Four Evangelists Orthodox Church, Bel Air, Maryland

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3rd Sunday after Pentecost and the Feast of the Holy Glorious and All-Praised Leaders of the Apostles, Peter and Paul

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Glory to Jesus Christ!

Baptism and Chrismation of Daniel B.
Join us in officially welcoming Daniel to the Orthodox Church and to our parish. Many years!

Baptism of Daniel B. — 22 June 2025 (Feast of All Saints of North America)

Prayers
In your prayers please continue to remember our catechumens (Tyra, Jimmy, Rob & Stacy, Michael, Nicholas, and Michael), new mothers, the sick, the poor, travelers, and those in need.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,…” — 1st Epistle of St. Timothy 2.1

Choir Practice
Choir practice for Tuesday, 24 June 2025 at 6:30pm, will be at the Mukai home and not at the church. Please contact Peggy for details.

Chrismation
Join us on Sunday, 29 June 2025 at 8:30am, for the chrismation of Tyra D. and Jimmy S. Please continue to pray for Tyra and Jimmy and all catechumens as they prepare to enter the Orthodox Church.

3rd Sunday after Pentecost and the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul
Sunday, 29 June 2025, is the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost and the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. On this day we remember the martyrdom of the apostles in Rome.

The readings for this Sunday are:

O foremost of the Apostles and teachers of the inhabited earth, / intercede with the Master of all / to grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls.
— Troparion for the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul

Sts. Peter and Paul

This Week and Looking Ahead

2nd Sunday after Pentecost and the Synaxis of the Saints of North America

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Glory to Jesus Christ!

Prayers
In your prayers please continue to remember our catechumens, new mothers, the sick, the poor, and those in need.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,…” — 1st Epistle of St. Timothy 2.1

Choir Practice
Please note that the scheduled choir practice for this evening, Tuesday, 17 June 2025 at 6:30pm, is being held at the Mukai home and not at the church. Please contact Peggy for details.

Catechumen’s Class
This Wednesday, 18 June 2025 at 7:00pm, will be the last catechumen class of the current session. Dates and times for the next set of classes will be forthcoming.

Baptism and Chrismation
Join us on Sunday, 22 June 2025 at 8:30am, for the baptism and chrismation of Daniel B. Please continue to pray for Daniel and all catechumens as they prepare to enter the Orthodox Church.

Please note that the Divine Liturgy will start closer to 9:30am.

2nd Sunday after Pentecost
This coming Sunday, 22 June 2025, is the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost, as well as the Synaxis of the Saints of North America. On this day we remember all of the saints who have lived and labored on our continent. (Synaxis, from the Greek word meaning “gathering” or “assembly” and in this case the common commemoration of a number of saints in a single service)

The readings for this Sunday are:

As the bountiful harvest of Your sowing of salvation, / the lands of North America offer to You, O Lord, all the saints who have shone in them. / By their prayers keep the Church and our land in abiding peace / through the Theotokos, O most Merciful One.
— Troparion for the Synaxis of the Saints of North America

St. Olga of Alaska, first female Orthodox saint in North America (+1979, canonized 2023. Feast day 27 October)

Apostles Fast
The Apostles Fast is upon us. This fast, also commonly called the Fast of Sts. Peter and Paul, occurs from the second Monday after Pentecost until the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul on 29 June. It varies in length due to its dependency on the date of Pascha. By the 5th century, this fast was attested to in both the East and the West. St. Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome (+461), described the fast as a way of tempering the post-Paschal joy of the Spirit with watchfulness.

This Week and Looking Ahead

All Saints’ Day and the 1st Sunday after Pentecost

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Glory to Jesus Christ!

Prayers
Please continue to remember in your prayers our catechumens, expectant mothers, the sick, the poor, and those in need.

Give thanks also for the recent deliveries of two baby boys born to parents in our parish (Theodore –Caleb & Ruscha; Cooper –Rob & Stacy). Please keep the babies, their parents, and families in your prayers.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,…” — 1st Epistle of St. Timothy 2.1

Sunday of All Saints and the 1st Sunday after Pentecost
This coming Sunday, 15 June 2025, is the Sunday of All Saints and the 1st Sunday after Pentecost. (Following the Pentecost, we start reckoning time as “… after Pentecost”, with the Great Feast day of the Holy Spirit as the time-marking reference point. This naming continues until the pre-Lenten season.)

This day is also All Saints’ Day on the Orthodox calendar. On this day we commemorate all of the Saints, all the Righteous, the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Shepherds, Teachers, and Holy Monastics, both men and women alike, known and unknown, who have been added to the choirs of the Saints and shall be added, from the time of Adam until the end of the world, who have been perfected in piety and have glorified God by their holy lives.1

Sunday the 15th is also Father’s Day. A happy Father’s Day to all of our fathers —including grandfathers, uncles, and all the men who have played a fatherly role our lives.

The readings for this Sunday are:

Adorned in the blood of Your Martyrs throughout all the world, / as if clothed in purple and linen, / through them Your Church cries out to You, O Christ God: / “Bestow Your bounties upon Your people, / grant peace to Your habitation, and great mercy to our souls.”
— Troparion for the Synaxis of All Saints

All Saints

Trinity Week
As a reminder, this current week –Trinity Week, the week after Pentecost until the Saturday before All Saints Sunday– is fast free!

This Week and Looking Ahead

Feast of Pentecost and the 8th Sunday of Pascha

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Christ is ascended!

Prayers
In your prayers, please continue to remember our catechumens, expectant mothers and fathers, new mothers and fathers, the sick, and those in need.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,…” — 1st Epistle of St. Timothy 2.1

The Feast of Pentecost
This coming Sunday, 08 June 2025, is the Feast of Holy Pentecost and the 8th Sunday of Pascha. Please join us for Vespers for the Feast on Saturday at 6PM and the Festal Divine Liturgy on Sunday at 9AM.

The Feast of Pentecost, one of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles while in Jerusalem (Acts 2.1–31), along with with the full revelation of the divine Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Following the Festal Divine Liturgy we will pray the Kneeling Prayers of Pentecost, traditionally prayed during Great Vespers on Sunday evening but in many parishes prayed immediately after the Divine Liturgy.

This Sunday the hymn O Heavenly King will be sung/prayed for the first time since Pascha.

Also note that Trinity Week (the week after Pentecost until the Saturday before All Saints Sunday) is fast-free.

The readings for this Sunday are:

Blessed are You O Christ Our God / You have revealed the fishermen as most wise / by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit / through them You drew the world into Your net / O Lover of Man, Glory to You!
— Troparion for the Feast of Pentecost

Holy Pentecost
Holy Pentecost (Romanian, 20th century)

Looking Ahead

Afterfeast of the Ascension and the 7th Sunday of Pascha

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Christ is ascended!

Prayers
In your prayers, please continue to remember our catechumens, expectant mothers and fathers, new mothers and fathers, the sick, and those in need.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,…” — 1st Epistle of St. Timothy 2.1

Sunday of Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council (7th Sunday of Pascha)
Tomorrow, Sunday, 01 June 2025, is the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council and the 7th Sunday of Pascha.

This Sunday also one of the eight days of the Afterfeast of the Ascension, ending with Leavetaking of the Ascention on the Friday before Pentecost, 06 June 2025.

The readings for this Sunday are:

  • Acts 20.16–18, 28–36 (Epistle)
  • John 17.1–13 (Gospel)

O Christ God, You have ascended in Glory, / granting joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. / Through the blessing they were assured / that You are the Son of God, / the Redeemer of the world!
— Troparion for the Feast of the Ascension

Ascension

Looking Ahead

  • Vespers for the Feast of Pentecost on Saturday, 07 June 2025, at 6pm
  • Festal Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Pentecost on Sunday, 08 June 2025, at 9am, preceded by Prayers of the Hours at 8:45am. Please note that following the liturgy we will pray a portion of the Kneeling Prayers for Vespers of Pentecost.

The Feast of the Ascension

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O Christ God, You have ascended in Glory, / granting joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. / Through the blessing they were assured / that You are the Son of God, / the Redeemer of the world!
— Troparion for the Ascension of our Lord

Vespers for the Feast of the Ascension
This coming Thursday, 29 May 2025, is the Feast of the Ascension, one of the twelve Great Feasts of the liturgical year.

Ascension of our Lord

On this day we celebrate Jesus’s Ascension into heaven on the fortieth day after His Resurrection. He led His disciples to the Mount of Olives, blessed them, and asked them to await the Holy Spirit’s promise before ascending.

Please join us on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, at 6pm as we celebrate the Ascension with Vespers for the Feast.