Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church 8306 NC HWY 751 Durham NC 27713 919-484-1600 fatherstavroforos2012@gmail.com www.stbarbarachurchnc.org News & Announcements December 30, 2018 Sunday after Christmas Anysia the Virgin-martyr of Thessaloniki 12/30/2018 Gideon the New Martyr of Mount Athos 12/30/2018 Holy Martyr Philetaerus 12/30/2018 Righteous Father Leondus the Archimandrite 12/30/2018 Afterfeast of the Nativity 12/30/2018 NEWCOMERS AND VISITORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME Sunday Worship Schedule: Matins 9:00 am & Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. To Our Visitors and Guests We welcome you to worship with us today, whether you are an Orthodox Christian or this is your first visit to an Orthodox Church, we are pleased to have you with us. Although Holy Communion and other Sacraments are offered only to baptized and chrismated (confirmed) Orthodox Christians in good standing with the Church, all are invited to receive the Antidoron (blessed bread) from the priest at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. The Antidoron is not a sacrament, but it is reminiscent of the agape feast that followed worship in the ancient Christian Church. After the Divine Liturgy this morning please join us in the Church Hall for fellowship and refreshments. Please complete a Visitor s Card before you leave today and drop it in the offering tray, or give it to one of the parishioners after the service, or mail it to the Church Office. 1
The Sunday Epistle Reading God is wonderful among his saints. Verse: Bless God in the congregations. The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians (1:11-19) Brethren, I would have you know that the gospel which was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. Θαυμαστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τοῖς Ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ. Στίχ. Ἐν Ἐκκλησίαις εὐλογεῖτε τὸν Θεὸν. Πρὸς Γαλάτας τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα (1:11-19) Ἀδελφοί, γνωρίζω δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τὸ εὐαγγελισθὲν ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν κατὰ ἄνθρωπον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐγὼ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου παρέλαβον αὐτό, οὔτε ἐδιδάχθην, ἀλλὰ διʼ ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἠκούσατε γὰρ τὴν ἐμὴν ἀναστροφήν ποτε ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ, ὅτι καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν ἐδίωκον τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ ἐπόρθουν αὐτήν καὶ προέκοπτον ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ ὑπὲρ πολλοὺς συνηλικιώτας ἐν τῷ γένει μου, περισσοτέρως ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τῶν πατρικῶν μου παραδόσεων. Ὅτε δὲ εὐδόκησεν ὁ θεὸς ὁ ἀφορίσας με ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου καὶ καλέσας διὰ τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, ἀποκαλύψαι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἵνα εὐαγγελίζωμαι αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, εὐθέως οὐ προσανεθέμην σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι οὐδὲ ἀνῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα πρὸς τοὺς πρὸ ἐμοῦ ἀποστόλους, ἀλλὰ ἀπῆλθον εἰς Ἀραβίαν, καὶ πάλιν ὑπέστρεψα εἰς Δαμασκόν. Ἔπειτα μετὰ ἔτη τρία ἀνῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἱστορῆσαι Πέτρον, καὶ ἐπέμεινα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡμέρας δεκαπέντε. Ἕτερον δὲ τῶν ἀποστόλων οὐκ εἶδον, εἰ μὴ Ἰάκωβον τὸν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ κυρίου. 2
The Sunday Gospel Reading The Reading is from the Gospel According to Matthew (2:13-23) When the wise men departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son." Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more." But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaos reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene." Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα (2:13-23) Αναχωρησάντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου φαίνεται κατ ὄναρ τῷ Ιωσὴφ λέγων ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἴσθι ἐκεῖ ἕως ἂν εἴπω σοι μέλλει γὰρ Ηρῴδης ζητεῖν τὸ παιδίον τοῦ ἀπολέσαι αὐτό. Ο δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἕως τῆς τελευτῆς Ηρῴδου, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου. Τότε Ηρῴδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων, ἐθυμώθη λίαν, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλε πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλεὲμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω, κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἠκρίβωσε παρὰ τῶν μάγων. τότε ἐπληρώθη τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ Ιερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος φωνὴ ἐν Ραμᾷ ἠκούσθη, θρῆνος καὶ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὀδυρμὸς πολύς Ραχὴλ κλαίουσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελε παρακληθῆναι, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσίν. Τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Ηρῴδου ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατ ὄναρ φαίνεται τῷ Ιωσὴφ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳλέγων ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ πορεύου εἰς γῆν Ισραήλ τεθνήκασι γὰρ οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ παιδίου. ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς γῆν Ισραήλ. ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι Αρχέλαος βασιλεύει ἐπὶ τῆς Ιουδαίας ἀντὶ Ηρῴδου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, ἐφοβήθη ἐκεῖ ἀπελθεῖν χρηματισθεὶς δὲ κατ ὄναρ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὰ μέρη τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς πόλιν λεγομένην Ναζαρέτ, ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν ὅτι Ναζωραῖος κληθήσεται. Today s Memorial: 40 Days Olga Thuer 3
Today s Coffee Hour is being hosted by Diane Winan in Memory of her mother Olga Thuer. January Worship Service Calendar 1 Tuesday Feast of Saint Basil the Great - 9 am 6 Sunday - Feast of the Epiphany- 9 am 7 Monday Feast of Saint John the Forerunner - 9 am 13 - Sunday after Epiphany- 9 am 17 Thursday Feast of St. Anthony the Great - 9 am 20-12th Sunday of Luke - 9 am 27-15th Sunday of Luke - 9 am 30 Wednesday Feast of the Three Hierarchs - 9 am Tuesday January 1 Feast of St. Basil the Great Matins and Divine Liturgy starting at 9:00 am With God All Things Are Possible 4
2018 Stewards through December 16, 2018 Our calendar year 2018 Stewardship Drive continues. At this point we have 155 Stewards or 97% of the 160 goal. Thank you to all who have pledged and contributed. Are you included as a Steward? Please give thoughtful and prayerful consideration to completing and returning your Stewardship Fund form and make your contribution as soon as possible. Also can you please increase your contribution. Stewardship is the primary funding source of our operating obligations and Church s Ministries. Your Church needs your support. THANK YOU. John & Elly Akerly Anna & Phillip D'alessandro Andrew Kuyper Olgha Qaqish Susan Alexander John & Ana Dates Lee & Pauline Kuyper Angelia Quint Alec & Francis Alexiades Gus & Vanessa Demetriades Eudoxia Katherine Livas. Keith & Alexia Rheinhardt Matthew and Vickie Amos Anne Dennos Paul and Melanie Lockett Cati Rosu Alexander & Laurel Arapoglou George & Patricia Dennos Thalia Lyras Al & Christine Safarikas Marina Arvanitis Dobrinka Dimitrova Father Stavroforos Mamaies Peter Saloupas William Athas Betty Bouchlas Dorton Daniel & Hrisavgi Mangum Monica & Sergey Samoilenko Basile & Mary Bakis Elena A. Dufault Johnny & Catherine Mariakakis Matt & Marika Stavrakakis George & Marie Bakis Christine Everhart Dr. Peter & Joan Marinos Bernadette Shepherd Nicholas & Eugenia Balafas Brian & Maria Easton Vasilios Maroulas Epiphany Stephens Effie Barbee Nataliya Federovska Ellene Mashalidis Hon. Ron & Vicky Stephens Lance & Maria Barton Laurice Ferris Panagiotis & Dimitra Mavridis Andrea Stoney Thalia Becak Fitzherbert Family John F. & MaryJon McWhirter William & Jennifer Sullivan Tamar Beridze Daniel Florean Rod & Katharine Meadows Marian Sunas John Biggs & Diana Dobrica Crist & Maria Frangakis John & Dawn Mehalek Senait K Tesfatsion Agape Blackley Peter Gerondelis Nicholas A. Mermigas Rebecca Theophanous Barbara Bonfiglio Socratis & Aliki Gerondelis Hind Muallem Amanda Theosiadis Marilyn Boska George and Amy Glekas David & Courtney Napier Tony Thompson Nick Bourbous Jim & Evy Glekas Billy & Julie Naylor Nolas Olga Thuer Connie Bush Christopher Goodwin Larry & Hope Odzak Donna Trohanis Katherine M Callahan Leonard & Elaine Goodwin Richard Oladipo Suzanne & Naki Tryphonos Katharine Ciarrocca James B. Harr, III Cindy Paliouras Dr. Dimitrios Varelas Manuel & Carole Capsalis Chris Hermanson Jim & Helen Paliouras Georgina Varelas Kurt Candler Paul Kacoyanis John & Dena Paliouras John Varelas Andrew & Cheryl Christakos Ed and Eve Kantner Jr. Nicholas Paliouras Janetis Vassiliades Dr. Arthur Christakos Pamela Kantorrowski Peter & Evelyn Panos Demetra Vlachos Eleni Christakos Mike Karakostantis Yuri & Elena Panov Helen Vurnakes Lia Christakos Antonios & Claire Karamalegos Kleanthis & Angelika Papanikas James & Frances Vurnakes George & Deborah Christie Wendy Katsigianis Matina Papazoglou Alexa Waters Dr. Bessie Chronaki Andrew R. Kaufman Katherine Pappas Shadi & Marija Wehbe Cadee Chronaki Burt & Glenna Keener Dr. Ted & Theky Pappas Preston & Catherine Wilson Chris & Michele Claypoole Andrew & Summer Kinard Kendal Parker Diane Winans Erie Cocolas Renee S. Kleris George Pashales Robert & Roberta Wippich Catherine Constantinou & Wes Platt Paul Klikas Pavlos Pavlidis Grace Witham & Nick Brantley Costa Constantinou Dr. Kenneth & Karen Korach John & Leticia Petropoulos Jonathan & Maria Wood John Constantinou Christi Kleoudis Josh Petropoulos Betsy Xenakis Lou Constantinou Dr. Chris & Demetra Kontos Joseph Podgurski Dino & Kerri Zaferatos Dean Costas & Meg Poe Helen D. Koutouzakis Daniel & Lori Przybyl Christina Zehia Sharan Dababnah Anthony & Evelyn Zehia 5
Stewardship Considerations for St. Barbara Father Stavroforos has set a goal of 160 stewardship families for Calendar Year 2018. As of now, we have 152 stewards. That s only 8 families short of our goal! Can you help us reach our goal of 160 families? (Note: Stewardship operates on a calendar year not a rolling 12-month cycle) Important Facts About Stewardship $860 Cost to operate St. Barbara per day St. Barbara gets no money from the Archdiocese or Metropolis. In fact, we are assessed approx. $20,0000 /yr to support the Archdiocese $1,100 Average amount we need per steward $800 Average stewardship contribution As you can see, our average stewardship contribution falls about $300 short of what we need. Obviously, not everyone is in a position to give $1,100 per year, so if you are able to give more, we encourage you to do so to help make St. Barbara more financially solvent. 6
Get Your Business Noticed ADs in our new Parish Directory can help our business clients expand the scope of their community presence. Our directory will make it easy for new customers to find you and make it that much more likely that they will turn into repeat customers. Our parish directory and adbook is unmatched in the Triangle area. We treat each of our advertisers like family, no matter the size or scope of their business. If you want to make your business known and more visible and reach new customers, create an ad or renew your ad. You Can Help Us Remember our Rich Heritage Our parish directory is a beautiful means of helping us remember the beautiful contributions of those early pioneering families that were integral to the life of our Church. Remembering parents, grandparents, and our forefathers in tribute is a way to reveal and honor the past generation by sharing the faces and memories of those who sacrificed to create a foothold for the practice of the Orthodox faith in Durham. Please consider sponsoring an Ad to Enrich our Directory for future generations. 7
8
THE TRADITION - One of the more beautiful and inspirational traditions of the Greek Orthodox Church is the annual family celebration of the Vasilopita. This original event which happened in Cappadocia of Caesarea in the last half of the fourth century, is very much alive in our Orthodox homes each year. The Greek Word Vasilopita is directly translated as Sweet Bread of Basil. When the Vasilopita is prepared, a coin is baked into the ingredients. Sweet flavoring is added to the bread which symbolize the sweetness and joy of life everlasting. It also symbolizes the hope that the New Year will be filled with the sweetness of life, liberty, health, and happiness for all who participate in the Vasilopita Observance. When the observance begins, usually on New Years Day, the bread is traditionally cut by the senior member of the family, and the individual who receives the portion of the Pita which contains the coin is considered Blessed for the New Year. Each portion of the Vasilopita are distributed as follows: The first portion is cut in remembrance of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The second is for the Holy Mother of our Lord, The Virgin Mary. The third is for St. Basil the Great, the other portions are cut for the members of the family beginning with the eldest. Portions may also be cut for the Church, the house, the traveler, the visitor and the poor. THE HISTORY - This age old tradition commenced in the fourth century, when Saint Basil the Great, who was a bishop, wanted to distribute money to the poor in his Diocese. He wanted to preserve their dignity, so as not to look like charity, he commissioned some women to bake sweetened bread, in which he arranged to place gold coins. Thus the families in cutting the bread to nourish themselves, were pleasantly surprised to find the coins. THE MAN - St. Basil was one of the greatest Fathers of the Christian Church and appeared on the spiritual horizon of the Orthodox Faith. He was Bishop of Caesarea, Cappadocia (Asia Minor). He was born four years after the First Ecumenical Council held in the year 325 A.D. Saint Basil was one of the three Cappadocian Fathers of the Church (the others were Gregory of Nazianzus, his best friend, and his brother, Gregory of Nyssa). Saint Basil was the first person in human history to establish an orphanage for little children. He also founded the first Christian hospital in the world. His fame as a Holy Man spread like wildfire throughout the Byzantine world. He was considered one of the wisest and compassionate clergymen in the entire history of the Church. His Feast Day is observed on January 1st, the beginning of the New Year and the Epiphany season. The Church, therefore, in respect for his many contributions to the Church and to mankind in general, combined the joy and happiness of the New Year with the glory of the birth of Christ, and the Epiphany into what is known in the Orthodox Church as the Vasilopitta Observance. The Vasilopita is a Beautiful Tradition, and a custom which should not be neglected by Greek Orthodox Christians as should perhaps be adopted by all Christians in the Western world. It is such a wonderful way to begin each New Year Which God has given to the world. If you have been holding the observance in your home, Congratulations and Please continue to do so! If you have not, please start and keep this Glorious Family Tradition! 9
Next Sunday the Feast of the Epiphany: The Great Sanctification of the Waters The Great Agiasmo/The Great Sanctification of the water which is conducted the eve of Theophany and that of the day of the Theophany is exactly the same. It is mistakenly believed by some people that the blessing of the waters conducted on the eve of Theophany is the so called 'small agiasmo' because it is conducted on the day before Theophany Day. Also, that the blessing of the waters on the day of Theophany, is the 'Great Sanctification'. In both instances it is the same service of the Great Agiasmo that is conducted by all priests throughout the Orthodox world. The 'Small Agiasmo' is conducted on the first of every month, as well as, on special occasions upon which Orthodox Christians request it, i.e., blessing of homes, businesses, institutions, and for the foundation of new buildings. The Great Sanctification of the waters takes place twice a year (the 5th and 6th of January) in the local church. The water of the Great Sanctification is kept throughout the year in church. The purpose, of course, is to offer it to the faithful under certain circumstances and needs. One such instance is, when an Orthodox Christian has been put on penance (kanon) by his/her spiritual father and confessor, and because of it, is not allowed to receive Holy Communion for a period of time. By offering the water from the Great Sanctification (Theophany), to the penitent, the Church offers him/her a special blessing, encouragement and comfort, until he/she is free to, once again, receive Holy Communion. One very important point to remember is that the holy water from the Great Sanctification, does not ever replace the reception of Holy Communion, the Precious Body and Blood of Christ. Needless to say, the Orthodox Christian must always prepare himself/herself to properly receive the Holy Eucharist, through repentance, fasting, and prayer. 10
Another question that comes up, is whether the water from the Great Sanctification can be kept at one's house and drink of it at times of, illness, or evil temptation, attacks and harassment. The answer is positive. After all, it is made clear in the divine service of the Great Sanctification (5th and 6th of January), which stipulates the following use of the holy water: The celebrant Priest continues the blessing of the waters by saying: "And grant it the grace of redemption and the blessing of the Jordan. Make it a fount of incorruptibility, a gift for sanctification, a redemption for sins, an elixir for maladies, a destroyer of demons, unapproachable by the adverse powers and full of Angelic powers; so that to all who drink there from and receive thereof it may be sanctification of their souls and bodies, for the healing of sufferings, for the sanctification of home and every befitting benefit " The Great Agiasmo/The Great Sanctification of the Water (blessed on the 5th and 6th of January) is also used to baptize infants who are in danger of dying or are extremely ill (emergency baptism) i.e., at hospitals, homes, etc. and this is because the Holy Water from either the eve or the day of Theophany, has the same significance, grace and divine power as that of the baptismal waters. Just like in the Sacrament of Baptism, the priest, in like manner, invokes the grace of the Holy Spirit at the divine service of the Great Sanctification of the water ΓΙΑ ΤΟΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟ ΑΓΙΑΣΜΟ Ο Μεγάλος Αγιασμός τελείται κάθε χρόνο τήν 5ην και 6η Ιανουαρίου. Πολλοί είναι αυτοί οι οποίοι ρωτούν άν ο Αγιασμός αυτός πίνεται, χρησιμοποιείται γιά ραντισμό, φυλάσσεται στά σπίτια και άν αντικαθιστά τή θεία Κοινωνία. Τό κείμενο πού ακολουθεί, μεταγλωττισμένο στή νεοελληνική, αποτελεί "ειδική γνωμοδότηση περί τού θέματος τού Μεγάλου Αγιασμού, δηλ. πώς λαμβάνεται αυτός παρά τών χριστιανών, εάν φυλάσσεται και εάν απ αυτόν μεταλαμβάνουν" οι πιστοί, συνταχθέν υπό τού μακαριστού Μητροπολίτου Πατρών κυρού Νικοδήμου. Αρχικώς αυτή δημοσιεύθηκε στά ΔΙΠΤΥΧΑ τού έτους 1999, πρός ενημέρωση τών ευλαβέστατων Εφημερίων και πληροφόρηση τών πιστών. 1. Υπάρχει διαφορά ανάμεσα στό Μεγάλο Αγιασμό πού τελείται τήν παραμονή τών Θεοφανείων και εκείνον τής κυρίας ημέρας τής εορτής; Ο Μεγάλος Αγιασμός πού τελείται τήν παραμονή τών Θεοφανείων και ανήμερα τής εορτής είναι ακριβώς ο ίδιος. Εσφαλμένα κάποιοι θεωρούν ότι δήθεν τελείται τήν παραμονή ο "μικρός Αγιασμός" και τήν επομένη ο "Μέγας". Και στίς δύο περιπτώσεις τελείται ο Μεγάλος Αγιασμός. Μικρός Αγιασμός τελείται τήν πρώτη μέρα κάθε μήνα, καθώς και εκτάκτως όταν τό ζητούν οι χριστιανοί σέ διάφορες περιστάσεις (εγκαίνια οικιών, καταστημάτων και ιδρυμάτων, σέ θεμελίωση κτισμάτων κ.λ.π.). Ο Μεγάλος Αγιασμός τελείται μόνο δύο φορές τό χρόνο (τήν 5η και 6η Ιανουαρίου) στό Ναό. 2. Πού φυλάσσεται ο Μέγας Αγιασμός και γιά ποιό λόγο; Ο Μεγάλος Αγιασμός φυλάσσεται όλο τό χρόνο στό Ναό. Φυλάσσεται όχι άνευ λόγου. Και ο λόγος δέν είναι άλλος, παρά γιά νά "μεταλαμβάνεται" από τούς πιστούς υπό ορισμένες συνθήκες και προϋποθέσεις. Συνηθισμένη είναι η περίπτωση πού αφορά στούς διατελούντες υπό επιτίμιο τού Πνευματικού, πού εμποδίζει τή συμμετοχή τους στή 11
θεία Κοινωνία, γιά ορισμένο καιρό, και είθισται νά δίδεται σέ αυτούς γιά ευλογία και παρηγοριά τους. Κανένα κώλυμα δέν υφίσταται πρός τούτο, εφ όσον μάλιστα βρίσκονται "εν μετανοία και εξομολογήσει". Απαραίτητα όμως πρέπει νά συνειδητοποιούν ότι ο Μέγας Αγιασμός δέν υποκαθιστά ούτε αντικαθιστά τή θεία Κοινωνία τού Σώματος και τού Αίματος τού Χριστού, γιά τήν οποία οφείλουν μέ τή μετάνοια νά προετοιμάζονται, γιά νά απαλλαγούν από τά κωλύματα τής αμαρτίας, ώστε νά αξιωθούν νά κοινωνήσουν τό ταχύτερο. 3. Μπορεί ο Μέγας Αγιασμός νά φυλάσσεται στό σπίτι και νά πίνουν απ αυτόν σέ καιρό ασθένειας ή γιά αποτροπή βασκανίας και κάθε σατανικής ενέργειας; Η απάντηση είναι θετική. Παρέχεται απ αυτό τούτο τό ιερό κείμενο τής Ακολουθίας τού Μεγάλου Αγιασμού, πού προβλέπει "ινα πάντες οι αρυόμενοι και μεταλαμβάνοντες έχοιεν αυτό (τό ηγιασμένο ύδωρ...) πρός ιατρείαν παθών, πρός αγιασμόν οίκων, πρός πάσαν ωφέλειαν επιτήδειον", και δή και "δαίμοσιν ολέθριον, ταίς εναντίαις δυνάμεσιν απρόσιτον" (πρβλ. και τή συναφή ευχή σέ βασκανία, "φυγάδευσαν και απέλασαν πάσαν διαβολικήν ενέργεια, πάσαν σατανική έφοδον και πάσαν επιβουλήν... και οφθαλμών βασκανίαν τών κακοποιών ανθρώπων"). Προϋποτίθεται βέβαια ότι στίς οικίες όπου φυλάσσεται ο Μέγας Αγιασμός, και τό καντήλι θά ανάβει και θά καίει επιμελώς, και η ευλάβεια θά υπάρχει στά μέλη τής οικογενείας, τούς συζύγους ακι τά παιδιά, και θά αποφεύγεται κάθε αιτία πού αποδιώχνει τή θεία χάρη (όπως βλασφημίες ή άλλες ασχημοσύνες). Ο Μέγας Αγιασμός είναι τό σπουδαιότερο φάρμακο της Εκκλησίας μας μετά τήν Θεία Κοινωνία και γιά αυτό μεταλαμβάνουμε του αγιασμού πριν νά λάβουμε τό αντίδωρο, ενώ, αντιθέτως ο μικρός Αγιασμός, ως τέταρτος κατά σεειράν δυνάμεως, λαμβάνεται μετά τό αντίδωρο. Οι αγιαστικές Ευχές καθιστούν τό νερό τού Μεγάλου Αγιασμού ισοδύναμο με το νερό της βαπτίσεως και γι αυτό ο Μεγάλος Αγιασμός χρησιμοποιείται για τήν βάπτιση βρέφων, που είναι ετοιμοθάνατα ή βαρειά άρρωστα προς συντόμευση τής Ακολουθίας τής Βαπτίσεως. Η ακολουθία του Μικρού Αγιασμού (πού τελείται κάθε μήνα) δέν περιέχει αγιαστική Ευχή, δηλαδή επίκληση τής χάριτος τού Αγίου Πνεύματος αλλά ο αγιασμός τού ύδατος γίνεται μόνο μέ τήν κατάδυση τού Τιμίου Σταυρού. I pray that the above explanation helps everyone understand the importance of Holy Water and the many blessings that we all receive when we partake of it with faith, love, humility and a sense of unworthiness. 12
13