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 JANUARY 30th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE THREE GREAT HIERARCHS: SAINTS BASIL THE GREAT, GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN AND JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
Each has his personal feast day in the month of January; St. Basil on the 1st, St. Gregory on the 25th, and St. John Chrysostom on the 27th. The common feast we celebrate on the 30th was instituted in the 11th century, in the time of the Emperor Alexius Comnenus. At one time there was a quarrel among the people about who was the greatest of the three. Some gave St. Basil the pre-eminence for his purity and courage; others St. Gregory for the unfathomable depth and height of his theological mind; others still St. John Chrysostom for the wonderful beauty of his speech and the clarity of his presentation of the Faith. So the first were called Basilians, the second Gregorians and the third Johannites. But, by the Providence of God, this dispute was resolved to the benefit of the Church and the yet greater glory of the three Saints. The Bishop of Efchaita, John (+June 14th), had a vision in his sleep, in which each of these Saints appeared to him in great glory and indescribable beauty, and then all three together. They then said to him: 'We are one in God, as you see, and there is no dispute among us...neither is there among us a first or a second.' The Saints also advised Bishop John to compile a common feast for them and to set aside for them a day of common commemoration. The quarrel was settled as indicated by the wonderful vision; January 30th being set aside for the common commemoration of the three hierarchs. Our Greek Orthodox Church regards this feast not only as a Church Festival but as their greatest National and Scholastic holiday or Greek Letters Day. (Source: The Prologue from Ochrid)
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Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn of the Feast
The three most great luminaries of the Three-Sun Divinity have illumined all of the world with the rays of doctrines divine and true; they are the sweetly-flowing rivers of wisdom, who with godly knowledge have watered all creation in clear and mighty streams: The great and sacred Basil, and the Theologian, wise Gregory, together with the renowned John, the famed Chrysostom of golden speech. Let us all who love their divinely-wise words come together, honoring them with hymns; for ceaselessly they offer entreaty for us to the Trinity.
Kontakion Hymn of the Feast
Thou hast taken to Thyself, O Lord, the sacred and God-proclaiming heralds, the crown of Thy teachers, for the enjoyment of Thy blessings and for repose; for Thou hast accepted their sufferings and labors above all sacrifice, O Thou Who alone dost glorify Thy Saints.
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DIVINE SERVICES JANUARY 30th:
Orthros (Matins) 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