Rev. Fr. George Halycia

THE HOLY, GLORIOUS, ALL-PRAISED AND LEADERS OF THE APOSTLES, PETER AND PAUL

(June 29 | July 12)

MAGNIFICATION:

We magnify you, Holy Apostles of Christ, who have enlightened the whole universe and brought all the ends of the earth to Christ.

After each verse, we repeat the Magnification.

1. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.
2. His lightnings light up the world.
3. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised.
4. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

TROPAR, TONE 4:

Foremost of the apostles and teachers of the universe, pray to the Master of all that He would grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls.

KONDAK, TONE 2:

You have taken to Yourself O Lord, the firm and God-proclaiming preachers, the Chief Apostles, for the enjoyment of your good things and for repose. For you have accepted their labours and death as greater than any sacrifice, You, Who alone see the secrets of our hearts.

PROKEIMEN, TONE 8:

(Psalm 18:5, 2)
Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the universe.
Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament proclaims the work of His hands.

EPISTLE:

2 Corinthians 11:21-12:9

²¹To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold — I speak foolishly — I am bold also.
²²Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.
²³Are they ministers of Christ? — I speak as a fool — I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
²⁴From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.
²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
²⁶in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
²⁷in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness —
²⁸besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
²⁹Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
³⁰If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.
³¹The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
³²In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me;
³³but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

Chapter 12

¹It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:
²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows — such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
³And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows —
⁴how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
⁵Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.
⁶For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.
⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
⁸Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
⁹And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

ALLELUIA VERSES, TONE 1:

(Psalm 88:5, 7)
The heavens, O Lord, shall declare Your wonders and Your Truth in the assembly of the saints.
Verse: God is glorified in the council of the saints.

GOSPEL:

Matthew 16:13-19

¹³When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
¹⁴So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
¹⁵He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
¹⁶Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
¹⁷Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
¹⁸And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
¹⁹And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

COMMUNION VERSE:

(Psalm 18:5)
Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth and their words to the ends of the universe. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.