All Saints
Categories: hymns, feast-days
Date: 03 June 2007 04:45:59
Today is the Feast of All Saints on the Eastern Calendar, where we remember all the Saints, particularly those who are unknown to us but known to God, or those who are known to us and God, but not recognised formally as Saints. For we are all saints, all children of the ever-blessed God: but, as in all things, there are those more advanced on the road than us, and those to whom we look to for guidance and help in times of distress.
Ancient Church has a wonderful post on the Feast of All Saints here, with his own wise reflections added to those of St John Chrysostom and St Symeon the New Theologian: I commend the post to you.
And it was wonderful to return to church after a fortnight or so: I was a bit late as I needed to drop by work, but once I was there, worshipping God and with my beloved brothers and sisters [I stayed and talked for ages afterwards...]: it was just wonderful. Thanks be to God.
Troparion:
As with fine porphyry and royal purple, Your church has been adorned with Your martyrs' blood shed throughout the world. She cries to You, O Christ God, "Send down Your bounties on Your people; grant peace to Your habitation; and great mercy to our souls!"
Kontakion:
The universe offers You the God-bearing martyrs as the first fruits of creation, O Lord and Creator. Through the Theotokos, and their prayers, establish Your Church in peace!
Epistle: Hebrews 11:33-12:2
Gospel: Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38, 19:27-30
Hymn sung during Clergy Communion: Psalm 33:1-4 (verse 1 is the refrain)
And, while our Western brothers and sisters celebrate All Saints on November 1, permit me to quote the glorious Collect from The Book of Common Prayer (with modification of pronouns to modern English by me):
Almighty God, who has knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Grant us grace so to follow your blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys, which you have prepared for them that unfeignedly love you; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Tonight I am off to a Dinner and Film Night at the ROCOR church at Cabramatta, in aid of Saint John the Baptist Skete. Looking forward to what looks like a sumptuous meal [and just before the Apostles' Fast...nice timing! :)] and a Russian movie, OCTROB [The Island].