April 20, 2025

Great & Holy Pascha

 

TO OUR VISITORS

Welcome! We hope your time with us is healing and worshipful. Please note that, although we have much respect for other Christian traditions, Holy Communion is reserved for properly prepared members of the Orthodox Church. Everyone is invited to partake of the blessed bread after the conclusion of the Liturgy. May God’s blessing be upon you!

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Hymns in Today’s Liturgy

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Apolytikion of Pascha (Tone 5)

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!

 

Hypakœ of Pascha (Tone 4)

When they who were with Mary came, anticipating the dawn, and found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher, they heard from the Angel: Why seek ye among the dead, as though He were mortal man, Him Who abideth in everlasting light? Behold the grave-clothes. Go quickly and proclaim to the world that the Lord is risen, and hath put death to death. For He is the Son of God, Who saveth the race of man.

 

Kontakion of Pascha (Tone 8)

Though Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal One, yet didst Thou destroy the power of Hades, and didst arise as victor, O Christ God, calling to the myrrhbearing women, Rejoice, and giving peace unto Thine Apostles, O Thou Who dost grant resurrection to the fallen.

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​THE EPISTLE

 Acts 1:1–8

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up, after He had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the Apostles whom He had chosen. To them He presented Himself alive after His passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while staying with them He charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, “You heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”

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THE GOSPEL

John 1:1–17

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light but came to bear witness to the light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world knew Him not. He came to His own home, and His own people received Him not. But to all who received Him, who believed in His Name, He gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John bore witness to Him, and cried, “This was He of Whom I said, ‘He Who comes after me ranks before me, for He was before me.’”) And from His fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

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UPCOMING AT ST MARY OF EGYPT

 

​​Saturday

Rush, Orthros, and Divine Liturgy for
Great & Holy Pascha 22:00 @ St. Mary

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Sunday

Agape Vespers 12:00 @ St. Mary

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Saturday

Great Vespers 18:00 @ St. Mary

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​​​​​​Baptisms & Chrismations: We will be bringing five new members into the parish on Holy Saturday morning during the Vesperal Divine Liturgy. Please make every effort to come and support them.

 

Decorating for Pascha: Anyone who wants to help with decorating the nave for Pascha can bring either white

flowers (orchids, lilies, carnations, roses, baby’s breath, etc.) on Holy Saturday or donate money to the church with “Pascha Flowers” in the memo line.

 

Pascha Baskets: For those of you new to Orthodoxy or our parish, many people enjoy bringing a basket of goodies (items they have been fasting from, e.g., meats, cheeses, rich foods, milk chocolate) and place them on the steps in front of the solea to be blessed at the end of the Paschal Liturgy. Everyone is invited to enjoy the contents of their baskets at the pitch-in feast after the Paschal Liturgy; a signup sheet is posted in the parish hall.

 

Agape Vespers: During Agape Vespers, we will read the Gospel in as many languages as possible. If you are able to do this and would like to, we have a sign-up sheet in the parish hall.

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Agape Feast: We will continue our feasting in celebration of the Resurrection after Agape Vespers on Sunday at noon. We have a sign-up sheet posted in the parish hall.

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Parish Life Conference and Archdiocesan Convention: Registration for both the PLC in Louisville and the Archdiocesan Convention in Chicago is now open at https://antiochianevents.org.

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Food for Hungry People: For the 51st year, our Archdiocese is directing us, as part of our almsgiving, to collect money for the Food for Hungry People program. During Holy Week, the money you might have spent on going out, lunches, or just fast food should be put towards this program. We will collect the funds immediately after Pascha.

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Coffee Hour: Coffee Hour is our time of fellowship after the Liturgy. This month is all potlucks for coffee hour. To aid those with allergies, please label any dishes containing peanuts, avocado, pineapple, dairy, oregano, cilantro, or shellfish, as well as any spicy dishes. If you are not currently in a coffee group and would like to join, please contact Amal. As a reminder, as we are now in Holy Week, anything provided for coffee hour this Sunday needs to be fasting food.

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​Christian Education: Christian Education classes are held after coffee hour. The adult class meets in the front classroom, the SOYO class (ages 11–18) in the first room at the foot of the stairs in the basement, and the younger class (ages 3–10) in the back classroom.

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH

 

​​​Clothing for the Homeless: We are in the process of collecting items for the homeless. Please place items in the clear tote in the narthex, and Kendra Blanchard will take them from there to a local clothes closet.

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Food Pantry: Thanks to everyone who recently donated items for the pantry. We continue to need all nonperishable items, but we especially need oatmeal, pasta and pasta sauce, helper meals, cereal bars, crackers, fruit cups, canned pasta, and soups. Remember: all donated items must be non-perishable, unexpired, and unopened. Also, no dented cans please. If you have questions, please contact Amal.

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PARISH PRAYER REQUESTS

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Living:  Schema‑Archimandrite Seraphim; Archpriest Athanasius; Archpriest James; Archpriest Zachariah; Sdn. Alexander; Sdn. Mark; Abraham; Amber; Amira; Andrea; Bonnie; Deborah; Demetrios; Elen; Elena; Eric; Evgeni; Ezra; Hal; Hannah; Joanna; Kathy; Katya; Larry; Lee; Natalia; Robert; Robert; Roye; Sunday; Tanya; Terry; Thomas; Vicki; Wanda; Zachariah (04‑20); Dharma (05‑19); Venkat (05‑19); Vint (05‑19)

 

Departed:   Elizabeth (05‑07)

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​Please, notify Charles  of any new prayer requests by Wednesday for inclusion in the bulletin.

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SYNAXARION
 

On the Great and Holy Sunday of Pascha, we celebrate the Life-giving Resurrection of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, which is called Pascha, which translated from Hebrew means Passover. For this is the day on which God created the world from nothingness. On this day, He delivered the Israelites from I Pharaoh’s hands and led them through the Red Sea. On this day, He descended from Heaven and took His dwelling in the Virgin’s womb; now drawing forth mankind held in Hades, He raised them to heaven and brought them to the first created honor of incorruption. Yet, in descending into Hades, He did not raise all, but only those who had believed in Him. He delivered the souls of the saints held forcibly in Hades for ages and granted them all ascension to the heavens. We therefore celebrate today, rejoicing in the luminous Resurrection which surpasses all nature, prefiguring the joy with which our human nature will be enriched through the compassionate mercy of God. Thus, as we behold the destruction of enmity and unity with God and the angels, let us exchange the traditional kiss of peace. For the Resurrection of the Lord was like this: while the soldiers guarded the tomb, at midnight the earth quaked, for the Angel of the Lord had descended and rolled the stone from the entrance of the tomb, and the soldiers were so frightened that they fled. The women came to the tomb very early in the morning on the day following the Sabbath, that is to say, at midnight on Saturday. Therefore, late on that first day of the Resurrection, the Mother of God was there together with St. Mary Magdalene, who was sitting near the tomb according to St. Matthew. The Evangelists say that He first appeared to St. Mary Magdalene because of the relationship with His Mother, and due to the Mother of God’s love for her son, so that there would be no doubts or suspicions concerning the Resurrection. It was St. Mary Magdalene who saw the angel upon the stone; then bowing down, she saw the other angels inside. The angels announced the Lord’s Resurrection to her and said, “He is risen. He is not here. Behold the place where they laid Him” (Mark 16:6). Hearing this, the women turned to run and announce the Resurrection to the most fervent of the Apostles, that is, to St. Peter and St. John. But when they returned they met Christ Himself, who said to them, “Rejoice” (Matt. 28:9). It was very proper and right that Eve’s descendants should be the first to receive the joy of the Resurrection, since in former times Eve had heard, “In pain you shall bring forth children” (Gen. 3:16). They were thus overcome with love and, in their desire to be certain of the Resurrection, drew near to touch His most pure feet. During this time, the Apostles had run to the Tomb and John, simply bending over in front of the Tomb and looking in, drew back, either in awe or out of fear; but Peter entered therein and beheld with certainty and touched the shroud and the head bindings. Toward daybreak, Mary Magdalene again came to the tomb with the other women, for she wanted to be convinced beyond doubt of what she had seen. She stood outside weeping, and then looking into the tomb, she saw two angels, radiant with light. They reproved her saying, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? Is it Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified that you seek? He is risen and is not here” (John 20:13; see also Matt. 28:5). Frightened, she immediately arose, for she knew that she had seen the Lord in truth. Then, turning back, she saw Christ standing before her, but she thought He was the gardener (because the tomb was in a garden), and she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away” (John 20:15). She again looked toward the angel and the Savior said to her, “Mary.” She then recognized (he sweet and well known voice of Christ and wanted to touch Him, but He said, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, T am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God’” (John 20:17). Mary Magdalene did as she had been bidden. When the sun was just beginning to rise, she came again to the Tomb with the others: Joanna and Salome and those with them. In short, the women had come to the tomb in many successive visits, and among them was the Most Holy Theotokos. She is the one that the Holy Gospel calls Mary, the mother (step-mother) of Joses, because this Joses was the son of Joseph. Still, it is not known the exact hour the Lord arose; some say it was when the first cock crowed, others say at the time the earth quaked, while others say at yet another time. While all this was happening, some of the soldiers went to the High Priests and told all that had occurred. Offering them silver in bribery, the High Priests convinced them to say that His Disciples had come at night and had stolen Him. On the evening of this same day, while the Apostles were gathered in one place for fear of the Jews, and the doors being locked, Jesus entered (for His Body was not subject to corruption) and said to them, according to the custom, “Peace be to you!” Seeing Him, they were exceedingly glad, and through His breathing on them, they received the perfection of the work of the most Holy Spirit.

 

To Him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.