81st Street and Ridge Boulevard Website: www.smaoc.org
Brooklyn, NY 11209 Church Office: (718) 238-8008
Email: churchsecretary@smaoc.org Rectory: (718) 745-8481
His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH
Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America
Very Rev. Fr. Michael Ellias, Pastor Rev. Deacon Farid Farkouh
Email: pastor@smaoc.org farkouhfarid@gmail.com
Sunday, April 24, 2022
Great and Holy Pascha
We are pleased to welcome you to worship with us today. Please note that only Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves with prayer, fasting and a recent confession may approach to receive Holy Communion. Everyone is welcome to receive the blessing and partake of the blessed bread at the dismissal. Please introduce yourself to our pastor during the coffee hour and ask him about membership in the Orthodox Church.
Today’s Hymns and Readings
Entrance Hymn – In the gathering places bless ye God the Lord from the springs of Israel. O Son of God, who art risen from the dead, save us, who sing unto Thee. Alleluia!
Troparion of Holy Pascha – Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
Hypakoe of Holy Pascha – Tone 4
They who were with Mary came before the dawn, found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher, and heard the angels say unto them, Why seek ye him as man with the dead, who dwells in light eternal? Behold the grave wrappings; make haste and declare to the world that the Lord is risen, and hath caused death to die; for he is the Son of God, the Savior of mankind.
Kontakion of Holy Pascha – Tone 8
Though thou, O deathless One, didst descend into the grave, thou didst destroy the power of hell and, as Victor, thou didst rise again, O Christ our God. Thou didst greet the ointment bearing women, saying, rejoice! Thou didst bestow peace upon thy Disciples, and resurrection upon those that are fallen.
Epistle – Acts of the Apostles 1:1-8 (Holy Pascha)
Prokeimenon. Psalm 117.24, 29. This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Verse. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endures forever.
IN THE FIRST BOOK, O Theophilos, 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 of 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.”
Gospel – John 1:1-17 (Holy Pascha)
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 was 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, and his own 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 is 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.
Next week’s homework: Acts 12:1-11 (Second Sunday of Holy Pascha)
John 20:19-31 (Thomas Sunday)
APRIL 24, 2022 – GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA
Mission Statement - The mission of St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church of Brooklyn, NY, is to love and worship God through participation in the liturgical life of the Church, and to live and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We carry out this mission through education, outreach, fellowship, and works of mercy with love for each other, our neighbors, and our diverse world.
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!
TODAY, APRIL 24 - On Holy Pascha we pray for all “the quick and the dead” of the parish. Memory eternal!
NO FASTING – The church prohibits fasting all week due to the joy of the Resurrection. Within the Patriarchate of Antioch some suspend fasting until the Feast of the Ascension, June 10. There is also no kneeling until Holy Pentecost on June 20.
NEXT SUNDAY, MAY 1 – We will pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God James Coury, Diane Elkas Grinnell, Albert Kaidy, Yvonne Khoury, Alexander Warren Matouk, Renee Matouk, Viola Mesnouh, Y. Nicholas, Nazira and Gabriel Samen, Margaret Soued, Nada Traboulsi, and Salma Torpey. Memory eternal!
AGAPE BREAKFAST - Audrey and Charles Sahadi and Robert Sahadi have made their annual donation toward the Breakfast for Holy Pascha in loving memory of Najla and Wade Sahadi, Richie Sahadi, and Ameenie Freije. Memory eternal!
HOLY BREAD – Donors are welcome for May and succeeding months. We ask for a donation of $50/week.
AGAPE VESPERS – At Agape Vespers at noon on Holy Pascha, April 24, we will read the Gospel in many languages. Please see Fr. Michael if you would like to read in a foreign language.
PLEDGE GIVING – During these extraordinary times we ask everyone to maintain their pledge giving as much as possible. Please remember that St. Mary's Church now accepts donations online. Just visit https://smaoc.squarespace.com/donate and pay securely by credit card, debit card, or check. There is an option to indicate gifts made in honor of or in remembrance of someone.
FOR THE INFIRM - Please remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, remember our ailing brethren in your daily intercessions, especially, Khalil Eid (Hamilton Park), Rouda Abboud, Albert Absey, Yvonne Allawh, Claudette Budai, Diana Finger, Robert Forcina, Mary Ganim, Gabe Golam, Lily Lang, Denise McBride, Alfred Nahas, Renee Setteducato, Jim Thompson (NJ), George Trisciuzzi, Dr. Samir Zamaria (MD), and Rose Zrake (at home).
FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE – Please remember to submit your FFHP donations as soon as possible. If writing a check, please make it payable to St. Mary’s Church with FFHP in the memo line.
MEMORY ETERNAL! We are saddened to announce that the servant of God Leon Smatt departed this life in hope of the Resurrection late on Holy Thursday. We extend our sympathies to his son, Dr. Michael Smatt, and his family. Funeral arrangements are pending, but we expect that a Bright Week funeral will take place on Monday or Tuesday. May his memory be eternal!
BEQUEST RECEIVED – The servant of God Edward Hanna has made a significant bequest to the St. Mary’s Church Endowment Fund through his estate plan. We encourage all of our faithful members to emulate his example. For information on how to make a bequest through your will or estate, please see either Wade Saadi, Aline Farkouh or Fr. Michael.
EMAIL ADDRESSES – Please submit or update all your family email addresses to pastor@smaoc.org so that we can contact our parishioners with timely news.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Sunday, April 24 Agape Vespers, 12:00 PM
Saturday, April 30 Great Vespers, 5:00 PM
Sunday, May 1 Thomas Sunday
Saturday, May 7 Great Vespers, 5:00 PM
Monday, May 9 Parish Council, 7:30 PM
All services will be live streamed via twitch.tv/smaoc.
FROM THE FATHERS – “God the Lord surrendered His own Son to death on the Cross for the fervent love of creation. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to death for our sake (cf. John 3:16). This was not, however, because He could not have redeemed us in another way, but so that His surpassing love, manifested hereby, might be a teacher unto us. And by the death of His only begotten Son He made us near to Himself. Yea, if He had had anything more precious, He would have given it to us, so that by it our race might be His own.”
- St. Isaac the Syrian
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.
Al Maseeh qam min bain il amwat, wa wati al mawt bil bawt, wa wahabal hiyat lil la dhina fil qoobur.
Christos anesti ek nekron thanato thanaton patisas, kai tis en tis mnimaszi zoin, charisamenos.
“Christ is risen” “Truly/Indeed He is risen!
“Christos Anesti” “Alithos Anesti”
“Christos Voskrese” “Vo Istinu Voskrese”
“Al Maseeh Qam” “Ha’an Qam”
CHRIST IS RISEN! INDEED HE IS RISEN!
A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America