St. Basiliskos of Comana

Feast day- May 22nd

The Holy Martyr Basiliskos was a nephew of the

Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit (February 17),

and he suffered together with his brothers Eutropius

and Kleonikos during the persecution of the emperor

Maximian Galerius (305-311). The holy martyrs

Kleonikos and Eutropius (March 3) were crucified,

but the martyr Basiliskos was sent to Comana where

he was detained in prison. The governor Agrippa

arrived in the city of Amasea, and started a

persecution against Christians.Saint Basiliskos in prison prepared himself for his impending

ordeal. The Lord appeared to him in a dream, promising the martyr His help, and foretold his

martyric death at Comana. Saint Basiliskos asked the prison guards to let him go to his native

village to bid his relatives farewell. They let him go, since they respected him for his holy life

and working of miracles. Arriving home, Saint Basiliskos saw his family one last time, and

urged them to stand firmly in the Faith. When Agrippa learned that Saint Basiliskos had gone to

see his relatives, he went into a rage. He chastized the prison guards, and he sent a detachment

of soldiers after the martyr, headed by a cruel magistrianum (adjutant of the governor). Meeting

Saint Basiliskos, who was actually on his way back, the magistrianum placed heavy chains on

him, and shod him with metal sandals with nails driven into the soles, and set off to

Comana…Standing in the heavy chains beneath the scorching sun, the saint prayed to God.

Suddenly a Voice was heard from above, “Fear not, for I am with you.” The earth shook, and a

spring of water came forth from the fissure… Shaken by the miracle which had taken place,

they set the martyr free. Sick people from the village came to the holy martyr and received

healing through his prayer. When the saint finally stood before Agrippa, he was commanded to

offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. He replied, “I offer to God a sacrifice of praise and

thanksgiving every hour.” They led him into a pagan temple. In an instant fire came down from

Heaven, which burned the temple, and reduced the idols to dust. Then in a blind rage Agrippa

gave orders to behead Saint Basiliskos and throw his body into the river. The death of the

martyr occurred in the year 308. Christians quickly gathered the remains of the holy martyr, and

buried them by night in a ploughed field. Upon this spot a church was built in honor of Saint

Basiliskos, into which they transferred his relics. Through the prayers of the holy martyr

healings began to occur. The saint appeared in a dream to Saint John Chrysostom (November

13) before his death at Comana and said to him, “Tomorrow we shall be together.” Saint

Eusignius (August 5) was an eyewitness to his sufferings and told the world about the struggles

of Saint Basiliskos.

Excerpt taken from oca.org

Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church

1001 East Wyomissing Blvd.

Reading, PA 19611

Phone: (610) 374- 7511 Fax: (610) 374- 5890

Email: office@stsconstantinehelen.org

Rev. Fr. Theodore Petrides dino alexandrides Dn. James Elliker

(570) 713- 7095 (610) 944- 4894

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman- May 17, 2020

FROM THE HOLY FATHERS:

“For she, as soon as she had learned who He was, would immediately listen and attend to Him… Not

without reason does she here call him, ‘Lord,” and assign once, for neither did Nicodemus… Now if a

woman of Samaria is so eager to learn something profitable; if she stays with Christ though not yet

knowing Him, what pardon shall we obtain?... We know Him… yet are unable to endure anything

that is said, but are jaded in our knowledge.” – St. John Chrysostom

Please remember

in prayer the family of

Helen Nicholas, who

reposed in the Lord on

May 10, 2020. May her

memory be eternal.

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Weekly calendar

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, May 17th

Andronikos & Junia the Martyr; Nectarius of

Varlaam

8:30 AM: Orthros

9:45 AM: Divine Liturgy

Epistle: Acts 11:19- 30

Gospel: John 4:5- 42

Monday, May 18th

Peter, Dionysius, Andrew, Paul, Julian the

Martyrs

Tuesday, May 19th

Patrikios, Bishop of Proussa; Memnon the

Wonderworker

9 AM: Orthros

6 PM: Website Committee Meeting

Wednesday, May 20th

Thallelaios & Companions; Mark the Hermit

6 PM: Vespers

Thursday, May 21st

Constantine & Helen, Equal to the Apostles;

Pachomios the New Martyr

8:30 AM: Orthros

9:45 AM: Divine Liturgy

Friday, May 22nd

Basiliskos, Bishop of Comana; Demetrius& Paul

of Tripoli

5 PM: Paraklesis

Saturday, May 23rd

Michael, Bishop of Synada; Mary the

Myrrhbearer

6 PM: Great Vespers

Sunday of the Blind Man, May24th

Symoen the Stylite; Vincent of Lerins

8:30 AM: Orthros

9:45 AM: Divine Liturgy

Epistle: Acts 16:16- 34

Gospel: John 9:1- 38

Grocery Cards:

If anyone would like to order gift cards to

Giant, Redner’s or Weis supermarkets you may

send a check with a stamped, self- addressed

envelope to the home of Tony Phyrillas and he

will mail the gift cards back to you.

Tony Phyrillas

2609 Cumberland Ave.

Reading, PA 19606

Κυριακή του Παραλύτου

Resurrectional Dismissal Hymn

When the women disciples of the Lord, had

learned from the Angel the joyful message of

the Resurrection, and rejected the ancestral

decision, they cried aloud to the Apostles

triumphantly. Death has been despoiled,

Christ God has risen, granting His great

mercy to the world.

Άναστάσιμον Άπολυτίκιον

Τό φαιδρόν τής Άναστάσεως κήρυγμα, έκ

τού Άγγέλου μαθούσαι αί τού Κυρίου

Μαθήτριαι, καί τήν προγονικήν άπόφασιν

άπορρίψασαι, τοίς Άποστόλοις καυχώμεναι

έλεγον. Έσκύλευται ό θάνατος, ήγέρθη

Χριστός ό Θεός, δωρούμενος τώ κόσμω τό

μέγα έλεος.

Dismissal Hymn of Mid-Pentecost

At mid-feast give Thou my thirsty soul to

drink of the waters of piety. For Thou, O

Savior, didst cry out to all: Whosoever is

thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.

Wherefore, O Wellspring of life, Christ our

God, glory be to Thee.

Άπολυτίκιον τής Μεσοπεντηκοστής

Μεσούσης τής έορτής, διψώσάν μου τήν

ψυχήν, εύσεβείας πότισον νάματα ότι

πάσι Σωτήρ έβόησας. Ό διψών, έρχέσθω

πρός με καί πινέτω. Ή πηγή τής ζωής,

Χριστέ ό Θεός, δόξα σοι.

Dismissal Hymn of St. Constantine

The form of Your Cross was seen in the sky

by Your Apostle among the kings, O Lord.

He received his calling, like Paul, not from

man, and placed his imperial city in your

hands. Ever guard it in peace, O Loving God,

through the intercessions of the Theotokos.

Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἁγίου Κωνσταντίνου Τοῦ Σταυροῦ σου τὸν τύπον ἐν οὐρανῷ

θεασάµενος, καὶ ὡς ὁ Παῦλος τὴν κλῆσιν

οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων δεξάµενος, ὁ ἐν

βασιλεῦσιν, Ἀπόστολός σου Κύριε,

Βασιλεύουσαν πόλιν τῇ χειρί σου παρέθετο

ἣν περίσῳζε διὰ παντὸς ἐν εἰρήνῃ, πρεσβείαις

τῆς Θεοτόκου, µόνε Φιλάνθρωπε.

Resources:

As we recently learned about

the extended “stay at home” order

issued, we can’t help but to wonder

what we are going to fill our free time

with. It’s important to remain

conscious of the amount of time we

spend on social media to relieve us of

our boredom. Now would be a

wonderful opportunity to read more

spiritually nourishing material from

the saints of our Church or Orthodox

theologians, like Jean- Claude Larchet.

Professor Larchet speaks heavily on

abstaining from social networking in

one of his books “The New Media

Epidemic: The Undermining of

Society, Family and Our Own Soul.”

Check it out!

https://www.amazon.com/New-

Media-Epidemic-Undermining-

Society/dp/0884654710

Join us for livestream

services by following

our Facebook page,

Sts. Constantine &

Helen Greek Orthodox

Church, Reading.

Please continue to pray for

James & Christine

Georgeadis who have both

tested positive for COVID-

19 and are being treated at

Berks Heim.

Kontakion of Pascha

Though You went down into the tomb, O

Immortal One, yet You brought down the

dominion of Hades; and You rose as the

victor, O Christ our God; and You called out

‘Rejoice’ to the Myrrh-bearing women, and

gave peace to Your apostles, O Lord who to

the fallen grant resurrection.

Κοντάκιον τού Πάσχα

Ει και εν ταφω κατηλθες Αθανατε, αλλα του

ἅδου καθειλες την δυναμιν· και ανεστης ως

νικητης, Χριστε ο Θεος, γυναιξι Μυροφοροις

φθεγξαμενος, Χαιρετε, και τοις σοις

Αποστολοις ειρηνην δωρουμενος, ο τοις

πεσουσι παρεχων αναστασιν.