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August 6, 2004 - The Feast of the Transfiguration. Throughout His Ministry on Earth, Jesus had manifested the power of His Divinity to the Apostles through the performance of many miracles as recounted in the Bible. On the occasion of the Transfiguration, however, Jesus manifested the glory of His Divinity to three Apostles of the New Testament - Peter, James, and John. On Mount Tabor, Jesus's appearance and garments were transfigured to a state of miraculous and unbearable radiance. The Old Testament personages Moses and the Prophet Elijah were also present (please see icon above). God spoke to all of them saying, "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased." This statement to those gathered left little doubt as to Who Christ really was. It was no coincidence that Peter, James, and John were the ones among the Apostles chosen to be present. St. John of Damascus explained that these three individuals represented the three chief virtues, that is, Peter symbolized faith, for he was the first to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God. James symbolized hope for he was the first Apostle to undergo martyrdom in the hope of the resurrection of the dead. Lastly, John symbolized love inasmuch as he was called the "beloved disciple" - the one who was entrusted by Jesus at the Cross to take care of the Virgin Mary after Jesus's crucifixion.
The significance of the events of this Holy Day are not fully understood until many months pass and we arrive at the saddest day of the Orthodox Church - Good Friday. In the Transfiguration Kontakion we sing,"On the Mountain You were Transfigured, O Christ God, and Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as they could see it; so that when they would behold You crucified, they would understand that Your suffering was voluntary, and would proclaim to the world, that You are truly the Radiance of the Father!" Thus, at the crucifixion of Jesus, the Apostles immediately understood that, because of Jesus's Divinity as revealed at the Transfiguration, the events of Good Friday need not have occurred except that Jesus voluntarily permitted the fulfillment of the Scriptures.
In many Churches on this day, it is the custom of clerics to wear white vestments, as a reminder of Christ's radiant and transfigured appearance. It is also customary at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on this day to bless grapes and other seasonal fruit. The Church, by blessing the fruit, teaches us that all things in a holy community must be consecrated to God as His creation.
Above, we see the fruit brought to Church in baskets by the parishoners. It is placed on a table in the center of the Church where it stays for the entire Liturgy. In his sermon (below left), Father David said that we must be transfigured as Christ was and that our light must become visible to others. This calls to mind the Biblical passage "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) Below right, many of those in attendance partook of Holy Communion during the Liturgy. Assisting Father David in the distribution of Communion are our current and former Church Wardens, Mr. James Kornafel and Mr. Michael Burak, respectively.You may click on the two photos immediately below to view enlargements.
In photo below left, a quartet of parishoners sang the responses at Liturgy. Shown are Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pisuk, Miss Tatiana Lapchuk, and Choir Director Mr. Basil Kozak. In photo below right, one sees some of the parishoners present during the blessing of fruit.
Below left - during the portion of the service where the fruit is blessed, Father David reads prayers over the fruit. Below right - Father David censes the fruit.
Father David blesses the fruit with Holy Water at the conclusion of the service (below left). Our Church is blessed to have four Matushki affiliated with SS. Peter and Paul parish in various capacities. Matushka Faith Kuharsky attends our Church when her husband and our former pastor, V. Rev. Sergius Kuharsky, serves in our Church. Matushka Argyra Lapchuk attends our Church on occasion as well. In photo below right, at the conclusion of the service we see our recently-returned Alaskan missionary, Miss Tatiana Lapchuk (center), daughter of Matushka Lapchuk and grand-daughter of Matushka Pauline Warnecke (right). Matushka Warnecke, formerly of SS. Peter and Paul Church in Syracuse, N.Y., is now a parishoner of our parish. In the same photo at left is the current Matushka of our parish, Shari Garretson.
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Copyright © 2004, Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, South River, NJ
