Church guide

REMINDER: Bishop Nicholas Samra will celebrate Divine Liturgy, Sunday, May 19, 10 am. Fr. Bryan McNeil to be installed as Pastor of our church. All are welcome! * Feel free to bring a dish to share at the luncheon afterward. * Our Lady of Perpetual Help 256 Hamilton Street Worcester, MA 01604 (508) 752-4174

Dear Bishop Nicholas, Thank you for your 49 years of faithful service to the Church. May God continue to bless you abundantly in your ministry. From all of us at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Worcester, MA

*ANNOUNCEMENT* Christ is Risen! Bishop Nicholas Samra will celebrate Divine Liturgy with us Sunday, May 19, 10 am. At that time, he will formally install Fr. Bryan McNeil as Pastor of our church. Please join us! Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church 256 Hamilton Street Worcester, MA 01604 (508) 752-4174

It’s Bright Week! One long “day” of celebrating Christ’s Resurrection. “The New Week, or Bright Week if you prefer, is the week that follows Pascha (Easter), commemorating the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The whole week is an extension of the Day of Resurrection. The order of service in the daily Divine Office and Divine Liturgy is the same as on the day of Pascha, except for some propers of each day. "It is called the NEW WEEK for two reasons: because the whole creation is renewed by Christ, and because the catechumens baptized on Easer Sunday wore their new white robes all the week." (Byzantine Daily Worship, by Archbishop Joseph Raya and Baron Jose De Vinck). In the tradition of our Melkite Church, as mentioned in the Byzantine Daily Worship, "from this time until the feast of Ascension, there is no fast or abstinence, even on Fridays... The New Week or Bright Week is followed by the New Sunday or the Sunday of Thomas. You may call it also the Bright Sunday.” ~ melkite.org , By His Excellency Bishop / Sayedna / Sayidna John Elya, BSO Eparch Emeritus of Newton

Red Color of Eggs Explained by Our Lady of the Cedars Church [Manchester, NH], 2016 "It is an ancient Orthodox Christian tradition to have red eggs at Pascha. The tradition is for eggs to be dyed red on Holy Thursday in commemoration of the Last Supper, the final meal which Jesus shared with his Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The custom of presenting each other with a red egg at Pascha reflects an interchange between Mary Magdalene and Tiberius Caesar. According to tradition, Mary Magdalene traveled to Rome, where she was able to obtain an audience with the Roman Emperor, Tiberius Caesar. Her purpose was to protest to him that his governor in Judea, Pontius Pilate, and the two high priests, Annas and Caiaphas, had conspired and executed an innocent man, namely our Lord Jesus Christ. According to custom, everyone visiting the Emperor was supposed to bring him a gift. Rich and influential people, of course, brought expensive gifts whereas the poor offered whatever they could afford. Mary Magdalene took an egg to the Emperor's palace and handed it to Tiberius Caesar with the greeting: "Christ is risen!" Tiberius Caesar, naturally, could not believe what he heard and responded to her: "How could anyone ever rise from the dead? It is as impossible as that white egg to turn red." While Tiberius was speaking these words, the egg in the hand of Mary Magdalene began changing color until it finally became bright red. Mary Magdalene then went on to explain to Tiberius Caesar that the now-red egg symbolized life rising from a sealed chamber, a symbol that would have been understandable to a pagan Roman. Thus the Paschal greeting -- in universal Christendom, both East and West -- has ever since remained "Christ is risen!" and it became traditional for Christians throughout the world to color eggs in red. Mary Magdalene is often shown in iconography to be holding the red egg once presented to Tiberius Caesar, which she used to explain the mystery of Christ rising from a sealed tomb." ~ http://olocnh.org/workspace/content/bulletins/pascha-5701670ea5aaf.pdf

♪♫ CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD and by His death He has trampled upon Death and has given life to those who are in the tombs. ♪♫ This hymn, the troparion of Pascha, is chanted repeatedly on Pascha and throughout the forty days until the feast of Christ’s ascension. ~ melkite.org . image1 - OLPH Icon of the Resurrection depicting Christ having destroyed the gates of Hades and removing Adam and Eve from the grave. image 2 - Christ is flanked by saints, and Satan—depicted as an old man under His stance—who is bound and chained.

https://melkite.org/eparchy/bishop-nicholas/bishops-2019-paschal-letter

https://melkite.org/eparchy/bishop-nicholas/bishops-2019-paschal-letter

We are winding up for Pascha. Two days away! Here are some fascinating tidbits about it from the Eparchy website: "Rule to Determine the Date of Feast of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha The rule is that: Feast of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha is the first Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or after March 21. This particular ecclesiastical full moon is the 14th day of a tabular lunation (new moon)... the Vernal Equinox is fixed as March 21. Then, the earliest possible date for Feasts of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha is March 22 and the latest possible date is April 25. The lunar cycles used by the ecclesiastical system are simple to program. The following algorithm will compute the date of Feast of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha in the Gregorian Calendar system. The algorithm uses the year, y, to give the month, m, and day, d, of Easter. The symbol * means multiply. Please note the following: This is an integer calculation. All variables are integers and all remainders from division are dropped. For example, 7 divided by 3 is equal to 2 in integer arithmetic. c = y / 100 n = y - 19 * ( y / 19 ) k = ( c - 17 ) / 25 i = c - c / 4 - ( c - k ) / 3 + 19 * n + 15 i = i - 30 * ( i / 30 ) i = i - ( i / 28 ) * ( 1 - ( i / 28 ) * ( 29 / ( i + 1 ) ) * ( ( 21 - n ) / 11 ) ) j = y + y / 4 + i + 2 - c + c / 4 j = j - 7 * ( j / 7 ) l = i - j m = 3 + ( l + 40 ) / 44 d = l + 28 - 31 * ( m / 4 ) For example, using the year 2010, y=2010, c=2010/100=20, n=2010 - 19 x (2010/19) = 2010 - 19 x (105) = 15, [see note above regarding integer calculations] etc. resulting in Easter on April 4, 2010. The algorithm is due to J.-M. Oudin (1940) and is reprinted in the Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac, ed. P. K. Seidelmann (1992). See Chapter 12, "Calendars", by L. E. Doggett. Melkites use both the Julian Calendar and the Gregorian Calendar to determine the date of Pascha. The Patriarch / Batriyark uses the Julian Calendar with the approval of His Holiness Francis, Pope. The Patriarch / Batriyark celebrates Pascha on the same day as the Orthodox. This practice began in 2002 with the approval of His Holiness Ioannes Paulus II (John Paul II), Pope. The Orthodox use the Julian Calendar. From 1858 to 2001, the Patriarch / Batriyark celebrated Pascha on the same day as the Pope. The Latin Catholics use the Gregorian Calendar. Syrian Catholics and Orthodox to Mark Easter on Same Day in Syria, press release from ZENIT. Countries, where the dominate Christians are Orthodox, use the Julian Calendar Melkites, in countries where the dominate Christians are Orthodox, celebrate on the same day as the Orthodox. The Orthodox use the Julian Calendar. Countries, where the dominate Christians are Latin, use the Gregorian Calendar Melkites, in countries where the dominate Christians are Latin Catholics, celebrate on the same day as the Latin Catholics. The Latin Catholics use the Gregorian Calendar. His Beatitude, Gregorios III, Patriarch / Batriyark of the cities of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, of Cilicia, Syria, Iberia, Arabia Mesopotamia, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, of all of Egypt and the entire East, Father of Fathers, Pastor of Pastors, Bishop of Bishops, the Thirteenth of The Holy Apostles (Patriarcat Grec Melkite Catholique) 's explanation of the date of Pascha in his 2010 Pascha Letter via the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Eparchy of Newton (Our Lady of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) in Roslindale, Massachusetts), United States His Beatitude, Gregorios III, Patriarch / Batriyark's 2010 Pascha Letter Proposal of His Holiness Ioannes Paulus II (John Paul II) for one Feast of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha date for all Christians "POPE AGAIN PROPOSES ONE EASTER DATE FOR ALL CHRISTIANS Calendars of Eastern and Western Churches Do Not Coincide", an article from Zenit.org" ~https://www.mliles.com/melkite/paschadateprint.shtml

Crucifixion Service Thursday, April 18, 2019

French mourners sing the Ave Maria (Hail Mary) as Notre Dame burns. A sad time for all Catholics and people everywhere.

49th ANNUAL LENTEN SUPPER WAS A HIT We started with Vespers for Lazarus and made our way to a beautifully decorated dinner venue. Our guest speaker, Zaza Sakhat, shared her personal journey as it unfolded here in the US and in Lebanon. She was brought to her current work as a social worker who helps teenage girls who have been sexually, physically, or mentally abused. Fr. Bryan McNeil, our upcoming pastor, spoke about everyone, Christian or not, being welcome in our church. Fr. Paul Frechette, our current pastor of 23+ years, also spoke. He suggested we not only hear God's Word, but we go out and do something fruitful for others with it.

REMINDER: It is Holy Week.

LAST CALL! 49th ANNUAL LENTEN SUPPER - Friday, April 12 (Tomorrow) Come hear our own Zaza Sakhat speak about “Helping Families in Distress: Worcester or Beirut?” ONLINE http://www.socialweb.net/Events/239711.lasso or http://www.socialweb.net/Events/239711.lasso A nice time to socialize with OLPH members and friends, old & new. Please join us! Also hear our outgoing pastor and incoming pastor say a few words. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Also, feel free to join us in the church beforehand for Vespers for Lazarus, 6pm. ONLINE - http://www.socialweb.net/Events/239711.lasso

OLPH GREAT LENT SCHEDULE 2019 Week 6! A Triple Header :) 1) Wednesday, April 10, 7pm - Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. 2) Friday, April 12, 6pm - Vespers for Lazarus 3) Friday, April 12, 7pm - 49th Annual Lenten Supper Fundraiser ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SocialWeb.net Links 1 - http://www.socialweb.net/Events/240449.lasso 2 - http://www.socialweb.net/Events/240449.lasso 3 - http://www.socialweb.net/Events/240449.lasso

To help Syrian refugees, get to roots of war, Melkite archbishop tells EU https://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2019/to-help-syrian-refugees-get-to-roots-of-war-melkite-archbishop-tells-eu.cfm

With Great Lent still in motion and Holy Week around the corner, Fasting & Abstaining are still on our minds. These excerpts are from the Eparchy website. "FAST & ABSTINENCE, REASONS WHY In the Melkite Church there are four major periods of fast & abstinence: The Great Fast (or Lent) which precedes the Pascha of the Lord, the Fast of the Holy Apostles after the feast of the Ascension, the Fast of the Theotokos during the first 2 weeks of August, and the Pre-Christmas Fast. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God clearly reveals to His people the need for fasting. Jesus Our Lord, in the Gospel, taught that after He would ascend into heaven, His disciples must fast. The Holy Apostles clearly kept every Wednesday and Friday as days of fast and abstinence, as mentioned in the book of Acts. Fasting is not extraordinary - for the Christian it is a regular aspect of the spiritual life. Fasting is depriving the body of food from midnight till noon. For the Christian the hunger that results is a real call to be mindful of our thirst for God. It is a call to identify with the poor, whom God loves especially. It is a way for us, as mature men and women to take charge of our body and of our needs, rather than to allow the body, its needs and passions to rule over our life. Fasting is also a beautiful opportunity to express our solidarity and communion with Christians all over the world. There are many deeply moving stories of our brothers and sisters who observed the periods of fasting during harsh famines and wars. Imagine the power and the grace that is filling the world during this time of darkness and cold, as men, women and children, rich and poor, virtuous and sinful alike, together offer up penance for the sins of the world and in anticipation of the Coming of Christ! Abstinence refers to the practice of foregoing all foods that come from animals (meats, poultry, dairy products, eggs). From the creation of our Parents in Paradise to the time after the great flood, people ate only fruits, grains and vegetables. This is the food of paradise! The practice of abstinence reminds us of our high calling to manage all creation in the Name of the Lord. Our hunger for meat and other rich food serves as a reminder of the enmity that exists in creation as a result of sin. Especially during this holy season when the liturgy reminds us of the role that the stars, the angels, the earth itself, the beasts of the field, the ox and the ass all played in receiving the Savior of the world, abstinence calls us to set aside our enmity even with the animals in order to restore peace on earth. Thus, we fast to experience hunger and, realizing our emptiness and dependence, to seek the One who alone satisfies our needs. We abstain in order to strive for peace, to cleanse ourselves body and soul to worthily receive Our Lord. Remember: The Church does not impose. Rather, as a loving Mother, She proposes." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "The idea of "fasting and abstinence" is to gain self control, a simplification of life-style, a solidarity with the poor and hungry, and to return to Paradise. As such fasting and abstinence should always be focused towards making life simpler not more complicated. Additionally there is a liturgical fasting with no Divine Liturgy on weekdays. The practice of Orthros - or morning prayers is emphasized. Special services are offered on the various days of the week: Wednesday is the presanctified Liturgy, Fridays is the Akathist Hymn, and on Saturday we have the service for All Souls (all of the faithfully departed)." ~https://melkite.org/faith/faith-worship/holy-week-traditions

Procession w/Palms

48th Annual OLPH Lenten Supper Charbel H. Najem, Guest Speaker