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Seasonal Message
Message from Fr. Anthony-Nativity of our Lord 2023
Dear and faithful Orthodox Christians,
We shared so many joyous blessings on the Feast of Saint Barbara and our patronal Feast of Saint Nicholas. Our celebrations for the Feasts were magnified as we were joined by our Metropolitan Gregory, our Elder Abbott Isaac of Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Father Pedros, Father Sergey and Father Protodeacon George. May Our Saviour bless all those who were able to attend and all those who assisted with readying of the Church, preparing meals, and providing hospitality to our visiting friends and clergy.
Behold now our Salvation is at hand
And now the holy Church enters into the Festive time of the Nativity of Our Saviour, inviting each of us to worship the Lord Jesus Christ in the sacred Services. Give rest to your soul and allow some of the typical activities of the days fall away, to attend the Services, to receive the grace of God. Let us all prepare and draw nigh to Bethlehem, as hymns of the Forefeast declare:
“Behold now the time of our salvation is near at hand. Prepare, O cave; the Virgin draweth nigh to give birth… behold Christ cometh, that He might save mankind whom He fashioned.”
“Raising our minds on high, let us be taken up in spirit unto Bethlehem, and with the eyes of our soul, let us look upon the Virgin, as she maketh haste unto the cave to give birth to the Lord of all and our God.”
At the Royal Hours on Friday, January 5th which begins at 6:30pm, we will hear the Psalms and Prophecies of Christ’s birth. More than 600 years before God’s coming upon the earth, it was prophesied by the Prophet Jeremias.
“This is our God, and there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of Him. He hath found out all the way of knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob His child, and to Israel His beloved. Afterward, He was seen upon earth, and lived among men.”
(Baruch 3:35-37)
Our celebration of the Vigil of Nativity begins at 5pm on Saturday, January 6th. For Orthodox Christians, this is our night watch of prayer, readings, and sacred chants, waiting upon God, and receiving already the grace and joy in the holy night of the Great Feast. This hymn of the Vigil announces the joy of the Feast:
“Come, ye faithful, let us see where Christ the Saviour hath been born; let us follow with the kings, even the Magi from the East, unto the place where the star doth direct their journey.”
“Today Christ is born of the Virgin in Bethlehem. Today the Beginningless beginneth, and the Word is made flesh. The powers of the Heavens rejoice, and the earth together with men is glad… Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.”
This year for the Divine Liturgy for Nativity, our Service will be at 9am on Sunday, January 7th. Celebrating together in the sacred Mystery of Holy Communion, chanting the hymns of Christ’s birth, we will then enjoy a festive meal together with caroling.
May Our God bless us in all these celebrations, and may He receive our worship and join it together with the Angels in Heaven. And may He enlighten us, for Our Salvation hath come. Christ is born! Glorify Him.
Father Anthony
Parish Feast 2023-Honouring our Patron Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker
Dear and Faithful Orthodox Christians,
Over 1700 years ago in the Roman town of Patera, the Christian parents Theophanes and Nonna gave birth to a son, our beloved Saint Nicholas. In his early years, Saint Nicholas would have heard of the time past when the holy Apostle Paul stopped in the port Town of Patera and changed ships on his way to visit with the faithful in Tyre (Acts 21 1-3). In time he became a Priest in Patara, made pilgrimage to the holy places in Jerusalem, and after returning, was raised to the office of Archbishop of the city of Myra.
As we ourselves now come to honour our great patron Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, together with our Metropolltan Gregory, our Father and Elder Isaac, Father Sergey, Father Pedros, and Father Protodeacon George, we join in spirit with the Orthodox Christians who have honoured him, and asked for his intercessions over the last seventeen centuries.
Saint Nicholas the Confessor and Archbishop of Myra
Having been ordained a Priest in Patara, as we said, he journeyed to the Holy Land and venerated the precious and life-giving Cross and the holy Sepulchre of Our Saviour. Desiring himself to remain in Jerusalem, he was obedient to God who revealed that he should return to his home, and shortly thereafter he was ordained Archbishop of Myra, the capital of that province of Lycia and near Patara. During his early years as Bishop, a great persecution came against the Christians under the orders of Emperors Diocletion and Maximian. Saint Nicholas was arrested for preaching the Salvation of Christ, and was chained and cast into prison. Remaining steadfast and untroubled by this, he taught, confirmed the faith, and cared for the many Christians imprisoned with him.
When the bright days of Saint Constantine the Roman Emperor came, Christianity was made legal, and Saint Nicholas was released and returned to his spiritual work in Lycia. Traveling when called upon by the Emperor to the First Council of Nicea, Nicholas was vigilant against the errors of Arius, and with the whole gathering of the Fathers proclaimed the true Orthodox Faith of Christ.
One of the innumerable Miracles of Saint Nicholas
Both during his life and after his repose, Saint Nicholas is renowned for his many countless miracles. Here we will recount one that is very instructive.
A number of mariners upon the sea were in danger of death as a gale arose tearing the sails of the ship amidst great waves. Having heard of the Nicholas the Archbishop of Myra, they called out in prayer for him to intercede and help them. Straightway a figure came to them across the sea, took the helm and steered the ship saying, ‘You called for me, stop fearing, I am with you.’ After guiding the ship for a time, and settling the storm, Saint Nicholas vanished. To properly show their gratitude, they set their course to Myra, and there found Saint Nicholas at the City Church and recognized him immediately as the one who indeed was saving captain of their ship. Now hear that as they gave thanks to Saint Nicholas and shared
the miracle with all those around, Saint Nicholas filled with the Holy Spirt, and knowing their hearts, spoke to them directly and with love. ‘I beseech you my children, to correct your hearts and thoughts, so that you may be pleasing to Go. Man sees the outward man, but God sees the heart.’ And thus the crew having been physically saved, now by the Saints admonishment recognized their sins, and repenting of them sins received spiritual healing as well.
Rejoicing together in the Festival of Saint Nicholas, the Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the great Wonderworker, let us also ask for his intercessions with the Saviour, that we receive enlightenment, support our holy Church of Saint Nicholas, and with repentance progress well in the fast until the great Feast of Nativity.
Through the intercessions of Saint Nicholas, O Saviour, save us!
Father Anthony
O Lord, bless the Crown of this year! – Message from Father Anthony
Dear and faithful Orthodox Christians,
According to the Church Calendar on September 1st (September 14th on the Civil Calendar), Orthodox Christians celebrate the beginning of the New Year. And in the hymns for the day, we ask the Our Saviour to bless the crown of the year ahead. And it this time we pray also that He enlighten and help the children and young adults as they begin their new studies at school, as well as pray for the Teachers and those who assist in the education of others and in the furtherance of our own knowledge and faith in Christ.
O Lord, bless the Crown of this Year!
In the Gospel of Saint Luke, Chapter 4, appointed for the New Year we hear how Our Saviour came into the Synagogue and stood up and read from the Book of Esaias,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
This scripture is reflected in today’s Dismissal hymn that we chant for September 1st:
O Master of all creation, Who hast established the times and the seasons in Thine own power:
Bless the crown of this year with Thy goodness, O Lord, and keep our rulers and Thy flock in peace,
by the intercessions of the Theotokos, and save us.
It is also a suitable time to offer prayers for those with challenging illnesses or who struggle in these complex times that are difficult for many. Let us also express our gratitude and thanks to God as we recall the many blessings He has bestowed upon us at Saint Nicholas in the preceding few months.
Thankful for the Blessings of Our Saviour
We were all inspired by the many Orthodox Faithful who came to worship and join in fellowship at the Saint Peter the Aleut Camp in August. Father Protodeacon George and his family together with other Parishioners of Saint Nicholas travelled to New Hampshire and joined with Metropolitan Gregory, our Elder Isaac and other clergy and faithful between July 30, 2023 and August 5, 2023. Our Canadian Orthodox contingent was joined by Orthodox brothers and sisters from the United States, Ukraine, the Republic of Georgia, Guatemala, and Mexico. It was a blessed week, filled with fellowship, spiritual talks, daily prayers, Divine Liturgies, and outdoor wilderness activities. The annual camp is confirmed to meet again next August. Plan now if you are able and save time in your summer 2024 calendar!
At Saint Nicholas Cathedral, we were blessed to welcome new parishioners including Michael, Mary, Helena and Julie, and we rejoiced together with them at the baptism of their son Martin. God’s blessing be upon them, and also upon the newly illumined servant of God Jason who was also baptized in August.
Supporting our local Community and Faithful abroad
Saint Nicholas continues to provide relief and spiritual support for members of our local community, and it has been an honour for me to serve on several occasions over the last months with our Deacon Antony at the Church of the Mother of God in Calgary. And I do look forward to celebrating the Liturgy with them this week on Saturday September 16.
God bless all of you who contributed towards the important donation of funds from our Parish to the Orthodox Mission in Uganda. They have just completed the building of another Church there through the labours of our MIssionary Society and with the blessing of our Metropolitan Paul of Nairobi and East Africa. The Church is dedicated to the great confessor, Saint Mark of Ephesus, and these funds will contribute towards the furnishings of the Church interior.
The Great Feasts of September
In the days ahead, as the Church begins her annual celebration of the Great Feasts of the Saviour and His holy Mother, note your schedules and plan to celebrate the Feast of the Birth of the Mother of God (Sept 8/21), and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Sept 14/27). You can find details for those Services and others in our September and October Calendars.
The Synaxis and elevation of a new Bishop
Father Protodeacon George and I, together with other clergy of the Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto will travel to the meeting of the Clergy at the Synaxis in Boston at the end of the month, when also God-willing the Priestmonk John (Zatonski) will be raised to the Episcopate on Sunday October 1st, 2023 as Bishop of Woodside. May God bless him and grant him and us to continue to stand fast in the true confession of Orthodoxy.
With love and prayers in Christ,
Father Anthony
The Coming of the Holy Spirit – it is the Day of Pentecost!
Dear and Faithful Orthodox Christians,
Last Sunday God blessed us to celebrate the Feast of the holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council together with our beloved Metropolitan Gregory the locum tenens of the Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto. The Hierarchical Liturgy including concelebrants Father Protopresbyter Anthony, Father Sergei, and Father Protodeacon George and the occasion was made especially joyous as the Servants of God, Justinian and Gabriel were blessed to be Taper Bearers and to serve in the Sanctuary. The Metropolitan’s Sermon included an explanation of the type of the First Council seen in the calling of the 318 men who came together at the call of Abraham to recover his brother Lot. And that we today, hold the Faith of the 318 Fathers of the First Council of Nicea, the Orthodox Faith, the Faith which has established the whole world! All the faithful came together for after Liturgy for a luncheon with the Metropolitan, and were edified by his spiritual insights during a Question and Answer discussion after the lunch.
Metropolitan Gregory, having served at Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral on Sunday May 28, and the Saint Seraphim of Sarov Russian Parish in Toronto, will now continue his pastoral visits to the other Parishes of the Metropolis of Toronto and join the faithful at the Churches in Calgary, Ispas Alberta, and Saskatoon later in June.
And now as we come to the celebration of Pentecost, hear the wonder that Saint Luke records in the Acts of the Apostles:
‘When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place… And there
appeared unto them cloven tongues like unto fire and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance…. Now when this sound came about, the multitude came together and were confounded, because each and every man heard them speak in his own language… we do hear them speak in our tongue the great works of God.’
As we come to the celebrate Pentecost, let us all approach the day with anticipation and with joy, asking Our Saviour to bless our Holy Church, our Hierarchs, and to fortify and enlighten us all with the grace of the Holy Spirit, the heavenly King, and Comforter. Amen.
Father Anthony