Tuesday, October 28, 2014

The scripture readings according to liturgical order


In this text, I would love to share with you about how to read the scripture.

Of course you are welcome to contact us in order to send you the whole scripture readings with ecclesiastical calendar.

The ordering of the Epistle and Gospel readings in this text is based on the ordinances contained in the TYPICON of George Regas (ΤΥΠΙΚΟΝ Οἰκονόμου Γεωργίου Ρήγα 1908 ἔκδοσις «Πατριαρχικοῦ Ἱδρύματος Πατερικῶν Μελετῶν» Θεσσαλονίκη 1994) on pgs 123-126, which are as follows:

Part 1: General Ordinances
Chapter 7: The Divine Liturgy
§ 9: The Epistle and Gospel of the Liturgy

“In the Divine Liturgy the Epistle reading is read by the reader and the Gospel reading is read by the deacon if there is one; if not, then by the priest. The reader says the Epistle from the middle of the church facing east, and the deacon says the Gospel from the ambo, but if the priest says the Gospel, he says it from the Holy Doors facing west.

Whenever two Epistles are appointed, the one is said, and then after it is finished, in continuation the second is attached; thus after the Epistle of the 2nd Saturday of the Fast, the reader attaches also the reading for the reposed straightway, saying: “But I would not have you to be ignorant...” etc. Similarly, when two Gospels are appointed, the second is read after the end of the first in continuation. For example, the Gospel reading for the Theotokos is attached to a particular Gospel reading thus: “And Mary arose...”etc.




The weekly order of the Epistle and Gospel readings are as follows:


a) The daily readings of the Epistle are read each week according to the following order: From Pascha until the Sunday of Pentecost, the Acts of the Apostles; from the Monday of the Holy Spirit until Great Saturday, the Epistles of Paul and the rest.

The Sunday readings are read in order, from the Sunday of Pascha until the Sunday of the Forefathers. From the Sunday after Theophany until the commencement of the Triodion they follow the order of the Gospel readings as defined below. The daily Epistle readings are read in order, until they are finished, until the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee.

When the thirty-three weeks are finished, and there are no more Epistle readings until the commencement of the Triodion, read the daily Epistles thus:
If one week of Epistle readings is missing, read those of the 16th week.

If two weeks are missing, read those of the 15th and 16th weeks.

If three weeks are missing, read those of the 14th, 15th, and 16th weeks.

If four weeks are missing, read those of the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th weeks.

If five weeks are missing, read those of the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th weeks.

If six weeks are missing, read those of the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th weeks.

If seven weeks are missing, read those of the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th weeks.


b) The Gospel readings are read in order each week according to the following order: a) From the Sunday of Pascha until Pentecost the Gospel readings are from the Gospel according to John. b) From the Monday of the Holy Spirit until the Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross the Gospel readings are from the Gospel according to Matthew. c) From the Monday after the Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross until Cheese-Fare Sunday, the Gospel readings are from the Gospel according to Luke. 4) During the Great Fast on Saturdays and Sundays the Gospel readings are from the Gospel according to Mark.

c) The Gospel readings are read in order, except the Sunday readings according to Luke which leap. But when the Sundays of Luke leap to another week, the weekday Gospel readings do not leap, only the Sunday readings leap; the weekday readings remain in their order. When the weekday Gospel readings of Luke are finished and we have not yet reached the Triodion, read the Gospel readings for the after-feasts of Theophany; and if these also are finished and Gospel readings are needed until the commencement of the Triodion, go to the Gospel readings according to Matthew and read as many weekday readings as are needed until the commencement of the Triodion. From the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee, read the Gospel readings for Sundays and weekdays in continuation. The Gospel readings from the completion of Luke until the commencement of the Triodion of the daily Gospel readings according to Matthew are these:

If one week of Gospel readings is missing, read those of the 16th week of Matthew.

If two weeks are missing, read those of the 15th and 16th weeks of Matthew.

If three weeks are missing, read those of the 14th, 15th, and 16th weeks of Matthew.

If four weeks are missing, read those of the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th weeks of Matthew.

If five weeks are missing, read those of the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th weeks of Matthew.

If six weeks are missing, read those of the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th weeks of Matthew.


d) The 17th Sunday of Matthew is only read in the order of Gospel readings according to Matthew when Pascha falls on March 22nd. When Pascha falls from the April 15th until the 25th, it is omitted from the order of Gospel readings according to Matthew, and read before the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee. When Pascha falls from March 23rd until April 14th, it is omitted altogether.

e) If Pascha falls on March 22nd, 23rd or 24th, the Sunday after Theophany does not happen, because the first Sunday after Theophany is the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee; in this instance the Epistle and Gospel readings are read on January 7th before the readings for St. John the Baptist.

If Pascha falls on March 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, or 31st and in a leap-year on March 24th there is only the Sunday after Theophany, and after it the Triodion commences.

If Pascha falls from April 1st to the 7th or in a leap-year on March 31st, after the Sunday after Theophany, there is only one Sunday until the commencement of the Triodion. The readings are as follows:

Epistle: 32nd Sunday after Pentecost, Gospel: 15th Sunday of Luke (Zacchaeus)

If Pascha falls from April 8th to the 14th or in a leap-year on April 7th, after the Sunday after Theophany, there are two Sundays until the commencement of the Triodion. The readings are as follows:

On the 1st Sunday - Epistle: 29th Sunday after Pentecost, Gospel: 12th Sunday of Luke (10 Lepers)

On the 2nd Sunday - Epistle: 32nd Sunday after Pentecost, Gospel: 15th Sunday of Luke (Zacchaeus)

If Pascha falls from April 15th to the 21th or in a leap-year on April 14th, after the Sunday after Theophany, there are three Sundays until the commencement of the Triodion. The readings are as follows:

On the 1st Sunday - Epistle: 29th Sunday after Pentecost, Gospel: 12th Sunday of Luke (10 Lepers)

On the 2nd Sunday - Epistle: 32nd Sunday after Pentecost, Gospel: 15th Sunday of Luke (Zacchaeus)

On the 3rd Sunday - Epistle: 17th Sunday after Pentecost, Gospel: 17th Sunday of Matthew (The Canaanite Woman)

If Pascha falls from April 22nd to the 25th or in a leap-year on April 21st, after the Sunday after Theophany, there are four Sundays until the commencement of the Triodion. The readings are as follows:

On the 1st Sunday - Epistle: 29th Sunday after Pentecost, Gospel: 12th Sunday of Luke (10 Lepers)

On the 2nd Sunday - Epistle: 31st Sunday after Pentecost, Gospel: 14th Sunday of Luke

On the 3rd Sunday - Epistle: 32nd Sunday after Pentecost, Gospel: 15th Sunday of Luke (Zacchaeus)

On the 4th Sunday - Epistle: 17th Sunday after Pentecost, Gospel: 17th Sunday of Matthew (The Canaanite Woman)

f) Note: Of the leaping Sundays of Luke, the 4th is said on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers: the Sunday which falls from October 11th to the 17th, the 5th Sunday of Luke is said on the Sunday which falls from October 30th to November 5th, and the 11th Sunday of Luke is said on the Sunday of the Forefathers: the Sunday which falls from December 11th to the 17th.

f) Note: Of the leaping Sundays of Luke, the 4th is said on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers: the Sunday which falls from October 11th to the 17th, the 5th Sunday of Luke is said on the Sunday which falls from October 30th to November 5th, and the 11th Sunday of Luke is said on the Sunday of the Forefathers: the Sunday which falls from December 11th to the 17th.


g) In addition to the Epistle and Gospel readings of the day, there are also other readings for each feast or the memory of a saint, and also for certain Sundays, pre-feasts, and after-feasts. These readings are found in the menologion. They are read, attached to the Epistle and Gospel readings as indicated above."

Notes
 
• Regarding the presence of multiple readings: We have not mandated how many readings should be read at each Divine Liturgy, rather we have provided a comprehensive listing of all possible readings for each day. The Typicon of the Great Church of Christ (1888) prescribes only one Epistle and one Gospel to be read at each Divine Liturgy. Please see the "Pocket Calendar - 2014" for the Sunday readings according to this typicon.

• On Great feasts (Feasts of the Master and Feasts of the Mother of God), Vigil-rank feasts, the Royal Hours of the Nativity of Christ and Theophany, the daily Epistle and Gospel readings are not read together with the readings of the feast, they are transferred to the nearest day feasible and are read together with that day’s daily readings. This ordinance does not apply to Sundays. They are as follows:
 

Feasts of the Master:
Exaltation of the Cross (Sep. 14th)

Nativity of Christ (Dec. 25th)

Theophany (Jan. 6th)

Transfiguration (Aug. 6th)


Feasts of the Mother of God:
Nativity (Sep. 8th)

Entrance (Nov. 21st)

Presentation (Feb. 2nd)

Annunciation (March 25th)

Dormition (Aug. 15th)


Vigil-rank feasts:
The Assumption of St. John the Theologian (Sep. 26th)

St. John Chrysostom (Nov. 13th)

St. Sabbas the Sanctified (Dec. 5th)

St. Nicholas of Myra (Dec. 6th)

St. Anthony the Great (Jan. 17th)

St. Euthymios the Great (Jan. 20th)

St. Gregory the Theologian (Jan. 25th)

The Three Hierarchs (Jan. 30th)

• When the eve of the Nativity of Christ (Dec. 24th) and the eve of Theophany (Jan.5th) fall on Saturday or Sunday, the Royal Hours are chanted on the previous Friday.

• When the 1st & 2nd findings of the head of St. John the Baptist (Feb. 24th) and the 3rd finding of the head of St John the Baptist (May 25th) fall on the Saturday of the Souls, the service for the finding of the head of St. John the Baptist is chanted on the previous day: Friday.

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(The text transferred from GOC of America)

Editor: Rev.Spyridon Tanous
Ἐκκλησία τῶν Γ.Ο.Χ
www.christ-prayer.org

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Ebola of Syrian/الايبولا السورية



 
We would like to ask, what about the treatment of Ebola of Syrian, this Ebola which destroy houses on head of children, this Ebola which cut heads, this Ebola which displaced half the population of the State.
This  Ebola which forced youth and families with children to be food for fish.
This  Ebola which bombing cars at schools.
Is there anyone who has the answer?
Of course no. those, who claim that they are leaders, are busy in their deals.
 
These politicians, or those  who  claimed  that  they  are politicians, are too busy in matters I cannot talk about it. Because I am a priest.
 
But, who  will  heals the victims of the Ebola of Syrian
Who will protect those who will  be  injured by this epidemic later.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
نود أن نسأل، ماذا عن علاج فيروس إيبولا  السورية، وهذه الايبولا التي تدمر المنازل على رأس الأطفال، هذه الايبولا التي قطعت الرؤوس، وهذه إيبولا التي شردت نصف سكان الدولة.
هذه الإيبولا التي أجبرت الشباب والأسر التي لديها أطفال ليكون طعاما للأسماك.
هذه الإيبولا التي  تفجر السيارات في المدارس.
هل هناك أي شخص لديه الجواب؟
لا بالطبع. أولئك الذين يدعون أنهم قادة، مشغولون في صفقاتهم.
 
هؤلاء السياسيين، أو أولئك الذين يزعمون  أنهم السياسيين، مشغولون جدا في أمور لا أستطيع الحديث عن ذلك. لأنني قس.
 
ولكن من  هو  الذي سوف يشفي ضحايا الإيبولا السورية
من  هو  الذي سوف يوفر  حماية لأولئك الذين سيصابون بهذا الوباء في وقت لاحق.
 

 
Editor: Rev.Spyridon Tanous
Ἐκκλησία τῶν Γ.Ο.Χ www
christ-prayer.org

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Why the harvest is bad/لماذا الحصاد سيئ


 

 
There was a righteous man, which  always doing good works to the people
Cares about the needs of people.
 
This righteous man bought a farm, and at harvest, his harvest was bad in  several seasons.
 
righteous man became  sad , he  was wondering why the harvest is not good
While harvest of  others  was good
 
He decided to visit one pious monk
When he arrived at the monastery, and saw the monk
And  he tell him  about  the story of the farm and harvest
 
The  Monk stare  into the eyes of the man
And said to him,
 
You are a righteous man, serving the people
But you forget yourself
you forgot to serve yourself
 
The good man was astonished, and asked the monk
How do I forget myself
 
The monk replied,
When you neglect the sacraments   and the  holy services
This leads to the  rust
When neglected teaching of the Fathers, this leads to poverty and the lack of production
 
Then, the monk went with the man to the farm
and  pray, and sprinkled holy water
 
During  several  days, many of the diseased trees, has recovered
And the farm became bright
 
Dear loved ones, acts of righteousness
Is great
But it become poor in the case of moving away from prayer and the sacraments
 
 
 
 
كان هناك رجل بار، يعمل الصالحات، تجاه الناس
يهتم بحاجات
هذا الرجل البار اشترى مزرعة، و عند الحصاد، كان حصاده سيئا
الحصاد السيئ تكرر عدة مواسم
حزن الرجل البار, كان يتسائل لماذا حصاده ليس جيدا
في حين حصاد الاخرين كان جيدا
 
فقرر  زيارة  احد  الرهبان  المعروفين  بالتقوى
عندما  وصل  الى  الدير،  و  شاهد  الراهب
 
سرد  قصة  المزرعة  و  الحصاد
 
نظر  الراهب  في  عيني  الرجل
 
و  قال  له
انت  رجل  بار،  تخدم  الناس
و  لكن  نسيت  نفسك
نسيت  ان  تخدم  نفسك
 
الرجل  الصالح  استغرب،  و  سأل  الراهب
كيف  انا  نسيت  نفسي
 
الراهب اجاب
عندما  تهمل  الاسرار  المقدسة،  الخدمات  المقدسة
هذا  يؤدي  الى  صدأ 
و  عندما  تهمل  تعليم  الاباء،  هذا  يؤدي  الى  الفقر  و  قلة  الانتاج
 
عندها، الراهب ذهب   مع  الرجل  الى  المزرعة
و  بارك  الشجر  و  الارض،  و  رش  الماء  المقدس
و  خلال  ايام،  كثير  من  الاشجار  المريضة،  قد  تعافت
و  اصبحت  المزرعة  زاهية
 
ايها  الاحبة،  اعمال  البر هي  عظيمة
لكنها  تصبح  فقيرة  في  حال  الابتعاد  عن  الصلاة  و الاسرار  المقدسة
 
 
 


Editor: Rev.Spyridon Tanous
Ἐκκλησία τῶν Γ.Ο.Χ
www.christ-prayer.org

Sunday, October 12, 2014

The situation in Syria is over/ الوضع في سوريا انتهى




 
The situation in Syria ended up as a result of the end of Syria.
 And no longer be useful to make any effort   interior Syrian
 Because any effort became in the interest of the combatants
 And not in the interest of the people
 
 That any real assistance, and I do not mean here the individual aid  which set some families, it
  goes at least 50% of  it
 To one of the warring parties
 
 If we want to call things by their names  regarding   to   those
  warring parties  who  fights  in order to take power,   they  are:   the ruling Alawite regime, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamists, the Lebanese Shiite group, the Iranian Shiite groups, al Qaeda, and Islamist groups affiliated to different countries and regimes
And also the beneficiaries of this conflict, some religious groups, Christian and Kurdish and other
 
We believe that the best way, at least at this stage, is to help people getting out of the areas of fighting.
 
 
We believe that the best way, at least at this stage, is to help people getting out of the areas of fighting.
Because many of those who are intent on raising money and send  it  to Syria
 
are subscribers , in one way or another, in prolonging the war
and  they  are  working with all their energy in order to achieve this
 
Because prolong the fighting, is the source for the collection of huge fortunes
 
 
That finding safe places for people has become a priority
This involve  the provision of humanitarian circumstances , such as education, work, health care, and accommodation  that  worthy of the human dignity.
 
The duty of the organizations, including churches, which pretend that it is working for the benefit of humans, to change their plans.  now  not  tomorrow.
 
 
That human dignity is the dignity of God, the God who created man in his own image
 
Stop inventions to new concepts
Inventions do not fit human dignity, in turn do not fit the dignity  of  the Creator of this world
 
The too much talking is a sworn enemy of humans
 But the real work that maintains dignity
 
 
 
We have to stand firmly and face the merchants of war
We have to stop their movement
 
And we have,  quickly,  to provide a safe haven for civilians
 
 
 
 
  الوضع  في  سوريا انتهى  الى  نتيجة  انتهاء  سوريا.
و  لم  يعد  مفيد  ان  يتم  بذل  اي  جهد  في  الداخل  السوري
لان  اي  جهد  اصبح  يصب  في  مصلحة  المتقاتلين
و  ليست  في  مصلحة  الشعب
 
ان  اي  مساعدات حقيقية،  و  لا  اقصد هنا المساعدات  الفردية،  التي  تعيين  بعض  العائلات
هي  تذهب  على  الاقل 
الى  احدى  الاطراف  المتقاتلة
 
اذا  اردنا  ان  نسمي  الامور  باسمائها
الاطراف  المتقاتلة  من  اجل  الاستيلاء على  السلطة
و  هي،  النظام  العلوي  الحاكم ،  الاخوان  المسلمين،  الاسلاميين،  المجموعات  الشيعية  اللبنانية،  المجموعات  الشيعية  الايرانية، تنظيم  القاعدة،   و  المجموعات  الاسلامية  التابعة  الى  دول  و  انظمة  مختلفة
و  ايضا  المنتفعين  من  هذا  الصراع،  بعض  المجموعات  الدينية  المسيحية  و  الكردية  و  غيرها
 
نحن  نرى  ان  الطريقة  المثلى،  على  الاقل  في  هذه  المرحلة،  هي مساعدة  الناس  في  الخروج  من  مناطق  الاقتتال
 
لان  الكثير  من  الذين  يقومون  في  جمع  الاموال  بقصد  ارسالها  الى  الداخل  السوري
هم  مشتركين ,  بطريقة  او  اخرى,   في  اطالة  امد  الحرب
بل  يعملون  بكل  طاقتهم  من  اجل  تحقيق  ذلك
 
 
لان  اطالة  الاقتتال،  هو  مصدر  لجمع  ثروات  طائلة
 
ان  ايجاد  اماكن  امنة  للناس  اصبح  اولوية
و  هذا  يشمل توفير ظروف حياة  انسانية،  مثل  التعليم  و  العمل  و  الرعاية  الصحية،  و اماكن  سكن تليق  بكرامة  الانسان
 
من واجب المنظمات، بما فيها الكنائس، التي تتظاهر بأنها تعمل لصالح البشر، لتغيير خططهم. الآن وليس غدا
 
ان  كرامة  الانسان  هي  من  كرامة  الله،  الله  الذي  خلق  الانسان  على  صورته
 
اوقفوا  اختراعات  المفاهيم جديدة
اختراعات لا تتناسب مع كرامة الإنسان، في المقابل لا تناسب مع  كرامة خالق هذا العالم
 
 
 
 
ان  كثرة  الكلام  هو  عدو  لدود  للانسان 
لكن  العمل  الحقيقي  الذي  يحافظ  على  الكرامة
 
علينا  ان  نقف بحزم  في  نواجه   تجار  الحرب
و  علينا  ان  نوقف  تحركهم
 
و  علينا،  و  بشكل  سريع  ان  نوفر  ملاذا  امنا  للمدنيين
 
 

Editor: Rev.Spyridon Tanous
Ἐκκλησία τῶν Γ.Ο.Χ
www.christ-prayer.org