Eastern Rites ~ Feasts of 7 April 7532

Today is the Forefeast of the Annunciation of the Mother of God, and the Feasts of Our Venerable Father George, Bishop of Mitylene and of the Passing into Eternal Life (1919) of Blessed Josaphata Hordashevska, First Superior of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate.

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Troparion — Tone 4

Today is the prelude of universal joy; / let us keep the forefeast in gladness. / For, behold, Gabriel comes to the Virgin, / bringing her the good tidings: / Hail, O full of grace; the Lord is with thee.

Kontakion — Tone 4

(Greek)
At the great Archangel’s voice, O Theotokos, / the All-holy Spirit came upon thee / and thou didst conceive Him Who is one in essence and co-enthroned with God the Father, / O you who are the recall of Adam.

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Saint George, Metropolitan of Mytilene, from his youth led a monastic life, and was especially accomplished in the virtue of humility. In the reign of Leo the Isaurian (716-741) the saint underwent persecution from the iconoclasts and became a Confessor.

During the reign of the emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitos (780-797) Saint George was elevated to the archbishopal cathedra of the city of Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. His life was radiant with prudence and purity and resembled the life of angels. He possessed a gift of wonderworking, cast out unclean spirits and healed incurable diseases. The saint distinguished himself by his compassion, and he helped all the needy. In 815, during the reign of the iconoclast Leo the Armenian (813-820), the holy archpastor was banished and sent to Cherson, where he died after the year 820.

At the hour of his death a bright star shone in the heavens over the city of Mytilene.
Troparion — Tone 3

Like a meadow planted by God / you were fruitful with the grace of the Spirit, / O holy Archpastor of the Mysteries. / You cultivated the souls of the faithful / refreshing them with living water. / O righteous Father George, / pray Christ our God to grant us great mercy!
Kontakion — Tone 4

You shone on the world like the sun, O holy and righteous George, / inspired initiate of the holy Faith, / enlightening your disciples!

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Michaelina Hordashevska was born on November 20, 1869, in Lviv, Ukraine. In 1888, at 19 years of age, she took part in a spiritual retreat, directed by Fr. Jeremiah Lomnytskyj, OSBM, and, feeling called to offer her life to God, sought his direction privately. With his permission, she made a private vow of chastity for one year, in May of 1889, which she renewed in May of 1890, and then for three years in 1891. By that time, Fr. Jeremiah had also asked if she would consider being the first member of a new congregation of active religious women, which he had arranged to found with Fr. Kyrylo Seletskyj, pastor of the village of Zhuzhel.

On June 17, 1892, Fr. Jeremiah sent her to the Polish Felician Sisters in Zhovkva to experience life in an active religious community. The Felicians would have liked for her to enter their community, but Michaelina knew that belonging to a Polish community would distance her from her Ukrainian people, wounded by political oppression. On August 22 of that year, she returned to Lviv and designed and sewed her own habit, which distinguished this new community as unique.

On August 24, she was officially vested in this new habit, and received the religious name, Josaphata, after the great Ukrainian martyr for unity, St. Josaphat Kuntsevych. She then left for Zhuzhel, where she met seven girls who were to join her in this fledgling community, she as a novice, and they as postulants. On August 27, 1892, the newly-founded congregation of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate was inaugurated in the church in Zhuzhel, and Sister Josaphata was appointed Superior and formation directress.

Over her whole religious life, she initiated the educational and health care ministries and oversaw the opening of many new missions, but not without trials. After the initial few years, it became apparent that the two founding priests had different visions for this congregation. Sr. Josaphata was often caught in the middle, defending her Sisters from works that were not in the spirit of their initial mandate.

By 1902, the Congregation numbered 128 Sisters in 26 homes across western Ukraine. They had their first General Chapter on August 26 of that year, at which Sr. Josaphata was elected Superior General, with Fr. Lomnytskyj ceding his position as Commissary/ Procurator of the Congregation. Internal divisions within the congregation led her to resign her position, in a letter to Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytskyj. Under the new Superior General he had appointed, she and her sister, Sr. Arsenia Hordashevska, were denied permission to pronounce perpetual vows for two consecutive years, and Sr. Josaphata was sent to the most difficult missions.

Without perpetual vows, she was not permitted to participate in the second General Chapter, according to the Constitution of that time. That Chapter saw her elected General Vicaress in absentia, and the delegates petitioned the Metropolitan for permission for her to pronounce her vows. Permission was granted, and the following day, May 11, 1909, she pronounced her perpetual vows and became the new General Vicaress, as elected by the Chapter.

Three years later, she began to suffer from tuberculosis of the bone. On March 16, 1919, she predicted that she would die on April 7, the Feast of the Annunciation, on the Julian calendar. She died on that day, as she predicted.

In November 1982 the mortal remains of Sister Josaphata were transferred from the cemetery in Krystynopil, Ukraine, to the Generalate in Rome. Her mortal remains were placed in an urn, which rests now in a small altar in the chapel in the Generalate. Hundreds of visitors to the Generalate have sought her intercession for their temporal and spiritual needs. The Generalate has received numerous testimonials of special graces received through her intercession.

Troparion:

Most venerable Mother Josaphata, you willingly followed Christ, and left us your example of holiness of life, readiness for sacrifice and tireless servitude to the needs of our neighbour. Today, you rejoice in heaven with the glory of the blessed, praying for us to the ever-gracious Lord, so that we would be holy like you.

Kontakion:

Having heard the call of Christ to a life of perfection, you, Josaphata, similar to Mary – the first servant of the Lord answered: “Here I am, Lord,” giving life to the new Congregation of Servants of Mary Immaculate, that became the living light for the dark children of Rus’-Ukraine. Pray for us to the Most Holy Trinity, that we become holy like you.