We are a parish of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, and all are welcome to worship with us! Our services are in English. Please join us at our coffee hour downstairs after the service.


                                          Saturday Vigil        5:00pm
                                          Sunday Divine Liturgy    9:30am
                                          Wednesday Akathist    6:30pm
                                          Friday Small Compline    6:30pm


Sunday Troparion, Tone 8: From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; * to burial of three days hast Thou submitted* that Thou mightest free us from our passions. * O our Life and Resurrection, O Lord, glory be to Thee.

Troparion of All Saints, Tone 4: Adorned in the blood of Thy martyrs throughout all the world, * as in purple and fine linen, Thy Church, through them doth cry unto Thee, O Christ God: * Send down Thy compassions upon Thy people: * grant peace to Thy flock and to our souls great mercy.

Sunday Kontakion, Tone 8: Having arisen from the tomb, Thou didst raise up the dead and didst resurrect Adam. Eve also danceth at Thy Resurrection, and the ends of the world celebrate Thine arising from the dead, O Greatly-merciful One.

Kontakion of All Saints, Tone 8: To Thee, the Planter of Creation, * the world doth offer the God-bearing martyrs as the firstfruits of nature. * By their intercessions preserve Thy Church, Thy commonwealth * in profound peace, through the Theotokos, O Greatly-Merciful One.

Today’s Readings
Epistle: Hebrews 11:33-12:2a
Gospel: Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30

Parish News

 This Wednesday is the nameday of Elana Damiano and Elena Popova. Many years!

 Our dear Vladyka, Bishop George of Mayfield, will be visiting us June 19-20 for our summer feast in honor of the Translation of the Relics of St. Theodore Stratelates. Everyone is encouraged to prepare for and receive Holy Communion from Vladyka. He will also be tonsuring Andrew Hammond and John Kachelmeyer to be readers.

 Remember that the Apostles’ Fast begins tomorrow and ends on July 12th (the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul). Fish is allowed on weekends.

 Remember to include the Prayer of St. Ephraim (“Oh Lord and Master of my life”) in your prayers tonight and tomorrow morning in order to mark the beginning of the Apostles’ Fast.

 The festal season ends today, so please remember on weekdays to enter and exit the temple with prostrations.

 This Wednesday’s Akathist will be for Sts. Constantine and Helen.

 The Greek Festival is next weekend.

 Please remember in your prayers those who are or will be traveling: Ludmilla Ibarra, Marcus Bursik, Valentina Jaffri, Galina Muchnik and Galina Bahanovich.



Why do we commemorate all saints today?


    The Holy Empress Theophano (or Theophania) was born of eminent parents, Constantine and Anna, who were kin to several emperors. Her parents were for a long time childless, and besought the Mother of God to give them a family. God gave them this daughter, Theophano. Imbued with a Christian spirit right from her youth, Theophano outstripped her companions in every Christian virtue.
    When she had grown up, she entered into marriage with Leo, the son of the Emperor Basil the Macedonian, and endured much misfortune alongside her husband. Reacting to the slander that Leo carried a knife in his breast with which, at the right opportunity, to kill his father, the gullible Basil shut his son and daughter-in-law up in prison, and these two innocent souls spent three years there.
    Then, one day, on the feast of the Holy Prophet Elias, the emperor summoned all his nobles to court for a feast. At one moment, the emperor’s parrot suddenly spoke these words: “Alack, alack, my Lord Leo!” and it repeated these words a number of times. This caused great confusion among the courtiers, and they all begged the emperor to release his son and daughter-in-law. The emperor was touched and did so.
    After his father’s death, this Leo became emperor, being called “the Wise”. Theophano did not consider her imperial dignity to be of much account, but, being utterly given to God, she gave thought to the salvation of her soul, fasting and praying and giving alms, founding monasteries and churches. No lying word ever passed her lips, nor any unnecessary speech or the least slander. At the time of her death, she called together her closest friends and took leave of them, then gave her soul to God, in 892.
    The Emperor Leo wanted to build a church over her grave, and when the patriarch refused to allow this, he built the Church of All Saints, saying that if Theophano was a saint, she would be glorified together with the others. At that time the feast of All Saints was introduced, to be celebrated on the Sunday after the Feast of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost).

If you are visiting today:

 There are service books underneath the candle stand that you may borrow and follow along in. If you get lost, ask your neighbor to help you find the page.
 As you can see, we stand for most of the service. If you are not accustomed to this, please feel free to sit if you feel the need. No one will mind! You should still stand during the Scripture readings and when the priest comes through.
 In the Orthodox tradition, women cover their heads in church, and extra scarves can be borrowed from the candle stand at the entrance.
 You will see people making the sign of the cross and bowing. Feel free to follow suit or not, however you are comfortable. Again, no one will mind either way.
 Feel free to venerate (kiss) the icons and purchase a candle to light. Commemoration slips for Orthodox, living and reposed may be placed on the tray by the candle stand. Please write down how many prosphora you would like (suggested donation: $1/ea.)
 At the end of the service, you may come forward to venerate the hand-cross if you wish.
 At our parish we do not pass a collection plate. Gifts are voluntary and can be left at the candle stand.
 Anyone who wishes to receive Holy Communion must be an Orthodox Christian and make their Confession beforehand. Please speak with Fr. Peter for more information.

Confessions are heard at all evening services.