Scripture Readings for April 18

Hebrews 9:11-14

11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Mark 10:32-45

32 Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: 33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Scripture Readings for April 11

Hebrews 6:13-20

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.  

Mark 9:17-31

17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” 19 He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” 20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. 21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” 26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” 30 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. 31 For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.”

Scripture Readings for April 4

Hebrews 4:14-5:6

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. 3 Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. 4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” 6 As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek”;

 Mark 8:34-9:1

34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” 1 And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”

Scripture Readings for March 28

Hebrews 1:10-2:3

10 And: “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; 12 like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail.” 13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

Mark 2:1-12

1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” 6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” – He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

May 2021 Divine Liturgies' Attendance Survey: Continuation of Phase 2 Stage 4 of the Safe Reopening of St. Nicholas Cathedral (Copy)

(Important: Please read the message Carefully as it contains information on
Great and Holy Week Schedule and Registration)

Dear Parishioners:

We are delighted to continue with the Phase 2, Stage 4 of the Safe Reopening of St. Nicholas Cathedral. The same processes that were successfully implemented in June 2020 - March 2021 will be applied to April 2021.

Lately, we have observed a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in the DMV area and nationwide. Therefore, we would like to remind you that even though you have the opportunity to participate in the Divine Liturgies in April, you are under NO OBLIGATION to do so during these very challenging times! We urge you to continue to monitor the situation which changes daily and do what is in the best interest of you and your family.

Your health and safety are of utmost priority! There is no guilt nor shame in keeping you, your loved ones and the parish community safe! Please feel comfortable in choosing to stay home, pray and be safe than risk your well-being to the pandemic.

To participate in May, please complete the survey to help identify cohorts of 23 parishioners per the Divine Liturgy and 10 parishioners for the Sunday Communion only. The survey must be completed by EACH member of the household interested in attending the Divine Liturgy or Sunday Communion Only. The survey is short (less than 3 minutes) and must be submitted before 11:00 pm on Saturday, April 24.

Here is an overview of the attendance process:

On Monday, June 22, 2020, the District of Columbia entered into Phase Two of reopening and on Tuesday, June 23, 2020, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon gave his blessing to St. Nicholas Cathedral to enter Phase 2, Stage 4 as outlined in the Synodal Directives of May 1, 2020 and evidenced in the chart below.

Note: St. Nicholas Cathedral closely monitors and follows all the DC Mayor's Orders related to the COVID-19 Public Emergency, including Order 2021-038 of March 17, 2021..

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Specifically, the Metropolitan’s blessing directs St. Nicholas Cathedral only to “...celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and appropriate weekdays with the minimal crew (up to 23 people, or a few more when accounting for family units) and the safety precautions as described in your proposal. Anything beyond this, both in terms of types of services and number of parishioners will require the re-submittal of a proposal using the Archdiocesan form.” 

With the Cathedral’s reopening to a larger group of parishioners, our goal remains the same: to keep everyone safe and healthy and observe social distancing during the liturgy and prevent, as much as possible, the spreading of COVID-19 within our community. 

To help you make an informed decision about whether you would feel safe attending the liturgy or communion, we have included an outline of the Cathedral's already established preparation processes. These procedures have proven to create safe environment as per the testimonies of the parishioners who participated in the earlier phase of the Re-Opening. Please see the outline below.

As we continue with this Phase, the outlined procedures and processes are subject to change. We strongly rely on your patience, help, cooperation and understanding. May the Lord further deepen our appreciation for the Orthodox values and the importance of unity, respect, care and love for each other during this difficult period of time and beyond.

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Outline of the Cathedral’s Preparations

To ensure personal safety as well as our compliance with the guidelines set by the District of Columbia, OCA, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, and the Cathedral’s Parish Council, the following are the Outline, Maps, Instructions and Important Notes to be observed by each parishioner. 

Important: Again, there might be modifications to the below processes. Any changes will be reflected and communicated to you. Thank you for your respect, patience and support!  

1. Schedule of the Divine Liturgies and Sunday Communion Only

The Parish Council and a group of volunteers have been reorganizing and sanitizing the premises as well as working on the safe reopening plan launched originally on Saturday, July 11, 2020. Regular May Schedule will include 4 English Divine Liturgies, 4 Slavonic Divine Liturgies and 4 Sunday Communion Only on the following days: 

4 (four) Regular English Divine Liturgies with twenty three (23) parishioners attending from May 9 through May 30

Sunday, May 9

Sunday, May 16

Sunday, May 23

Sunday, May 30 

4 (four) Regular Slavonic Divine Liturgies with twenty three (23) parishioners attending from May 8 through May 29

Saturday, May 8

Saturday, May 15

Saturday, May 22

Saturday, May 29 

4 (four) Regular Sunday Communion Only to be held outdoors with ten (10) parishioners from May 9 through May 30

Sunday, May 9

Sunday, May 16

Sunday, May 23

Sunday, May 30 

Great and Holy Week Schedule:

 Thursday, April 29: Holy Thursday Vespers with Divine Liturgy at 9 am

Thursday, April 29: Holy Friday Matins at 7 pm

Friday, April 30: Holy Friday Vespers at 2 pm

Friday, April 30: Holy Saturday Matins at 7 pm

 Saturday, May 1: Holy Saturday Vespers with Divine Liturgy at 9 am

Sunday, May 2: Paschal Matins and Divine Liturgy at 12 am

Monday, May 3: Bright Week Divine Liturgy at 9 am 

Information about the process of registration for the Divine Services during the Great and Holy Week will be announced separately. Only those who completed the Survey and were approved for participation will be eligible to register and participate in the Divine Services during the Great and Holy Week.

2. Maps for Observing Social Distancing

The interior of the Cathedral will be different from what you remember because of the steps we have taken to assure your safety and comply with the CDC regulations. To ensure social distancing and minimal contact, we have created 23 individual spaces. For detail, please see the attached maps/charts:

·     Registration Map before entering the Cathedral (outside map of the Cathedral and outside map of the Annex) - we have marked the Cathedral's grounds as well as the Annex to make sure we have 23 designated lots - one per each parishioner - before registering for the liturgy. These maps will also be used for Sunday Communion Only.

·     Entrance and Exit - before entering the Cathedral, the cohort of 23 parishioners will be split into 4 smaller groups to minimize contact:

·     Group 1: Numbers 1 through 7

·     Please click here for Group 1 Entrance

·     Please click here for Group 1 Exit

·     Group 2: Numbers 8 through 12

·     Please click here for Group 2 Entrance

·     Please click here for Group 2 Exit

·     Group 3: Numbers 13 through 17

·     Please click here for Group 3 Entrance

·     Please click here for Group 3 Exit

·     Group 4: Numbers 18 through 23

·     Please click here for Group 4 Entrance

·     Please click here for Group 4 Exit

·     Designated location - each designated location is tape outlined.

·     Communion - please remove your mask before receiving Holy Communion and put it back on immediately thereafter. Please see the map to receive Holy Communion.

·     Group 1: Numbers 1 through 7

·     Group 2: Numbers 8 through 12

·     Group 3: Numbers 13 through 17

·     Group 4: Numbers 18 through 23

·     Restroom - If you need to use the restroom, please let the usher know and he/she will escort you downstairs. Only one person is allowed to use the restroom at a time.

3. Mandatory Pre-Registration Process

As per the Preventative Measures of the Synodal Directives Towards a Re-opening of our Churches effective May 1, 2020, every action has been taken to safeguard the well-being of our parishioners. The cohorts of parishioners will need to fill in the Pre-Registration Form in a timely manner. The Pre-Registration form will be open for submission between 6:00 pm Thursday and 12:00 pm Friday.

4. Arrival time for Divine Liturgies and Sunday Communion - each group is expected to arrive at the time designated below. Due to the check-in process we are adamant that you arrive on time:

·     Group 1: Numbers 1 through 7

·     Arrive at 8:30 am

·     Group 2: Numbers 8 through 12

·     Arrive at 8:30 am

·     Group 3: Numbers 13 through 17

·     Arrive at 8:40 am

·     Group 4: Numbers 18 through 23

·     Arrive at 8:40 am

·     Sunday Communion Only

·     Arrive at 10:05 am

Services will begin at the serving priest's discretion as soon as the majority of parishioners have arrived. That's why we strongly request to arrive at the time, scheduled for your designated group.

5. Check-in process - each Divine Liturgy and Sunday Communion Only are preceded by the registration/check-in process that includes:

·     Signing of the Acknowledgement Form (click here to view; no need to print) which must be signed at the door each morning before the Divine Liturgy and not earlier;

·     Sanitizing your hands;

·     Taking your body temperature.

6. PPE: A face mask must be on before entering the church and through the entire service. Please carry an extra face mask with you at all times.

Other Important Notes:

·     There will be no icons to venerate in order to eliminate sources of the COVID-19 viral transmission. Please do not venerate the frescoes either;

·     Candles will be lit before each service as the Candle Counter will remain closed through the end of Phase Two;

·     No kissing, touching or hugging are allowed before, during or after the service;

·     Bow to venerate the frescoes, the Holy Communion cup, the priest’s hand, and the cross;

·     A basket will be near the exit doors in case you would like to leave an offering. You can also make your donation through the Cathedral’s website.

We hope the above outline helps you be better prepared for the service in May 2021. Please click here to go to the survey and we hope to see you at the Divine Liturgies or Sunday Communion Only.

With love in Christ,

Father George Kokhno

Father Valery Shemchuk

Claire Nobles, President

The St. Nicholas Parish Council