St.

Nicholas Albanian Orthodox Church

SHRINE OF THE HOLY VIRGIN MARY
2701 NORTH NARRAGANSETT AVENUE CHICAGO, IL 60639 773-889-4282
stnicholasalbanianchicago.org

All Saints 1778 Icon from Konstandin Shpataraku - Albania

The Sunday of All Saints June 26, 2016

June 26, First Eothinon Reading:

Honoring the friends of God with much reverence, the ProphetKing David says, "But to me, exceedingly honorable are Thy
friends, O Lord" (Ps. 138:16). And the divine Apostle, recounting
the achievements of the Saints, and setting forth their memorial
as an example that we might turn away from earthly things and
from sin, and emulate their patience and courage in the
struggles for virtue, says, "Wherefore seeing we also are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay
aside every burden, and the sin which doth so easily beset us,
and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Heb.
12:1).
This commemoration began as the Sunday (Synaxis) of All
Martyrs; to them were added all the ranks of Saints who bore
witness (the meaning of "Martyr" in Greek) to Christ in manifold
ways, even if occasion did not require the shedding of their blood.
Therefore, guided by the teaching of the Divine Scriptures and Apostolic Tradition, we the pious honour all the Saints,
the friends of God, for they are keepers of God's commandments, shining examples of virtue, and benefactors of
mankind. Of course, we honour the known Saints especially on their own day of the year, as is evident in the
Menologion. But since many Saints are unknown, and their number has increased with time, and will continue to
increase until the end of time, the Church has appointed that once a year a common commemoration be made of all
the Saints. This is the feast that we celebrate today. It is the harvest of the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world; it
is the "much fruit" brought forth by that "Grain of wheat that fell into the earth and died" (John 12:24); it is the
glorification of the Saints as "the foundation of the Church, the perfection of the Gospel, they who fulfilled in deed the
sayings of the Saviour" (Sunday of All Saints, Doxasticon of Vespers).
In this celebration, then, we reverently honour and call blessed all the Righteous, the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs,
Confessors, Shepherds, Teachers, and Holy Monastics, both men and women alike, known and unknown, who have
been added to the choirs of the Saints and shall be added, from the time of Adam until the end of the world, who have
been perfected in piety and have glorified God by their holy lives. All these, as well as the orders of the Angels, and
especially our most holy Lady and Queen, the Ever-virgin Theotokos Mary, do we honour today, setting their life before
us as an example of virtue, and entreating them to intercede in our behalf with God, Whose grace and boundless
mercy be with us all. Amen.

First Orthros Gospel

The Gospel according to
Matthew 28:16-20

At that time, the eleven

disciples went to Galilee, to
the mountain to which
Jesus had directed them.
And when they saw him
they worshipped him; but some
doubted. And Jesus came and said
to them, "All authority in heaven
and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them
to observe all that I have
commanded you; and lo, I am with
you always, to the close of the age.
Amen."
"Epistle Reading
St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:3340; 12:1-2
Prokeimenon. Mode 4. Psalm 67.35,26
God is wonderful among his saints.
Verse: Bless God in the congregations
BRETHREN, all the saints through faith
conquered kingdoms, enforced justice,

received promises, stopped

the mouths of lions, quenched
raging fire, escaped the edge
of the sword, won strength out
of weakness, became mighty in
war, put foreign armies to
flight. Women received their
dead by resurrection. Some
were tortured, refusing to
accept release, that they might rise again
to a better life. Others suffered mocking
and scourging, and even chains and
imprisonment. They were stoned, they
were sawn in two, they were tempted,
they were killed with the sword; they
went about in skins of sheep and goats,
destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom
the world was not worthy - wandering
over deserts and mountains and in dens
and caves of the earth. And all these,
though well attested by their faith, did
not receive what was promised, since
God had foreseen something better for
us, that apart from us they should not be
made perfect. Therefore, since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us also lay aside every
weight, and sin which clings so closely,
and let us run with perseverance the race
that is set before us, looking to Jesus the
pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

Our Venerable and God-bearing

Father David of Thessalonica, lived
around 450 AD - 540 AD. Saint David,
who was from Thessalonica, lived a
most holy and ascetical life. His feast
day is celebrated by the Orthodox
Church on June 26. He came from
Northern Mesopotamia, which was a
great
monastic
center.
In
Thessaloniki David became a monk
at the Monastery of Sts. Theodore
and Mercurius at a young age. We
are told that the Monastery of Sts.
Theodore and Mercurius was next to
the walls of the city, at the gate
known as Aproiton. For some years,
he took up his dwelling in the
branches of an almond tree, exposed
to all the elements and extremes of
the weather. He reposed in peace
during the reign of Saint Justinian the
Great, in the sixth century.
Apolytikion of Righteous David in
the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

The image of God, was faithfully

preserved in you, O Father. For you
took up the Cross and followed
Christ. By Your actions you taught us
to look beyond the flesh for it passes,
rather to be concerned about the
soul which is immortal. Wherefore,
O Holy David, your soul rejoices with
the angels.
Kontakion of Righteous David in
the Second Tone
An Angel on earth, and stranger to all
earthly things, thou madest a tree
thy dwelling like an eagle's nest,
whence, O David, thou didst soar up
to Heaven, where thou didst find
that Tree which in Eden we lost of
old. Remember us all, who keep thy
memory.