Fathers of the 1st Council May 24, 2015

Transcript

1 Saints Constantine and Helen G r e e k O r t h o d o x C h u r c h of Washington, DC Fathers of the 1st Council May 24, 2015 PLEASE NOTE EARLIER TIME SCHEDULE SUNDAY-MAY 31, 2015 Holy Pentecost/Κυριακή Η' τῆς Πεντηκοστής 6:00am-Orthros /Ορθρος 7:15am-Divine Liturgy/Θεία Λειτουργία 9:00am-Vespers of Pentecost/Εσπερινός τῆς Πεντηκοστής At St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral

2 THE MISSION OF THE STS. CONSTANTINE & HELEN GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF WASHINGTON DC in Silver Spring, Maryland is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, to teach and spread the Orthodox Christian faith, to energize, cultivate and guide the life of the Church according to the Orthodox Christian faith and Sacred Tradition. The Church sanctifies the faithful through the Divine Worship, especially the Holy Eucharist and other Sacraments, building the spiritual and ethical life of the faithful in accordance with the Holy Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, the doctrines and canons of the Ecumenical and local Synods, the canons of the Holy Apostles and Fathers of the Church and of all other Synods recognized by the Orthodox Church, as interpreted by the Great Church of Christ in Constantinople. The Church serves as a beacon, carrier and witness of the message of Christ to all persons, through Divine Worship, preaching, teaching and living the Orthodox Christian faith. 2

3 HOW TO FOLLOW THE CHURCH SERVICES ON YOUR SMART PHONE/IPAD Step 1: Open your smart phone/ipad. Step 2: Turn on WiFi. Step 3: Select WiFi name: Greek Orthodox Step 4: Use password: greekwireless Step 5: Launch a browser. Type in Step 6: Tap on Step 7: Select the date of the service. You will see Matins. Tap on GR-EN Text/Music. Step 8: When Matins is completed go back to the Table of Contents and tap on Divine Liturgy. Tap on GR-EN Text/Music. HOW TO ACCESS THE FM RADIO STATION: PEMPTOUSIA.FM Step 1: Open your smart phone/ipad/pc. Step 2: Launch a browser. Type in You re done Follow this 24 hours WEB Radio Broadcast 3

4 YMNOI THΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἀναστάσιμον / Ἦχος πλ. βʹ. Ἀγγελικαὶ Δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμά σου, καὶ οἱ φυλάσσοντες ἀπενεκρώθησαν, καὶ ἵστατο Μαρία ἐν τῷ τάφῳ, ζητοῦσα τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα. Ἐσκύλευσας τὸν ᾍδην, μὴ πειρασθεὶς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, ὑπήντησας τῇ Παρθένῳ, δωρούμενος τὴν ζωήν, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ των νεκρῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι. Ἀπολυτίκιον Τῆς Ἑορτῆς/Ἠχος δʹ. Ἀνελήφθης ἐν δόξῃ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, χαροποιήσας τοὺς Μαθητάς, τῇ ἐπαγγελίᾳ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος βεβαιωθέντων αὐτῶν διὰ τῆς εὐλογίας, ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ Υἱός τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ λυτρωτὴς τοῦ κόσμου. Τῶν Πατέρων/Ἠχος δʹ. Ὑπερδεδοξασμένος εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ φωστῆρας ἐπὶ γῆς τοὺς Πατέρας ἡμῶν θεμελιώσας, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν πρὸς τὴν ἀληθινὴν πίστιν, πάντας ἡμᾶς ὁδηγήσας πολυεύσπλαγχνε, δόξα σοι. Aπολυτίκιον Αγ. Κωνσταντίνου & Ελένης Τοῦ Σταυροῦ σου τὸν τύπον ἐν οὐρανῷ θεασάμενος, καὶ ὡς ὁ Παῦλος τὴν κλήσιν οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων δεξάμενος, ὁ ἐν βασιλεύσιν, Ἀπόστολός σου Κύριε, Βασιλεύουσαν πόλιν τὴ χειρί σου παρέθετο ἣν περίσωζε διὰ παντὸς ἐν εἰρήνῃ, πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου, μόνε Φιλάνθρωπε. HYMNS OF THE DAY Resurrectional Apolytikion/Mode 2 When the angelic powers appeared at Your grave, the soldiers guarding it feared and became as dead. And standing by the sepulcher was Mary who was seeking Your immaculate body. You devastated Hades, not afflicted by it. You went to meet the virgin, and granted eternal life. You resurrected from the dead. O Lord, glory to You. Apolytikion For the Feast/Mode 4 You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, after You filled the Disciples with joy, by promising to send them the Holy Spirit, and You blessed them and established their faith, that You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. For the Fathers/Mode pl. 4 Supremely blessed are You, O Christ our God. You established the holy Fathers upon the earth as beacons, and through them You have guided us all to the true Faith, O greatly merciful One, glory be to You. Apolytikion of Sts. Constantine & 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. Aπολυτίκιον Αγ. Ανδρέα Ὡς τῶν Ἀποστόλων Πρωτόκλητος, καὶ τοῦ Κορυφαίου αὐτάδελφος, τὸν Δεσπότην τῶν ὅλων Ἀνδρέα ἱκέτευε, εἰρήνην τὴ οἰκουμένη δωρήσασθαι, καὶ ταὶς ψυχαὶς ἡ μῶν τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. Κοντάκιον/Ἦχος πλ. βʹ. Τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πληρώσας οἰκονομίαν, καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς ἑνώσας τοῖς οὐρανίοις, ἀνελήφθης ἐν δόξῃ, Χριστε ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, οὐδαμόθεν χωριζόμενος, ἀλλὰ μένων ἀδιάστατος, καὶ βοῶν τοῖς ἀγαπῶσί σε Ἐγώ εἰμι μεθ' ὑμῶν, καὶ οὐδεὶς καθ' ὑμῶν. 4 Apolytikion of St. Andrew As first of the Apostles to be called, O Andrew, brother of him (Peter) who was foremost, beseech the Master of all to grant the world peace and our souls great mercy. Kontakion/Mode pl. 2 When You had fulfilled the dispensation for our sake, and united things on earth with the things in heaven, You were taken up thither in glory, O Christ our God, going not away from any place, but continuing inseparable, and to them that love You crying out: "I am with you, and there is, therefore, none against you."

5 Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 20:16-18, ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Στα Νεα Ελληνικα Διότι εγώ γνωρίζω τούτο ότι μετά την έλευσίν μου αυτήν και την αναχώρησιν θα εισέλθουν μεταξύ σας ψευδοδιδάσκαλοι και αιρετικοί, σαν άγριοι λύκοι, οι οποίοι δεν θα λογαριάζουν καθόλου τα λογικά πρόβατα του Χριστού, αλλά θα προσπαθούν να τα παρασύρουν εις τας πλάνας των και να τα κατασπαράξουν ψυχικώς. Και από σας τους ίδιους θα εγερθούν εγωπαθείς άνδρες, οι οποίοι θα διδάσκουν διεστραμμένας και ψευδείς διδασκαλίας, δια να αποσπούν τους μαθητάς από τον ορθόν δρόμον της σωτηρίας και να τους παρασύρουν με το μέρος των ως ιδικούς των οπαδούς. Δι' αυτό πρέπει να είσθε άγρυπνοι και προσεκτικοί, ενθυμούμενοι το παράδειγμά μου, ότι επί τρία κατά συνέχειαν έτη δεν έπαυσα νύκτα και ημέραν με δάκρυα να συμβουλεύω και καθοδηγώ τον καθένα σας. Και τώρα, αδελφοί, σας εμπιστεύομαι εις τα χέρια του Θεού και εις την διδασκαλίαν της χάριτος αυτού, ο οποίος Θεός μόνος ημπορεί να σας οικοδομήση εις την κατά Χριστόν ζωήν και να σας δώση κληρονομίαν μεταξύ όλων εκείνων, οι οποίοι έχουν προχωρήσει στον αγιασμόν δια της χάριτος του Χριστού. Αργύριον η χρυσίον η ενδύματα, τίποτε από αυτά δεν επεθύμησα. Σεις δε οι ίδιοι γνωρίζετε ότι εις τας ανάγκας μου και εις τας ανάγκας εκείνων, που ήσαν μαζή μου, υπηρέτησαν αυτά τα χέρια. Ολα, έργω και λόγω, σας τα έχω υποδείξει, ότι δηλαδή έτσι εργαζόμενοι πνευματικώς και υλικώς θα βοηθήτε και θα στηρίζετε τους ασθενείς εις την πίστιν αδελφούς. Να ενθυμήσθε τους λόγους του Κυρίου Ιησού, τους οποίους αυτός είπε Είναι περισσότερον μακάριον να δίδη κανείς, παρά να λαμβάνη. Και αφού είπε αυτά, εγονάτισε και μαζή με όλους προσευχήθηκε Acts of the Apostles 20:16-18, EPISTLE IN THOSE DAYS, Paul had decided to sail past Ephesos, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. And from Miletos he sent to Ephesos and called to him the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' " And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 5

6 ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟ Στα Νεα Ελληνικα ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 17 Αυτά είπεν ο Ιησούς προς τους μαθητάς του και έπειτα εσήκωσε τα μάτια του στον ουρανόν και είπε Πατερ έφθασεν η ώρα, την οποίαν η αγαθότης και η σοφία σου ώρισε. Δοξασε και ως άνθρωπον τον Υιόν σου, ο οποίος βαδίζει προς την θυσίαν, δια να σε δοξάση και ο Υιός σου με τα αναρίθμητα πλήθη των ανθρώπων, τα οποία δια της λυτρωτικής του θυσίας θα πιστεύσουν εις σε και θα σωθούν. Δοξασε τον, όπως άλωστε και τον εδόξασες έως τώρα, διότι του έδωκες εξουσίαν επί όλης της ανθρωπότητος, δια να δώση εις όλους αυτούς, που του έδωκες, ζωήν αιώνιον. Αυτή δε είναι η αιώνιος ζωη, να γνωρίζουν οι άνθρωποι σε τον μόνον αληθινόν Θεόν, να απολαμβάνουν τας απείρους τελειότητάς σου με την στενήν επικοινωνίαν και αγάπην προς σε, να γνωρίζουν δε επίσης και τον Ιησούν Χριστόν, που έστειλες στον κόσμον. Εγώ με την ζωήν και το έργον μου σε εδόξασα εις την γην. Εκαμα γνωστόν το όνομά σου στους ανθρώπους και με την σταυρικήν μου θυσίαν την οποίαν μετ' ολίγον προσφέρω, ετελείωσα το έργον, το οποίον μου έδωκες να πραγματοποιήσω. Και τώρα, δόξασέ με και συ, Πατερ, πλησίον σου με την δόξαν την οποίαν είχα κοντά σου, πριν άκομα λάβη ύπαρξιν από σε ο κόσμος. Εφανέρωσα το όνομά σου στους ανθρώπους, τους οποίους συ επήρες από τον κόσμον και μου τους έδωκες ως μαθητάς μου. Ησαν ιδικοί σου, σύμφωνα με την αγαθήν διάθεσιν που είχαν, και συ τους έδωκες εις εμέ, και αυτοί εφύλαξαν την εντολήν σου. Τωρα έμαθαν καλύτερα ότι όλα όσα μου έχεις δώσει προέρχονται από σε. Την γνώσιν των και πεποίθησιν αυτήν μαρτυρεί και το γεγονός ότι τους λόγους, που μου έδωκες, τους έδωσα εις αυτούς και αυτοί τους εδέχθησαν και εσχημάτισαν την βεβαίαν γνώσιν και πεποίθησιν, ότι πράγματι εγώ εγεννήθηκα και εβγήκα στον κόσμον από σε και επίστευσαν ότι συ με έστειλες. Εγώ ειδικώς δι' αυτούς σε παρακαλώ τώρα ως μέγας αρχιερεύς και μεσίτης δεν σε παρακαλώ δια τον κόσμον τον αμαρτωλόν και άπιστον, αλλά δι' αυτούς που μου έδωκες, διότι εξακολουθούν να είναι και θα είναι ιδικοί σου. Αλλωστε όλα τα ιδικά μου είναι ιδικά σου και τα ιδικά σου είναι ιδικά μου. Και αυτοί οι μαθηταί μου ήσαν ιδικοί σου και έγιναν ιδικοί μου και εξακολουθούν να είναι ιδικοί σου. Και εγώ έχω δοξασθή εν μέσω αυτών, οι οποίοι με εγνώρισαν ως Υιόν σου και Θεόν. Και δεν είμαι πλέον στον κόσμον αυτόν αισθητώς μεταξύ των με το σώμα μου, και αυτοί είναι στον κόσμον, δια να εκπληρώσουν την υψηλήν αποστολήν των. Και εγώ έρχομαι προς σε. Πατερ άγιε, φύλαξέ τους με την θείαν σου δύναμιν και αγάπην, αυτούς τους οποίους συ μου έδωκες, ώστε να είναι ενωμένοι μεταξύ των εις ένα πνευματικόν σώμα, όπως είμεθα ημείς. Οταν ήμουν μαζή των στον κόσμον, εγώ τους επροφύλασσα με την ιδικήν σου ακαταγώνιστον δύναμιν και προστασίαν. Εφύλαξα αυτούς που μου έδωκες και κανένας από αυτούς δεν εχάθηκε, παρά μόνον ο υιός της απωλείας, ο προδότης, δια να εκπληρωθούν έτσι και αι προφητείαι της Γραφής. Τωρα όμως έρχομαι προς σε και ενώ ευρίσκομαι ακόμη στον κόσμον, λέγω αυτά, δια να τα ακούσουν και οι ίδιοι, ώστε να έχουν την ιδικήν μου τελείαν χαράν ολόκληρον και πλήρη έντος αυτών. 6

7 GOSPEL The Gospel of John 17:1-13 At that time, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work which you gave me to do; and now, Father, you glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made. "I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world; yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you; for I have given them the words which you gave me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you did send me. I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are mine; all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves." 7

8 Συμβολον Της Πίστεως Πιστεύω εἰς ἕνα Θεόν, Πατέρα, Παντοκράτορα, ποιητὴν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς, ὁρατῶν τε πάντων καὶ ἀοράτων. Καὶ εἰς ἕνα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ, τὸν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεννηθέντα πρὸ πάντων τῶν αἰώνων φῶς ἐκ φωτός, Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ, γεννηθέντα οὐ ποιηθέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο. Τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ σαρκωθέντα ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καὶ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσαντα. Σταυρωθέντα τε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου, καὶ παθόντα καὶ ταφέντα. Καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρα κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς. Καὶ ἀνελθόντα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς καὶ καθεζόμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρός. Καὶ πάλιν ἐρχόμενον μετὰ δόξης κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς, οὗ τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ ἔσται τέλος. Καὶ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, τὸ Κύριον, τὸ ζωοποιόν, τὸ ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον, τὸ σὺν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ συμπροσκυνούμενον καὶ συνδοξαζόμενον, τὸ λαλῆσαν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν. Εἰς μίαν, Ἁγίαν, Καθολικὴν καὶ Ἀποστολικὴν Ἐκκλησίαν. Ὁμολογῶ ἓν βάπτισμα εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Προσδοκῶ ἀνάστασιν νεκρῶν. Καὶ ζωὴν τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος. Ἀμήν. The Nicene Creed I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not created, of one essence with the Father through Whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And He rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge the living and dead. His kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets. In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Amen. Κυριακή Προσευχή Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου. Ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου. Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον. Καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν. Καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν, ἀλλὰ ρῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ. The Lord s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. ΕΥΧΕΣ ΠΡΟ ΤΗΣ ΘΕΙΑΣ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑΣ Πιστεύω, Κύριε, και ομολογώ ότι συ ει αληθώς ο Χριστός, ο Υιός του Θεού του ζώντος, ο ελθών εις τον κόσμον αμαρτωλούς σώσαι, ων πρώτος ειμί εγώ. Έτι πιστεύω, ότι τούτο αυτό εστί το αχράντον Σώμα σου και τούτο αυτό εστί το τίμιον Αίμα σου. Δέομαι ουν σου, ελέησόν με και συγχώρησον μοι τα παραπτώματά μου, τα εκούσια και τα ακούσια, τα εν λόγω, τα εν έργω, τα εν γνώσει και αγνοία, και αξίωσόν με ακατακρίτως μετασχείν των αχράντων σου μυστηρίων, εις άφεσιν αμαρτιών, και εις ζωήν αιώνιον. Αμήν. Ιδού βαδίζω προς Θείαν Κοινωνίαν, Πλαστουργέ, μη φλέξης με τη μετουσία, Πυρ γαρ υπάρχεις τους αναξίους φλέγον. Αλλ ουν κάθαρον εκ πάσης με κηλίδος. Του Δείπνου σου του μυστικού, σήμερον, Υιέ Θεού, κοινωνόν με παράλαβε, ου μη γαρ τοις εχθροίς σου το 8

9 μυστήριον είπω, ου φίλημα σοι δώσω, καθάπερ ο Ιούδας, αλλ ως ο Ληστής ομολογώ σοι. Μνήσθητι μου Κύριε, εν τη βασιλεία σου. Θεουργόν Αίμα φρίξον, άνθρωπε βλέπων, Άνθραξ γαρ εστί τους αναξίους φλέγων, Θεού το Σώμα, και θεοί με, και τρέφει, Θεοί το πνεύμα, τον δε νουν τρέφει ξένως. Έθελξας πόθω με Χριστέ, και ηλλοίωσας τω θείω έρωτι, αλλά κατάφλεξον πυρί αϋλω τας αμαρτίας μου, και εμπλησθήναι της εν σοι τρυφής καταξίωσον, ίνα τας δύο σκιρτών μεγαλύνω, Αγαθέ, παρουσίας σου. Εν ταις λαμπρότησι των αγίων σου, πως εισελεύσομαι ο ανάξιος; Εάν γαρ τολμήσω συνεισελθείν εις τον νυμφώνα, ο χιτών με ελέγχει. Ότι ουκ έστι του γάμου, και δέσμιος εκβαλούμαι υπό των Αγγέλων, καθάρισον, Κύριε, τον ρύπον της ψυχής μου, και σώσον με, ως φιλάνθρωπος. Δέσποτα φιλάνθρωπε, Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, ο Θεός μου, μη εις κρίμα μοι γένοιτο τα Άγια ταύτα, δια το ανάξιον είναι με, αλλ εις κάθαρσιν και αγιασμόν ψυχής τε και σώματος, και εις αρραβώνα μελλούσης ζωής και βασιλείας. Εμοί δε το προσκολλάσθαι τω Θεώ αγαθόν εστί, τίθεσθαι εν τω Κυρίω την ελπίδα της σωτηρίας μου. Του Δείπνου σου του μυστικού, σήμερον, Υιέ Θεού, κοινωνόν με παράλαβε, ου μη γαρ τοις εχθροίς σου το μυστήριον είπω, ου φίλημα σοι δώσω, καθάπερ ο Ιούδας, αλλ ως ο Ληστής ομολογώ σοι. Μνήσθητι μου Κύριε, εν τη βασιλεία σου. PRAYERS BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION I believe, Lord, and I confess, that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. Moreover, I believe that this is Your immaculate Body, and that this is Your precious Blood. Wherefore, I pray to You: have mercy on me, and forgive me my transgressions, those voluntary and involuntary, those in word, those in deed, those in knowledge and those in ignorance; and make me worthy to partake of Your immaculate Mysteries without condemnation, for the remission of sins and life everlasting. Amen. Behold, I approach for divine Communion; Creator, burn me not as I partake; For You are Fire, which burns the unworthy. But, rather, cleanse me from every impurity. Of Your Mystical Supper, Son of God, receive me today as a communicant; for I will not speak of the Mystery to Your enemies; nor will I give You a kiss, as did Judas, but like the thief I confess You: Remember me, Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom! Be awe-stricken, O man, beholding the deifying Blood; For it is a lighted Coal that burns the unworthy. The divine Body both deifies and nourishes me; It deifies the spirit, and wondrously nourishes the mind. You have smitten me with yearning, O Christ, and by Your divine zeal You have changed me; but burn away my sins with immaterial Fire, and make me worthy to be filled with delight in You; that, leaping for joy, O good One, I may magnify Your two comings. Into the brilliant company of Your saints, how shall I the unworthy enter? For if I dare to enter into the bridal chamber, my garment betrays me, for it is not a wedding garment, and I shall be bound and cast out by the Angels; Lord, cleanse my soul of pollution, and save me, for You love mankind. Master, Who loves mankind, Lord Jesus Christ my God, do not let these Holy Things be to me for judgment because of my unworthiness, but rather may they be for the purification and sanctification of soul and body, and as a pledge of the life and Kingdom to come. For it is good for me to cleave to God, to put my hope of salvation in the Lord. Of Your Mystical Supper, Son of God, receive me today as a communicant; for I will not speak of the Mystery to Your enemies; nor will I give You a kiss, as did Judas, but like the thief I confess You: Remember me, Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom! Remember me, Master, when You come into Your Kingdom! Remember me, Holy One, when You come into Your Kingdom! 9

10 SAINTS AND FEASTS St. Kevin of Ireland and the Aerial Demons How St. Kevin of Glendalough [ca ] did battle with demons, and by the Mercy of God, Saved the Soul of an Undeserving Man, by God s Grace A certain cruel soldier had frequently perpetrated robberies among those mountain ridges. He had never done a good action but one, which was praying each day, that through St. Kevin s merits, his soul might be saved. On a particular occasion, being surrounded by those who were in pursuit of him, he was put to death, and afterwards cut to pieces. An Angel of the Lord then appeared to [St.] Kevin saying: A certain wretched man, who hath daily invoked thee to ward off danger from his soul, is slain on this day. Do you, therefore, act valiantly in the Lord s name, and follow the demons who drag his soul to torments. For, although his body is destroyed, yet through the power of God, you shall snatch his soul from destruction. Then, the holy Abbot felt comforted. Guided by the Angel, he was taken up from the earth to the higher regions of air, where he remained from the ninth hour to the following day, engaged in a contest with demons. In fine, through the Mercy of God, he release the wretched man s soul from their power. Meantime, not knowing the cause of their holy Abbot s absence, his monks felt sorrowful, on finding their venerable superior missing. When he returned to them, on the following day, he said: O my brethren, bury the body of that culprit in your cemetery, for on his account, I ascended towards heaven. His soul is now liberated from the demons, and is at rest in God s presence. The monks did as they were commanded, while admiring those wonders wrought by the Almighty, through his holy servant. (J. O Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints Volume 6, pp ) Third Finding of the Precious Head of St. John the Baptist-May25 Because of the vicissitudes of time, the venerable head of the holy Forerunner was lost for a third time and rediscovered in Comana of Cappadocia through a revelation to 'a certain priest, but it was found not, as before, in a clay jar, but in a silver vessel, and "in a sacred place." It was taken from Comana to Constantinople and was met with great solemnity by the Emperor, the Patriarch, and the clergy and people. 10

11 MEMORIAL SERVICE Archon Nickolas James Pantazes is the beloved husband of Mrs. Litsa Pantazes. Devoted father of Joanna Pantazes, Theodore (Eliana) Pantazes and Sophia (Jon) Pantazes-Berns. Adored grandfather of Mikey, Niko, Kosta and Litsa. Today s coffee hour is offered in memory of Mr. Nickolas James Pantazes with love from his family. May his memory be eternal! FUTURE MEMORIALS June 7, 2015 Mr. Vasilios Yeakim 3 Year 11

12 PRAYER LIST If you would like us to remember you or your loved one in our prayers, please contact the church office. Maria, Simeon, Nikitas, Andreas, Constantine, Andreas, Pavlos, Elena, Elaine, Presbytera Flora, Louis, Fr. Peter, Kathy, Kalliope, Chris, John, Georgia, Jennie, Dean, Aziz, Bill, Sylvia, Zenon, Danielle, Delores, Demetrios and Maria. PRAYER FOR A SICK PERSON Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent Your only-begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ to heal every sickness and infirmity, visit and heal me Your servant from all physical and spiritual ailments through the grace of Your Christ. Grant me patience in this sickness, strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health. Lord, You have taught us through Your word to pray for each other that we may be healed. I pray that You heal me as Your servant and grant me the gift of complete health. For You are the source of healing and to You I give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FUTURE GOD PARENTS All Orthodox Christians planning to become a God Parent must be able to recite the Creed by memory. You may recite our Symbol of Faith in either English or Greek. 40-DAYS BABY BLESSING For your convenience we are letting you know that you can make an appointment to church your baby on the 40th day after its birth, no matter what day that might be. There is no reason that you have to inconvenience the mom and the baby, waiting in the back of the Narthex until the priest is available on a Sunday ONLY. Make an appointment to come to church when it is convenient for you at a time that will not disrupt the baby's routine. ANY day you would like. 9am through 6pm by appointment. Bring the entire family or come just with your husband and the baby. Whatever you want. No waiting no inconvenience. More private time with the priest to talk about the future baptism if you wish. Call the office for an appointment. 12

13 Greek Language School: To πρόγραμμα λήξης του ελληνικού σχολείου των Αγίων Κωνσταντίνου και Ελένης θα πραγματοποιηθεί στις 8 Ιουνίου στον Ιερό Ναό του Αγίου Αντρέα. Το πρόγραμμα θα ξεκινήσει στις 4:30 μ.μ. Ελάτε να απολαύσετε τους μικρούς και τους μεγαλύτερους μαθητές του σχολείου ενώ θα τραγουδούν παραδοσιακά καλοκαιρινά τραγούδια. Κατά τη διάρκεια του προγράμματος θα τιμηθούν επίσης οι απόφοιτοι του ελληνικού σχολείου. Our Greek School Commencement Program will take place on Monday, June 8th at St. Andrews Church. The program will start promptly at 4:30 p.m. You are all invited to come and enjoy our students as we celebrate this year's last day of Greek School with traditional summer songs. We will also be honoring our graduates as they move on. Your teachers and your fellow students will miss you. Philoptochos News: The May project of our Direct Archdiocesan District is a Purse Drive for Women in Need. The purses can be gently used or new. Please bring your purse donations to Saint Andrew s by May 31st and we will send them directly to Holy Trinity Church, New York. All summer we will be collecting flip flops for the Rainbow Place Shelter for Women in Rockville. We would like to collect at least 50 pairs of flip flops! Any color, any size. Most dollar stores are carrying them now! Thank you for your continued support in our endeavors to reach out and help those in need. Catechetical School Ministry: Please come to church on Sunday, June 7th for a special presentation at the end of the Divine Liturgy by our Catechism Ministry classes. This is the last day of Catechism classes until the fall. We will celebrate our accomplishments by having a reception following the presentation. We look forward to seeing all of our Catechism students! The More You Know Visitation: Not everyone has . Not everyone has the ability to come to church on Sundays. The place of the priest is primarily in front of the altar then he should be in your home or business not sitting in his office. I am inviting myself to your home/apartment to share with you the good news of our parish. Please contact Father Michael at (301) Communion Wine: If you are interested in purchasing Commandaria wine for the church, please contact the church office at (240) for more information. To keep things consistent we use Commandaria wine for Holy Communion. We appreciate your expression of love for Him in providing us with this particular wine. May God continue to bless you always! Confession: Father Michael is available for confession at your convenience. Please call on his cell phone at (301) or fm@papouli.net for an appointment. 13

14 STEWARDS STEWARDSHIP AS OF MAY 24, 2015 The following names are of families who love their God and have renewed their Commitment to the Church Ministries of Sts. Constantine & Helen: Miss Eleni Mayes Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Mayes III Mr. Joseph Mayes IV Stewardship pamphlets are available in the Narthex of the Church, or you may contact the Church office, and we will gladly send one to you by mail! 14

15 Saint Paisios and the Young Man With Protestant Leanings A Severe Illness Requires a Big Hospital Eventually I decided to go to the Orthodox Church. I confessed and began to receive communion regularly. Yet I had many serious questions to which I could not find answers. I sought the answers by meeting with theologians and clergy, but still to no avail. "Kosta, no matter how much I try I cannot satisfy you with anything. You want to understand the mysteries of God with your reason. This isn't Orthodox. Only one thing will save you: let's go to the Holy Mountain. Will you come?" This was the opinion of an Archimandrite to whom God led me, I believe. After I agreed, he informed me of a great surgeon (my own characterization) who is there, so we went. His name was Fr. Paisios. Another blessed elder from Pyrgos, I later learned, said the following about me: "If Fr. Paisios receives him, there is hope, if not, he will be lost in his pride." He had a point. Fortunately Christ shed His blood for our sins. Glory to his holy name. I will try to convey as accurately as possible the conversation I had with Fr. Paisios. Question: Holy Scripture teaches that only Jesus Christ saves. In the Orthodox Church we ask the Virgin Mary to save us. Is this correct? Answer: Jesus is the only Savior. He offered Himself for us. Now listen. If you were someone with great power and went to the city with your mother, everyone waiting there for you would greet both you and your mother. They would even say the best words about her, even if they knew nothing about her. And when you heard them, you would rejoice, and would proud for your mother. So also does Christ rejoice and is proud for his mother, when He hears our good words about her. Look, if a poor woman went to your mother and begged her to ask you to appoint her to a position and you did this favor of your mother, then that poor woman would say your mother saved her, even though you appointed her. Well, so we also say that the Virgin Mary saves us, and her Son who as the One in power, yet is humble, rejoices to hear good words being spoken by us about His mother. Question: The Lord taught us to pray to God the Father. The Orthodox Church prays to the Theotokos and the Saints who are people. Is this correct? Answer: Listen. All prayers go to God. We pray to the Virgin Mary and the Saints, that is, we ask that they pray to the Lord for us, and their prayers have great power. Question: Yes, but (I interrupted) the Virgin Mary and the Saints were people and they died. They do not hear us, nor are they present everywhere. Perhaps God is angered over the fact that we pray to them? (Here it is my great obligation to stress with emphasis what happened to me. At the moment I said the word "but", I felt a spear pinning me down to the earth without hurting me and without me making a noise, but something opened up within me and "sucked"in whatever the elder said to me.) Answer: My child, to God no one dies. When someone dies, they die to us who are left here on earth. They do not die to God. And if that person has boldness before God, they learn from Christ that we are asking them to pray for us, and so they pray for us, and Christ hears and rejoices. The prayer of the righteous has great power. 15

16 (continued from page 15). Question: The Lord says: "I am the Lord your God. You shall have no idols nor images, to venerate them. Nor shall you worship them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God." The Orthodox Church venerates icons. Is this correct? Answer: Listen. A mother whose child is at war, fears for him day and night. She has much suspense for him. Suddenly she receives a letter from her child with a photograph of him inside. When she sees it, what does she do? She takes it in her hands and kisses it, then puts it to her bosom to touch it to her heart. Well, what do you think? This mother with such fiery passion for her child, does she believe she is kissing the photograph? She believes she is kissing her child. The same is believed by those who have a fiery passion for the Virgin Mary or the Saint depicted in an icon that they venerate. We do not venerate the icons because of the icons, but because of the Saints, and these not for them in themselves, but because they strove for Christ. It is true that God is jealous. However not for His own, but for the devil. A father is not jealous of his own children. Don't worry, for the Lord rejoices when He sees us revering and loving His mother and the Saints. Question: What about the Protestants, the Evangelicals, the Pentecostals? Answer: Luther had a complaint with the Pope, and for this he was justified. If he was sincere, then why didn't he go to the Orthodox Church about which he had no complaint? Instead, he made another "church" of his own. Leave them be. Do not go there again. Go to church, you and your wife should confess to the same spiritual father, and everything will be well. Question: Father Paisios, I don't know how to pray. How should I pray? Answer: You should feel as if you are a small child and God is your Father. Then seek Him. If you seek Him and not stupid things, do not be upset, He will not be angry. He sees your heart and will give what is best for you. It is like a child that asks his father to buy him a motorcycle, because he believes he is old enough, and because the father is afraid something bad will happen to his child, he may be slow to grant the child what he wants, but in the end he buys the child a car. Question: When we pray is it good to wait in our prayers until we feel joy? I do this often and it happens. Answer: No. Then it is like a child who asks its father for something, not to buy him something, but only to caress him. I thank and glorify God that He made me worthy to know a holy man while he was alive on earth, to be counseled by him and for him to pray for me and my family. Truly how wonderful God is. How all-benevolent and all-merciful! Glory to His holy name. This is how I became - not I became, but the Lord made me - an Orthodox Christian, with of course something else Fr. Paisios told me, how at every moment we are under examination. Source: From the periodical Dialogos. Translated by John Sanidopoulos. 16

17 ARTICLE OF THE WEEK Against Those Who Have Abandoned the Church and Deserted It for {sports, movies, TV, etc} Hippodromes and Theatres, A Homily of St John Chrysostom As we read this, do not our minds involuntarily go to the types of amusements we pursue today sports, movies, TV, etc. which too often pollute our minds or lead us away from services on Sunday or Feast Days? Does not our society surpass a thousandfold the evil and delusion reflected in the vices condemned by this great Saint 1600 years ago? Webmaster [272] Can this be tolerated? Can this be accepted? I want to call you to witness against yourselves. That is what God did with the Hebrews. He called them as witnesses against themselves when he said: My people, what have I done to you? How have I hurt you or how have I annoyed you? Answer me. Again: What fault did your fathers find in me? I shall imitate this, and shall ask you again: Can this be tolerated? Can this be accepted? After hearing lengthy series of speeches and so much teaching, some people have left us, and deserted us for the spectacle of horse racing. They have become so frenzied that they fill the whole city with their shouting and disorderly racket, creating huge laughter or rather lamentation. Meanwhile I, sitting at home, hearing the outbreak of shouting, have suffered more grievously than seafarers in a storm. For in the same way as those seafarers, when the waves break against the side of their ship, fear that their lives are in danger, so too have I, when those more dreadful cries have broken over me, cowered to the ground and covered myself up. The spectators higher up behave so disgracefully, while the ones further down in the middle of the crowd cheer on the riders and shout worse than the first group. What shall I say? Or what explanation shall I give, if a visitor arrives from somewhere and challenges us and says: Is this the city of the Apostles? Is this the city that received so great a teacher? Is this the people who love Christ, who is the genuine, spiritual, spectacle? You have not even shown respect for the very day on which the sacraments of the salvation of mankind were celebrated. But on Good Friday, when your Lord [273] was being crucified on behalf of the world, and such a sacrifice was being offered, and paradise was being opened, and the robber was led back to his old country; when the curse was being undone and sin was made to vanish, and the ancient war was ended and God was reconciled towards men, and everything was being transformed on that very day, when it was necessary to fast and give glory, and to raise prayers of thanksgiving for the good things in the world to the one who created them, instead you left the church and the spiritual eucharist, and the assembly of the brothers, and the solemnity of the fast, and as a prisoner of the devil were you dragged off to that spectacle? Can this be tolerated? Can this be accepted? I shall not stop saying these things constantly, and assuaging my pain that way, not by suppressing it with silence, but by bringing it out into public view and putting it in front of your eyes. How will we be able to propitiate God from now on? How can we mollify his anger? Three days ago a stormy raincloud burst and soaked everything. It snatched their food from the very mouths of the farmers, so to speak, flattened the waving cornfields, and ruined everything else due to the abundance of water. Processions and supplications were held, and our whole city like a torrent ran to the places of the apostles. We claimed as advocates St Peter and the blessed Andrew, and the famous pair of apostles, Paul and Timothy. After that, when the anger eased, we crossed the sea and mastered the waves, and ran to the chief apostles, Peter the foundation of our faith, and Paul the instrument of divine election. We conducted a spiritual gathering, and proclaimed their struggles, their achievements and their victories over 17

18 (continued from page 17).the demons. And yet, unalarmed by dread about what had happened, and not learning from the magnitude of the apostles achievements, at once within the space of a single day, do you jump around and shout, not seeing that your own soul is being dragged into captivity by its base pursuits? If you were addicted to watching the circuit of wild beasts, why did you not yoke the wild passions in yourself, namely fury and desire, and place on them the bridle of philosophy, which is virtuous and light, and impose the correct argument, and drive them towards the prize of a higher vocation, not running from defilement to defilement, but from earth to heaven? That type of horse race produces great benefit as well as pleasure. But you simply put down your business and left it as it was, and sat watching other people s victories, frittering away such a day idly and in vain and for a base purpose. [274] Do you not know that just as when we hand over money to our servants, and we demand accounts from them down to the last obol, in the same way God will demand an account from us of the days of our life, as to how we have spent each day? What then shall we say? What shall be our defence, when we are requested to give our accounts of that day? For your sake the sun rose, and the moon brightened the night, and the intricate pattern of the stars shone forth. Winds blew for your sake, and rivers flowed. For your sake seeds sprouted and plants grew, and the course of nature preserved its own order. Day appeared and night followed. And all of this happened for your sake. But do you, when all creation serves you, satisfy the desire of the devil? You have rented such a home from God, I mean this world, but you have not paid the rent. And you were not satisfied with the first day, but on the second day, when you should have paused for a while from the evil that was enveloping you, you returned again this time to the theatre. You ran from smoke into fire, descending into another pit that was even worse. Old men shamed their grey hair, and young men threw their youth away. Fathers brought their sons, from the beginning guiding inexperienced youth into the pits of depravity, so it would not have been a mistake to call those men child killers rather than fathers, as they surrendered their children s souls to evil. What kind of evil, you ask. Because of it I am in agony, because although you are ill you do not know you are ill or call the doctor. You have become filled with adultery, and you ask What kind of evil? Have you not listened to Christ when he said: Anyone who looks at a woman with desire has already committed adultery with her? What if I do not look at her with desire? you ask. How will you be able to convince me? For if anyone cannot control what he watches, but is so enthusiastic about doing so, how will he be able to remain virtuous after he has finished watching? Is your body made of stone? Or iron? You are clothed with flesh, human flesh, which is enflamed by desire as easily as grass. Why do I talk about the theatre? Often if we meet a woman in the marketplace, we are alarmed. But you sit in your upper seat, where there is such an invitation to outrageous behaviour, and see a woman, a prostitute, entering bareheaded and with a complete lack of shame, dressed in golden garments, flirting coquettishly and singing harlots songs with seductive tunes, and uttering disgraceful words. She behaves so shamelessly that if you watch her and give consideration, you will bow your head in shame. Do you dare to say you suffer no human reaction? Is your body made of stone? Or iron? I shall not refrain from saying the same things again. Surely you are not a better philosopher than those great and noble men, who were cast down merely by such a sight? [275] Have you not heard what Solomon says: If someone walks onto a fire of coals, will he not burn his feet? If someone lights a fire in his lap, will he not burn his clothing? It is just the same for the man who goes to a woman that doesn t belong to him. For even if you did not have intimate relations with the prostitute, in your lust you coupled with her, and you committed the sin in your mind. And it was not only at that time, but also when the theatre has closed, and the woman has gone away, her image remains in your soul, along with her words, her figure, her looks, her movement, her rhythm, and her distinctive and meretricious tunes; and having suffered countless wounds you go home. Is it not this that leads to the disruption of households? Is it not this that leads to the destruction of temperance, and the break up of marriages? Is it not this that 18

19 (continued from pg. 18)...leads to wars and battles, and odious behaviour lacking any reason? For when, saturated with that woman, you return home as her captive, your wife appears more disagreeable, your children more burdensome, and your servants troublesome, and your house superfluous. Your customary concerns seem to annoy you when they relate to managing your necessary business, and everyone who visits is an irritating nuisance. The cause of this is that you do not return home alone, but keeping the prostitute with you. She does not go visibly and openly, which would have been easier. For your wife could have quickly driven her away. But she is ensconced in your mind and your consciousness, and she lights within you the Babylonian furnace, or rather something much worse. For it is not tow, naphtha and pitch, but her qualities mentioned above that provide fuel for the fire, and everything is upside down. It is just like people suffering from a fever, who have no reason to rebuke those who attend them, but because of the affliction of their illness are unpleasant to everyone, reject their food, insult their doctors, are bad tempered with their families and furious with those who care for them. Just so those who suffer from this dread disease are restless and vexed, and see that woman at every turn. What a terrible state of affairs! The wolf and the lion and other beasts when they are shot at flee the huntsman. But a man, though the most intelligent, when wounded pursues the woman who has wounded him, so as to receive a much more deadly missile and revel in the wound. What is most sickening of all, is that he makes the disease incurable. For if someone does not hate the injury and does not want to be free of it, why would he summon a doctor? Therefore I lament and am in torment, because after receiving such a brutal outrage you return from the theatre, and for the sake of a small pleasure you undergo continual pain. For even before the punishment of Hell, you demand the ultimate penalty here. Tell me, does it not merit the final punishment, to nurture such a desire, to be constantly enflamed, and to carry everywhere the furnace of unnatural love and the condemnation of your own conscience? How will you climb those sacred steps? [276] How will you touch the heavenly table? How will you hear the sermon about temperance, when you are full of such injuries and wounds, and your intellect is the slave of your passion? Why should I say anything else? From what is now going on amongst us it is possible to see the pain of your intellect. Now just as I am speaking these words I can see some people beating their foreheads, and I am very grateful to you for being such a compassionate people. In fact I think many of those who have never sinned are beating themselves, because they suffer pain from their brothers wounds. Therefore I lament and grieve, because the devil is tormenting this flock. But if you want to we can quickly block his entrance. How and by what means? If we could see those who are diseased becoming healthy. If we could unfurl the nets of our doctrine and go around seeking those who have been captured by wild beasts, and snatch them from the lion s throat. Do not say to me There are only a few who have been taken from the flock. Even if there were only ten, it would be no ordinary loss. Even if there were five, or two or one. That famous shepherd left behind the ninety nine sheep for the same reason, and ran after the one sheep, and did not return until he brought it back with him, and completed the defective number of one hundred through the restoration of that one which had wandered away. Do not say It is only one. But consider, it is a soul, on whose account everything that can be seen came into being: laws, penalties and punishments, and countless wonders, and the infinitely varied works of God. On that soul s account he did not spare his only-born son. Consider what a price has been paid even for the one man, and do not undervalue his salvation, but go away and bring him back to us, and persuade him no longer to fall into the same mistakes. Then we have a sufficient defence. But if he should not give in, either to our advice or to your entreaties, then I shall thereafter use my power, which God gave us not for destruction but for construction. Therefore I make this proclamation, in a clear and loud voice, that if anyone after this exhortation and teaching deserts back to the unlawful disgrace of the theatre, I shall not receive him within these precincts, I will not let him share in the sacraments, I will not let him touch the sacred table. Just as shepherds separate the sheep that are afflicted by 19

20 (continued from page 19).mange from the healthy sheep, so as to prevent the rest from catching the disease, so I shall act in the same way. For if in ancient times the leper was ordered to sit outside the camp, and even if he was a king, was expelled along with his crown, so much more should we expel from this sacred camp the one who has leprosy in his soul. Just as in the beginning I used exhortation and advice, so now after all this exhortation and teaching it is necessary from now on to deploy exclusion. For it is a year since I entered your city, and I have not ceased from frequent and constant reminders to you about this. [277] But since some have persisted in the putrefaction, well then from now on we should introduce exclusion. If I do not possess an iron sword, at least I have a word which is sharper than iron. If I cannot touch fire, I have a doctrine which is hotter than fire, and can burn more fiercely. Do not scorn my decree. Although we are worthless and most pitiable, nevertheless we have been granted a status by the grace of God that can achieve these things. Let such people be ejected, so that those of us who are healthy may become more healthy, and those who are sick may restore themselves from serious illness. If you shudder when you hear this decree (and I see that you are all looking gloomy and flinching), let them repent, and the decree will be cancelled. For just as I have received the power to bind, so I have the power to release, and to recall them back. I do not wish to excommunicate our brothers, but to dispel the disgrace of the Church. For as things stand even the pagans will laugh at us, and the Jews will mock us, when we overlook our own members sinning in this way. But in the other case they will greatly praise us, and admire the Church, and respect our laws. So let not a single one of those who remain in this prostitution set foot in the church, but let him be censured by you, and let him be a common enemy. For if anyone, as it is said, will not heed my word set out in my letter, mark him out and do not associate with him. But do this: do not share conversation, or receive him into your home, or share your table, or your going out or going in, or visit the forum with him. In this way we will easily win them back. Just as hunters chase their difficult prey not just from one direction but from all sides, and so drive them into the net, so too shall we herd together those who have been driven into a frenzy, and quickly hurl them into the nets of salvation, we on one side and you on the other. In order that this will happen you too will share our anger, or rather suffer pain on account of God s laws, and soon retrieve those of the brethren who are diseased in this way and breaking the law, so that you will keep them for ever. For it will be no ordinary charge against you, if you ignore such destruction, but you will be subject to the greatest penalty. In men s households if one of the servants is caught stealing silver or gold, the thief himself is not the only one punished, but also his conspirators and anyone who did not report him. So much more does the same thing happen in the Church. For at that time God will ask you: When you saw no silver or gold vessel being robbed from My house, but temperance itself being stolen, and the one who had taken the venerable body, and shared in so great a sacrifice, departing into the place of the devil and committing such sins, how could you keep silent? How did you tolerate it? Why did you not report it to the priest? And you will be subjected to extreme chastisement. For that reason I too, though it will cause me pain, will not fail to use any of the more grievous penalties. [278] For it is much better that we should suffer pain here and be freed of the coming judgement, rather than use indulgent words here and be punished then alongside you. For it is not safe or without danger for us to tolerate such things in silence. Each of you will give an account of himself. But I am liable to account for the salvation of all of you. For that reason I shall not cease doing and saying everything, even if I have to cause you pain or appear hateful, or tiresome, so that I will be able to stand before that awesome tribunal, without a stain or a blemish or any such thing. May it be with the help of the prayers of the saints that those who have been lost may quickly return, and those who have remained unharmed may advance towards greater propriety and temperance. In this way you may be saved, and we may rejoice, and God may be glorified now and always, and for unending ages upon ages. Amen. 20

21 ANGER The memory of insults is the residue of anger. It keeps sins alive, hates justice, ruins virtue, poisons the heart, rots the mind, defeats concentration, paralyzes prayer, puts love at a distance, and is a nail driven into the soul. If anyone has appeased his anger, he has already suppressed the memory of insults, while as long as the mother is alive the son persists. In order to appease the anger, love is necessary. Remembrance of Jesus passion will heal your soul of resentment, by making it ashamed of itself when it remembers the patience of the Lord. Some people have wearied themselves and suffered for a long time in order to extract forgiveness. By far the best course, however, is to forget the offences, since the Lord says: "Forgive at once and you will be forgiven in generous measure" cf. Luke 6: Forgetting offences is a sign of sincere repentance. If you keep the memory of them, you may believe you have repented but you are like someone running in his sleep. Let no one consider it a minor defect, this darkness that often clouds the eyes even of spiritual people. 21

22 Checking Your Attitude By Jim Burns Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 A confederate soldier in the midst of some very trying circumstances wrote the words below. I don t know who he was or where he learned this incredible principle of life, but I offer it to you today as one of the secrets of a fulfilled life. Personally, I read this poem often, and I call it my ATTITUDE CHECK I asked God for strength that I might achieve. I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked God for health that I might do greater things. I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy. I was given poverty that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men. I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing I asked for but everything I had hoped for. Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered. I am among all men most richly blessed.*

23 OUTREACH MINISTRY What the world is seeking from Christians is consistency. The world is asking us to reveal the beauty of the Christian message by conscientiously living its principles, in the light of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. The world is looking for us to reveal, in the course of our daily reality, the beauty, radiance, glory, and power in a life that has been made new in Christ. The world is calling upon us to radiate the presence of the Holy Spirit. It yearns for a living Christianity that bears witness to the mystery of the All-Holy Trinity s Love. It longs for the virtual transformation of human existence and for a communion with the transcendent power of Love. From Facing the World: Orthodox Christian Essays on Global Concerns by His Beatitude Anastasios Yannoulatos, Archbishop of Tirana and all Albania

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26 AHEPA HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD WINNERS 1. Mr. Dimitrios A. Lappas 2. Mr. Michael N. Pittas Congratulations!!! Heritage Greece Scholarship Winner!! Congratulations to Haroula Marianthe Tzamaras on her selection in the 2015 Heritage Greece Program. Haroula applied for the 2015 Heritage Greece program after seeing the information in one of our church bulletins earlier this year. Heritage Greece 2015 is an unforgettable journey to Greece in June tailored to connect college-aged students with their Greek identity and roots through a cultural immersion experience. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore their Greek heritage, culture and identity with a peer group of students from the US and Greece. They will visit numerous sites, museums and archeological sites while spending more than two weeks at the American College of Greece in Athens. Fifty students throughout the U.S. were chosen as Heritage Greece Scholarship recipients. The program is sponsored by the National Hellenic Society (NHS) which was established a few years ago by several of the most successful members of the Greek American community concerned about the complacency and risk of the relevance of Hellenic heritage in the next generation s lives. NHS mission is to preserve and pass on this incredible heritage and legacy in honor of our parents and forbears. As a community, all of us at Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Washington, D.C. should join with Haroula s parents, Katy and Bill Tzamaras in taking a great sense of pride in Haroula s achievement of being chosen to participate in this wonderful program. 26

27 JESUS CHRIST WANTS YOU!! SPECIAL INVITATION YOUNG ADULTS Under the spiritual guidance of Fr. Michael and the lay-leadership of Elias Mavromatis and Joe Mayes, any young adults of our parish community between the ages of 21 and 29 are invited to submit their request to be part of the -- NEW Youth Ministry of our parish community by sending an to or Elias or Joe s (joem1222@gmail.com). Become part of the most exciting adventure in bring our youth closer to Jesus Christ. 27

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34 OLI MAZI! Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Churc h of Washington, DC Temporary Church Address: St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD Office Address: 701 Norwood Road, Silver Spring, MD Phone: (240) office@schgocdc.org Website: Rev. Michael Eaccarino, Presiding Priest Cell Phone: (301) & fm@papouli.net We welcome all visitors among us always! We hope you find our worship true and reverent and our people here friendly and cordial. If you are seeking a spiritual home, we would be honored by your presence in our family. We are glad you chose to worship with us today. ALTAR BOYS Paul R. Zayas roberto.zayas81@gmail.com STEWARDSHIP Sotirios Nasios snasios@yahoo.com GREEK LANGUAGE MINISTRY Ifigenia Kambanis agkambanis@msn.com Erini Iatrou eirini.iatrou@gmail.com OUTREACH MINISTRY Ms. Anastasia Kyritsopoulos (301) a.kyritsopoulos2@gmail.com CHOIR Dr. Theodore Papaloizos ted@greek123.com YOUTH MINISTRY Elias Mavromatis eblackeye@hotmail.com Joe Mayes joem1222@gmail.com GREEK DANCE MINISTRY Elaine Romas eromas@verizon.net Kristina Maria Paspalis kmpaspalis@gmail.com YOUNG AT HEART Helen Thornberg bwt602r@aol.com Christina Clifton Christina.Clifton@verizon.net 34 CATECHETICAL MINISTRY Tara Kavadias tarakavadias@yahoo.com Assisted By: Voula Vithoulkas voulavithoulkas@gmail.com YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY (YAL) Viktoria Taroudaki Victoria.taroudaki@gmail.com PHILOPTOCHOS Paraskevoula Hays voulaphilo@landmark.org HOPE & JOY Athanasia Raptis (301) Maria Poulakis maria.poulakis7@gmail.com

35 GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA 8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY Tel: (212) Fax: (212) YOUR PRIEST IS AVAILABLE TO YOU Protocol Number 24/7! 01/15 January 1, 2015 Feast of Saint Basil and New Year Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:14) Please call or text FM s cell phone ( ) or (fm@papouli.net) for anything you might need, including To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, appointments, the Day, Afternoon, questions and Church Schools, or any the Philoptochos special Sisterhoods, events. the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America Fr. Michael: (301) Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, On this blessed Feast of Saint Basil and the beginning of the New Year, our honored tradition is to offer prayers and support for the sacred ministry of our beloved Saint Basil Academy. For seventy years this institution of our Holy Archdiocese has offered the love of Christ, the comfort of His presence, and the healing power of faith to children, Ο ΙΕΡΕΥΣ youth, and families ΣΑΣ in need. ΕΙΝΑΙ Serving Orthodox ΣΤΗ children ΔΙΑΘΕΣΗ from throughout ΣΑΣ the United 24/7. States, Saint Basil Academy continues to provide a caring and spiritual environment where they are able to grow, learn, and achieve. Παρακαλώ να τον καλείτε στο κινητό τηλέφωνο για οτι This vital mission of Saint Basil Academy, carried out by the directors, staff, trustees and benefactors, is in keeping with our Lord s command θελετε. to let the Σας children ευχαριστούμε! come to me. This is accomplished through this ministry by bringing the love of Christ to those in need. Everything that is offered for the children and youth at Saint Basil s is offered in the name and presence of Christ. In daily care, in counseling and teaching, in recreation, and in worship, the students encounter Christ and His abundant and comforting love. Saint Basil Academy is also a place where the lives of the children and youth are guided in Christ. On the beautiful campus, in a nurturing environment of prayer and grace, they are led in the path of truth and love. They are shown the blessings of the life in Christ, how to follow His will and to find strength and assurance in His promises. They see the hope, joy, and power in a life of faith and a lifelong relationship with Him. This sacred work was also the focus of the patron saint of the Academy, Saint Basil. For the sick, orphans, travelers, and many others in need, he offered an encounter with Christ by taking His love to them. For others he guided them in truth and love through teaching and preaching, as a faithful and caring pastor, to their Savior and Redeemer. This is also our calling today. In our support for Saint Basil Academy, we are led by our Ladies Philoptochos Society and our local Philoptochos chapters in collecting an offering and in the celebration of the cutting of the Vasilopeta. We are also led by Christ and by the example of Saint Basil to fulfill the command of our Lord and let the children come to me. In your ministry in the parish and in your daily life in Christ, you are called to offer Him and guide others to an encounter with the Lord that will lead to abundant and eternal life. On this day may we offer our prayers and generous support for Saint Basil Academy. May we strengthen this vital work to children and youth in fulfilling the request of our Lord and in honoring the legacy of all who have established and supported this ministry in the past seventy years. May you also receive the abundant and rich blessings of our Lord at the beginning of this new year as we offer Him glory and honor unto the ages of ages! With paternal love in Christ, DEMETRIOS Archbishop of America GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL MINISTRY 35