Worship resources from an Orthodox context Compiled by John A. Paterakis
General Links
Website of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship
Vulnerable Children / Orphans
Life of St. Herman of Alaska – protector of indigenous Aleuts in Alaska during the Russian administration. He is the patron of Orthodox Christians living in North America. His life is at
Having reached the heights through prayer, O Venerable One, you did not forget the needs of others. You manifested great concern for homeless orphans, building an orphanage and a school for them and taught them the commandments of the Lord. In gratitude to God for your labors, accept from us these praises:
Rejoice, defender of the poor and orphaned;
Rejoice, their good protector;
Rejoice, builder of a home for the orphaned;
Rejoice, servant to God with your labors;
Rejoice, provider of earthly bread to the orphaned;
Rejoice, nourisher of orphans with words of eternal life;
Rejoice, our Venerable Father Herman of Alaska,
America’s most glorious doer of wonders.
-- Seventh Ikos of the Akathist Hymn to St. Herman of Alaska
Life of Mother Maria Skobtsova (St. Maria of Paris), who smuggled Jewish children out of the Vélodrome d’Hiver in Paris in 1942, and who perished in Ravensbruck. Her life is at and
At the Last Judgment I will not be asked whether I satisfactorily practiced asceticism, nor how many bows I have made before the divine altar. I will be asked whether I fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited the sick, and the prisoner in his jail. That is all I will be asked.
-- Mother Maria Skobtsova
I was born a weak, defenseless child, but your angel, spreading his radiant wings, guarded my cradle. From my birth, your love has illumined my paths, and has wondrously guided me towards the light of eternity. From my first day until now, the generous gifts of your providence have been wonderfully showered upon me. I give you thanks, and with all those who have come to know you, I exclaim:
Glory to you for calling me into being,
Glory to you for spreading out before me the beauty of the universe,
Glory to you for revealing to me through heaven and earth the eternal book of wisdom,
Glory to your eternity within this fleeting world,
Glory to you for your mercies, seen and unseen,
Glory to you for every sigh of my sorrow,
Glory to you for every step in my life's journey, for every moment of joy,
Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
When in childhood I called upon you consciously for the first time, you heard my prayer and sacred peace came down into my soul. Then I understood that you are good; blessed are those who turn to you. Unceasingly, I started to call upon you, and now I call upon your Name:
Glory to you, satisfying my desires with good things,
Glory to you, watching over me day and night,
Glory to you, calming tribulations and bereavement with the healing flow of time,
Glory to you, no loss is irreparable when you are there, to all you give eternal life,
Glory to you, making immortal all that is lofty and good, promising to welcome the dead,
Glory to you, O God, from age to age.
-- First and Eighth Ikos of the Akathist Hymn for the Preservation of God’s Creation
Water
Feast of Theophany – Service of the Blessing of Water is at
Justice
Service for Feast of the Day of the Environment (September 1). Example:
The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Luke. [18:2-8]
The Lord spoke this parable: In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent‘. For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming’. And the Lord said: Listen to what the unjust judge says. Will God not grant justice also to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant them justice.
-- Gospel Reading for the Feast of the Day of the Environment (September 1)
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