1. Art and Diseño

Weekly Bulletin
Orthodox Church
of the Annunciation
“The Sunday of the
Pharisee and Publican
Troparion of the Resurrection,
Tone 1
When the stone had been sealed
by the Jews; while the soldiers
were guarding Thy most pure
Body; Thou didst rise on the
third day, O Savior, granting
life to the world. The powers of
heaven therefore cried to Thee,
O Giver of Life: Glory to Thy
Resurrection, O Christ! Glory
to Thy Kingdom! Glory to Thy
dispensation, O Thou who
lovest mankind.
Troparion of the Annunciation, Tone 4
Today is the beginning of our
salvation, the revelation of the
eternal mystery! the Son of
God becomes the Son of the
Virgin as Gabriel announces the
coming of Grace. Together
with him let us cry to the Theotokos: Rejoice, O Full of
Grace, the Lord is with you.
Kontakion of Pharisee and the
Publican, Tone 8
Let us flee from the pride of the
Pharisee and learn humility
from the Publican’s tears. Let
us cry to our Savior: Have
mercy on us, O only-merciful
One.
The 33rd Sunday after Pentecost,
February 1st, Tone 1; Luke 18:10-14
Pharisee and Publican: This Sunday, in the liturgical calendar, is called the
“Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican”. The Church, in order to exhort us to
true repentance, sets before us the scene of two men who go to the Temple to
pray, and of whom one is justified on account of his humility and his sincere
contrition. The parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Lu. 18:10-14) that is
read at the Liturgy is, if one may dare to say so, the most dangerous of all the
parables. For we are so accustomed to condemn Phariseeism that here we seem
to say: “At least, despite all my sins, I am no Pharisee. I am no hypocrite”.
We forget that the prayer of the Pharisee is not wholly bad. The Pharisee states
that he fasts, that he gives tithes, that he is free of the grosser sins; and that is all
true. Moreover, the Pharisee does not take the credit for his good actions; he
recognizes that they come from God, and he gives thanks to God. There are
two ways in which the prayer of the Pharisee errs: it lacks repentance and humility. He does not seem aware of the shortcomings — perhaps, excusable
ones— of which he, like all men, is guilty; and, what is more, he compares himself to the publican with a certain pride, a certain disdain...Let us now look
more closely at the publican. He does not dare to lift up his eyes; he smites his
breast; he implores God to have mercy on him, for he realizes that he is a sinner...Is the publican justified simply because he confesses his sin and stands
humbly before God? In his case, there is something more. The heart of the
publican’s prayer is an appeal, filled with trust, to the goodness and tenderness
of God. “God be merciful to me a sinner”, he says. These first words, “God be
merciful” echo the opening words of Ps. 51, which is essentially the psalm of
penitence: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions”. The
fact that Jesus chooses to place these words in the mouth of the publican and so
to make them the model of our prayers of repentance, throws great light on the
soul of the Savior, and on what he intends. What Jesus asks of a penitent sinner
(and so, of each one of us), is above all this abandon, this absolute trust in the
tender mercy and the favor of God
(taken from, the Year of Grace of the Lord, by an Eastern Monk)
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Announcements and
Activities
Great Vespers for the Meeting of the Lord– tonight, at 6PM
Divine Liturgy of the Feast—Monday, at 8AM.
Great Vespers—Saturday, at 5:30PM
Matins—Sunday, at 8:30AM..
Church School/Adult Education—Sunday, February 15th, at 9AM.
Divine Liturgy– Sunday, at 10AM
Coffee Hour— This week’s coffee hour is being
sponsored by Mike Meko. Next Week’s coffee
hour will be sponsored by Helen Manolas.
Annual Meeting—took place last Sunday. We
received and accepted reports. John Truman was
elected to the position of VP of council for a year
and to parish council for two years. Treasurer
Sunday Ballas was re-elected for a two year term
on council, as was Charles Ankner. Congratulations! We viewed a slide show presentation on the
theme of The Wonder of Life and accepted the
proposed budget. The meeting was well received.
Pledge Cards— Our Treasurer, Sunday Ballas,
distributed the 2015 pledge cards. They were supposed to be in by last week.
Fast Free Week– the Pharisee and Publican week.
No fasting on Wednesday and Friday of this week.
Please pray for…
Hierarch Nikolai (Soraich)—who is battling
cancer. Wounded soldier Cody, the son of Brian
and Kerri Richey. Cody is doing very well and
challenging himself in ever-new physical feats.
Natasha—prayer request for a person in need.
Tina—a person in need of our prayers. Janie,
who has been battling health issues. Dan Callaway—health problems. Sarah—the sister of John
Deak, who is battling cancer. Tracy, Robin, and
Michelle– friends of Lana, who are battling cancer
and health issues. Salina– the daughter of Lana’s
work associate, who suffered a head injury and is
having seizures.
Ronald—Matushka’s father
who reposed. Natasha—Olga’s friend, health
issues. Emily – Jesse’s sister, who is suffering.
Tsige—and Gobezie Goshu Home. Mike Lynne—
Joan M. request. Departed infant Nicholas. Steve
Fetzko—back problems. Nicholas and Anthony-foster boys and their new home. Reposed
Abbot George.
Reposed Met. Vladimir.
Heather, who hasn’t been feeling well. Lana’s
friends David—who reposed, Raymond and
Helen, who also reposed recently. Natalie—
Olga’s friend. Madeline—Jean Dusonblon’s sister,
reposed this week. John Deak’s general health.
Joanna, had a healthy baby girl (7lbs) by Csection and is recovering. Mary Serguik’s daughter. Lana’s friend, Robin—reposed. Sunday’s
brother, Joe, ill. Doreen and Jessica– Loren’s
sister and niece.
Constantinos—reposed .
Hieroshemamonk Athansios– Reposed
From the Lives of the Saints…The Martyr Tryphon…
was born in Phrygia, one of the districts of Asia Minor, in the village of Lampsacus. From his early years the Lord granted him the power to cast out demons
and to heal various maladies. He once saved the inhabitants of his native city
from starvation. St Tryphon, by the power of his prayer, turned back a plague of
locusts that were devouring the grain and devastating the fields. St Tryphon
gained particular fame by casting out an evil spirit from the daughter of the Roman emperor Gordian (238-244). Helping everyone in distress, he asked only
one thing from them: faith in Jesus Christ, by Whose grace he healed them.
When the emperor Decius (249-251) assumed the imperial throne, he began a
fierce persecution of Christians. Someone reported to the commander Aquilinus
that St Tryphon was boldly preaching faith in Christ, and that he led many to
Baptism. The saint was arrested and subjected to interrogation, during which he
fearlessly confessed his faith. He was subjected to harsh tortures: they beat him
with clubs, raked his body with iron hooks, they scorched his flesh with fire, and
led him through the city, after iron nails were hammered into his feet. St Tryphon bravely endured all the torments without complaint. Finally, he was condemned to beheading with a sword. The holy martyr prayed before his execution, thanking God for strengthening him in his sufferings. He also asked the
Lord to bless those who should call upon his name for help. Just as the soldiers
raised the sword over the head of the holy martyr, he surrendered his soul into
the hands of God. This event occurred in the city of Nicea in the year 250. Christians wrapped the holy body of the martyr in a clean shroud and wanted to bury
him in the city of Nicea, where he suffered, but St Tryphon in a vision commanded them to take his body to his native land to the village of Lampsada.
Later on, the relics of St Tryphon were transferred to Constantinople, and then to
Rome.
In Russia, St Tryphon is regarded as the patron saint of birds. There is a story
that when Tsar Ivan the Terrible was out hunting, his falconer carelessly allowed
the Tsar’s favorite falcon to fly away. The Tsar ordered the falconer Tryphon
Patrikeiev to find the bird within three days, or else he would be put to death.
Tryphon searched all through the forest, but without luck. On the third day, exhausted by long searching, he returned to Moscow to the place called Marinaya
Grove. Overcome with weariness, he lay down to rest, fervently praying to his
patron saint, the Martyr Tryphon, for help. In a dream he saw a youth on a white
horse, holding the Tsar’s falcon on his hand. The youth said, “Take the lost bird,
go to the Tsar and do not grieve.” When he awakened, the falconer actually spotted the falcon on a pine tree. He took it to the Tsar and told him about the miraculous help he received from the holy Martyr Tryphon. Grateful to St Tryphon
for saving his life, Tryphon Patrikeiev built a chapel on the spot where the saint
appeared. Later on, he also built a church dedicated to the holy Martyr Tryphon
in Moscow.
The holy martyr is greatly venerated in the Russian Orthodox Church as the
heavenly protector of Moscow. Many Russian icons depict the saint holding a
falcon on his arm.
Taken from the OCA Website, Lives of Saints
“There do not exist many or few, nor small or great problems. The only problem is the absence of Christ from
our lives” (From the life and teachings of Elder Epiphanios Theodoropoulos)