Church Bulletin - September 16, 2001 - Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross

Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross - September 16, 2001
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Gal 2:16-20; Mk 8:34-9:1]
[ Click here for the Bible readings in Greek ]

"LET US BOW IN WORSHIP TO THE BLESSED CROSS OF THE LORD"

When Constantine the Great, the first Christian Emperor, finally gave recognition to the Church, it was only natural that Christ's followers would have great interest in finding their Faith's most revered relic: the Cross of their Savior. With the support of her royal son, St. Helen embarked on a sacred mission to Jerusalem, hoping to locate this venerable treasure. While accounts of St. Helen's endeavors vary, all Church historians agree that the Cross, along with those of the two thieves crucified with our Lord, was located near Golgotha, the site of Christ's Crucifixion. A pagan temple had been erected over this precious burial mound, and with the inscription no longer attached to it, determining which cross was actually Christ's was virtually impossible. Tradition has it that a funeral procession was passing by at that very moment. The dead man was placed upon each cross, and when his lifeless body was placed on one of them, he immediately came to life! The Precious and Life-giving Cross had been found!

Filled with joy. Patriarch Macarius of Jerusalem mounted a high place and elevated the Cross for all to see. Everyone in the vast crowd that had gathered fell to their knees, crying out with one voice: "LORD HAVE MERCY." This, then, was the origin of the Feast of the Elevation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross.

Constantine and Helen decreed that a great church be built on this holy site. The Cross was placed in the Church of the Resurrection, and remained there until 614 A.D., when the Persians conquered Jerusalem and captured it. Fourteen years later, the Emperor Heraclius was able to defeat the Persians and recover the Cross, returning it to its place of prominence.

ANASTASIMON APOLUTIKION

jAggelikaiv Dunavmei~ ejpiv tov mnh`mav sou, kaiv oiJ fulavssonte~ ajpenekrwvqhsan: kaiv I{stato Mariva ejn tw`/ tavfw/ zhtou`sa tov a[crantovn sou sw`ma: ejskuvleusa~ tovn a{/dhn, mhv peirasqeiv~ uJp j aujtou`: uJphvnthsa~ th`/ Parqevnw/ dwrouvmeno~ thvn zwhvn. JO ajnastav~ ejk tw`n nekrw`n, Kuvrie, dovxa soi.

RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION

O Christ the angelic powers appeared at Your tomb, the guards were as dead, and Mary stood by the grave, seeking Your sacred body. You destroyed Hades yet remained untouched by it. You encountered the Virgin and, through her, bestowed life. Glory to You who have risen from the dead!

APOLUTIKION EUFHMIAS MEGALOMARTUROS

Livan eu[frana~ touv~ ojrqodovxou~, kaiv kathv/scuna~ touv~ kakodovxou~, Eujfhmiva Cristou` kallipavrqene: th`~ gavr tetavrth~ Sunovdou ejkuvrwsa~, a{ oiJ Patevre~ kalw`~ ejdogmavtisan. Mavrtu~ e[ndoxe, Cristovn tovn Qeovn iJkevteue, dwrhvsasqai hJmi`n tov mevga e[leo~.

APOLYTIKION OF THE GREAT MARTYR EPHEMIA

O Ephemia, beauteous virgin of Christ, you brought great joy to the Orthodox and shame to the heretics, for you confirmed all that the Fathers of the Fourth Council had well decreed. O glorious martyr, beseech Christ God to grant us great mercy.

APOLUTIKION TOU STAUROU

Sw`son Kuvrie tovn laovn sou, kaiv eujlovghson thvn klhronomivan sou, nivka~ toi`~ basileu`si katav barbavrwn dwrouvmeno~, kaiv tov sovn fulavttwn, diav tou` Staurou` sou polivteuma.

APOLYTIKION OF THE CROSS

Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance, granting our rulers to prevail over adversaries, and protecting Your commonwealth by Your Cross.

APOLUTIKION TOU AGIOU NIKOLAOU

Kanovna pivstew~ , kaiv eijkovna praovthto~, ejgkrateiva~ Didavskalon, ajnevdeixev se th`/ poivmnh/ sou, hJ tw`n pragmavtwn ajlhvqeia: diav tou`to ejkthvsw th`/ tapeinwvsei tav uJyhlav, th`/ ptwceiva/ tav plouvsia, Pavter iJeravrca Nikovlae: prevsbeue Cristw`/ tw`/ Qew`/, swqh`nai tav~ yucav~ hJmw`n.

APOLYTIKION OF ST. NICHOLAS

An example of the Faith and a life of humility, as a teacher of abstinence you did inspire and lead your flock and through your truthfulness of your deeds were exalted by greatness through your humility uplifting all and by poverty gaining wealth. Father and hierarch Nicholas intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.

KONTAKION

JO uJywqeiv~ ejn tw`/ Staurw`/ eJkousivw~, th`/ ejpwnuvmw/ sou kainh`/ politeiva/, touv~ oijktirmouv~ sou dwvrhsai Cristev oJ Qeov~: Eu[franon ejn th`/ dunavmei sou, touv~ pistouv~ basilei`~ hJmw`n, nivka~ corhgw`n aujtoi`~, katav tw`n polemi`wn: thvn summacivan e[coien thvn suvn, o{plon eijrhvnh~ ajhvtthton trovpaion.

KONTAKION

Lifted upon the Cross by Your own free will, Christ our God, grant mercies to the new commonwealth that bears Your name. Gladden our faithful rulers by Your powers, giving them victory over their adversaries. May Your alliance be for them, a weapon for peace an invincible standard.

APOSTOLOS
(Galavta~ b j 16<20)

jAdelfoiv, eijdovte~ dev o{ti ouj dikaiou`tai a[nqrwpo~ ejx e[rgwn novmou ejavn mhv diav pivstew~ jIhsou` Cristou`, kaiv hJmei``~ eij~ Cristovn jIhsou`n ejpisteuvsamen, I{na dikaiwqw`men ejk pivstew~ Cristou` kaiv oujk ejx e[rgwn novmou, diovti ouj dikaiwqhvsetai ejx e[rgwn novmou pa`sa savrx. Eij dev zhtou`nte~ dikaiwqh`nai ejn Cristw`/ euJrevqhmen kaiv aujtoiv aJmartwloiv, a[ra Cristov~ aJmartiva~ diavkono~; mhv gevnoito. Eij gavr a{ katevlusa tau`ta pavlin oijkodomw`/, parabavthn ejmautovn sunivsthmi. Ejgwv gavr diav novmou novmw/ ajpevqanon, I{na Qew`/ zhthvsw. Cristw`/ sunestauvrwmai: zw` dev oujkevti ejgwv, zh`/ dev ejn ejmoiv Cristov~: o{ dev nu`n zw` ejn sarkiv, ejn pivstei zw` th`/ tou` uiJou` tou` Qeou` tou` ajgaphvsantov~ me kai paradovnto~ eJautovn uJpevr ejmou`.

EPISTLE
(Gal. 2: 16-20)

Brethren, yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I built up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

EUAGGELION
JEk tou` katav Markon.
(Kef. h j (8), 34<38. q j (9), 1)

Ei\pen oJ Kuvrio~: {Osti~ qevlei ojpivsw mou ejlqei`n, ajparnhsavsqw eJautovn, kaiv ajravtw tovn staurovn aujtou`, kaiv ajkolouqeivtw moi. {O~ gavr a[n qevlh/ thvn yuchvn aujtou` sw`sai, ajpolevsei aujthvn: o{~ dev a[n ajpolevsei thvn yuchvn aujtou` e{neken ejmou` kaiv tou` Eujaggelivou, ou|to~ swvsei aujthvn. Tiv gavr wjfelhvsei a[nqrwpon, ejavn kerdivsh/ tovn kovsmon o{lon, kaiv zhmiwqh`/ thvn yuchvn aujtou`; h[ tiv dwvsei a[nqrwpo~ ajntavllagma th`~ yuch`~ aujtou`; {O~ gavr ejavn ejpaiscunqh`/ me kaiv touv~ ejmouv~ lovgou~ ejn th`/ genea`/ tauvth/ th`/ moicalivdi kaiv aJmartwlw`/, kaiv oJ UiJov~ tou` ajnqrwvpou ejpaiscunqhvsetai aujtovn, o{tan e[lqh/ ejn th`/ dovxh/ tou` Patrov~ aujtou`, metav tw`n jAggevlwn tw`n aJgivwn. Kaiv e[legen aujtoi`~: ajmhvn levgw uJmi`n, o{ti eijsiv tine~ tw`n w|de ejsthkovtwn, oi{tine~ ouj mhv geuvswntai qanavtou, e{w~ a[n I[dwsi thvn Basileivan tou` Qeou` ejlhluqui`an ejn dunavmei.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to St. Mark
(Chapter 8:34-38, 9:1)

The Lord said, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power."

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
1260 Davis Street, San Jose, California 95126