Dec 28 - The 20,000 Holy Martyrs of Nicomedia

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

ON DECEMBER 28th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE 20,000 HOLY MARTYRS OF NICOMEDIA

In the time of the wicked Emperor Maximian Hercules, the Christian faith flourished in Nicomedia, and spread from the day to day. At one time the Emperor, staying in the city, came to know of the large number of Christians, and he was greatly enraged and devised a means of slaughtering them all. The feast of the Nativity of Christ was approaching, and the Emperor, discovering that all the Christians gathered in the church on the feast, ordered that, all the Christians on that day, the church be surrounded by soldiers and set on fire. When all the Christians were assembled in the church after midnight and glorious celebration was beginning, the soldiers surrounded the church so that no-one could leave, and the Emperor's envoy went into the church and told the Christians of the Emperor's command that they either immediately offer sacrifice to idols or all be burned to death. Then the archdeacon, a courageous soldier of Christ, aflame with divine zeal, began to encourage the people, reminding them of the Three Holy Children in the furnace in Babylon. 'Look, my brethren,' he said, 'at the table of sacrifice in the Lord's altar, and understand that our True Lord and God will now sacrifice on this; so shall we not lay down our lives for Him in this holy place? The people were fired with enthusiasm to die for Christ, and all the catechumens were baptized and chrismated. The soldiers then set fire to the church on all sides and the Christians, 20,000 of them, were burned in the flame singing the glory of God. The church burned for five days, and a smoke with fragrant and intoxicating smell rose from it, and a marvelous golden light was seen around it. Thus these many men, women, and children died gloriously and received wreaths of eternal glory in the Kingdom of Christ. They suffered and were glorified in the year 302 A.D. (Source: The Prologue from Ochrid)

______________________________

"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostom

+++

With sincere agape In His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

Celebrating the Holy Natiivty of Christ Through the Holy Hymns of the Church

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

CELEBRATING THE HOLY NATIVITY OF THE CHRIST THROUGH CHRISTIAN WORSHIP AND THROUGH THE HYMNS OF THE CHURCH

From Hours of the Nativity

Today is born of the Virgin Him Who holdest all creation in the hollow of His hand. He Whose essence is untouchable is wrapped in swaddling clothes as a babe. The God Who from of old established the heavens lieth in a manger. He Who showered the people with manna in the wilderness feedeth on milk from the breasts. And the Bridegroom of the Church calleth the Magi. And the Son of the Virgin accepteth gifts from them. We worship Thy Nativity O Christ.

+

From Christmas Eve

What shall we render to Thee, O Christ, for that Thou didst appear on earth as a man for our sake? Verily, every individual of the creatures Thou create shall offer Thee thanksgiving. The Angels shall tender Thee praise; the heavens, the Star; the Magi, gifts; the shepherds, wonder; the earth, the cave; the wilderness, the manger; and we men, a virgin Mother. Wherefore, O God

before the ages, have mercy upon us.

+

Today all the Angels exchange glad tidings and rejoice; and the entire creation exulteth for the Birth of the Lord Savior in Bethlehem; for the error of the idols hath passed out completely, and Christ shall reign forever.

+

TROPARION

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath given rise to the light of knowledge in the world; for they that worshipped the stars did learn therefrom to worship Thee, O Sun of justice, and to know that from the east of the Highest Thou didst come O Lord, glory to Thee.

+

Katavasias of the Nativity

Christ is born, glorify Him. Christ hath come from the heavens, receive Him. Christ is on earth, elevate Him. Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; and ye nations, praise Him with joy; for He hath been glorified.

+

Ninth Ode

Magnify, O my soul, her who is more honorable and more exalted in glory than the heavenly hosts. I behold a strange and wonderful mystery: the cave a heaven, the Virgin a cherubic throne, and the manger a noble place in which hath lain Christ the uncontained God. Let us, therefore, praise and magnify Him.

+

Today hath been fulfilled a strange mystery; for nature hath been renewed and God hath become man. Yea, He hath remained as He has been, taking unto Himself what had not been, nor was He affected by any confusion or division.

Today the invisible Nature doth unite with mankind from the Virgin. Today the boundless Essence is wrapped in swaddling clothes in Bethlehem. Today God doth guide the Magi by the Star to worship, indicating beforehand His three-day Burial by the offerings of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Wherefore, we sing to him saying, O Christ God, Who was incarnate of the Virgin, save our souls. (Orthros or Matins)

Vespers

How shall I describe this great mystery? For the Incorporeal hath become Incarnate; the Logos/Word took unto Himself the density of the flesh. The Unseen is seen, the Untouchable is touched, the Beginningless beginneth, and the Son of God becometh the Son of Man; yes, Jesus Christ Himself Who is the same yesterday, today and unto all ages. (ource: Divine Prayers and Services)

______________________

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

______________________

"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

+++

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

Orthodox Christian Christology

My beloved spiritual children in Our Incarnate Logos, God and Savior Jesus Christ,

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHRISTOLOGY

The dogma concerning Jesus Christ also derives from spontaneous religious experiences of the primitive Church. The believers of the early Church had acknowledged Jesus as the Incarnate and Resurrected Son of God. They regarded the testimony of the disciples, who had witnessed the epiphanies, as proof that he was indeed the exalted Lord Who sits at the right hand of the Father and would return in glory to bring about the fulfillment of His kingdom.

The Gospel of Saint John reveals Jesus as the Incarnate Divine Logos/Word. Jesus is Divine not because Divinity has been conferred upon Him from without, but because He is a Pre-existent Celestial Being Who descended into the world: the Divine Logos/Word Who assumed a fleshly human body in order to affect human history...

"...The Christological formulas of the Orthodox Church do not try to provide a rationalistic explanation of the phenomenon of Christ. They aim to bring out at least three aspects of the mystery of Divine Sonship which the Church regarded as essential. First, the fact that Jesus Christ, Son of God, is God in full measure, that in Him "the whole plenitude of Deity is present." Second, that He is man in full measure. Third, that these two "natures" (divine and human) do not exist unconnected side by side, but that they are joined within Christ in a personal unity...The Mystery of the Person of Jesus Christ is summed up in the formula: two natures in one person..."

The Dogmatic Position of the Mother of God

The dogma of the Incarnation of the Divine Logos/Word is closely linked with the dogma of the Ever-Virgin Mary as "Mother of God" and "God-bearer." Again, the devotion of the Mother of God did not develop out of theory; rather, the doctrine itself reflects only the extraordinary importance that veneration of the Mother of God early acquired in the liturgy, in the devotions of the Christian Communities, and in the personal worship of Orthodox Christian believers.

This birth of the devotion of the Ever-Virgin Mary as "God-bearer"--Theotokos--is one of the most amazing processes in the history of the primitive (early) Church.

In the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, at the conclusion of the great intercessory prayer: "Truly worthy is it to praise Thee, God-bearer, eternally blessed and perfectly irreproachable Mother of God, who art worthy of honor than the cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the seraphim, who, intact, hast borne the Divine Logos/Word--Thee, the True Mother of God, we praise."

Among the innumerable hymns in honor of the Mother of God in which her cosmic aspect is also touched upon, we shall quote only the hymn of the shepherds from the morning service of Akathistos Saturday:

Joy to Thee, Mother of the Lamb and the Shepherd.
Joy to Thee, Herder of spiritual sheep.
Joy to Thee, Avenger on invisible enemies.
Joy to Thee, Opener of the gates of Paradise.
Joy to Thee, Heaven rejoices with the earth.
Joy to Thee, earth dances with Heaven.
Joy To Thee, resounding Tongue of the Apostles.
Joy To Thee, unconquerable Courage of the victorious.
Joy To Thee, mighty Bulwark of Faith.
Joy To Thee, glorious Monument of Grace.
Joy To Thee, through Thee Hades, was stripped.
Joy To Thee, through Thee we received the garb of glory.
Joy To Thee, Initiate of inscrutable counsels.
Joy To Thee, Warrant of them who crave rest.
Joy To Thee, Prelude of the wonder of Christ.
Joy To Thee, Perfection of His teachings.
Joy To Thee, heavenly Ladder, upon Whom God descended.
Joy To Thee, Bridge that leads from earth up to Heaven.
Joy To Thee, Glory oft-declared by the Angels.
Joy To Thee, sore Wound of all devils.
Joy To Thee, Who inexpressible hast received the Light.
Joy To Thee, overpowering the knowledge of the wise.
Joy To Thee, illuminating the senses of the faithful.
Joy To Thee, virgin Bride.

(Source: The Eastern Orthodox Church, Its Thought and Life by Ernst Benz)

A BLESSED AND SAFE CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!

________________________

"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostomos

+++

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

The Forerunner - December 27 - Sunday After Nativity

Please click on icon to view bulletin

The Holy Nativity of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ According to the Holy Scripture

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

Christ is Born of Mary

"And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone in his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

"Glory to God in the Highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord had made known to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them" (Luke 2:1-20).

FOR CONSIDERATION

The Lord Jesus, born in Bethlehem, was first worshipped by shepherds and Wise Men, from the East--the simplest and the wisest of this world. In our day also, those who most sincerely worship the Lord Jesus as God and Savior are the simplest and the wisest of this world. Twisted simplicity and crazed wisdom have always been enemies of Christ's Divinity and of His Gospel. But who were these Wise Men from the East? This question was closely investigated by Saint Demitri of Rostov. He asserts that they were king of small regions or groups of towns in Persia, Arabia and Egypt. At the same time, they were greatly learned in astrology. The wonderful Star that heralded the Birth of the New King appeared to them. According to Saint Dimitri, this Star appeared nine months before the Birth of the Lord Jesus; that is, at the time when the Most Holy Mother of God conceived Him. They spent these nine months in studying this Star, in preparing for the journey and in travelling. They arrived in Bethlehem very shortly after the birth of the Savior of the world. One of them was called Melchior. He was old, withered, with long white hair and beard. He brought the Lord the gift of gold. The second man was called Caspar; ruddy of face, young and beardless. He brought the Lord the gift of frankincense. The third was called Balthazar; black-skinned and heavily bearded. He brought the Lord the gift of myrrh. After their deaths, their bodies were taken to Constantinople, from Constantinople to Milan and from Milan to Cologne. It can be added that these three Wise Men represented the three chief faces of men and descended from Noah's three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The Persian represented Japheth, the Arabian Shem and the Egyptian Ham. Thus it can be said that, through these three, the whole human race worshipped our Incarnate Lord and God. (Source: The Prologue from Ochrid)

With agape in Our Incarnate Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
+Father George

December 20 - Holy Hieromartyr Ignatios the God-bearer

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.

+

ON THE 20TH OF DECEMBER, THE HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE HOLY HIEROMARTYR IGNATIOS THE GOD-BEARER

Ignatios, our divine and God-bearing Father, was Bishop of Antioch during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98-117 A.D.). He was known as Theophoros, that is, "God-bearer" or "God-borne." This Saint is said to have been the small child taken into the holy hands of the Master Christ and set in the midst of His disciples. Jesus then said, "If anyone doth wish to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." And He took a little child and set him in their midst. And after He took him into His arms, He said to them, "whosoever shall receive one of such little children in my name, receiveth me; and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but the One Who sent Me forth" (Mark 9:35-37). Holy Tradition maintains that the Master most clearly manifested the seven-year-old lad's future progress and proficiency in the Apostolic Teaching.

The blessed Ignatios became a disciple of the divine Evangelist John. Together with the sacred Polycarpos, commemorated by the Holy Church on the 23rd of February, who became Bishop of Smyrna. Ignatios was ordained to the Priesthood by the Holy Apostles. Thereafter, he was voted by them to become Bishop of Antioch. The divine Ignatios was instructed in all knowledge of the Faith and in every virtue by the Sacred Apostles. As zealous disciple of the Apostles, he underwent much suffering and persecution while heralding the word of the Faith. He ever showed himself to be a minister (diakonos) of Christ's mysteries and teacher to the nations.

The Saint loved the spiritual gatherings, when the faithful came together to celebrate the Divine Liturgy. He especially took spiritual delight in the chanting of psalms and hymns by the congregation. Saint Ignatios, third bishop of Antioch in Syria from the Apostle Peter, saw a vision of Angels hymning the Holy Trinity in alternate chants. Accordingly, he introduced the mode of chanting he had observed in the vision into the Antiochian Church; whence it was transmitted by tradition to all the other Churches...

"...During his reign, Trajan the pagan emperor engaged in a fierce war against the Christians. He attempted to compel them to pay homage to his pagan gods whom he believed has assisted him in gaining significant military victories. Epistles were dispatched to all the cities of the empire stating that, if the Christians refused to offer sacrifice to the idols, they were to suffer bitter punishment and then a pitiless death...

"...It was at this time that Saint Ignatius, engaged in his Pastoral duties, was reported to Emperor Trajan. The emperor was informed that the bishop was teaching the people to venerate the God Who of late had been crucified and suffered an evil death. Trajan also learned that Ignatios was exhorting the people to preserve their virginity (chastity) and to despise ease, comfort, and every sweet delight of this life. He received intelligence that the worst crime of Ignatius was his contempt for the deities and imperial ordinances. Trajan immediately sent to have Ignatius brought before him. Trajan, as seen on his commemorative column memorializing his victory in the Dacian Wars, was a tall and distinctive figure. He was energetic for a sixty-year-old man and was accustomed to suffering hardship and danger with the men under his command. As for Saint Ignatius, he was a man of Apostolic character in every way. He had been governing the Church of the Antiochenes during the storm of persecutions, even from the time of Domitian (81-96 A.D.). As a good pilot, he held the helm of the Church by means of prayer, fasting, assiduous teaching, and spiritual earnestness. He withstood the enemy's surge to gain the faithful, lest the helm lose any of the fainthearted or over-simple. Though there was a period of tranquility for the Church and the persecution abated somewhat, Saint Ignatius still thought to himself that since he had not suffered martyrdom, he had not yet attained to the complete rank of a disciple or shown true love toward Christ. He believed that martyrdom should attach him more closely to His Lord. God dispensed otherwise all those years, so that the holy Bishop should remain with the flock, as a lamp illuminating the minds of the faithful by his exposition of the sacred scriptures. Nevertheless, it was the Saint's ardent prayer that he make his confession by martyrdom. Now Trajan, being full of himself after gaining the military victory over the Dacians, was put out that the Christians were the only people not in complete subjection (a contemporary attitude of the secular state), unless they submitted to the service of the idols (currently i.e., wealth and pleasure), or more correctly, the devils. Therefore, the pious were constrained either to offer sacrifice or to die. Saint Ignatius, refusing such vile homage, therefore came forth of his own free will before Trajan.

As the two stood face to face, Trajan asked, "Who art thou, thou wretch of a devil, that art so ready to disobey our royal orders, whilst thou seduces others also, that they may come to an equally bad end?" Saint Ignatios answered, "No one who bears God can be called a wretch of a devil. I say this, on the one hand, because the devils stand aloof from the slaves of God, but, on the other hand, if thou sayest this because I am troublesome to the devils, then I concur. For since I have the heavenly King Christ, I confound the devices of the devils." Trajan said, "And who is he that bearest God?" Saint Ignatios answered "The one who has Christ in his heart." Trajan asked, "Dost thou not think then that we too have gods in our hearts, since we have them as allies against our enemies?" Saint Ignatios replied, "Thou art deceived when thou callest the demons of the nations gods. There is one God Who created the heaven and the earth and the sea and all things that are therein, and one Christ Jesus, the Only-begotten Son of the God and Father, Whose friendship I would be prepared to take risks to enjoy...

"...At a pagan holiday, the people assembled from all over. They converged in the Capital not only for the festival but also for a look at the holy man whose fame had spread abroad in every place. All knew that the Christian Archbishop of Antioch was to be shown and devoured by wild beasts. The crowds that attended to witness the spectacle were without number. The holy man of God was often escorted into the theater. The Saint then turned without hesitation to the multitude of spectators. Possessed of a valiant and fearless mind, he addressed them: "Men of Rome, witnesses of my contest: you need to know that neither have I committed a criminal act, nor have I transgressed in anything that is deserving of death. I, however, receive this sentence today voluntarily, gladly, and with rejoicing, that I might attain to the True God for Whom I thirst and yearn to enjoy; inasmuch as I am God's wheat, ground fine by the teeth of wild beasts that I might become pure and unblemished bread."

After the Saint addressed the crowd, the executioners released the lions.  Even as Saint Ignatios had desired and entreated God, the lions caught sight of him, sprang upon him, and devoured the holy bishop. The creatures left only his large bones; therefore the bellies of the wild animals became his tomb. After the crowds dispersed from the theater and departed, the Christians remained behind that they might take up and bury the holy man's relics with honor and reverence. The holy relics were interred in a distinguished place on the 20th day of December. With the passage of time, the holy relics of Saint Ignatius were returned to Antioch. In the Synaxaristes of the Russians, from the codices at the Vatican Library in Rome, it is written that the lions left the heart of the Saint. The soldiers observing that the bishop's heart remained unharmed, cut open that organ, then--o the wonder!--they found an inscription of God written within, showing the name "Jesus Christ." Thus, we see that the Saint was true to his name God-bearer, in both the passive and active sense. The translation (anakomide) of the holy relics of Saint Ignatios is commemorated by the Holy Church on the 29th of January. He was buried in Daphne, and later, having been wrapped in linen removed to Antioch by Emperor Theodosios II (408-450 A.D.). Thus, an inestimable treasure was left to the Holy Church. When the Moslems captured the city of Antioch in 637 A.D., the holy relics of Saint Ignatios were moved to several places for safekeeping.

It is remarked upon that, at his martyric repose, the faithful wept at their loss of him. Their wailing was inconsolable as they devoted their time about his tomb, keeping vigil and chanting continually at the site. Now Saint Ignatios appeared to them in a vision. He embraced them and encouraged them, saying, "Cease lamenting, but rather rejoice." In this manner, he softened their pain and suffering. On other occasions, the faithful beheld him perspiring, even as he had undergoing the struggle of his martyric contest, and offering prayer for the salvation of the city and for all the Christians. (Source: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church)

______________________

"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

+++

With sincere agape in His Holy Incarnation,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George