St. George Russian Or thodox Church
Russian Or thodox Church Outside Russia
The Sundays of Great Lent, Their
Significance and Basic Rubrics
Continued from last month's issue:
On the fourth Sunday of Great
Lent St. John of the Ladder is com-
memorated, the author of the classic
ascetic text, The Ladder, in which he
indicates a ladder, or succession of
virtues which lead us up to the Throne
of God. On Thursday of the fifth
week at Matins, the Great Canon of
St. Andrew of Crete is read, along
with the reading of the life of St.
Mary of Egypt. The commemoration
of the life of St. Mary of Egypt, who
formerly had been a great sinner, is
intended to serve as an example of
true repentance for all and convince
us of the ineffable compassion of
God. On Saturday of the fifth week
(Matins on Friday evening) we cele-
brate the "Laudation of the The-
otokos," which consists of the reading
of the Akathist to the Theotokos.
This service was initiated in Greece in
gratitude to the Theotokos for her
numerous deliverances of Constan-
tinople from its enemies. The Akathist
is read here for the confirmation of
the faithful in their reliance upon the
heavenly Mediatress, Who, delivering
us from visible enemies, is even more
an aid to us in our battle with invisible
enemies.
On the fifth Sunday of Great
Lent we commemorate our holy
Mother Mary of Egypt. As men-
tioned above, the Church finds in her
an image of true repentance and a
source of encouragement for those
engaged in spiritual endeavors, by
virtue of the example of the ineffable
mercy of God shown towards her a
repentant sinner.
The sixth week, which directly
precedes Palm Sunday, is dedicated to
the preparation of those fasting for a
worthy meeting with the Lord and for
the commemoration of the Passion of
the Lord.
On Saturday of the sixth week
the resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus
Christ is commemorated. This day is
termed "Lazarus Saturday." During
Matins the "Troparia on the Blame-
less" are chanted: "Blessed art Thou,
O Lord, teach me Thy statutes..." and
at the Liturgy instead of "Holy God"
we chant "As many as have been bap-
tized into Christ have put on Christ.
Alleluia," for those catechumens who
are baptized according to custom on
this day.
Continued on page 2
CHURCH NEWSLETTER VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
MARCH 2010
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EORGE
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USSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
www.stgeorgeroc.org
IMPORTANT DATES TO
REMEMBER:
MARCH 5 & 24
6:00 pm
Presanctified Liturgy
MARCH 12
Scrapbooking:
See Page 4 for more information
MARCH 17:
6:30 pm
Great Canon of St.
Andrew/Life of St. Mary of Egypt
MARCH 19:
6:30 pm
Akathist Hymn
MARCH 26 & 27
Lazarus Saturday:
6:30 pm Matins
9:00 am Divine Liturgy
MARCH 27 & 28
Palm Sunday:
6:00 pm Vigil
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
Bridegroom Matins after lunch
MARCH 29
Holy Monday:
6:30 pm Bridegroom Matins
MARCH 30
Holy Tuesday:
6:30 pm Bridegroom Matins
MARCH 31
Holy Wednesday:
6:30 pm Matins
A LOOK AHEAD:
See separate Holy Week schedule
Continued from page 1
The sixth Sunday of Great Lent
is one of the twelve great feasts, in
which we celebrate the solemn Entry
of the Lord into Jerusalem for His
voluntary Passion. This feast is also
termed Palm Sunday. After the read-
ing of the Gospel at the All-night
Vigil, we do not chant "Having seen
the Resurrection of Christ," but the
50th Psalm is read immediately, and
after being sanctified with prayer and
holy water, bundles of palms, flowers,
and (in the Russian Church) pussy
willows, are distributed to the faithful,
who then remain standing until the
end of the service holding these bun-
dles with lit candles as a sign of the
victory of life over death.
At Vespers on Palm Sunday the
dismissal begins with the words, "May
Christ our true God Who for our sal-
vation went to His voluntary Pas-
sion,..."
~From The Law of God
A Map of Holy Week
"Six days before the passo-
ver..." Jesus came to Bethany.
(John 12:1) We commence our
celebration of the most significant
events in history with Lazarus Sat-
urday. We commemorate every
event that occurred in the Lord's
last days on this earth on the same
day that it actually occurred.
Jesus had been given hospital-
ity in the home of Lazarus and his
sisters, Mary and Martha in Beth-
any many times. The sisters of
Lazarus sent word to the Lord that
their brother was dying. After two
days, Jesus told His disciples, "Our
friend Lazarus sleepeth." Then He
told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead."
As they arrived, Martha went
out and met Jesus and said, "Lord,
if Thou hadst been here, my
brother had not died." He consoled
Martha with the words of salvation,
and she responded, "I know that he
shall rise again in the resurrection
at the last day." And Jesus an-
swered her, "I am the resurrection
and the life: he that believeth in me,
though he were dead, yet shall he
live." Martha embraced these
words and said, "Yea, Lord: I be-
lieve that Thou art the Christ, the
Son of God, which should come
into the world." And she called
Mary her sister secretly, for their
house was full of grieving Jews,
friends of Lazarus. They followed
Mary. When Jesus saw Mary
weeping, He also wept, showing
His human nature, then having
been taken to Lazarus's tomb, and
the stone rolled away, He prayed,
and said in a loud voice, "Lazarus,
come forth!" He, who had been
dead four days, and who they
feared "stinketh" i.e. decomposed.
Lazarus came forth bound with
graveclothes, which the Lord told
them to loose.
That evening (six days before
the Passover) Jesus was again a
guest of Martha and Mary, and
Lazarus. "Much people of the Jews
therefore knew that he was there:
and they came not for Jesus' sake
only, but that they might see Laza-
rus also, whom He had raised from
the dead." (John 12:9)
Palm Sunday
"On the next day much people
that were come to the feast, when
they heard that Jesus was coming
to Jerusalem, took branches of
palm trees, and went forth to meet
Him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed
is the King of Israel that cometh in
the name of the Lord." (John
12:12, 13)
Jesus came, humbly, riding on
the back of a donkey; in contrast to
the jubilant cheering of the crowd,
recognizing not just Jesus' arrival to
Jerusalem, but spiritually, the ad-
vent of their long-awaited Messiah.
Holy Monday (the service is
the evening before) we serve the
"Bridegroom Service," called this
because of the hymn we sing, "Be-
hold, the Bridegroom cometh at
midnight..." recalling the Lord's
parable about the ten virgins, five
wise and five foolish, which is an
image of us, waiting for our salva-
tion.
Also, the Holy Church com-
memorates the Righteous Joseph,
who was sold into slavery by his
envious brothers, and was won-
drously united with them years
later, as we read in the very touch-
ing account in the latter chapters of
Genesis.
Holy Tuesday (service is Mon-
day evening) we serve the Bride-
groom service, also referring to the
parable of the Talents, which
comes immediately after the par-
able of the ten virgins. We are be-
ing reminded to think about our
judgment.
Continued on page 3
CHURCH NEWSLETTER VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
MARCH 2010
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USSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
www.stgeorgeroc.org
Behold the bridegroom comes at
midnight, and blessed is the servant
whom he shall find watching; and
again, unworthy is the servant
whom He shall find heedless.
Beware, therefore, O my soul, do
not be weighed down with sleep, lest
you be given over to death, and lest
you be shut out of the Kingdom.
But rouse yourself, crying: "Holy!
Holy! Holy! art Thou, O our God.
Through the Theotokos
have mercy on us!"
~From Bridegroom Matins
The Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian
O Lord and Master of my life, a
spirit of idleness, despondency, ambi-
tion, and idle talking give me not.
But rather a spirit of chastity,
humble-mindedness, patience, and
love bestow upon me Thy servant.
Yea, O Lord King, grant me to
see my failings and not condemn my
brother; for blessed art Thou unto the
ages of ages. Amen.
Continued from page 2
Holy Wednesday (service
Tuesday evening) we commemo-
rate the woman who anointed
Christ's feet with her tears as he
dined with Simon the publican and
Mary's anointing of the Lord with
very costly spikenard, as a fore-
shadowing of His imminent burial.
This incident incited Judas Iscariot
to accuse this Mary of wasting re-
sources. The Lord reminded him
that "...the poor always ye have
with you; but me ye have not al-
ways."
Holy Thursday four events are
celebrated: the washing of the dis-
ciples' feet, the institution of the
Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper,
the agony in the garden of
Gethsemane, and the betrayal of
Christ by Judas. There is a Liturgy
on this day (commemorating the
first Liturgy) and we sing the com-
munion hymn:
"Of Thy mystical supper, O Son
of God, Accept me today as a
communicant: For I will not speak
of Thy mystery to Thine enemies;
Nor will I give Thee a kiss as did
Judas; But like the thief do I con-
fess Thee: Remember me, O Lord,
when Thou comest in Thy King-
dom."
Thursday evening we read the
Twelve Gospels. These all relate
to the events of the Lord's Passion,
and the Lord's discourses explain-
ing to the disciples what was to
come. It is a tradition to hold a
candle during the reading of the
twelve Gospels, and to carefully
bring this flame home and light
your home vigil lamp with the
flame, and some mark the `lintels of
their doorways' with the sign of the
cross.
Holy Friday is the strictest fast
day of the year, as this day we
commemorate the most dreadful
event: when God's chosen people
rejected their Creator. The sun was
darkened, the veil of the temple
was rent in twain from the top to
the bottom; and the earth did
quake, and the rocks rent; and the
graves were opened; and many
bodies of the saints arose, and
came out of the graves after His
resurrection, and went into the holy
city and appeared unto many."
(Matt 27:51-53)
Friday morning the Royal
Hours are read, each of which in-
cludes an Old Testament prophecy,
an epistle reading, and a Gospel
reading.
Friday afternoon (1:00 PM)
Holy Friday Vespers are served,
during which the Plashinitsa (a rep-
resentation of Christ lying in the
tomb) is brought out and set before
the crucifix in the center of the
Church. We don't partake of any
food until after we venerate the
Plaschinitsa.
Friday evening (6:30 PM) is the
service of the Lamentations; very
touching laments of the Mother of
God at Her Son's burial. It is also
called "The Funeral of the Lord."
At the end of the service, we
make a procession once around
the church, chanting, "Holy God,
Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have
mercy on us." in the funeral chant,
although it is not a funeral at all, as
the Lord's soul descends to hades,
not as a captive, but as the Re-
deemer, taking the hands of Adam
and Eve, and all the righteous
ones, and delivering them from
captivity and bringing them to
Paradise.
And so begins Holy Saturday,
the theme of which is the Savior's
Descent into Hades. Holy Satur-
day Liturgy (begins at 9:30 AM)
actually a Vesperal Liturgy, includes
15 Prophecies of our Lord's Com-
ing and His Saving Redemption.
After this, there is a blessing of
wine and loaves, which originally
was sustenance until the midnight
Paschal service.
At Saint George we will bless
Pascha Baskets at this time.
Around 9:00 PM we read the
Acts of the Apostles in the middle
of the Church. We take turns read-
ing from beginning to end of the
Acts. With all the preparation lead-
ing up to this, the Acts of the Apos-
tles becomes alive and exciting, as
we anticipate the coming bright
Pascha.
Around 11:30 PM the Church is
darkened as we begin the Midnight
Office, during which the
Plaschinitsa is brought into the altar
and the icon of the Resurrection is
readied for the midnight proces-
sion.
We start the singing in the al-
tar: "Angels in the Heavens, O
Christ our Saviour, hymn Thy Res-
urrection, grant us also who are on
earth, with pure hearts to glorify
Thee." First quietly, then louder,
then in full voice, during which the
congregation joins in the singing
and we make a procession around
the Church three times.
Thus begins the Pascha serv-
ice, which is indescribable, be-
cause God's grace is so abundantly
poured out on us, there is an an-
gelic, heavenly nature to this ex-
ceedingly radiant and joyous serv-
ice. This what the Lord spoke of
when He said, "Your heart shall
rejoice, and your joy no man taketh
from you." (John 16:22)
~ Fr. Paul Bassett
CHURCH NEWSLETTER VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
MARCH 2010
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G
EORGE
R
USSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
www.stgeorgeroc.org
Treasurer's report
RUSSIAN WINTER'S NIGHT 2010
Gift Match:
$ 25,000
Tables:
$ 11,150
Auction:
$ 9,347
Donations:
$ 4,100
Raffle:
$ 3,115
Total Income:
$ 52,712
Caterer:
$ 7,243
Invitations:
$ 804
Peterloon:
$ 650
Valet:
$ 650
Alcohol:
$ 596
Advertising:
$ 320
C.C. Account
$ 200
Miscellany
$ 165
Total Expenses:
$ 10,628
Net Income:
$ 42,084
Obviously, the evening was a great
success. Special thanks to Larissa Sander,
who organized and promoted the event;
Cathy Koesters, the linchpin of our raffle
and auction efforts; Kurt Sander, who
produced the compelling video we
watched prior to the auction; and Sergi
Kaminsky, who generously offered to
match any and all donations made after
the auction. Without their efforts, our
parish would be diminished.
God be with you,
~Keith (Nikifor) Hartzler, Treasurer
Parish Upcoming
Events...
Scrapbooking:
Inviting all scrapbookers to bring
your pictures and supplies for a fun
evening at the church on Friday,
March 12th from 6:00-9:00 pm.
HOLY WEEK and PASCHA:
Please see the calendar and the
separate Holy Week and Pascha
schedule for all service times.
CHURCH NEWSLETTER VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
MARCH 2010
S
T
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G
EORGE
R
USSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
www.stgeorgeroc.org
Any changes or additions to
the newsletter
Give to Fr. Pavel or
Mat. Bethany by March 20, 2010
St. George Russian
Orthodox Church
(513) 791-6540
www.stgeorgeroc.org
Buy a Brick &
Build the New Church
We plan to make a brick pathway
around the new church. These
bricks will have the names of
people that we want others to
pray for engraved in them. So as
people walk around the church now,
or in 100 years, there will be the
names of our loved ones that the
pious will pray for. The bricks cost
$90 for a 4"x8" brick, or $165 for
a 8"x8" brick. The smaller brick has
room for 3 lines of text. The larger
brick has 6 lines. Each line can have
a maximum of 14 letters or
numbers. All of the money from the
sale of these bricks will be used to
build the church. To buy a brick, fill
out one of the forms in the church
or on-line and turn them and the
money in to Tanya Myers or
Martha Baier. It's a wonderful way
to remember your loved ones and
do a good work at the same time!
Sunday Lunch Schedule
March 7 T. Myers/R. Kanaris (Fast)
March 14 Pinkerton/Smirnova(Fast)
March 21 Tsilbulsky/Sweeney (Fast)
March 28 POTLUCK/FEAST (Fish)
Building Project Report:
God has blessed us with exciting progress since the last report. The first news was
the wonderful donation of $100,000 to our building fund. God bless that donor!
Then our architect started collaborating with the construction company that had
the lowest bid. They have found ways to bring the building within our budget.
The last bid was for $1,150,000. This is only $50,000 over our budget. We have
made a few minor adjustments to the design, and are waiting to hear if we are
now within our budget. Then we had the amazingly successful Russian Winter's
Night that raised over $40,000. All of that means that we will only need to borrow
about $600,000 in order to start building. That is $150,000 less than we originally
planned to borrow! Keith Hartzler has been working furiously on finding financ-
ing for us. Other committee members and parishioners are working hard on other
ways to raise money. So please remember to pray for the building project and all
of those who work on it.
~Marianna Friesel