The Holy Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit1 was a soldier in the city of Amáseia in Pontus (Asia Minor) on the coast of the Euxine (Black) Sea, under the command of the Praepositus (regimental commander) Brincus. Saint Theodore was ordered to offer sacrifice to idols, but he proclaimed his faith…
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Troparion & Kontakion
Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow, Wonderworker of All Russia
The Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus, was born in Kazan around 1530, and was descended from the Don Cossacks. According to the Patriarch’s own testimony, he served as priest in Kazan in a church dedicated to Saint Nicholas (December 6 and May 9), near the Kazan bazaar.…
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Troparion & Kontakion
Venerable Theodore the Silent of the Kiev Caves
Saint Theodore the Silent of the Caves chose the exploit of silence, in order to dwell constantly in remembrance of God, and to safeguard himself from temptation even by a word. He was glorified by the Lord with the gift of wonderworking. His memory is celebrated also on August 28.
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Troparion & Kontakion
Saint Mariamne the sister of the Apostle Philip
Righteous Mariamne “The Apostolic Virgin” and sister of the holy Apostle Philip (November 14), made a vow of virginity and became the companion of her brother Philip and the holy Apostle Bartholomew (June 11), actively assisting them in their apostolic work. The Church historian…
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Troparion & Kontakion
Uncovering of the relics of the Martyr Menas of Alexandria
The Holy Martyr Menas Kallikelados (Well Speaking), an Athenian, died as a martyr with Saints Hermogenes and Eugraphus in about the year 313 (December 10). During the reign of Emperor Basil the Macedonian (867-886), the military commander Marcian discovered the saint’s relics after Saint…
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Troparion & Kontakion
Weeping “Tikhvin” Icon of the Mother of God on Mount Athos
The Weeping Tikhvin Icon of Mt. Athos is to be found behind the altar in the Prophet Elias Skete. On February 17, 1877 (Thursday of the Second Week of Lent) seven monks remained in the church after the Hours had been read. They were astonished to see tears flowing from the right eye of the icon,…
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Saint Joseph of Dionysiou
Saint Joseph was a monk of Dionysiou Monastery on Mt. Athos, where he shone forth with the virtues of monastic life. He was an iconographer, and he painted the icon of the holy Archangels on the iconostasis of Dionysiou’s main church. In obedience to the instructions of Igumen Stephen, Saint…
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Troparion & Kontakion
Saint Auxibius Bishop of Soli, Cyprus
Saint Auxibius was born at Rome in a rich family. He was raised with his brother Tempstagoras, and from an early age he displayed remarkable talents. In the schools of Rome he easily learned the secular sciences. His parents wanted their son to marry. Learning of this, the youth secretly left Rome…
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Troparion & Kontakion
New Martyr Theodore
The Holy New Martyr Theodore was born of pious parents in Neochorion near Constantinople in 1774. He worked in the palace of the Sultan, where he converted to Islam. When a plague broke out in Constantinople, he realized the gravity of his sin and returned to Christianity. He went to Chios and…
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Troparion & Kontakion
Saint Theodosius the Bulgarian, with his disciple Romanos
Saint Theodosius the Bulgarian and his disciple Romanus. Saint Theodosius began his exploit in the city of Viddino, at the Nikolaev monastery. After the death of the igumen Job he settled near Trnovo, then the capital city of Bulgaria, at the Holy Mountain monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos in…
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Saint Nicholas Kandaurov
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Saint Finan of Lindisfarne
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Troparion & Kontakion
Hieromartyr Theodore of Atchara
Holy Hieromartyr Theodore of Atchara belongs to the glorious multitude of Atcharan faithful who were martyred at the hands of the Ottomans. Saint Theodore was born in the late 18th century. At that time the Ottoman invaders had nearly completed the forced Islamization of the Atcharan region. They…
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Troparion & Kontakion
Holy Apostles Orthodox Christian Church 15710 S. Peoria Ave.
The morning prayer service of the Orthodox Church, traditionally celebrated at dawn. Also called Orthros in Greek tradition, this service includes the reading of the Gospel, the Great Doxology, and numerous psalms and hymns. Matins prepares the faithful for the day and is often celebrated immediately before the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and feast days.
Compline
A brief evening prayer service traditionally said before sleep. Compline includes psalms asking for God's protection through the night and prayers for peaceful rest. During Great Lent, Great Compline is celebrated with additional prayers and the beautiful Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. The service emphasizes trust in God's care during our vulnerable hours of sleep.
Divine Liturgy
The central worship service of the Orthodox Church, celebrating the Eucharist (Holy Communion). Usually celebrated on Sundays and feast days, the Divine Liturgy consists of the Liturgy of the Word (scripture readings) and Liturgy of the Faithful (Eucharistic prayer and communion). The most common forms are the Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great.
The Hours
Brief prayer services traditionally celebrated at specific times of day: First Hour (6 AM), Third Hour (9 AM), Sixth Hour (noon), and Ninth Hour (3 PM). Each Hour includes psalms, troparia, and prayers appropriate to that time of day. These services sanctify the day and connect us to Christ's Passion, as they commemorate specific moments in His crucifixion and death.
Akathist
A devotional service of praise consisting of hymns sung while standing ("akathist" means "not sitting"). The most famous is the Akathist to the Theotokos, traditionally sung during the fifth Friday of Great Lent. Akathists can honor Christ, the Theotokos, or various saints. These services are deeply moving expressions of Orthodox hymnography and devotion.
Midnight Office
A brief night prayer service traditionally celebrated at midnight, anticipating the coming of Christ as the Bridegroom. Also called Mesonyktikon, this service includes psalms that speak of watching and waiting for the Lord, particularly Psalms 50 and 118. The Midnight Office emphasizes spiritual vigilance and the need to be always ready for Christ's return. In monastic communities, it is celebrated between Compline and Matins. The service includes the Creed and often commemorates the departed.
Holy Confession
The sacrament of reconciliation through which the faithful confess their sins to a priest and receive absolution. Also called the sacrament of repentance or penance, confession restores the baptismal purity lost through sin and reconciles the penitent with God and the Church. The penitent stands before an icon of Christ while confessing to the priest, who acts as a witness and minister of God's forgiveness. The priest then covers the penitent's head with his epitrachelion (stole) and pronounces the prayer of absolution.
Vespers
The evening prayer service of the Orthodox Church, traditionally celebrated at sunset. Vespers includes psalms, hymns, scripture readings, and incense. On Saturday evenings, Great Vespers is often combined with the Sunday Divine Liturgy. The service marks the end of the liturgical day and prepares the faithful for rest and reflection.
Holy Apostles Orthodox Christian Church | 15710 S. Peoria Ave. | Bixby, OK CONTACT | CALENDAR | DONATE
Holy Apostles Orthodox Church 15710 S. Peoria Ave. | Bixby, OK CONTACT | CALENDAR | DONATE