My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
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THROUGH THE HOLY INTERCESSIONS OF SAINT ANDREW FIRST CALLED AND APOSTLE
Saint Andrew is our Patron and Protector Saint
According to Orthodox Christian Tradition soon following the erection of the church edifice the local Bishop or Metropolitan consecrates the church. The consecration of the church is not only solemn and inspiring but historic
The Consecration Service of a Church bears the theme of initiation and renewal. To consecrate a church, means to initiate and dedicate the edifice into the service of God, and to set it apart for exclusive use as a House of Worship.
The faithful are spiritually renewed and regenerated at Baptism and Chrismation. They are filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit and pledge to live a new life in Christ. In like manner, the church building is renewed by its Baptism and Chrismation; i.e., Consecration, and becomes the House of God. It is filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit and dispenses this grace to the Orthodox Christians believers within its sacred walls.
Once a Christian accepts the Christian faith, he/she does so forever. Once a church building is consecrated, it remains a place of Christian worship for as long as it exists.
The "Consecration Service" is weaved with threads of the Old and New Testaments, the Theology of the Orthodox Christian Church, and trimmed with Eastern Christendom's symbolism.
The local church, just as at the Sacrament of Baptism receives a Christian name, the name of a Saint of the Church and the Saint whose name one bears becomes his/her intercessor and protector for life. The local church is dedicated to a Saint or in some cases, named of one of the Major Celebrations in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ i.e., Ascension, and of the Mother of God i.e., Annunciation. The Saint then becomes the intercessor, protector and patron Saint of the church.
The Orthodox Christians who worship at that church turn to the patron Saint of their church to intercede for them and their families. As members of the local church they honor and serve the Patron Saint not some secular community. What makes an Orthodox Christian a member of the local church is not their annual donation or stewardship. What makes them members of the Church, the Body of Christ, is their baptism and chrismation. The Stewardship is given for the purpose of meeting the needs to operate the local parish and not to be so called "members."
A Patron Saint is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a Nation, place, craft, activity, class, or person. Since the time of the early Christians up to the present, a vast number of Patron Saints have been recorded.
The following Saints who are often called upon to intercede for special purposes:
Against demons and witchcraft: Saints Cyprian and Justina (October 2)
Against the plague: Saint Bessarion of the Saviour, Archbishop of Larissa (September 15), Saint Haralambos (February 10), Saint Marina the Great Martyr (July 17)
Delivery from sudden death: Saint Barbara the Great Martyr (December 4)
For care and protection of infants: Saint Stylianos (November 26)
For Children: Saint Nicholas of Myra (December 6th)
For ears: Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker (December 12)
For eyes: Saint Lucia of Sicily (December 13), Saint Paraskevi (July 26)
For finding employment: Saint Xenia of Saint Petersburg (January 24)
For finding things: Saint Menas the Great Martyr of Egypt (November 11), Saint Phanourios the Great Martyr (August 27)
For headaches: Holy New Martyr Demas of Smyrna (April 10)
For help against quick-temper and despondency: Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk (August 13)
For help in studies: Saint John of Kronstadt, hree Hierarchs: Saint Basil the Great, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Gregory the Theologian (January 30)
For marital difficulties: Saints Peter and Fevronia of Muron; also for newlyweds (June 25)
For meeting a difficult situation: Holy Archangel Raphael (November 8), Saints Cosmas and Damian and their mother Saint Theodoti of Asia Minor (November 1), Saint Nektarios of Aegina (November 9)
For mental disorders: Saint Anastasia (October 12), Saint Gerasimos of Cephalonia: the possessed (August 16)
For physicians: Saint Panteleimon (July 27), The Holy Unmercenaries, Saint Agape the Physician (June 1)
For safe childbirth: Saint Eleutherios (August 4 and December 15)
For soldiers: Holy Archangel Michael (November 8), Saint George the Great Martyr (April 23)
To have a child: Saint Anna, Mother of the Theotokos (September 9), Saint Elizabeth, Mother of the Forerunner (September 5), Saint Irene of Chrysovalandou (July 28), Saint Savvas the Sanctified of Palestine (December 5)
OH SAINTS OF GOD INTERCEDE FOR US!
In Christ's Service,
+Father George