the angel of light 12/2009

8/14/2019 The Angel of Light 12/2009

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December; 2009/Monthly Bulletin of the Orthodox V Charitable AssociationEditorAlona Sergeeva

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THE ENTRY INTO THE TEMPLE OF THE MOST HOLY

MOTHER OF GOD happened, according to the preservedaccounts of Holy Tradition, in the following manner. The par-

ents of the Virgin Mary, Righteous Joakim and Anna, in pray-

ing for a solution to their childlessness, gave a vow that if a

child were born to them, they would dedicate it to the ser-

vice of God.

When the Most Holy Virgin reached three years of age, the

holy parents decided to fulfill their vow. Having gathered

together their kinsfolk and acquaintances, and having

dressed the All-Pure Mary in Her finest clothes, and with the

singing of sacred songs and with lighted candles in their

hands they carried Her to the Jerusalem Temple. There the high-priest with a throng of priests met the

maiden of God. In the Temple, the stairway led up fifteen high steps. The Child Mary, so it seemed, could not

Herself make it up this stairway. But just as they placed Her on the first step, strengthened by the power of

God, She quickly made it up over the remaining steps and ascended to the highest.

Then the high-priest, through an inspiration from above, led the Most Holy Virgin into the Holy of Holies, and

herein of all people it was only the high-priest that entered one time a year with a purifying sacrifice of blood.Therefore all those present in the Temple were astonished at this most unusual occurrence.

Righteous Joakim and Anna, having entrusted their Child to the will of the Heavenly Father, returned home.

The Most Blessed Mary remained in the domicile for girls, situated near the Temple. Round about the Temple,

through the testimony of Holy Scripture (Exodus 38; 1 Kings 1: 28; Lk. 2: 37), and also the historian Josephus

Flavius, there were many living quarters, in which dwelt those dedicated to the service of God.

The earthly life of the Most Holy Mother of God from the time of Her infancy to the time of Her ascent to

Heaven is shrouded in deep mystery. Her life at the Jerusalem Temple was also a secret. "If anyone were to

ask me, said Blessed Jerome, how the Most Holy Virgin spent the time of Her youth, I would answer:

that is known to God Himself and the Archangel Gabriel, Her constant guardian".

But in the Church tradition there were preserved accounts, that during the time of the stay of the All-Pure Vir-

gin at the Jerusalem Temple, She grew up in a community of pious virgins, read diligently the Holy Scripture,

occupied Herself with handcrafts, prayed constantly and grew in love for God. In remembrance of the Entry ofthe Most Holy Mother of God into the Jerusalem Temple, Holy Church from ancient times established a sol-

emn feast day. The decretals for the making of the feast in the first centuries of Christianity are found in the

traditions of Palestinian Christians, where mention is made that the holy Empress Helen built a church in

honor of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God.

In the IV Century there is mention of this feast by Sainted Gregory of Nyssa. In the VIII Century Saints Ger-

manos and Tarasios, Constantinople Patriarchs, delivered sermons on the feast day of the Entry.

The feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God foretells the blessing of God for

the human race, the preaching of salvation, the promise of the coming of Christ.holytrinityorthodox.com


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The Primate of theSerbian OrthodoxChurch PatriarchPavle, 95, died in aBelgrade hospital on Sun-day morning, BBC reports.

Patriarch Pavle was admit-ted to the city's militaryhospital two years ago,as he reportedly suffered

from heart and lung con-ditions.

Patriarch Pavle was a re-spected theologian andlinguist, known for per-sonal humility and mod-esty.

He was elected the Pri-mate of the Serbian Or-

thodox Church during thefall of communism and thewar in Bosnia followed by

Meeting between Pope and Patriarch Kirill is possible.Relations between the Russian Orthodox and Roman CatholicChurches are improving and a meeting between Pope BenedictXVI and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, may be onthe cards, a Russian Orthodox bishop said.

"Today it can be said that we are moving to a momentwhen it becomes possible to prepare a meeting between the

Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow," Archbishop Hilarion ofVolokolamsk, the head of the Department for External ChurchRelations, told reporters in Moscow.

"There are no specific plans for the venue or timing of sucha meeting but on both sides there is a desire to prepare it,"the Archbishop said.

Preparations for such a meeting must involve finding "a com-mon platform on all remaining points of dispute," theArchbishop said.

One such issue are relations between the Uniate communityand Orthodox believers in Ukraine. In the early 1990s, "thefragile interdenominational balance was upset and a serious

situation took shape that still exists," Archbishop Hilarion said.At the same time, conversion of Orthodox believers into Ca-tholicism is less of a problem today than it was a decadeago, he said.

Benedict XVI is "a very reserved, traditional man who doesnot seek the expansion of the Catholic Church to traditionallyOrthodox regions," the Archbishop said.

When Benedict XVI, shortly after being elected Pope, metwith Metropolitan Kirill (the present Russian Patriarch, thenhead of the DECR), a papal visit to Russia "was taken off theagenda as now it appears to us to be impossible," the bishopsaid.

After Metropolitan Kirill has been elected Patriarch, "one canhope for further steps" in Orthodox-Catholic dialogue becausethe Patriarch "will continue the line on relations with Christiansof other denominations that he pursued as part of his formeractivities," the Archbishop said. Interfax

A photo exhibition "The Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church in the ModernWorld" opens in the building of the European Parliament in Brussels.

"We find it very important to display our national values, and the values of the Russian OrthodoxChurch at the common European arena. We share many European values, however, we havesome of our own, which we would like to demonstrate to the European citizens," head of the

Moscow Patriarchate Publishing House Archpriest Vladimir Silovyev said to Interfax-Religion.

The Moscow Patriarchate Acting Representative at the European Union Archpriest Antony Ilyin alsonoted to the agency that the exhibition dedicated to the Russian Orthodox Church "is held by theEuropean Parliament for the first time in its history."

The displayed works of photographers feature "The basisocial concept of the Russian OrthodoxChurch": the visitors will learn about the Church's position regarding family and social problems,the challenges of globalization and secularism, the problems of bioethics and environment protec-tion, and the participation of Christians in public, political and charity work. The works on thethemes of secular sciences, culture and education demonstrate the need to restore the lost links ofscientific thinking with the religious values. Interfax


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Famous Orthodox priest killed in Moscow

The famous priest Daniil Sysoyev, the rector of the St. Thomas Cathedral,has been killed in Moscow, a source in law enforcement agencies toldInterfax.

The priest received gunshot wounds to the head and chest, his assistantVladimir Strelbitsky was wounded in the chest, he said.

"I do not recall a priest being killed in Moscow, let alone shot at by anassault rifle," the source told.

The priest died on the surgical table at 0:15 a.m. Moscow time, a source in medical circles said.His aide is in very critical condition.

A criminal case has been launched over the priest's murder.

Father Daniil was 35 years old.

One more Russian Cathedral is built in

Thailand

The building of Russian Orthodox Cathedral of All Saints inthe city of Pattaya (Thailand) is finished.

The church has been built in eight months for donations ofbelievers. The consecration of the church will take placeunder the celebrating of decade of Orthodoxy in Thailandon December 20 this year.

As it was told, another church in Thailand of the Ascension of Our Lord will be build on Samuy is-land. The local arrival has already made a decision to buy the ground area which is located on themountain slope near the sea.

There is also a wish to open the Russian cultural centre and a school at an Orthodox Cathedral ofthe Holy Trinity on the Pkhuket island in Thailand.

Recently the Russian Church has received the state registration in the country. interfax

The Orthodox theological seminary is opened in Paris. It became the first

Russian theological school in Western Europe.

The school will prepare students for scientific, interchurch, missionary and dip-lomatic activity of Russian Orthodox Church. Studying in the seminary will lastfor five years: three years of a bachelor degree and two years of a magis-tracy.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia mentioned in his greeting during theopening ceremony that the Russian Church "especially requires highly educated, well knowledgeableexperts in scientific, interchurch and diplomatic spheres and also in clerics who could make the ser-vice on foreign grounds adequately".

interfax

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With the Saints give rest, o Christ, to thesouls of Thy servants, where there is neithersickness, nor sorrow, nor sighing, but lifeeverlasting. Memory eternal to people, whichwere our parishioners and departed to Godin the month of December!!!.

God grant many years to all ourparishioners who celebrate theirbirthdays and anniversaries in themonth of December! We wish

you all good health, long lifeand happiness!!!

Sometimes women are overly suspicious

of their husbands. When Adam stayed

out very late for a few nights, Eve be-

came upset. "You're running around with

other women," she charged.

"You're being unreasonable," Adam re-

sponded. "You're the only woman on

earth." The quarrel continued until

Adam fell asleep,

only to be awakened by someone poking

him in the chest.

It was Eve. "What do you think you're

doing?" Adam demanded.

"Counting your ribs," said Eve.

- What do you have in December that you don't have in

any other month ?

- The letter "D" !

A minister told his congregation, "Next week I plan to

preach about the sin of lying. To help you understand

my sermon, I want you all to read Mark 17."

The following Sunday, as he prepared to deliver his

sermon, the

minister asked for a show of hands. He wanted to know

how many had read Mark 17. Every hand went up. The

minister smiled and said, "Mark has only sixteen chap-

ters. I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of

lying."

St. Prince Alexander Nevsky(1220 - 1263) was the Prince ofNovgorod from 1236 to 1251 and Prince of Tver from 1247 to1252. From 1252 on he was known as the Grand Duke of Vladi-mir, son of Prince Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich. Alexander was an out-standing Russian military commander and diplomat. Through his vic-tories over Sweden on the Neva river (1240), after which he wasgiven the name of Nevsky, and over the knights of the Teutonic Or-

der (1242) he secured Russia's north-western borders. Thanks to hisclever and skillful diplomacy the burden of Tatar-Mongolian occu-pancy was eased.

Alexander Nevsky is said to have been a man of prayer, andshortly before his death on 14 November 1263 he became amonk.He was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1381. Thiscanonization was never approved by the Papacy, probably in part because Alexanderrefused to take religious lessons from the Papal legates.

Alexander Nevsky is a patron saint of Russian warriors and of the Russian city St. Peters-burg( Leningrad).


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We all know that the legend of Santa Claus is

based on the real life great SAINT NICHOLAS THEWONDERWORKER, which was born sometime around280 A.D. and was the bishop of Myra, a city in Ly-

cia, a province of Asia Minor in modern-day Turkey.But did you know that the first gifts were to help 3girls?

One of the best known of the St. Nicholas stories isthat he saved three poor sisters from being sold intoslavery or prostitution by their father by providing

them with a dowry so that they could be married. Saint Bishop secretly tossed a bag ofgold through the poor man's window on three separate occasions, thus enabling the daugh-ters to be married.

Over the course of many years, Nicholas's popularity spread and he became known as theprotector of children and sailors.

Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas became the subject of many legends.It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helpingthe poor and sick.

The name of the great saint of God, the hierarch and wonderworker Nicholas, a speedyhelper and suppliant for all hastening to him, is famed in every corner of the earth, inmany lands and among many peoples. In Russia and Ukraine there are a multitude of ca-thedrals, monasteries and churches consecrated in his name. There is, perhaps, not a single

city without a church dedicated to him.

The first Russian Christian prince Askold (+ 882) was baptized in 866 by Patriarch Photius(February 6) with the name Nicholas. Over the grave of Askold, St. Olga (July 11) built thefirst temple of St. Nicholas in the Russian Church at Kiev.

Many of the churches devoted to the saint were those established at market squares by Rus-sian merchants, sea-farers and those who traveled by land, venerating the wonderworkerNicholas as a protector of all those journeying on dry land and sea.

Many slavonic village churches were dedicated to the wonderworker Nicholas, venerated bypeasants as a merciful intercessor before the Lord for all the people in their work. And inthe Russian land St. Nicholas did not cease his intercession. Ancient Kiev preserves thememory about the miraculous rescue of a drowning infant by the saint. The great wonder-worker, hearing the grief-filled prayers of the parents for the loss of their only child, tookthe infant from the waters, revived him and placed him in the choir-loft of the church ofHoly Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) before his wonderworking icon. In the morning the infant wasfound safe by his thrilled parents, praising St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

St. Nicholas is commemorated on December 19 and May 22.


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Schedule of Services

For december 2009

06 Sunday -Tone 1 - Chipman 10:AM / Scheduling meeting

13 Sunday - Tone 2 - St. Barbara Feast Day - Edmonton 10:AM

20 Sunday - Tone 3 - Skaro 10: AM

27 Sunday - Tone 4 -Wostok10:AM

Orthodox feasts (prazdniki)

in december

If you have any questions or proposals, please, Contact us:Priest Father George Sergeev 780-895-21-49Email: [email protected]. / PO Box 483 Lamont Alberta TOB 2R0

President Yakim Lopushinsky (780-895-26-67Vice -President Jim Nemirsky 780-896-23-47Secretary John Tkachuk 780-576-30-73Treasurer Fred Pewarchuk 780-895-21-59Or visit our websitewww.orthodoxfive.org

04 December - The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple.

06 December - St. Alexander Nevsky, grand prince of Novgorod

07 December - Great-martyr Catherine of Alexandria

10 December - Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos named "Znamenie".

13 December - Holy and All-praised Apostle Andrew the First-called

17 December - Great-martyr Barbara

19 December - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, archbishop of Myra in Lycia

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http://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/November/21-01.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/November/21-01.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/November/23-03.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/November/24-02.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/November/27-01.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/November/30-01.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/December/04-01.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/December/06-01.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/December/06-01.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/December/04-01.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/November/30-01.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/November/27-01.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/November/24-02.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/November/23-03.htmhttp://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/November/21-01.htm

the angel of light 12/2009

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