Here you will find the texts for various liturgical services. This page will be updated frequently.
Sunday of the Sunday of the Publican & Pharisee, February 5th
Agatha the Martyr, Polyeuktos, Patriarch Of Constantinople, Antonios the New Martyr of Athens, Theodosios, Archbishop of Chernigov, Afterfeast of the Presentation of Our Lord and Savior in the Temple, Theodosios of Antioch
Great Vespers, Saturday @ 6:00 pm; Matins & Divine Liturgy, Sunday @ 9:30 am
On February 5 in the Holy Orthodox Church, we commemorate the Martyr Agatha of Palermo in Sicily. On the Sunday which falls during the After-feast of the Presentation (Meeting) of our Lord, we commemorate the Holy and Righteous Mothers of the Three Hierarchs: Emmelia (Basil the Great), Nona (Gregory the Theologian) and Anthousa (John Chrysostom). On this day, we make remembrance of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, which occurs in the Holy Gospel according to Luke the Evangelist.
Verses If you resemble the Pharisee, run far away from the Temple; For inside is Christ before Whom only the humble are acceptable.
Verses for the Triodion O Creator of everything heavenly and earthly, receive Thou from the Angels a Trinitarian song, And from us men a noble and reverent Triodion.
In the parable our Savior tells, Jesus uses a Pharisee, a leader of the synagogue, who was regarded in public opinion as virtuous; and a publican, a tax collector, who was regarded as oppressive, greedy and a sinner. In their prayers to God, we discover the real hearts of these two men. We thus learn of the harm that comes from pride and the good that comes from humility. The divine Church Fathers sought to alert and to prepare the Christ-loving clergy and laity for the upcoming period of the Great Fast. Therefore, on this Sunday we are reminded that humility is the greatest weapon against pride, as we imitate the humility of the publican to ascend to the divine heights. Through the intercessions of the wonderworking Saints, O Christ our God, have mercy upon us and save us. Amen.