…thus
we declare,…thus we assert,…thus we preach Christ our true God, and honor His
Saints in words, in writings, in thoughts, in sacrifices, in Churches, in Holy
Icons; on the one hand worshipping and reverencing Christ as God and Lord; and
on the other hand honoring the Saints as true servants of the same Lord of all
and accordingly offering them veneration. This is the faith of the Apostles,
this is the Faith of the Fathers, this is the Faith of the Orthodox, this is
the Faith which has established the Universe.”
* Announcements,
Activities & Upcoming Services *
“It is good to be Zealous in a Good Thing
Always…” (Galatians 4:18)
v
Every Saturday at 6:00 p.m. - Great Vespers & Confession
v
‘Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers & Procession with Holy
Icons’ will be celebrated this evening at 7:00 p.m. at St. Elias Orthodox
Cathedral and presided by His Grace Bishop Alexander, with His Grace Bishop Seraphim
& all the Orthodox Priests of Ottawa serving. There will be a Lenten
Reception in the Cathedral Hall downstairs following the Service. All are
welcome!
ü Welcome His Grace Bishop ALEXANDER
We would like to extend a warm
welcome to His Grace Bishop ALEXANDER, who is presiding over the Divine Liturgy
today. May the dear Lord preserve his life.
ü
Are You Registered?
Many people are attending Church every Sunday
and are not yet registered into the Church Directory. If you are not
registered, the Office does not have your phone number and address and
therefore you do not receive any mail from us nor are we able to contact you to
annually bless your home, nor do you have your own set of registered Church
donation envelopes for any offerings given to the Church in order to receive
your annual tax receipt. Therefore, please register at the Cathedral Office,
and allow us to get to know you better.
ü
Summer Pilgrimage to
Greece (June 3rd
-15th)
Have you thought about joining us on our
pilgrimage to Greece this summer? We will be visiting lots of beautiful
Churches & Monasteries; along with many Historic Ruins, Old Markets, Beautiful
Beaches, Land Marks & Awe-inspiring Scenery!
Our trip
to Greece is confirmed as planned. Those who have made their reservations and submitted
their downpayments already are set to travel. A few places remain and anyone
who is interested in going is asked to please call the Cathedral Office for
more information.
ü
Online Calendar of
Events
St. Elias Cathedral now has an online calendar
of events for all of our Church Organizations (Fellowship of St. John the
Divine; Teen SOYO; Church School; Choir Practices; Antiochian Women) and
upcoming Liturgical Services. Visit our website (www.steliascathedral.com) and
click on ‘New Calendar’ to keep up to date with what is happening.
(Note: The 2007 Lenten Calendar is now
online!)
ü Second Tray
The second
tray today is collected in support of the young men of our Archdiocese who are
studying theology in preparation for ordination to the holy priesthood. As you
can read in the included letter from His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP, the
educational costs have risen much in the last few years and as all of our
seminarians receive full scholarships from the Archdiocese, we are asked to
help them continue their generous support.
ü
Antiochian Women
Scholarships
Scholarships are available from the Antiochian
Women from both the N.A.B. (North American Board) and the Diocesan Level, for
women who choose to continue their education in order to improve their own
situation and that of their families. Scholarships are awarded yearly in July.
The qualifications for the scholarship are as follows. Applicant must: be a
female over 25 years of age; be a member in good standing of a parish of the
Antiochian Archdiocese; be actively involved in her parish; be applying for, or
registered in, an academic or trade program of study; demonstrate financial
need. For further information or to recommend a possible candidate for a
scholarship, please speak to Mrs. Susanne Zeidan (President of the Antiochian
Women) or to Fr. Ghattas.
ü Antiochian Women Meeting
There will be an Antiochian Women’s
meeting on Tuesday, February 27th at 7:30 p.m. in the Cathedral Hall
downstairs. Please join us to plan a very busy Spring. We have many events
coming: March is Lady’s month, the Madayah Supper, the Lenten Luncheon and much
more. We also must remain prepared for this Lenten season. For further
information, please contact Susanne Zeidan.
ü March is the month of the
Antiochian Women
The month
of March is dedicated to the Antiochian Women. Therefore, the ladies of our
Cathedral are asked to show their dedication and serve by reading the Epistles
(English & Arabic), collecting the Donation Trays, and serving during the
Coffee Hour. Please contact Susanne Zeidan if you would like to volunteer.
ü Registration for the 48th Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese Convention
This year, the 48th
Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese Convention will be hosted by St. Nicholas
Orthodox Church in Montreal on July 23rd – 29th.
Therefore, on Sunday, March 4th 2007, Khouriyee Miriam Shportun,
along with Eric Zakaib and Carol Jazzar who are the Co-Chairs of the Convention
from St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, will be with us and available in the
Cathedral Hall downstairs after the Divine Liturgy for anybody who is
interested in registering for this year’s Convention and for the Ad Journal.
ü Interested in becoming a Teacher
in the Church School?
The Church School needs your help
next year! Anybody who would like to become a teacher in the Church School next
year is strongly encouraged and asked to meet with Fr. Ghattas immediately. If
you feel that you would like to serve the Lord by teaching the young children
of our parish about our faith, you have to be prepared and well equipped. We
will have special sessions for all new teachers in the near future. If you feel
that you would like to teach next year, please let us know.
ü New English Service Book for Holy
Week & Pascha
A new English Service Book for
Holy Week & Pascha is now available for ordering at our Cathedral
Bookstore. Specifications include: 855 pages total, Length 9.5” x Width 6.5” x
1”, Two-Tone Print (red & black), High Quality White Bible Paper, Gold
Gilded Edges, Double-Ribbon Markers, Hardbound-Black Leather, Gold-Embossed
Cover, Lightweight (26 OZ). This book is a ‘must have’ for every Orthodox
Christian! For more information and to order your copy, visit the Cathedral
Bookstore after the Divine Liturgy.
ü “Road to Emmaus” A Journal of
Orthodox Faith and Culture
“Road to Emmaus” has been
described as the National Geographic of Orthodoxy, and for good reason. For
seven years they have presented contemporary interviews, well-researched Church
history, and classic Orthodox literature. If you would like to subscribe and
learn more about this journal, visit this website: www.roadtoemmaus.net.
ü
Fellowship of St. John
the Divine
Weekly Meeting every Tuesday from 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. SHARP! Please be on time. A Bible Study/Religious Discussion will take
place in the Church School Building (1st Floor). Please give us your
email address if you are not receiving our weekly online newsletter &
calendar.
ü
Teen SOYO
Weekly Meeting every Wednesday from 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. SHARP! in the Cathedral Hall downstairs. Please be on time. Please give us your email address if you
are not receiving our weekly online newsletter & calendar.
ü 2nd Annual MCYO Soccer
Tournament
The MCYO has once again invited us
to their annual soccer tournament. It will be taking place Saturday, March 17th
from 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Louis Riel Dome (1969 Bearbrook Rd.). The
cost is $30.00 per player (lunch will be provided). If you are 18 years of age
or older and interested in joining us, please contact Caroline El-Chaar this
week by phone at (613) 698-5345 or by email at:
stelias_soccertourney@hotmail.com.
ü
Birthday Cards for ‘Shane’
There is a young boy turning 8 years old in
May, his name is Shane and he has cancer and has been in and out of the CHEO
for more than a year. He is asking for enough birthday cards to break the world
record. There is a box in the Vestibule for anybody who would like to submit a
birthday card that will be delivered to Shane. There is a small poster on the
bulletin board in the basement as well as in the Church School entrance for
more information.
ü Church Beautification
“Blessed are those who love the beauty of Thy House, O Lord”
Our Iconographer may unfortunately
be retiring in the near future and we are looking to finish (while we still
can) the empty areas over the Altar and over the Choir Loft with a beautiful
new set of icons. Some icons are already donated by some parishioners and they
will be delivered and installed in the near future. Other icons left for
selection are: Thomas Sunday; The Mystical/Last Supper; The Holy Hymnographers;
Myrrh Bearers at the Tomb; Christ appearing at Tiberias; Christ appearing at
Emmaus and the Breaking of the Bread; and many more! If you are
interested in donating any icons, please contact Fr. Ghattas in the office or
speak to him after the Divine Liturgy.
ü
“Al-Orthodoxiya Internet Radio Station” (www.orthodoxiya.org)
Visit the
above website and listen to the new ‘Arabic’ Orthodox Internet Radio Station
playing Orthodox Hymns and presentations almost 24 hours a day! Also, we would
like to remind you about “Ancient Faith Radio” (www.ancientfaithradio.com)
which plays 24 hours a day Orthodox Hymns in many languages, along with
interviews and presentations in ‘English’. For Arabic Satellite TV, we can
recommend watching “Tele Lumiere” & “Nour-Sat” where you will find full
Christian programming with correct teaching, including various Orthodox
presentations like recorded Divine Liturgies & Sermons from Lebanon or
Byzantine Choir Concerts, etc. There are other Arabic “Christian” channels
which are teaching a false Christianity and should be watched out for. Any
program that teaches against the Church and it’s beliefs and traditions should
not be viewed or supported in any way.
Food
For Hungry People Program (Lenten
Home-Work)
* Donation Box *
In
the Vestibule, there are enough ‘Food for Hungry People’ donation boxes
for all the families of our Church, please take one with you today and return
it after Pascha (Easter), with
whatever donations you collect during the Fast. These donations are anonymous
and will be sent in total to the Archdiocese once they are returned.
Sunday,
February 25th 2007
Monday,
February 26th 2007
Tuesday, February27th
2007
Wednesday, February 28th
2007
Thursday, March 1st
2007
Friday, March 2nd
2007
Saturday, March 3rd
2007
+ St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral +
(2975 Riverside Drive – Ottawa)
Cathedral Office: 700 Ridgewood Ave
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1V 6N1
Telephone: (613) 738-2222, Fax: (613) 737-4392
Email: info@steliascathedral.com, Website:
www.steliascathedral.com
The Rt. Rev. Bishop ALEXANDER
Bishop of Ottawa, Eastern
Canada and Upstate New York
The Very Rev. Father Ghattas Hajal – Dean
Rev. Father Mark Arsenios Wyatt – Assistant Priest
The Very
Rev. Father Daniel Matheson – Emeritus