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Great and Holy Thursday
Great and Holy Thursday

THURSDAY: The Last Supper Two events shape the liturgy of Great and Holy Thursday: the Last Supper of Christ with His disciples, and the betrayal of Judas. The meaning of both is in love. The Last Supper is the ultimate revelation of God’s redeeming love for man, of love as the very essence…

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Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop in Persia, and those with him
Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop in Persia, and those with him

The Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop of Persia, suffered during a persecution against Christians under the Persian emperor Sapor II (310-381). They accused the saint of collaborating with the Roman Empire and of subversive activities against the Persian emperor. In the year 344, the emperor issued an…

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Saint Akakios, Bishop of Melitēnḗ

Saint Akakios was born into a pious family in the Armenian city of Melitēnḗ. His parents had been childless for a long time. They had prayed for a son, and vowed to dedicate him to God. Therefore, Akakios was given to Bishop Oustrykhios1 of Melitēnḗ (November 7) to serve the Church. Saint…

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Venerable Zosimas, Abbot of Solovki
Venerable Zosimas, Abbot of Solovki

Saint Zosimas, the Igumen of Solovki and great luminary of the Russian North, was the founder of cenobitic monasticism on Solovki Island. He was born in the Novgorod diocese, in the village of Tolvui near Lake Onega. From his early years he was raised in piety, and after the death of his parents…

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Uncovering of the relics of Venerable Alexander, Abbot of Svir
Uncovering of the relics of Venerable Alexander, Abbot of Svir

Saint Alexander of Svir died on August 30, 1533. His incorrupt relics were uncovered in 1641 during the reconstruction of the Transfiguration cathedral. On April 17, 1641, the relics of Saint Alexander of Svir were found and examined. The discovery was accompanied by special signs; on April 15 and…

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Martyr Adrian of Corinth

The Holy Martyr Adrian suffered during the time of the reign of the emperor Decius (249-251). Like many other Christians at that time, Saint Adrian was locked up in prison. During a pagan festival they brought out all the Christian prisoners to offer sacrifice to the idols. They ordered Saint…

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Saint Agapitus, Pope of Rome
Saint Agapitus, Pope of Rome

Saint Agapitus, Bishop of Rome, was a zealous adherent of Orthodoxy. By his pious life he won the general esteem and was elevated to the See of Rome in the year 535. The Gothic king Theodoric the Great sent Agapitus to Constantinople for peace negotiations. Along the way, Saint Agapitus…

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Venerable Makarius of Corinth
Venerable Makarius of Corinth

Saint Makarios was born in Trikala, of Corinth in 1731, to devout parents who were descended from the famous Notaras family of Constantinople. His father’s name was George and his mother’s was Anastasia. In Baptism he received the name Michael. His teacher in Kephalonia was named…

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The Prologue from Ohrid: April 18

1. VENERABLE JOHN, THE DISCIPLE OF SAINT GREGORY DECAPOLIS

At the time of the Iconoclastic heresy, Emperor Leo the Armenian subjected John to torture along with his teacher Gregory and St. Joseph the Hymnographer. When Gregory departed this life, John became the abbot of the Decapolis Monastery in Constantinople. Having become abbot, he intensified his ascetical efforts for the sake of the kingdom of God. He died peacefully about the year 820 A.D. Following his death, St. Joseph buried him with honors next to the grave of St. Gregory.

2. HOLY MARTYR JOHN THE NEW OF IOANNINA

John was born in Ioannina, once the capitol city of the Emperor Pyrrhus. When his impoverished parents died, the young John moved to Constantinople and there continued his occupation, for he was a craftsman. Not long before that, the Turks surrounded Constantinople and many Christians, out of fear, denied Christ and embraced the Islamic faith. St. John had his workshop in the midst of these converts to Islam. The more the young John burned with love for Christ the Lord, the more openly he exposed himself as a Christian before these traitors of Christ. He began to argue with them about faith and, finally, rebuked them for their betrayal of Christ. They dragged him before the judge and falsely accused John, alleging that he had earlier embraced Islam, and that he again reverted to Christianity. After he was tortured and beaten with rods and iron ramrods, they cast him into prison. The next day was the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ and, again, they brought him out for further torture and John emerged singing: "Christ is risen from the dead!" To his torturers, he bravely said: " Do what you want in order to send me as soon as possible from this transient life to eternal life. I am Christ's slave, I follow Christ, for Christ I die that I may live with Him!" After that, John was bound in chains and brought to the place of burning. Upon seeing a large fire prepared for him, John ran and leaped into the flames. His torturers seeing how he loved death in the fire removed him from the fire and sentenced him to be beheaded. After they beheaded him, they threw his head and body into the fire. Later on, Christians leafed through the ashes and gathered some of the remains of his honorable and wonder-working relics and interred them in the Great Church [Agia Sophia - Church of the Holy Wisdom] in Constantinople. Thus, St. John of Ioannina died a martyr's death and received the glorious martyr's wreath on April 18, 1526 A. D.

3. THE HOLY MARTYRS VICTOR, ZOTICUS, ZENO, ACYNDIUS AND SEVERIAN

All five were martyred during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. They were pagans until they witnessed the sufferings of St. George the Great Martyr. While witnessing the sufferings and bravery of this glorious martyr and the many miracles, which were manifested, they embraced the Christian Faith for which, in a short while, they too suffered and were crowned with glory.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE HOLY MARTYR JOHN THE NEW

John the Artisan, of honest craft,

His soul was as bright as a lump of gold,

By the teaching of Christ, wonderfully illumined,

And he prays to God: to wed him with suffering,

Oh Victorious Christ, Who for me was crucified,

From sinful darkness, cleanse me by suffering!

The shameful glory of a traitor, Oh do not give me,

But wed me with the sufferings of Your sufferers.

Prepare me for sufferings with Your Holy Spirit,

And allow sufferings and, to me direct them,

And You, Mother of God, of infinite mercy

Who, under the Honorable Cross of Your Son stood,

Pray for me at the time of my sufferings,

That, as an impregnable wall, I be firm.

Even you, O holy apostles, have mercy,

That the devil of the human race not prevail against me

Martyrs holy, my rejoicing,

Into your ranks, receive me also!

And now, torturers; traitors of God -

Yours is the sword and fire - here is my body!

REFLECTION

In one of the writings of the martyrdom of Christians during the reign of the Persian Emperor Sapor, it is said: "The swords became dull, the sword-bearers fell and the sword-makers fatigued, but the Cross is uplifted even higher and glistened from the blood of Christ's martyrs." How many and how many times did the persecutors of Christians complacently think that they were through with Christianity forever? In essence, their lives have ended while Christianity has always regenerated itself and blossomed anew. Nevertheless, even in addition to that experience, some of our contemporaries think, that the Christian Faith can be uprooted by force. But, they do not say by what means. They forget that all those means have been tried and all without success. With reason Tertullian cried out to the pagans: "In vain do you spill our blood. For the blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christianity."

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the resurrected Lord Jesus:

1. How His resurrection brought unspeakable joy to those who loved Him;

2. How His resurrection brought unspeakable bitterness to those who hated Him;

3. How His last coming [Second Advent] into the world in glory and power will provoke among various people, various feelings; either joy or bitterness.

HOMILY

About the testimony of reliable witnesses

"But we have been eyewitnesses of His mighty glory" (2 Peter 1:16).

When the apostles speak about the glorious resurrection of the Lord, they speak in plurality. For each one of them gives his testimony and the testimony of other companions. Thus, the Apostle Peter writes: "We do not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty " (2 Peter 1:16).

Nathaniel did not want to believe only by hearing. That is why the Apostle Philip invited Nathaniel to "Come and see!" (St. John 1:46). Nathaniel came, saw and believed. So it was with the other apostles, until they approached Christ, until they heard, and until they saw, they did not want to believe. Cleverly devised myths did not attract the apostles. Their healthy natural thoughts sought visual facts and not myths.

O my brethren, our Faith is well established and proved. The trail of God is well blazoned in the world. No one has need to doubt. Christ's resurrection is well witnessed. No one need to despair. Doubt and despair are two worms that are born of fly larva of sin. He who does not sin, clearly sees the blazoned trail of God in the world and clearly recognizes the resurrection of Christ.

O resurrected Lord, strengthen us by the power of Your Holy Spirit so that we sin no more and that we do not become blinded to Your trail in the world and to Your glorious resurrection.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

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Holy Trinity Orthodox Church
369 Green Avenue
East Meadow, New York 11554
516-483-3649


Holy Trinity Orthodox Church
369 Green Avenue, East Meadow, NY 11554
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