Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church A Parish of the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese

Ecumenical Patriarchate Our 60th Year of Worshiping Christ as a Family!

10201 Democracy Blvd Potomac, Maryland 20854

301-299-5120(Office) 301-367-9051(cell) www.holyresurrection.com

www.facebook.com/groups/hroc25 Very Rev. Peter Zarynow, Pastor

Subdeacon Anastasios Davis | Subdeacon Vincent Dranginis ††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††

Sunday 26 August 2018 Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

St. Tikhon, bishop of Voronezh, Wonderworker of Zadonsk Epistle: 1 Corinthians 16:13-24

Gospel: Matthew 21:33-42 Tone Four

The Schedule of Divine Services for the week is as follows:26 Aug (Sun) 13th Sunday after Pentecost Confessions 8:45am Chanting of the 3rd Hour 9:20am Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom 9:30am Coffee Social to follow 28 Aug (Tue) FEAST OF THE DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom 10alm Blessing of Flowers and Herbs

02 Sept. (Sun) 14th Sunday after Pentecost Confessions 8:45am Chanting of the 3rd Hour 9:20am Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom 9:30am Panachida: +James Plowchin (40th day)-sister Rose Coffee Social to follow

Announcements: Confessions will be heard on Sunday mornings from 8:45-9:15am. All faithful are encouraged to come to the Sacrament every 8-10 weeks, on average, to help maintain spiritual health. We return to “regular schedule” (Divine Liturgy at 10am) on Sunday 09 September. Sunday School Classes will begin on Sunday 23 September. Blessing of Students and Faculty will be after the Gospel Reading on the 23rd. Deepest sympathies are expressed to Marie Sudik and family on the falling asleep in the Lord of Marie’s mother, +Natalie Porrazzo, last Sunday. Funeral Services were held Saturday at St Benedict Roman Catholic Church in Johns Creek, Georgia. Burial will take place in Boston at a later date. Please keep the Marie and her family in your prayers that the Lord Jesus grant them comfort. (Memory Eternal! Vicnaja Pamjat!) NEW to the website: in a move to bring some of our stewardship work into the 21st century, we have installed a PayPal button to our website. You may use the button for a one-time donation (such as when you are away for a Sunday) or to set up an on-going donation (monthly, quarterly). Check it out at www.holyresurrection.com (You do not need a PayPal account to use this option. All you need is a valid credit or debit card) Mark your calendars for the 60th Anniversary celebration of our parish on Sunday 30 September 2018. Plan to be here with us!! A “Pot Luck” luncheon will be held after Divine Services. A sigh-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board. Let us know by Sunday 16 September what you are bringing and how many from your family will be attending. If the weather cooperates, we are planning to turn this into a second picnic with seating both in the hall and under the tent. More details in the coming weeks! We are in need of one, possibly two, Sunday School Teachers for the Academic Year beginning September 23. Primary Teacher: Grades 3-5, Students would be coming out of the First Confession Class the year before. Middle School Teacher: Grades 6-8. Possibly make two smaller classes from the existing 6-12th grade class. If you would be interested in taking on this task, please contact Father as soon as possible. A love of the Orthodox Faith and our children are the basic requirements needed. Please pray for the following: Bishop Gregory, Bishop Matthias, Metropolitan Antony, Fr. Frank & Paňi Connie Miloro; Fr. John & Paňi BettyJean Baranik, Fr. George Hutnyan, Fr. Lawrence & Paňi Linda Barriger, Fr. James Gleason, Fr. Luke Mihaly, Fr. Robert Teklinski, Fr. Michael Psenechnuk, Fr. Ted Mozes, Fr. Thomas Blaschak, Dn. Peter Skoog, Paňi Donna Smoley, Paňi Yvonne Lysack, Paňi Kathy Dutko, Paňi Karen Miklos, Fr. Michael & Paňi AnnaMarie Slovesko, Fr. John & Paňi Patricia Duranko, Fr. Tom Kadlec, Fr. Christopher Rozdilski, Fr John & Paňi Cindy Zboyovski, Fr. Jonathan & Paňi Marsha Tobias, Paňi Amy George, Elisa Castilla, Ann Thear, Owen Moriak, Beth & Ed ‘Skeets’ Williams, Les & Carol Miller, Cindy Russell, Michael Buchko, Dorothy Mastronicola, Nicholas Yacko, Angie Wali, Megan Antonishek, Nancy Lynn Arthur, Yoel Ramos, Tony Zankey, Justin Popek, Nadia Sumner, Karen Ogden, Joshua, Faye & Tess, Emilie Dixon, Paul Tobias, Shirley Miree, Michael Rake, Olga Vasconez, Diane Dupere-Lindell, Gerry Sadler, Ann Eckert, Stan Damren, Lois Hall, Marshal Smith, Dave Stanton, Andrew Sussman, Florence Gregoric, Dennis Davis, James & Melody Peyton, Louann Giger, Daniel Ward, Jennifer Brady, Carol Blum, Katie Bleeker, Alexi Williams, Missy Johns, Liliana Shirvanian, Harry Coe, Susan Buckley, Constance Amey, James Lazor, Debbie Dell, Rose & Douglas Eade, Robert Horsch, Edward & Grace Yoon, Michael Dinneen, Kellie Barett, Zaun Kligge, Andrea Katz, Joan Detwiler, Metro & Joan Kondratick, John Homick, Jim David, Melanie Samson, Mary West, Mary Elko, Margie Stemler, Martha & John White, Laura Gary; James Durachko, Rory McDermott, Julia Rapach, Randi Caffalle, Hayley Marshall, Bryan Fitzgerald, Aleia Dick, MaryJane, Kyle & Rosie Brant, Martha Novelly, Mary Agnes, Alicia, Lisa Cherno, Maxine Lurowist, Stephen Brancho, Ralph Mamay, John White, Anita Hunkley, Tommy & Shyanne Showerman & daughter; Sofia Sabirova & baby

May Our Lord Jesus Christ Touch Them With His Healing Hand!

Candle Offerings: Offerings For the Living (Many Years! Mnohaja L’ita!)

1-health of Les-love Carol 1-health of Mom-your loving family- Chrysa, Taina & Craig 2-for health-love Alex & Melanie Fathers John & Michael 2-for health-love Mom & Dad Jonathan & Lara; Stephanie 2-for health-John & Sheila HROC parishioners; Family members 3-special intention-John & Sheila Fr. Peter & family; Diocesan Priests & their families; OCMC Missionaries 2-special intention-brother George Archbishop Michael; Barbara Knighton 2-special intention-George Dahulich Bishop Gregory; Bishop Matthias 2-for health-George Dahulich Fr Tom Kadlec; Fr Jim Dutko 4-happy birthday-George Dahulich Archbishop Michel; Debbie Boyd; William Dzubak; Mitchell Odom 1-happy anniv. FrPeter & Paňi Bernadette-George Dahulich 1-health of Savannah, Chloe, Caroline, Christopher, Natalie, Cole-love Grandparents 3-for health-Ray & Georgene Mom; Alex Breno (Sr); Marge Tomasevich

6-special intentions-the Breno Family Breno Family; Fedornock Families; Peart Family; Nakonecznyj Family; Zankey Family; Fabian Family 1-health Ellie Riselvato-the Breno Family 1-happy birthday Tobin Zankey-the Breno Family 5-for health-Marge Tomasevich Mary Elko; Les & Carol Miller; John & Barbara Homick; Lois Erhard; Joan Wisnosky 2-happy birthday-John & Marie Smith William Dzubak; Mitchell Odom 2-for health-Paňi Jean Hutnyan Muhlenberg & Hutnyan Families 1-special intention Stephen-Paňi Jean Hutnyan 1-health & wellness Dennis, Vladislav & Irina-Irina Panfilov 1-healing Elaine Dutko-Rose Plowchin 2-special intention -Rose Plowchin Margie & Jesse; Carole 1-birthday blessings Jill Tonti-Rose Plowchin 1-happy birthday Scott-love Mom & Dad 1-safe travel for family-Charlie, Debi, Jacob & Joey 2-on their birthday-Charlie, Debi, Jacob & Joey Mark; Beth 1-special intention Joey-love Mom & Dad 1-special intention Marie-Charlie, Debi, Jacob & Joey

Vigil Candles In Loving Memory: (Memory Eternal! Vicnaja Pamjat!) 1+loving memory of my husband Tom-your loving wife Ann 1+in loving memory of our father-Chrysa, Taina and Craig 1+in memory of Steve Sheftic-love your family 1+in memory Mother & Father–Les & Carol Miller 2+loving memory-the Fallons Paňi Jeannette; Anna & John Luchok 1+in memory of Marion Fallon-Diane 1+in loving memory of Helen Rowland-Diane 1+in loving memory Parents & Grandparents-Diane & Brian 1+Memory Eternal Parents/Grandparents-Koval Family 2+Memory Eternal-Koval Family Uncle George & Uncle Tony 2+Memory Eternal -love Alex, Melanie Mother Katherine; Mother Elaine

5+in memory-John & Sheila Dad Kraynok; Mom Kraynok; Charles Hrapchak; Anna Hrapchak; Evelyn Hrapchak 1+in loving memory of Gene Eaton-love Starlene 1+in loving memory of parents Peter & Ann Dahulich-love son George 2+in memory-Paňi Jean Hutnyan Fr. Andrew; Mom & Dad 1+Eternal Memory brother Jim-Rose Plowchin 2+in memory-Charlie, Debi, Jacob & Joey Joy Trickett; Natalie Porrazzo

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

THE ICON OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, NOT MADE WITH HANDS Commemorated 16/29 August (from The Prologue of Ocrid)

At the time when our Lord preached the Good News and healed every illness and infirmity of men, there lived in the city of Edessa on the shore of the Euphrates Prince Abgar who was completely infected with leprosy. He heard of Christ, the Healer of every pain and disease and sent an artist, Ananias, to Palestine with a letter to Christ in which he begged the Lord to come to Edessa and to cure him of leprosy. In the event that the Lord was unable to come, the prince ordered Ananias to portray His likeness and to bring it to him, believing that this likeness would be able to restore his health. The Lord answered that He was unable to come, for the time of His passion was approaching took a towel, wiped His face and, on the towel, His All-pure face was perfectly pictured. The Lord gave this towel to Ananias with the message that the prince will be healed by it, but not entirely, and later on, He would send him a messenger who would erase the remainder of his disease. Receiving the towel, Prince Abgar kissed it and the leprosy completely fell from his body but a little of it remained on his face. Later, the Apostle Thaddaeus, preaching the Gospel, came to Abgar and secretly healed and baptized him. The prince then destroyed the idols which stood before the gates of the city and above the gates he placed the towel with the likeness of Christ attached to wood, framed in a gold frame and adorned with pearls. Also, the prince wrote beneath the icon on the gates: "O Christ God, no one will be ashamed who hopes in You." Later, one of Abgar's great grandsons restored idolatry and the bishop of Edessa came by night and walled up that icon over the gates. Centuries have passed since then. During the reign of Emperor Justinian, the Persian King Chozroes attacked Edessa and the city was in great hardship. It happened that Eulabius, the Bishop of Edessa, had a vision of the All-Holy Theotokos who revealed to him the mystery of the sealed wall and the forgotten icon. The icon was discovered and, by its power, the Persian army was defeated.

REFLECTION The Orthodox Church surpasses all other Christian groups in the richness of her Tradition. The Protestants want only to adhere to Holy Scripture. But, not even Holy Scripture can be interpreted without Tradition. The Apostle Paul himself commands: "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word or our epistle" (2 Thessalonians 2:15). The tradition of Prince Abgar, without doubt, is of Apostolic Tradition even though the apostles do not mention him in their writings. The Apostle Thaddaeus, did not write anything at all and, according to Protestant thinking, did not say anything and neither did he teach the faithful. According to what then was he an apostle of Christ? St. John Damascene mentions the tradition of Prince Abgar in his defense of the veneration of icons. How wonderful and touching is the letter of Abgar to Christ. And since he previously wrote that he heard of His miraculous power, that He cures the sick and since he implored Him to come and to heal him, Abgar further writes: "I also hear that the Jews hate You and that they are preparing some evil against You. I have a city, not large, but beautiful and bountiful in every good: come to me and live with me in my city, which is sufficient for the both of us for every need." Thus wrote a heathen prince while the princes of Jerusalem were preparing death for the Lord, the Lover of Mankind.

Follow Your Diocese On-Line Diocesan Website: http://www.acrod.org Camp Nazareth: http://www.campnazareth.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acroddiocese Twitter: https://twitter.com/acrodnews You Tube: https://youtube.com/acroddiocese

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk Commemorated 12/26 August

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk was born in 1724 into a very poor family of the Novgorod province, and was named Timothy in holy Baptism. In his youth he was sent to seminary in Novgorod where he received a good education and later taught Greek and other subjects. Having received the monastic tonsure with the name Tikhon, in the same year he was ordained deacon and priest, and appointed two years later as rector of the Seminary in Tver. In 1761 he was consecrated Bishop of Kexholm and Ladoga, and in 1763 nominated Bishop of Voronezh, a difficult diocese to administer because of its large size and transient population, which included many schematics. Feeling the burden of the episcopacy to be beyond his strength, the Saint resigned in 1767, retiring first to the Monastery of Tolshevo, and later to the monastery at Zadonsk, where he remained until his blessed repose. In retirement, he devoted all his time to fervent prayer and the writing of books. His treasury of books earned him the title of "the Russian Chrysostom", whose writings he employed extensively; simple in style, replete with quotes from the Holy Scriptures, they treat mostly of the duties of Christians, with many parables taken from daily life. In them the Christian is taught how to oppose the passions and cultivate the virtues. A large collection of the Saint's letters are included in his works, and these give a wealth of spiritual guidance directed both to the laity and monastics. Saint Tikhon reposed in peace in 1783, at the age of fifty-nine. Over sixty years later, in 1845, when a new church was built in Zadonsk in place of the church where he was buried, it was necessary to remove his body. Although interred in a damp place, his relics were found to be whole and incorrupt; even his vestments were untouched by decay. Many miracles were worked by Saint Tikhon after his death, and some three hundred thousand pilgrims attended his glorification on August 13, 1863. He is one of the most beloved Russian Saints, and is invoked particularly for the protection and upbringing of children.

From goarch.org adadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadad

Advice on Prayer V Rev. Michael Gillis, Holy Nativity Orthodox Church, Langley, British Columbia

Prayer requires a certain longing of the heart. Certainly discipline is involved; but, and this is merely my opinion, forcing yourself to say prayers may not be the answer either. People seem to make too big a deal about prayer rules. Like the Sabbath keeping that made some of the Jews miss Christ in their midst, so I think prayer rules sometimes keep us from growing in our relationship with Christ. A prayer rule exists to help us, we do not exist to keep the prayer rule. If my prayer rule is not working, I change it. The goal of a prayer rule is to produce prayer, not merely to say prayers. Jesus tells us that we are not heard because of our many words in prayer. A prayer rule that is drudgery and continually dry is no prayer rule at all,

for it is not producing prayer. Prayer is communion with God, not saying words. Words are useful, they can help us pray; but what our soul longs for is connection—communion—with God. Sometimes (and this may go on for several days at a time) all I can do during my prayer time is stand before my icons and say “Lord have mercy.” I say “Lord have mercy” again and again until my heart is pained and I feel a little sadness, a little longing for God in my heart. If this feeling doesn’t come, then I kiss my icons, ask the forgiveness of Christ and all of the Saints and go on with my day gently repeating “Lord have mercy” and carrying a little sadness that I have not been able to connect with God. Sometimes, I need to read an inspiring book or passage to help me pray. There are times when I spend

my whole prayer time reading, which creates a longing in me and produces prayer that stays in my heart throughout the day. Keep in mind that the “ideal” prayer life that seems to influence most of us is based on a very regulated life, a life based on a monastic pattern. Most of us do not live such a life. And even in a monastery, not everyone attends every service (someone has to be cooking dinner during vespers) and not every season is the same (when the monks have to do hard manual labor, the prayers are greatly shortened, and sleep and food are increased). And yes, even monks fall asleep during services or saying the Jesus Prayer in their cells. We read the stories about saints who after a lifetime of labor (and with their unique graces and calling) are able to keep vigilant prayer alive in their hearts at all times. Who are we? We are beginners. We haven’t even yet begun to learn how to repent. In fact, it is only as we accept our failure, our inability to make ourselves pray, that we can start to know our dependence on God for help. This is where repentance begins: in accepting our failure. So long as we keep saying to ourselves, “I just have to try harder,” we are only extending our miserable delusion. Once we allow our hearts to be broken by our weakness, our lack of love, our inability to pray, then we can begin to find God’s help. It wouldn’t hurt most of us who struggle in prayer to repeat continually the words of psalm 50, “A broken and a contrite heart You will not despise.” Let your own weakness break your heart, and God will accept that as an offering of much greater worth than any mechanically pumped out prayer rule.

The Dormition of the Mother of God: Transition to Life Elder Efraim Vatopaidinos, on Pemptousia.com

Every time we celebrate the Dormition of the Mother of God, it’s like Easter all over again; the summer Easter. Our Lady the Mother of God prepares this Easter, this ‘glorious Passover from death unto life’, for us. A second Passover, holy, spotless, life-giving for the human race, because truly, today, ‘the terms of nature are overcome’. Saint John of Damascus cried aloud: ‘How the source of life goes towards life by passing through death!’ The death of the Mother who was the source of life for the Lord Himself transcends the notion of death, so that it’s not even called death but ‘dormition’ and ‘divine translation’, or a progression or procession towards the Lord. And even if we call it death, it’s still a death that’s life-bearing, since it moves on to the heavenly and immortal life. The translation of the Mother of God as an unequivocal event which has been preserved in sacred Tradition, has been incorporated into the teaching of the Orthodox Church and has no connection with the pietist Western doctrines of the immaculate conception and deathless end to her life on earth. The Virgin was that special creation of God who transcended all other people and the angels. Of all human beings, she alone lived a spotless life and- which is inconceivable for all rational beings- became the Mother of God. Because she’d never sinned, never submitted to any thoughts of indulgent pleasure, it was right that she didn’t live on earth with carnal pleasures or suffer from illnesses. Even though she had the body which gave birth to Life, as a human being she was still subject to the sickness of death and she did indeed die. But her body and soul were not separated from God. The connection which united them was briefly broken, as had happened in the case of Christ. Because, at the moment of the Dormition of His Mother, the Lord, accompanied by the celestial ranks of the angels and saints, took her holy soul not only into heaven, but as John the

Damascan says, ‘to His own royal throne, to the celestial Holy of Holies’. Our Lady’s body, which received God and gave birth to Life, was transposed after three days to those places beyond the heavens, incorrupt, to her Only-Begotten and beloved Son. A witness to this resurrection/translation of the Mother of God, was the Apostle Thomas, who had not been present at her holy burial, but, as usual, arrived late- three days in fact. He requested that the tomb be opened by the other apostles and when they did so they found that the body which had been glorified by God was no longer there. They did, however, see the Mother of God

ascending to the heavens and giving Thomas her Precious and Holy Belt as evidence of her translation. This is somewhat similar to the event when the same disciple had felt the Lord’s wounds. Our Lady’s body- like that of her Son- suffered no decay in the grave, that is it didn’t change, didn’t decompose into the material elements of which it was made. Moreover, after Christ’s resurrection, the bodies of many of His saints didn’t decay and have become partially incorrupt relics. How much more reasonable it is that the ‘dwelling which received God’, the Mother of God would not decay. Saint Andrew of Crete says that the preservation of the Mother of God’s virginity at the birth of Christ has, as its natural concomitant, that her body would remain whole at the hour of her death. ‘Birth avoided degeneration and the grave didn’t welcome decay’. After her dormition, the Mother of God became the Mother of the New Creation, of the Church of Christ. Since she had the central role in the plan for salvation, because the Lord, Who is the head of the Church, took flesh from her, she now has, in the celestial Church, the whole fulness of Grace, glory and boldness. She has become the benefactress of the whole of nature and creation, which is why she is venerated by the whole of creation as Maiden, Lady, Queen, and Mother of God. Through the Mother of God and because of her, the history of the whole world entered onto a new path, incomparably more magnificent than and superior to that which had been there before. It wasn’t and isn’t possible for anything created to be more perfect than her, nor could she herself have become more perfect than she was. According to the Fathers, there are three things that the almighty God could not have made more perfect: the Incarnation of the Divine Word; The Virgin Mother of God; and the bliss enjoyed by those who are saved.

10 Simple Tips for New (and Old) Believers in the Orthodox Faith

Quite often, it seems to us that our questions and doubts have no answer; that they destroy the image of the world that the religion paints; and that… they are absolutely unique. We stop looking for the truth when in fact, the reason for our unwillingness to continue looking for truth is our laziness. Every person has a decent knowledge of some facts of lesser importance from the standpoint of a person’s posthumous existence and the eternal life, e.g., professional knowledge, politics, economy, technologies, and sports facts. Unfortunately, our level of proficiency in the practical religious experiences accumulated by the human race and our

understanding of the meaning of our lives is extremely low. As a rule, people possess an astonishingly naïve and superficial understanding of all those issues. We lack the basic information about the methods that our ancestors used to tackle the essential questions, what they were seeking, what they based their philosophies on, what their best representatives achieved, and who their spiritual leaders were. We have an immense advantage over the previous generations due to so many books, the ability to ask priests online, to go to church freely, and the availability of pilgrimages to holy places. What is more, our questions tend to be quite common, and there are dozens of answers to those questions in many sources. We would like to give you several pieces of advice concerning the most typical questions.

• There are many people who would like to take a neutral position with regard to God: we are not against the Church but prefer to stay away from Her; we believe in God in our heart. Unfortunately, it’s self-deception, a fake faith.

• There is no middle ground in the spiritual realm: if we don’t pursue God, we reject him and create our own ideals.

• There can be a powerful temptation to criticize people who go to church and to point at their bad actions in order to justify one’s inaction. Don’t make this mistake. The people you are so eager to condemn are on the road which leads to the purification and salvation of their souls, and the Church has given them all the necessary tools and means to accomplish that. No one becomes holy by the very fact of entering the Church. However, if you come to Church, you have found the only way that leads to holiness.

• We are often quick to idealize a priest and then be disappointed as we find out the priest’s numerous shortcomings. Priests are transmitters of God’s grace and love to us thanks to the Apostolic succession that they receive during the ordination; in all other respects, they are humans just like everybody else, with their own good and bad personal traits. Don’t waste your time trying to find a “unique” priest who corresponds to your ideas about a “real” priest. It won’t do you any good but will easily help you to explain off why you don’t go to church.

• You read about wrongdoings of clergy in the papers and don’t go to church because of that? It’s no different from a patient’s refusal to go to a hospital due to low-quality medical care instead of looking for a good doctor. Even if there is only one doctor in the whole country who is capable of healing their mortal bodies, people stand in lines to see him. We are speaking of the immortal soul and the eternal life. Even the most die-hard detractors of the Church don’t claim that 100 per cent of Her servants are unworthy of their ecclesiastical rank. Let us avoid mixing things up. The Church is a place where a human being meets God in the Sacrament of Eucharist (See: how to prepare for Communion), not a metropolitan’s palaces or the notorious priests in Mercedes Benz cars.

• The Orthodox faith puts you off by its dogmatism. You are a modern, forward-looking person, and you value freedom of opinion. Try substituting the word ‘dogmatic’ for ‘eternal’ (if you are still frightened of it). If anyone tells you that the Church prohibits watching TV or reading books about Father Brown, don’t believe them. Only your conscience and your spiritual experience can restrain you.

• Be ready for external and internal obstacles on your road to the faith. You are not alone: these obstacles are called ‘temptations’. You will be surrounded by lots of brilliant prospects, unexpected worries, attractions, and perhaps even troubles. Stand firm, for If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

• You’re afraid of doing something wrong in church and being scolded by “the angry old ladies”. Currently, it almost never happens. The vast majority of priests stop such attacks. If someone comments on your behavior, pay attention: it may be reasonable. If you run into a conflict in church, be calm, polite, and firm. Remember that the old lady has never been appointed to give advice or admonish anyone. (And see the previous tip, too). Read more about church etiquette.

• Avoid pseudo-Orthodox horror stories. Thrilling stories about social security numbers as the ‘number of the Beast’; about present-day prophets; about exact dates of the end of the world have nothing in common with the Orthodox faith. It is meaningless to waste your time fighting external enemies when you haven’t put your inner self under control.

• You shouldn’t keep feeling ‘not ready for the Church’ and continue to delay your conversion to the faith. Don’t be afraid of mistakes. You cannot learn to swim if you don’t get into the water.

• You are a free person, and you will remain free when you come to church. The Orthodox Church is not a sect. No one and nothing but your faith will dictate you how to build your life; no one will coerce you into doing anything or limit your freedom. On the other hand, your concept of freedom will acquire a completely new and wonderful meaning after you turn to the faith. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).

By Anatoly Badanov, Pravmir.com

Blessing of Flowers and Fragrant Herbs on Dormition

Holy Tradition tells us that all the Apostles, with the exception of St. Thomas, were transported mystically to Jerusalem in order to be with the Mother of God – the Theotokos – as she reposed, and to be present at her burial. When the Apostle Thomas arrived the next day, the Apostles opened the tomb so that he could kiss her farewell. As the tomb was opened, the body of the Most Pure Virgin was missing, and the cave was filled with flowers and the sweet fragrance of Paradise. This was a sure sign of her great purity and holiness to the faithful. Therefore as part of our celebration of Dormition we bless flowers and fragrant herbs – and the faithful traditionally keep them in their homes. The herbs, used as natural medicine, are blessed in commemoration of the numerous healings and the extraordinary grace bestowed on the pilgrims at the blessed tomb of the Mother of God. During times of family strife or illness, it is a pious custom to place the flower petals in the house censer, together with the incense, and cense the whole house with it. The Book of Needs (Trebnyk or Euchologian) contains several possible prayers to bless seed, herbs and flowers, one of which is: O Almighty, God from before all ages, by Your word alone You created out of nothingness the heavens, earth, sea and all things visible and invisible. You commanded that the earth bring forth plants and trees to serve both man and animal, each according to its need. In your infinite goodness You ordained that these plants serve not only as food but also as medicine for the sick body. We beseech You, bless this seed, these herbs and these flowers and bestow upon them Your blessing and endow them with Your power. Make them to serve man and animal alike as a defense against all sickness and every defilement, for You are our God, and we send up glory to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen ۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞

Honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary "All creatures, the assembly of Angels and the human race rejoice in You, O Blessed One."

From the early times of Christianity, the Blessed Virgin Mary, because of Her great virtues, Her help to the needy, and Her preeminent role in God's plan for the salvation of mankind, held a distinct position of admiration and love among Christians. The honoring of the Holy Virgin began from the time when the Archangel Gabriel greeted Her with the words: "Rejoice, O Blessed One, the Lord is with Thee! Blessed art Thou among women!" announcing to Her the mystery of the conception of the Son of God. A few days later with the words "Blessed is the Fruit of Thy womb," the righteous Elizabeth saluted the pure Virgin. St. Luke explains in his Gospel that the Holy Spirit revealed to Elizabeth that Mary had become the Mother of the Lord, the promised Savior of mankind (Luke 1:28-42). The Orthodox Church expresses reverence toward the Blessed Virgin by the many feast days commemorating the various events in Her life. In prayers the Virgin Mary is called Theotokos, which in Greek means the Mother of God, since the One Who was born from Her was at the time of conception and always will be the true God. Many Christian preachers and poets composed prayers, songs of praise (called Akathists) (from the Greek, meaning not-sitting) and inspirational sermons in honor of the Virgin Mary. With all this reverence for the Blessed Virgin Mary, Theotokos, it is consoling and enlightening to learn how she lived, how she prepared herself, and how she blossomed to such a spiritual height as to become the receptacle for the incarnate Word of God. Several prophecies of the Old Testament foretold of the incarnation of the Son of God and of the blessed Woman who would become a tool for the salvation of mankind. The very first promise concerning the Redeemer, heard by our fallen ancestors Adam and Eve, contained a prophecy about a special Woman. God said to the devil: "I shall put enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy seed and Her Seed" (Genesis 3:15). It should be noted that during the time of the Old Testament the progeny were always called the seed or descendent of a male parent. Only here is the Redeemer-to-Come referred to as the Seed of the Woman, and this was the first indication that He would have no human father. Many centuries afterward the prophet Isaiah added important details to this first prophecy of Genesis. He said that the Woman, Who will give birth to the Messiah-Emmanuel, will be a virgin. "God Himself shall give you a sign," explained the prophet Isaiah to the disbelieving descendants of king David, — "the Virgin shall accept into her womb and bear a Son, and shall name Him Emmanuel, which means: God is with us" (Isaiah 7:14). Even though the word "Virgin" did not seem right to the ancient Hebrews, since a birth without fail conjectured conjugal cohabitation, they did not dare to substitute another more "appropriate" word, for example, "woman." Another important message in the prophecy of Isaiah about the coming Messiah is that He will be God Himself. Hence the title Theotokos — "birth-giver of God" — given to the Virgin Mary by the ancient Church.

THE DORMITION [THE FALLING ASLEEP] OF THE MOST-HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD

Commemorated 15/28 August The Lord Who, on Mt. Sinai, commanded by His Fifth Commandment: "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12), showed by His own example how one should respect one's parent. Hanging on the Cross in agony, He remembered His mother and indicating to the Apostle John, said to her: "Woman behold your son" (St. John 19:26). After that, He said to John: "Behold your mother" (St. John 19:27). And so providing for His mother, He breathed His last. John had a home on Zion in Jerusalem in which the Theotokos settled and remained there to live out the end of her days on earth. By her prayers, gentle counsels, meekness and patience, she greatly assisted the apostles of her Son. Primarily, she spent her entire time in Jerusalem often visiting those places which reminded her of the great events and of the great works of her Son. She especially visited Golgotha, Bethlehem and the Mount of Olives. Of her distant journeys, her visit to St. Ignatius the God-bearer in Antioch is mentioned, as well as her visit to Lazarus (whom our Lord resurrected on the fourth day), the Bishop of Cyprus, her visit to the Holy Mountain [Athos] which she blessed and her stay in Ephesus with St. John the Evangelist [The Theologian] during the time of the great persecution of Christians in Jerusalem. In her old age, she often prayed to the Lord and her God on the Mount of Olives, the site of His Ascension, that He take her from this world as soon as possible. On one occasion, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and revealed to her that within three days she will find repose. The angel gave her a palm-branch to be carried at the time of her funeral procession. She returned to her home with great joy, desiring in her heart once more to see in this life, all of the apostles of Christ. The Lord fulfilled her wish and all of the apostles, borne by angels in the clouds, gathered at the same time at the home of John on Zion. With great rejoicing, she saw the holy apostles, encouraged them, counseled them and comforted them. Following that, she peacefully gave up her soul to God without any pain or physical illness. The apostles took the coffin with her body from which an aromatic fragrance emitted and, in the company of many Christians, bore it to the Garden of Gethsemane to the sepulchre of [her parents], Saints Joachim and Anna. By God's Providence, they were concealed from the evil Jews by a cloud. Anthony, a Jewish priest, grabbed the coffin with his hands with the intention of overturning it but, at that moment, an angel of God severed both his hands. He then cried out to the apostles for help and was healed since declaring his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Thomas was absent, again according to God's Providence, in order that a new and all-glorious mystery of the Holy Theotokos would again be revealed. On the third day, Thomas arrived and desired to venerate [kiss] the body of the Holy All-pure one. But when the apostles opened the sepulcher, they found only the winding sheet and the body was not in the tomb. That evening, the Theotokos appeared to the apostles surrounded by a myriad of angels and said to them: "Rejoice, I will be with you always". It is not exactly known how old the Theotokos was at the time of her Falling Asleep but the overwhelming opinion is that she was over sixty years of age.

From the Prologue of Ochrid