✞✞✞On this day is commemorated the Construction of the First Church in the Name of our Lady the Virgin Mary✞✞✞
✞✞✞In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen!✞✞✞
✞✞✞The Feast of the Construction of the Church of the Virgin Mary✞✞✞ =>On this day was built the first church in the name of the Theotokos. If asked how that happened, it was as follows.
✞As per the commands of our God, Jesus Christ, to Whose name’s invocation be Lordship, that said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations” (Matt.28:19) the Apostles divided the world with lots to cultivate it with the Gospel.
✞And since salvation is attained when one receives the Holy Body and Blood [of Christ] (John 6:56), the Fathers, the Apostles, used to prepare the Eucharist in the houses of chosen faithful, would celebrate the liturgy, and offer from the mysteries.
✞This happened first in the Upper Room and next in the homes of different persons. And to pray, they sometimes used the synagogues of the Jews. But when time passed, the number of faithful who were gentiles increased drastically.
✞Especially, those whom St. Paul converted, insisting it was for prayer started entering back into the temples of idols. And when the teachers asked them, “How could you go to the temples of idols after you believed?” They answered, “What should we do?! We do not have a place to pray at.”
✞Then things eventually reached the Apostles Paul and Barnabas. And [when the news was heard] immediately some of the brethren said, “Why do not we build [ours].” But St. Paul responded saying, “Without the permission of the Arch-apostle, it will not be.” (And that is why today a church is not built unless an archbishop gives permission).
✞Then, the Saints, Paul and Barnabas, went to where the Apostles were and told the matter to St. Peter. And the Arch-apostle declared, “So that we know if it is the will of our Lord, let us all together enter into days of prayer and fasting.”
✞And all the faithful in the world entered into some days of fasting and prayer in one mind (heart). And at the end of their prayers and fasts, Our Savior Jesus Christ, may glory be to Him, descended in splendor to where they were.
✞And He took all the Apostles upon a cloud and placed them in Philippi. And He then instructed them, on a land outside of the city, saying, “Build a Church in My mother’s name.” And He gave three rocks to St. Peter.
✞And by placing those three rocks in the ground, the Apostle built an astounding church that had three partitions which was the first in 52 A.D on this day while the Lord stood and the other Apostles helped him.
✞As we are going to say that the Church was consecrated by the Lord tomorrow (on Senne 21/June 28), let us stop here.
✞✞✞May our God grant us the love of His Virgin Mother, the grace of His House (the Church) and the blessings of the blessed Apostles.
✞✞✞ Annual feasts celebrated on the 20th of Senne 1. Our Lady the Virgin St. Mary 2. The Holy Church 3. The Holy Apostles 4. St. Elisha the Prophet (His departure)
✞✞✞ Monthly Feasts 1. St. Theodore the Military Leader (A Martyr) 2. St. John Colobos (the Short) 3. St. Kloag (Bagoug)/ Aklog/Eclogius, the Priest 4. Emperor St. Kaleb/St. Elesbaan (Emperor of Ethiopia) 5. Abba Ammonius/Amoni of Tounah/Tona 6. St. Sadji the Meek (Disciple of Ammonius)
✞✞✞ “in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft . . . In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.”✞✞✞ 2 Cor. 11:23-28
✞✞✞ Salutations to God ✞✞✞
(Translated by Mhr. Esuendale Shemeles with the permission of Dn. Yordanos Abebe)
✞✞✞On this day is commemorated the Construction of the First Church in the Name of our Lady the Virgin Mary✞✞✞
✞✞✞In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen!✞✞✞
✞✞✞The Feast of the Construction of the Church of the Virgin Mary✞✞✞ =>On this day was built the first church in the name of the Theotokos. If asked how that happened, it was as follows.
✞As per the commands of our God, Jesus Christ, to Whose name’s invocation be Lordship, that said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations” (Matt.28:19) the Apostles divided the world with lots to cultivate it with the Gospel.
✞And since salvation is attained when one receives the Holy Body and Blood [of Christ] (John 6:56), the Fathers, the Apostles, used to prepare the Eucharist in the houses of chosen faithful, would celebrate the liturgy, and offer from the mysteries.
✞This happened first in the Upper Room and next in the homes of different persons. And to pray, they sometimes used the synagogues of the Jews. But when time passed, the number of faithful who were gentiles increased drastically.
✞Especially, those whom St. Paul converted, insisting it was for prayer started entering back into the temples of idols. And when the teachers asked them, “How could you go to the temples of idols after you believed?” They answered, “What should we do?! We do not have a place to pray at.”
✞Then things eventually reached the Apostles Paul and Barnabas. And [when the news was heard] immediately some of the brethren said, “Why do not we build [ours].” But St. Paul responded saying, “Without the permission of the Arch-apostle, it will not be.” (And that is why today a church is not built unless an archbishop gives permission).
✞Then, the Saints, Paul and Barnabas, went to where the Apostles were and told the matter to St. Peter. And the Arch-apostle declared, “So that we know if it is the will of our Lord, let us all together enter into days of prayer and fasting.”
✞And all the faithful in the world entered into some days of fasting and prayer in one mind (heart). And at the end of their prayers and fasts, Our Savior Jesus Christ, may glory be to Him, descended in splendor to where they were.
✞And He took all the Apostles upon a cloud and placed them in Philippi. And He then instructed them, on a land outside of the city, saying, “Build a Church in My mother’s name.” And He gave three rocks to St. Peter.
✞And by placing those three rocks in the ground, the Apostle built an astounding church that had three partitions which was the first in 52 A.D on this day while the Lord stood and the other Apostles helped him.
✞As we are going to say that the Church was consecrated by the Lord tomorrow (on Senne 21/June 28), let us stop here.
✞✞✞May our God grant us the love of His Virgin Mother, the grace of His House (the Church) and the blessings of the blessed Apostles.
✞✞✞ Annual feasts celebrated on the 20th of Senne 1. Our Lady the Virgin St. Mary 2. The Holy Church 3. The Holy Apostles 4. St. Elisha the Prophet (His departure)
✞✞✞ Monthly Feasts 1. St. Theodore the Military Leader (A Martyr) 2. St. John Colobos (the Short) 3. St. Kloag (Bagoug)/ Aklog/Eclogius, the Priest 4. Emperor St. Kaleb/St. Elesbaan (Emperor of Ethiopia) 5. Abba Ammonius/Amoni of Tounah/Tona 6. St. Sadji the Meek (Disciple of Ammonius)
✞✞✞ “in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft . . . In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.”✞✞✞ 2 Cor. 11:23-28
✞✞✞ Salutations to God ✞✞✞
(Translated by Mhr. Esuendale Shemeles with the permission of Dn. Yordanos Abebe)
