St. Luke Byzantine Catholic Church
Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma
Liturgy Schedule
Liturgies
Sundays: Divine Liturgy -10:00 am
Saturdays: Great Vespers - 4:30 pm
Wednesdays: Akathist to the Theotokos - 7:00 pm
Holy Days
Feast Eve: Festal Vespers - 7:00 pm
Feast Day: Divine Liturgy - 7:00 pm
See Liturgy details below to reconfirm the
current Holy Day schedule.
Mystery of Repentance:
Offered 30 minutes prior to Saturday Great Vespers
Sundays between 9:00 am - 9:30 am
After Liturgy
By appointment (contact Fr. Michael)
Liturgy for the Deceased:
Contact Fr. Michael to offer a Divine Liturgy or Panachida for a deceased loved one.
Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos
The Feast of the Protection of the Theotokos is celebrated on October 1.
Liturgy:
Friday, September 30 - Festal Vespers at 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 1 - Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am
From time immemorial, the Church has celebrated the Most-holy Theotokos as the patroness and protectress of the Christian people, who, by her intercessory prayers, implores God’s mercy for us sinners. The help of the Most-holy Mother of God has been clearly shown numerous times, to individuals and to nations, in peace and in war, in monastic deserts and in densely populated cities. The event that the Church commemorates and celebrates today confirms the Theotokos’ consistent protection of Christian people. On October 1, 911, during the reign of Emperor Leo the Wise, there was an All-night Vigil in the Blachernae Church of the Mother of God in Constantinople. The church was replied: full of people. Saint Andrew the Fool- for- Christ was standing in the rear of the Church with his disciple Epiphanius. At four o’clock in the morning, the Most-holy Theotokos appeared above the people, holding her omophorion outstretched as a protective covering for the faithful. She was clothed in gold-encrusted purple, and shone with an ineffable radiance, surrounded by apostles, saints, martyrs, virgins. Saint Andrew said to Blessed Epiphanius: “Do you see, brother, the Queen and Lady of all praying for the whole world?” Epiphanius replied “I see, Father see, Father, and am struck with amazement!” The Feast of the Protection was instituted to commemorate this event, and to remind us that we can prayerfully receive the unceasing protection of the Most-holy Theotokos in any time of difficulty.
Troparion (Tone 4):
Protected by your appearance, O Theotokos; today, we devout people solemnly celebrate. Gazing upon your most pure icon, we fervently say: Protect us with your holy veil, and deliver us from all evil, imploring your Son, Christ our God, to save our souls.
Kontokion (Tone 3):
Today the Virgin is present in the Church, and with the choirs of saints, invisibly prays to God for us. The angels worship with the hierarchy, the apostles rejoice with the prophets, because the Theotokos prays for us to the eternal God.
Exultation of the Holy CroSS
The Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross is celebrated on September 14.
Liturgy:
Tuesday, September 13 - Festal Vespers at 7:00 pm
Wednesday, September 14 - Divine Liturgy at 7:00 pm
The Exultation of the Precious, Holy, and Life-Creating Cross is exulted and honored the day after the dedication of the basilica of the Resurrection built over the tomb of Christ. Two events in connection with the Holy Cross on Golgotha are commemorated on this day.
The first is the finding of the Cross. While visiting the Holy Land, the holy Empress Helena decided to find the Holy Cross of Christ. An old Jewish man named Judah was the only one who knew where the Cross was located. He revealed that the cross was buried under the temple of Venus that Emperor Hadrian had built on Golgotha. The Empress ordered that the idolatrous temple be razed and having dug deep below it found three crosses. Empress Helena had a silver case made and set the Honorable Cross in it.
The second event is the return of the Holy Cross from Persia to Jerusalem. The Persian Emperor Chozroes conquered Jerusalem, enslaved many people, and took the Cross to Persia where it remained for fourteen years. In the year 628 the Greek Emperor Heraclius defeated Chozroes and, with much ceremony, return the Cross to Jerusalem. As he entered the city Emperor Heraclius carried the cross on his back, but suddenly was unable to take another step. Patriarch Zacharias saw an angel preventing the emperor from bearing the Cross on the same path that the Lord walked barefoot and humiliated. The patriarch communicated this vision to the emperor. The emperor removed his raiment and, in ragged attire and barefoot, took up the Cross, carried it to Golgotha. He placed it in the Church of the Resurrection, to the joy and consolation of the whole Christian world.
Troparion (Tone 1):
Save your people, O Lord, and bless your inheritance. Grant victory to your church over evil and protect Your people by Your cross.
Kontakion (Tone 4):
Christ our God, who were willingly raised upon the cross, grant Your mercies to the new people who bear Your name. By Your power grant joy to the Church. Give her victory over evil with Your invincible trophy, the weapon of peace, as an ally.