You can download the August Pocket Calendar here or you can visit our Schedule Page on the parish website.
In August we celebrate three feasts of the Savior including His glorious Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor, followed by the final feast of the Church year: the Dormition of the Most-holy Theotokos.
During the short but intense two-week fast in preparation for her repose and translation to life as the Mother of Life, the Paraklesis service—also called the Supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos—acts as our daily psalter to the Mother of God. Like David's aforetime, these hymns till the ground of our heart, uprooting our passions, cares, worries, stresses, and dread in the face of our infirmities both bodily and spiritual, so that we might run to the Physician of souls and bodies through the intercessions of the greatest intercessor for the Christian people, His Mother, whom we laud in this service with words such as these: she is the Mother of the Word, the Ever-virgin, the Bride of God, the Spotless, Pure, and All-blameless one, the Sure Rampart, Protectress, Directress, Mediatress, Mistress of Creation, Fervent Advocate, Invincible Battlement, Fountain of Mercy, Sheltering Retreat for the World, Higher than the Heavens, the Sweetness of Angles, the Gladness of the Afflicted, the Gold-entwined Tower, the Twelve-wall Encircled City, the Throne Besprinkled with Sunbeams, the Royal Chair of the King, the Inexplicable Wonder.
May the following selection of hymns from the 6th and 9th odes of the Small Paraklesis be an encouragement to everyone to attend as many services this month as possible:
My nature, held by corruption and by death, hath He saved from out of death and corruption, for unto death He Himself hath submitted. Wherefore, O Virgin, do thou intercede with Him Who is in truth thy Lord and Son to redeem me from enemies' wickedness.
I know thee as the protection of my life and most safe fortification, O Virgin; disperse the horde of my many temptations, and put to silence demonic audacity; unceasingly I pray to thee: From corruption of passions deliver me.
A bulwark of safe retreat art thou to us, and of souls art thou the perfect salvation, and a relief in distresses, O Maiden; and in thy light do we ever exult with joy. O Lady, do thou also now from all passions and perils deliver us.
Bedridden, I lie supine with sickness now, and no healing for my flesh is existent except for thee, who didst bear the world's Savior, our God, the Healer of every infirmity; I pray to thee, for thou art good: From corruption of illnesses raise me up.
The torrent of my weeping spurn not with refusal for thou didst give birth to Him Who doth take away all tears from every face, O thou Virgin, for He is Christ indeed.
Do thou, O Virgin Maiden, fill my heart with gladness, for thou art she who received all the fulness of joy, and made to vanish away all sorrow of sinfulness.
A haven and protection, and a wall unshaken, and a rejoicing and shelter and place of retreat do thou become, O thou Virgin, for those who flee to thee.
Illumine with the radiance of thy light, O Virgin, all those who piously call thee the Mother of God; and do thou banish away all darkness of ignorance.
Brought low am I, O Virgin, in a place of sickness, and in a dwelling of anguish; grant healing to me, transforming all of my illness into full healthfulness.
Most-holy Theotokos, save us!