Friday, February 14, 2025 | Meshir 7, 1741
Annual | Winds of heaven
Yesterday | Today | TomorrowVespers Raising of Incense
Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel. A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Matthew the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet. May his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 109:4,7
The LORD has sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."He shall drink of the brook by the wayside; Therefore He shall lift up the head.
Alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever. Amen.Matthew 16:13-19
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
And Glory be to God forever. Amen.
Prime Raising of Incense
Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel. A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint John the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet. May his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 72:23,24,28
Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works.
Alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever. Amen.John 15:17-25
These things I command you, that you love one another. "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My names sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause.
And Glory be to God forever. Amen.
Divine Liturgy
Pauline Epistle
Paul, the servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, appointed to the Gospel of God. A reading from the 2 Epistle of our teacher Paul to the Corinthians. May his blessings be upon us. Amen.
2 Corinthians 4:5-5:11
For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake.
The grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from the 1 Epistle of St. Peter. May his blessing be upon us. Amen.
1 Peter 2:18-3:7
Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. The world passes away, and its desires; but he who does the will of God abides forever. Amen.
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us. Amen.
Acts of the Apostles 20:17-38
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them: "You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. "And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no ones silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. Then they all wept freely, and fell on Pauls neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God. Amen.
Synaxarium
The Seventh Day of the Blessed Coptic Month of Meshir, may God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins are forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers, Amen.
Departure of Pope Alexander II (704-728) the 43rd Patriarch of Alexandria and the See of Saint Mark
On this day of the year 728 A.D., the Holy Father Abba Alexandros the Second, the Forty-Third Pope of Alexandria, departed. He was from the City of Bana. He became a monk in the monastery of Pateron (Barbarun) or the monastery of the fathers, which was also known as El-Zugag monastery, which was west of Alexandria. Because of his righteousness and his knowledge, he was chosen to the throne of St. Mark. During his papacy, he suffered many hardships. He was contemporary to the Caliph El-Walid Ibn Abd-Elmalek. When the latter took the caliphate, he appointed his brother Abdallah a governor of Egypt in the year 698 A.D. He mistreated the Christians of Egypt, and confiscated the monasteries of the wilderness of Shiheet (Scetis). His evil nature went to the extreme. One day he entered a monastery in Upper Egypt, and saw an icon of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and inquired about it. He was told that it was the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ, the Savior of the world, he spat on the icon and said, 'If I live, I shall destroy all the Christians.' He then blasphemed against the Lord Christ also. At night, he saw a vision during his sleep, which disturbed him, and filled his heart with fear. He wrote to his brother saying, 'that he suffered the day before as he saw a Man sitting on a great throne, and His face shone more than the sun, and around Him were thousands carrying arms. We were bound behind Him. When I asked who He was, I was told that He was Christ Jesus, the King of the Christians, Whom I mocked and despised the day before. One of the armed men came and pierced my side with a spear.'
His brother was extremely sad when he heard about the vision. The same night, that man, Abdallah, caught a severe fever and died. Forty days later, his brother El-Walid died also. In 701 A.D. another Governor replaced Abdallah, and he followed his predecessor's policy. He mistreated the Christians, and arrested St. Alexandros and tortured him until the believers collected for him three thousand Dinari. God perished this Governor soon after that. The following Governor was even more wicked than the one before him. He ordered the arrest of the Pope, and asked him for three thousand Dinari. The Pope excused himself saying that part of the money that he paid to his predecessor was collected from some of the believers and the rest was borrowed. The Governor did not accept his words, and finally the Pope asked him for a grace period. The Pope went to Upper Egypt to collect the money from the believers. During his travel, an ascetic monk asked two of his disciples to dig out a cave. While they were digging, they found five copper jars filled with gold. They kept one of them and gave the rest to the hermit, which he sent to the Pope. The two disciples took the gold and left the desert. They went out into the world, married, and owned cattle, slaves and maiden-servants. The Governor was informed about these two men, and he called them to him. He threatened them if they did not tell him the truth about their sudden wealth. They told him about the five jars of gold, and that four jars were given to the Pope. He rushed to the patriarchate and plundered all the church vessels. He seized the Pope, insulted him and put him in prison. He demanded from the Pope the jars and the three thousand Dinari. He did not release him until the Pope gave it all to him.
Shortly after that, this Governor died, and another even more evil came after him. He ordered the Christians to tattoo on their wrists, instead of the sign of the honorable Cross, the name of the 'beast' that St. John the Theologian had prophesied about in all the land. He also commanded the Pope to tattoo the sign of the beast on his wrist, but the Pope refused. As the Governor insisted, the Pope asked him for three days. The Pope went to his cell and prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ not to forsake him so that he would not fail in this test. The Lord answered his prayer, so he fell with a brief sickness. He went to the Governor and asked his permission to go to Alexandria. The Governor refused, thinking that the Pope was pretending to be sick just to escape the tattooing. Afterwards, the Lord inspired him that he would depart from this world after four days. He told this to his disciples, and asked them to prepare a carriage to carry his body and to bury him beside the holy fathers. He departed in peace, and was carried for his burial as he requested. During the papacy of Abba Alexandros, the Melkites had a Patriarch in Egypt by the name of Anastasius, who was hated by his own people because he loved the Orthodox Copts and was peaceful with them. He left his own congregation and went to Pope Alexandros, and confessed the Orthodox faith before him. The Pope treated the Patriarch well, honored him and wanted to hand him the affairs of the patriarchate so he could go and worship in seclusion in one of the monasteries. Father Anastasius refused and said to him, 'If I had desired the patriarchal seat, I could have remained there, for I was a patriarch, but now I want to be your disciple.' He finally accepted, however, to become a bishop in one of the bishoprics, and he shepherded the flock entrusted to him well. Abba Alexandros remained on the seat of St. Mark for 24 years and 9 months.
May His prayers be with us all. Amen.
Departure of Pope Theodosius II (730-742) the 45th Patriarch of Alexandria and the See of Saint Mark
On this day also, of the year 742 A.D., St. Theodorus (Theodore), 45th Pope of Alexandria, departed. He was a monk in a monastery near Mariut, which was known as the monastery of Tanboura, under the guidance of a virtuous elder called John (John). Abba John was inspired by the Holy Spirit that his disciple Tadros one day would become a Pope. He told those who were in authority. Tadros struggled in his worship, and was perfect in his humility and meekness. He was chosen by the will of God to become the Pope of Alexandria. He shepherd the flock of the Lord Christ well. He continued to read and to preach to his people, especially on Sundays and on feast days. He completed 12 years on the seat of St. Mark and departed in peace.
May His prayers be with us, and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.
Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel. A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint John the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet. May his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 106:32,41,42
Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders. Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction, And makes their families like a flock. The righteous see it and rejoice, And all iniquity stops its mouth.
Alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever. Amen.John 10:1-16
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
And Glory be to God forever. Amen