APOLYTIKION
OF SAINT NECTARIOS
The offspring of Silyvria*
and the guardian of Aegina* the true friend of virtue who appeared in the
last years. O Nectarios* we faithful honor you* as a godly servant of
Christ, * for you pour forth healing* of every kind for those who piously
cry out. * Glory to Christ who has glorified you; * Glory to Him who has
shown wonders in you; * Glory to Him who works healing through you for
all.
ΑΠΟΛΥΤΙΚΙΟΝ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΝΕΚΤΑΡΙΟΥ
Σηλυβρίας
τὸν γόνον
καὶ Αἰγίνης
τὸν ἔφορον,
τὸν ἐσχάτοις
χρόνοις
φανέντα ἀρετῆς φίλον γνήσιον,
Νεκτάριον
τιμήσωμεν
πιστοί, ὡς ἔνθεον
θεράποντα
Χριστοῦ. Ἀναβλύζει
γὰρ ἰάσεις
παντοδαπὰς
τοῖς εὐλαβῶς
κραυγάζουσι :
Δόξα τῷ
σὲ δοξάσαντι
Χριστῷ, δόξα τῷ
σὲ θαυμαστώσαντι,
δόξα τῷ
ἐνεργούντι
διὰ σοῦ
πᾶσιν ἰάματα.
Sunday of the veneration of
the holy cross
Introduction
On the Third Sunday of Great and Holy Lent,
the Orthodox Church commemorates the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Services include a special veneration
of the Cross, which prepares the faithful for the commemoration of the
Crucifixion during Holy Week.
Historical Background
The
commemoration and ceremonies of the Third Sunday of Lent are closely
parallel to the feasts of the Veneration of the Cross (September 14) and
the Procession of the Cross (August 1). Not only does the Sunday of the
Holy Cross prepare us for commemoration of the Crucifixion, but it also
reminds us that the whole of Lent is a period when we are crucified with
Christ.
As we have
“crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24), and
will have mortified ourselves during these forty days of the Fast, the
precious and life-giving Cross is now placed before us to refresh our
souls and encourage us who may be filled with a sense of bitterness,
resentment, and depression. The Cross reminds us of the Passion of our
Lord, and by presenting to us His example, it encourages us to follow Him
in struggle and sacrifice, being refreshed, assured, and comforted. In
other words, we must experience what the Lord experienced during His
Passion - being humiliated in a shameful manner. The Cross teaches us
that through pain and suffering we shall see the fulfillment of our
hopes: the heavenly inheritance and eternal glory.
As they who
walk on a long and hard way and are bowed down by fatigue find great
relief and strengthening under the cool shade of a leafy tree, so do we
find comfort, refreshment, and rejuvenation under the Life-giving Cross,
which our Fathers “planted” on this Sunday. Thus, we are fortified and
enabled to continue our Lenten journey with a light step, rested and
encouraged.
As they who
walk on a long and hard way and are bowed down by fatigue find great
relief and strengthening under the cool shade of a leafy tree, so do we
find comfort, refreshment, and rejuvenation under the Life-giving Cross,
which our Fathers “planted” on this Sunday. Thus, we are fortified and
enabled to continue our Lenten journey with a light step, rested and
encouraged.
Or, as before
the arrival of the king, his royal standards, trophies, and emblems of
victory come in procession and then the king himself appears in a
triumphant parade, jubilant and rejoicing in his victory and filling
those under him with joy, so does the Feast of the Cross precede the
coming of our King, Jesus Christ. It warns us that He is about to
proclaim His victory over death and appear to us in the glory of the
Resurrection. His Life-Giving Cross is His royal scepter, and by
venerating it we are filled with joy, rendering Him glory. Therefore, we
become ready to welcome our King, who shall manifestly triumph over the
powers of darkness.
The present
feast has been placed in the middle of Great Lent for another reason. The
Fast can be likened to the spring of Marah whose waters the children of
Israel encountered in the wilderness. This water was undrinkable due to
its bitterness but became sweet when the Holy Prophet Moses dipped the
wood into its depth. Likewise, the wood of the Cross sweetens the days of
the Fast, which are bitter and often grievous because of our tears. Yet
Christ comforts us during our course through the desert of the Fast,
guiding and leading us by His hand to the spiritual Jerusalem on high by
the power of His Resurrection.
Moreover, as
the Holy Cross is called the Tree of Life, it is placed in the middle of
the Fast, as the ancient tree of life was placed in the middle of the
garden of Eden. By this, our Holy Fathers wished to remind us of Adam’s
gluttony as well as the fact that through this Tree has condemnation been
abolished. Therefore, if we bind ourselves to the Holy Cross, we shall
never encounter death but shall inherit life eternal
Special Announcement:
·
If
someone wants to sponsor the coffee hour, there is a sign-up sheet in the
Hall. Please write legibly your name next to the date you want to sponsor
·
We
need oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) for the Church, please donate.
·
Please
notify us if someone in the member of the family or yourself is sick, so
that we may offer healing prayer.
·
We would like to invite all ladies of our church to join Saint
Nectarios Philoptochos Society. All ladies 18 years and older are asked to
join. We will be meeting every other month on the last Sunday
of the month. The executive board will meet the alternating month after
church on the last Sunday of the month. All
meetings will be after coffee time in the last modular building on the
left or Learning Center. Girls of younger than 18 years
and husband of a member can join as Associate member but no voting
privilege. There is a $50-member signup fee.
|