Saint Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church - ACROD
Publish Date: 2025-03-23
Bulletin Contents
Announcements
Bulletin Inserts
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Saints and Feasts

Organization Icon
Saint Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church - ACROD

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (732) 254-7155
  • Street Address:

  • 24 Burke Road

  • Freehold, NJ 07728

Contact Information

Parish Administration His Eminence Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa
Diocesan Bishop


Rev. Father Thomas K. Kovalak
Parish Priest - Administrator


Very. Rev. Father Andrew Fetchina
Dean - Emergency Contact


Services Schedule

Sunday 

Hours:              9:00 AM

Divine Liturgy:  9:30 AM

 

Confessions Prior to all Divine Liturgies

Past Bulletins


Announcements

Welcome to St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church - Freehold, NJ

A Mission Parish of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of North America

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

  

Glory to Jesus Christ!  Glory Forever!
   

March 23, 2025

Sunday of the Holy Cross

 

Upcoming Church Schedule:

Sunday March 23, 2025 Reader Service 9:30AM   

Lenten Mission - Moleben to the Cross  3:00PM


 

It’s never too late to participate in the Great Fast!

 

 

“Before Thy Cross we bow down and worship O Master, and Thy Holy Resurrection We Glorify”.

 

*There will be a Reader Service Sunday March 23. Father had foot surgery and is recovering at home.  Please pray for a quick recovery for him.

 

- Sunday 3pm - St Paul's will be hosting our annual Lenten Retreat.  We will host a luncheon following the Moleben to the Cross.  Confessions at 2pm. Please plan to attend! We are greatly edified and encouraged along the journey of Lent by these weekly Church services and opportunities to pray together. 

 

 

 Lenten Food Drive Please remember to donate a non perishable food to the People's Pantry. Our St Paul food drive is going on now and will last for the next three weeks 

 

 Lenten Devotional Book- 

The Diocesan Lenten Devotional Book, "48 Days to the Great Day", is available for each parish family. This book is an invaluable resource for us!  We all need tangible tools to encourage us, strengthen us, and bring us nearer to Christ.  Read the daily entry and journey together as a Church family for this special, holy season.  

 

Please Register Today - 2025 Lenten Retreat
 
Where: Saints Peter & Paul Church - 66 Beach Street, Rockaway, NJ 07866

When: Saturday March 29, 2025 

What Time: (9:00am - 4:00pm) 

•Adult Keynote - Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa

•Teen & Youth Keynote - Father Nathaniel Choma

Cost: Includes Continental Breakfast & Lenten Lunch
Adults: $25.00  
Students (Thru College): $20.00  
Children 6-12: $10.00

•Payment by credit card or a check 

Questions - Rev. Fr. Matthew Stagon Phone: (973) 627-1462
 

 

SPECIAL INTENTIONS:

Please keep in your minds and hearts our parishioners, family, and friends in need of our prayers.  May God grant them peace, health and happiness for many blessed years! 

Please pray for Catechumens and inquirers, for those preparing for Marriage, for Expecting Mothers, for those serving in the Armed Forces and Civil Authorities. 

 

FOR FURTHER THOUGHT:

 

 

Prayer of Repentance of our holy father Basil the Great

  

O Lord almighty, God of angelic hosts and of all flesh:

you dwelll in the highest and care for the humble.

You search the innermost depths of mind and heart,

and clearly discern the hidden things of all people.

You are the Light without beginning, without change or alteration. 

O King immortal, receive our prayers

which we offer before you at this time from our sinful lips,

ever trusting in your great mercy.

Forgive us our sins which we have committed,

both voluntarily and involuntarily.

Cleanse us from every blemish of flesh and spirit.

Grant us to pass through the night of this present life

both courageously and seriously, 

awaiting the bright and manifest day of your only-begotten Son, 

our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.

In that day, He shall come in glory to judge all, 

and will give to each of us the reward due to our actions.

May we not fall into laziness, 

but take courage and be inspired to action.

May we be found ready to enter into the joy

of the divine bridal-chamber of His glory, 

where the voice of those who feast is ceaseless,

and the delight of those who look upon the beauty of your face

cannot be described.

For you are the true Light

which enlightens and sanctifies everything in the world,

and all creation praises you forever.

 

 

PRAYER OF SAINT EPHREM

To be said daily during the Great Fast

This famous Lenten prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian summarizes our entire struggle during the forty day fast – that of turning from vice to virtue, sin to holiness, and self-love to love of God and neighbor.  This powerful prayer is said every day of the Great Fast, except on Saturdays and Sundays. It should be part of our morning and evening prayers but may also be said at any other time throughout the day – especially in time of temptation.

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of laziness, despair, lust for power, and vein talking. (Prostration)

But give to me your servant, the spirit of purity, humility, patience, and love. (Prostration)

Yes, Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother; for you are blessed forever and ever, Amen. (Prostration)

 

 

Holy Mystery of Confession :

Father will hear Confessions at 9:00 AM in front of the Icon of Christ on Sunday.  

 

 

 

 

BACK TO TOP

Bulletin Inserts

BACK TO TOP

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Sixth Tone

Angelic powers were before Your grave,* and the guards became like dead men:* Mary stood at the grave* seeking Your most pure Body.* You captured death, but were not tempted by it.* O Giver of life, You met the Virgin.* O Lord, You arose from the dead.* Glory to You.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: American Carpatho-Russian Diocese


Apolytikion for Sun. of the Holy Cross in the First Tone

O Lord save Your people and bless Your inheritance, * grant victory to all Orthodox Christians over their adversaries, * and protect Your people by Your Cross!

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: American Carpatho-Russian Diocese


Seasonal Kontakion in the Eighth Tone

To you, O Birthgiver of God, * victorious leader of triumphant hosts, * we your servants offer hymns of thanksgiving, * for you have delivered us from misfortune. * In your invincible power, * keep us from every peril *that we may cry to you: * rejoice, O Unwedded Bride.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: American Carpatho-Russian Diocese


BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Sixth Tone. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-6.

BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in another place, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Holy Cross
The Reading is from Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

BACK TO TOP

Wisdom of the Fathers

The key to knowledge is the humility of Christ. The door of the Kingdom of Heaven is open, not to those who only know in their learned minds the mysteries of faith and the commandments of their Creator, but to those who have progressed far enough to live by them.
St. Bede the Venerable
Unknown, 8th century

To deny oneself means to give up one's bad habits; to root out of the heart all that ties us to the world; not to cherish bad thoughts and desires; to suppress every evil thought; to avoid occasions of sin; not to desire or to do anything out of self-love, but to do everything out of love for God. To deny oneself, according to St. Paul means "to be dead to sin. . . but alive to God."
St. Innocent of Alaska
The Lenten Spring, SVS Press, p. 147, 19th Century

BACK TO TOP

Saints and Feasts

March 23

Sunday of the Holy Cross

With the help of God, we have almost reached the middle of the course of the Fast, where our strength has been worn down through abstinence, and the full difficulty of the labour set before us becomes apparent. Therefore our holy Mother, the Church of Christ, now brings to our help the all-holy Cross, the joy of the world, the strength of the faithful, the staff of the just, and the hope of sinners, so that by venerating it reverently, we might receive strength and grace to complete the divine struggle of the Fast.

March 23

The Holy Righteous Martyr Nicon and His 199 Disciples

Saint Nicon was from Neapolis (Naples) in Italy. His father was an idolater and his mother a Christian. At first he was a soldier, but later he went to the East, where he was baptized and in time became a bishop. After some years, he returned to the West and came to Sicily, where he and many of his disciples were put to death by beheading because they would not worship the idols.

March 23

Anatolios & Protoleon the Martyrs converted by the martyrdom of St. George

BACK TO TOP