STS. CONSTANTINE & HELEN GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL OF BROOKLYN ΚΑΘΕΔΡΙΚΟΣ ΝΑΟΣ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΝΗΣ

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1 STS. CONSTANTINE & HELEN GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL OF BROOKLYN ΚΑΘΕΔΡΙΚΟΣ ΝΑΟΣ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΝΗΣ 64 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, New York Telephone: (718) Fax Telephone: (718) Dean: Fr. John K. Lardas *** ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH OF THE WTC ΝΑΟΣ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΥ ΤΟΥ WTC Pl. 4th Tone-11th Morning Gospel /Ήχος Πλ. Δ Εωθινόν ΙΑ *********************************************************************************** Τριώδιο στην Εκκλησία μας Συνήθως μέσα στο μήνα Φεβρουάριο αρχίζει στην Εκκλησία μας μια μεγάλη και ιδιαίτερα πνευματική περίοδος που διαρκεί περισσότερο από δύο μήνες και ονομάζεται «ΤΡΙΩΔΙΟ». Η Εκκλησία όλες καθημερινές της Μ.Σαρακοστής καθόρισε στον όρθρο να ψάλλονται κατά βάση τρεις Ωδές. Δηλ. τρείς ομάδες τροπαρίων, γι αυτό και η περίοδος αυτή λέγεται Τριώδιο. Τα τροπάρια αυτά των τριών Ωδών καθημερινά εκφράζουν σε βάθος όλη τη θεολογία της Εκκλησίας μας. Αναφέρονται στη δημιουργία, στην πτώση και στην ανάπλαση της ανθρώπινης φύσης. Είναι πνευματικά κεντρίσματα που θέλουν με τη θεία λατρεία να αφυπνίσουν τις συνειδήσεις μας. Πολλοί ξέρουν πως το Τριώδιο συνδέεται με τις απόκριες που είναι ευκαιρία για γλέντια και ξεφαντώματα. Για την Εκκλησία όμως δεν είναι έτσι. Κι εμάς μας ενδιαφέρει να ξέρουμε τι είναι το Τριώδιο κατά την Εκκλησία κι όχι πως το παίρνει και το εννοεί ο κόσμος, σαν ευκαιρία για ακαταστασία και παρεκτροπές στη ζωή μας. Γιατί αυτό γίνεται σήμερα. Όλος ο κόσμος χοροπηδά στους δρόμους. Δεν είναι βέβαια κακό πράγμα αυτό.οι χαρούμενοι άνθρωποι μπορούν να χορεύουν. Αλλά πολλοί χριστιανοί χορεύουν μασκαρεμένοι στο δρόμο, ξαναφέρνοντας παλιά ειδωλολατρικά έθιμα. Πολλοί νομίζουν ότι όλες οι ασχήμιες που γίνονται στια απόκριες, είναι δικά μας ελληνικά και χριστιανικά έθιμα, που πρέπει να διατηρήσουμε. Όχι, είναι κακή κληρονομιά της ειδωλολατρίας. Οι ασχήμιες που γίνονται στους δρόμους δεν είναι δικά μας ελληνικά και χριστιανικά έθιμα τώρα τις αποκριές. Δεν είναι καλά έθιμα αυτά, να μασκαρεύονται και να εξευτελίζονται οι άνθρωποι στο δρόμο. Κανένας σοβαρός και νοικοκύρης άνθρωπος, όχι δεν μασκαρεύεται, αλλά και δεν βγαίνει στο δρόμο να βλέπει τέτοιες ασχήμιες. Η Εκκλησία δεν τα επαινεί αυτά και δεν τα επιτρέπει. Βέβαια δεν έχει πολιτική δύναμη για να τα απαγορεύσει και να εμποδίσει τις ασχήμιες. Έχει όμως λόγο για να τον μεταχειρίζεται ως όπλο, για να πει τι είναι και τι γίνονται τις απόκριες και για να προτρέψει το λαό να απέχει από τέτοιες ασχήμιες. Γιατί όλοι αυτοί οι άνθρωποι που ξεχύνονται στους δρόμους μασκαρεμένοι χορεύοντας και γελώντας, δεν είναι απλώς λαός, αλλά είναι ο λαός του Θεού. Είναι χριστιανοί, παιδιά της Εκκλησίας που το Πάσχα θα προσέλθουν να κοινωνήσουν. Το Τριώδιο λοιπόν δεν είναι μια ευκαιρία για να ασωτέψουν οι πιστοί, αλλά καιρός για να ετοιμαστούν σαν φρόνιμοι άνθρωποι, για τη μεγάλη γιορτή του Πάσχα. Τα Τριώδιο γι αυτούς που ενδιαφέρονται για την πνευματική τους προκοπή και σωτηρία είναι ένα στάδιο πνευματικών αγώνων και αυτό πρέπει να ξέρει και να ενδιαφέρονται οι χριστιανοί, κι όχι τα καρναβάλια που γίνονται στο δρόμο. Βρισκόμαστε σε πολύ δύσκολους καιρούς. Δεν μας μένουν ευκαιρίες για μασκαρέματα και καρναβάλια. Εκτός κι αν θέλουμε να το ρίξουμε έξω κι ό, τι γίνει ας γίνει. Μα κι αν θέλουμε να γιορτάσουμε με γιορτές στους δρόμους δεν πρέπει να ξεχνάμε τις κρίσιμες ώρες που περνάει η πατρίδα μας. Η Εκκλησία πιστεύει, ότι οι Έλληνες χριστιανοί δεν έχουν χάσει την πίστη τους και δεν θέλουν να επιστρέψουν στην ειδωλολατρία. Γι αυτό αυτές τις ημέρες που έρχονται ας ζήσουμε την αληθινή χριστιανική ζωή για να δοξάζεται το όνομα του Θεού με τη δική μας ζωή και να έχουμε σωτηρία στο Θεό.

2 Κυριακή 9 Φεβρουαρίου, 2014 Κυριακή ΙΣΤ ΛΟΥΚΑ (Τελώνου και Φαρισαίου). Απόδοσις εορτής της Υπαπαντής του Κυρίου. Του Αγίου Μάρτυρος Νικηφόρου. Μαρκέλλου, Επισκόπου Κύπρου. Παγκρατίου, Επισκόπου Ταυρομενίου. Αναστάσιμο Απολυτίκιον Ήχος Πλ. δ Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι. Απολυτίκιον της Υπαπαντής Χαῖρε κεχαριτωμένη Θεοτόκε Παρθένε, ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἀνέτειλεν ὁ Ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσύνης, Χριστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, φωτίζων τοὺς ἐν σκότει. Εὐφραίνου καὶ σὺ Πρεσβύτα δίκαιε, δεξάμενος ἐν ἀγκάλαις τὸν ἐλευθερωτὴν τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν, χαριζόμενος ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν Ἀνάστασιν. Απολύτίκιον Αγίων Κωνσταντίνου και Ελένης Τοῦ Σταυροῦ σου τὸν τύπον ἐν οὐρανῷ θεασάμενος, καὶ ὡς ὁ Παῦλος τὴν κλῆσιν οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων δεξάμενος, ὁ ἐν βασιλεῦσιν, Ἀπόστολός σου Κύριε, Βασιλεύουσαν πόλιν τῇ χειρί σου παρέθετο ἣν περίσῳζε διὰ παντὸς ἐν εἰρήνῃ, πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου, μόνε Φιλάνθρωπε. Απολυτίκιον Αγίου Νικολάου Κανόνα πίστεως καὶ εἰκόνα πραότητος, ἐγκρατείας Διδάσκαλον, ἀνέδειξέ σε τῇ ποίμνῃ σου, ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀλήθεια διὰ τοῦτο ἐκτήσω τῇ ταπεινώσει τὰ ὑψηλά, τῇ πτωχείᾳ τὰ πλούσια, Πάτερ Ἱεράρχα Νικόλαε, πρέσβευε Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν. Κοντάκιον Ὁ μήτραν παρθενικὴν ἁγιάσας τῶ τόκω σου, καὶ χείρας τοῦ Συμεὼν εὐλογήσας ὡς ἔπρεπε, προφθάσας καὶ νὺν ἔσωσας ἡμᾶς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλ' εἰρήνευσον ἐν πολέμοις τὸ πολίτευμα, καὶ κραταίωσον Βασιλεῖς οὓς ἠγάπησας, ὁ μόνος φιλάνθρωπος. Sunday February 9, 2014 Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today. Leavetaking of the Presentation of Our Lord and Savior in the Temple. Nicephoros the Martyr of Antioch. Markellos, Philagrios, & Pankratios the Hieromartyrs Resurrectional Apolytikion Pl. 4th Tone From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; to burial of three days hast Thou submitted that Thou mightest free us from our passions. O our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory be to Thee. The Apolytikon of our Lord Hail Virgin Theotokos full of Grace, for Christ our God, the Sun of Righteousness, has dawned from you, granting light to those in darkness. And you, O Righteous Elder, rejoice, taking in your arms, the Deliverance of our souls, who grants us Resurrection. Apolytikion of Sts. Constantine and Helen Having seen the image of Thy Cross in Heaven, and like Paul, having received the call not from men, Thine apostle among kings entrusted the commonwealth to Thy hand, O Lord. Keep us always in peace, by the intercessions of the Theotokos, O only Friend of man. Apolytikion of St. Nicholas The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; for this cause, thou hast achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty. O Father and Hierarch Nicholas, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved. Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Tone Your birth sanctified a Virgin's womb and properly blessed the hands of Symeon. Having now come and saved us O Christ our God, give peace to Your commonwealth in troubled times and strengthen those in authority, whom You love, as only the loving One.

3 Εὔξασθε καὶ ἀπόδοτε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν. Στίχ. Γνωστὸς ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ὁ Θεός, ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ μέγα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. Πρὸς Τιμόθεον β' 3:10-15 Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, παρηκολούθηκάς μου τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, τῇ ἀγωγῇ, τῇ προθέσει, τῇ πίστει, τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ, τῇ ἀγάπῃ, τῇ ὑπομονῇ, τοῖς διωγμοῖς, τοῖς παθήμασιν, οἷά μοι ἐγένετο ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ, ἐν Ἰκονίῳ, ἐν Λύστροις, οἵους διωγμοὺς ὑπήνεγκα καὶ ἐκ πάντων με ἐρρύσατο ὁ κύριος. Καὶ πάντες δὲ οἱ θέλοντες εὐσεβῶς ζῇν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διωχθήσονται. Πονηροὶ δὲ ἄνθρωποι καὶ γόητες προκόψουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον, πλανῶντες καὶ πλανώμενοι. Σὺ δὲ μένε ἐν οἷς ἔμαθες καὶ ἐπιστώθης, εἰδὼς παρὰ τίνος ἔμαθες, καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ βρέφους τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα οἶδας, τὰ δυνάμενά σε σοφίσαι εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ πίστεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them. Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel. St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 3:10-15 TIMOTHY, my son, you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at lconion, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Κατὰ Λουκᾶν Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην Ἄνθρωποι δύο ἀνέβησαν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν προσεύξασθαι, ὁ εἷς Φαρισαῖος καὶ ὁ ἕτερος τελώνης. ὁ Φαρισαῖος σταθεὶς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα προσηύχετο ὁ Θεός, εὐχαριστῶ σοι ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὥσπερ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἅρπαγες, ἄδικοι, μοιχοί, ἢ καὶ ὡς οὗτος ὁ τελώνης νηστεύω δὶς τοῦ σαββάτου, ἀποδεκατῶ πάντα ὅσα κτῶμαι. καὶ ὁ τελώνης μακρόθεν ἑστὼς οὐκ ἤθελεν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐπᾶραι, ἀλλ ἔτυπτεν εἰς τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ λέγων ὁ Θεός, ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ. λέγω ὑμῖν, κατέβη οὗτος δεδικαιωμένος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἢ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται. The Gospel of Luke 18:10-14 The Lord said this parable, "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

4 On February 9th the Church remembers the Hieromartyr Peter Damascene, a man who saw God in everything. He took every event as God's gracious gift, including the terrible things that happened to him. Peter Damascene (meaning "of Damascus") lived in the 12th century, under Islamic rule. He was known as a great reader who loved to gain wisdom and knowledge. Yet he lived in such utter simplicity, with so little interest in worldly possessions, that he never actually owned or wanted to own a book. He borrowed books he wanted to read from friends, and then cheerfully returned them, having no desire to build an impressive library.his reading made him a wise person with much knowledge. Yet he knew that reading, in and of itself, is of limited value. He wrote: "We need knowledge based on experience...if we wish to attain knowledge of God mere reading or listening is not enough."he expanded on this idea of the need for experience in these words: "Man is free to receive the sun's rays or not. God sends the light of knowledge like rays to all, but He also gives us faith like an eye. The one who wants to receive knowledge through faith, keeps it by his works, and so God gives him more willingness, knowledge and power." All these gifts--faith, willingness, knowledge, power he wanted human beings to thank God for.his conviction that "works" and "experience" are of the utmost important led Saint Peter to brave, dangerous acts. He spoke out and defended the Christian faith powerfully. His words carried the certainty that his extensive reading, done with faith, had given him. His hearers were convinced that he spoke the truth and followed the true God.Saint Peter became a highly respected leader among fellow Christians. But he suffered exile and physical punishment at the hands of the Islamic government, which dealt harshly with those who dared to say that Islam is inferior to Christianity and not the true faith. He paid a great price for his witness to Christ.Saint Peter Damascene's writings are among the treasures of the Orthodox Church. It is in these writings that he most clearly lays out his belief that everything is a divine gift. Wealth is given so that a person can be merciful to others; poverty is given to engender patience; clumsiness is given for humility; health is given to so that a person can help the infirm. Everything, even great difficulty, is a gift, given by God for our salvation.on Saturday of this week we read Luke 21:4, the story of the poor widow who is observed by Christ as she makes her offering to the Temple treasury. He says that with her small gift she has offered more than all the rich people who gave a lot, because she has put in all she had.saint Peter Damascene would understand an offering like the widow's, one which cost her so much. He would know that she was giving back to God in gratitude for all He had given her. He would recognize her as another person who, like himself, knew that there is not anything that is not a gift. Catechism of St. John Chrysostom to those being baptized about the sponsor Let them not think that what takes place is trifling thing, but let them see clearly that they share in the credit if by their admonition they lead those entrusted to them to the path of virtue. Again, if those they sponsor become careless, the sponsors themselves will suffer great punishment. That is why it is customary to call the sponsors spiritual fathers, that they may learn by this very action how great an affection they must show to those they sponsor in the matter of spiritual instruction. If it is a noble thing to lead to a zeal for virtue those who are in no way related to us, much more should we fulfil this precept in the case of the one whom we receive as a spiritual son. You, the sponsors, have learned that no slight danger hangs over your heads if you are remiss. Triodion in our Church To be resurrected into a new life in Christ requires one also to suffer with Christ through crucifixion. This is precisely what the entire season of the Triodion, Great Lent, Holy Week and Pascha mean to Orthodox Christians. The Triodion prepares us to undergo this annual renewal process of our life in Christ. It is four Sundays of psychological preparation to undergo a more intense level of fasting and prayer during Great Lent which will serve as a means towards an end that will bear spiritual fruit. The three weeks that commence on the fourth Sunday prior to Great Lent constitute the weeks of preparation. Each has its own distinct theme which is expressed in the Gospels readings appointed for the Divine Liturgies on these days: 1. Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14), 2. Sunday of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), and 3. Sunday of the Last Judgment (also called Meatfare Sunday; Matt 25:31-46). 4. Sunday of Forgiveness (also called Cheesefare Sunday; the expulsion of Adam from Eden is also a theme of this day); Matt 6: The Church eases us into the Lenten fasting discipline during this period. The week following the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee is fast-free. The week following the Prodigal Son is a normal week we fast as usual on Wednesday and Friday. In the week following Meatfare Sunday, no meat is eaten; eggs, fish, and dairy are permitted on any day. Forgiveness Sunday brings the period of preparation to an end. The next day, Clean Monday, begins Great Lent. The Vespers service served on the evening of Forgiveness Sunday includes the Rite of Mutual Forgiveness and is the first service of Great Lent.

5 Μνημόσυνο Μαρία Κάτσου 20 χρόνια Καθημερινές Ακολουθίες 10 Φεβρουαρίου Εορτή του Αγίου Χαραλάμπου Όρθρος 8:30πμ Θεία Λειτουργία 9:30πμ Σήμερα Κυριακή των Αναδόχων Σημαντικές Ημερομηνίες 16 Φεβρουαρίου-Διανομή ρούχων και φαγητού στους άστεγους 2 Μαρτίου Εσπερινός της Συγχώρησης-5μμ 3 Μαρτίου- Καθαρά Δευτέρα-Αρχή Σαρακοστής 22 Φεβρουαρίου-Αποκριάτικο Γλέντι 30 Μαρτίου- Εθνική Παρέλαση Memorial Maria Katsos 20 years Weekday Services February 10 Feast Day of St. Charalambos Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am Today Godparent Sunday Important Dates February 16 Midnight Run February 22-Apokriatiko Glendi March 2-The Vespers of Forgivenes-5pm March 3- Clean Monday-Beginning of Lent March 30- Greek Parade Ανακοινώσεις -Μελέτη Αγίας Γραφής κάθε Τετάρτη στις 7:00μμ Ωράριο για τις Κυριακάτικες Λειτουργιές Όρθρος 9:15πμ Θεία Λειτουργία 10:30πμ Announcements -Bible Study every Wednesday at 7:00pm Hours for Sunday Divine Liturgy Orthros 9:15am Divine Liturgy 10:30am

6 St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral 355 State Street, Brooklyn Pan-Orthodox Vespers on the Sunday of Orthodoxy and The Forty Holy Martyrs Sunday, March 9, 2014 Vespers at 6:00 pm His Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS will preside and will be guest speaker A Lenten supper will follow THIS IS THE FAITH OF THE APOSTLES, THIS IS THE FAITH OF THE FATHERS, THIS IS THE FAITH OF THE ORTHODOX. THIS IS THE FAITH WHICH HAS ESTABLISHED THE UNIVERSE. FROM THE SYNODIKON OF THE SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY

7 Sts. Constantine & Helen Cathedral TODAY Orthros 9:15am Divine Liturgy 10:30am Come and receive communion & spend the afternoon with your godchild or sponsor The Community of Sts. Constantine & Helen Cathedral and the A. Fantis Parochial School Cordially invite you to our APOKRIATIKO GLENDI Saturday, February 22, p.m. 64 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn Mezedakia Complete Dinner/Wine Music By: Bravo Sounds $40 adults $15 children under 18 GREEK DANCES PERFORMED BY THE A. FANTIS DANCE GROUP Reservations only (Space is limited) Come in Costume!! Be Creative! Best costume wins $200 American Express Gift Card!

8 Sunday School Choir Program 1st & 3rd Sunday of the Month during Sunday School Directed by Choir Masters Maria & Zoe Zollo For Youth of all ages For Further Information Please Contact: Maria Kammas Students will be high-lighted in: The Processions of the Palms on Palm Sunday, April 13th & The Procession of the Bride Groom during Holy Week, April 13th-15th Students will also learn hymns of the Divine Liturgy and Τη Υπερμάχω»