St. Luke Byzantine Catholic Church
Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma
Liturgy Schedule
Liturgy Schedule:
Great Vespers — Saturday, 4:30 pm
Third Hour—Sunday, 9:45 am
Divine Liturgy — Sunday, 10:00 am *
Akathist to the Theotokos - Wednesday, 7:00 pm
*On Sunday, August 2, August 9 and August 16, a
Typika with Communion Service will be celebrated
instead of the Divine Liturgy.
Holy Day Schedule:
Feast Eve: Festal Vespers 7:00 p.m.
Feast Day: Divine Liturgy 7:00 p.m.
Mystery of Repentance:
Offered 30 minutes prior to Vespers
Sundays between 9:00 am-9:30 am
Sundays aft Divine Liturgy
By appointment (Contact Fr. Michael)
Panachida:
Contact Father Michael to offer a Panachida
for a deceased loved one.
Dormition of the Theotokos
The Dormition of the Theotokos also know as the Falling-asleep of the Theotokos is celebrated on August 15 and is one of the Twelve Major Feasts in the Byzantine Catholic Church.
When Our Lord was dying the cross, He saw His Mother with John and said: "Women, there is your son." In turn He said to the disciple, "There is your mother." From that hour onward, the disciple took her into his care (John 19:26-27). In her old age, she often prayed to the Lord and God on the Mount of Olives that He take her from the world soon. On one of those occasions, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and revealed that she would repose within three days. She returned home and wanted to see her Son's apostles one more time while on this earth. The Lord fulfilled her wish and the apostles gather at her home, except for Thomas. She encouraged, counseled and comforted them. She peacefully gave her soul to God without pain or physical illness. The apostles took her coffin, from where a heavenly fragrance arose, in the company of of many Christians to the Garden of Gethsemane to the sepulcher of her parents. Thomas arrived on the third day to venerate the body of the Holy Theotokos. But when the apostles opened the sepulcher , they found only a winding sheet and her body was not in the tomb. That evening, the Theotokos, surrounded by a host of angels, appeared to the apostles and said to them: "Rejoice, I will be with you always."
DORMITION FAST:
In the Byzantine tradition, the Dormition Fast begins on August 1st and ends on August 14th. The Ruthenian Metropolia has identified this period as a penitential season and the observance of this fast is voluntary. However, it is a time for fasting, prayer and reflecting on the Church’s liturgical life celebrating the Theotokos starting with the Birth of the Theotokos on September 8th and ending with the Dormition.
TROPAR:
O Mother of God, in giving birth you still preserved virginity; and in your falling asleep you did not forsake the world. You are the Mother of Life and have been transferred to life, and through your prayers have delivered our souls from death.
KONTAKION:
The grave and death did not detain the Mother of God. She prays perpetually and is our unfailing hope of intercession; for He who dwelt in the womb of the ever-Virgin, transferred to life the Mother of Life.
Beheading of John the Baptist
Detail your services
The Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist is celebrated on August 29.
Herod Antipas, son of Herod who slayed the children of Bethlehem at the time of the Birth of Christ, was the ruler of Galilee when John the Baptist was preaching. Herod put his legal wife away and took his brother Phillip's wife, Herodias, as his wife. Herodias was the daughter of Aretas, an Arabian prince, St. John told Herod: It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife (Mark 6: 8). Herodias wanted St. John put to death for his comment, but Herod would not kill him because Herod believed John was an honest man holy man and instead imprisoned him.
Herod gave a feast on his birthday to the officials and chief men of Galilee. Herodias' daughter, Salome, danced at the celebration and pleased Herod and his guests. The drunk Herod swore to her that he would grant her whatever she wanted, including half of his kingdom. Salome went to her mother and asked, " What shall I ask for?" Her mother answered, "The head of John the Baptist. (Mark 6:24-25). When Salome went back to Herod and made her request, Herod regretted his promise, but because of his oath and presence of his guests, he did not deny her request. He ordered the beheading of John the Baptist and his head placed on a platter. When the executioner returned, with the platter, Herod gave it to Salome and in turn gave it to her mother. When the apostles heard what happened, they came to remove his body and placed it in a tomb.
God's punishment befell the evil doers. Prince Aretas, to cleanse his daughter's honor, attacked Herod with his army and defeated him. The defeated Herold was sentenced to exile in Gaul and later Spain. Herod and Herodias lived in poverty and humiliation until the earth opened up and swallowed them. Salome, was crossing a frozen river when the ice broke and she drowned.
TRADITION:
Local tradition include such practices as not eating food from a plate or anything in the form of a head, such as cabbage, lettuce, apples, etc.
LITURGIES:
Friday, August 28 - Festal Vespers @ 7:00 pm
Saturday, August 29 - Typika with Communion Service - 9:00 am
TROPAR:
The remembrance of the just is worthy of praise, but the Lord's testimony is sufficient for you, O Forerunner; for it has shown that you are indeed more worthy of honor than the prophets. You were found worthy to baptize the Lord whom you foretold. Thereafter, you suffered for the truth and, rejoicing, also announced the good news to those in the Abyss that God has appeared as man, taking away the sins of the world and granting to all of us the abundance of mercy.
KONTAKION:
The glorious beheading of the Forerunner was part of God's saving plan that the coming of the Savior might be announced even to those in the abyss. Weep then, Herodias, that you asked for a wicked murder, because you loved neither God's law nor eternal life, but only the passing pleasure of life.