Hymns of the Day
O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance;
Granting to thy people victory over all their enemies;
and by the power of Thy Cross,
preserve Thy commonwealth.
Do Thou, who of thine own good will wast lifted up upon the Cross, O Christ our God, bestow thy bounties upon the new nation which is called by thy name. Make glad in thy might those who lawfully govern, that with them we may be led to victory over our adversaries, having in thine aid a weapon of peace and a trophy invincible.
O foremost in the ranks of Apostles,and teachers of the world, Peter and Paul, intercede with the Master of all to grant safety to the world,and to our souls the Great Mercy.
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Epistle Reading
The Reading is from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 1:18-24
BRETHREN, the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Gospel Reading
The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross
The Reading is from John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30
At that time, when the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God.”
When Pilate heard these words, he was the more afraid; he entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore he who delivered me to you has the greater sin.” When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King!” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.
But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. Then when Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished”; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Saints and Feasts
According to the ancient tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was born of barren and aged parents, Joachim and Anna, about the year 16 or 17 before the birth of Christ. Joachim was descended from the royal line of David, of the tribe of Judah. Anna was of the priestly tribe of Levi, a daughter of the priest Matthan and Mary, his wife.
Saint Cornelius was a Roman by race, a pagan by religion, a centurion in rank, an inhabitant of Caesarea of Palestine, a man pious and God-fearing who gave many alms to the people and prayed continually unto God. In accordance with an angelic vision granted to him, he sent to Joppa that they might bring the Apostle Peter. Saint Peter catechized him in the Faith of Christ and baptized all his household (Acts, ch.10). This became the beginning and the first fruits of the calling of the nations. It is said that, after this, he became a bishop, as some say, of Caesarea; but others say of Scepsis, which is not far from Troas; and that he died as a martyr.
Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered. The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole. Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, “Lord have mercy.” It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.
Rest from labor. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.
Wisdom of the Fathers
Antiochian Archdiocese News
International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) remind us that with the new school year, Syrian refugee students are in need of supplies and hygeine items. The notebooks and pencils in the IOCC School Kits provide tools needed to continue learning, while the items in the Hygiene Kits help children maintain their health and dignity. The following IOCC-sponsored kits are offered:
SCHOOL KITS — Imagine going to school without pencil and paper. Children in many of the countries where IOCC works don’t have even the most basic of these school supplies. By putting together a School Kit, you can give a less fortunate child the tools needed to succeed in school.
HYGIENE KITS —Basic items like a bar of soap, wash cloth, comb, and bandaids may seem small, but putting them all together in a Hygiene Kit can make an instant difference in an ongoing development program or when disaster strikes.
BABY KITS — The very young are also the most vulnerable during difficult times. A Baby Kit filled with essential items like diapers, washcloths and blankets can make the early days of new life healthier and more comfortable.
EMERGENCY CLEAN-UP BUCKET — Put together an Emergency Clean-Up Bucket to help people begin the overwhelming job of cleaning up after a flood, hurricane, tornados, or other disaster here in the United States.
Visit the IOCC’s Website for further instructions about their Kits.
Deadline for House of Studies Registration Nears
Archdeacon Peter Boulukos of the Antiochian House of Studies has been interviewed by Ancient Faith Radio in advance of the approaching 2014 deadline for new students to apply for the next round of programs.
Listen to Archdeacon Peter speak about the St. Stephen’s course and the programs of the House of Studies here.
Learn more about the school, based at Antiochian Village, here.
With affordable tuition and flexible scheduling, the House of Studies offers students, parents, or full-time professionals the ability to pursue an Orthodox theological education.
Bulletin Contents
Ss. Peter and Paul Church
General Information
Phone:
( 8 2 8 ) 7 7 3 – 5 4 8 8
Email:
r e d b e a r d e – “at” – g m a i l .c o m
Web:
Boone, NC 28607
Contact Information
Services Schedule
Schedule of Services:
Saturday, Great Vespers, 5:30 pm
Sunday, Reader’s Typica Service or The Divine Liturgy, 10:00 am
Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m.: Vespers and class
– Holy Days as Announced
Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church 