va 22030 703.591.9445. http ...holyascension.us/uploads/haoc-newsletter-jan-10.pdf · these magi...

HOLY ASCENSION PARISH

JANUARY 2010 NEWSLETTER

THE HOLY ASCENSION ORTHODOX CHURCH is the Washington, DC, parish of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCA), under the omophor (or the conciliar leadership) of Metropolitan Agafangel (Pashkovsky), Bishop of Odessa & Taurida. The Holy Ascension Parish was organized on Ascension Day, 17 May 2007.

BISHOPS & LOCAL CLERGY Metropolitan Agafangel, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, and Bishop of Odessa & Taurida Bishop Joseph (Hrebinka) of Washington Michael Foster, deacon Seraphim Englehardt, subdeacon John Hinton, subdeacon

HOLY ASCENSION ORTHODOX CHURCH, JANUARY 2010

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3921 UNIVERSITY DRIVE, FAIRFAX VA 22030 703.591.9445. http://ruschurchabroad.com/ http://www.holyascension.info/

PART 1. OUR PARISH The Holy Ascension parish welcomes all Orthodox people to its sacraments and all people with an interest in Christianity and the abiding Tradition of the Holy Orthodox Church. The immediate Holy Ascension parish background is Russian émigré and American with many other English-speaking members. Members, visitors, and people in touch online come from all ethnicities. The Church is One. PART 2. THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD: THE LITURGY. The Nativity, according to the flesh of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, also called Christmas, is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on December 25. In the fullness of time, our Lord Jesus Christ was born to the Holy Theotokos and Virgin Mary, thus entering into the world as a man and revealing Himself to mankind. According to the Bible and Holy Tradition, Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem in a cave, surrounded by farm animals and shepherds. The baby Jesus was born into a manger from the Virgin Mary, assisted by her husband St. Joseph. He and the Theotokos were forced to travel due to a Roman census; the odd location of the birth was the result of the refusal of a nearby inn to accommodate the expecting couple (Luke 2:1-20). Such dwellings were often built

directly over caves housing livestock in order to make use of the animal heat. Although three Magi, the wise men of the East, are commonly de-picted as visiting during the Nativ-ity event itself (or, in Roman Catho-lic tradition, 12 days thereafter),

6th- Century Mosaic of Three Wise men in Ravenna

RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ABROAD, ARCHDIOCESE OF OTTAWA & NORTH AMERICA

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the Bible records the coming of an unspecified number of wise men as being a few years after Jesus' birth (see Matthew 2). In either case, these Magi came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). In the hymnography for the feast, these gifts are interpreted to signify Christ's royalty, divinity, and suffering. The Nativity Fast of 40 days precedes the Feast. For the faithful, it is a time to purify both soul and body to enter properly into and partake of the great spiritual reality of Jesus Christ's Coming, much like the preparation for the fast of the Lord's Resurrection. The beginning of the fast on November 15 is not liturgically marked by any hymns, but five days later, on the eve of the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos, we hear the first announcement from the nine Irmoi of the Christmas Canon: Christ is born, glorify Him! This period includes other special preparatory days announcing the approaching Nativity: St Andrew's Day, November 30; St Nicholas Day, December 6; the Sunday of the Forefathers; and the Sunday of the Fathers. December 20th begins the Forefeast of the Nativity. The liturgical structure is similar to the Holy Week preceding Pascha. The Orthodox Church sees the birth of the Son of God as the beginning of the saving ministry that will lead Him, for the sake of man’s salvation, to the ultimate sacrifice of the Cross. On the eve of the Nativity, the Royal Hours are read and the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is served with Vespers. These services chant the Old Testament prophecies of Christ's birth. There is also a tradition of Vale or Holy Supper, which is a 12-course Lenten dinner served before the family goes to vespers.

Nativity, late medieval Italian.


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The Vigil of Christmas begins with Great Compline because Vespers has already been served. At Compline there is the singing of the Troparion and Kontakion of the feast with special hymns glorifying the Savior's birth. There are also the special long litanies of intercession and the solemn blessing of the five loaves of bread together with the wheat, wine, and oil. The faithful partake of the bread soaked in the wine and are also anointed with the oil. This part of the festal vigil, which is done on all great feasts, is called in Slavonic the litya and in Greek artoklasia, or the breaking of the bread. The order of Matins is that of a great feast. Here, for the first time, the full Canon "Christ is born," is sung while the faithful venerate the Nativity icon. Concluding the celebration of the Nativity of Christ is the Liturgy. It begins with psalms of glorification and praise instead of the three normal antiphons. The troparion and kontakion mark the entrance of the Book of the Gospels. The baptismal line from Galatians 3:27 once again replaces the Thrice-Holy. The Epistle reading is from Galatians 4:4-7, the Gospel reading is the familiar Christmas story from Matthew (2:1-12), and then the liturgy continues in the normal fashion. The second day of the feast starts a two-day celebration of the Synaxis of the Theotokos. Combining the hymns of the Nativity with those celebrating the Mother of God, the Church points to Mary as the one through whom the Incarnation was made possible. St Stephen, the First Martyr, is also remembered on the second of these two days. On the Sunday after Christmas the Church com-memorates James the Brother of Our Lord, David the King, and Joseph the Betrothed. Eight days after the Nativity, is the feast of Circumcision of the Lord. The festal period extends to Theophany, during which time the Christmas songs are sung and fasting and kneeling in prayer are not called for. Throughout this

Russian icon of St. David, the Prophet and King, 18th-century

Iconostasis of Kizhi monastery,Karelia,Russia.


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time, it is the custom of some Orthodox Christians to greet each other with the words: Christ is born! and the response: Glorify Him! Many in the English-speaking world will also use the culturally common Merry Christmas!

Troparion (Tone 4) Your Nativity, O Christ our God, Has shone to the world the Light of wisdom! For by it, those who worshipped the stars, Were taught by a Star to adore You, The Sun of Righteousness, And to know You, the Orient from on High. O Lord, glory to You!

Kontakion (Tone 3) Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One, And the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One! Angels with shepherds glorify Him! The wise men journey with a star! Since for our sake the Eternal God was born as a Little Child!

PART 3. THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD--THE CALENDAR The Nativity holiday date has an interesting place in church history. The Bible does not specify on what date the Nativity fell. According to the Judeo-Christian tradition, the date of creation was considered to be March 25th. The early Christian writer Sextus Julius Africanus (AD 220) thought this dating plausible and suggested that Christ became incarnate on that same date. According to Julius, since the Word of God became incarnate from the moment of his conception, this meant that, after nine months in the Virgin Mary's womb, the Lord Jesus was born on December 25th. Some scholars have also debated whether the December 25 date is also related to the Roman festival of Saturnalia, to the hemispheric winter solstice festivals of many cultures, and to the Roman New Year date of January 1, which is the official date of the Circumcision of Our Lord. The circumcision date would fall traditionally on the eighth day after the naming of a male child, which makes the Lord Jesus born on December 25. One good source for calendar scholarship is the Oxford Companion to the Year (Oxford & New York: Oxford University Press, 1999). The Oxford Companion is the only widely accessible book that explains the relationship between the Julian calendar and the less well-known Egyptian calendar by which Orthodox Pascha is computed each year by Christians of Alexandria, Egypt.


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Orthodox writers in the ancient world toyed with many winter festival motifs—such as having the Nativity festival falling on the date of the hemispheric solstice because on this day the Sun, or Sol Invictus, reversed its southward retreat and proved itself to be Unconquered. Several early Christian writers connected the rebirth of the sun to the birth of Jesus. O, how wonderfully acted Providence that on that day on which that Sun was born...Christ should be born, Saint Cyprian wrote. Saint John Chrysostom also commented on the

connection: They call it the “Birthday of the Unconquered”' Who indeed is so unconquered as Our Lord . . .?

A winter festival is the most popular festival of the year in many cultures. Reasons include the fact that less agricultural work needs to be done during the winter, as well as the expectation of better weather as spring approached. Modern Christmas customs include gift giving and merrymaking from Roman Saturnalia; greenery, lights, and charity from the Roman New Year; and Yule logs and various foods from Germanic feasts. Pagan Scandinavia celebrated a winter festival called Yule, held in the late December to early January period. Just as the North was the last part of Europe to Christianize, its pagan traditions had a major influence on Christmas. Scandinavians still call Christmas Jul. In English, the word Yule is synonymous with Christmas, a usage first recorded in AD 900. There is, however, no record of first-century Christians commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. In fact, in keeping with early Jewish law and tradition, it is likely that birthdays were not commemorated at all because they were considered pagan customs. In 245, the theologian Origen of Alexandria stated that, only sinners [like Pharaoh and Herod] celebrated their birthdays. One of the first known Nativity celebrations occurred in 336, at the Church of Rome. There ia also early reference to the date of the Nativity as December 25 is found in the Chronography of 354, a Roman illuminated manuscript showing that in the year 350 Pope Julius the First officially designated December 25 to celebrate the Lord Jesus’ birth, at least in his diocese. In the East, the early Christians had tended to

Our Lord as Cristo Sole, mosaic below

Roman basilica, ante 4th century


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celebrate the birth of Christ as part of the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6), although Epiphany emphasized celebration of the Baptism of Jesus. Christmas on December 25 was promoted in the Christian East as part of the revival of Orthodoxy following the death of the pro-Arian Emperor Valens at the Battle of Adrianople in 378. The feast was introduced into Constantinople in the next year, 379, and into Antioch about 380. The feast disappeared from Constantinople after Saint Gregory of Nazianzus resigned as bishop in 381, but Saint John

Chrysostom reintroduced it about 400. In Western Europe, the social land political prominence of Christmas Day increased gradually after Charlemagne was crowned Emperor on Christmas Day in 800. King Edmund the Martyr was anointed on Christmas in 855, and King William I of England was crowned on Christmas Day 1066. In the Orthodox East, however, the Epiphany or Theophany Feast remained of equal status to the Nativity. Part 4. Theophany The term theophany means divine appearance to us in this world. The Old Testament recounts divine appearances of the Lord God of Israel to Adam and Eve, to Cain, to Noah and his sons, to Abraham, and to Moses. The Bible also recounts metaphorical appearances of the Lord in the Song of Deborah, Deuteronomy, Habakkuk, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and in Psalms. The Orthodox Church keeps the Feast of the Epiphany (the manifestation to view) or the Feast of the Theophany (manifestation to view of the Lord Jesus), on January 6, twelve days after the Nativity commemoration. The Orthodox Church centers the Theophany of Jesus as Son of God in His Baptism in the Jordan River as an adult whereas non-Orthodox liturgical Christians tend the define his manifestation as Christ child in his appearance to visiting shepherds and Eastern kings on the twelfth day of His life. The Orthodox Theophany includes commemoration of His birth, the visit of the Magi (wise men who were Persian priests) to Bethlehem, all of Jesus' childhood events, up to and including his

Nativity of Our Lord, American 20th

Century


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baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist, and even the miracle at the Wedding of Cana in Galilee. But The Baptism in the Jordan is the primary event to commemorate. Christians fixed the date of the feast on January 6 quite early in their history, following Matthew 3:13–17; Luke 3:22; and John 2:1–11; where the Baptism and the Marriage at Cana were dwelt upon. Western Christians have traditionally emphasized the "Revelation to the Gentiles" mentioned in Luke, where the term Gentile means all non-Jewish peoples. The Biblical Magi, who represented the non-Jewish peoples of the world, paid

homage to the infant Jesus in stark contrast to Herod the Great (King of Judea), who sought to kill Him. In this event, Christian writers also inferred a revelation to the Children of Israel. Saint John Chrysostom identified the significance of the meeting between the Magi and Herod's court: "The star had been hidden from them so that, on finding themselves without their guide, they would have no alternative but to consult the Jews. In this way the birth of Jesus would be made known to all."

The earliest reference to Epiphany as a Christian feast was in AD 361, by Ammianus Marcellinus. St. Epiphanius says that January 6 is hemera genethlion toutestin epiphanion (Christ's "Birthday; that is, His Epiphany"). He also asserts that the Miracle at Cana occurred on the same calendar day. In a sermon delivered on December 25, 380, St. Gregory of Nazianzus referred to the day as ta theophania, saying expressly that it is a day commemorating he hagia tou Christou genesis ("the holy nativity of Christ") and told his listeners that they would soon be celebrating the baptism of Christ. Then, on January 6 and 7, he preached two more sermons, wherein he declared that the celebration of the birth of Christ and the visitation of the Magi had

Our Lord’s Baptism in the Jordan, Pskov monastery, 14th

century.


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already taken place, and that they would now commemorate his Baptism. At this time, celebration of the two events was beginning to be observed on separate occasions, at least in Cappadocia. Saint John Cassian says that even in his time (beginning of the 5th century), the Egyptian monasteries celebrated the Nativity and Baptism together on January 6. The non-Chalcedonian Armenian church continues to celebrate January 6 as the only commemoration of the Nativity. PART 5. JANUARY LITURGIES BY CIVIL DATE

All Sunday Liturgies begin at 10:00 AM. A luncheon buffet always follows. Volunteers may offer to help with luncheon fare by cooking food at home and by food preparation and service at the church. A volunteer may also bring monastic food for Bishop Joseph on Sundays that are not already Lenten fasts. Currently a regular schedule also designates a family that is responsible for cleaning the church after the services. The duty is for one month at a time. If you wish to volunteer, please see the warden/starosta, Mr Gontscharow. Saturday, January 2, Vigil at 5 PM. Sunday, January 3, the 30th Sunday After Pentecost, Hours & Divine Liturgy at 9:40 AM. FOREFEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST. SUNDAY OF THE HOLY FATHERS. Wednesday, January 6, Vigil of the Holy Nativity. Royal Hours, Typica, Great Vespers, & Divine Liturgy at 7 AM. Compline & Matins at 6 PM. Thursday, January 7, NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Divine Liturgy at 9:40 AM. Saturday, January 9, Vigil at 5 PM. Sunday, January 10, the 31st Sunday After Pentecost. SUNDAY AFTER THE NATIVITY, Hours & Divine Liturgy at 9:40 AM. RIGHTEOUS DAVID THE KING, JOSEPH THE BETROTHED, AND JAMES THE BROTHER OF THE LORD. Wednesday, January 13, Vigil at 6 PM. Thursday, January 14, CIRCUMCISION OF THE LORD, Hours & Divine Liturgy at 7:00 AM.


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Saturday, January 16, Vigil at 5 PM. Sunday, the 32d Sunday After Pentecost, Hours & Divine Liturgy at 9:40 AM. SUNDAY BEFORE THEOPHANY. SYNAXIS OF THE 70 APOSTLES. SAINT THEOCTISTUS. Monday, January 18, EVE OF THEOPHANY. Royal Hours & Vesperal Divine Liturgy at 7:40 AM. Compline & Matins at 6 PM. Tuesday, January 19, THEOPHANY. Hours, Divine Liturgy, and the Great Blessing of Water at 8 AM. Saturday, January 23, Vigil at 5 PM. Sunday, January 24, SUNDAY OF THE PUBLICAN AND THE PHARISEE. Hours & Divine Liturgy at 9:40 AM. SUNDAY AFTER THEOPHANY. SAINT THEODOSIUS. Saturday, January 30, Vigil at 5 PM. Sunday, January 31, SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON. Hours & Divine Liturgy at 9:40. SAINTS ATHANASIUS AND CYRIL. SAINT MAXIM OF SERBIA.

OUR LORD & GOD.


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PARTS 6-7. CHRISTMAS EPISTLE GALATIANS 4:4-7 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a

woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as

sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts,

crying out, "Abba, Father!"

7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

CHRISTMAS GOSPEL MATTHEW 2:1-12 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king,

behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His

star in the East and have come to worship Him."

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

6 But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."

9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

PARTS 8-9. THEOPHANY EPISTLE, TITUS 2:11-14; 3:4-7 11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,

righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior


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Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and

purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy

He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the

hope of eternal life.

THEOPHANY GOSPEL, MATTHEW 3:13-17 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and

are You coming to me?" 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is

fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. 16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water;

and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

PART 10. THE PARISH BOOKSTORE. Calendars for the civil year 2010 are for sale for $5.00 each. Please report difficulties with newsletter distribution and, by all means, report newsletter corrections to the newsletter preparer, Patrick Brown ~ [email protected]

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