733 South Ashland Ave Chicago, Illinois 60607 Rev. Fr. Dimitri Tobias, Proistamenos stbasilchicago@comcast.net Saints and Feasts: Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today Ephraim the Syrian Sunday, January 28, 2018 Telephone: (312) 243-3738 Office Fax: Fax (312) 243-7691 www.stbasilchicago.org Parish Council President: Ms. Jayme Schenk Isaac the Syrian, Bishop of Ninevah James the RighteousMartyrs Michael and Nicholas It is possible for those who have come back again after repentance to shine with much lustre, and oftentimes more than those who have never fallen at all, I have demonstrated from the divine writings. Thus at least both the publicans and the harlots inherit the kingdom of Heaven, thus many of the last are placed before the first. St. John Chrysostom AN EXHORTATION TO THEODORE AFTER HIS FALL, 4th Century When lately we made mention of the Pharisee and the publican, and hypothetically yoked two chariots out of virtue and vice; we pointed out each truth, how great is the gain of humbleness of mind, and how great the damage of pride. St. John Chrysostom CONCERNING LOWLINESS OF MIND., 4th Century Narthex Duty: Tom Bezanes & George Tzihanas Welcoming Ministry: Lambros Peroulas Orthros Reader: Marina Arvanitis Coffee Hour: Philoptochos 1 Year Memorial: Maria Lekkas 3 Year Memorial: Nick Scourletos May their Memories Be Eternal 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.
Synaxis of The Three Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, & John Chrysostom This common feast of these three teachers was instituted a little before the year 1100, during the reign of the Emperor Alexis I Comnenus, because of a dispute and strife that arose among the notable and virtuous men of that time. Some of them preferred Basil, while others preferred Gregory, and yet others preferred John Chrysostom, quarreling among themselves over which of the three was the greatest. Furthermore, each party, in order to distinguish itself from the others, assumed the name of its preferred Saint; hence, they called themselves Basilians, Gregorians, or Johannites. Desiring to bring an end to the contention, the three Saints appeared together to the saintly John Mavropous, a monk who had been ordained Bishop of Euchaita, a city of Asia Minor, they revealed to him that the glory they have at the throne of God is equal, and told him to compose a common service for the three of them, which he did with great skill and beauty. Saint John of Euchaita (celebrated Oct. 5) is also the composer of the Canon to the Guardian Angel, the Protector of a Man's Life. In his old age, he retired from his episcopal see and again took up the monastic life in a monastery in Constantinople. He reposed during the reign of the aforementioned Emperor Alexis Comnenus (1081-1118). Apolytikion of Three Hierarchs First Tone The three most great luminaries of the Three-Sun Divinity have illumined all of the world with the rays of doctrines divine and true; they are the sweetly-flowing rivers of wisdom, who with godly knowledge have watered all creation in clear and mighty streams: The great and sacred Basil, and the Theologian, wise Gregory, together with the renowned John, the famed Chrysostom of golden speech. Let us all who love their divinely-wise words come together, honouring them with hymns; for ceaselessly they offer entreaty for us to the Trinity.
Hymns of the Day After the Small Entrance Resurrectional Apolytikion 1 st Tone The stone had been secured with a seal by the Judeans, * and a guard of soldiers was watching Your immaculate body. * You rose on the third day, O Lord * and Savior, granting life unto the world. * For this reason were the powers of heaven crying out to You, O Life-giver: * Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ; * glory to Your eternal rule; * glory to Your dispensation, only One who loves mankind. Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἀναστάσιμον Ήχος α' Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλασσόντων τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα, ἀνέστης τριήμερος Σωτήρ, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν ζωήν. Διὰ τοῦτο αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐβόων σοι Ζωοδότα Δόξα τῇ ἀναστάσει σου Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ Βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ σου, μόνε Φιλάνθρωπε. 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 1 st Tone Your birth sanctified a Virgin's womb and properly blessed the hands of Symeon. Having now come and saved us O Christ our God, give peace to Your commonwealth in troubled times and strengthen those in authority, whom You love, as only the loving One. 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 α' Ὁ μήτραν παρθενικὴν ἁγιάσας τῶ τόκω σου, καὶ χείρας τοῦ Συμεὼν εὐλογήσας ὡς ἔπρεπε, προφθάσας καὶ νὺν ἔσωσας ἡμᾶς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλ' εἰρήνευσον ἐν πολέμοις τὸ πολίτευμα, καὶ κραταίωσον Βασιλεῖς οὓς ἠγάπησας, ὁ μόνος φιλάνθρωπος.
THE EPISTLE / Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Prokeimenon. Mode 1. Psalm 32.22,1 Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us. Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous. The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 3:10-15 TIMOTHY, my son, you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at lconion, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Προκείμενον. Ήχος α'. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 32.22,1 Γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ' ἡμᾶς. Στίχ. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε δίκαιοι ἐν Κυρίῳ Πρὸς Τιμόθεον β' 3:10-15 Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, παρηκολούθηκάς μου τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, τῇ ἀγωγῇ, τῇ προθέσει, τῇ πίστει, τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ, τῇ ἀγάπῃ, τῇ ὑπομονῇ, τοῖς διωγμοῖς, τοῖς παθήμασιν, οἷά μοι ἐγένετο ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ, ἐν Ἰκονίῳ, ἐν Λύστροις, οἵους διωγμοὺς ὑπήνεγκα καὶ ἐκ πάντων με ἐρρύσατο ὁ κύριος. Καὶ πάντες δὲ οἱ θέλοντες εὐσεβῶς ζῇν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διωχθήσονται. Πονηροὶ δὲ ἄνθρωποι καὶ γόητες προκόψουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον, πλανῶντες καὶ πλανώμενοι. Σὺ δὲ μένε ἐν οἷς ἔμαθες καὶ ἐπιστώθης, εἰδὼς παρὰ τίνος ἔμαθες, καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ βρέφους τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα οἶδας, τὰ δυνάμενά σε σοφίσαι εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ πίστεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Download the APP DIGITAL CHANT STAND by AGES Initiatives To follow along during Orthros, Liturgy, Vespers, and Holy Week Services right on your smart device
THE HOLY GOSPEL / ΤΟ ΘΕΙΟΝ ΕΥΑΓ- ΓΕΛΙΟΝ The Gospel According to Luke 18:10-14 The Lord said this parable, "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 18:10-14 Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην Ἄνθρωποι δύο ἀνέβησαν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν προσεύξασθαι, ὁ εἷς Φαρισαῖος καὶ ὁ ἕτερος τελώνης. ὁ Φαρισαῖος σταθεὶς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα προσηύχετο ὁ Θεός, εὐχαριστῶ σοι ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὥσπερ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἅρπαγες, ἄδικοι, μοιχοί, ἢ καὶ ὡς οὗτος ὁ τελώνης νηστεύω δὶς τοῦ σαββάτου, ἀποδεκατῶ πάντα ὅσα κτῶμαι. καὶ ὁ τελώνης μακρόθεν ἑστὼς οὐκ ἤθελεν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐπᾶραι, ἀλλ ἔτυπτεν εἰς τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ λέγων ὁ Θεός, ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ. λέγω ὑμῖν, κατέβη οὗτος δεδικαιωμένος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἢ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.
Calendar for the Week Ahead - Sunday, January 28, 10:30am - Sunday School Meets - Monday, January 29, 7:00pm - Great Vespers for Three Hierarchs at St. Basil - Tuesday, January 30, 8:30am - Orthros and Divine Liturgy for Synaxis of the Three Hierarch: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom - Wednesday, January 31, 6:00pm - Paraklesis (Supplication Service) to the Virgin Mary - Friday, February 2,8:30am - "Orthros and Divine Liturgy for Presentation of Christ into the Temple" - Sunday, February 4, 8:15am - Orthros and Divine Liturgy Parish News and Events 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! 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 email 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 email contacts list. Thanks! Greek man looking for stem cell donor match For more information visit - https://bethematch.org/ support-the-cause/donate-bone-marrow/ 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. Hellenic Letters Celebration - Sunday, January 28th, I pray that you can join us at this annual event in fellowship as we celebrate Hellenism and Excellence. Though we do not currently possess a Greek School, we are still Phil- Hellenes and can support the enrichment and enhancement of Hellenic Education within our Metropolis for future generations. Please contact the Church office if you would like to attend or if you would like to donate. Tickets are $60 a person. 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). House/Business Blessings - 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 (312-243-3738). Food Drive - Many of Chicago's Lakeview Pantry's clients are parents who struggle to feed their children. Ladies Philoptochos requests your donations of breakfast food so they don't have to start their day hungry. Please bring your donations to Church during February. Suggested items: Hot or cold cereal, pancake mix, syrup, shelf-stable juice. Thanks to you, our Church is one of the pantry's largest food donors. Memorials Today Maria Lekkas - 1 year Nick Scourletos - 3 years May their Memories Be Eternal
St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church February 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 28 No Fasting 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 10:30 am "Sunday School meets" 4 No Fasting 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 10:30 am "Sunday School meets" 4:00 pm Super Bowl Bash at Billy Goat 29 No Fasting 7:00 pm Great Vespers for Three Hierarchs 5 7:00 pm Parish Council Meeting 30 No Fasting 8:30 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy for Synaxis of the Three Hierarch: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom 31 No Fasting 1 No Fasting No Weddings/Baptisms Permitted 6 7 8 9 6:00 pm Paraklesis (Supplication Service) to the Virgin Mary 6:00 pm Paraklesis (Supplication Service) to the Virgin Mary 2 Memorials Not Permitted No Fasting No Weddings/Baptisms Permitted 8:30 am "Orthros and Divine Liturgy for Presentation of Christ into the Temple" 7:00 pm Great Vespers for St. Haralambos (at Niles parish) 3 No Fasting 10 8:30 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy for St. Haralambos (at St. Nile parish) with the 1st Saturday of Souls 11:30 am YiaYia Kouzina Baking 11 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 10:30 am "Sunday School meets" 12:00 pm Apokreatiko Glendi 18 Cheesefare 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 10:30 am "Sunday School meets" 6:00 pm Forgiveness Vespers 12 Cheesefare Week 13 Cheesefare Week 14 Cheesefare Week 15 Cheesefare Week 16 Cheesefare Week 17 Cheesefare Week 6:00 pm Paraklesis 8:30 am Orthros and Divine (Supplication Service) Liturgy for second to the Virgin Mary Saturday of the Souls 6:00 pm Paraklesis 11:30 am Yiayia Kouzina Baking (Supplication Service) to the Virgin Mary 19 Fasting Days 20 Fasting Days 21 Fasting Days Clean Monday (first day of Great 6:00 pm Great Compline with 6:00 pm Presanctified Liturgy Lent) second part of Canon 6:00 pm Great Compline with of St. Andrew of Crete first part of Canon of St. Andrew of Crete - followed by Lenten meal and fellowship 25 Fasting Days 8:15 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy 10:00 am "Sunday School will process for Sunday of Orthodoxy" 10:30 am "Sunday School meets" 12:00 pm Prison Ministry Easter card writing to Inmates 26 Fasting Days 27 Fasting Days 28 Fasting Days 6:00 pm Presanctified Liturgy 22 Fasting Days 23 Fasting Days 6:00 pm 1st Salutations to the Virgin Mary 24 Fasting Days 8:30 am "Orthros and Divine Liturgy for 1st and 2nd finding of the head of St. John the Baptist" 8:30 am "Orthros and Divine Liturgy for third Saturday of the Souls" 11:30 am Yiayia Kouzina Baking
Matthew 25:35-36 - 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, Cindy 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. Reflection If You are not receiving the Observer, please contact the Church Office. The absence of envy among the saints is a startling and wonderful phenomenon. Not only did the saints not allow envy to seize their hearts but, with all their might, labored to uplift their companions and to diminish themselves. On one occasion when St. Hilarion of Palestine visited St. Anthony in Egypt, St. Anthony exclaimed: "Welcome Venus, the morning star!" To that St. Hilarion replied: "Greetings and health be to you, the shining pillar who sustains the universe!" When they praised St. Macarius as a monk, the saint replied: "Brethren, forgive me, I am not a monk but, I have seen monks!" When some people told St. Sisoes that he attained the same level of perfection as St. Anthony, Sisoes replied: "If only I had but a single thought as does Anthony, I would be all aflame."