Sunday, May 19, 2024

 3rd Sunday of Pascha

Holy Myrrhbearing Women

 Sunday Of The Myrrhbearers

Commemorated on May 19

Introduction

(GOARCH) The third Sunday of Holy Pascha is observed by the Orthodox Church as the Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearers. The day commemorates when the women disciples of our Lord came to the tomb to anoint his body with myrrh-oils but found the tomb empty. As the woman wondered what this meant, angels appeared proclaiming that Christ had risen from the dead.

Biblical Story

About the beginning of His thirty-second year, when the Lord Jesus was going throughout Galilee, preaching and working miracles, many women who had received of His beneficence left their own homeland and from then on followed after Him. They ministered unto Him out of their own possessions, even until His crucifixion and entombment; and afterwards, neither losing faith in Him after His death, nor fearing the wrath of the Jewish rulers, they came to His sepulcher, bearing the myrrh-oils they had prepared to anoint His body. It is because of the myrrh-oils that these God-loving women brought to the tomb of Jesus that they are called Myrrh-bearers.

Of those whose names are known are the following: first of all, the most holy Virgin Mary, who in Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 is called "the mother of James and Joses" (these are the sons of Joseph by a previous marriage, and she was therefore their step-mother); Mary Magdalene (celebrated July 22); Mary, the wife of Clopas; Joanna, wife of Chouza, a steward of Herod Antipas; Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus; and Susanna. As for the names of the rest of them, the evangelists have kept silence (Matthew 217:55-56; 28:1-10. Mark 15:40-41.

Luke 8:1-3; 23:55-24:11, 22-24. John 19:25; 20:11-18. Acts 1:14.) Together with them we celebrate also the secret disciples of the Savior, Joseph and Nicodemus. Of these, Nicodemus was probably a Jerusalemite, a prominent leader among the Jews and of the order of the Pharisees, learned in the Law and instructed in the Holy Scriptures. He had believed in Christ when, at the beginning of our Savior's preaching of salvation, he came to Him by night. Furthermore, he brought some one hundred pounds of myrrh-oils and an aromatic mixture of aloes and spices out of reverence for the divine Teacher (John 19:39). Joseph, who was from the city of Arimathea, was a wealthy and noble man, and one of the counselors who were in Jerusalem. He went bodly unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and together with Nicodemus he gave Him burial. Since time did not permit the preparation of another tomb, he placed the Lord's body in his own tomb which was hewn out of rock, as the Evangelist says (Matthew 27:60).

Icon of the Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearers

The icon of the Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearers depicts the biblical story of the women arriving at the tomb to anoint the body of Christ. The angel is seated upon the stone that covered the tomb, and he is pointing to the empty garments showing that Christ has risen from the dead.

Christ is Risen!

Overall a quiet week. Please note, we will celebrate the Akathist to Our Lady, Queen of All and Healer of Cancer, NEXT Thursday, May 23, at 3 pm. Please submit here the first names of those you would like me to remember. You may include the names of Orthodox Christians, Catholics, Protestants, as well as non-Christians, as well as non-Christians.

In Christ,

Fr Gregory

This Week at Ss Cyril & Methodius

Wednesday, May 15

• 11:00 AM- 3:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Thursday, May 16

• 2:00 PM- 5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Saturday, May 18 

• 3:00 PM: Catechumen/Inquirers Class
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers 
• 6:00 PM: Confessions

Sunday, May 19: Myrhhbearing Women

• 9:00 AM: Hours
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy

Looking Ahead to Next Week

Tuesday, May 21

• 11:30 AM- 1:00 PM: Faith Leaders Advisory Council (UW)

Wednesday, May 22

• 11:00 AM- 3:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions

Thursday, May 23

• 2:00 PM- 5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions
• 3:00 PM: Akathist Our Lady Queen of All (submit names here)

Saturday, May 18 

• 3:00 PM: Catechumen/Inquirers Class
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers 
• 6:00 PM: Confessions

Sunday, May 19: Myrhhbearing Women

• 9:00 AM: Hours
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy

Akathist of the Mother of God, Pantanassa, Healer of Cancer

Please submit here the first names of those you want me to remember. You may include the names of Orthodox Christians, Catholics, Protestants, as well as non-Christians.

Priest: “Blessed is the Kingdom…” 

Choir: “Amen.”

Priest: “Christ is risen… “ (2 ½ times)

Choir: “and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!”

(The Divine Liturgy is begun in this manner until the Leavetaking of Pascha.)

Hymns After the Small Entrance

Tone 2 Troparion (Resurrection)

When Thou didst descend to death, O Life immortal, Thou didst slay hell with the splendor of Thy Godhead. And when from the depths Thou didst raise the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out://“O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to Thee!” 

Tone 2 Troparion (Pentecostarion)

The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure Body from the Tree, wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices, and placed it in a new tomb. But Thou didst arise on the third day, O Lord,//granting the world great mercy. 

Tone 2 Troparion (Pentecostarion)

The Angel came to the myrrhbearing women at the tomb and said: “Myrrh is fitting for the dead; but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption! So proclaim: ‘The Lord is risen,//granting the world great mercy.’”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

Tone 2 Kontakion (Pentecostarion)

Thou didst command the Myrrhbearers to rejoice, O Christ God. By Thy Resurrection, Thou didst stop the lamentation of Eve, the first mother. Thou didst command them to preach to Thine Apostles://“The Savior is risen from the tomb!”

now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Tone 8 Kontakion (Pascha)

Thou didst descend into the tomb, O Immortal, Thou didst destroy the power of death. In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, proclaiming, “Rejoice!” to the Myrrhbearing Women,//granting peace to Thine Apostles, and bestowing Resurrection on the fallen. 

Epistle: Acts 6:1-7

In those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Gospel:  Mark 15:43-16:8

Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Communion Hymn

Receive the Body of Christ; taste the fountain of immortality!

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest!

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Priest: “In the fear of God…”

Choir: “Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord… “

Priest: “O God, save Thy people… “

Choir: “Christ is risen from the dead… “ (sung once, instead of “We have seen the True Light…)

Priest: “Always, now and ever…”

Choir: “Let our mouths be filled…”

At the Dismissal, the Priest says: “Glory to Thee, O Christ…” and the choir sings “Christ is risen from the dead…” (thrice).

And unto us He has given eternal life.

Let us worship His Resurrection on the third day!

By the age of 25, about 60% of those baptized as infants will no longer consider themselves members of the Orthodox Church. A parish on a university campus is an important witness not only to the surrounding community but also to high school age and younger parishioner. Establishing a parish on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison helps remind young people that graduating high school doesn't mean "graduating" from the Church. Please consider joining those who have committed their time, treasure and talent in establishing an Orthodox community on the Isthmus.

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