St. Stephen Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2023-11-26
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St. Stephen Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (707)235-0316
  • Street Address:

  • 11055 Hirschfeld Way

  • Rancho Cordova, CA 95670


Contact Information




Services Schedule

 

Saturday

Vespers: 3:00 pm

Sunday

Matins: 8:15 am

Liturgy: 9:30 am


Past Bulletins


Saints and Feasts

November 26

John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople

This greatest and most beloved of all Christian orators was born in Antioch the Great in the year 344 or 347; his pious parents were called Secundus and Anthusa. After his mother was widowed at the age of twenty, she devoted herself to bringing up John and his elder sister in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. John received his literary training under Anthragathius the philosopher, and Libanius the sophist, who was the greatest Greek scholar and rhetorician of his day. Libanius was a pagan, and when asked before his death whom he wished to have for his successor, he said, "John, had not the Christians stolen him from us." With such a training, and with such gifts as he had by nature, John had before him a brilliant career as a rhetorician. But through the good example of his godly mother Anthusa and of the holy Bishop Meletius of Antioch (see Feb. 12), by whom he was ordained reader about the year 370, he chose instead to dedicate himself to God. From the years 374 to 381 he lived the monastic life in the hermitages that were near Antioch. His extreme asceticism undermined his health, compelling him to return to Antioch, where Saint Meletius ordained him deacon about the year 381. Saint Meletius was called to Constantinople later that year to preside over the Second Ecumenical Council, during which he fell asleep in the Lord. In 386 Bishop Flavian ordained John presbyter of the Church of Antioch. Upon his elevation to the priesthood his career as a public preacher began, and his exceptional oratorical gifts were made manifest through his many sermons and commentaries. They are distinguished by their eloquence and the remarkable ease with which rich imagery and scriptural allusions are multiplied; by their depth of insight into the meaning of Scripture and the workings of God's providence; and, not least of all, by their earnestness and moral force, which issue from the heart of a blameless and guileless man who lived first what he preached to others. Because of his fame, he was chosen to succeed Saint Nectarius as Patriarch of Constantinople. He was taken away by stealth, to avoid the opposition of the people, and consecrated Patriarch of Constantinople on February 28, 398, by Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, who was to prove his mortal enemy.

At that time the Emperor of the East was Arcadius, who had had Saint Arsenius the Great as his tutor (see May 8); Arcadius was a man of weak character, and much under the influence of his wife Eudoxia. The zealous and upright Chrysostom's unsparing censures of the lax morals in the imperial city stung the vain Eudoxia; through Theophilus' plottings and her collaboration, Saint John was banished to Pontus in 403. The people were in an uproar, and the following night an earthquake shook the city; this so frightened the Empress Eudoxia that she begged Arcadius to call Chrysostom back. While his return was triumphant, his reconciliation with the Empress did not last long. When she had a silver statue of herself erected in the forum before the Church of the Holy Wisdom (Saint Sophia) in September of 403, and had it dedicated with much unseemly revelry, Saint John thundered against her, and she could not forgive him. In June of 404 he was exiled to Cucusus, on the borders of Cilicia and Armenia. From here he exchanged letters with Pope Innocent of Rome, who sent bishops and priests to Constantinople requesting that a council be held. Saint John's enemies, dreading his return, prevailed upon the Emperor to see an insult in this, and had John taken to a more remote place of banishment called Pityus near the Caucasus. The journey was filled with bitter sufferings for the aged bishop, both because of the harshness of the elements and the cruelty of one of his 310 guards. He did not reach Pityus, but gave up his soul to the Lord near Comana in Pontus, at the chapel of the Martyr Basiliscus (see May 22), who had appeared to him shortly before, foretelling the day of his death, which came to pass on September 14, 407. His last words were "Glory be to God for all things." His holy relics were brought from Comana to Constantinople thirty-one years later by the Emperor Theodosius the Younger and Saint Pulcheria his sister, the children of Arcadius and Eudoxia, with fervent supplications that the sin of their parents against him be forgiven; this return of his holy relics is celebrated on January 27.

Saint John was surnamed Chrysostom ("Golden-mouth") because of his eloquence. He made exhaustive commentaries on the divine Scriptures and was the author of more works than any other Church Father, leaving us complete commentaries on the Book of Genesis, the Gospels of Saints Matthew and John, the Acts, and all the Epistles of Saint Paul. His extant works are 1,447 sermons and 240 epistles. Twenty-two teachers of the Church have written homilies of praise in his honour. Besides his feasts today and on January 27, he is celebrated as one of the Three Hierarchs on January 30, together with Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory the Theologian.

It should be noted that, because September 14 is the Exaltation of the Cross, the Saint's memory has been transferred to this day.


November 26

Anthousa, the Mother of John Chrysostom


November 26

Damaskinos the New Martyr of Mount Athos


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Third Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:9-20

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. After this He appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table and He upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw Him after He had risen. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.

Third Orthros Gospel
مرقس 16: 9-20

9 في ذلك الزمان بَعْدَمَا قَامَ يسوع بَاكِراً فِي أَوَّلِ الأُسْبُوعِ ظَهَرَ أَوَّلاً لِمَرْيَمَ الْمَجْدَلِيَّةِ، الَّتِي كَانَ قَدْ أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا سَبْعَةَ شَيَاطِينَ. 10فَذَهَبَتْ هَذِهِ وَأَخْبَرَتِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مَعَهُ وَهُمْ يَنُوحُونَ وَيَبْكُونَ. 11فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ أُولَئِكَ أَنَّهُ حَيٌّ، وَقَدْ نَظَرَتْهُ، لَمْ يُصَدِّقُوا. 12وَبَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ظَهَرَ بِهَيْئَةٍ أُخْرَى لاِثْنَيْنِ مِنْهُمْ وَهُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ مُنْطَلِقَيْنِ إِلَى الْبَرِّيَّةِ. 13وَذَهَبَ هَذَانِ وَأَخْبَرَا الْبَاقِينَ فَلَمْ يُصَدِّقُوا وَلاَ هَذَيْنِ. 14أَخِيراً ظَهَرَ لِلأَحَدَ عَشَرَ وَهُمْ مُتَّكِئُونَ، وَوَبَّخَ عَدَمَ إِيمَانِهِمْ وَقَسَاوَةَ قُلُوبِهِمْ، لأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُصَدِّقُوا الَّذِينَ نَظَرُوهُ قَدْ قَامَ. 15وَقَالَ لَهُمُ: ((اذْهَبُوا إِلَى الْعَالَمِ أَجْمَعَ وَاكْرِزُوا بِالإِنْجِيلِ لِلْخَلِيقَةِ كُلِّهَا. 16مَنْ آمَنَ وَاعْتَمَدَ خَلَصَ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنْ يُدَنْ. 17وَهَذِهِ الآيَاتُ تَتْبَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ: يُخْرِجُونَ الشَّيَاطِينَ بِاسْمِي وَيَتَكَلَّمُونَ بِأَلْسِنَةٍ جَدِيدَةٍ. 18يَحْمِلُونَ حَيَّاتٍ، وَإِنْ شَرِبُوا شَيْئاً مُمِيتاً لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ، وَيَضَعُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَرْضَى فَيَبْرَأُونَ)). 19ثُمَّ إِنَّ الرَّبَّ بَعْدَمَا كَلَّمَهُمُ ارْتَفَعَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، وَجَلَسَ عَنْ يَمِينِ اللَّهِ. 20وَأَمَّا هُمْ فَخَرَجُوا وَكَرَزُوا فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ، وَالرَّبُّ يَعْمَلُ مَعَهُمْ وَيُثَبِّتُ الْكَلاَمَ بِالآيَاتِ التَّابِعَةِ. آمِينَ. 

 

 


Gospel Reading

The Reading is from Luke 10:25-37

At that time, a lawyer stood up to put Jesus to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have answered right; do this, and you will live."

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

لوقا 10: 25-37

25 في ذلك الزمان دنا إلى يسوع نَامُوسِيٌّ قَامَ يُجَرِّبُهُ قَائِلاً: ((يَا مُعَلِّمُ وَقَالَ مَاذَا أَعْمَلُ لأَرِثَ الْحَيَاةَ الأَبَدِيَّةَ؟)) 26فَقَالَ لَهُ: ((مَا هُوَ مَكْتُوبٌ فِي النَّامُوسِ. كَيْفَ تَقْرَأُ؟)) 27فَأَجَابَ: ((تُحِبُّ الرَّبَّ إِلَهَكَ مِنْ كُلِّ قَلْبِكَ ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ نَفْسِكَ ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ قُدْرَتِكَ ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ فِكْرِكَ ، وَقَرِيبَكَ مِثْلَ نَفْسِكَ)). 28فَقَالَ لَهُ: ((بِالصَّوَابِ أَجَبْتَ. اِفْعَلْ هَذَا فَتَحْيَا)). 29وَأَمَّا هُوَ فَإِذْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُبَرِّرَ نَفْسَهُ ،قَالَ لِيَسُوعَ: ((وَمَنْ هُوَ قَرِيبِي؟)) 30فَأَجَابَ يَسُوعُ وَقَالَ : ((إِنْسَانٌ كَانَ نَازِلاً مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى أَرِيحَا ، فَوَقَعَ بَيْنَ لُصُوصٍ ، فَعَرَّوْهُ وَجَرَّحُوهُ ، وَمَضَوْا وَتَرَكُوهُ بَيْنَ حَيٍّ وَمَيْتٍ. 31فَعَرَضَ أَنَّ كَاهِناً نَزَلَ فِي تِلْكَ الطَّرِيقِ ، فَرَآهُ وَجَازَ مُقَابِلَهُ. 32وَكَذَلِكَ لاَوِيٌّ أَيْضاً ، إِذْ صَارَ عِنْدَ الْمَكَانِ جَاءَ وَنَظَرَ وَجَازَ مُقَابِلَهُ. 33وَلَكِنَّ سَامِرِيّاً مُسَافِراً جَاءَ إِلَيْهِ ، وَلَمَّا رَآهُ تَحَنَّنَ،34فَتَقَدَّمَ وَضَمَدَ جِرَاحَاتِهِ ، وَصَبَّ عَلَيْهَا زَيْتاً وَخَمْراً ، وَأَرْكَبَهُ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ ، وَأَتَى بِهِ إِلَى فُنْدُقٍ وَاعْتَنَى بِهِ. 35وَفِي الْغَدِ لَمَّا مَضَى أَخْرَجَ دِينَارَيْنِ وَأَعْطَاهُمَا لِصَاحِبِ الْفُنْدُقِ ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: اعْتَنِ بِهِ ، وَمَهْمَا أَنْفَقْتَ أَكْثَرَ فَعِنْدَ رُجُوعِي أُوفِيكَ. 36فَأَيُّ هَؤُلاَءِ الثَّلاَثَةِ تَرَى صَارَ قَرِيباً لِلَّذِي وَقَعَ بَيْنَ اللُّصُوصِ؟)) 37فَقَالَ: ((الَّذِي صَنَعَ مَعَهُ الرَّحْمَةَ)). فَقَالَ لَهُ يَسُوعُ: ((اذْهَبْ أَنْتَ أَيْضاً وَاصْنَعْ هَكَذَا)). 

 

 


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 8th Tone

From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; to burial of three days hast Thou submitted that Thou mightest free us from our passions. O our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory be to Thee.

انحدرت من العلوّ ايها المتحنن وقبلت الدفن ذا الثلاثة الايام لكي تعتقنا من الآلام فيا حياتنا وقيامتنا يارب المجد لك.

Apolytikion of John Chrysostom, Abp. Of Constantinople in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

The grace of your words illuminated the universe like a shining beacon. It amassed treasures of munificence in the world. It demonstrated the greatness of humility, teaching us by your own words; therefore, O Father John Chrysostom, intercede to Christ the Logos for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion of John Chrysostom, Abp. Of Constantinople in the Plagal of the Second Tone

You received divine grace from Heaven, and by your own lips taught all to worship the One God in Trinity. All-blessed, venerable John Chrysostom, deservedly, we praise you for you are a teacher clearly revealing things divine.
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Wisdom of the Fathers

Take heed, then, often to come together to give thanks to God, and show forth His praise. For when ye assemble frequently in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and the destruction at which he aims is prevented by the unity of your faith.
St. Ignatius of Antioch
Epistle to the Ephesians Ch. 13, 2nd century

Spiritual delight is not enjoyment found in things that exists outside the soul.
St. Isaac of Syria
Unknown, 7th century

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