THE LITURGICAL PROGRAM
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Sunday, March 2 — St. Saint Mc. Theodotus, Bishop of Cyrene; St. Mc. Hesychius; Sunday of the Expulsion of Adam from Paradise (of the Dry Cheese Leaving) (Teaching about forgiveness, fasting and non-acquisitiveness)
Matins — 8:30 am
Holy Mass – 10:00 am
Coffee Hour — 11:30 am
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Wednesday, March 5 – Holy Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts – 9:00 am
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Friday, March 7 – Akathist to the Mother of God – 6:00 pm
Saturday, March 8 — Matins 8:00 am, followed by Holy Mass for the Dead 9:30 am
Sunday, March 9 — † St. 40 de Martyrs of Sebaste; First Sunday of Lent (of Orthodoxy) (The Calling of Philip and Nathanael)
Matins — 8:30 am
Holy Mass – 9:00 am
Coffee Hour — 11:30 am
We remind you to bring icons with you on Orthodoxy Sunday, as the Holy Liturgy will include the "Veneration of Icons" procession, which commemorates the victory of the right veneration of icons over iconoclasm by surrounding the church by clergy and believers carrying the holy icons.
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Wednesday, March 12 – Holy Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts – 9:00 am
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Friday, March 14 – Akathist to the Mother of God – 6:00 pm
Saturday, March 15 — Matins 8:00 am, followed by Holy Mass for the Dead 9:30 am
Sunday, March 16 — St. Mc. Sabinus the Egyptian; St. Rev. Christ of Patmos; Second Sunday of Lent (of St. Hier. Gregory Palamas) (Healing of the paralytic in Capernaum; Jesus - the Good Shepherd)
Matins — 8:30 am
Holy Mass – 9:00 am
Coffee Hour — 11:30 am
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Wednesday, March 19 – Holy Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts – 9:00 am
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Friday, March 21 – Catechesis Evening 6:00 pm (The Divine Liturgy – Part II), followed by Akathist to the Mother of God – 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 22 — Matins 8:00 am, followed by Holy Mass for the Dead 9:30 am
Sunday, March 23 — †) St. Hierarch Joseph the Merciful, Metropolitan of Moldova; Third Sunday of Lent (of the Holy Cross) (Taking up the cross and following Christ)
Matins — 8:30 am
Holy Mass – 9:00 am
Coffee Hour — 11:30 am
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Tuesday, March 25 — (†) Annunciation (Untying the Fish)
Matins at 8:30 am followed by Holy Liturgy at 10:00 am
Wednesday, March 26 – Holy Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts – 9:00 am
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Friday, March 28 – Akathist to the Mother of God – 6:00 pm
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Saturday, March 29 — Matins 8:00 am, followed by Holy Mass for the Dead 9:30 am
Sunday, March 30 — St. John Climacus; St. Euvula, mother of St. Panteleimon; Fourth Sunday of Lent (of St. John Climacus) (Healing of the lunatic son; Sermon of the Mount-Beatitudes)
Matins — 8:30 am
Holy Mass – 9:00 am
Coffee Hour — 11:30 am
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Friday, April 4 - Holy Unction - 6:00 pm
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THE SUNDAYS OF GREAT LENT
Each Sunday of Great Lent has two themes, two meanings. On the one hand, each Sunday is part of a continuous journey in which the rhythm and spiritual "dialectic" of Great Lent are revealed. On the other hand, due to the historical development of the Church, almost every Sunday of Lent has acquired a second theme.
Thus, on the First Sunday of Lent, the Church celebrates the Triumph of Orthodoxy.
On the Second Sunday, dedicated to Saint Gregory Palamas, we celebrate the condemnation of his opponents and the defense of his teachings, which is considered a second Triumph of Orthodoxy.
The Third Sunday is dedicated to the Veneration of the Holy Cross.
The Fourth Sunday honors Saint John of the Ladder.
The Fifth Sunday commemorates Saint Mary of Egypt.
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (Sunday of Orthodoxy)
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The first Sunday of Lent is called the Sunday of Orthodoxy because, on this day, we celebrate the restoration of the Holy Icons and the triumph of our Orthodox faith over the heresy of the Iconoclasts—those who refused to venerate holy icons and accused such veneration of being idolatry. This conflict lasted for more than 100 years until Empress Theodora and her son Michael ended it by restoring the icons in the churches.
We commemorate this restoration with processions of the icons on this day because we, as Orthodox Christians, honor and glorify the Saints and Angels, and above all, the Most Holy Theotokos. However, we offer worship only to the Triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Worship is distinct from honor and veneration, which are not directed toward the material icon itself but rather pass through it to the prototype it represents, that is, the person depicted.
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
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On this day, we commemorate Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica, who was a foremost teacher of Orthodox doctrine, an invincible opponent of false teachings, and a preacher of divine grace. The grace of God, as an energy for the salvation of humankind, is uncreated. This uncreated grace can only be experienced and lived, just as one can sense and live in the presence of a holy elder. The grace of God reaches humanity through the Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church, but it also seeks a response from us; only then does it become active and bear fruit.
Saint Gregory was raised in the imperial court of Constantinople, where he received an excellent education before choosing to live an ascetic life on Mount Athos. He participated in the Councils held in Constantinople in 1341 against Barlaam and in 1347 against Barlaam’s supporter, Akindynos. In these councils, he valiantly defended Orthodoxy. In 1346, he was appointed Archbishop of Thessalonica, a position he held for 13 years. He reposed in the Lord in 1359 at the age of 63, leaving behind numerous writings. His sacred relics are preserved in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Thessalonica. The Church honors him on this second Sunday as a continuation and extension of the previous one, as a kind of "Second Sunday of Orthodoxy," since his victory over the heretical doctrines of the West was regarded as equivalent to the victory over the Iconoclasts.
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross)
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On this Sunday, which falls at the midpoint of Lent, the Church presents the veneration of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross. As the physical exhaustion of fasting begins to weigh upon us and difficulties increase, the Holy Church places before us, at the halfway point of our Lenten journey, the Most Holy Cross as our help, the joy of the world, the strength of the faithful, and the hope of sinners. By venerating the Precious Cross, we receive grace and strength to continue and complete the fast, chanting:
"We venerate Your Cross, O Master, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection."
Whoever does not seek and feel the power of the Holy Cross, unfortunately, becomes a victim of deception. On the other hand, those who do recognize its power wear the Cross on their chest, make the sign of the Cross correctly, and do not fall into the temptation of seeking help from mediums, magicians, or anyone promising "salvation and deliverance" by means other than those prescribed by Christ and His Church.
The scheduling of this feast may have been influenced by the commemoration of the discovery of the Holy Cross, recorded in the Menaia on March 6. According to the Typikon of Saint Sabbas, the veneration of the Holy Cross is not limited to Sunday but continues on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of the following week.
FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
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Today, we commemorate Saint John Climacus, author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent, who was a preacher of repentance and fasting. Born in Palestine around 523, he dedicated himself to ascetic struggles from a young age. He became the abbot of the Monastery of Sinai and wrote The Ladder, a work consisting of thirty chapters, each dedicated to a particular virtue, arranged from the easiest to the most difficult, guiding the reader toward spiritual perfection. Because of this structure, the work was named The Ladder of Virtues. He reposed in 603.
Although his feast day is March 30, the Church commemorates him again on this Fourth Sunday of Lent to present an example of a person, like us, who through ascetic struggle reached great spiritual heights. More importantly, Saint John is honored at this time because, after the three major Sundays of Lent—which establish the doctrinal foundations of our faith and ensure the correct worship of God—and after the strengthening presence of the Holy Cross, this fourth Sunday introduces another crucial aspect: the methodological instruction for spiritual renewal. The Ladder provides the theological foundation for inner transformation, achieved through the ascetic and penitential life described in his book. This is why The Ladder is read in monasteries during this period.
Starting tomorrow, Monday, the fifth week of Lent begins, marking the liturgical climax of the Lenten season. This week bears the burden of the final stretch, as the Great and Holy Week follows with its dense schedule of long services, morning and evening.
With great wisdom, the Holy Fathers added two special services to this week:
On Thursday, the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete, and
On Saturday, the Akathist Hymn.
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This arrangement provides a brief liturgical and spiritual respite before entering Great and Holy Week fully prepared.
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
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On this Sunday, we honor Saint Mary of Egypt, who, although officially commemorated on April 1, is presented today as an inspiration for sinners and the spiritually sluggish to repentance. At the age of twelve, Mary began living a life of debauchery. When she was twenty-nine, she traveled to Jerusalem to venerate the Holy Cross but found herself unable to enter the church. She felt an unseen force preventing her. Realizing her sinfulness, she repented and vowed to change her life. With the help of the Theotokos, she was finally able to venerate the Holy Cross. She then withdrew into the desert beyond the Jordan, where she lived for forty-seven years—seventeen in severe struggles and temptations, and the remaining thirty as a celestial being on earth.
What we know about her comes from Saint Zosimas, who encountered her in the forty-sixth year of her solitude. The following year, he gave her Holy Communion, and soon after, he found her lifeless body with a message inscribed in the sand:
"Abba Zosimas, bury here the body of the wretched Mary. I died on the very day I received the Immaculate Mysteries. Pray for me."
Saint Mary of Egypt, along with Saint Pelagia, Saint Moses the Ethiopian, Saint Augustine, and others, stands as a living testament to the transformative power of repentance. Let us not despair, for by the grace of God, we too can become as pure as angels—if only we repent, as Saint Mary did.
Numele lunii MARTIE provine de la zeul Marte, zeul războiului din mitologia romană È™i era considerată o lună favorabilă începerii războiului. Sub conducerea împăratului Romulus al Romei, anul începea cu această lună. Dar în anul 45 î.Hr., Gaius Iulius Caesar a introdus Calendarul Iulian, iar de atunci anul a început pe 1 ianuarie. În tradiÈ›ia populară românească, luna martie se mai numeÈ™te MărÈ›iÈ™or È™i asta datorită sărbătorii mărÈ›iÈ™orului ce are loc în această lună. Obiceiul dăruirii mărÈ›iÈ™oarelor este un gest de dragoste, prietenie, respect È™i apreciere. De asemenea, mulÈ›i români încă păstrează tradiÈ›ia sărbătorii “Zilele babei Dochia” sau “Babele” ce are loc în perioada 01 - 09 martie. Conform acestei tradiÈ›ii, trebuie să ne alegem o zi din cele nouă pentru a ne reprezenta, È™i, se spune că, aÈ™a cum va fi vremea în acea zi, aÈ™a ne va fi È™i nouă norocul în anul respectiv. În cultura modernă, luna martie este luna în care toate femeile sunt sărbătorite (8 martie Ziua internaÈ›ională a Femeii). Principalele sărbători creÈ™tine din luna martie sunt: 9 martie - SfinÈ›ii 40 de mucenici din Sevastia Armeniei erau niÈ™te soldaÈ›i care au mărturisit că sunt creÈ™tini, motiv pentru care au refuzat să aducă jertfe idolilor. În vremea domniei împăratului Liciniu (307-323), la porunca guvernatorului Agricola, aceÈ™tia au fost supuÈ™i la multe chinuri, iar în final au fost scufundaÈ›i într-o apă aproape îngheÈ›ată de lângă cetate.În acea noapte de 8/9 martie a anului 320, 40 de creÈ™tini au biruit moartea, primind în chip văzut cununile muceniciei. Numele celor 40 de mucenici: Chirion, Candid, Domnos, Isihie, Ieraclie, Smaragd, Valent, Vivian, Evnichie, Claudie, Prisc, Teodul, Eutihie, Ioan, Xantie, Ilian, Sisinie, Aghie, Aetie, Flavie, Acachie, Ecdit, Lisimah, Alexandru, Ilie, Leontie, Gorgonie, Teofil, Dometian, Gaie, Atanasie, Chiril, Sacherdon, Nicolae, Valerie, Filoctimon, Severian, Hudion, Meliton È™i Aglaie. 12 martie - Sfântul Ierarh Grigorie Dialogul, Episcopul Romei (sau Grigorie cel Mare) este cunoscut drept ocrotitorul muzicienilor È™i al cântăreÈ›ilor dar È™i al studenÈ›ilor È™i al învățătorilor. Este cel care a pus în scris Liturghia Darurilor mai înainte sfinÈ›ite, săvârÈ™ită în Postul Mare, care până atunci circula doar în formă orală. A avut parte de o pregătire intelectuală completă, fiind îndrumat È™i de Sfântul Grigorie de Tours (serbat la 17 noiembrie), care îl socotea pe învățăcelul său drept "cel mai învățat om al vremii, mai ales la gramatică, dialectică È™i retorică".În anul 573, la vârsta de numai 33 de ani, el a fost numit prefect al Romei, de către împăratul bizantin Iustin al II-lea, dar a renunÈ›at la funcÈ›ia politică în anul 575, după moartea tatălui său. A transformat casa părintească într-o mănăstire de călugări. După ce È™i-a vândut moÈ™tenirea È™i a împărÈ›it mulÈ›i bani săracilor, Grigorie a întemeiat È™ase mănăstiri pe pământurile familiei, în insula Sicilia. Apoi, renunÈ›ând la hainele lumeÈ™ti, a îmbrăcat haina monahală, intrând ca simplu monah în mănăstirea înfiinÈ›ată în casa părintească, închinată Sfântului Apostol Andrei.În anul 590, în toiul unei epidemii de ciumă, Sfântul Grigorie Dialogul este ales episcop al Romei. În această calitate, el a condus Biserica vreme de peste 14 ani, în timpul unor mari încercări, precum inundaÈ›ii, foamete, ciumă È™i invaziile longobarzilor. A refuzat toate titlurile È™i onorurile, cu excepÈ›ia titlului de "servus servorum Dei", adică "slujitorul slujitorilor lui Dumnezeu". 25 martie - Buna Vestire (BlagoveÈ™tenia) este praznicul în care ne amintim de Sfântul Arhanghel Gavriil care a anunÈ›at-o pe Sfânta Fecioară Maria că va naÈ™te pe Fiul lui Dumnezeu. Este prima sărbătoare confirmată în documente, dintre sărbătorile Maicii Domnului. ImportanÅ£a sărbătorii este subliniată de sacrificiul peÅŸtelui care se mănâncă, indiferent dacă ziua este de post sau de dulce. 26 martie - Soborul Sfântului Arhanghel Gavriil este pomenit în următoarea zi după Buna Vestire deoarece el este cel care i-a adus Fecioarei Maria vestea cea bună a întrupării Fiului lui Dumnezeu. Arhanghelul Gavriil a fost desemnat de Domnul ca "duh slujitor, trimis ca să slujească pentru cei ce vor fi moÈ™tenitorii mântuirii" (Evrei 1, 14). Este ocrotitorul familiilor, mamelor, copiilor, dar È™i ocrotitor al monahilor È™i monahiilor, al celor care vieÈ›uiesc în mănăstiri È™i în sihăstrie sau în pustie.Sfântul Arhanghel Gavriil este Arhanghelul bunelor vestiri. El este acela care s-a arătat Sfintei È™i Dreptei Ana È™i i-a vestit că o va naÈ™te pe Fecioara Maria. S-a arătat È™i păstorilor ce-È™i păzeau turmele, noaptea, È™i le-a zis: "Vă binevestesc vouă bucurie mare: că s-a născut astăzi Mântuitorul." El s-a arătat È™i mironosiÈ›elor, stând pe piatra mormântului È™i vestindu-le învierea din morÈ›i a lui Hristos. Ca cel ce a fost binevestitorul zămislirii È™i al naÈ™terii, acelaÈ™i s-a arătat a fi È™i Îngerul învierii. Tot el va fi cel care va vesti A doua Venire a Domnului, suflând într-o trâmbiță. Gavriil a fost de față la Patimile È™i la Învierea Domnului. 30 martie - Sfântul Cuvios Ioan Scărarul mai este cunoscut sub numele de Ioan Sinaitul, datorită faptului că a fost egumen la Mănăstirea Sinai. Însă, pentru erudiÈ›ia È™i cultura sa, este numit È™i Ioan Scolasticul. Numele de "Scărarul" sau Climacus, vine de la principala sa opera, intitulată “Scara Raiului” (“Scara dumnezeiescului urcuÈ™”), care ne descrie viaÈ›a duhovnicească sub forma unei scări cu 30 de trepte care ne duce spre Dumnezeu. Despre Sfântul Ioan Scărarul s-a spus, pe bună dreptate, că a fost ca un "al doilea Moise" în pustiul Sinai, ajungând la "Ierusalimul cel de sus" prin viaÈ›a sa dedicată celor veÈ™nice È™i rugăciunii.
http://www.izvorultamaduirii.org
Email: info@izvorultamaduirii.org; aristotelous@protonmail.com (Pr. Roman Galben)
Phone: (305) 333-0605 (Pr. Roman Galben)
ABOUT OUR CHURCH
Every year, on the first Friday after Holy Easter, the Romanian Orthodox Church from New Jersey celebrates the Spring of Healing, the patron saint of our church. It is a feast dedicated to the Mother of God, meant to show the role of the Virgin Mary in the work of saving people.
MARAMURESAN WOOD CHURCH
The Romanian-American community of the Izvorul Tamaduirii Church in Long Valley, New Jersey, United States decided to commemorate the centenary of the unification of the Romanian nation through a bold but soulful project, namely build here in New Jersey a church of Maramures wood as a symbol of the reunification of the Romanian nation in 1918.
PARISH PRIEST
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, of the Father without in the first place thou, and thou that didst say in the mouth of thy prophet David, in the evening. You also said through the mouth of the happy Paul the Apostle: the one who does not want to work, nor to do not eat. And, again, You said it with precision Your mouth: without of Me, you can do nothing. God, Lord, I listen with all my heart and with all my heart heart your divine words and with humility I run to Your goodness, help me, the sinner, with Your gift, to I'm doing the thing I'm starting now. Amen.
