St. Matthew the Apostol and Evanggelist

St. Matthew, who was also called Levi, was the son of Alphaeus and had Galilee as his homeland. A publican before being called by Christ, he became one of the Twelve Apostles, and an Evangelist. While still in Palestine, he wrote his Gospel first in Hebrew, being also the first of all to write the Gospel. When he is depicted in icons, there is portrayed next to him the likeness of a man, one of the symbolic living creatures mentioned by Ezekiel (1.10), which, as Saint Irenaeus writes, is a symbol of our Saviour's Incarnation.

Text from:http://www.goarch.org/chapel

St. Kenneth

Feast day: October 11

According to a legend he was born in 525 in Glengiven, County Derry, northern Ireland. His father was a distinguished royal bard, and his mother’s name was Maul. He became a monk under St. Cadoc at Llancarfan, Wales, and was ordained there. After a trip to Rome, he studied under St. Finnian at Clonard, Ireland, accompanied Ss. Kieran, Columba, and Comgall to St. Mobhi at Glasnevin...

He founded the monastery of Agahanoe and served as its abbot. May have founded the monastery of Kilkenny, Ireland, a city named for him. Missionary to Scotland with Saint Columba in 565; known as an effective preacher. Built a church in the place now known as Saint Andrews. He copied out the all four Gospels, and wrote a commentary on them.

He died in 599 at Aghaboe, Laois, Ireland of natural causes.

Source:http://www.thyateira.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=550&Itemid=151

St.Ethelburga

Feast day: October 11

She lived in the 7th century. Benedictine abbess of a dual Monastery, daughter of the king of the East Angles and sister of Sts. Eronwald Bishop of London, Etheldreda, Sexburga, and Withburga...

Saint Erconwald founded a convent for her at Barking, in Essex, England. She was trained as an abbess by St. Hildelid, who came from France to assist her.

Ethelburga proved herself a sister worthy of such a brother and Barking became celebrated, not only for the fervour of its nuns, but for the zeal they displayed for the study of the Holy Scriptures, the fathers of the Church and even the classic tongues.

Source:http://www.thyateira.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=549&Itemid=151

Trisagion: Holy God, Holy Strong, Holy Immortal have mercy upon us

Crist is Risen! - Χριστός Ανέστη!

Church acquisition

Dear Parishioners,

Perhaps by now, you have all received information (either via parish circulated correspondence, email, or word-of-mouth) about the possibile acquisition of a church building for our congregation: The Hebron Evangelical Church off Thistle Street in the center of Aberdeen.  For consideration to those who may not have received this information, please find on your left hand side, the 'HEBRON BROCHURE' and 'BUILDING FUND PLEDGE FORM' in PDF (enlarge or download).  The acquisition of this building will be the main topic of discussion at the parish meeting this Saturday (19 March 2011)

We have been truly blessed with the finding of this building, as it will help to accomplish a great many things for not only our congregation but also for all of Orthodoxy in Aberdeen.  With your prayers and support, we hope to be able to purchase this building when it is put on the market by the end of March/beginning of April.  

Should you be unable to attend the Liturgy and/or the Parish Meeting, please do not hesitate to send an email with any questions or comments you may have regarding this subject.   

We look forward to hearing from you regarding these matters. 

God Bless,

Rachel Beard

St. Matthew Orthodox Parish Council

40 Martyrs at Lake Sebaste - March 9

The martyrdom of the Holy 40 Martyrs of Sebasteiaia is a powerful lesson in Christian faith, perseverance, sacrifice, and friendship. The story of this martyrdom begins in the early part of the 4th century when the persecution of Christians was still active. There were 40 soldiers of the Roman army who possessed sincere faith in Jesus Christ. When it was realized that they would not deny their belief in the Lord, they were brought to trial before their commander who threatened to have them discharged from the military dishonorably. One of the soldiers responded: "Do not take only our military status, but also our bodies; nothing is dearer or of greater honor to us than Christ our God." Following a number of failed attempts to torture them, they were finally stripped, tied, and thrown into a lake. It happened to be wintertime and the temperature was extremely cold. To tempt the soldiers to deny Christ, the torturers lit fires near the lake to entice them to deny Christ. One soldier actually did come out of the water and headed for the fire, but before he could get there, he died. During the night, a light from heaven came down and heated the lake and warmed these Christian witnesses. At the same time, thirty-nine crowns were sent from heaven and rested upon each of them. One of the soldiers torturing them saw this and, moved by this event, confessed the Christ as Lord and Savior and joined the others in the lake. A fortieth crown appeared and descended upon him at that very moment. In the morning, the commander was furious when he learned of the events and ordered that their legs be broken and they be thrown back into the lake. On the third day following their drowning, the martyrs appeared to the local bishop and told him to search beneath the water and recover their relics. In the middle of the night, the bishop, along with his priests, went to the lake where they found the relics glowing in the water and, gathering them together, they gave them a proper burial.

From: www.goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=454:

Forgiveness Sunday

Advice on peacemaking

Do you wish to honor the Body of the Savior? Do not despise it when it is naked. Do not honor it in church with silk vestments while outside it is naked and numb with cold. He who said, “This is my body,” and made it so by his word, is the same that said, “You saw me hungry and you gave me no food. As you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me.” Honor him then by sharing your property with the poor. For what God needs is not golden chalices but golden souls.

–St. John Chrysostom / “On the Gospel of St. Matthew”, 50, iii (PG 58, 508)

Smilja Gvozdanovic

Dear Parishioners,

By now, you may have heard of the loss of one of our members at St. Matthew's- Smilja Gvozdanovic. After months of failing health, she fell asleep in the Lord on Wednesday, 2 February.

Smilja and her husband Dragutin have been long time members of our parish, with Dragutin serving a time as president of our parish council. Smilja always greeted everyone in church with a contagious smile, and she usually had some witty anecdote to share with each person to whom she spoke. Her charisma and loving character made her a true delight in every way. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her!

Her funeral arrangements are planned for this week as the following:

Thursday 10 February at 2:00pm -
Parastos -
285 Great Northern Road (Gordon and Watson Chapel)

Friday 11 February at 3:20pm -
burial -
Cremation Chapel, Aberdeen Crematorium

**Alternatively to bringing flowers, a collection for the Save the Children fund will be made instead.**

Please keep Smilja's family in your prayers during this difficult time.

Απολυτίκιον Υπαπαντής

Confession

Holy Confession was a familiar act in the Old Testament (Lev 5:5-6; Num 5:5-7; Prov. 28:13). That is why people would come to John the Forerunner and confess their sins while he would confirm their repentance with baptism (Matt 3:5-6; Mark 1:4-5).

This activity was also continued in the Christian Church – “many who believed would come to confess their sins and uncover their deeds” (Acts 19:18) thus being forgiven by the Apostles, according to the promise of the Lord: that this authority would be granted to the Apostles (Matt 16:19; 18:18). This was fulfilled following the resurrection of Christ. Of course, forgiveness was not based on the power of the apostles but “on the blood” of the Lord (John 20:21-23; 1 John 1:7).

The confessor is used as an instrument, as a servant of Christ and caretaker of the mysteries (sacraments) of God (1 Cor. 4:1; Titus 1:7; 1 John 1:9 – 2:2).


In the early Church, confession was made publicly during the holy assembly of the faithful, where the clergy and the bishop were present too, who would grant remission of sins. “All who repent, the Lord forgives them if they repent in unity of God and in the presence of a bishop” (Ign. Philad. 8, 1) Saint Ignatius says characteristically, while the “Didache” advises “if you con-fess your transgressions in the Church and you do not approach your prayer with evil con-science, this is the way of life” (Did. 4:14).

Saint Cyprian stresses that the sinner is received back into the ecclesiastical community, namely in the mystery of the Divine Eucharist, “through the placing on of the hands of the bishop and of the clergy” having previously confessed (Cypr. Epistle 16:2). Holy Communion is not allowed to anyone “if the bishop and the clergy do not place their hand on him beforehand” (Epist 18:2). The “remission,” he says, that was granted “through the clergy” is “pleasing to the Lord” (De lapsis 29).

Origen considers it a natural consequence, “according to the depiction of the One who gave the priesthood to the Church, that both the functionaries and the clergy of the Church assume the sins of the people, imitating the Teacher by granting to the people remission of sins (Origen, On Leviticus, speech 50, 3).

St. Basil the Great refers to confession in the Apostolic Church (Acts 19:18) and concludes that “it is necessary that we confess our sins to those entrusted with the care-taking of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1) since even the first Christians “were confessing to the apostles, who also baptized everyone (Gr. Basil, Rules 288).

Saint John Chrysostom says about priests: “While still inhabiting and walk upon the earth, they have assumed the management of heavenly affairs with authority that God did not give even to the angels or even to the archangels. He did not in fact tell the angels ‘whatever you bind on earth, shall be bound in the heavens…’ However, the bond of the priests touches the soul itself and extends to the heavens, and whatever the priests do down on earth is confirmed by God in the heavens. The Master approves the decision of His servants. Perhaps He not fully given them the heavenly authority? He told them, ‘whoever’s sins you uphold, they shall be upheld also in heaven’” (Chrysostom, On Priesthood, speech 3,5).

The Orthodox Church therefore continues this early Christian tradition of confession before a confessor.

Manual on Heresies and para-Christian Groups
By : Fr. Anthony Alevizopoulos
PhD. of Theology, PhD. of Philosophy

Did God created everything that exist?

Theophany

Ode 9-Megalynarion of Theophany.
-Magnify, 0 my soul, the all-pure Virgin Theotokos, who is more honorable than the armies on high.
Every tongue is at a loss to praise thee as is due;
even a spirit from the world above is filled with dizziness, when it seeketh to sing thy praises, 0 Theotokos.
But since thou art good, accept our faith;
Thou knowest well our love inspired by God, for thou art the Protector of Christians and we magnify thee.
-Magnify, 0 my soul, Him Who came and was baptized in the streams of the Jordan.
0 David, come thou in spirit to the enlightened and chant, saying: "Approach God now with faith and be illumined! Lowly Adam cried out in his fall, and the Lord heard him, and, coming to the streams of the Jordan, He restored the corrupted one."
-Today the Master bows His head before the Forerunner.
0 most pure Bride, 0 blessed Mother, the wonders of Thy birthgiving pass all understanding.
Through thee we have obtained salvation in all things, and, as it is right and meet, we rejoice before thee our Benefactor, bearing as gift a song of thanksgiving.
-Today John doth baptize the Master in the streams of the Jordan.
That which was revealed to Moses in the bush we see here fulfilled in wondrous manner; for as it bore fire, yet was not consumed, so hath the Virgin been preserved, who gave birth unto the Benefactor Who bringeth us light, and the streams of the Jordan suffered no harm when they received Him.