Dear brothers and sisters,
This is weekly newsletter #30 of the St Ignatius Parish in Belfast.
As we enter the second year of this newsletter, there are some changes to its order and content. Going forward, the newsletter will normally be sent on Mondays. This first issue in the new format comes with a slight delay, as it took some time to design and refine. I hope you will find the new structure helpful and beneficial.
Yours in Christ,
Fr Dmitry
Contents of this Newsletter:
- This Week in the Life of the Church
- Services in Church this Coming Weekend
- A Pastoral Word
- News and Announcements
This Week in the Life of the Church
*This section accompanies the liturgical week as it unfolds, naming the principal saints and feasts, the hymns that shape the Church’s prayer, and the Scripture Readings of the Sunday that begins the current liturgical week. These are offered as an aid to remembrance and prayer during the days ahead.
Saints and Feasts of the Week
*The saints named here accompany the days of the week as living witnesses of Christ. Only the principal saint or feast of each day is listed here, in keeping with the liturgical order of the Church.
- Sunday, 11th of January – Sunday after Theophany
- Monday, 12th of January – Afterfeast of the Theophany
- Tuesday, 13th of January – Afterfeast of the Theophany
- Wednesday, 14th of January – Leavetaking of the Theophany
- Thursday, 15th of January – Saint Paul of Thebes
- Friday, 16th of January – Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Holy Apostle Peter
- Saturday, 17th of January – Our Venerable and God-bearing Father Anthony the Great
- Sunday, 18th of January: 12th Sunday of Luke (29th Sunday after Pentecost), Athanasius the Great and Cyril, Archbishops of Alexandria
Hymns of the Week
*The hymns listed here are those that shape the prayer of the Church for the week, following the liturgical order and hierarchy. They are offered as an aid to prayer and may be used, as each is able, in personal prayer or a simple prayer rule at home.
RESURRECTIONAL APOLYTIKION IN TONE SIX
When Mary stood at Thy grave, looking for Thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above Thy revered tomb; and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led Hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world, O Thou, Who art risen from the dead, O Lord, glory to Thee.
APOLYTIKION OF THEOPHANY IN TONE ONE
When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan, worship of the Trinity wast made manifest; for the voice of the Father bore witness to Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of His word. O Christ our God, Who hast appeared and enlightened the world, glory to Thee.
APOLYTIKION OF SAINT ANTHONY THE GREAT TONE FOUR
Thou didst become like the zealous Elijah in his condition, and followed John the Baptist in his upright ways, becoming a dweller in the wilderness and an establisher of the universe by thy prayer, O Father Anthony. Wherefore, intercede thou with Christ God to save our souls.
Sunday Epistle and Gospel
*The Epistle and Gospel of the Sunday that begins the current liturgical week
- Epistle: Ephesians 4:7-13
- Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17
The Sunday and daily Scripture readings may be read online via the Archdiocesan website: https://www.antiochian-orthodox.com/calendar
Services in Church this Coming Weekend
God willing, we will gather for our regular monthly services at the church this coming weekend, Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th of January. The programme is as follows:
Saturday, 17th of January
17:00 – Great Vespers
18:00 – Tea/coffee with biscuits and fellowship at the church kitchen
Sunday, 18th of January
10:00 – Orthros
11:00 – Divine Liturgy followed by the Great Blessing of the Waters
13:00 – Parish lunch and “Conversation with the priest” fellowship
Please note:
With the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Silouan, we will celebrate the Great Blessing of the Waters on Sunday after the Divine Liturgy. You will be able to take home Holy Water for use throughout the year.
If you have empty Holy Water bottles from last year, please bring them with you to church and offer them to the priest or server after the Blessing of the Waters, so they may be refilled from the newly blessed water.
We look forward to gathering together in prayer and fellowship.
A Pastoral Word
In the Gospel reading for the Sunday after Theophany, the message we heard from St John the Baptist is now spoken to us by God Himself: “Repent.”
John called people to repentance in preparation for the coming of Christ and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Now Christ makes it clear that the time has come: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
God has appeared and enlightened the world, as we sing in the Apolytikion of Theophany. Christ now begins His teaching, knowing where it will lead: to the Cross, to death, and to the Resurrection. He will descend into Hades and rise again, trampling down death by death, and opening the way to life. As St Paul reminds us in the Epistle, Christ “descended into the lower parts of the earth” and then “ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things” (Eph 4:9–10).
This is why the call to repentance is no longer something we can postpone. We are called to change now. Even if only gradually, even if only partially, even if only one small step at a time. We may not be able to purify every aspect of our life, but we can begin by cleansing one small corner of the heart, and that alone is already a great blessing.
Change is hard….very hard. Even in ordinary life we struggle to overcome habits and traits of our characters that hold us back. How much more difficult it is in the spiritual life? There is no easy solution, no shortcut…only patient and faithful effort. But we are not left alone. God Himself helps us. The Holy Spirit teaches us how to pray and how to live according to God’s commandments.
We are given prayer, the sacraments of the Church, and the witness and intercessions of the saints to support us along the way. One such saint is St Anthony the Great, whose memory we will celebrate this Saturday. St Anthony, considered one of the founders of monasticism, responded to Christ’s call by leaving everything behind and dedicating his life to repentance and prayer in the desert. May, by his prayers, we respond to Christ’s call to repentance, each in our own life and according to the measure of our ability.
News and Announcements:
- Online Faith & Fellowship: New Platform and New Series – Wednesday, 14th January.
Join us at 19:00 this Wednesday for our regular online Faith & Fellowship meeting. Please note that we have moved platforms: going forward, meetings will be held on Microsoft Teams (instead of Zoom).going forward, meetings will be held on Microsoft Teams (instead of Zoom).
New permanent link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/33059868496234?p=82BKOYAnx3McoNLpWW
Having completed a full year reflecting on the Sunday Gospel readings, we will now turn to other topics. Our first new series will focus on the Divine Liturgy, exploring its meaning and structure. This Wednesday’s meeting will be an introductory discussion. - Parish Library is now open – I remind you that that our parish library is now open! The library offers a growing collection of Orthodox books on various subjects for both adults and children, which you are welcome to borrow and read. You can browse the catalogue online, check the borrowing terms, and even place an order for a book at: saintignatiusbelfast.org/library. Our librarians, Michael and Porphyrius, will be glad to assist you and can be contacted at library@saintignatiusbelfast.org.
