Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church

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1 733 South Ashland Ave Chicago, Illinois Rev. Fr. Dimitri Tobias, Proistamenos Saints and Feasts: Sunday before Nativity Eve of the Nativity of Christ Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church Sunday, December 24, 2017 Telephone: (312) Office Fax: Fax (312) Parish Council President: Ms. Jayme Schenk Eugenia the Righteous Nun-martyr of Rome Great indeed was the faith of Abraham... It was necessary to go beyond human reasoning... to manifest also something more. St. John Chrysostom Homily XXV on Hebrews XI, 1,2. translation found in The Bible and the Holy Fathers for Orthodox, Monastery Books, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, Crestwood, NY 2003, p. 955., 4th Century The tribes of Judah and Levi were united by a fusion of their lines of descent, and that is why Matthew assigns Christ's family to the tribe of Judah. And the Apostle says, 'for our Lord has sprung out of Judah' (Heb. 7:14). St. Ambrose of Milan Seven Exegetical Works, 4th Century Narthex Duty: Welcoming Ministry: Orthros Reader: Coffee Hour: Tom Bezanes & Tom Sianis Christine Rousakis & Gus Arvanitis Maria Constantinides Philoptochos Before The Creed When the Priest says: The Congregation responds: Christ is in our midst. He is and always will be, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Communion Guidelines: As a reminder, only Baptized and Chrismated Orthodox Christians who are in good standing may receive Holy Communion. Follow the Ushers row by row and please exit towards the outside aisles.

2 The Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ The incomprehensible and inexplicable Nativity of Christ came to pass when Herod the Great was reigning in Judea; the latter was an Ascalonite on his fathers's side and an Idumean on his mother's. He was in every way foreign to the royal line of David; rather, he had received his authority from the Roman emperors, and had ruled tyrannically over the Jewish people for some thirty-three years. The tribe of Judah, which had reigned of old, was deprived of its rights and stripped of all rule and authority. Such was the condition of the Jews when the awaited Messiah was born, and truly thus was fulfilled the prophecy which the Patriarch Jacob had spoken 1,807 years before: "A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until there come the things stored up for him; and he is the expectation of the nations" (Gen.49:10). Thus, our Saviour was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judea, whither Joseph had come from Nazareth of Galilee, taking Mary his betrothed, who was great with child, that, according to the decree issued in those days by the Emperor Augustus, they might be registered in the census of those subject to Rome. Therefore, when the time came for the Virgin to give birth, and since because of the great multitude there was no place in the inn, the Virgin's circumstance constrained them to enter a cave which was near Bethlehem. Having as shelter a stable of irrational beasts, she gave birth there, and swaddled the Infant and laid Him in the manger (Luke 2:1-7). From this, the tradition has come down to us that when Christ was born He lay between two animals, an ox and an ass, that the words of the Prophets might be fulfilled: "Between two living creatures shalt Thou be known" (Abbacum 3:2), and "The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib" (Esaias 1: 3). But while the earth gave the new-born Saviour such a humble reception, Heaven on high celebrated majestically His world-saving coming. A wondrous star, shining with uncommon brightness and following a strange course, led Magi from the East to Bethlehem to worship the new-born King. Certain shepherds who were in the area of Bethlehem, who kept watch while tending their sheep, were suddenly surrounded by an extraordinary light, and they saw before them an Angel who proclaimed to them the good tidings of the Lord's joyous Nativity. And straightway, together with this Angel, they beheld and heard a whole host of the Heavenly Powers praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men" (Luke 2:8-14).

3 Hymns of the Day After the Small Entrance Resurrectional Apolytikion 4 th Tone When the women disciples of the Lord learned from the angel the message of the resurrection and having cast from them their ancestral condemnation, they proudly proclaimed the news to the Apostles: Death has been vanquished; for Christ, our God, has risen from the dead and granted to the world His great mercy. Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἀναστάσιμον Ήχος δ Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγέλου μαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀπορρίψασαι, τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις καυχώμεναι ἔλεγον Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἠγέρθη Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. Apolytikion for Eve of Nativity 4 th Tone As the fruit of David's seed, Mary was registered of old with the Elder Joseph in the little town of Bethlehem, when she conceived with a seedless and pure conception. Behold, the time was come that she should bear her Child, but no place was found within the inn for them; yet the cave proved a delightful palace for the pure Lady and Queen of all. For Christ is born now to raise the image that had fallen aforetime. Apolytikion for Sun. before Nativity 2 nd Tone Great are the achievements of faith! In the fountain of flame, as by the water of rest, the Three Holy Children rejoiced. And the Prophet Daniel proved a shepherd of lions as of sheep. By their prayers, O Christ our God, save our souls. Apolytikion for the Church 1 st Tone Your proclamation went forth into all the earth, for it accepted your word, through which you taught the dogmas befitting God, you expounded on the nature of all that is, and you arranged the morals of society. A royal priesthood! Devout father Basil, intercede with Christ our God, to grant us His great mercy. Kontakion 3 rd Tone On this day the Virgin Maid * goes to the grotto to give birth * to the pre-eternal Word * in an ineffable manner. * Dance for joy, all the inhabited earth, on hearing. * Glorify along with Angels and with the shepherds * Him who willed that He appear as * a newborn Child, * the pre-eternal God. Απολυτίκιον Ήχος δ Ἀπεγράφετο ποτέ, σὺν τῶ πρεσβύτη Ἰωσήφ, ὡς ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυϊδ, ἐν Βηθλεὲμ ἡ Μαριάμ, κυοφοροῦσα τὴν ἄσπορον κυοφορίαν, Ἐπέστη δὲ καιρὸς ὁ τῆς Γεννήσεως, καὶ τόπος ἣν οὐδεὶς τῶ καταλύματι, ἀλλ' ὡς τερπνὸν παλάτιον τὸ Σπήλαιον, τὴ Βασιλίδι ἐδείκνυτο, Χριστὸς γεννᾶται τὴν πρὶν πεσοῦσαν, ἀναστήσων εἰκόνα. Απολυτίκιον Ήχος β Μεγάλα τὰ τῆς πίστεως κατορθώματα! ἐν τῇ πηγὴ τῆς φλογός, ὡς ἐπὶ ὕδατος ἀναπαύσεως, οἱ ἅγιοι τρεῖς παϊδες ἠγάλλοντο, καὶ ὁ Προφήτης Δανιήλ, λεόντων ποιμήν, ὡς προβάτων ἐδείκνυτο, Ταὶς αὐτῶν ἱκεσίαις, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς. Απολυτίκιον τοῦ Ναοῦ Ήχος α' Εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος σου, ὡς δεξαμένην τὸν λόγον σου, δι' οὗ θεοπρεπῶς ἐδογμάτισας, τὴν φύσιν τῶν ὄντων ἐτράνωσας, τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἤθη κατεκόσμησας, Βασίλειον Ἱεράτευμα, Πάτερ Ὅσιε, Χριστὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἱκέτευε, δωρήσασθαι ἡμῖν τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. Κοντάκιον Ήχος γ ' Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν Προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀπορρήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν.

4 THE EPISTLE / Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Prokeimenon. Mode 4. Daniel 3.26,27 Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers. Verse: For you are just in all you have done. The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:9-10; BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us,that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Προκείμενον. Ήχος δ'. Δανιήλ Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Πατέρων ἡμῶν. Στίχ. Ὅτι δίκαιος εἶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, οἷς ἐποίησας ἡμῖν. Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 11:9-10, τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα είναι απο Ἀδελφοί, πίστει παρῴκησεν Ἀβραὰμ εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ὡς ἀλλοτρίαν, ἐν σκηναῖς κατοικήσας μετὰ Ισαὰκ καὶ Ιακὼβ τῶν συγκληρονόμων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῆς αὐτῆς ἐξεδέχετο γὰρ τὴν τοὺς θεμελίους ἔχουσαν πόλιν, ἧς τεχνίτης καὶ δημιουργὸς ὁ Θεός. Καὶ τί ἔτι λέγω; Ἐπιλείψει γάρ με διηγούμενον ὁ χρόνος περὶ Γεδεών, Βαράκ τε καὶ Σαμψὼν καὶ Ιεφθάε, Δαυΐδ τε καὶ Σαμουὴλ καὶ τῶν προφητῶν, οἳ διὰ πίστεως κατηγωνίσαντο βασιλείας, εἰργάσαντο δικαιοσύνην, ἐπέτυχον ἐπαγγελιῶν, ἔφραξαν στόματα λεόντων, ἔσβεσαν δύναμιν πυρός, ἔφυγον στόματα μαχαίρας, ἐνεδυναμώθησαν ἀπὸ ἀσθενείας, ἐγενήθησαν ἰσχυροὶ ἐν πολέμῳ, παρεμβολὰς ἔκλιναν ἀλλοτρίων ἔλαβον γυναῖκες ἐξ ἀναστάσεως τοὺς νεκροὺς αὐτῶν ἄλλοι δὲ ἐτυμπανίσθησαν, οὐ προσδεξάμενοι τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, ἵνα κρείττονος ἀναστάσεως τύχωσιν ἕτεροι δὲ ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μαστίγων πεῖραν ἔλαβον, ἔτι δὲ δεσμῶν καὶ φυλακῆς ἐλιθάσθησαν, ἐπρίσθησαν, ἐπειράσθησαν, ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας ἀπέθανον, περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι, ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος, ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι καὶ ὄρεσι καὶ σπηλαίοις καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς. Καὶ οὗτοι πάντες μαρτυρηθέντες διὰ τῆς πίστεως οὐκ ἐκομίσαντο τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένου, ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν τελειωθῶσι.

5 THE HOLY GOSPEL / ΤΟ ΘΕΙΟΝ ΕΥΑΓ- ΓΕΛΙΟΝ The Gospel According to Matthew 1:1-25 The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 1:1-25 Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Βίβλος γενέσεως Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ Δαυῒδ υἱοῦ Αβραάμ. Αβραὰμ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ισαάκ, Ισαὰκ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιακώβ, Ιακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιούδαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ, Ιούδας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Φαρὲς καὶ τὸν Ζαρὰ ἐκ τῆς Θάμαρ, Φαρὲς δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Εσρώμ, Εσρὼμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αράμ, Αρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αμιναδάβ, Αμιναδὰβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ναασσών, Ναασσὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαλμών, Σαλμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Βοὸζ ἐκ τῆς Ραχάβ, Βοὸζ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ωβὴδ ἐκ τῆς Ρούθ, Ωβὴδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιεσσαί, Ιεσσαὶ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Δαυῒδ τὸν βασιλέα. Δαυῒδ δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐγέννησε τὸν Σολομῶνα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου, Σολομὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ροβοάμ, Ροβοὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αβιά, Αβιὰ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ασά, Ασὰ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιωσαφάτ, Ιωσαφὰτ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιωράμ, Ιωρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Οζίαν, Οζίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιωάθαμ, Ιωάθαμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αχαζ, Αχαζ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Εζεκίαν, Εζεκίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Μανασσῆ, Μανασσῆς δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αμών, Αμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιωσίαν, Ιωσίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιεχονίαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν μετοικεσίαν Βαβυλῶνος Ιεχονίας ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαλαθιήλ, Σαλαθιὴλ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ζοροβάβελ, Ζοροβάβελ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αβιούδ, Αβιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ελιακείμ, Ελιακεὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αζώρ, Αζὼρ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαδώκ, Σαδὼκ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Αχείμ, Αχεὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ελιούδ, Ελιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησε

6 THE HOLY GOSPEL / ΤΟ ΘΕΙΟΝ ΕΥΑΓ- ΓΕΛΙΟΝ father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus. τὸν Ελεάζαρ, Ελεάζαρ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ματθάν, Ματθὰν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιακώβ, Ιακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ιωσὴφ τὸν ἄνδρα Μαρίας, ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη Ιησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός. Πᾶσαι οὖν αἱ γενεαὶ ἀπὸ Αβραὰμ ἕως Δαυῒδ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες, καὶ ἀπὸ Δαυῒδ ἕως τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος ἕως τοῦ Χριστοῦ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες. Τοῦ δὲ Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ γέννησις οὕτως ἦν. μνηστευθείσης γὰρ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας τῷ Ιωσήφ, πρὶν ἢ συνελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εὑρέθη ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ Πνεύματος Αγίου. Ιωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, δίκαιος ὢν καὶ μὴ θέλων αὐτὴν παραδειγματίσαι, ἐβουλήθη λάθρα ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν. ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐνθυμηθέντος ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατ ὄναρ ἐφάνη αὐτῷ λέγων Ιωσὴφ υἱὸς Δαυΐδ, μὴ φοβηθῇς παραλαβεῖν Μαριὰμ τὴν γυναῖκά σου τὸ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ Πνεύματός ἐστιν Αγίου. τέξεται δὲ υἱὸν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ιησοῦν αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν. Τοῦτο δὲ ὅλον γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσουσι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Εμμανουήλ, ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον μεθ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός. Διεγερθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ιωσὴφ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου ἐποίησεν ὡς προσέταξεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ παρέλαβε τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτὴν ἕως οὗ ἔτεκε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς τὸν πρωτότοκον, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ιησοῦν.

7 Liturgical Items We Need Please consider donating for the following Antidoron Standing Basket $400 This Basket will be used by the Altar Boys for Communion, Artoklasia Services, Unction(Ευχέλαιόν) Services, etc. Conversion of Altar Boy Candles from glass jars to Perfin Candles $400 for the set of 6 Candles (ALREADY DONATED) These candles will provide a cleaner burn, a more economical use of fuel, and more variety to our worship. Bishop Throne for the Holy Altar $450 This seat is placed in the Holy Altar for visiting Hierarchs and Clergy to use during Services Donations Needed for Decorating Icons $100 per icon The Nativity of our Lord St. Basil he Great The Circumcision of our Lord The Reliquary of St. Basil The Three Hierarchs

8 Christmas, Feast Day & Thophany Services Royal Hours of Christmas Friday, December 22 nd, 2017 Royal Hours of Christmas 9:00 a.m. Christmas Eve & St. Eugenia Sunday, December 24 th, 2017 Orthros & Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom 8:15a.m Great Vespers of Christmas 6:00p.m. Christmas Day Monday, December 25 th, 2017 Hierarchical Orthros & Divine Liturgy of St. Basil His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, Presiding 8:15a.m. Feast Day of St. Basil the Great Sunday, December 31 st, 2017 Great Vespers of St. Basil the Great (Cutting of Vasilopita to follow in church hall) 7:00 p.m. Monday, January 1, 2018 Orthros & Divine Liturgy of St. Basil (Cutting of Vasilopita to follow in church hall) 8:15a.m.

9 Feast of the Theophany of our Lord and Savior Friday, January 5 th, 2018 Royal Hours of Epiphany 9:00 a.m. Vesperal Divine Liturgy and Lesser Blessing of the Waters 6:00 p.m. Saturday, January 6 th, 2018 Orthros & Divine Liturgy and Great Blessing of the Waters 8:00 a.m. Feast of the Synaxis of St. John the Baptist Saturday, January 6 th, 2018 Great Vespers of the Synaxis of the Forerunner (at St. John the Baptist in Des Plaines, IL) 7:00p.m. Sunday, January 8 th, 2017 Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:30 a.m. PLEASE ALSO NOTE It is customary to bless homes and businesses right after the feast of Epiphany. Please contact Fr. Dimitri Tobias if you would like to have your home or business blessed ( ).

10 Calendar for the Week Ahead - Sunday, December 24, 8:15am - Orthros and Divine Liturgy - Sunday, December 24, 10:30am No Sunday School Class Today - Sunday, December 24, 6:00pm - Great Vespers of Christmas - Monday, December 25, 8:15am Hierarchical Orthros and Diving Liturgy of Christmas - Tuesday, December 26, 6:00pm GOYA Christmas Party - To Be Determined - Wednesday, December 27, 8:30am Orthros and Divine Liturgy for St. Stephen, Archdeacon and Martyr - Thursday, December 28, 8:30am Orthros and Divine Liturgy for St. Themistocles - Sunday, December 31, 8:15am - Orthros and Divine Liturgy - Sunday, December 31, 10:30am No Sunday School Class Today - Sunday, December 31, 7:00pm - Great Vespers for St. Basil the Great St. Basil Super Bash - Sunday, February 4, 2018 SAVE THE DATE: We are pleased to announce the return of the St. Basil Super Bash! Stay tuned for details! Helping the Homeless Ladies Philoptochos thanks you for your support of our two recent events for Chicago s homeless. The first was food donated to Lakeview Pantry that can be heated up in homeless shelters. The other was men s jeans donated to the Pacific Garden Mission. You helped ease the burden of people for whom finding food and keeping warm is a daily struggle. Watch for our events for the homeless coming in 2018! We need your help - You Might be Missing Out We have started a new weekly St. Basil E-Bulletin - which goes out early each week - and, for some of you, this is going into "spam" or "trash". Please take a look at your spam and trash files and if you see it there, with most servers there's a button you can push to stop it's going into trash/spam. Or you can enter stbasilchicago@comcast.net into your contacts list. Thanks! Greek man looking for stem cell donor match For more information visit - support-the-cause/donate-bone-marrow/ Thank you to St. Basil parishioners for supporting the Angel Tree Christmas program. Your generosity provided toys, clothing, and food gift cards to 98 children in 43 families of incarcerated individuals. The prison ministry deeply appreciates the volunteer time and money you have given to this program over the years. Parish News and Events Stewardship - Have You Become A Steward For 2018? If not, know that everything we have is God's and we are just managers during this brief life. Become a steward today. "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God" (2 Cor. 9:10-11). Ladies Philoptochos Thank you for your donations to the November food drive for Chicago s Lakeview Pantry. The donation table was overflowing with food that the homeless can heat up in shelters. Finding food is a daily struggle for the homeless. You eased that burden for many of the city s poorest of the poor. A Year End Charitable Giving Tip - If you have benefited from the significant gains in the stock market this year, you can do well as you do good. Consider making a gift of appreciated stock to St. Basil, the Church you love. Consult your financial advisor and ask about the potential tax benefits of a gift of stock to St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church. You may be surprised how generous you can be thanks to a bull market.

11 St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church December 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday FASTING DAYS OBSERVED BY THE CHURCH - Fish, wine and oil permitted (except on Wednesdays and Fridays) FASTING DAYS OBSERVED BY THE CHURCH - STRICT FAST FASTING FREE DAYS OBSERVED BY THE NO WEDDINGS PERMITTED from December 12 CHURCH -31 NO WEDDINGS or Baptisms PERMITTED from December December 1-11 December December :15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 10:30 am "Sunday School meets" 4 5 8:30 am Orthoros and Divine Liturgy 7:00 pm "Great Vespers for St. for Ss. Barbara and John of Nicholas (at Oak Lawn Damascus parish)" 6:00 pm Paraklesis (Supplication 7:00 pm Philoptochos Christmas Service) to the Virgin Mary Gathering 7:00 pm Parish Council Meeting :30 am Hierarchal Orthros and Divine 5:00 pm Greektown Karavakia Liturgy for St. Nicholas (at Ceremony Oak Lawn Parish) 10 Girls Ministry Christmas Tree Trimming 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 10:30 am "Sunday School meets" 11:45 am Philoptochos Meeting :00 pm Great Vespers for St. Spyridon (at Palos Heights parish) St. Spyridon at Palos 8:00 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy for Heights 13 3:00 pm Philoptochos Baking 6:00 pm Paraklesis (Supplication Service) to the Virgin Mary :00 am Philoptochos Baking 7:00 pm Great Vespers for St. Dionysios of Zakynthos at Holy Trinity, Chicago 17 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 10:30 am "Sunday School meets" :00 pm Paraklesis (Supplication Service) to the Virgin Mary :30 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy for 9:00 am Royal Hours of Christmas St. Themistocles :15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:15 am Hierarchical Orthros and 6:00 pm GOYA Christmas Party - To 10:30 am "No Sunday School Class Diving Liturgy of Christmas Be Determined Today" 10:00 am No Fasting 6:00 pm Great Vespers for Christmas :30 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy for St. Stephen, Archdeacon and Martyr 31 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 10:30 am "No Sunday School Class Today" 7:00 pm Great Vespers for St. Basil the Great 1 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy for St. Basil, followed by Doxology for the New Year"

12 Matthew 25: The Last Judgement For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: Please donate food for the needy. I was a stranger, and you took me in: Please welcome our Catechumens and Guests Naked, and you clothed me: Please consider donating clothes to the local shelter. I was sick, and you visited me: Please pray for the speedy recovery of: Nicholas I was in prison, and you came unto me: Please pray for and consider visiting our shut-ins. Please also see Pat Cole to see about writing Letters to those Incarcerated through our prison ministry. It means the world to them to receive love. VISITATION POLICY If you would like Fr. Dimitri to visit you in the hospital, please call him or have a family member call. Fr. Dimitri will not go unless he is asked by the family. This is in compliance with both HIPAA and patient privacy. If You are not receiving the Observer, please contact the Church Office. Reflection Victory over temptation is victory over death. This is shown by a wondrous experience of St. Nicholas the Commander. When this commander went off with King Nicephorus's army against the Bulgarians, it happened that he spent the night in a wayside inn. The innkeeper had a daughter, a young girl, who, attracted by the imperial commander's outward beauty, began to entice him into sin. Nicholas refused her once, saying to her that this was enticing him into a satanic act. Nevertheless, the shameless girl came a second and a third time to the commander's room and again tempted him to an impure act. The commander refused both the second and third propositions even more decisively, counseling her to preserve her virginity and not to give her body and soul over to the devil. Finally, he said to her that he was a soldier and was going to war, and that it was unworthy and dangerous for a soldier to soil himself with such a misdeed, which would anger God and lead him to certain death. Thus, this God-loving man conquered temptation. The following day, he moved farther on with the army. The next night, he saw the following vision: He was standing in a spacious field and saw near him a powerful man sitting with his right leg crossed over his left. Before them stood two armies in the field, one facing the other, the Greeks and the Bulgarians. This powerful man told him to watch carefully what was about to happen. Nicholas looked and saw the following: As long as the powerful man kept his right leg crossed over the left, the Greek army overcame the Bulgarian army, and when he changed his position and placed his left leg over the right leg, the Bulgarians charged and ferociously cut down the Greeks. Then this powerful man brought the commander closer to the slaughtered Greek army. The entire field was covered with corpses, body beside body. Only in the middle of these corpses was there an empty space, large enough for the body of a man. Then the man said to Nicholas: ``This place was appointed for your body, but since you defeated the devil's temptations three times last night, you saved your body and soul from death.'' That which Nicholas saw in his dream, he saw precisely in reality at the time of the battle. The entire Greek army perished on the battlefield, but Nicholas returned home alive, not to the barracks anymore, but to a monastery.