Four Evangelists Orthodox Church, Bel Air, Maryland

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Vespers

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

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.

Sunday of the Blind Man and the 6th Sunday of Pascha

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Christ is risen!

Prayers
In your prayers, please continue to remember our catechumens, expectant 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 the Blind Man (6th Sunday of Pascha)
This coming Sunday, 25 May 2025, is the Sunday of the Blind Man and the 6th Sunday of Pascha. Also commemorated on this day is the Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptizer John (c. 850), among others.

The readings for this Sunday are:

  • 2 Corinthians 4.6–15 (Epistle, Forerunner)
  • Matthew 11.2–15 (Gospel, Forerunner)
  • Acts 16.16–34 (Epistle)
  • John 9.1–38 (Gospel)

I come to You, O Christ, / blind from birth in my spiritual eyes / and I call to You in repentance: / You are the most radiant light of those in darkness!
— Kontakion for the Sunday of the Blind Man

This Week at Four Evangelists Orthodox Church

Looking Ahead

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman and the 5th Sunday of Pascha

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Christ is risen!

This coming Sunday, 18 May 2025, is the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman and the 5th Sunday of Pascha.

The readings for this Sunday are:

The Samaritan Woman came to the well in faith; / she saw You, the Water of Wisdom, and drank abundantly / she inherited the Kingdom on High and is ever glorified!
— Troparion for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

Samaritan woman (St. Photini) at the well

This week at Four Evangelists Orthodox Church:

Looking ahead: Forty days after Pascha we will celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord on 29 May 2025, followed by the Feast of Holy Pentecost ten days later on 08 June 2028.

Stay tuned for more information!

Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women and the 3rd Sunday of Pascha

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Christ is risen!

Upcoming on the calendar at Four Evangelists Orthodox Church:

Sunday, 04 May 2025, is the 3rd Sunday of Pascha and Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women.

The 3rd Sunday of Holy Pascha is observed by the Orthodox Church as the Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearers. The day commemorates when the women disciples of our Lord came to the tomb to anoint his body with myrrh-oils but found the tomb empty. As the woman wondered what this meant, angels appeared proclaiming that Christ had risen from the dead. | from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website

The readings for this Sunday are:

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. — Gospel According to St. Mark 16.1–8

Myrrh-bearing Women