Saint Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church - ACROD
Publish Date: 2025-04-06
Bulletin Contents
Announcements
Bulletin Inserts
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Saints and Feasts

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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

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

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

  

Glory to Jesus Christ!  Glory Forever!
   

April 06, 2025

St. Mary of Egypt 

Upcoming Church Schedule:

Sunday April 06, 2025

The Reader Service of the Hours and the Typka 9:30AM   


"For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransome for many. "
(Mark 10:45)

 

 

*There will be a Readers Service of the Hours and the Typica Sunday April 06. Father had foot surgery and is recovering at home.  Please pray for a quick recovery for him.   

 

Please keep Very Rev. Fr Matthew Conjelko, Pani Mary-Margaret and their family in your prayers following the falling asleep in the Lord of Father Deacon Robert Conjelko.  

May Almighty God grant blessed repose and rest eternal to his faithful servant, the newly-reposed Deacon Robert and render eternal his memory, Vicnaja Jemu  Pamjat!

  

 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.  

 

New parish email:  [email protected]. Please spread the word.

 

Holy Week Schedule: 

4/18/25 Vesper Service of Great Friday - 3:00PM

4/19/25 Resurrection Matins - 6:00PM

Guarding of the Grave - Please see sign up sheet in kitchen

4/20/25 Pascha - Divine Liturgy 9:30AM

  

 

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:

By  REV. FR. MALEK RIHANI
St. Mary Orthodox Church
Palos Heights, IL | Source:https://iocc.org/blog/reflections-for-great-lent-2025-st-mary-egypt

 

Having been a sinful woman, / you became a Bride of Christ through repentance. / Having attained the angelic life, / you defeated demons by the weapon of the Cross; / therefore, O most glorious Mary you are a Bride of the Kingdom.


— Kontakion: Tone 3

 

One of the best ways we Orthodox express our love for one another is with the words “Many Years.” We do this to wish each other as much time as possible to repent and to return to the graces of God on our journey to partake of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). The fifth Sunday of Great Lent, and the story of St. Mary of Egypt, gives us another reminder of the importance of seeking repentance.

 

Like many of the great saints and prophets before her, Mary lived the worst possible life on earth. As a young person, she was set on destroying herself, and sought every opportunity to destroy the lives of others. But when she traveled to Palestine and tried to enter the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem, she felt an invisible force deny her. She that was a sinner and a destroyer of life was unable to enter and worship the Creator of life. In her role as a most loving mother, the Blessed Theotokos guided Mary of Egypt to a new life of continuous repentance, until Mary received her reward of eternal life.

 

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.  

 

 

 

 

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Bulletin Inserts

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Eighth Tone

You came to earth from heaven O Gracious One.* You allowed Yourself to be in the grave for three days,* that we might be freed from our passions.* O Lord, our life and our resurrection glory to You!

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


Apolytikion for Sun. of St. Mary of Egypt in the Eighth Tone

The image of God was truly preserved in you, O mother, * for you took up the Cross and followed Christ. * By so doing you taught us to disregard the flesh, for it passes away, * but to care instead for the soul, since it is immortal. * Therefore your spirit, O holy mother Mary, * rejoices with the angels.

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


Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Tone

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Eighth Tone. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 9:11-14.

BRETHREN, when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt
The Reading is from Mark 10:32-45

At that time, Jesus took his twelve disciples, and he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise." And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant of James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

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Wisdom of the Fathers

Before He humbled Himself, only the angels knew him. After He humbled Himself, all human nature knew Him. You see how His humbling of Himself did not make Him have less but produced countless benefits, countless deeds of virtue, and made His glory shine forth with greater brightness? God wants for nothing and has need of nothing. Yet, when He humbled Himself, He produced such great good, increased His household, and extended His kingdom. Why, then, are you afraid that you will become less if you humble yourself?
St. John Chrysostom
On the Incomprehensible Nature of God. 8.46-47. Taken from: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Vol: Mark. Intervarsity Press, 2005, p. 143.

But let no man be troubled at the apostles being in such an imperfect state. For not yet was the cross accomplished, not yet the grace of the Spirit given. But if thou wouldest learn their virtue, notice them after these things, and thou wilt see them superior to every passion.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 65 on Matthew 20, 2,3,4,6. B#54, pp.399-401,403., 4th Century

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Saints and Feasts

April 06

Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt

The memory of this Saint is celebrated on April 1, where her life is recorded. Since the end of the holy Forty Days is drawing nigh, it has been appointed for this day also, so that if we think it hard to practice a little abstinence forty days, we might be roused by the heroism of her who fasted in the wilderness forty-seven years; and also that the great loving-kindness of God, and His readiness to receive the repentant, might be demonstrated in very deed.

April 06

Eutychius, Patriarch of Constantinople

Born in Theia Kome of Phrygia, Eutychius was the son of illustrious parents, from whom he received a pious upbringing. He studied in Constantinople, and became a monk in a certain monastery of Amasia. In 552 he was chosen Patriarch of New Rome, but was exiled in 565 as a result of the machinations of the Origenists. In 577 he was restored to his throne and reposed on April 6, 582.

April 06

120 Martyrs of Persia

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