Australian and New Zealand Diocese (ROCOR)

2nd Sunday of Pascha – Saint Thomas Sunday

Troparion, tone 7: When the tomb was sealed, Thou, the Life, O Christ our God, didst rise up from the grave; and when the doors were closed, Thou, the Resurrection of all, didst stand among the disciples, and through them renew a right spirit in us, according to Thy mercy.

Kontakion, tone 8: With his inquisitive right hand, Thomas probed Thy life-giving side, O Christ our God. For when Thou didst enter, the doors being shut, with the rest of the Apostles he cried to Thee: Thou art my Lord and my God.

MATINS

Matthew 28:16-20

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (more…)

If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in nowise be deprived therefor. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of his honor, will accept the last even as the first; he gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour. (more…)

DIVINE LITURGY

Acts 1:1-8

1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (more…)

HOLY AND GREAT SATURDAY

VESPERS

Reading 1. Genesis 1:1-13

In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. But the earth was unsightly and unfurnished and darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the water. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good, and God divided between the light and the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night, and there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water, and let it be a division between water and water, and it was so. And God made the firmament, and God divided between the water which was under the firmament and the water which was above the firmament. And God called the firmament Heaven, and God saw that it was good, and there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, Let the water which is under the heaven be collected into one place, and let the dry land appear, and it was so. And the water which was under the heaven was collected into its places, and the dry land appeared. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gatherings of the waters he called Seas, and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the herb of grass bearing seed according to its kind and according to its likeness, and the fruit-tree bearing fruit whose seed in it, according to its kind on the earth, and it was so. And the earth brought forth the herb of grass bearing seed according to its kind and according to its likeness, and the fruit tree bearing fruit whose seed is in it, according to its kind on the earth, and God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. (more…)

HOLY AND GREAT FRIDAY

Troparion, tone 4: Thou hast redeemed us from the curse of the Law by Thy precious Blood. By being nailed to the Cross and pierced with the Spear, Thou hast poured immortality on mankind. O our Saviour, glory to Thee.

Kontakion, tone 8: Come, let us all praise Him Who was crucified for us. For Him it was Whom Mary beheld on the Tree, and said: Even though Thou endurest the cross, Thou art my Son and my God.

Troparia, tone 2: (Vespers and Saturday Matins) Noble Joseph took Thy immaculate Body down from the tree, wrapped It in a clean shroud and spices, and having embalmed It, laid It in a new sepulchre. But on the third day Thou didst rise, O Lord, granting to the world great mercy.

The Angel stood by the tomb and cried to the Myrrh-bearing women: Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself free from corruption. (more…)

A copy of the readings from the service of the Twelve Gospels is available here.

HOLY AND GREAT THURSDAY

Troparion, tone 8: When Thy glorious Disciples were enlightened at the supper by the feet washing, then the impious Judas was darkened with the disease of avarice, and he delivered Thee, the Just Judge, to the lawless judges. See, O lover of money, this man through money came to hang himself. Flee the insatiable desire which dared to do such things to the Master. O Lord, Who art good towards all, glory to Thee.

Konlakion, tone 2: Having taken bread in his hand, the traitor secretly stretches it out, and takes a price for Him Who with His own hands made man. And Judas remained an incorrigible slave and liar. (more…)

On fasting

“For this kind is expelled only by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:21). With these words the Lord Himself indicated to us two kinds of weapons in our combat against our enemy – the dark and evil spirits. At the same time, He indicated to His disciples the need for them to fast at a time “when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them” (Matt. 9:15). The grace of the Holy Spirit is taken away from us through our sins. And its return to us is achieved primarily by means of repentance, assisted by prayer and fasting. (more…)

Самым светлым, красивым, поучительным и трогательным временем в православном календаре является период Великого поста и Пасхи. Зачем и как следует поститься, как часто следует посещать храм и причащаться в Великий пост, каковы особенности богослужения в этот период?

Какие-то ответы на эти и другие вопросы о Великом посте читатель сможет найти ниже. Данный материал составлен на основе нескольких публикаций, посвященных разным сторонам нашей жизни в Великий пост. (more…)

«Нам нельзя не странствовать по России – не потому, что мы “кочевники”… а потому, что сама Россия требует, чтобы мы обозрели ее и ее чудеса и красоты, и через это постигли ее единство, ее единый лик… и более того – чтобы мы научились, созерцая ее, видеть Бога». Эти слова русского писателя и философа Ивана Ильина словно руководство для тех, кто из дальних стран стремится на родину своих предков, к ее святыням, о которых слышали, читали, но которые долгие десятилетия для большинства оставались далекими.

Впервые многочисленная группа паломников из русского зарубежья во главе с архиепископом Сиднейским и Австралийско-Новозеландским Иларионом (ныне первоиерархом Русской Зарубежной Церкви) посетила Россию Православную пять лет назад. Такие паломничества, особенно после восстановления в мае прошлого года канонического единства Русской Православной Церкви, стали доброй традицией. Наши соотечественники, проживающие на чужбине, совершают паломничества и поодиночке.

Настоятельница женского монастыря Казанской иконы Божией Матери («Новое Шамордино») в Австралии игумения Мария (Мирос) приехала на родину своих предков впервые, посетила множество святых мест и странствовала по России, кажется, на всех видах транспорта. (more…)