Saint Macrina Orthodox Christian Chapel

06/08/2026

Congratulations to our parishioner Matthew and all those who were received with him into the Church today by Baptism and/or Chrismation at St. Matthew Orthodox Church in Green Bay!

06/07/2026

🔸 Sunday of All Saints 🔸

Today, the Sunday following Pentecost, is the Sunday of All Saints. On this day, we commemorate all of the males and females, known and unknown, who have joined the choir of Saints. This includes the Holy Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Fathers, Martyrs, Confessors, Shepherds, Hierarchs, Teachers, Ascetics and all the Righteous of every age and race, who have glorified God by their holy lives. By the descent of the Holy Spirit, it is possible for us to rise above our fallen state and to attain sainthood, fulfilling God’s directive to “be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).

It is therefore fitting to commemorate the Synaxis of All Saints on the first Sunday after Pentecost. The most important reason for this Feast, as for any Saint that we celebrate, is the exhortation of ourselves, the living, to emulate those being celebrated. That is, we should compel ourselves to attain to the praiseworthy life of those blessed servants of God. Central to the icon is the “cloud of witnesses” described by St Paul in his letter to the Hebrews (11:33-12:2). Christ is seated above the throne of heaven holding the Gospel which reads:

“Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).

He is surrounded by the 4 Evangelists (represented by their respective symbols of an angel, eagle, lion snd ox) and flanked by the Theotokos and St John the Forerunner. Directly beneath the feet of Christ we see Adam and Eve prostrating before Him, while the rows of Saints raise their hands to Glorify Him. In the top left King David holds a scroll: “Rejoice greatly in the Lord, O righteous ones; Praise is fitting for the upright” (Psalm 32).

In the top right King Solomon holds a scroll: “But the righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the most High” (Wisdom 5:15). In the bottom left is the Patriarch Abraham who has the righteous souls in his bosom (Luke 16:22). At the base of the icon is the Wise Thief. At the bottom right is the Patriarch Jacob holding his children - symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel and the righteous lineage.

06/03/2026

The Apostles’ Fast begins Monday, June 8. This video was created in 2025 and the fast is 3 weeks this year rather than 13 days, but all of the other information is helpful especially for new Orthodox families and those learning about fasting for the first time.

What is the Apostles’ Fast and why do we observe it?Learn 4 quick...

06/01/2026

In the Old Testament Pentecost was the feast which occurred fifty days after Passover. As the passover feast celebrated the exodus of the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt, so Pentecost celebrated God’s gift of the ten commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai.

In the new covenant of the Messiah, the passover event takes on its new meaning as the celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection, the “exodus” of men from this sinful world to the Kingdom of God. And in the New Testament as well, the pentecostal feast is fulfilled and made new by the coming of the “new law,” the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ.

When the day of Pentecost had come they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed as resting upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit . . . (Acts 2.1–4).

The Holy Spirit that Christ had promised to his disciples came on the day of Pentecost (Jn 14.26, 15.26; Lk 24.49; Acts 1.5). The apostles received “the power from on high,” and they began to preach and bear witness to Jesus as the risen Christ, the King and the Lord. This moment has traditionally been called the birthday of the Church.

In the liturgical services of the feast of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit is celebrated together with the full revelation of the divine Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The fullness of the Godhead is manifested with the Spirit’s coming to man, and the Church hymns celebrate this manifestation as the final act of God’s self-disclosure and self-donation to the world of His creation. For this reason Pentecost Sunday is also called Trinity Day in the Orthodox tradition. Often on this day the icon of the Holy Trinity—particularly that of the three angelic figures who appeared to Abraham, the forefather of the Christian faith—is placed in the center of the church. This icon is used with the traditional pentecostal icon which shows the tongues of fire hovering over Mary and the Twelve Apostles, the original prototype of the Church, who are themselves sitting in unity surrounding a symbolic image of “cosmos,” the world.

On Pentecost we have the final fulfillment of the mission of Jesus Christ and the first beginning of the messianic age of the Kingdom of God mystically present in this world in the Church of the Messiah. For this reason the fiftieth day stands as the beginning of the era which is beyond the limitations of this world, fifty being that number which stands for eternal and heavenly fulfillment in Jewish and Christian mystical piety: seven times seven, plus one.

Thus, Pentecost is called an apocalyptic day, which means the day of final revelation. It is also called an eschatological day, which means the day of the final and perfect end (in Greek eschaton means the end). For when the Messiah comes and the Lord’s Day is at hand, the “last days” are inaugurated in which “God declares: . . . I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.”; This is the ancient prophecy to which the Apostle Peter refers in the first sermon of the Christian Church which was preached on the first Sunday of Pentecost (Acts 2: 1 7; Joel 2: 28–32).

Once again it must be noted that the feast of Pentecost is not simply the celebration of an event which took place centuries ago. It is the celebration of what must happen and does happen to us in the Church today. We all have died and risen with the Messiah-King, and we all have received his Most Holy Spirit. We are the “temples of the Holy Spirit.” God’s Spirit dwells in us (Rom 8; 1 Cor 2–3, 12; 2 Cor 3; Gal 5; Eph 2–3). We, by our own membership in the Church, have received “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” in the sacrament of chrismation. Pentecost has happened to us.

The Divine Liturgy of Pentecost recalls our baptism into Christ with the verse from Galatians again replacing the Thrice-Holy Hymn. Special verses from the psalms also replace the usual antiphonal psalms of the liturgy. The epistle and gospel readings tell of the Spirit’s coming to men. The kontakion sings of the reversal of Babel as God unites the nations into the unity of his Spirit. The troparion proclaims the gathering of the whole universe into God’s net through the work of the inspired apostles. The hymns “O Heavenly King” and “We have seen the True Light” are sung for the first time since Easter, calling the Holy Spirit to “come and abide in us,” and proclaiming that “we have received the heavenly Spirit.” The church building is decorated with flowers and the green leaves of the summer to show that God’s divine Breath comes to renew all creation as the “life-creating Spirit.” In Hebrew the word for Spirit, breath and wind is the same word, ruah.

Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit: through them Thou didst draw the world into Thy net. O Lover of Man, Glory to Thee (Troparion).

When the Most High came down and confused the tongues, he divided the nations. But when he distributed the tongues of fire, he called all to unity. Therefore, with one voice, we glorify the All-Holy Spirit! (Kontakion).

The Great Vespers of Pentecost evening features three long prayers at which the faithful kneel for the first time since Easter. The Monday after Pentecost is the feast of the Holy Spirit in the Orthodox Church, and the Sunday after Pentecost is the feast of All Saints. This is the logical liturgical sequence since the coming of the Holy Spirit is fulfilled in men by their becoming saints, and this is the very purpose of the creation and salvation of the world. “Thus says the Lord: Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I your God am holy” (Lev 11.44–45, 1 Pet 1.15–16).

Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/holy-pentecost

Read sermon: https://www.oca.org/fs/sermons/pentecost-the-descent-of-the-holy-spirit

05/20/2026

05/16/2026

Saint Theodore was called “Sanctified” because he was the first in his monastery ordained to the priesthood.

Saint Theodore came from Egypt and was the son of rich and illustrious Christian parents. The yearning for monastic life appeared early in him. Once there was a large party at the house of his parents during the feast of Theophany. The boy did not want to take part in the festivities, grieving that because of earthly joys he might be deprived of joys in the life to come. He secretly left home when he was fourteen and entered one of the monasteries.

Hearing about Pachomius the Great, he burned with the desire to see the ascetic. Saint Pachomius received the young man with love, having been informed by God beforehand about his coming. Remaining at the monastery, Saint Theodore quickly succeeded in all his monastic tasks, particularly in the full obedience to his guide, and in his compassion towards the other brethren. Theodore’s mother, learning that he was at the Tabennisi monastery, came to Saint Pachomius with a letter from the bishop, asking to see her son. Saint Theodore did not wish to break his vow to renounce the world, so he refused to meet with his mother.

Seeing Saint Theodore’s strength of mind and ability, Saint Pachomius once told him to instruct the brethren on Holy Scripture. Saint Theodore was then only twenty years old. He obeyed and began to speak, but some of the older brethren took offense that a new monk should teach them, and they departed. Saint Pachomius said to them, “You have given in to the devil and because of your conceit, your efforts will come to naught. You have not rejected Theodore, but rather the Word of God, and have deprived yourselves of the Holy Spirit.”

Saint Pachomius appointed Saint Theodore as overseer of the Tabennisi monastery, and withdrew to a more solitary monastery. Saint Theodore with filial love continued to concern himself over his instructor, and he looked after Saint Pachomius in his final illness, and when the great abba reposed in the Lord, he closed his eyes. After the death of Saint Pachomius, Saint Theodore directed the Tabennisi monastery, and later on he was at the head of all the Thebaid monasteries. Saint Theodore the Sanctified was famed for his holiness of life and a great gift of wonderworking, and he was well known to Saint Athanasius, Patriarch of Alexandria. Saint Theodore reposed in his old age in the year 368.

Troparion — Tone 1

Dweller of the desert and angel in the body, / you were shown to be a wonder-worker, our God-bearing Father Theodore. / You received heavenly gifts through fasting, vigil, and prayer: / Healing the sick and the souls of those drawn to you by faith. / Glory to Him who gave you strength! / Glory to Him who granted you a crown! / Glory to Him who through you grants healing to all!

Kontakion — Tone 2

You flourished like a palm tree in the house of God, / bringing forth the fruit of virtues for the Lord through your ascetic efforts. / Therefore, you are called blest, venerable Father Theodore, / for you are equal to the bodiless ones!

Saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/05/16

Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/may

05/09/2026

🔸 May 9 - Saint Christopher 🔸

Today we commemorate the Great-Martyr Saint Christopher of Lycia, the patron saint of travellers. He suffered during the reign of the emperor Decius (249-251). St Christopher was born with the name Reprobus, and lived in Lycia in modern-day Turkey. He was a man of great stature and strength, and fearsome in countenance. According to tradition, Reprobus once came across a hermit in the desert who instructed him in the Christian faith. Reprobus asked the monk how he could best serve Christ, and the hermit suggested that he could become an ascetic and focus on intense fasting and prayer.

Sensing that his calling lay outside monastic life, Reprobus asked the hermit if he could serve Christ another way. The hermit suggested that because of his size and strength, he could help people to cross a dangerous river where many perished in their attempts. Reprobus performed this service for some time. One day, a small Child asked to be taken across the river. While crossing the river, the Child seemed to become extremely heavy, and Reprobus had much difficulty carrying Him across.

Upon reaching the other side, Rebrobus said to the Child, “You have put me in great danger. I do not think the whole world could have been as heavy on my shoulders as you were.” The Child replied, “You had on your shoulders not only the whole world, but Him who created it. I am Christ your King, whom you are serving by this work.” The Child then vanished. Reprobus was then baptised with the name Christopher meaning “Christ-bearer”, and went into the city of Lycia and rebuked the pagans for persecuting Christians.

By his preaching, he converted thousands to Christianity. He was arrested and brought before the emperor who summoned two harlots, Kalliniki and Akylina, hoping they could entice the martyr to offer sacrifice to the idols. But St Christopher instead catechized the harlots, and both ended their lives as martyrs after they confessed their faith in Christ before the emperor. St Christopher was nailed on a bronze instrument over a flame. Emerging unharmed from this and many other tortures, he finally received his eternal crown by beheading.