MYSTERY OF REPENTANCE

 CONFESSION is offered before and after all Services; Saturday at 3:30pm and after Liturgy, Sunday starting 10:00am and at 2:00pm. To set up an alternative time for Confession or spiritual direction, please email Fr. Nathan at  fradams@ephx.org.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Saturday, December 23rd

11:00am Royal Hours

4:00pm Great Vespers - Before Christmas: Of the Ancestors

5:00pm Divine Liturgy

Intention:  Ted Wong+

Sunday, December 24th - Before Christmas: Of the Ancestors

9:00am Adult Education: Ignatius Brianchaninovs’ The Field

9:30am Festal Matins

10:30am Divine Liturgy 

Intention:  Fr. Francis Vivona+ w/Panachida

Potluck following Liturgy

4:00pm Festal Vespers -Christmas

4:50pm Children’s Christmas Play

5:00pm Divine Liturgy   Intention: OLOW Parishioners

Monday, December 25th - Christmas

10:00am Festal Matins

11:00am Divine Liturgy  Intention: OLOW Parishioners

Tuesday, December 26th - Synaxis of the Theotokos

6:00am    Jesus Prayer  

10:00am Festal Matins

11:00am Divine Liturgy  Intention: QuickBear Family

3:15pm   Festal Vespers

Wednesday December 27th - Stephen Protomartyr

6:00am    Jesus Prayer  

10:00am Festal Matins

11:00am Divine Liturgy  Intention: Michael Spencer+

Thursday, December 28th

No service

Friday, December 29th

No service

Saturday, December 30th

10:00am Searcher of the Lost, Temple Cleaning Ministry

4:00pm Great Vespers - After Christmas: David, Joseph, James

5:00pm Divine Liturgy

Intention: OLOW Parishioners

Sunday, December 31st  - After Christmas: David, Joseph, James

9:00am Adult Education: Ignatius Brianchaninovs’ The Field

9:30am Festal Matins

10:30am Divine Liturgy  

Intention: Edwin Wicker+

Potluck following Liturgy

1:00pm Mystagogia

SAINTS OF THE DAY

23rd – SS. Ten Martyrs at Crete, suffered martyrdom under the Emperor Diocletian.

24th – SS. Eugenia, Venerable Martyr, and her two slaves, Protus and Hyacinth, by whom she was converted to Christianity. She was put to death in prison at Rome on Christmas Day A.D. 257 in the reign of Valerian, Emperor. 

25th – The Nativity of Our Load, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, or “Christmas Day”. The Eastern Church accepted this great Feast Day from the Western Church in the 4th century. 

26th – Synaxis of the Theotokos and St. Joseph, her Spouse. The flight of the holy Family into Egypt is commemorated this day. St. Joseph was the Foster-Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Beyond what we learn of him from holy Scripture, the facts of his life are unknown to us. St. Euthymius, Priest-Martyrs, Bishop of Sardis in Lydia. After repeated banishments for his opposition to the Iconoclasts he was scourged to death, A.D. 840 under the Emperor Theophilus.

27th – St. Stephen, Protomartyrs, Apostle and Archdeacon, was the first of the Seven Deacons, and also the first of the Christian Martyrs. He was stoned to death A.D. 33 by the Jews (Acts 7.58). Our venerable father and confessor, Theodore, brother of St. Theophanes, and composer of the Canons. For his opposition to the Iconoclasts Theodore was imprisoned, where he died A.D. 842.

28th – 20,000 Martyrs in Nicomedia, who were burned to death in church on Christmas Day A.D. 286 during the reign of Diocletian and Maximian, Emperors. St. Domna, Martyr.

29th – The Holy Innocents, 14,000 in number, in Bethlehem and within the borders of Judea, put to death for Jesus Christ by the order of King Herod. Our venerable father, Marcellus, Heumen-Abbot of the monastic order of the Acoemetes, so named because they recited their Divine Office day and night without interruption. He died about A.D. 485. 

30th - St. Anysia, a Christian woman, was arrested at Thessalonica when she entered the city to attend the meeting of the Faithful and was put to death A.D. 304 in the reign of the Emperor Maximian Galerius.

31st – Venerable, Melany, a Roman Lady , who with her husband sold their possessions, distributed the proceeds to the poor and went into monasteries. She died A.D. 439. 

LITURGICAL

CHRISTMAS SERVICES:

Saturday, Dec 23 11:00am Royal Hours

                               4:00pm   Great Vespers

                               5:00pm   Divine Liturgy - Before Christmas: 

                                               Of the Ancestors

Sunday, Dec 24     9:30am   Festal Matins

                               10:30am  Divine Liturgy - Before Christmas: 

                                               Of the Ancestors

                               4:00pm   Festal Vespers - Christmas

                               4:50pm   Children’s Christmas Play

                               5:00pm   Divine Liturgy

Monday, Dec 25   10:00am  Festal Matins

                               11:00am  Divine Liturgy - Christmas

Tuesday, Dec 26   10:00am  Festal Matins

                              11:00am   Divine Liturgy -Synaxis of the Theotokos

Wed, Dec 27         10:00am   Festal Matins

                              11:00am   Divine Liturgy - Stephen, Protomartyr

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PALESTINE CHRISTIANS – Please support our fund raiser for the Palestine Christians by purchasing a new Our Lady of Wisdom T-shirt. They are $40.00 each and in the book/gift store.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our parishioners who celebrate birthdays this week: Keturah Ramsey, December 27; Mary Albert, December 27. God Grant You Many Happy Blessed Years! 

Christ is Born!

Glorify Him!