Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode

When You descended unto death, O Lord who yourself are immortal Life, then did You mortify Hades by the lightning flash of Your Divinity. Also, when You raised the dead from the netherworld, all the Powers of the heavens were crying out: O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory be to You.

Ότε κατήλθες προς τον θάνατον, η ζωή η αθάνατος, τότε τον άδην ενέκρωσας, τη αστραπή της θεότητος. Ότε δε και τους τεθνεώτας, εκ των καταχθονίων ανέστησας, πάσαι αι δυνάμεις των επουρανίων εκραύγαζον. Ζωοδότα Χριστέ, ο Θεός ημών, δόξα σοι.

Apolytikion for Afterfeast of the Dormition in the First Mode

You gave birth yet preserved your virginity. You fell asleep in death yet did not desert the world, O Theotokos. You were transported to life, as you are Mother of Life and, by virtue of your intercessions, deliver our souls from death.

Ἐν τῇ Γεννήσει, τὴν παρθενίαν ἐφύλαξας. Ἐν τῇ Κοιμήσει, τὸν κόσμον οὐ κατέλιπες Θεοτόκε. Μετέστης πρὸς τὴν ζωήν, Μήτηρ ὑπάρχουσα τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ ταῖς πρεσβείαις ταῖς σαῖς λυτρουμένη, ἐκ θανάτου τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

Apolytikion of Great Martyr Barbara in the Fourth Tone

Let us honor Holy Barbara; for she broke the snares of the enemy, and by her sanctity escaped from them like a bird, by the help and defense of the cross.

Βαρβάραν την Αγίαν τιμήσωμεν, εχθρού γαρ τας παγίδας συνέτριψε, και ως στρουθίον ερρύσθη εξ αυτών, βοηθεία και όπλω του Σταυρού η πάνσεμνος.

(Varvaran tin Aghian timisomen, ehthrou gad tas pagidas sinetripse, ke os strouthion eristhi ex’avton, voithia ke oplo tou Stavrou I pansemnos.)

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

The Theotokos is undying in intercession. * Immovable is our hope in her for protection. * Neither death nor burial prevailed over her. * As she is Mother of Life, she was removed to life by Him, * the Lord who lived in her ever virgin womb.

Τὴν ἐν πρεσβείαις ἀκοίμητον Θεοτόκον, καὶ προστασίαις ἀμετάθετον ἐλπίδα, τάφος καὶ νέκρωσις οὐκ ἐκράτησεν· ὡς γὰρ ζωῆς Μητέρα, πρὸς τὴν ζωὴν μετέστησεν, ὁ μήτραν οἰκήσας ἀειπάρθενον.

Saints and Feasts

August 16

11th Sunday of Matthew

August 16

Translation of the Image of Our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ

When the fame of our Lord Jesus Christ came to Abgar, the ruler of Edessa, who was suffering from leprosy, Abgar sent a messenger named Ananias, through him asking the Savior to heal him of his disease, while bidding Ananias bring back a depiction of Him. When Ananias came to Jerusalem, and was unable to capture the likeness of our Lord, He, the Knower of hearts, asked for water, and having washed His immaculate and divine face, wiped it dry with a certain cloth, which He gave to Ananias to take to Abgar; the form of the Lord's face had been wondrously printed upon the cloth. As soon as Abgar received the cloth, which is called the Holy Napkin (Mandylion), he reverenced it with joy, and was healed of his leprosy; only his forehead remained afflicted. After the Lord's Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, the Apostle Thaddaeus (see Aug. 21) came to Edessa, and when he had baptized Abgar and all his men, Abgar's remaining leprosy also was healed. Abgar had the holy image of our Savior fixed to a board and placed at the city gate, commanding that all who entered the city reverence it as they passed through. Abgar's grandson, however, returned to the worship of the idols, and the Bishop of Edessa learned of his intention to replace the Holy Napkin with an idol. Since the place where it stood above the city gate was a rounded hollow, he set a burning lamp before the Holy Napkin, put a tile facing it, then bricked up the place and smoothed it over, so that the holy icon made without hands was no longer to be seen, and the ungodly ruler gave no further thought to it.

With the passage of time, the hidden icon was forgotten, until the year 615, when Chosroes II, King of Persia, was assaulting the cities of Asia, and besieged Edessa. The Bishop of Edessa, Eulabius, instructed by a divine revelation, opened the sealed chamber above the city gate and found the Holy Napkin complete and incorrupt, the lamp burning, and the tile bearing upon itself an identical copy of the image that was on the Holy Napkin. The Persians had built a huge fire outside the city wall; when the Bishop approached with the Holy Napkin, a violent wind fell upon the fire, turning it back upon the Persians, who fled in defeat. The Holy Napkin remained in Edessa, even after the Arabs conquered it, until the year 944, when it was brought with honor and triumph to Constantinople in the reign of Romanus I, when Theophylact was Ecumenical Patriarch. The Holy Napkin was enshrined in the Church of the most holy Theotokos called the Pharos. This is the translation that is celebrated today.

Announcements

As we very quickly begin our college year, many of our students will be leaving us for various orientations and also preparing themselves for their upcoming year.

It would be great if all of our college students both returning and new join us for a special prayer that will be offered to all of you.

I will ask all of you to please come to the Solea so that we can pray for you altogether as a family.

This will take place following the Divine Liturgy .

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Please help the Philoptochos collect items to be donated to Just Believe Inc for their homeless outreach. Please bring in your donations by August 16. Items most needed:

Bottled water

Gift cards in $5 or $10 denomination to Wawa, Burger King or McDonalds

THANK YOU!!

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Dear St. Barbara Stewards,

Thanks to your generous support of the Energy Program, we have successfully installed new equipment to improve our church facilities. This includes upgraded lighting in the gym, hall, church, basement, wall packs, and parking lot, as well as new heating systems for the church and basement and a rooftop HVAC system for the offices.

Your contributions are making a real difference! More HVAC systems are scheduled to be installed, and we will keep you updated on our progress. Please continue to support this vital project, as it benefits us all and reflects the love we share for St. Barbara.

Thank you for your dedication and generosity!

Tony Verikios, Member of the Parish Council

Energy Project Coordinator

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For those wishing to follow the Divine Liturgy on the internet please be aware of the following WIFI:

St Barbara 2.4PRO

Password: 0123456789

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 9:2-12.

Brethren, you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

Gospel Reading

11th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 18:23-35

The Lord said this parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord delivered him to the torturers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

Wisdom of the Fathers

Do we forgive our neighbors their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness, then, of your sins or unforgiveness, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

Unknown, 18th century

Wherefore then did He not do this, nor forgive the debt before the account? Desiring to teach him, from how many obligations He is delivering him, that in this way at least he might become more mild towards his fellow servant .... He gave more than he asked, remission and forgiveness of the entire debt.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 61 on Matthew 18, 4th Century