St. George News and Events

Sunday Service
Orthros 8:30 am
Divine Liturgy 9:30 am

General Announcements

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Beginning January 14th, the Philoptochos will begin selling tickets to this year's Mardi Gras Bingo Fundraising Event to be held on Saturday February 3rd from 11AM - 2PM and is to benefit the Valley Center for the Blind and our other Philoptochos Charities. This is a family and community wide event. We have a limited number of tickets available - so get yours early - WE ALWAYS SELL OUT! This event is filled with lots of FUN from Bingo, Beautiful Baskets to be raffled off and above all Fellowship! Tickets are $40 each and must be purchased before the event. Tickets will NOT BE SOLD AT THE DOOR. If you want to reserve a FULL TABLE of 8 - please contact Elaine Dorlis directly.

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Annual Vasilopita Breakfast Fundraiser – January 7th

Immediately After Divine Liturgy in the Hellenic Hall

Please mark your calendars to attend this year’s 2024 celebration and help us raise funds for St Basil’s Academy in Garrison N.Y. This beautiful center houses orphans, unwanted children, children from broken homes as well as children that families cannot economically or emotionally provide for – these children are all Orthodox, not necessarily of Greek heritage. This beautiful institution located on the Hudson River is owned and operated by the National Philoptochos Society and this event helps to raise the needed funds to care for the children – please plan on attending!

You may also make donations to this worthwhile cause ahead of time by giving cash to a Philoptochos Board Member after church, by clicking on the link below or by mailing a check made out to: St George Philoptochos 7727 Davin Park Drive, Bakersfield, 93308. On the day of the event, you may donate with cash, checks, Venmo or use our credit card machine which will be made available for this worthwhile charity.

Click here to donate via Venmo

See full flyer at the end of this bulletin

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Interested in learning Greek?

St George is offering Greek School on Sunday's 11:30am-1:30pm. Please see attached registration form and General Information & Expectations. Some classes have started, but if interested, please call Kathy Exarchoulakos 661-805-4736.
Please see the registration form and general info documents at the end of this bulletin.

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Cick here to buy tickets via PayPal or Credit Card

All proceeds benefit St. George Greek Orthodox Church - Bakersfield

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Talk to your children about violent events

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Of America
Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc.

View/download/print flyer available at the end of this bulletin.

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SUNDAY SCHOOL

Sunday School has started, Sunday October 29th.

If anyone is interested in being a teacher please contact Stavros at 808-778-3757.

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2023 Morning Star schedule:

Please contact Joyce if you can help any of the 2024 dates.
Thank you and God bless you!

The next volunteer opportunities with
Morningstar Fresh Food Ministry
Coming soon

Youth Group Announcements

Youth Group

*Donations to St. George Youth Group are always welcome!

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Stavros will continue with evening reader services
Thursday through Saturday 6pm

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Secretary office hours are 9 am to 1 pm, Monday through Friday.
Please note these hours may need to be adjusted on occasion.

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If you want to be included in the email announcements and notices, please send your email to [email protected] or call church office, 325-8694 and give your info and request to be added.
Note: This is separate from the bulletin.
This is the fastest way to get updated for services changes and other important church information.

If you are not receiving the bulletin, either send your name & email to [email protected] or apply from our website here, or directly here or call church office, 325-8694 and give your info and request to be added to the weekly bulletin.

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OUR BOOK STORE, GIFT SHOP & LIBRARY

Open every Sunday following Divine Liturgy and by appointment, by calling 661.342.2407
Special orders available.

ALL are welcome, stop by, check out the variety of gifts, books & icons.

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Senior Zoomers

Our 55 and over group, self named The Senior Zoomers, meets Wednesdays at 11:00am on Zoom. Join us for good conversation and activity planning during our weekly meetings. To join us click the follow link, or go to Zoom.us and enter the meeting ID and passcode located below.Click --> Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 843 4423 5872
Passcode: 510033
By Phone Dial: (669)900-9128

Morning Bible Study

Meet with Fr. Jim Pappas Wednesday at 9:30am on ZOOM for Morning Bible Study. We look forward to studying God’s word together.Click --> Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 863 0526 5618
Passcode: 537328
By Phone Dial: (669)900-9128

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Sign up to host a Sunday lunch!

See sign up list in the hall bulletin board. Coffee hour donations go towards scholarship/funding for our kids to attend summer camp. Please donate. See flyer at end of this bulletin

Stewardship

2024 Stewardship News

Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.

Deuteronomy 16:17

Please see attached informational trifold and the stewardship form at the end of this bulletin.

God bless you and your families.

[email protected]

Donate here via paypal or Credit Card

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"Every Christian, without exception, ought to dwell always in prayer."

- St. Gregory Palamas

Click here to read more and get the app for daily prayer

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Parish Council

Congratulations to our 2023 Parish Council members.

You may visit our website for the list of members & officers at Parish Council
Next Parish Council meeting is 1/25/24 at 7:00pm at the back office.

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Social Media & website

Follow and join us on Facebook

St George Greek Orthodox Church of Bakersfield

St George Christian Outreach Facebook Page

St George Greek Orthodox Church of Bakersfield YouTube channel

Legacy

Leave your mark!
Consider naming St. George Church as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy. It's a great legacy gift to your parish and very easy to do...just ask your provider for the change beneficiary form and complete and return to them. The legal name for the church is Hellenic Community St. George Church Tax ID #95-3575365 God bless you.

Endowment

Click here to read how you can leave a lasting legacy to your parish.
Church Beautification and Capital Improvements. Click here for the 2021 update.

Text Notifications

If you would like to be part of our system, please provide your phone number to the church secretary at [email protected].

This service will only be used to notify parishioners of any changes to service times or to provide information on events or occurrences that affect the entire parish. We see this as being used infrequently but feel that we need to an effective way to communicate important information quickly.

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Prayers for Thanksgiving-Healing and Help:

Please add to your daily prayers

Orthodox: Chris Paul, Penny, Kyriakos, Eleni, Spiros, Fred, John, Ernie, George, Abram, Vickie, Elaina, Maher, Nabel, Magdy, Daniel, Natalia and family, Nickolas, Irene, Pamela, Virginia, Paraskevi, Michael, Dimitris, Margarita, Jennifer, Nikolas, Pamela.

Non-Orthodox: Judith, Nayeli and David, Peggy, Patricia

For the rest of the soul of our departed:

Orthodox: Penny, Fr. Daregas, Vasiliki, Vasilli, Fouad, Bert, Nicolas, Louise, George, George, Sooad, Leonid, Nikos, Vivian, John, Mary, Louise, Nektarios, Nicholas, Elephtheria, Kyriakos, Candess, George Lardakis.

2024 PROSPHORO OFFERING

Father Jim would like the Prosphoro brought to the church Sunday morning between 7:30 AM and no later than 8:30 AM. We are looking for more people to make the blessed bread. Please approach Father if interested to be put on the 2023 baking schedule for prosphora then let Joyce Cisneros know. Learn More

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JANUARY

ANNIVERSARIES

1/9 Tom & Elaine Dorlis

BIRTHDAYS

1/2 Melena Cain

1/3 Hesham Ayoub

1/3 Athina Kinsley

1/6 Cathleen Budy

1/9 Chris McNaughton

1/11 Alexandra Valos

1/14 Angela Becerra

1/16 Fentanesh Birehanu

1/16 Pamela Yanney

1/18 Achilles Canellis

1/21 Matt Jennings

1/24 Chuy Cisneros

1/24 Sofia Asmerom

1/25 Joseph Chaffee

If your Anniversary or Birthday is not listed and would like to be added or if it's incorrect, please contact the editor at [email protected]

PLEASE NOTE: All bulletin announcements must be received each week by 5:00 pm Wednesday to be included in the Sunday bulletin for that week.

A note from the publisher: PLEASE READ CONTENT AFTER THE CALENDAR, THERE MAY BE MORE, there may be inserts of interest!

If you have ANY kind of a challenge reading this bulletin or ANY part of it, like unable to or know how to open various inserts at the end of the bulletin, PLEASE DONOT HESITATE, contact me at [email protected]
I'll be happy to help you! And any and all suggestions for improvement are welcome!

Please send email with your request or suggestion to [email protected]

TEMPORARILY THE CALENDAR WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE BULLETIN WHILE WE ARE UPDATING. WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Tone. Psalm 63.11,1.
The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord.
Verse: Oh God, hear my cry.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 19:1-8.

In those days, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve of them in all. And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, arguing and pleading about the kingdom of God.

Προκείμενον. Grave Tone. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 63.11,1.
Εὐφρανθήσεται δίκαιος ἐν Κυρίῳ.
Στίχ. Εἰσάκουσον, ὁ Θεός, τῆς φωνῆς μου.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 19:1-8.

Ἐν ταῖς ἡμεραῖς ἐκείναις, ἐγένετο δέ, ἐν τῷ τὸν Ἀπολλὼ εἶναι ἐν Κορίνθῳ, Παῦλον διελθόντα τὰ ἀνωτερικὰ μέρη ἐλθεῖν εἰς Ἔφεσον· καὶ εὑρών τινας μαθητὰς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς, Εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐλάβετε πιστεύσαντες; Οἱ δὲ εἶπονN πρὸς αὐτόν, Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲN εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιόν ἐστιν, ἠκούσαμεν. Εἶπέν τε πρὸς αὐτούς, Εἰς τί οὖν ἐβαπτίσθητε; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον, Εἰς τὸ Ἰωάννου βάπτισμα. Εἶπεν δὲ Παῦλος, Ἰωάννης μὲν ἐβάπτισεν βάπτισμα μετανοίας, τῷ λαῷ λέγων εἰς τὸν ἐρχόμενον μετʼ αὐτὸν ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν, τοῦτʼ ἔστιν, εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν. Ἀκούσαντες δὲ ἐβαπτίσθησαν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ. Καὶ ἐπιθέντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ Παύλου τὰς χεῖρας, ἦλθεν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπʼ αὐτούς, ἐλάλουν τε γλώσσαις καὶ προεφήτευον. Ἦσαν δὲ οἱ πάντες ἄνδρες ὡσεὶ δεκαδύο. Εἰσελθὼν δὲ εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν ἐπαρρησιάζετο, ἐπὶ μῆνας τρεῖς διαλεγόμενος καὶ πείθων τὰ περὶ τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ.

البروكيمنون. Grave Tone. مزمور 63: 11، 1.
الصديقون يفرحون بالرب
Verse: يا الله انصت إلى صراخي

فصل من أعمال الرسل 19: 1-8.

¹فَي تلك الأيام فِيمَا كَانَ أَبُلُّوسُ فِي كُورِنْثُوسَ جَاءَ بُولُسَ بَعْدَ مَا اجْتَازَ فِي النَّوَاحِي الْعَالِيَةِ إِلَى أَفَسُسَ. فَإِذْ وَجَدَ تَلاَمِيذَ²قَالَ لَهُمْ : ((هَلْ قَبِلْتُمُ الرُّوحَ الْقُدُسَ لَمَّا آمَنْتُمْ؟)) قَالُوا لَهُ: ((وَلاَ سَمِعْنَا أَنَّهُ يُوجَدُ الرُّوحُ الْقُدُسُ)).³فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: ((فَبِمَاذَا اعْتَمَدْتُمْ؟)) فَقَالُوا: ((بِمَعْمُودِيَّةِ يُوحَنَّا)).⁴فَقَالَ بُولُسُ: ((إِنَّ يُوحَنَّا عَمَّدَ بِمَعْمُودِيَّةِ التَّوْبَةِ قَائِلاً لِلشَّعْبِ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِالَّذِي يَأْتِي بَعْدَهُ أَيْ بِالْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ)). ⁵فَلَمَّا سَمِعُوا اعْتَمَدُوا بِاسْمِ الرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ.⁶وَلَمَّا وَضَعَ بُولُسُ يَدَيْهِ عَلَيْهِمْ حَلَّ الرُّوحُ الْقُدُسُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَطَفِقُوا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ بِلُغَاتٍ وَيَتَنَبَّأُونَ.⁷وَكَانَ جَمِيعُ الرِّجَالِ نَحْوَ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ.⁸ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْمَجْمَعَ وَكَانَ يُجَاهِرُ مُدَّةَ ثَلاَثَةِ أَشْهُرٍ مُحَاجّاً وَمُقْنِعاً فِي مَا يَخْتَصُّ بِمَلَكُوتِ اللهِ.

Gospel Reading

Synaxis of John the Holy Glorious Prophet, Baptist, & Forerunner
The Reading is from John 1:29-34

At that time, John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

Synaxis of John the Holy Glorious Prophet, Baptist, & Forerunner
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 1:29-34

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, βλέπει ὁ ᾿Ιωάννης τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει· ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου. οὗτός ἐστι περὶ οὗ ἐγὼ εἶπον· ὀπίσω μου ἔρχεται ἀνὴρ ὃς ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτόν, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τῷ ᾿Ισραήλ, διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθον ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι βαπτίζων. καὶ ἐμαρτύρησεν ᾿Ιωάννης λέγων ὅτι τεθέαμαι τὸ Πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον ὡς περιστερὰν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν. κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτόν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ πέμψας με βαπτίζειν ἐν ὕδατι, ἐκεῖνός μοι εἶπεν· ἐφ᾽ ὃν ἂν ἴδῃς τὸ Πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον καὶ μένον ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βαπτίζων ἐν Πνεύματι ῾Αγίῳ. κἀγὼ ἑώρακα καὶ μεμαρτύρηκα ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Synaxis of John the Holy Glorious Prophet, Baptist, & Forerunner
يوحنا 1: 29-34

²⁹ فِي ذلك الزمان نَظَرَ يُوحَنَّا يَسُوعَ مُقْبِلاً إِلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: ((هُوَذَا حَمَلُ اللَّهِ الَّذِي يَرْفَعُ خَطِيَّةَ الْعَالَمِ! ³⁰ هَذَا هُوَ الَّذِي قُلْتُ عَنْهُ: يَأْتِي بَعْدِي، رَجُلٌ صَارَ قُدَّامِي، لأَنَّهُ كَانَ قَبْلِي. ³¹وَأَنَا لَمْ أَكُنْ أَعْرِفُهُ. لَكِنْ لِيُظْهَرَ لإِسْرَائِيلَ لِذَلِكَ جِئْتُ أُعَمِّدُ بِالْمَاءِ)). ³² وَشَهِدَ يُوحَنَّا قَائِلاً: ((إِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ الرُّوحَ نَازِلاً مِثْلَ حَمَامَةٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاسْتَقَرَّ عَلَيْهِ. ³³ وَأَنَا لَمْ أَكُنْ أَعْرِفُهُ، لَكِنَّ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَنِي لأُعَمِّدَ بِالْمَاءِ، ذَاكَ قَالَ لِي: الَّذِي تَرَى الرُّوحَ نَازِلاً وَمُسْتَقِرّاً عَلَيْهِ، فَهَذَا هُوَ الَّذِي يُعَمِّدُ بِالرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ. ³⁴وَأَنَا قَدْ رَأَيْتُ وَشَهِدْتُ أَنَّ هَذَا هُوَ ابْنُ اللَّهِ)).

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Second Tone

Angelic powers were above Thy tomb, and they that guarded Thee became as dead. And Mary stood by the grave seeking Thine immaculate Body. Thou hast despoiled Hades and wast not tried thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst grant us life. O Thou Who didst arise from the dead, Lord, glory be to Thee.

Ἀγγελικαὶ Δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμά σου, καὶ οἱ φυλάσσοντες ἀπενεκρώθησαν, καὶ ἵστατο Μαρία ἐν τῷ τάφῳ, ζητοῦσα τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα. Ἐσκύλευσας τὸν ᾍδην, μὴ πειρασθεὶς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, ὑπήντησας τῇ Παρθένῳ, δωρούμενος τὴν ζωήν, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ των νεκρῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

ان القوات الملائكية ظهروا على قبرك الموقر والحراس صاروا كالاموات ومريم وقفت عند القبر طالبة جسدك الطاهر فسبيت الجحيم ولم تجرب منها وصادفت البتول مانحاً الحياة فيامن قام من الاموات يارب المجد لك.

Apolytikion for Afterfeast of the Theophany in the First Tone

When Thou wast baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest; for the voice of the Father bare witness to Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the certainty of the word. O Christ our God, Who hast appeared and hast enlightened the world, glory be to Thee.

Ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ βαπτιζομένου σου Κύριε, ἡ τῆς Τριάδος ἐφανερώθη προσκύνησις, τοῦ γὰρ Γεννήτορος ἡ φωνὴ προσεμαρτύρει σοί, ἀγαπητὸν σὲ Υἱὸν ὀνομάζουσα, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐν εἴδει περιστεράς, ἐβεβαίου τοῦ λόγου τὸ ἀσφαλές. Ὁ ἐπιφανεῖς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, καὶ τὸν κόσμον φωτίσας δόξα σοί.

باعتمادك يا رب في نهر الأردن ظهرت السجدة للثالوث لأن صوت الآب تقدم لك بالشهادة مسمياً إياك ابنا محبوباً والروح بهيئة حمامة يؤيد حقيقة الكلمة فيا من ظهرت وأنرت العالم أيها المسيح الإله المجد لك.

Apolytikion for Synaxis of John the Forerunner in the Second Tone

The memory of the just is celebrated with hymns of praise, but the Lord's testimony is sufficient for thee, O Forerunner; for thou hast proved to be truly even more venerable than the Prophets, since thou was granted to baptize in the running waters Him Whom they proclaimed. Wherefore, having contested for the truth, thou didst rejoice to announce the good tidings even to those in Hades: that God hath appeared in the flesh, taking away the sin of the world and granting us great mercy.

Μνήμη δικαίου μέτ' ἐγκωμίων, σοὶ δὲ ἀρκέσει ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Κυρίου Πρόδρομε, ἀνεδείχθης γὰρ ὄντως καὶ Προφητῶν σεβασμιώτερος, ὅτι καὶ ἐν ῥείθροις βαπτίσαι κατηξιώθης τὸν κηρυττόμενον. Ὅθεν τῆς ἀληθείας ὑπεραθλήσας, χαίρων εὐηγγελίσω καὶ τοὶς ἐν ἅδῃ, Θεὸν φανερωθέντα ἐν σαρκί, τὸν αἴροντα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ παρέχοντα ἡμῖν τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

تذكار الصديق بالمديح أما أنت أيها السابق فتكفيك شهاجة الرب لأنك ظهرت بالحقيقة أشرف من كل الأنبياء إذ قد أستأهلت أن تعمد في المجاري من قد كُرز به ولذلك جاهدت مسروراً وبشرت الذين في الجحيم بالإله الظاهر بالجسد الرافع خطيئة العالم والمانح إيانا الرحمة العظمى.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

You appeared to the world today, and Your light, O Lord, has left its mark upon us. With fuller understanding we sing to You: "You came, You were made manifest, the unapproachable light."

Ἐπεφάνης σήμερον τὴ οἰκουμένη, καὶ τὸ φῶς σου Κύριε, ἐσημειώθη ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, ἓν ἐπιγνώσει ὑμνούντάς σε. Ἦλθες ἐφάνης τὸ Φῶς τὸ ἀπρόσιτον.