συνοδικός
January 7 / December 25
2019 (7527)
THE NATIVITY ACCORDING TO THE FLESH OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST
Liturgy of St Basil the Great
THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI: MELCHIOR, CASPAR, AND BALTHASAR
from 7 January 7th till January 18th is a Fast-free period
● 主降生节 The NATIVITY according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ （纪念我们的主，上帝，救主耶稣基督取肉躯而降生于世）
Η ΓΕΝΝΗΣΙΣ ΤΟΥ ΚΥΡΙΟΥ ΗΜΩΝ ΙΗΣΟΥ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ
上徧顯主榮、下廣降安和、人閒施慈憐云、 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
The Synaxarion's account includes this tradition from the Protoevangelium of James: "When Joseph had found a place for Mary in Bethlehem, he went out to look for a midwife. On his way, he noticed that the whole of nature had suddenly become utterly still as though seized with astonishment: the birds hung motionless in mid-air, men and beasts stopped in their tracks, and the waters ceased flowing. The continuous movement that leads everything from birth to death and imprisons it in vanity (cf Pss. 38:6-7; 102:15. Eccles. 1) was suspended, for at that moment the Eternal entered within the heart of time. The pre-eternal God became a newborn child. Time and history now took on a new dimension."
But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son (Galatians 4:4) to save the human race. And when nine months were fulfilled from the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel had appeared to the Most-holy Virgin in Nazareth, saying, Rejoice, thou that art highly favored … behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son (Luke 1:28, 31), at that time there went forth a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the people of the Roman Empire should be taxed. In accordance with this decree, everyone had to go to his own town and be registered. That is why the righteous Joseph came with the Most-holy Virgin to Bethlehem, the city of David, for they were both of the royal lineage of David. Since many people descended on this small town for the census, Joseph and Mary were unable to find lodging in any house, and they sought shelter in a cave which shepherds used as a sheepfold. In this cave-on the night between Saturday and Sunday, on the 25th of December-the Most-holy Virgin gave birth to the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. Giving birth to Him without pain just as He was conceived without sin by the Holy Spirit and not by man, she herself wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, worshiped Him as God, and laid Him in a manger. Then the righteous Joseph drew near and worshiped Him as the Divine Fruit of the Virgin's womb. Then the shepherds came in from the fields, directed by an angel of God, and worshiped Him as the Messiah and Savior. The shepherds heard a multitude of God's angels singing: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:14). At that time three wise men arrived from the east, led by a wondrous star, bearing their gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. They worshiped Him as the King of kings, and offered Him their gifts (Matthew 2). Thus entered the world He Whose coming was foretold by the prophets, and Who was born in the same manner in which it had been prophesied: of a Most-holy Virgin, in the town of Bethlehem, of the lineage of David according to the flesh, at the time when there was no king in Jerusalem of the lineage of Judah, but rather when Herod, a foreigner, was reigning. After many types and prefigurings, messengers and heralds, prophets and righteous men, wise men and kings, finally He appeared, the Lord of the world and King of kings, to perform the work of the salvation of mankind, which could not be performed by His servants. To Him be eternal glory and praise! Amen.
The Lord Jesus, born in Bethlehem, was first worshiped by shepherds and wise men (astrologers) from the east-the simplest and the wisest of this world. Even today, those who most sincerely worship the Lord Jesus as God and Savior are the simplest and the wisest of this world. Perverted simplicity and half-learned wisdom were always the enemies of Christ's divinity and His Gospel. But who were these wise men from the east? This question was especially studied by St. Dimitri of Rostov. He claims that they were kings of certain smaller regions or individual towns in Persia, Arabia and Egypt. At the same time, they were erudite in the knowledge of astronomy. This wondrous star appeared to them, which announced the birth of the New King. According to St. Dimitri, this star appeared to them nine months before the birth of the Lord Jesus, i.e., at the time of His conception by the Most-holy Theotokos. They spent nine months in studying this star, in preparing for the journey and in traveling. They arrived in Bethlehem shortly after the birth of the Savior of the world. One of them was called Melchior. He was old, with long white hair and beard. He offered the Lord the gift of gold. The second was called Caspar, of ruddy face, young and beardless. He offered the Lord the gift of frankincense. The third was called Balthasar, of dark complexion and a very heavy beard. He offered the Lord the gift of myrrh. After their deaths, their bodies were taken to Constantinople, from Constantinople to Milan, and from Milan to Cologne. It can be added that these three wise men were representatives of the three main races of men that descended from Noah's three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. The Persian represented the Japhethites, the Arabian represented the Semites, and the Egyptian represented the Hamites. Thus it can be said that, through these three, the whole human race worshiped the Incarnate Lord and God.
CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!
• 纪念由东方而来朝拜基督圣婴之贤士 The Adoration of the Magi : MELCHIOR 麦尔希奥尔, CASPAR 喀斯帕尔, and BALTHASAR 瓦尔塔撒尔
Ἡ Προσκύνησις τῶν Μάγων
The Nativity of Christ was revealed to the Magi by a wondrous star. Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Theophylactus, commenting on Saint Matthew’s Gospel, say that this was no ordinary star. Rather, it was "a divine and angelic power that appeared in the form of a star". Saint Demetrius of Rostov says it was a "manifestation of divine energy" (Narrative of the Adoration of the Magi). Entering the house where the Infant lay, the Magi "fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented Him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh" (Mt. 2:11).
• Commemoration of The Righteous Shepherds 牧羊人 in Bethlehem who were watching their flocks and came to see the Lord (1st c.)
Μνήμη τῶν Ποιμένων, ποὺ εἶδαν τὸν Κύριο Ἰησοῦ Χριστὸ
In the stillness of midnight (Wisdom of Solomon 18:14-15), the proclamation of the birth of the Savior of the world was heard by three shepherds watching their flocks by night.
An angel of the Lord (St Cyprian says this was Gabriel) came before them and said: "Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). The humble shepherds were the first to offer worship to Him Who condescended to assume the form of a humble servant for the salvation of mankind.
• Martyrs BASILEA (Basilée, Basiléo) and JOVIN (Giovino, Iovino) in the
persecutions of Valerian and Gallienus (258) on the Vita Latina, Rome, Italy
• Martyrs at Nicomedia (303)
20 000 Christians martyred by order of Diocletian. They were reported to have all been in the single basilica to celebrate Christmas. While there unquestionably was an endless series of martyrs under Diocletian, it's likely the ancient sources exaggerated the numbers of this incident. And as the Christmas holy day was not celebrated in the East in 303, they were probably gathered for another feast.
• Massacre of Hosiosmartyr hieromonk JONAH 约纳 of Pechenga and Kola (1589) and another 50 Hieromartyrs, and 65 martyrs in the monastery of St Tryphon of Pechenga, killed by the Swedes (1590) : Martyred Brotherhood of St Tryphon Monastery of Pechenga: Hieromartyr GURIAS of Pechenga; Hieromartyr PAKHOMIOS of Pechenga; Hieromartyr JOSEPH of Pechenga; Hosiosmartyrs THEODOSIOS, MAKARIOS, GENNADIJ, ONUFRIJ, PHILOFEJ, ONISIM, IOV, SAMPSON, SERAPION, GEORGE, IUSTIN, SAVVA, SPIRIDON, SAVVATIJ, CYRILL, SIMEON, ALEXANDER, KALLISTRAT, THEOPHIL, AMBROSE, HERMAN, DANIIL, THEOGNOST, MOSES, THEODORITE, VALERIAN, GERASIM, AVRAAMIJ, DOROFEJ, LONGIN, JEFREM, THEODOSIOS, PAISIOS, GREGORY, FILIMON; 116 Martyrs (murdered labours, donuts and piligrims) of Pechenga including NIKIPHOR, EVSEJ, PROKHOR, SAVVA, ANTONY, IOAKIM, KONON, EVSEVIJ, IOANN, OREST, IOANN, ARTEMIOS, JEVGRAF, THEODOR, NIKITA, NIKITA, NIKITA, IGNATIUS, THEODOR, DIMITRIJ, RODION, GAVRIIL, CONSTANTINE, CONSTANTINE, IOANN, LUKA, LEONTIJ, THEODOT, FOMA, GAVRIIL, DEMENTIOS, ARTEMIOS, STEPHAN, ANDREW, PARTHENIOS, NIKIPHOR, ANANIJA, STEPHAN, EMILIAN, PHILIPP, CORNILIOS, IOANN, IOANN, DANIIL, STEPHAN, PHOKA, NIKITA, ARHIPP, GAVRIIL, IOANN, Martyresses AKILINA and EVFIMIJA and others
Based on the Synodikon of the Solovetsk Monastery in northern Russian about 1500 AD ― the exact date is unknown ― the Priestmonk Jonah was born in the Pomeranian village of Varzuga in Russia's northern Murmansk district. After serving as a parish priest, he entered the Pechenga Monastery, where he became a close disciple of Saint Tryphon. Saint Jonah was martyred in December 1589 ― one year before the beginning of the Russian-Swedish War ― during an attack on the monastery by Swedish-Finnish invaders. Tradition holds that he and his concelebrant, the Priestmonk Herman, were martyred during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, as they were receiving the Eucharist. They, together with 115 monks and laypersons killed during the invasion, were venerated throughout the Novgorod region.
• Hieromartyr archpriest MICHAEL Chel’tsov (1870-1931) day of martyrdom, shoted in St Peterburg of Russia
• Hieromartyr bishop LEONID (Lavrentij Antoshchenko) (1872-1938) day of martyrdom, shoted after prison in Joshkar-Ola, Marijsk ASSR
• Hieromartyr LEONIDAS Serebrianikov and MARY Kiianova
• ALBURGH (Æthelburh, Alburga) (810) sister of St Egbert of Wessex in England and wife of Wulstan of Wiltshire, W., she founded a convent in Wilton near Salisbury, where she became a nun in her widowhood
• M ANASTASIA (304) suffered in Sirmium in Dalmatia, her relics were taken to Constantinople and veneration spread to Rome, where a basilica is dedicated to her
• Martyress ANASTASIA the Elder crowned with martyrdom in the persecution of Valerian or Nero
• CONSTANTINE the Jew
• Virgin Martyress EUGENIA (257) in Rome under Valerian, she was buried in the cemetery of Apronian on the Via Latina
• FLOTHILDA Nun at Avesnes (940)
• Great Bishop MAOLÁN void of weakness, of Tullaghmelan, founder of the church of Tullaghmelan
• ROMULUS of Berry (700) Priest. Founded a monastery in Berry, France
THE DIVINE KENOSIS
The incarnation of Christ is said to even by a kenosis ("self-emptying"). Astonishing are the words of the Apostle Paul: "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he emptied himself, by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death ― even death on a cross" (Philem. 2:6-8).
The kenosis of Christ is not that He was born poor, that He came from a poor family, that He lived as a refugee and was persecuted and suffered in His early life, that He faced the hatred of people, etc. Rather it is mainly because He assumed human nature, indeed with its mortality and sufferings. That the uncreated God received created human nature, and the created was united with the uncreated, this is what is called the kenosis and poverty of Christ.
Without the kenosis there could not be its fulfillment - the deification of humanity. Also, the divine kenosis shows us exactly what is love. Love is a kenosis, a sacrifice, an offering. This is why the more someone is brightened and divinized the more self-emptying they are, and vice versa.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
愿上帝怜恤我罪人
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
for the sake of the prayers
of Thy most pure Mother,
our holy and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us.
Amen.
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Blessed be God.
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