Aug. 31 – 12th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone 3

Afterfeast of the Dormition. Martyrs Florus and Laurus of Illyria (2nd c.). Martyrs Hermes, Serapion, and Polyaenus of Rome (2nd c.). Martyrs Hilarion, Dionysius, and Hermippus, Hieromartyr Emilian, and others (about 1,000) of Italy (300). Sts. John (674) and George (683). Repose of St. John, abbot of Rila (946).

1 Cor. 15:1-11; Mt. 19:16-26;
Eph. 6:10-17; Lk. 12:2-12

Sep. 7 – 13th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone 4

Return of the relics of the Apostle Bartholomew (6th c.). Holy Apostle Titus of the Seventy (1st c.). Sts. Barses and Eulogius (386), bishops of Edessa, and St. Protogenes, bishop of Carrhae (4th c.), confessors. St. Menas, patriarch of Constantinople (6th c.).

1 Cor. 16:13-24; Mt. 21:33-42;
Titus 1:1-4; 2:15-3:3, 12-13, 15; Mt. 5:14-19;

Апостол і Євангеліє - Gospel and Epistle of the Day

Дивіться у вказівках - See propers here

The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary

The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary: After the Ascension of the Lord, the Mother of God remained in the care of the Apostle John the Theologian, and during his journeys She lived at the home of his parents, near the Mount of Olives. She was a source of consolation and edification both for the Apostles and for all the believers. Conversing with them, She told them about miraculous events: the Annunciation, the seedless and undefiled Conception of Christ born of Her, about His early childhood, and about His earthly life. Like the Apostles, She helped plant and strengthen the Christian Church by Her presence, Her discourse and Her prayers.

The reverence of the Apostles for the Most Holy Virgin was extraordinary. After the receiving of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the Apostles remained at Jerusalem for about ten years attending to the salvation of the Jews, and wanting moreover to see the Mother of God and hear Her holy discourse. Many of the newly-enlightened in the Faith even came from faraway lands to Jerusalem, to see and to hear the All-Pure Mother of God.

During the persecution initiated by King Herod against the young Church of Christ (Acts 12:1-3), the Most Holy Virgin and the Apostle John the Theologian withdrew to Ephesus in the year 43. The preaching of the Gospel there had fallen by lot to the Apostle John the Theologian. The Mother of God was on Cyprus with Saint Lazarus the Four-Days-Dead, where he was bishop. She was also on Holy Mount Athos. Saint Stephen of the Holy Mountain says that the Mother of God prophetically spoke of it: "Let this place be my lot, given to me by my Son and my God. I will be the Patroness of this place and intercede with God for it."

The circumstances of the Dormition of the Mother of God were known in the Orthodox Church from apostolic times. Already in the first century, the Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite wrote about Her "Falling-Asleep."

At the time of Her blessed Falling Asleep, the Most Holy Virgin Mary was again at Jerusalem. Her fame as the Mother of God had already spread throughout the land and had aroused many of the envious and the spiteful against Her. They wanted to make attempts on Her life; but God preserved Her from enemies.

Day and night She spent her time in prayer. The Most Holy Theotokos went often to the Holy Sepulchre of the Lord, and here She offered up fervent prayer. More than once, enemies of the Savior sought to hinder Her from visiting her holy place, and they asked the High Priest for a guard to watch over the Grave of the Lord. The Holy Virgin continued to pray right in front of them, yet unseen by anyone.

In one such visit to Golgotha, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her and announced Her approaching departure from this life to eternal life. In pledge of this, the Archangel gave Her a palm branch. With these heavenly tidings the Mother of God returned to Bethlehem with the three girls attending Her (Sepphora, Abigail, and Jael). She summoned Righteous Joseph of Arimathea and other disciples of the Lord, and told them of Her impending Repose.

The Most Holy Virgin prayed also that the Lord would have the Apostle John come to Her. The Holy Spirit transported him from Ephesus, setting him in that very place where the Mother of God lay. After the prayer, the Most Holy Virgin offered incense, and John heard a voice from Heaven, closing Her prayer with the word "Amen." The Mother of God took it that the voice meant the speedy arrival of the Apostles and the Disciples and the holy Bodiless Powers.

The faithful, whose number by then was impossible to count, gathered together, says Saint John of Damascus, like clouds and eagles, to listen to the Mother of God. Seeing one another, the Disciples rejoiced, but in their confusion they asked each other why the Lord had gathered them together in one place. Saint John the Theologian, greeting them with tears of joy, said that the time of the Virgin's repose was at hand.

Going in to the Mother of God, they beheld Her lying upon the bed, and filled with spiritual joy. The Disciples greeted Her, and then they told her how they had been carried miraculously from their places of preaching. The Most Holy Virgin Mary glorified God, because He had heard Her prayer and fulfilled Her heart's desire, and She began speaking about Her imminent end.

During this conversation the Apostle Paul also appeared in a miraculous manner together with his disciples Dionysius the Areopagite, Saint Hierotheus, Saint Timothy and others of the Seventy Apostles. The Holy Spirit had gathered them all together so that they might be granted the blessing of the All-Pure Virgin Mary, and more fittingly to see to the burial of the Mother of the Lord. She called each of them to Herself by name, She blessed them and extolled them for their faith and the hardships they endured in preaching the Gospel of Christ. To each She wished eternal bliss, and prayed with them for the peace and welfare of the whole world.

Then came the third hour (9 A.M.), when the Dormition of the Mother of God was to occur. A number of candles were burning. The holy Disciples surrounded her beautifully adorned bed, offering praise to God. She prayed in anticipation of Her demise and of the arrival of Her longed-for Son and Lord. Suddenly, the inexpressible Light of Divine Glory shone forth, before which the blazing candles paled in comparison. All who saw it took fright. Descending from Heaven was Christ, the King of Glory, surrounded by hosts of Angels and Archangels and other Heavenly Powers, together with the souls of the Forefathers and the Prophets, who had prophesied in ages past concerning the Most Holy Virgin Mary.

Seeing Her Son, the Mother of God exclaimed: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God My Savior, for He hath regarded the low estate of His Handmaiden" (Luke 1:46-48)

Успіння Пресвятої Владичиці нашої Богородиці і Приснодіви Марії

Слово «успіння» можна перекласти як «сон» або «смерть» — так у Церкві називають день смерті Пресвятої Богородиці.

Святе Письмо нічого не говорить нам про життя Пресвятої Богородиці після Воскресіння Христового, тому про Успіння Богородиці ми знаємо із двох латинських трактатів V століття й із послання Псевдо-Діонісія Ареопагіта. Церква вірує, що ці джерела зберігають основу того Передання, яке жило в ранній Церкві.

Згідно з Переданням Церкви, Матір Божа перед Своїм Успінням жила в Єрусалимі, проповідуючи Господа нарівні з апостолами. Одного разу під час молитви Діва Марія побачила Архангела Гавриїла, який колись сповістив Їй велику радість, що Їй судилося стати Матір'ю Спасителя світу. Цього разу Архангел повідомив, що через три дні Вона відійде до Христа.

Три дні потому в будинку апостола Іоанна, де жила Марія, зібралися й інші апостоли, які проповідували Євангеліє в різних країнах. Дивовижним чином вони були перенесені до Єрусалима, щоб попрощатися з Дівою Марією. Не було тільки Фоми, який прийшов до Єрусалима лише на третій день після поховання.

Апостоли стали свідками блаженної кончини Святої Діви. Сам Христос, оточений безліччю ангелів, з'явився, аби прийняти душу Своєї Пречистої Матері і взяти Її до раю.

Тіло Богородиці апостоли поховали в Гефсиманії, де знаходився Гроб Господній і де поховані були батьки Діви Марії та Її наречений чоловік, праведний Іосиф. Супроводжуючи гроб, апостоли й інші жителі Єрусалима несли світильники і співали псалми.

Іудейський священник Афоній, якого дратувало шанування Ісусової Матері, штовхнув гроб, бажаючи перевернути його, — і тут же був позбавлений кистей обох рук. Їх відсік ангел, який невидимо стояв поруч. «Тепер ти бачиш, що Христос є істинний Бог», — сказав Афонієві апостол Петро. Той одразу покаявся — і руки зрослися.

На третій день до гробниці Божої Матері прибув апостол Фома. Вхід в печеру відкрили, але тіла Богоматері там не було: лежали тільки Її поховальні пелени.

Того ж дня, зібравшись на спільну трапезу, апостоли почули спів ангелів. Подивившись вгору, вони побачили Пресвяту Діву, Яка, оточена ангелами, йшла по повітрю в сяйві небесного світла. Вона звернулася до них зі словами: «Радійте! Тепер Я завжди з вами».

За вченням Церкви, Христос підніс Пресвяту Богородицю у плоті у Своє Небесне Царство і поставив вище всіх ангельських сил.

Нагадаємо, що Успіння Пресвятої Богородиці є останнім двунадесятим святом церковного року. Церковне новоліття святкується 14 вересня (1 вересня за старим стилем), тож першим святом року є Різдво Богородиці, а останнім є Її Успіння. Отже, весь рік вибудовується відповідно до подій життя Божої Матері.

St. John's Church School

For 2025-26 we require Church School Registration to be able to order the right amount of material and make sure we have enough desks. We also expect regular attendance from each student so that we can move along with the planned curriculum. Please contact appropriate teacher to let her know that your child(ren) will miss a class and to ask for material to work at home.

First day of church school is September 14, 2025. After the Divine Liturgy we will have a small blessing and presentation of UOL Essay contest results.

На 2025-26 навчальний рік ми вимагаємо реєстрацію до церковної школи, щоб мати можливість замовити потрібну кількість матеріалу та переконатися, що у нас достатньо парт. Ми також очікуємо регулярної присутності від кожного учня, щоб ми могли рухатися відповідно до запланованої навчальної програми. Будь ласка, звертайтеся до відповідного вчителя, щоб повідомити їй, що ваша дитина (діти) пропустить заняття, і попросіть матеріал для роботи вдома.

Перший день церковної школи - 14 вересня 2025 р. Після Божественної Літургії буде маленьке благословення перед початком навчання і презентування результатів Творів УПЛ.

We have the following teachers with their assignments:

• Panimatka Linda Oryhon: First Confession class after Communion, and the High School students after a quick coffee hour break.
• Tammy Chebiniak: Middle school students after a quick coffee hour break.
• Dr. Jacqueline Bhandari: Intermediate students.
• Alexis Schumacher: Elementary students after Communion.
• Meghan Lepkowski: Pre-K students during the Sermon.

To register your child(ren) visit https://stjohnuoc.org/church-school-registration

Let's Help Ukraine!

St. John's Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund is accepting donations to help Ukrainians during war. Donations will go to provide food and other humanitarian needs.

To make donation online click here

We accept checks as well.

Please make the checks to St. John Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund

Mailing address:

1 Saint John's Parkway
Johnson City NY 13790
 

Cash is accepted in church

Pray for Ukraine!

Prayers for Ukraine are done during each service. To see the schedule click here.

Молитви за Україну проводяться під час кожної служби. За розкладом дивіться тут.

May God bless and protect Ukraine!

Please Note!

• Only Orthodox Christians may receive Holy Communion or other Sacraments.
  
• If you have not been to confession in over a month, please go to confession before receiving the Holy Gifts.
  
• We fast from all food and drink (including water) from bedtime (the previous night) until we receive the Holy Gifts during morning Divine Liturgy. That also means no coffee, no cigarettes, no gum, candies in the morning and during Divine Liturgy.

Happy Birthday

• August 31: John Haluska

May God bless you with health, wealth and happiness for many blessed years!

* If your or someone else's birthday is missing or incorrect please let Fr. Ivan know right away.

Please Pray for the Servants of God

John, Rose, Solomiia, Bob, Melodye,
Dannette, Hristos, John, Jane,
Mary, Zenna, Douglas, Phyllis, Ivan,
Melanie, William, Marion, Helen,
Mariann, Robert, Jean, Ronald, Brian,
Fr. James, Scott, Andriy, James, William,
Pipinos, Fr. Gabriel and PM Susan, Vasyl

Upcoming Readings