Holy Cross Melkite Catholic Church | Eparchy of Newton
Bulletin of Sunday, January 21, 2024
Sunday of the Pharisee and Publican
January 21. Commemoration of our Holy Father Maximus the Confessor and of the Holy Martyr Neophythe.
Maximus was born in the year 580 of noble parentage in the city of Constantinople. He occupied high positions in the Byzantine Empire. He was sent to Rome in 646 and induced Pope Martin to call a council in order to defend Orthodoxy against the Monothelite heresy (649). He composed several treaties on the subject and was widely read throughout the Christian world. This brought upon him anger of Paul, Patriarch of Constantinople, and Emperor Constance, who promoted the heresy. He was seized by their emissaries and exiled to the Greek province of Thrace and then to Caucassus where he died on August 13, 662.
Neophyte died for the faith towards the beginning of the fourth century. He was martyred in the palace of Emperor Diocletian.
Scripture Memory
“Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).
“I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14).
We celebrate today’s Divine Liturgy for the repose of the souls of:
Nahil Ibrahim Hattar (December 26, 2023) - Memorial.
Inaam Semaan Bottomley (January 16, 2024)
Hanna Abelnour (January 10, 2024)
Denise William Awad (January 1, 2024)
Khouriyeh Judy Handal (December 22, 2023)
Ramadan Shaban (December 14, 2023)
Nadia Sano (December 13, 2023)
Yacoub Mousa Ayed Enesheiwat (December 4, 2023)
Tony Azzam
The health, safety, and blessings for:
Haitham Aranki
Vanessa Nissan
Lilian Khalil Hana
For peace in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and all the troubled regions around the world
For vocations to the priesthood, monastic life, and lay parish ministries
