Let us honor the aged among us.
+St Clement of Rome
Today we begin events in recognition and celebration of the historic gifting of the relic of Saint Basil the Great, to Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Christian Church, in Stockton, CA. I pray that many and diverse people from around our local region make the effort to attend one, or all of these events, which offer a historic magnitude beyond familiar scale. View our schedule of events and plan your weekend with your family at Saint Basil’s!
Did you know that the tradition of relics is rooted in the Bible? Read 2 Kings 13:21 and witness the miraculous presence of relics via the Prophet Elisha’s bones. Read Acts 19:11,12 and witness the experience of secondary relics bringing healing into the world, through the Apostle Paul’s handkerchiefs and aprons! The Christian Church has maintained a witness to the experience of relics found in Holy Scripture—experience it by being a part of the Road to the Relic Events at Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Christian Church in Stockton, CA!
Next Thursday, June 11th, Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church will begin offering events in honor of the historic gifting of the relic of Saint Basil the Great, to the parish of Saint Basil, taking place on June 14th. See a schedule of events and plan your weekend around this blessed piece of living Christian history.
In 9 days the Saint Basil community will begin offering events in celebration of the reception of the relic of Saint Basil the Great (June 14).
Did you know… Saint Basil’s older sister Saint Macrina, was a major inspiration in his commitment to Christ, leading him through example in a life of holiness, and the experience of communal monasticism! Without Saint Macrina, there very well may not have been a Saint Basil!
Who are you inspiring through your example of Christian pilgrimage?
In just 16 days, on June 11th, the community of Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Christian Church will begin the celebratory events which will lead to the gifting of the holy relic of Saint Basil the Great to the community. From now until then, let us focus on brief reflections relating to the life of this holy saint of Christ’s Church…
...did you know; days prior to his death, while in terminal condition, Saint Basil taught his Jewish doctor the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Just before his death, Saint Basil baptized his doctor and all his family—bringing them into the Body of Christ!
Holy father Basil pray for us!
June 11-14, the Parish of Saint Basil in Stockton will host events before receiving the holy relic of our Patron and Intercessor, Saint Basil the Great! June 11, and June 13, lectures will be given by Dr. James Skedros, on the life of Saint Basil the Great, the Role of Relics in the Christian Church, and how they apply to 21st Century life. All are invited to attend the lectures, if you are planning on bringing a group to any or all of the events, please contact our church office, 209-478-7564, so that appropriate arrangement may be made to accommodate your group.
The celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection is the greatest celebration of the Church; therefore, as we have been preparing through the Triodion Period, and Great Lent, perhaps we have not been thinking about the monumental blessing being bestowed upon the Archdiocese, the Metropolis of San Francisco, and the Parish of Saint Basil; we are receiving a relic of Saint Basil the Great! Four days of events will take place in celebration of this historic event, which brings a living piece of Christian History to Stockton,CA. Lectures offered by contemporary Orthodox Theologians, a Byzantine Music Concert, Akathist to Saint Basil the Great service, and multiple receptions, are just a few of the offers that the Saint Basil community will extend to all in celebration of this historic event. Keep your eyes and ears open for further developments in the scheduling of this chapter in Christian History!
I can not believe that tomorrow will be my last few hours in Greece, as I leave in the afternoon for Munich, Germany for an overnight layover, then return home to America. The departure will be bitter-sweet as I wish I had more time to further experience the history and foundations of the Church in this homeland—but I am so anxious to return home, to the Church that I serve, and of course the family I love, which waits for me after these long days.
I have been taking advantage of the fact that this week is a non-fasting week, and I must confess to having gained a bit of weight—too many Gyros! But even with such a short visit as this, I still succumbed to American consumerism, and ate at Pizza Hut this evening!!!
Please pray for Father Chris and me as we begin our journey back home tomorrow, and know that we will pray for all of you—specifically when I light a candle for you at the historic Church of Saint Dimitrios tomorrow morning!
God Bless,
+Fr Luke
Back from Cyprus, and what an experience! Father Chris and I were blessed to receive the hospitality from Kykkos Monastery, which is beautifully situated in the mountains of Cyprus—providing an environment of solace and prayer (between visitors hours). As you can see in the pictures, even the hallways outdoors are covered in magnificent iconography—telling the stories of the life of Christ, Creation, history of the Monastery, and much, much more! In addition to Kykkos, we were able to visit other historic Churches and monasteries such as: Monastery of St Neophytos, Monastery of St Nikolas, Monastery of Stavrovouni, and the Church of St Lazarus. In addition to these sites, we were blessed to visit the Metokion of Kykkos Monstery located in the town of Nikocia. At this beautiful Monastery, we venerated iconography which is beyond words—mosaics with pieces no larger than a millimeter squared! ...and at this beautiful pilgrimage site, they even have a zoo!
As blessed of an experience as the Cyprus visit was, it was equally depressing when we saw the wall that separates Cyprus from the 1/3 that is still under Turkish occupation! How embarrassing it is that the only two countries that do not recognize this as an occupation are Turkey, and our own United States of America. Let us all pray that God will continue to provide strength to the Cypriot people as they struggle one day liberate themselves from the continued experience of Turkish/Muslim oppression that the Hellenic world has felt for so many centuries!
While traveling through Cyprus to the various monasteries, a climax was experienced! A humble and loving monk from the island of Cyprus gifted the community of Saint Basil, through our Metropolitan Gerasimos, a Holy Relic of our Patron and Intercessor Saint Basil the Great! I was, and am, completely awe-inspired to carry in my unworthy hands the bone of this most holy Saint of Christ’s Church. Imagine that what I hold in my hands now, and what will bless the Church of Saint Basil in Stockton, is the same Saint who was a brilliant scholar, the same Saint who defended Christianity against the heresies of the 4th Century, the same Saint who organized communal monasticism, the same Saint who organized liturgical services, the same Saint developed ageless theology, etc…—the same Saint that prays for us on a daily basis!!!
I continue to be humbled as I now prepare to bring this Holy Relic back to America, California, and the Church of Saint Basil.
God bless you , and I will see you in a few days…
+Father Luke
I am at the Holy Monastery of Kykkos, in Cyprus. After less than 24 hours I am awed and humbled by the great sense of peacefulness - especially on an island under persecution and partial occupation from the barbaric Turks. After liturgy this morning, which took 30 minutes, I was able to venerate multiple relics, including: St John Chrysostom, St Marina, the Apostle Barnabas, St Polycarp (the subject of my Patrology final in Seminary), and an icon of the Panagia, which was written by Saint Luke!
Yesterday we went to a Church built on the tomb of St Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, and we venerated his relics! Pictures are posted of thud apostolic church.
May God bless you all, and please pray for me.
With Paternal Love in Christ,
+Fr Luke
What an experience to serve the Divine Liturgy this morning with Father Chris, and Father Athinagoras at the Church of Saint Nektarios in Thessaloniki! ...in the country from where my grandparents came, and in a city where Saint Paul founded the Church! With a bit of anxiety, I addressed the community after the service—all in Greek! The people were hospitable and received us with love and respect. After the Divine Liturgy we played with some of the children, and spent time with a few gentlemen from the community who asked about American topics, ranging from Church Life - Monasticism - Politics - Jennifer Lopez and 50 Cent! One gentleman even had an iPhone! A great experience!
Now we will fly to the island of Cyprus to visit the Byzantine founded Holy Monastery of Kykkos. May God be with us, and all of you!
H Panagia Mazi mas,
+Fr Luke