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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ON NOVEMBER 30th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE HOLY APOSTLE ANDREW THE FIRST-CALLED OF THE TWELVE HOLY APOSTLES
Andrew, the First-called holy Apostle of Christ, was the son of a Jew named Jonah and the brother of the holy preeminent Apostle Peter. He was a native of the Galilean town of Bethsaida. Disdaining the vanity of this world and preferring virginity to matrimony, he declined to enter into wedlock; and, hearing that the holy Forerunner John was preaching repentance by the Jordan River, he left everything, went to him, and became his disciple. Andrew beheld the holy Forerunner while he was pointing to Jesus as He passed by and saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God" (John 1:36). Saint Andrew, together with another disciple of the Forerunner John (whom many consider to have been the Evangelist John), left the Forerunner and followed after Christ. He sought out his brother Simon Peter and said to him, "we have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, The Christ") [John 1:41), and brought him to Jesus. Afterward, when he was fishing with Peter off the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus called to them, saying, "Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). Andrew, immediately leaving his nets when he heard the Lord's summons, followed after Christ with his brother Peter (Matthew 4:20). Andrew is known as the First-called because he became a follower and disciple of Jesus Christ before any of the other holy Apostles.
After the Lord's voluntary Passion and His Resurrection, the holy Andrew, with the rest of the Apostles, received the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, there appeared to the disciples tongues, as if of fire, being distributed upon each of them (Acts 2:3). When the countries were divided among them, it fell to him by lot to spread the Gospel in Bithynia, the Propontos, Chalcedon, Byzantium, Thrace, and Macedonia, all the way to the Black Sea and the River Danube, as well as the Thessaly, Hellas (Greece), Achaia, Amisos, Trebizond, Herakleia, and Amastris. Saint Andrew passed through these lands and cities, preaching the Christian Faith. In each city, he had to endure much affliction and pain; but, fortified by the Omnipotent help of God, he joyfully bore all such tribulations for Christ's sake.
His next center of activity was the city of Byzantium, where he performed miracles in abundance and instructed many in the knowledge of God. Instead, the people of Byzantium not only embraced the Light of the Truth but even erected a magnificent church in honor of the All-Holy Theotokos. As bishop for them, Andrew consecrated Stachys, one of the Seventy Apostles [Romans 16:9]. He traveled next to Herakleia of Thrace, which is situated to the West of Byzantium; and there he converted many to the Orthodox Faith, and ordained Apelles bishop [Romans 16:10].
The holy Andrew undertook Apostolic labors and endured pangs in the spreading of the Gospel of Christ. He passed on through Pontus, the seaboard of the Black Sea, Scythia, and the Chersonese. By God's Providence, he reached the River Dnieper in the land of Russia, and halting upon the shore beneath the hills of Kiev, he lay down to rest. When he arose from sleep in the morning, he said to his disciples who had accompanied him, "Believe me on these hills the grace of God will shine forth. There will be a great city here, and the Lord will raise many churches in this place and enlighten all of the Russian lands with holy Baptism." And ascending the hills, the Saint blessed them and set up a cross, prophesying that the people who dwelt there would receive the Faith from the Apostolic see he had established in Byzantium.
After passing through many lands, he reached the Peloponnesos, and, entering the Achaian city of Patras, he lodged with a certain respected man by the name of Sosios. He raised him up from his bed of sickness, and afterward, he converted the whole city of Patras to Christ.
At that time, Macimilla, the wife of the Proconsul Aegeates, fell prey to a grievous affliction of the eyes. Though she visited every physician, she revived no benefit from their ministrations. Aegeates, observing his wife's decline, fell into despair. One of his household, however, remembered the Apostle; for he himself had received healing at his hands earlier. Thus, he hastened and besought the Apostle's help of this master's wife. The Saint then came and placed his hand upon her, and her health was restored forthwith, and she rose up from her couch.
When Aegeates beheld this miracle, he went and brought forth a great sum of money and laid it at the feet of the Saint. Kneeling, he begged the holy one to accept this offering in gratitude for the healing. The Apostle, however, refused the money. He desired only the repentance of the people of Achaia and Patras; and thus he declined to accept any recompense. He said to Aegeates, "Our Teacher has said, "Freely you received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8). He then taught him many other things before he departed.
Shortly thereafter, the aforementioned Proconsul Aegeates went to Rome to appear before Caesar to submit a report of his administration and to receive further orders. Now, Stratocles, his brother, was a man of wisdom. In Aegeates' absence, he journeyed to the city of Patra to act as administrator. Traveling with him was a trusted servant whom he loved as a brother. But at this time, the servant suffered a violent epileptic seizure. This greatly distressed Stratocles for no physician was able to help the unfortunate one. When the sister-in-law, Maximilla, learned of this, she invited him to her home and said, "We have here in this city a foreign doctor, by the name of Andrew, who heals every sickness and charges no fee. If you will go to him, I am confident that he will cure your servant of this ailment immediately. The wise and learned Stratocles of Athens then summoned the Saint, and as soon as the Apostle entered his house--behold the miracle!--the demons departed and the servant recovered his health. When Stratocles and Maximilla beheld this miracle, they wasted no time disavowing their former pagan religion, and they glorified the True God and became Christians. They were baptized by the holy Apostle Andrew and cleaved unto him inseparably, desiring to hear his every word and teaching on the Christian Faith.
It was not long before Aegeates returned from Rome, however, Maximilla wished to avoid all association with her unconverted husband, but it was impossible for her to keep her secret forever. Certain servants approached him and said, "From the days of thy departure to Rome until this present moment, she has not taken her regular meals, but has kept a strict fast. Yes, and she utters blasphemies against our deities, preferring the worship the Christ preached by the stranger, Andrew. When Aegeates, heard this, he began to act like a man who had lost his mind, uttering insults and threats against the Lord's Apostle. He ordered his guard to arrest the Saint, while he considered what manner of death he should inflict upon him. (Source: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church)
(To be continued)
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DIVINE SERVICES FOR THE FEAST OF SAINT ANDREW:
Great Vespers on Sunday, November 29th at 7:00 p.m.
Orthros on Monday, November 30th at 9:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George