O Lord I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwells.  (Ps 26:8)

Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, granting joy to Thy disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.  Through the blessing they were assured that Thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world!  (Third Antiphon)

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  (John 3:16)

Most glorious art Thou, O Christ our God!  Thou hast established the Holy Fathers as lights on the earth!  Through them Thou hast guided us to the true faith!  O greatly Compassionate One, glory to thee!  (Troparion)

By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made; and all their host by the Spirit of His mouth.   (Psalm 33)

Jesus spoke to them saying, "I am the Light of the world.  Anyone who follows me does not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life."  (From the Acts of the Holy Apostles. 2:11)

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world..."  (John 8:12)

The universe offers Thee the God-bearing martyrs as the first-fruits of creation, O Lord and Creator.  Through the Theotokos and their prayers establish Thy Church in peace.  (Kontakion)

Do not be misled about when life begins. In Jeremiah 1:4-5 we hear: “Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you;”

O Lord, You have taken up to eternal rest and to the enjoyment of Your blessings the two divinely-inspired preachers, the leaders of the Apostles, for You have accepted their labors and deaths as a sweet-smelling sacrifice, for You alone know what lies in the hearts of men.  (Kontakion)

O Prophet and Forerunner of the coming of Christ, in spite of our honor and devotion we are unable to give you worthy praise, through your glorious and noble birth your mother’s childlessness was ended, your father’s tongue was freed, and the incarnation of the Son of God was proclaimed to the world.   (Troparion)

Today the formerly barren woman gives birth to Christ’s Forerunner, who is the fulfillment of every prophecy; for in the Jordan, when he laid his hand on the One foretold by the prophets, he was revealed as Prophet, Herald, and Forerunner of God the Word.(Kontakion)

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Love is not one of God’s attributes, but God IS love. Agape, God’s love is the expression for love that comes from above, which is poured into man’s heart and creates a new value in him.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Love is not one of God’s attributes, but God IS love. Agape, God’s love is the expression for love that comes from above, which is poured into man’s heart and creates a new value in him.

O Lord, You have taken up to eternal rest and to the enjoyment of Your blessings the two divinely-inspired preachers, the leaders of the Apostles, for You have accepted their labors and deaths as a sweet-smelling sacrifice, for You alone know what lies in the hearts of men.  (Kontakion)

Jesus said to them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus answered and said, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I say to you, you are Peter (the Rock), and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  (lMatt 16:14-19)