Saturday
Vespers: 3:00 pm
Sunday
Matins: 8:15 am
Liturgy: 9:30 am
Saints Hermylus and Stratonicus contested for piety's sake during the reign of Licinius, in the year 314. Saint Hermylus was a deacon, and Stratonicus was his friend. For his confession of Christ, Hermylus was beaten so fiercely that his whole body was covered with wounds. Stratonicus, seeing him endure this and other torments that left him half dead, wept with grief for his friend. From this he was discovered to be a Christian, and when he had openly professed his Faith and had been beaten, he and Hermylus were cast into the Danube River, receiving the crown of martyrdom.
The holy Hierarch Hilary was born of pagan parents in Gaul, and was trained in philosophy and rhetoric. At a time when paganism was still strong in Gaul, Saint Hilary understood the falsehood of polytheism, and became a Christian, and a great defender of his new Faith. About the year 350 he was ordained Bishop of Poitiers, when Arles and Milan were in the hands of the Arians and the Arian Constantius was sole Emperor. Like his contemporary Saint Athanasius, Saint Hilary's episcopate was one long struggle against the Arians. As bishop of Poitiers, Saint Hilary foresaw the future greatness of Martin (see Nov. 12), and attached him to himself. In 355, when required to agree to the condemnation of Saint Athanasius passed by the Council of Milan, Hilary wrote an epistle to Constantius convicting the wrongs done by the Arians and requesting, among other things, the restoration of the Orthodox bishops, including Athanasius. For this, Hilary was banished to Asia Minor, where he wrote his greatest work, On the Trinity. Saint Hilary returned to his see in 360, where Saint Martin sought him out again. It was this time that Saint Hilary blessed Martin to found a monastery near Poitiers, where Martin remained until being consecrated Bishop of Tours in 371. In his last years, Saint Hilary, strove for the deposition of Auxentius, the Arian Bishop of Milan, but by affecting an Orthodox confession Auxentius retained his see. Saint Hilary reposed in peace about the year 368. Auxentius died in 374 and was succeeded by Saint Ambrose, who continued Saint Hilary's battle against Arianism.
Ninth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:19-31
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe." Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and My God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.
19 لَمَّا كَانَتْ عَشِيَّةُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ وَهُوَ أَوَّلُ الأُسْبُوعِ وَكَانَتِ الأَبْوَابُ مُغَلَّقَةً حَيْثُ كَانَ التّلاَمِيذُ مُجْتَمِعِينَ لِسَبَبِ الْخَوْفِ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ جَاءَ يَسُوعُ وَوَقَفَ فِي الْوَسَطِ 20 وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «سلاَمٌ لَكُمْ». 21 وَلَمَّا قَالَ هَذَا أَرَاهُمْ يَدَيْهِ وَجَنْبَهُ فَفَرِحَ التّلاَمِيذُ إِذْ رَأَوُا الرَّبَّ. 22 فَقَالَ لَهُمْ يَسُوعُ أَيْضاً: «سلاَمٌ لَكُمْ. كَمَا أَرْسَلَنِي الآبُ أُرْسِلُكُمْ أَنَا».23 وَلَمَّا قَالَ هَذَا نَفَخَ وَقَالَ لَهُمُ: «ﭐقْبَلُوا الرُّوحَ الْقُدُسَ.24 مَنْ غَفَرْتُمْ خَطَايَاهُ تُغْفَرُ لَهُ وَمَنْ أَمْسَكْتُمْ خَطَايَاهُ أُمْسِكَتْ». 25 أَمَّا تُومَا أَحَدُ الاِثْنَيْ عَشَرَ الَّذِي يُقَالُ لَهُ التَّوْأَمُ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ مَعَهُمْ حِينَ جَاءَ يَسُوعُ.26 فَقَالَ لَهُ التّلاَمِيذُ الآخَرُونَ: «قَدْ رَأَيْنَا الرَّبَّ». فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «إِنْ لَمْ أُبْصِرْ فِي يَدَيْهِ أَثَرَ الْمَسَامِيرِ وَأَضَعْ إِصْبِعِي فِي أَثَرِ الْمَسَامِيرِ وَأَضَعْ يَدِي فِي جَنْبِهِ لاَ أُومِنْ». 27 وَبَعْدَ ثَمَانِيَةِ أَيَّامٍ كَانَ تلاَمِيذُهُ أَيْضاً دَاخِلاً وَتُومَا مَعَهُمْ. فَجَاءَ يَسُوعُ وَالأَبْوَابُ مُغَلَّقَةٌ وَوَقَفَ فِي الْوَسَطِ وَقَالَ: «سلاَمٌ لَكُمْ»28 ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتُومَا: «هَاتِ إِصْبِعَكَ إِلَى هُنَا وَأَبْصِرْ يَدَيَّ وَهَاتِ يَدَكَ وَضَعْهَا فِي جَنْبِي وَلاَ تَكُنْ غَيْرَ مُؤْمِنٍ بَلْ مُؤْمِناً». أَجَابَ تُومَا: «رَبِّي وَإِلَهِي».29 قَالَ لَهُ يَسُوعُ: «لأَنَّكَ رَأَيْتَنِي يَا تُومَا آمَنْتَ! طُوبَى لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَرَوْا». 30 وَآيَاتٍ أُخَرَ كَثِيرَةً صَنَعَ يَسُوعُ قُدَّامَ تلاَمِيذِهِ لَمْ تُكْتَبْ فِي هَذَا الْكِتَابِ.31 وَأَمَّا هَذِهِ فَقَدْ كُتِبَتْ لِتُؤْمِنُوا أَنَّ يَسُوعَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللَّهِ وَلِكَيْ تَكُونَ لَكُمْ إِذَا آمَنْتُمْ حَيَاةٌ بِاسْمِهِ.
Prokeimenon. 1st Tone. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:7-13.
BRETHREN, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (in saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
البروكيمنون. 1st Tone. مزمور 32: 22، 1.
لتكن يا رب رحمتك علينا
Verse: ابتهجوا بالرب يا أبراره
فصل من رسالة بولس الى أَفسس 4: 7-13.
يَُّا إِخْوَة، لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنَّا أُعْطِيَتِ النِّعْمَةُ حَسَبَ قِيَاسِ هِبَةِ الْمَسِيحِ. لِذَلِكَ يَقُولُ: ((إِذْ صَعِدَ إِلَى الْعَلاَءِ سَبَى سَبْياً وَأَعْطَى النَّاسَ عَطَايَا)). وَأَمَّا أَنَّهُ ((صَعِدَ)) ، فَمَا هُوَ إِلاَّ إِنَّهُ نَزَلَ أَيْضاً أَوَّلاً إِلَى أَقْسَامِ الأَرْضِ السُّفْلَى. اَلَّذِي نَزَلَ هُوَ الَّذِي صَعِدَ أَيْضاً فَوْقَ جَمِيعِ السَّمَاوَاتِ، لِكَيْ يَمْلأَ الْكُلَّ. وَهُوَ أَعْطَى الْبَعْضَ أَنْ يَكُونُوا رُسُلاً، وَالْبَعْضَ أَنْبِيَاءَ، وَالْبَعْضَ مُبَشِّرِينَ، وَالْبَعْضَ رُعَاةً وَمُعَلِّمِينَ، لأَجْلِ تَكْمِيلِ الْقِدِّيسِينَ، لِعَمَلِ الْخِدْمَةِ، لِبُنْيَانِ جَسَدِ الْمَسِيحِ، إِلَى أَنْ نَنْتَهِيَ جَمِيعُنَا إِلَى وَحْدَانِيَّةِ الإِيمَانِ وَمَعْرِفَةِ ابْنِ اللهِ. إِلَى إِنْسَانٍ كَامِلٍ. إِلَى قِيَاسِ قَامَةِ مِلْءِ الْمَسِيحِ.
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.
For the struggles you endured for Christ God, a royal diadem crowns your head, O First Champion of Martyrs. For you refuted the folly of the Jews and beheld your Savior on the right of the Father. Ever beseech Him, therefore, for our souls.
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St. Stephen Orthodox Church
PO Box 292343
Sacramento, CA 95829
