SS.

kosmas & damianos Orthodox Church (goa)

703 W. Center Street, Rochester, MN (507) 282-1529 http://www.rochesterorthodoxchurch.org

office@rochesterorthodoxchurch.org Rev. Fr. Mark Muoz, Proistamenos

/APOLYTIKIA FOR TODAY
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Let the Heavens rejoice; let earthly things be glad; for the Lord has
wrought might with His arm, He has trampled upon death by
death. The first-born of the dead has He become. From the depths
of Hades has He delivered us, and has granted great mercy to the
world.
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Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received
the prize of the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our
immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the
demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.
/KONTAKION FOR TODAY
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Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God,
saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Rejoice!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up
the fallen.

Sunday of the paralytic

Basiliscus the Martyr, Bishop of Comana, Holy New Martyrs Demetrius and Paul of Tripoli,
John-Vladimir, Ruler of Serbia
May 22nd, 2016

Todays scripture readings

Epistle reading

Acts of the Apostles 9:32-42

Prokeimenon. Mode 3.
Psalm 46.6,1
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.
IN THOSE DAYS, as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints that lived at Lydda.
There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to
him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose. And all the residents of
Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which
means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she fell sick and died; and when they
had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was
there, sent two men to him entreating him, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter rose and went with them. And
when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics
and other garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and
prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat
up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive. And it
became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
Gospel pericope

John 5:1-15
At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called
Bethesda which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the
moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water;
whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there,
who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he
said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool
when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up
your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked. Now that day was
the sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your
pallet." But he answered them, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Take up your pallet, and walk.' "They asked
him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your pallet, and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not
know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the
temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." The man went away and
told

the

Jews

that

it

was

Jesus

who

had

healed

him.

Announcements
Liturgical/Program Schedule:
TODAY: Sunday School End of the Year Picnic @ Oxbow Park after Fellowship Hour
Wed. May 25th: Feast of Mid-Pentecost, Orthros/Divine Liturgy
Thurs. May 26th: JOY Faith Night, 5:30pm

Todays Memorial Services: Mr. Panagiotis Economou- 40 days Mr. George Thomas- 3yrs
Honoring our 2016 High School Graduates: Kiki Gavrilov, Theoni Kolas, and Madeline
Melchert!
Today we say farewell! it is with understandable sadness that we announce the move of Dr.
Don & Elaine Jenkins back to San Antonio, TX. For many years Dr. Don has graced us with
his faithful demeanor and quick witted action on the Parish Council, Philoxenia Committee,
and currently the Philoxenia Executive Committee. Elaine offered her accounting expertise in
the office assisting in processing payments and other accounting responsibilities. They will be
sorely missed, however we wish them well as they return home to their family and friends!
HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNIONOnly Orthodox Christians in good standing are encouraged
to receive Holy Communion frequently, provided they have prepared themselves spiritually, mentally and
physically. They must be on time for the Divine Liturgy, and be in a Christ-like, humble state of mind. They should
be in a confession relationship with their priest or spiritual father, have observed the fasts of the Church, and they
should have self-examined their conscience. On the day of receiving Holy Communion, it is not proper to eat or
drink anything before coming to church. When you approach to receive Holy Communion, state your Christian
(baptismal) name clearly, and hold the red communion cloth to your chin. After receiving, wipe your lips on the
cloth, step back carefully, hand the cloth to the next person and make the sign of the Cross as you step away.
Please do not be in a rush while communing! Please take special care not to bump the Holy Chalice.

ETIQUETTE REMINDER:
For this holy house and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to
the Lord.
The summer months will soon be upon us and that means enjoying warm weather and fun in the sun. While shorts (for males
& females), capris, flip-flops, tank tops, spaghetti straps, short skirts well above the knees, etc. are practical and may be
acceptable at the pool or the lake front they are not appropriate attire at church, and must not be worn during the Divine Services
of the Church. At every Eucharistic celebration we are spiritually and physically brought in the awesome presence of Jesus
Christ Himself, and when we commune He comes to dwell within us in a miraculous way. Therefore the sanctity, solemnity, and
dignity of the Divine Liturgy must be preserved for the wellbeing of all. ******Parents, your assistance and guidance are most
especially helpful and appreciated.******

Todays commemorations
1. THE HOLY MARTYR BASILISCUS
Basiliscus was a kinsman of St. Theodore Tiro. He was tortured together with Eutropius and Cleonicus. When the latter two
[Eutropius and Cleonicus] were crucified, and expired (March 3), then Basiliscus was again returned to prison. At that time, there
occurred a change in the emperor's deputy so that Basiliscus remained imprisoned for a long time. With tears, Basiliscus prayed
that God not deprive him of a martyr's death. After lengthy prayers, the Lord Jesus Himself appeared to him, promised to fulfill
his wish and sent him to his village to bid farewell to his mother and brothers. At that time Agrippa, a new deputy, was appointed
and ordered that Basiliscus he brought from the village immediately. Enroute from the village to the town of Amasea the Lord,
through His martyr, worked a great miracle and, as a result, many people believed in Christ. Agrippa ordered the martyr to offer a
sacrifice to the idol Apollyon. Basiliscus said: "Apollyon means `one who kills - the destroyer,' " and with fervent prayer turned
the idol into dust and with a heavenly fire burned the temple. The frightened Agrippa attributed this to magic and ordered
Basiliscus beheaded. At that moment, Agrippa went insane and, in his madness, went to the scaffold, found a little blood of the
martyr in the dust, placed it under his belt and he was healed. Coming to his senses he was baptized. Later on, Marinus, a citizen
of Comana, the place of the execution of Basiliscus, built a church over the relics of the saint where many afflicted people found
healing.
2. THE HOLY MARTYR JOHN VLADIMIR, KING OF SERBIA
John Vladimir was of princely lineage from Zahumlje. His grandfather was called Hvalimir and his father Petrislav. As a ruler, he
was wise, merciful, meek, chaste and brave. He fervently prayed to God and voluntarily built churches and supported them.
However, he had difficult struggles both internally and externally. Internally, from heretics and the Bogomils and externally from
Tsar Samuel and Tsar Basil who wanted to conquer him. Samuel deceitfully captured him and cast him into prison. While he
languished in prison an angel of God appeared to him and foretold that he would shortly be freed, but that he would die a martyr's
death. Getting to know him better, Samuel grew to like him and gave his daughter Kosara to be his wife. When Samuel died, his
son Radomir was crowned Tsar. But Vladislav, his twin brother, slew Radomir and deceitfully summoned Vladimir and
beheaded him in the year 1015 A.D. The relics of this saintly king repose uncorrupt in his monastery near Elbasan and over his
relics, throughout the ages and even today, numerous miracles occur. In 1925, a church was built to honor this crowned martyr
adjacent to the monastery of St. Nahum since John Vladimir was the benefactor of this glorious monastery.
3. THE SECOND ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
This Council was called during the reign of Emperor Theodosius the Great in Constantinople in the year 381 A.D. Its goal was to
confirm the Orthodox teaching concerning the Holy Spirit about Whom the Patriarch Macedonius of Constantinople erroneously
taught. He erroneously taught that the Holy Spirit is God's creature and not a divine person [Hypostasis] equal to the Father and
Son and One in essence with Them in the Holy Trinity. Macedonius was condemned by this Council and the teaching about the
Holy Spirit was added to the Nicaean Symbol of Faith [the Nicene Creed].
4. THE HOLY RIGHTEOUS MELCHISEDEK, KING OF SALEM
Melchisedek was a contemporary of our forefather Abraham. According to the words of the Apostle Paul he was a king, priest
and proto-type of the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7).