Re: Eastern Rite Saints of the Day August 10
Byzantine and Maronite Rites
St. Lawrence, Deacon
The feast of St. Lawrence is very ancient, and is universally celebrated throughout the Eastern and Latin Churches.
St. Lawrence was a disciple of Pope St. Sixtus II. He was chosen by Sixtus to be the chief deacon of the Church of Rome, and assisted Sixtus as he offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the catacombs. Sixtus had made Lawrence steward over the property of the Church of Rome.
Under the persecutions of the cruel Emperor Valerian in 258, St. Sixtus was martyred on August 6, and Lawrence was cast into prison. While in prison Lawrence cured several blind people by making the sign of the cross over them.
The judge that had Lawrence arrested ordered him to bring the treasures of the Church to him. Lawrence gathered the poor and the sick and brought them before the judge, and declared that they were the Church's treasures.
The judge was not amused, and ordered Lawrence roasted to death on a gridiron. As Lawrence was roasting, he joked, 'you can turn me over now-I'm done on this side!'
The real conversion of Rome is said to date from Lawrence's martyrdom. Many conversions took place as a result of Lawrence's prayers and example. His basilica, St. Lawrence's Outside the Walls, already existed at the time of Constantine.
Re: Eastern Rite Saints of the Day August 15
Byzantine and Maronite Rites
The Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God
The Dormition of the Most Holy Virgin is celebrated universally on this day throughout the Christian world. The Church teaches that on this day, the Blessed Virgin was taken into heaven at the end of her earthly life. Dormition means 'falling alseep', referring to the end of her life on earth. Our Lord did not wish that the Vessel that bore Him should remain on earth to undergo corruption. He therefore took her to heaven with Him and crowned her Queen of Heaven and Earth, of Angels and of Men.
Troparion
Thou wast a Mother, and yet remained a Virgin; thou didst go up into heaven, yet did not forsake the world. O Mother of God, thou hast passed from death to life, being the Mother of Life. Through thy intercession, we beseech thee to save our souls from death.
Re: Eastern Rite Saints of the Day August 29
Byzantine and Maronite Rites
The Beheading of St. John the Baptist
The martyrdom of St. John the Baptist is celebrated universally this day throughout the Eastern and Western Churches.
The head of St. John the Forerunner is kept for the veneration of the faithful in the church of St. Sylvester in Rome. It is believed to have been brought there from Syria.
Re: Eastern Rite Saints of the Day Onu
i will be catching up with this forum soon.
Things came up and i haven't been able to get by the board much this month.
Things are now winding down so i'll definitely be getting back to it.
GB!~
p4p
Re: Eastern Rite Saints of the Day September 6, 2006
Byzantine and Maronite Rites
St. Michael the Archangel
St. Michael the Archangel is commemorated today, the Archangel that cast the devil into hell, and who is the defender of God's Holy Church and the Faithful against the attacks of the Evil One. His feast in the Traditional Latin Rite is September 29, the date of the dedication of the Basilica of St. Michael in Rome.
Troparion
O Captain and Leader of the armies of heaven, unworthy as we are, we beseech thee without ceasing, to surround us with thy intercessions, and cover us beneath the wings of thy ethereal glory. We bend our knees and cry out with perseverance, 'Deliver us from danger, O Prince of the powers on high!'
Re: Eastern Rite Saints of the Day September 8, 2006
Byzantine and Maronite Rites
The Nativity of the Mother of God
The Eastern Churches today celebrate the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, exactly nine months after we celebrate her Immaculate Conception on December 8. This feast is also celebrated on the same day by the Latin Rite.
Troparion
Thy nativity, O Mother of God, heralded joy to the whole universe, for from thee rose the Sun of Justice, Christ our God. He cancelled the curse and poured forth His grace: He vanquished death and granted us eternal life.
Re: Eastern Rite Saints of the Day Byzantine and Maronite Rites
September 9, 2006
Sts. Joachim and Anne (Anna)
In typical Eastern fashion, the Oriental Rites today celebrate the memory of the people who were intimately involved in the previous day's feast, in this case the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Joachim and Anne.
Re: Eastern Rite Saints of the Day i enjoy reading these too Onu but i have yet to catch up the images.
Don't lose faith yet. Will get to them asap!!
GB~
p4p
Re: Eastern Rite Saints of the Day September 14, 2006
Byzantine and Maronite Rites
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
This feast was originally institiued to commemorate the recovery of relics of the Holy Cross from the Persian Muslims who had taken it. The recovery took place on September 14, 628, by the troops of the Byzantine Empire.
The feast emphasizes the redemptive and triumphal nature of the Cross and the salvation that was wrought for mankind upon it. It is celebrated universally by the Eastern and Western Churches.
From the Maronite Liturgy
Hoosoyo to Christ the Light
O Resplendent Light of creation, Thou art the Brightness of mankind and the Splendor of truth. By Thy light, Thou didst create us from nothing and brought us into existence. By Thy splendor Thou dost guide heavenly and earthly beings. The sun and moon, the stars and clouds proclaim Thee. The seas and their islands praise Thee, the earth and all it's flowers exalt Thee. Before Thee the abyss trembles and and the waters surge. With pure hymns mankind praises Thee in the morning of Thy goodness. Therefore, our salvation is in Thee who delivered us from the disobedience of the law.
O Lord, may the rays of Thy brightness save us from the darkness of sin. May Thy rising morning be the cause of all our blessings. May our consciences be bound and our thoughts be supported by the warmth of Thy love. In Thy clemency, Thou didst make us worthy to reach morning, to offer this incense before the throne of Thy majesty. By Thy Wisdom make us worthy to see through the evil one who conceals himself as an angel of light.
By Thy grace, may we reach the glorious morning which is the joy of the good and the brightness of the just. With all Thy saints, we chant pure hymns to Thee, light of our souls, forever. Amen.
Re: Eastern Rite Saints of the Day October 6, 2006
Byzantine and Maronite Rites
St. Thomas the Apostle
St. Thomas, the doubter who would not believe that Christ had risen from the dead until he put his hands into the place of the nails in the body of the Risen Christ, is greatly venerated by Eastern Rite Christians in India, where Thomas preached, and is believed to have been martyred. Eastern Rite Catholics and Orthodox in India call themselves Mar Thoma, or St. Thomas, Christians. Many churches of the Malabar and Syro-Malankarese Rites are named after St. Thomas. Eastern Rite Christainity in India owes it's existence to St. Thomas' preaching-it has existed in India since Apostolic times. Latin Christianity was introduced into India only in the Sixteenth Century. Latin Catholics, however, outnumber Eastern Riters in the country.
Kontakion
Thomas, disciple of Christ and His faithful servant, filled with divine grace, cried out in the sincerity of his love: "Thou art my Lord and my God!"
