Who will get wet in the waters of the Jordan? Who will get wet thereafter?

Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Churc h of Washington, DC Sunday after Nativity December 30, 2018 Who will get wet in the waters of the Jordan? Who will get wet thereafter? Church Service Schedule: 12/31/18 1/06/19 Tuesday 01/01/19 Circumcision of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ & Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia: Orthros: 9:00am & Divine Liturgy: 10:00am Saturday 01/05/19 Eve of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: Orthros: 9:00am & Divine Liturgy: 10:00am Sunday 01/06/19 The Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: Orthros: 8:00am & Divine Liturgy: 9:15am

YMNOI THΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ HYMNS OF THE DAY 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. Ἦχος δʹ. Ἡ Γέννησίς σου Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ἀνέτειλε τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ φῶς τὸ τῆς γνώσεως ἐν αὐτῇ γὰρ οἱ τοῖς ἄστροις λατρεύοντες, ὑπὸ ἀστέρος ἐδιδάσκοντο, σὲ προσκυνεῖν, τὸν Ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης, καὶ σὲ γινώσκειν ἐξ ὕψους ἀνατολήν. Κύριε δόξα σοι. Τῶν Θεοπατόρων. Ἦχος βʹ. Εὐαγγελίζου Ἰωσήφ, τῷ Δαυῒδ τὰ θαύματα τῷ Θεοπάτορι Παρθένον εἶδες κυοφορήσασαν, μετὰ Μάγων προσεκύνησας, μετὰ Ποιμένων ἐδοξολόγησας, δι' Ἀγγέλου χρηματισθείς. Ἱκέτευε Χριστὸν τὸν Θεόν, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν. Resurrectional Apolytikion. Mode pl. 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 of the Feast. Mode 4. Your nativity, O Christ our God, has caused the light of knowledge to rise upon the world. For therein the worshippers of the stars were by a star instructed to worship You, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know You as Orient from on high. Glory to You, O Lord. For the Ancestors of God. Mode 2. Annunciate the miracles to David the ancestor of God, O Joseph. You saw the Virgin pregnant. You glorified with the shepherds. You worshipped with the Magi. And you were warned by an Angel. Entreat Christ God to save our souls. Ἀπολυτίκιον τοῦ Ναοῦ. 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. Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος γʹ. Αὐτόμελον. Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀπορρήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, Παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν. Apolytikion of the Parish Church 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. Kontakion. Mode 3. Automelon. On this day the Virgin Maid * goes to the grotto to give birth * to the pre-eternal Word * in an ineffable manner. * Dance for joy, all the inhabited earth, on hearing. * Glorify along with Angels and with the shepherds * Him who willed that He appear as * a newborn Child, * the preeternal God. 2

Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ ΠΡΟΣ Γαλάτας 1:11-19 Καινη και Νέα Ελληνικά Γαλ. 1,11 Γνωρίζω δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τὸ εὐαγγελισθὲν ὑπ ἐμοῦ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι κατὰ ἄνθρωπον Γαλ. 1,11 Σας καθιστώ δε γνωστόν, αδελφοί, ότι το Ευαγγέλιον, το οποίον εγώ εκήρυξα εις σας δεν είναι έργον ανθρώπου και δεν εκφράζει σκέψεις ανθρώπων. Γαλ. 1,12 οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐγὼ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου παρέλαβον αὐτὸ οὔτε ἐδιδάχθην, ἀλλὰ δι ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Γαλ. 1,12 Διότι εγώ-όπως άλλωστε και οι άλλοι Απόστολοι-δεν έχω παραλάβει αυτό από άνθρωπον ούτε το εδιδάχθην από άνθρωπον, αλλά το παρέλαβα κατ' ευθείαν δι' αποκαλύψεων, τας οποίας ο ίδιος ο Ιησούς Χριστός μου εφανέρωσε. Γαλ. 1,13 Ἠκούσατε γὰρ τὴν ἐμὴν ἀναστροφήν ποτε ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ, ὅτι καθ ὑπερβολὴν ἐδίωκον τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐπόρθουν αὐτήν, Γαλ. 1,13 Βεβαίως και σεις οι ίδιοι έχετε πληροφορηθή την ζωήν και συμπεριφοράν που είχα, όταν έμενα πιστός εις την θρησκείαν των Εβραίων και ακολουθούσα όσα ο Ιουδαϊσμός εδίδασκε. Εχετε δηλαδή πληροφορηθή ότι, επηρεασμένος βαθύτατα από τας παλαιάς διδασκαλίας του Νομου και τα έθιμα των Ιουδαίων, κατεδίωκα με πολύν φανατισμόν και σκληρότητα την Εκκλησίαν του Χριστού και προσπαθούσα να την ερημώσω και αφανίσω. Γαλ. 1,14 καὶ προέκοπτον ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ ὑπὲρ πολλοὺς συνηλικιώτας ἐν τῷ γένει μου, περισσοτέρως ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τῶν πατρικῶν μου παραδόσεων. Γαλ. 1,14 Χαρις δε στον φανατισμόν μου αυτόν προώδευα στον Ιουδαϊσμόν παραπάνω από πολλούς ομοεθνείς συνομήλικάς μου, διότι εδείκνυα περισσότερον από αυτούς ζήλον δια τας πατροπαραδότους παραδόσεις μας. Γαλ. 1,15 Ὅτε δὲ εὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ἀφορίσας με ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου καὶ καλέσας διὰ τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ Γαλ. 1,15 Οταν δε ευδόκησεν ο πανάγαθος Θεός, ο οποίος με είχε ξεχωρίσει και προορίσει από την κοιλίαν ακόμη της μητρός μου, και με εκάλεσε δια της χάριτος του Γαλ. 1,16 ἀποκαλύψαι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐμοί, ἵνα εὐαγγελίζωμαι αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, εὐθέως οὐ προσανεθέμην σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι, Γαλ. 1,16 να αποκαλύψη εις την καρδίαν και την ψυχήν μου τον Υιόν αυτού, δια να τον κηρύττω ως Σωτήρα εις τα έθνη, αμέσως δεν εζήτησα από κανένα άνθρωπον συμβουλήν και καθοδήγησιν δια την μεγάλην αυτήν κλήσιν. Γαλ. 1,17 οὐδὲ ἀνῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα πρὸς τοὺς πρὸ ἐμοῦ ἀποστόλους, ἀλλὰ ἀπῆλθον εἰς Ἀραβίαν, καὶ πάλιν ὑπέστρεψα εἰς Δαμασκόν. 3

Γαλ. 1,17 Ούτε ανέβηκα εις τα Ιεροσόλυμα, δια να συναντήσω και συμβουλευθώ τους Αποστόλους, που είχαν κληθή προ εμού στο αποστολικόν έργον, αλλ' ανεχώρησα εις τα μέρη της Αραβίας και πάλιν επέστρεψα εις Δαμασκόν. Γαλ. 1,18 Ἔπειτα μετὰ ἔτη τρία ἀνῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἱστορῆσαι Πέτρον, καὶ ἐπέμεινα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡμέρας δεκαπέντε Γαλ. 1,18 Επειτα, τρία έτη μετά την ημέραν που εκλήθην από τον Χριστόν, ανέβηκα εις τα Ιεροσόλυμα, δια να συναντήσω και γνωρίσω προσωπικώς τον Πετρον και έμεινα κοντά του δεκαπέντε μόνον ημέρας. Γαλ. 1,19 ἕτερον δὲ τῶν ἀποστόλων οὐκ εἶδον εἰ μὴ Ἰάκωβον τὸν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ Κυρίου. Γαλ. 1,19 Αλλον δε από τους Αποστόλους δεν είδα, παρά μόνον τον Ιάκωβον, τον αδελφόν του Κυρίου. ΤΗΕ EPISTLE The Epistle Reader is St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 1:11-19 BRETHREN, I would have you know that the gospel which was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. 4

THE GOSPEL Matthew 2:13-23 When the wise men departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son." Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more." But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaos reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene." ΤΟ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 2:13-23 Καινή και Νέα Ελληνικά Ματθ. 2,13 Ἀναχωρησάντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου φαίνεται κατ ὄναρ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ λέγων ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἴσθι ἐκεῖ ἕως ἂν εἴπω σοι μέλλει γὰρ Ἡρῴδης ζητεῖν τὸ παιδίον τοῦ ἀπολέσαι αὐτό. Ματθ. 2,13 Οταν δε αυτοί ανεχώρησαν, ιδού άγγελος Κυρίου εφάνηκε δι' ονείρου στον Ιωσήφ και του είπε σήκω αμέσως χωρίς αναβολήν και πάρε το παιδίον και την μητέρα του και φύγε εις την Αίγυπτον, και μένε εκεί, μέχρις ότου πάλιν εγώ σου είπω διότι ο Ηρώδης θα αναζητήση το παιδίον, δια να το θανατώση. Ματθ. 2,14 Ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, Ματθ. 2,14 Και ο Ιωσήφ εσηκώθηκε αμέσως, παρέλαβε νύκτα το παιδίον και την μητέρα αυτού και έφυγεν εις την Αίγυπτον. Ματθ. 2,15 καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἕως τῆς τελευτῆς Ἡρῴδου, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου. Ματθ. 2,15 Και έμενε εκεί, έως ότου απέθανε ο Ηρώδης και έτσι εξεπληρώθη και 5

επραγματοποιήθη πλήρως εκείνο, που είχε λεχθή από τον Κυριον δια του προφήτου, ο οποίος είπε από την Αίγυπτον εκάλεσα τον υιόν μου. Ματθ. 2,16 Τότε Ἡρῴδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων, ἐθυμώθη λίαν, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλε πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλεὲμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω, κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἠκρίβωσε παρὰ τῶν μάγων. Ματθ. 2,16 Τοτε ο Ηρώδης, όταν είδε ότι οι Μαγοι τον εξεγέλασαν, ωργίσθη παρά πολύ, και επάνω εις την φονικήν οργήν του έστειλε δημίους και έσφαξε όλα τα παιδιά, που ήσαν εις την Βηθλεέμ και εις τα περίχωρα αυτής από ηλικίας δύο ετών και κάτω, σύμφωνα με τον χρόνον, τον οποίον είχε εξακριβώσει από τους μάγους. Ματθ. 2,17 τότε ἐπληρώθη τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ Ἱερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος Ματθ. 2,17 Τοτε εξεπληρώθη εκείνο που είχε λεχθή από τον προφήτην Ιερεμίαν, ο οποίος είχε προφητεύσει Ματθ. 2,18 Φωνὴ ἐν Ῥαμᾷ ἠκούσθη, θρῆνος καὶ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὀδυρμὸς πολύς Ῥαχὴλ κλαίουσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελε παρακληθῆναι, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσίν. Ματθ. 2,18 Κραυγή πόνου και σπαραγμού ηκούσθη εις την περιοχήν Ραμά θρήνος μεγάλος και κλαυθμός και οδυρμός πολύς όλαι αι μητέρες της περιοχής, απόγονοι της συζύγου του Ιακώβ Ραχήλ (η οποία είχε ταφή εκεί) έκλαιαν και εκόπτοντο δια τα φονευθέντα τέκνα των και δεν ήθελαν με κανένα τρόπον να παρηγορηθούν, διότι τα αθώα αυτά πλάσματα δεν υπάρχουν πλέον. Ματθ. 2,19 Τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Ἡρῴδου ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατ ὄναρ φαίνεται τῷ Ἰωσὴφ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ Ματθ. 2,19 Οταν δε απέθανε ο Ηρώδης, ιδού άγγελος πάλιν Κυρίου εφάνη δι' ονείρου στον Ιωσήφ, που έμενε εις την Αίγυπτον Ματθ. 2,20 λέγων ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ πορεύου εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ τεθνήκασι γὰρ οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ παιδίου. Ματθ. 2,20 και του είπε σήκω, πάρε το παιδίον και την μητέρα αυτού και πήγαινε, χωρίς φόβον, εις την χώραν των Ισραηλιτών. Διότι έχουν πλέον αποθάνει εκείνοι, που εζητούσαν να αφαιρέσουν την ζωήν του παιδίου. Ματθ. 2,21 ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ. Ματθ. 2,21 Αυτός δε εσηκώθη, επήρε το παιδίον και την μητέρα του και επανήλθεν εις την Παλαιστίνην. Ματθ. 2,22 ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι Ἀρχέλαος βασιλεύει ἐπὶ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἀντὶ Ἡρῴδου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, ἐφοβήθη ἐκεῖ ἀπελθεῖν χρηματισθεὶς δὲ κατ ὄναρ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὰ μέρη τῆς Γαλιλαίας, Ματθ. 2,22 Οταν όμως ήκουσε ότι εις την Ιουδαίαν βασιλεύει αντί του Ηρώδου του πατρός του ο Αρχέλαος (μοχθηρός επίσης ηγεμών) εφοβήθη να μεταβή εκεί. Λαβών δε οδηγίας από τον Θεόν στο όνειρόν του ανεχώρησε και επήγε εις τα μέρη της Γαλιλαίας (όπου ηγεμόνευεν ο Ηρώδης Αντίπας, ολιγώτερον σκληρός από τον αδελφόν του Αρχέλαον). Ματθ. 2,23 καὶ ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς πόλιν λεγομένην Ναζαρέτ, ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν ὅτι Ναζωραῖος κληθήσεται. Ματθ. 2,23 Και αφού ήλθεν εκεί, εγκατεστάθη εις την πόλιν ονομαζομένην Ναζαρέτ και έτσι εξεπληρώθη αυτό που είχε προαναγγελθή από τους προφήτας, ότι δηλαδή ο Ιησούς θα ονομασθή (περιφρονητικώς από τους εχθρούς του) Ναζωραίος. 6

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 301-502-2850 24/7. FUTURE MEMORIALS Maria Koskinas January 13, 2019 Michael George Mantzouranis - January 20, 2019 Panayiotis Georgakopoulos January 27, 2019 PRAYER LIST If you would like us to remember you or your loved one in our prayers, please contact the church office. Linda, Edward Eddie, Ed, Katy, Barbara, Victoria, Wilma, Carrie, Aliyah, Irene, Michael, Panagiota, Panayiotis, Vicky, Andrianna, Louis, Maria, Aspasia, Irene, Panagiota, Elias, Eleftheria, Ames, Demetra, Anastasia, Paraskevi, Constantinos, Stelios, Agapi, Charlotte, Maria, Jennifer, Sofia, Sol and Harry. 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. +PLEASE REMEMBER OUR CHURCH IN YOUR WILL+ 7

PASTORAL GUIDELINES DONATION OF ORGANS Although nothing in the Orthodox tradition requires the faithful to donate their organs to others, nevertheless, this practice may be considered an act of love, and as such is encouraged. The decision to donate a duplicate organ, such as a kidney, while the donor is living, requires much consideration and should be made in consultation with medical professionals and one s Spiritual Father. The donation of an organ from a deceased person is also an act of love that offers the recipient a longer, fuller life. Such donations are acceptable if the deceased donor had willed such action, or if surviving relatives permit it providing that it was in harmony with the desires of the deceased. Such actions can be approved as an expression of love and the self-determination of the donor. In all cases, respect for the body of the donor should be maintained. Organ transplants should never be commercialized nor coerced nor take place without proper consent, nor place in jeopardy the identity of the donor or recipient, through, for example, the use of animal organs. The death of the donor should never be hastened in order to harvest organs for transplantation to another person. CREMATION Because the Orthodox Faith affirms the fundamental goodness of creation, it understands the body to be an integral part of the human person and the temple of the Holy Spirit, and expects the resurrection of the dead. The Church considers cremation to be the deliberate desecration and destruction of what God has made and ordained for us. The Church instead insists that the body be buried so that the natural physical process of decomposition may take place. The Church does not grant funerals, either in the sanctuary, or at the funeral home, or at any other place, to persons who have chosen to be cremated. Additionally, memorial services with kolyva (boiled wheat) are not allowed in such instances, in as much as the similarity between the kernel of wheat and the body has been intentionally destroyed. MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS & THE CHURCH With high frequency, new developments in the area of the life sciences appear in our technologically advanced culture. The Church welcomes efforts and innovations that contribute to the healing of human diseases. Yet, many of these advances raise moral questions. Some of the Church s responses to these developments are based on older issues for which the Church has clear and unambiguous guidelines. Other responses are not so evident. Thus, many of these developments pose challenges to Orthodox Christian spiritual concerns and moral values. In numerous cases, the Church is still in the process of clarifying its response. BEFORE YOU RESERVE YOUR WEDDING DAY The Holy Church has a sacred obligation to uphold and abide by the spiritual guidelines which have been formulated over the ages. One of these guidelines dictates that Wednesdays and Fridays are to be observed as days of fasting, in some cases that includes Saturdays and Sundays. Therefore, weddings are prohibited on such days. In order to avoid confusion and conflict, before you reserve a reception hall you need to check with the church if that day is indeed a day when weddings are allowed. SEXUALITY The Orthodox Church recognizes marriage as the only moral and spiritually appropriate context for sexual relations. Thus, all other forms of sexual activity such as fornication, adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, pornography, all forms of prostitution, and similar forms of behavior are sins and as such are inappropriate for the Orthodox Christian. Marriage is only conducted and recognized in the Orthodox Church as taking place between a man and a woman. Same sex marriages are a contradiction in terms. The Orthodox Church does not allow for same-sex marriages. ABORTION The Church from the very beginning of existence has sought to protect the life in the womb and has Considered abortion as a form of murder in its theology and canons. Orthodox Christians are admonished not to encourage women to have abortions, nor to assist in the committing of abortion. Those who perform abortions and those who seek them are committing an immoral deed, and are called to repentance. 8

SAINTS AND FEASTS Circumcision of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Since the Mosaic Law commands that if a woman give birth to a male child, he should be circumcised in the foreskin of his flesh on the eighth day (Lev. 12:2-3), on this, the eighth day from His Nativity, our Savior accepted the circumcision commanded by the Law. According to the command of the Angel, He received the Name which is above every name: JESUS, which means "Savior" (Matt. 1:21; Luke 1:31 and 2:21). Περιτομή του Ιησού Χριστού Ἡ κατὰ σάρκα περιτομὴ καὶ ὀνοματοδοσία τοῦ Ἰησοὺ Χριστοῦ, κατὰ τὴν ὄγδοη ἡμέρα ἀπὸ τὴν γέννησή Του, ἀποτελεῖ τὴν βεβαίωση τῆς σαρκώσεως καὶ τῆς προσλήψεως ἀπὸ τὸν Θεὸ Λόγο τῆς τέλειας ἀνθρώπινης φύσεως ἀναλλοιώτως καὶ τῆς εἰσόδου Του στὸ λαὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὅταν μιλᾶμε γιὰ τὴν ἐνανθρώπηση τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου, ὡς μυστήριο πρέπει νὰ τὴν ἀντιλαμβανόμαστε καὶ ὡς μυστήριο πρέπει νὰ τὴν προσεγγίζουμε, γιατί ὅλα τὰ γεγονότα τῆς ἐνανθρωπίσεως, τῆς σαρκώσεως τοῦ Λόγου τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἔγιναν μὲ θαυμαστὸ τρόπο ποὺ ξεπερνᾶ τὸ νοῦ ἀνθρώπου. Οἱ Πατέρες τῆς Ἐκκλησίας λένε ὅτι, ἐὰν ἡ θεία ἐνανθρώπιση ἦταν καταληπτή, δὲν θὰ ἦταν θεία καὶ παρομοιάζουν ὅσους ἀμφιβάλλουν ἢ δὲν πιστεύουν μὲ ἐκεῖνον ποὺ καθόταν στὸ σκοτάδι καὶ πληρώθηκε ἀπὸ φῶς, ἐπειδὴ ὅμως δὲν γνώριζε τὸ πῶς ᾖλθε τὸ φῶς, δὲν δέχθηκε τὸν φωτισμό. Τὴν κατὰ σάρκα περιτομὴ τοῦ Κυρίου ἠμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὴν ὁποία καταδέχθηκε ὁ Κύριος νὰ λάβει σύμφωνα μὲ τὴν σχετικὴ νομικὴ διάταξη, ὅμως μὲ σκοπὸ τὴν κατάργηση τῆς διατάξεως αὐτῆς, προκειμένου νὰ εἰσαγάγει τὴν πνευματικὴ καὶ ἀχειροποίητη περιτομή, δηλαδὴ τὸ Ἅγιο Βάπτισμα, μᾶς τὴν παρέδωσαν οἱ Ἅγιοι Πατέρες νὰ τὴν ἑορτάζουμε κάθε χρόνο. Γιατί ὁ Κύριος, ὅπως καταδέχθηκε πρὸς χάρη μας τὴν ἔνσαρκη Γέννηση καὶ ἔλαβε ὅλα τὰ ἰδιώματα τῆς ἀνθρώπινης φύσεως, ὅσα εἶναι παντελῶς ἀδιάβλητα, ἔτσι καταδέχθηκε νὰ λάβει καὶ τὴν περιτομὴ ποὺ ὅριζε ὁ Ἰουδαϊκὸς Νόμος. Καὶ βασικὰ τὴν περιτομὴ ὁ Κύριος τὴ δέχθηκε γιὰ δυὸ λόγους : Πρώτον, γιὰ νὰ φράξει τὰ στόματα τῶν αἱρετικῶν, οἱ ὁποῖοι εἶχαν τὴν θρασύτητα νὰ ἰσχυρίζονται ὅτι δὲν ἔλαβε πραγματικὰ ἀνθρώπινη σάρκα, ἀλλὰ ὅτι ἔγινε ἄνθρωπος κατὰ φαντασίαν. Πῶς ὅμως, πραγματικά, θὰ περιτεμνόταν, ἂν δὲν εἶχε λάβει ἀληθινὴ ἀνθρώπινη σάρκα; Δεύτερον, γιὰ νὰ κλείσει τὰ στόματα τῶν Ἰουδαίων, οἱ ὁποῖοι Τὸν κατηγοροῦσαν ὅτι δὲν τηρεῖ τὴν ἀργία τοῦ Σαββάτου, καὶ ὅτι καταλύει τὸ Νόμο. «Ἐπειδὴ ὁ Θεός», λέγει ὁ Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Δαμασκηνός, «μᾶς ἔδωσε νὰ κοινωνήσουμε τὸ καλύτερο καὶ δὲν τὸ φυλάξαμε, γι αὐτὸ μεταλαβαίνει τὸ χειρότερο, ἐννοῶ τὴν φύση μας, ὥστε ἀπὸ τὴν μία μεριὰ νὰ ἀνακαινίσει τὸν ἑαυτό Του καὶ μὲ τὸν ἑαυτό Του τὸ κατ εἰκόνα καὶ κάθ ὁμοίωση, καὶ ἀπὸ τὴν ἄλλη νὰ διδάξει καὶ σὲ ἐμᾶς τὴν ἐνάρετη πολιτεία, ἀφοῦ μὲ τὸν ἑαυτό Του τὴν ἔκανε σὲ ἐμᾶς δυνατή. Νὰ μᾶς ἐλευθερώσει ἀπὸ τὴν φθορὰ μὲ τὴν κοινωνία τῆς ζωῆς γενόμενος ἀπαρχὴ τῆς ἀναστάσεώς μας. Νὰ ἀνακαινίσει τὸ σκεῦος ποὺ ἀχρειώθηκε καὶ κομματιάστηκε, νὰ μᾶς λυτρώσει ἀπὸ τὴν τυραννία τοῦ διαβόλου, μὲ τὸ νὰ μᾶς καλέσει στὴ θεογνωσία καὶ νὰ τὸν νεκρώσει, νὰ μᾶς μάθει νὰ παλεύουμε ἀποτελεσματικὰ μὲ τὸν τύραννο, ὁπλισμένοι μὲ ὑπομονὴ καὶ ταπείνωση». Ὁ Θεὸς ἔγινε τέλειος καὶ ἀληθινὸς ἄνθρωπος, «ἄνθρωπος ἐν πληγῇ», «ἐν δούλου μορφή», χωρὶς νὰ πάψει νὰ εἶναι τέλειος καὶ ἀληθινὸς Θεός, γιὰ νὰ κάνει τὸν ἄνθρωπο πλήρη καὶ τέλειο υἱὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Θεὸ κατὰ χάριν. «Ὁ Θεὸς πτωχεύει τὴν ἐμὴν σάρκα, ἶνα ἐγὼ πλουτήσω τὴν αὐτοῦ Θεότητα κενούται τῆς ἐαυτοῦ δόξης ἐπὶ μικρόν, ἶνα ἐγὼ τῆς ἐκείνου μεταλάβω πληρώσεως». Ἡ δημιουργία καὶ ἡ σωτηρία, ὅλη ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη καὶ ἡ φιλανθρωπία τῆς Ἁγίας Τριάδος, ἀνακεφαλαιώνονται στὸν Θεάνθρωπο Χριστό, ποὺ μὲ τὴν ἐνσάρκωση καὶ τὴν περιτομή Του καὶ ὅλα τὰ μυστήρια τῆς ἔνσαρκης παρουσίας Του, ἀπεκάλυψε τὴν χριστολογικὴ καὶ χριστοκεντρικὴ ρίζα καὶ 9

SAINTS AND FEASTS προοπτικὴ κάθε πραγματικότητος καὶ ὁλόκληρης τῆς πραγματικότητος. Αὐτός, ὁ Κύριος, εἶναι ἡ κεφαλὴ κάθε ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας. Σὲ αὐτὸν ἔχουμε περιτμηθεῖ, ὄχι μὲ περιτομὴ καμωμένη μὲ χέρια ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ μὲ τὴν ἀποβολὴ τοῦ σάρκινου σώματος, δηλαδὴ μὲ τὴν περιτομὴ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἐνταφιαστήκαμε μαζί Του κατὰ τὸ βάπτισμα, κατὰ τὸ ὁποῖο καὶ ἀναστηθήκαμε μαζί Του μὲ τὴν πίστη στὴν δύναμη τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ Ὁποῖος Τὸν ἀνέστησε ἐκ νεκρῶν. Ἀκόμη, ὅταν εἴμασταν νεκροὶ ἐξ αἰτίας τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μας, καὶ ἐξ αἰτίας τους εἴμασταν ἀπερίτμητοι, μᾶς ἐζωοποίησε μαζὶ μ Αὐτὸν καὶ μᾶς συγχώρεσε ὅλες τὶς ἁμαρτίες. Μετὰ τὴν περιτομή Του ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἐπέστρεψε στὴν οἰκία Του μὲ τὴν μητέρα Του καὶ τὸν Ἰωσήφ. Ἐκεῖ ζοῦσε ὅπως καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι ἄνθρωποι, προοδεύοντας κατὰ τὴν σοφία, τὴν ἡλικία καὶ τὴ χάρη γιὰ τὴ σωτηρία μας. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia Saint Basil the Great was born about the end of the year 329 in Caesarea of Cappadocia, to a family renowned for their learning and holiness. His parents' names were Basil and Emily. His mother Emily (commemorated July 19) and his grandmother Macrina (Jan. 14) are Saints of the Church, together with all his brothers and sisters: Macrina, his elder sister (July 19), Gregory of Nyssa (Jan. to), Peter of Sebastia (Jan. 9), and Naucratius. Basil studied in Constantnople under the sophist Libanius, then in Athens, where also he formed a friendship with the young Gregory, a fellow Cappadocian, later called "the Theologian." Through the good influence of his sister Macrina (see July 19), he chose to embrace the ascetical life, abandoning his worldly career. He visited the monks in Egypt, in Palestine, in Syria, and in Mesopotamia, and upon returning to Caesarea, he departed to a hermitage on the Iris River in Pontus, not far from Annesi, where his mother and his sister Macrina were already treading the path of the ascetical life; here he also wrote his ascetical homilies. About the year 370, when the bishop of his country reposed, he was elected to succeed to his throne and was entrusted with the Church of Christ, which he tended for eight years, living in voluntary poverty and strict asceticism, having no other care than to defend holy Orthodoxy as a worthy successor of the Apostles. The Emperor Valens, and Modestus, the Eparch of the East, who were of one mind with the Arians, tried with threats of exile and of torments to bend the Saint to their own confession, because he was the bastion of Orthodoxy in all Cappadocia, and preserved it from heresy when Arianism was at its strongest. But he set all their malice at nought, and in his willingness to give himself up to every suffering for the sake of the Faith, showed himself to be a martyr by volition. Modestus, amazed at Basil's fearlessness in his presence, said that no one had ever so spoken to him. "Perhaps," answered the Saint, "you have never met a bishop before." The Emperor Valens himself was almost won over by Basil's dignity and wisdom. When Valens' son fell gravely sick, he asked Saint Basil to pray for him. The Saint promised that his son would be restated if Valens agreed to have him baptized by the Orthodox; Valens agreed, Basil prayed, and the son was restored. But afterwards the Emperor had him baptized by Arians, and the child died soon after. Later, Valens, persuaded by his counsellors, decided to send the Saint into exile because he would not accept the Arians into communion; but his pen broke when he was signing the edict of banishment. He tried a second time and a third, but the same thing happened, so that the Emperor was filled with dread, and tore up the document, and Basil was not banished. The truly great Basil, spent with extreme ascetical practices and continual labours, at the helm of the church, departed to the Lord on the 1st of January, in 379. at the age of forty-nine. His writings are replete with wisdom and erudition, and rich are these gifts he set forth the doctrines concerning the mysteries both of the creation (see his Hexaemeron) and of the Holy Trinity (see On the Holy Spirit). Because of the majesty and keenness of his eloquence, he is honoured as "the revealer of heavenly things" and "the Great." 10

The Dual Feast of St. Basil the Great and the Circumcision of Christ St. Basil the Great and the Circumcision of Christ (Feast Day - January 1) The Circumcision of Christ On the eighth day after His Nativity, our Lord Jesus Christ was circumcised in accordance with the Old Testament Law. All male infants underwent circumcision as a sign of God's Covenant with the holy Forefather Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 17:10-14, Lev. 12:3). After this ritual the Divine Infant was given the name Jesus, as the Archangel Gabriel declared on the day of the Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos (Luke 1:31-33, 2:21). The Fathers of the Church explain that the Lord, the Creator of the Law, underwent circumcision in order to give people an example of how faithfully the divine ordinances ought to be fulfilled. The Lord was circumcised so that later no one would doubt that He had truly assumed human flesh, and that His Incarnation was not merely an illusion, as certain heretics (Docetists) taught. In the New Testament, the ritual of circumcision gave way to the Mystery of Baptism, which it prefigured (Col. 2:11-12). Accounts of the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord continue in the Eastern Church right up through the fourth century. The Canon of the Feast was written by St Stephen of the St Sava Monastery (October 28 and July 13). In addition to circumcision, which the Lord accepted as a sign of God's Covenant with mankind, He also received the Name Jesus (Savior) on the eighth day after His Nativity as an indication of His service, the work of the salvation of the world (Mt.1:21; Mark 9:38-39, 16:17; Luke 10:17; Acts 3:6, 16; Phil 2:9-10). These two events, the Lord's Circumcision and Naming, remind Christians that they have entered into a New Covenant with God and "are circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ" (Col. 2:11). The very name "Christian" is a sign of mankind's entrance into a New Covenant with God. Source Saint Basil the Great Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, "belongs not to the Church of Caesarea alone, nor merely to his own time, nor was he of benefit only to his own kinsmen, but rather to all lands and cities worldwide, and to all people he brought and still brings benefit, and for Christians he always was and will be a most salvific teacher." Thus spoke St Basil's contemporary, St Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium. St Basil was born in the year 330 at Caesarea, the administrative center of Cappadocia. He was of illustrious lineage, famed for its eminence and wealth, and zealous for the Christian Faith. The saint's 11

grandfather and grandmother on his father's side had to hide in the forests of Pontus for seven years during the persecution under Diocletian. St Basil's mother St Emilia was the daughter of a martyr. On the Greek calendar, she is commemorated on May 30. St Basil's father was also named Basil. He was a lawyer and renowned rhetorician, and lived at Caesarea. Ten children were born to the elder Basil and Emilia: five sons and five daughters. Five of them were later numbered among the saints: Basil the Great; Macrina (July 19) was an exemplar of ascetic life, and exerted strong influence on the life and character of St Basil the Great; Gregory, afterwards Bishop of Nyssa (January 10); Peter, Bishop of Sebaste (January 9); and Theosebia, a deaconess (January 10). St Basil spent the first years of his life on an estate belonging to his parents at the River Iris, where he was raised under the supervision of his mother Emilia and grandmother Macrina. They were women of great refinement, who remembered an earlier bishop of Cappadocia, St Gregory the Wonderworker (November 17). Basil received his initial education under the supervision of his father, and then he studied under the finest teachers in Caesarea of Cappadocia, and it was here that he made the acquaintance of St Gregory the Theologian (January 25 and January 30). Later, Basil transferred to a school at Constantinople, where he listened to eminent orators and philosophers. To complete his education St Basil went to Athens, the center of classical enlightenment. After a four or five year stay at Athens, Basil had mastered all the available disciplines. "He studied everything thoroughly, more than others are wont to study a single subject. He studied each science in its very totality, as though he would study nothing else." Philosopher, philologist, orator, jurist, naturalist, possessing profound knowledge in astronomy, mathematics and medicine, "he was a ship fully laden with learning, to the extent permitted by human nature." At Athens a close friendship developed between Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian (Nazianzus), which continued throughout their life. In fact, they regarded themselves as one soul in two bodies. Later on, in his eulogy for Basil the Great, St Gregory the Theologian speaks with delight about this period: "Various hopes guided us, and indeed inevitably, in learning... Two paths opened up before us: the one to our sacred temples and the teachers therein; the other towards preceptors of disciplines beyond." About the year 357, St Basil returned to Caesarea, where for a while he devoted himself to rhetoric. But soon, refusing offers from Caesarea's citizens who wanted to entrust him with the education of their offspring, St Basil entered upon the path of ascetic life. After the death of her husband, Basil's mother, her eldest daughter Macrina, and several female servants withdrew to the family estate at Iris and there began to lead an ascetic life. Basil was baptized by Dianios, the Bishop of Caesarea, and was tonsured a Reader (On the Holy Spirit, 29). He first read the Holy Scriptures to the people, then explained them. Later on, "wishing to acquire a guide to the knowledge of truth", the saint undertook a journey into Egypt, Syria and Palestine, to meet the great Christian ascetics dwelling there. On returning to Cappadocia, he decided to do as they did. He distributed his wealth to the needy, then settled on the opposite side of the river not far from his mother Emilia and sister Macrina, gathering around him monks living a cenobitic life. By his letters, Basil drew his good friend Gregory the Theologian to the monastery. Sts Basil and Gregory labored in strict abstinence in their dwelling place, which had no roof or fireplace, and the food was very humble. They themselves cleared away the stones, planted and 12

watered the trees, and carried heavy loads. Their hands were constantly calloused from the hard work. For clothing Basil had only a tunic and monastic mantle. He wore a hairshirt, but only at night, so that it would not be obvious. In their solitude, Sts Basil and Gregory occupied themselves in an intense study of Holy Scripture. They were guided by the writings of the Fathers and commentators of the past, especially the good writings of Origen. From all these works they compiled an anthology called Philokalia. Also at this time, at the request of the monks, St Basil wrote down a collection of rules for virtuous life. By his preaching and by his example St Basil assisted in the spiritual perfection of Christians in Cappadocia and Pontus; and many indeed turned to him. Monasteries were organized for men and for women, in which places Basil sought to combine the cenobitic (koine bios, or common) lifestyle with that of the solitary hermit. During the reign of Constantius (337-361) the heretical teachings of Arius were spreading, and the Church summoned both its saints into service. St Basil returned to Caesarea. In the year 362 he was ordained deacon by Bishop Meletius of Antioch. In 364 he was ordained to the holy priesthood by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea. "But seeing," as Gregory the Theologian relates, "that everyone exceedingly praised and honored Basil for his wisdom and reverence, Eusebius, through human weakness, succumbed to jealousy of him, and began to show dislike for him." The monks rose up in defense of St Basil. To avoid causing Church discord, Basil withdrew to his own monastery and concerned himself with the organization of monasteries. With the coming to power of the emperor Valens (364-378), who was a resolute adherent of Arianism, a time of troubles began for Orthodoxy, the onset of a great struggle. St Basil hastily returned to Caesarea at the request of Bishop Eusebius. In the words of Gregory the Theologian, he was for Bishop Eusebius "a good advisor, a righteous representative, an expounder of the Word of God, a staff for the aged, a faithful support in internal matters, and an activist in external matters." From this time church governance passed over to Basil, though he was subordinate to the hierarch. He preached daily, and often twice, in the morning and in the evening. During this time St Basil composed his Liturgy. He wrote a work "On the Six Days of Creation" (Hexaemeron) and another on the Prophet Isaiah in sixteen chapters, yet another on the Psalms, and also a second compilation of monastic rules. St Basil wrote also three books "Against Eunomius," an Arian teacher who, with the help of Aristotelian concepts, had presented the Arian dogma in philosophic form, converting Christian teaching into a logical scheme of rational concepts. St Gregory the Theologian, speaking about the activity of Basil the Great during this period, points to "the caring for the destitute and the taking in of strangers, the supervision of virgins, written and unwritten monastic rules for monks, the arrangement of prayers [Liturgy], the felicitous arrangement of altars and other things." Upon the death of Eusebius, the Bishop of Caesarea, St Basil was chosen to succed him in the year 370. As Bishop of Caesarea, St Basil the Great was the newest of fifty bishops in eleven provinces. St Athanasius the Great (May 2), with joy and with thanks to God welcomed the appointment to Cappadocia of such a bishop as Basil, famed for his reverence, deep knowledge of Holy Scripture, great learning, and his efforts for the welfare of Church peace and unity. Under Valens, the external government belonged to the Arians, who held various opinions regarding the divinity of the Son of God, and were divided into several factions. These dogmatic disputes were concerned with questions about the Holy Spirit. In his books Against Eunomios, St Basil the Great taught the divinity of the Holy Spirit and His equality with the Father and the Son. Subsequently, in order to provide a full explanation of Orthodox teaching on this question, St Basil wrote his book On the Holy Spirit at the request of St Amphilochius, the Bishop of Iconium. St Basil's difficulties were made worse by various circumstances: Cappadocia was divided in two under the rearrangement of provincial districts. Then at Antioch a schism occurred, occasioned by the consecration of a second bishop. There was the negative and haughty attitude of Western bishops to 13

the attempts to draw them into the struggle with the Arians. And there was also the departure of Eustathius of Sebaste over to the Arian side. Basil had been connected to him by ties of close friendship. Amidst the constant perils St Basil gave encouragement to the Orthodox, confirmed them in the Faith, summoning them to bravery and endurance. The holy bishop wrote numerous letters to the churches, to bishops, to clergy and to individuals. Overcoming the heretics "by the weapon of his mouth, and by the arrows of his letters," as an untiring champion of Orthodoxy, St Basil challenged the hostility and intrigues of the Arian heretics all his life. He has been compared to a bee, stinging the Church's enemies, yet nourishing his flock with the sweet honey of his teaching. The emperor Valens, mercilessly sending into exile any bishop who displeased him, and having implanted Arianism into other Asia Minor provinces, suddenly appeared in Cappadocia for this same purpose. He sent the prefect Modestus to St Basil. He began to threaten the saint with the confiscation of his property, banishment, beatings, and even death. St Basil said, "If you take away my possessions, you will not enrich yourself, nor will you make me a pauper. You have no need of my old worn-out clothing, nor of my few books, of which the entirety of my wealth is comprised. Exile means nothing to me, since I am bound to no particular place. This place in which I now dwell is not mine, and any place you send me shall be mine. Better to say: every place is God's. Where would I be neither a stranger and sojourner (Ps. 38/39:13)? Who can torture me? I am so weak, that the very first blow would render me insensible. Death would be a kindness to me, for it will bring me all the sooner to God, for Whom I live and labor, and to Whom I hasten." The official was stunned by his answer. "No one has ever spoken so audaciously to me," he said. "Perhaps," the saint remarked, " that is because you've never spoken to a bishop before. In all else we are meek, the most humble of all. But when it concerns God, and people rise up against Him, then we, counting everything else as naught, look to Him alone. Then fire, sword, wild beasts and iron rods that rend the body, serve to fill us with joy, rather than fear." Reporting to Valens that St Basil was not to be intimidated, Modestus said, "Emperor, we stand defeated by a leader of the Church." Basil the Great again showed firmness before the emperor and his retinue and made such a strong impression on Valens that the emperor dared not give in to the Arians demanding Basil's exile. "On the day of Theophany, amidst an innumerable multitude of the people, Valens entered the church and mixed in with the throng, in order to give the appearance of being in unity with the Church. When the singing of Psalms began in the church, it was like thunder to his hearing. The emperor beheld a sea of people, and in the altar and all around was splendor; in front of all was Basil, who acknowledged neither by gesture nor by glance, that anything else was going on in church." Everything was focused only on God and the altar-table, and the clergy serving there in awe and reverence. St Basil celebrated the church services almost every day. He was particularly concerned about the strict fulfilling of the Canons of the Church, and took care that only worthy individuals should enter into the clergy. He incessantly made the rounds of his own church, lest anywhere there be an infraction of Church discipline, and setting aright any unseemliness. At Caesarea, St Basil built two monasteries, a men's and a women's, with a church in honor of the Forty Martyrs (March 9) whose relics were buried there. Following the example of monks, the saint's clergy, even deacons and priests, lived in remarkable poverty, to toil and lead chaste and virtuous lives. For his clergy St Basil obtained an exemption from taxation. He used all his personal wealth and the income from his church for the benefit of the destitute; in every center of his diocese he built a poor-house; and at Caesarea, a home for wander- 14

ers and the homeless. Sickly since youth, the toil of teaching, his life of abstinence, and the concerns and sorrows of pastoral service took their toll on him. St Basil died on January 1, 379 at age 49. Shortly before his death, the saint blessed St Gregory the Theologian to accept the See of Constantinople. Upon the repose of St Basil, the Church immediately began to celebrate his memory. St Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium (November 23), in his eulogy to St Basil the Great, said: "It is neither without a reason nor by chance that holy Basil has taken leave from the body and had repose from the world unto God on the day of the Circumcision of Jesus, celebrated between the day of the Nativity and the day of the Baptism of Christ. Therefore, this most blessed one, preaching and praising the Nativity and Baptism of Christ, extolling spiritual circumcision, himself forsaking the flesh, now ascends to Christ on the sacred day of remembrance of the Circumcision of Christ. Therefore, let it also be established on this present day annually to honor the memory of Basil the Great festively and with solemnity." St Basil is also called "the revealer of heavenly mysteries" (Ouranophantor), a "renowned and bright star," and "the glory and beauty of the Church." His honorable head is in the Great Lavra on Mount Athos. In some countries it is customary to sing special carols today in honor of St Basil. He is believed to visit the homes of the faithful, and a place is set for him at the table. People visit the homes of friends and relatives, and the mistress of the house gives a small gift to the children. A special bread (Vasilopita) is blessed and distributed after the Liturgy. A silver coin is baked into the bread, and whoever receives the slice with the coin is said to receive the blessing of St Basil for the coming year. Source HYMN OF PRAISE: THE CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD AND GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST & SAINT BASIL THE GREAT By St. Nikolai Velimirovich You, Who, gave the Law to the world and to man, You, the Law-giver, placed Yourself under the Law, Others, you enjoined by impostition - Yourself, voluntarily. That is why on the eighth day, in the flesh, You were circumcised. In fulfilling the Law, with a new one You replaced it: Circumcision of the flesh, was replaced with a spiritual one. That impure passions we cut off from ourselves And with a spirit pure, to gaze upon You. That, with the spirit, the will of the body to cut and to constrict, Your will, O Savior, by the spirit we fulfill it - To this circumcision, the saints learned, Their fiery example, to us, they left. Wonderful Basil, to a glowing ray, similar, To such circumcision, generations, he teaches. To Basil, be glory, Your servant, Great, because of You, humble and constrained He became. That is why he became great, Great He remained. 15

Apolytikion in the First Tone Our human form hast Thou taken on Thyself without change, O greatly-compassionate Master, though being God by nature; fulfilling the Law, Thou willingly receivest circumcision in the flesh, that Thou mightest end the shadow and roll away the veil of our sinful passions. Glory be to Thy goodness unto us. Glory be to Thy compassion. Glory, O Word, to Thine inexpressible condescension. Apolytikion in the First Tone Enthroned on high with the Eternal Father and Your divine Spirit, O Jesus, You willed to be born on earth of the unwedded handmaid, your Mother. Therefore You were circumcised as an eight-day old Child. Glory to Your most gracious counsel; glory to Your dispensation; glory to Your condescension, O only Lover of mankind. Kontakion in the Third Tone Now the Lord of all that is doth undergo circumcision, in His goodness cutting off the sins and failings of mortals. He this day doth give salvation unto the whole world; and the hierarch and bright daystar of the Creator now rejoiceth in the highest, Basil the wise and divine initiate of Christ. Apolytikion in the First Tone Your voice resounded throughout the world that received your word by which, in godly manner, you taught dogma, clarified the nature of beings, and set in order the character of people. Venerable father, Royal Priesthood, intercede to Christ God to grant us great mercy. Kontakion in the Fourth Tone For the Church art thou in truth a firm foundation, granting an inviolate lordship unto all mortal men and sealing it with what thou hast taught, O righteous Basil, revealer of heavenly things. 16

Theophany (Or Epiphany) By Protopresbyter George Dion Dragas, Phd, Dd, Dth 1. Theophany (or Epiphany) and Christmas Theophany is one of the great Feasts of the Lord of the ecclesiastical year. It is also called Epiphany and the Day of Lights and is celebrated on the 6th of January. The names of this Feast indicate the understanding of the ancient Church concerning this Feast. This understanding is connected with the revelation of God, that is, the manifestation of the One God in Trinity through the Incarnation of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Consequently, Theophany comprises the birth of Christ and the related events (e.g. the visitation of the Magi) and also the beginning of the public manifestation of the incarnate economy of the Son of God which is connected with the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan by John the Baptizer. In the 4th century AD, Christmas was separated from Theophany and constituted a separate Feast, which was celebrated on the 25th of December. This separation had been adopted in the Western Church, which was at that time united with the Eastern Churches. Since then Theophany was specifically connected with the Baptism of Christ, i.e. with the commencement of the public ministry of Christ through which he became the Savior and Redeemer of the world. The question that arises here is why was Christ baptized? Why did this take place and what is its deeper meaning? 2. The Baptism of Christ and the Sacrament of Baptism a) The witness of John the Evangelist. In the Gospel of St. John we find the first hints regarding the relation between the Baptism of Christ and the Sacrament of Baptism. St. John the Forerunner speaks about the Baptism in water which he administered according to the divine calling and explains that the coming Christ would transform it into baptism in the Spirit so that through it human beings would enter into the kingdom of God: John bore witness and said that he saw the Spirit descending like a Dove from heaven and resting upon Christ. He also said the he did not know him [i.e. Christ until that point], but He who sent him to baptize had said that on whom he would see the Spirit descending and 17

resting upon him, he would be the One who will baptize in the Holy Spirit. John also said that he saw this and bore witness to it, namely, that he is [the Christ] the Son of God (1:32-34). Exactly the same was confirmed by the Lord himself when he said to Nicodemus: Amen, amen I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, one cannot enter the kingdom of God (3:5). These words of the Lord constitute the institution of the holy sacrament of Baptism, through which human beings become Christians. The descent of the Holy Spirit, then, at the Baptism of Christ, revealed the sacrament of Christ which Christ instituted and operates through the Holy Spirit. It is the Baptism which the Lord delivered to his holy disciples as a basic element of their ministry in the world. b) The witness of the Evangelists Matthew and Mark. In the two synoptic Evangelists, Matthew and Mark, there is an explicit statement about the necessity of the sacrament of Baptism as a means of participation of human beings in the salvation which Christ offers. This appears in the command of the Risen Lord to his Disciples to preach the Gospel and baptize human beings throughout the world. In other words, he asked them to initiate human beings into their new and saving relation with the one God in Trinity which was definitively revealed at his Baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptizer in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Go, then, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all those things which I commanded to you (28:18-20). Mark the Evangelist states the same in a briefer way. Go to the whole world and preach the Gospel to the entire creation. Whoever believes you and is baptized will be saved (16:15-16). It is clear, then, that the sacrament of Baptism which Christ instituted by fulfilling and transforming the Baptism of John the Baptizer is the commencement of our reconnection with our creator, who is the leader and perfecter of our salvation. To understand the deeper meaning of this salvation we must pay attention to the details that the Gospel narratives supply concerning the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan. 3. The deeper meaning of the Baptism of Christ and the Sacrament of Baptism. a) Man s return to the true God. The Baptism of the Forerunner was a baptism of repentance, which signaled man s return to God by obedience to the divine will. It was necessary in view of the coming of the Messiah and the kingdom of God which He would bring into the world. It was a kind of prelude and preparation which looked towards God s intervention through the Messiah, that is, the justification of human beings and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is most clearly manifested in the words of Christ to John the Baptist, This is necessary, so that all righteousness might be fulfilled (Matth. 3:15). So, when Christ came forth to receive the baptism of John as a man, he accepted the divine will on behalf of the entire humanity. And then, the witness of the heavenly Father which recognized him as His beloved Son and the descent of the Holy Spirit in a bodily manner in the form of a Dove signaled the acceptance of Christ by the Father as the Messiah who would bring the kingdom of God into humanity. This kingdom was mainly and primarily represented by the communion of the Holy Spirit, as the prophet Isaiah had foretold: Jacob is my son and I will take him up. Israel is my elect, whom my soul has accepted, and to whom I gave my Spirit so that he might judge among the nations (42:1). b) The humanity of Christ as the basis of man s salvation. Both the acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah as well as the descent of the Holy Spirit upon him refer to his humanity, which he assumed for our sake, and made it the basis of our justification and salvation. As the ecclesiastical hymnology declares: Having put on the form of the servant, O Christ, you came forth to be baptized by a servant in the waters of Jordan, so that you may redeem from the ancient slavery and sanctify and enlighten all of us human beings (Vespers of the eve of Theophany). It is redemption that Christ is coming forth to bring to all believers through his baptism. Because through this, he purifies Adam, he raises the fallen, he puts to shame the tyrant who caused the fall, he 18

opens the heavens, he brings down the Holy Spirit, and he grants incorruption and participation (8th Praise). Today the Lord comes to the waters of Jordan, and says to John: Be not shy for baptizing me, because I came to save Adam the protoplast (Oikos). As man you came to the river, O Christ, King, and you hasten to receive baptism from the hands of the Forerunner, for our sins, O Lover of mankind (Sophronios of Jerusalem)! c) The revelation of the one God in Trinity and his communion with man. In the last analysis, however, what happened in the Jordan refers to the divinity of Christ, and especially to his eternal filial identity, which reveals the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Christ is the eternal Son of the Father who also became man in order to bring man back to the kingdom of the Holy Trinity. It is for this reason that the Sacrament of Baptism which grants to us regeneration and brings us into the life of Christ is celebrated in the name of the Holy Trinity, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The feast of Theophany, then, refers not only to man s return to the true God, the creator and Savior through Christ, but also to the revelation of the mystery of God, i.e. to the truth that God is one in Trinity and as such he must be worshiped. As the ecclesiastical hymnology states it: When you were baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, it was then, that the worship of the Holy Trinity was manifested. Because it was then that the voice of the Begetter bore witness by calling you His Beloved Son. And then also, that the Spirit in the form of a Dove confirmed the assurance of the word. We glorify You in Your Epiphany, O Christ, as the God who enlightens the world (Apolytikion). You manifested yourself to the world today, and your light, O Lord, was marked upon us who praise you with full understanding (Kontakion). The enlightenment about the One God in Trinity is also the reason for the feast of Theophany being called the feast of The Lights. The Lights in this case are the three blessed persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who are one divine Light unapproachable! 4. The Great Sanctification of the Waters The Great Sanctification of the Waters, which is observed on the eve and on the day of Theophany, is a calling to remembrance of the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan by John the Baptist and the sanctification of the waters which was done by Christ at that time. Saint John Chrysostom speaks about this Great Sanctification of the feast of Theophany and says that the sanctified water was kept by the faithful and used for purifications, support, healing, etc. We realize its importance when we recall the words of the prayer which the priest offers at the epiclesis (invocation) of the Holy Spirit and the sanctification of the water: and make it a source of incorruption, a gift of sanctification, a release of sins, a cure of maladies, a extermination of demons, unreachable to the opposing powers, a plenitude of angelic potency What is particularly important in this case is the repentance and the fasting which is observed on the eve of the Feast. When we receive the sanctified water of the Great Sanctification with contrite spirit and true faith, then it truly becomes a healing means of soul and body and undoing of all opposing powers. The feast of the Theophany is an invitation to renewal and return to the Lord of glory, who humbled himself, though he was God, and became man a true man, sinless, forgiving and merciful, the way, the truth and the life. Let us follow him on the path of righteousness, along with his all-holy Mother the Theotokos, St. John the Baptist, the holy Apostles and all the Saints. Source 19

Holy Prophet Malachi as a Model for our Lives By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas The Prophet Malachi descended from the tribe of Levi and lived in the 5th century BC. He was born after the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity. His name means "my messenger" or "my angel". The Prophet Malachi worked in Jerusalem after the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah, which is concluded from the fact that the work to rebuild the Temple had been completed and the offering of sacrifices had begun. His book was written probably between 433-400 BC and consists of four chapters and six distinct discourses. He speaks about the love of God towards His people, rebukes unbelief, reproaches the impious conduct of the priesthood of his time, and he opposes mixed marriages and divorces. The appearance of the Honorable Forerunner is heralded, who will prepare the way of Christ and prepare the people to receive Him. The coming judgement is also mentioned. He reposed in peace and was buried in the field of his ancestors. His life and deeds gives us the opportunity to highlight the following: First, when someone wants to offer God a gift, it should be the best, because this manifests their love and respect. Of course, God does not need our gifts, but if we want to dedicate something to Him, it should be the finest, and it would be good if it was made by our hands with effort and tastefulness. However, what God asks of us is first and foremost ourselves, of which it is said: "For I do not seek yours, but you" (2 Cor. 12:14). In other words, we are asked to offer our hearts, to make it His dwelling place and throne, which is why we must strive to purify it of the passions. The priests of the time of the Prophet Malachi desecrated the altar of God, because they offered polluted bread as well as damaged and sick animals, which is why the Prophet conveyed to them the message of God, which is simultaneously a complaint and a call to repentance. He stresses the following remarkably: "For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction" (Mal. 2:7-8). He calls them to correct themselves, for this life is a time for repentance and a return to the path of God's commandments. "Take heed to the purity of your spirit." "Repent and return to Me and I will be a protector to you, says the Lord of hosts." Of course, anyone who places their hope in God and remains under His protection has nothing to fear, neither crisis nor temptation, because they receive Grace and strength from God, and so they remain calm, serene, peaceful and joyful. Today, as is well known, the gifts offered by the faithful for the realization of the bloodless sacrifice is mainly the prosphoron bread and the wine. The prosphoron should be fermented at home carefully and with prayer, and the wine should be genuine and unadulterated. Even the candles in churches should be genuine, namely, beeswax. Second, God is the protector of orphans and widows, and generally all those who are weak in the world, and those who are unjust to them will answer to God Himself. This is emphasized many times in the Old Testament by God through the mouths of the Prophets. Through the Prophet Malachi, God warns all those who show cruelty and ruthlessness to widows and orphans, as well as employers who unfairly treat their workers, those who swear falsely in His name, and also magicians and adulterers: "And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against magicians, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those 20

who turn away a foreigner because they do not fear Me, says the Lord of hosts" (Mal. 3:5). At this point it must be said that in the New Testament, Christ not only loved the "least" of this world, namely the poor and weak, but He identified Himself with them. Indeed, He associated the attitudes shown towards them with the attitudes shown towards Himself. As is known from the Gospel passage, which refers to the coming judgment, Christ praised the righteous for the love they showed for Him, when they asked Him: "When did we see You hungry and give You food? When did we see You thirsty and give You drink? When did we show You hospitality and visit You in prison?" etc., and Christ responded to them: "In as much as you did it to the least of My brethren, you did it to Me." And then he rebuked the sinners for their lack of love towards Him, and they complained that they never saw Him hungry to give Him food, or failed to give Him hospitality, etc., and Christ tells them: "In as much as you did not do it to the least of these, you did not do it to Me." And as it becomes apparent from the Gospel passage, the first will rejoice in eternity, while the second will be tormented and suffer eternally. Love, respect and obedience to God means love, respect and obedience to the Church and her institutions. Nobody can fool around with their eternal future and especially with the divine, because God cannot be "sneered at", for it is "fearful to fall into the hands of the living God". Source: Ekklesiastiki Paremvasi, "Προφήτης Μαλαχίας", December 2012. Translated by John Sanidopoulos. ********************************************************************************** Saint Ephraim of Nea Makri, the Wonderworker and Newly- Revealed St. Ephraim of Nea Makri (Feast Day - May 5 and January 3) The relic of Saint Ephraim were discovered through divine revelation in 1950... 524 years after his death. The Holy New Martyr and Wonderworker Ephraim was born in Greece on September 14, 1384. His father died when the saint was young, and his pious mother was left to care for seven children by herself. When Ephraim reached the age of fourteen, the all-good God directed his steps to a monastery on the mountain of Amoman near Nea Makri in Attica. The monastery was dedicated to the Annunciation and also to St Paraskeva. Here he took on his shoulders the Cross of Christ, which all His followers must bear (Matt. 16:24). Being enflamed with love for God, St Ephraim eagerly placed himself under the monastic discipline. For nearly twenty-seven years he imitated the life of the great Fathers and ascetics of the desert. With divine zeal, he followed Christ and turned away from the attractions of this world. By the grace of God, he purified himself from soul-destroying passions and became an abode of the All-Holy Spirit. He was also found worthy to receive the grace of the priesthood, and served at the altar with great reverence and compunction. On September 14, 1425, the barbarous Turks launched an invasion by sea, destroying the monastery and and looting the surrounding area. St Ephraim was one of the victims of their frenzied hatred. Many of the monks had been tortured and beheaded, but St Ephraim remained calm. This infuriated the 21

Turks, so they imprisoned him in order to torture him and force him to deny Christ. They locked him in a small cell without food or water, and they beat him every day, hoping to convince him to become a Muslim. For several months, he endured horrible torments. When the Turks realized that the saint remained faithful to Christ, they decided to put him to death. On Tuesday May 5, 1426, they led him from his cell. They turned him upside down and tied him to a mulberry tree, then they beat him and mocked him. "Where is your God," they asked, "and why doesn't he help you?" The saint did not lose courage, but prayed, "O God, do not listen to the words of these men, but may Thy will be done as Thou hast ordained." The barbarians pulled the saint's beard and tortured him until his strength ebbed. His blood flowed, and his clothes were in tatters. His body was almost naked and covered with many wounds. Still the Hagarenes were not satisfied, but wished to torture him even more. One of them took a flaming stick and plunged it violently into the saint's navel. His screams were heart-rending, so great was his pain. The blood flowed from his stomach, but the Turks did not stop. They repeated the same painful torments many times. His body writhed, and all his limbs were convulsed. Soon, the saint grew too weak to speak, so he prayed silently asking God to forgive his sins. Blood and saliva ran from his mouth, and the ground was soaked with his blood. Then he lapsed into unconsciousness. Thinking that he had died, the Turks cut the ropes which bound him to the tree, and the saint's body fell to the ground. Their rage was still not diminished, so they continued to kick and beat him. After a while, the saint opened his eyes and prayed, "Lord, I give up my spirit to Thee." About nine o'clock in the morning, the martyr's soul was separated from his body. These things remained forgotten for nearly 500 years, hidden in the depths of silence and oblivion until January 3, 1950. By then a women's monastery had sprung up on the site of the old monastery. Abbess Makaria (+ April 23, 1999) was wandering through the ruins of the monastery, thinking of the martyrs whose bones had been scattered over that ground, and whose blood had watered the tree of Orthodoxy. She realized that this was a holy place, and she prayed that God would permit her to behold one of the Fathers who had lived there. After some time, she seemed to sense an inner voice telling her to dig in a certain spot. She indicated the place to a workman whom she had hired to make repairs at the old monastery. The man was unwilling to dig there, for he wanted to dig somewhere else. Because the man was so insistent, Mother Makaria let him go where he wished. She prayed that the man would not be able to dig there, and so he struck rock. Although he tried to dig in three or four places, he met with the same results. Finally, he agreed to dig where the abbess had first indicated. In the ruins of an old cell, he cleared away the rubble and began to dig in an angry manner. The abbess told him to slow down, for she did not want him to damage the body that she expected to find there. He mocked her because she expected to find the relics of a saint. When he reached the depth of six feet, however, he unearthed the head of the man of God. At that moment an ineffable fragrance filled the air. The workman turned pale and was unable to speak. Mother Makaria told him to go and leave her there by herself. She knelt and reverently kissed the body. As she cleared away more earth, she saw the sleeves of the saint's cassock. The cloth was thick and appeared to have been woven on the loom of an earlier time. She uncovered the rest of the body and began to remove the bones, which appeared to be those of a martyr. 22

Mother Makaria was still in that holy place when evening fell, so she read the service of Vespers. Suddenly she heard footsteps coming from the grave, moving across the courtyard toward the door of the church. The footsteps were strong and steady, like those of a man of strong character. The nun was afraid to turn around and look, but then she heard a voice say, "How long are you going to leave me here?" She saw a tall monk with small, round eyes, whose beard reached his chest. In his left hand was a bright light, and he gave a blessing with his right hand. Mother Makaria was filled with joy and her fear disappeared. "Forgive me," she said, "I will take care of you tomorrow as soon as God makes the day dawn." The saint disappeared, and the abbess continued to read Vespers. In the morning after Matins, Mother Makaria cleaned the bones and placed them in a niche in the altar area of the church, lighting a candle before them. That night St Ephraim appeared to her in a dream. He thanked her for caring for his relics, then he said, "My name is St Ephraim." From his own lips, she heard the story of his life and martyrdom. Since St Ephraim glorified God in his life and by his death, the Lord granted him the grace of working miracles. Those who venerate his holy relics with faith and love have been healed of all kinds of illnesses and infirmities, and he is quick to answer the prayers of those who call upon him. As a Saint who helps troubled and despairing youth and protects against suicide, alcoholism, drugs and all sorts of harmful addictions, the following links provide further information here: http://www.roadtoemmaus.net/ back_issue_articles/rte_04/ephraim_of_nea_makri.pdf and here: http://www.stinnocent.com/seraphim/dtw/dtw4/overdose.htm Parents especially, when praying for their children, should often seek the intercessions of this Saint and these two links are meant to encourage this. Apolytikion in the First Tone On Amomon Mountain, you shown forth like the sun, God-bearer, and you left for God by martyrdom; you endured the attacks of barbarians, Ephraim, O Great-Martyr of Christ, and because of this you ever pour forth grace, to those who piously cry out to you, glory to Him who gave you strength, glory to Him you made you wondrous, glory to Him who grants through you healings for all. This icon of St. Ephraim was the last painted by the famous iconographer Photios Kontoglou in 1964 (who is also buried at the Evangelismos Monastery of St. Ephraim). He had prayed to the Saint to reveal himself so that he could properly depict him, and the above icon is the result. This has become the prototype of all the icons of St. Ephraim. 23

St. Ephraim and the Greek-American Drug Addict The following account is a timely story which occurred in 1990 to a young Greek-American teenager, heavily addicted to drugs. The Athenian taxi driver wrote this word-for-word as the young man in the story told it to him while being driven to a drug rehabilitation center after an encounter with Saint Ephraim of Nea Makri, who is the patron saint of those suffering from drug addiction. The taxi driver then had the story published in the Greek newspaper Orthdoxos Typos. It was afternoon, one of the usual tumultuous afternoons in downtown Athens. There was a line of people at the Omonia taxi-stop. To Koukaki, please! With pleasure, I answered. And that was the extent of our dialogue until the end of the drive, because my passenger s expression and manner did not leave any room for conversation. He got out at the summit of Agios Ioannis (in Gargareta) on Veikos Street and, a few meters further on, another hand stopped me with the characteristic wave. My new passenger was young around twenty-five to twentyseven years old and of medium height, and he was holding a suitcase. As I put his things in the trunk, the young man sat down in the front passenger seat. And with a poetic phrase that I infrequently used to use in the past: While departing on your journey to Ithaca, I wish that your road be long and your voyage great. I meant: Where to? Yes, my friend, to Ithaca, but not to the island, as you would imagine, but to the Ithaca Detoxification Center, was his answer, which left me speechless for a few seconds. To the Larisa train station, please, he added. My young passenger s reply was truly unexpected, because nothing about his outward appearance (eyes, expression, clothing, behavior) betrayed the accursed passion of his addiction to drugs. A multitude of feelings (pain, sorrow, sympathy, love) came over me one after another, an intense wringing of my heart made it move irregularly in my chest, and a tear rolled down my cheek over the plight of my brother, God s creature. I tried to contain myself, as I wanted to learn under what circumstances he had ended up where he did, because I was also a father with children approaching adolescence. After we introduced ourselves to each other, I asked Paul if he could tell me something about his life and his addiction, if recalling such events would not hurt or tire him. He readily agreed to my request, for which I thank him. * * * "To begin with, it has been two months since I ve taken that poison, and I now feel like any other normal person. I have no desire whatsoever to put it into my bloodstream again, and I owe this not to any effort of my own, but entirely to the wondrous power of God and His Saints. But let me take it from the start, since you so wish to hear about it. I was born in Athens, in Koukaki to be precise, where you picked me up, and lived there until I was eight years old. I am an only child and my parents love me pathologically and indulge my every whim. When I was eight, my parents and I left for America for a better life. My relatives there helped my parents find work and I attended school. As I grew up, however, my senseless desires and vices also grew along with me. On account of my character, I easily got mixed up 24

in bad company and very soon tried marijuana and hashish. As the years went by, the light drugs no longer satisfied me or my friends. So we all threw ourselves into the heavy drugs, which we found in the same surroundings and just as easily as the light drugs. These, however, were expensive, and I did not have a job. At first, I stole from my parents pockets and wallets. But when, with time, I was in need of greater doses, and when my parents had found me out, it reached the point that I even beat them to take the money. I understood that my condition was critical, but there was no way I could turn back. My parents rushed me to doctors and psychologists in the hope that they could do something, but to no avail; there was no light from anywhere. Some of them, and eminent scientists at that, told them that if I did not soon get out of that environment, I would not have long to live. During that time, as I was home alone one day in a state of despair, a strange visitor, whom I had never seen before, appeared in front of me. He was of medium height, had large round eyes that rolled about, and black bushy fur that was over fifteen centimeters in length. He also had horns and a tail. His booming, firm voice and fearsome persuasiveness left no room for objections. He began to make a thoroughly detailed account of my life from the time that I was born up until that very moment, while I simply said, yes. You have enjoyed every-thing, he said to me at the end, there is nothing more left for you but to come with me... How? I asked. 'You will take the car, he said, and you will follow such-and-such a road. You will speed along so many miles an hour (I don t remember the number), and I will be waiting for you there... The road in question was straight for many miles and at a certain point it had a slight bend, so that whoever was driving at too great a speed would go off the road and crash into a wall and be killed. I had heard about many such accidents at that spot in the past. Doing exactly as he told me, I, too, ended up smashing into the wall. The car was left almost unrecognizable, but they took me out with only minor injuries. After they gave me first aid, I went home. About ten days had passed since the accident, when the same strange visitor appeared in my house again, in the kitchen this time. A grimace of displeasure was on his wild and imposing face. With a nod of his head backwards, he said to me in the same distinctive voice, You didn t accomplish anything. I was sitting there staring at him, petrified, and could just barely ask, What should I do? Now you will take triple your usual dose, and you will surely come with me. He disappeared, and I did not even ask myself how he had entered the house or who he was. I immediately put the plan into action. I prepared the drug in the syringe and tried to find a place on my much-pierced body. The dose was a large one and I immediately fell unconscious. While I was in this condition, I saw a tall man wearing a cassock and a black monastic cap with a Cross engraved on the front. Do not be afraid, he told me. You will get well, and when you return to Greece, come to my house. I am Ephraim. I got up as if I had not taken the accursed poison at all. I felt a desire to leave for Greece and, when I told my mother of this desire, she marveled and considered it a miracle, because my parents had many times before unsuccessfully tried to get me out of that environment. I related to my mother all that had happened to me, and she wanted to accompany me on my journey. When we arrived in my old neighborhood, we went to the Priest of the parish there, and I learned from him who the strange visitor had been and what he had wanted from me. It was the Devil and he wanted my immortal soul. I thank God from the depths of my soul. Fifteen days after I had confessed and fasted, the Priest gave me Holy Communion. When I saw the Icon of St. Ephraim, I understood that it was he who had delivered me from my terrible addiction. I went to Nea Makri and had Liturgy served and thanked the Saint. Now I am going to this institution to get away from the world for a while and to make sure that I do not need the drugs anymore." 25

Holy New Martyr Romanos of Karpenesion (+ 1694) St. Romanos the New Martyr (Feast Day - January 5 and February 16) Verses For January 5 Romanos contested bravely, An invincible Roman received by God For February 16 As to a wedding you ran towards torments, Martyr Romanos, bravo to your bravery! Romanos was from Karpenesi. He was totally illiterate. The only thing he knew was that he was a Christian. One day he heard that some were going to venerate the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and he followed them. After he venerated all of the Holy Places, he also went to the Monastery of Saint Savvas. There he heard the monks reading about the Holy Martyrs, how they suffered so many tortures for Christ preferring instead to receive the future good things. The Saint asked what were these future good things, and when he learned from the fathers about the life to come and Paradise, the desire to receive the future goods through martyrdom was born in him. Because of this he went to Jerusalem and shared his idea with the Patriarch, who dissuaded him in case he couldn t endure the tortures and might make matters worse for the Holy Sepulchre and the Patriarchate. This blessed one however who desired martyrdom could not keep within himself the fire that was kindled in his heart. He therefore traveled to Thessaloniki, where he appeared before the Turkish judge, confessed Christ as true God, the Creator and Savior of the world, and called Muhammad an imposter and antichrist, and his religion an error filled with myths to laugh at. The judge ordered him to be tortured. They beat him mercilessly till the Muslims broke his ribs, they flogged off strips of skin from his back, they tore at his sides with horseshoes, and did many other tortures to force him to deny his faith. Because the Saint remained firm in his belief in Christ, he was ordered to be beheaded. There happened to be at that time in Thessaloniki the Admiral of the fleet who sought the judge to give him the Martyr to put him in a boat as an oarsman, telling him that this would be worse than death for the Martyr. Because of his position as a rower on board he would be tortured throughout his life mentally and physically. He liked the idea and the Admiral took him, cut his hair and beard, and put him at the paddle. After a short time however, some Christian friends of the captain bribed him, and he set the Saint free. The Christians sent him to the Holy Mountain, to the Skete of Kavsokalyvia, where he was near Saint Akakios (April 12) who served as his elder. There he struggled continuously and superhumanly, but he had no peace. He lived like a stranger in this life, and he thought neither for food nor water; his mind was on martyrdom. As the two of them fasted, elder and novice, and as Saint Akakios received a divine revelation regarding the martyrdom of Romanos, he tonsured him a monk and with the prayers of the fathers he let him leave with the goal of confession and martyrdom. 26

At first he went to Jerusalem in his monastic garb, where he couldn t complete his goal, because there was a fear that the Muslims would harm the Holy Sepulcher. Therefore he traveled to Constantinople. There he caught a little dog, tied it up to his belt and walked with him to the bazaar. The Turks seeing this asked why he was walking the little dog in such an odd fashion. He responded to them: To feed him as the Christians feed you Turks. As soon as they heard this they grabbed him and brought him to the Vizier, where he repeated the same words. Then the Vizier ordered to torture him until he would deny his faith. They threw him in a dry well, in which they threw their murderers. There the blessed one remained without food for forty days. Later they took him out and tortured him mercilessly in various ways without in any way convincing him. Then the Vizier ordered him to be beheaded by the sword. As they took him to the place of execution, he greeted any Christian he saw with great joy saying that he was going to a wedding and not a slaughter, a fact that stunned many. Passing by the mosque at the hour when the hodja called for mid-day prayer from the minaret, the Martyr gazed and spat on him, for which cause the executioners immediately cut out his tongue, which he extended on his own for them to cut. And again he intelligently greeted the Christians with blood running from his mouth. When he reached the place of execution they beheaded him, as he thanked God, and his beheaded body on its own fell towards the east, as if it were still alive. Angered by this sign the Turks drove away the mass of Christians. This occurred in 1694 on January 5 or 6, though some say it occurred on February 16th (he is commemorated on both days by the Church). The holy relic remained three days and nights at the place of execution and divine grace illumined it with a heavenly light, which was seen by all, Christians and Turks. In the end the relic of the Martyr was bought for five hundred piasters by an English captain whose ship was stationed in Constantinople, and he took it to England. One Christian witness of the martyrdom of Saint Romanos, who was amazed at the joy and courage of the Martyr, when the Turks were shoving and beating the Christians away from the body of the Martyr, payed a Turkish child five piasters to dip a napkin into the blood of the Martyr and bring it back to him. The child did this, but afterwards told this to a Turk, who then sent the child back asking for five more piasters. The Christian did not want to pay this, so he was betrayed to the Vizier to be put to death. However, the Christian was a nobleman and friend of the Vizier, which spared him from death. Instead he was cast into a bleak dungeon where he languished for six months. Every night he would see a ray of light emanating from the spot where Romanos was martyred, and this strengthened him and consoled him; otherwise, "I should have perished from my extreme hardships." He was released later for four thousand piasters, after which he and his brother sold all their belongings to travel to Jerusalem and Mount Sinai. They then sailed to Mount Athos where they became monks. The older brother, Agapios, ended his life at the Monastery of Docheiariou, to which he donated the napkin with the blood of the Martyr. The other ended his days at the Monastery of Koutloumousiou. Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone You first struggled ascetically on Athos, and received the Divine will through the teachings of the Venerable Akakios, and hastened towards the trials of martyrdom and death, and you, O Romanos, stand beside the crown-bestowing Christ, interceding for us, O all-glorious one. Ode 8 of the Canon in Praise of All Saints of Athos Let us honour in songs the glorious Romanos, pride of ascetics and sweetness of the new martyrs of Christ, whom the Skete of the Lavra of Kavsokalyva blossomed as a rose, and whom Akakios, young in years and old in asceticism had as his own disciple. 27

New Years Day and the Christian At the present time, the beginning of the new year is celebrated by us on the 1st of January. Forty-five years before the Nativity of Christ, the Romans began celebrating the new year on the 1st of January instead of on the 1st of March, as had been done by them previously, and they spent this day in disorderly, noisy games in masquerade and in mindless merriment and abominable debauchery. According to the beliefs of the pagan Romans, the first moment of the new year had a fateful influence on the whole yearly period of time: whoever would greet and spend the first day of the new year merrily, would live merrily during the course of the whole year; therefore, each one tried to greet and spend the first day of the new year as merrily and dissipatedly as possible. On the eve of the new year, men and women gathered in private houses and in inns in order to greet the new year in society. To be drunk on this day was considered indispensable even for those who did not like to get drunk on wine. Noise, shouting, songs, dances and hand-clapping filled the streets and buildings throughout the whole night. Men dressed up as women, and women, in their turn, did not lag behind the men in the art of disguise. Some put on the heads of cows, deer, dogs and other animals; others dressed up even as demons or assumed the appearance of their pagan gods and goddesses. They walked disguised about the city, from house to house, with noise, songs and dances. Sorcerers of various kinds, soothsayers and augurs, who conjectured by all possible means about the future, never had, perhaps, so many visitors as in this night - the eve of the new year. With the approach of morning, all hurried to one another to exchange greetings, good wishes and gifts on the occasion of the new year; they spent the evening of the day in banquets and amusements. Hierarch John Chrysostom's denunciations and exhortations and his words at the new year involuntarily come to mind: "Diabolical revelry," he says, "continuing today throughout the whole night, laughter, evil speech, nocturnal dances and ridiculous buffoonery have taken our city captive... More than anything, the games distress me that take place today in inns, that are filled with intemperance and great impiety - impiety, because those engaged in them observe days, tell fortunes and think that if they spend the first day of this month in amusements and merriments, they will also spend the whole year in the same way - and intemperance, because at daybreak the women and men, having filled up their glasses and cups with wine, get drunk beyond all measure... If you wish to receive benefit from the first day of this month, 28

act thus: When you will see the end of the year, give thanks to the Master that He has led you to such a cyclical rotation of the years, become contrite of heart, reckon the time of your life, say to yourself: the days flow and pass, the years are ending... and what good have we done?... Philosophize thus at the beginning of months, remember this at the cyclical rotation of the years... To observe days is not a matter of Christian philosophy, but of pagan error." Indeed, it is strange and unforgivable for a Christian to expect special well-being from the way he greets the new year, forgetting that true happiness and well-being depend not on the cyclical rotation of time, but on the will of God and on the character of our activity; it is unforgivable to anticipate the approach of the new year with noisy banqueting from evening till midnight, to observe customs that are purely pagan and shameful for a true Christian. The greeting of similar days, like the day of the new year, with various indecencies and obscenities, not only testifies to an absence of piety, but also amounts to opposition to Christianity and to the Church. Source: From "The Pilgrim's Leaflet", No. 43, 1994. Read also: St. John Chrysostom: A Homily for the New Year (On the Kalends of January) ********************************************************************************** New Year Resolutions and Time as an Opportunity In this image, we see Death, represented by a skeleton, trying to extinguish the candle of life. On the opposite side of the candle is Father Time, hourglass in hand, attempting to prevent Death from putting out the candle. From the gravestone of Rebecca Gerrish, located at King s Chapel Burying Ground in Boston. By Dr. Nikolaos Koios For Christians, the basic purpose and aims in life are to be found in the Gospel commandments. We might say that the aims are the cultivation of the virtues and the mortification of sin. The fundamental purpose, however, is to imitate Christ and achieve perfection, glorification. We encounter many difficulties in our life, however, which prevent us from observing the commandments and reaching our final goal. These difficulties spring from either the external environment or from ourselves as people. Even Christ s disciples and others who actually heard Him preach and experienced His example at 29

close range were often disheartened. They d say to Him: "Your words are hard, Lord. How can we observe them?" They understood that our nature s weak and tends towards evil and sin. We give ourselves aims and ideals, we want to improve ourselves and society, but we keep failing. Christ s answer was simple, but very profound: "What s impossible for people is possible for God." It s as though He s saying, in different words: "It s not possible that God would create you and become human for your sake and would then set you difficult aims and just leave you on you own to achieve them without any help. God s with you all the time. In your weakness, your failure and your sin. Just say, 'Lord have mercy. Help me, God. I ve sinned, Lord.' And He answers, 'Leave all that to Me. Your great purpose in life, your salvation and glorification aren t yours to achieve, but are My gift to you.'" But what about the variable of time. What should be the attitude of Christians towards it and how are we to deal with it? At this point, let s hear the words of a modern ascetic, someone who speaks the language of our own age: Elder Aimilianos[1] of the Holy Monastery of Simonopetra, on the Holy Mountain of Athos. "We re all aware of how quickly the years pass and how quickly what we thought we had becomes the past So people who think they hold life in their hands and can deal with it as they wish come into conflict with the reality of this transient life and the vanity of the things of this world. It s foolishness and a great delusion for people not to think about the fewness of the days, for them not to have a sense of the transience of the present and not to experience the flow of time, which so swiftly brings us to the end. Time is our constant companion. You d think it was putting pressure on the sun to rise more quickly and to set faster. And when we aren t aware of its breath and are distracted by other, worldly noises, we then come to the tragic conclusion that the hours, days, months and years are passing at great speed and that suddenly we ve reached the end, without realizing it. I don t want to plunge you into melancholy with these thoughts. I want to help you to share the feeling of the passage of time and to make an effort to use it for your progress, happiness and sanctification. At the beginning of the New Year, we make spiritual plans. Sanctify your time, in order to make the year a happy one. Don t waste it on worthless things that don t leave you with a taste of joy. Listen to the words of Paul, who ascended into heaven, 'making the most of the time, for the days are evil' (Eph. 5:16). This means using time for works of love, spiritual advancement, life in the Church, sanctification and repentance. It s what we say every day at Divine Worship: 'That we may live out the rest of our days in peace and repentance, let us ask of the Lord.' For those who ve wasted their time and haven t used it reasonably and spiritually, the hour comes when they curse themselves and disconsolately accept the waste of their lives as a defeat." This is my message to you at this New Year. Within the joy of the traditional feast, dominated as it is by the saintly figure of Basil the Great, lay the foundations for a new spiritual structure in your soul. Make good resolutions for greater efforts, greater diligence, greater love and greater human kindness. May the New Year bring new life to the whole world; may it extinguish the fires of the passions and of hatred; may it cool the thirsting souls with the breeze of love; and may it bring peace and happiness to all of you. The New Year will be happy if we also contribute to it; if we make a proper effort, then the blessing of God will certainly also be with us. [1] Aimilianos Simonopetritis, Περί Θεού: Λόγος Αισθήσεως, Holy Convent of the Annunciation of the Mother of God, Ormylia, Halkidiki, published by Indiktos, Athens 2004. Source 30

Patriarchal Proclamation for Christmas 2018 + B A R T H O L O M E W By God s Mercy Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch To the Plenitude of the Church Grace, Mercy and Peace from the Savior Christ Born in Bethlehem * * * Venerable brothers and beloved children in the Lord, We glorify the Most-Holy and All-Merciful God, that we are again deemed worthy this year to reach the festive day of Christmas, the feast of the pre-eternal Son and Word of God s Incarnation for us and for our salvation. Through the eternal mystery and great miracle of the divine Incarnation, the great wound, namely humankind sitting in darkness and shadow, is rendered into children of light and day, [1] while the blessed road of deification by grace is opened for us. In the theandric mystery of the Church and through her holy sacraments, Christ is born and takes shape in our soul and existence. Maximus the Confessor theologizes that the Word of God, though born once in the flesh, is ever willing to be born spiritually in those who desire Him. Thus, He becomes an infant and fashions Himself in us by means of the virtues; indeed, He reveals Himself to the extent that we are capable of receiving Him. [2] God is not an abstract idea, like the god of the philosophers, or an unapproachable God enclosed in absolute transcendence. He is Emmanuel, God with us, [3] closer to us than we are to ourselves, more akin to us than our very own selves. [4] Faith in the inaccessible and fleshless Divinity does not transform our life; it does not remove the polarization between matter and spirit; nor does it bridge the gap between heaven and earth. The Incarnation of the Divine Word is the revelation of truth regarding God and humankind, which saves the human race from the dark labyrinths of materialism and anthropomonism, as well as from idealism and dualism. The Church s condemnation of nestorianism and monophysitism signals the rejection of two broader tendencies of the human soul: on the one hand rendering anthropocentrism absolute, and on the other idolizing an idealistic understanding of life and truth, both of which are especially widespread deviations in our age. Contemporary nestorianism is expressed as a spirit of secularization, as scientism and the absolute prioritization of utilitarian knowledge, as the absolute autonomy of economy, as self-saving arrogance and atheism, as the non-civilization of individualism and eudemonism, as legalism and moralism, as the end of decency and identification of sacrificial love and repentance with the so-called morality of the weak. By the same token, monophysitism is today represented by tendencies to demonize the body and natural man, by puritanism and the syndromes of purity, by fruitless introverted spirituality and various mysticisms, by disregarding the intellect, art and civilization, by denying dialogue and rejecting differences, with the dangerous expresser supposedly in the name of the one and only truth namely a religious fundamentalism nurtured by absolutism and rejections, while feeding violence and division. It is evident that both a nestorianizing deification of the world and a monophysitizing demonization of it leave the world and history, civilizations and cultures, exposed to the powers of the present age, cementing their autonomy and impasses. 31

Christian faith is the certainty of our salvation by the God of love, who graciously assumed our nature and once again granted us the likeness lost through the fall, making us worthy of true life in His Body, the Church. The theandric mystery is expressed throughout the entirety of life in the Church. The Incarnate Savior received the flesh of the Church [5] and showed, first and alone, the true man, who is perfect on account of both character and life as well as all other aspects. [6] The Church of Christ is the place of common salvation, common freedom and hope in the common kingdom. It is the way of living the liberating truth, the core of which is expressing the truth in love. This love transcends the boundaries of mere human action, because its source and prototype lie in divine philanthropy, which transcends human reason. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. [7] God is present wherever love exists. This saving truth must also be expressed in the way we celebrate the sacred Nativity of our Savior, who visited us from on high. A feast is always a fullness of time, a time of self-knowledge, of thanksgiving for the magnitude of divine philanthropic love, of witness to the truth of the theandric mystery and of freedom in Christ. The Christ-pleasing celebration of the Divine Word s Incarnation is an act of resistance against secularization, against discoloration of the feast and its conversion into a Christmas without Christ, as well as against a celebration of Having, of consumerism and vanity indeed, into a world filled with social tensions, reversal and confusion of values, of violence and injustice, where the Jesus child is once again faced with the inexorable interests of numerous, multifaceted powers. Honorable brothers and beloved children, Generations come and pass, while forthcoming developments are difficult to foresee. Genuine faith, though, does not face dilemmas. The Word became flesh, the truth has come and darkness has subsided. We already participate in the Kingdom while still on our journey toward the completion of the incarnate Divine Economy. We possess the unshakeable certainty that the future belongs to Christ, Who is the same yesterday and today and forever; [8] that the Church of Christ is and shall remain a place of holiness and godliness, a renewal of man and world, a foretaste of the glory of the Kingdom; that it will continue to give the witness of the Gospel to distribute the gifts of God in the world: His love, peace, justice, and reconciliation, the power of resurrection and expectation of eternity. [9] The contemporary ideology of some post-christian age is baseless. After Christ, everything is and remains in Christ to the ages. We humbly kneel before the Divine Infant of Bethlehem and His All- Holy Mother, who holds Him in her arms, while venerating the Incarnate most perfect God, and bestow upon the children of the Holy and Great Church of Christ throughout the world from the ever-vigilant Phanar our Patriarchal blessing for the Holy Twelve Days of Christmas, wishing you a healthy, fruitful and joyous new year in the Lord s favor. Christmas 2018 + Bartholomew of Constantinople Your fervent supplicant before God 32

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA 8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106 * Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0237 www.goarch.org - Email: communications@goarch.org News Release Contact: PRESS OFFICE Stavros Papagermanos pressoffice@goarch.org Date: December 20, 2018 ARCHIEPISCOPAL ENCYCLICAL FOR THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST (2018) Protocol Number 217/18 December 25, 2018 The Nativity of Christ And His name shall be called the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 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, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ according to the Flesh is depicted throughout our churches in the familiar and radiant icon of the Nativity. Every element of the Gospel account, historically and theologically, appears before our eyes to inspire wonder, worship, and peace. In every detail, the icon proclaims without words that the Child born this day in Bethlehem is none other than the Prince of Peace. For by His birth, peace entered into a world plagued by hatred, hurt, and conflict. Our Lord came to bring peace between heaven and earth. We see this depicted in the shepherds as they hearken to the voice of an angel. The Evangelist Luke tells us that they were greatly frightened at the angel s appearance (Luke 2:9). But in the icon their faces manifest reverence and attention, not terror or guilt. As the great company of the heavenly host chanted Glory to God in the highest, the shepherds received and believed their message of Peace on earth, goodwill towards mankind (Luke 2:14). In that peace they journeyed to Bethlehem to seek the Child of promise. There, the shepherds witnessed God s answer to sin and death, as forgiveness, reconciliation, and life shone forth from the cave in the face of the Prince of Peace. Our Lord came also to bring peace among the peoples of the earth. We see this depicted in the figures of the Magi. The Evangelist Matthew tells us that these astrologers from the East followed the rising 33

of a star (Matthew 2:2) and left their homes, traversing for many months and long miles to reach the place where the newborn King dwelt. The Magi came in peace, bearing gifts in order to honor the newborn Messiah, even as the prophets had foretold: Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 60:3). Our Lord came to bring peace within the realm of nature. We see this depicted in the animals who kneel in worship before the manger. Strange wonders happen before them; unfamiliar visitors crowd their stable. But the animals neither cower nor flee; they calmly remain to witness the miracle. The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his Master s manger, as was foretold again by Isaiah (1:3). For so many millennia, the story of human development has been a history of cruelty towards animals; but on this night, and by Christ s birth, there was serenity and peace. Our Lord came to bring peace to our fallen human nature, beset by weakness and mortality. In the center of the icon we behold the Virgin Mother bowed down in adoration before her Son and God. She shows no hint of pain or trauma, even after a long journey and childbirth. For with His entrance into this world, Jesus Christ came only to heal and save, not to harm or destroy. He caused His mother no injury in His birth. In her immaculate body, the destiny for all humanity is revealed: health, restoration, and resurrection. Already at His Nativity, the icon declares, Christ is the master of life and death, and in Him is the ancient curse abolished (cf. Genesis 3:16). The Prince of Peace will destroy the final enemy, which is death (1 Cor. 15:26). Brothers and sisters in Christ, We glorify the Prince of Peace by spreading the peace He granted to us in His Birth. In this Christmas season as we gather with family and friends, as we worship in the house of the Lord, as we break bread and share the bounties of our lives let us also strive to be people of peace. Out of the stable of Bethlehem, peace from heaven shines forth: let us therefore be quick to forgive and ready to reconcile with all those around us. From the lowly manger in Judea, peace prevails over man and beast: let us therefore be diligent as faithful stewards of God s creation, neither exploiting nor misusing His gifts through overconsumption, materialism, or waste. Through the gifts of the Magi, peace for all peoples is foretokened: let us therefore through almsgiving and generosity be strong advocates of justice, equality, and compassion. From the face of the Holy Theotokos, peace overflows, royal and radiant: let us therefore embrace purity and complete dedication to Christ in our minds and bodies and spirits, giving glory to the Prince of Peace who came to save us. May the peace, good will, and glory of the Christmas season be yours today and always, and unto the ages of ages. Christ is Born! Glorify Him! With paternal love and heartfelt wishes in the Incarnate Lord, D E M E T R I O S Archbishop of America Read/Link Online: https://www.goarch.org/-/archiepiscopal-encyclical-for-the-nativity-of-christ-2018- Video Message: https://www.goarch.org/-/2018-nativity-message 34

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERI- CA 8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106 * Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0237 www.goarch.org - Email: communications@goarch.org Contact: PRESS OFFICE Stavros Papagermanos pressoffice@goarch.org News Release Date: December 28, 2019 ENCYCLICAL OF ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS FOR THE FEAST OF SAINT BASIL AND THE NEW YEAR 2019 Protocol No. 01/19 I can do all things in Christ Who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13) January 1, 2019 Feast of Saint Basil and New Year 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, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As we offer thanksgiving to God at the inception of the new year and with a vision for the marvelous works He will accomplish through us for His honor and glory, we also are mindful of the promise we have affirmed throughout this past year: All Things are Possible to the One Who Believes in Christ. This was the theme for our 44 th Biennial Clergy Laity Congress in Boston last July, and it continues to be the inspiration for dynamic work 35

throughout our Holy Archdiocese. This powerful promise offered to us by our Lord should also guide and strengthen us throughout this New Year of 2019. We should anticipate the power and potential of our faith in Him. We should move forward in ministry and service with the assurance that His promises will be fulfilled. Through our worship and prayer, we should constantly ask for His will to be done knowing that the possibilities are boundless, the opportunities are immeasurable, and His marvelous works are unlimited! Today as we celebrate the Feast of Saint Basil, we see through the witness of his life that all things are possible in Christ. In full dedication to God and faith in His divine will, Saint Basil led the faithful in worship and in ministries that offered help to the poor, sick, elderly, orphans, and travelers. By the power of God, he stood firm against false teachings and beliefs, revealing the power of truth through his sermons and theological works. Through his life of service what seemed impossible for many became possible, as they found hope, healing, and abundant life in Christ. On January 1 and the Feast of Saint Basil, it is our annual tradition to recognize the work of our beloved Saint Basil Academy. For over 70 years this vital ministry of our Holy Archdiocese has been a witness of the promise that all things are possible through faith in Christ. Through the blessed work of the staff and directors and the support of many benefactors, children and youth have found care and healing, lives have been transformed, and many have experienced the unlimited possibilities of the power of faith and compassion. We give thanks to God for those who have offered this sacred ministry. As we are led by our Ladies Philoptochos Society in the cutting of the Vasilopeta, I ask that you offer your prayers and generous support for Saint Basil Academy. Together, we know and affirm that faith in Christ makes this ministry possible and makes the impossible possible through our faith and our service in our parishes and communities. We know that the possibilities are endless and the transforming power of grace is inexhaustible. Thus, we should prayerfully approach all aspects of our service and witness throughout this year by seeking possibilities, exploring potential, and following the will of God. May His abundant blessings be upon our sacred work in His name in 2019, and may we live each day in faith and in anticipation of the great and marvelous things He will do! With paternal love in Christ, D E M E T R I O S 36

Τα Κρητικά Κάλαντα Χριστουγέννων Καλήν εσπέραν άρχοντες κι άν είναι ορισμός σας, Χριστού την θεία γέννηση να πω στ αρχοντικό σας. Χριστός γεννάται σήμερον εν Βηθλεέμ τη πόλει, οι ουρανοί αγάλλονται, χαίρετ η φύσις όλη. Εν τω σπηλαίω τίκτεται, εν φάτνη των αλόγων ο βασιλεύς των ουρανών και ποιητής των όλων. Κερά καμαροτράχηλη και φεγγαρομαγούλα και κρουσταλλίδα τού γιαλού και πάχνη από τα δέντρα, απού τον έχεις τον υγυιό το μοσχοκανακάρη λούζεις τον και στολίζεις τον και ς το σκολειό τον πέμπεις. Κι ο δάσκαλος τον έδειρε μ ένα χρυσό βεργάλι και η κυρά δασκάλισσα με το μαργαριτάρι. Είπαμε δα για την κερά, ας πούμε για την βάγια: Άψε βαγίτσα το κερί, άψε και το διπλέρι και κάτσε και ντουσούντιζε είντα θα μάς εφέρεις, γι απάκι, για λουκάνικο, για χοιρινό κομμάτι, γι απάκι, για λουκάνικο, για αγριμιού κομμάτι, κι από τον πίρο τού βουτσιού να πιούμε μία γεμάτη. Κι από την μαύρη όρνιθα κανένα αυγουλάκι Κι αν το χει κάμει η γαλανή ας είναι ζευγαράκι. Κι από τό πιθαράκι σου λάδι να κουρουπάκι κι αν είναι ακροπλιάτερο βαστούμε και τ ασκάκι. Φέρε πανιέρι κάστανα, πανιέρι λεπτοκάρυα, και φέρε και γλυκό κρασί να πιούν τα παλληκάρια. Κι αν είναι με το θέλημα άσπρη μου περιστέρα, ανοίξατε την πόρτα σας να πούμε καλησπέρα. To hear the song go to: https://proseuxi.gr/kritika-kalanta-xristougennon/ 37

Culture Wars: Can Christianity Change the World? Today we face much cultural turmoil and seemingly unreconcilable differences. Our discourse often becomes harsh and even hate filled. It seems we have lost a Christ centeredness in our lives. We seem to be trying to solve our cultural value issues thinking we can change it through political ends. We use social media to spew out our differing opinions thinking that this will make a difference. But history clearly tells us changing a culture is not so easily done. Is it possible that Christians today have taken the wrong track in putting their energies into political action and social media? When we engage in these arenas don t we become one with the culture we don t like. Do we act in a way that exhibits the life and teachings of our Savior? Our actions do not communicate an alternative to the present potpourri of ideas and values. Sociologist James Davidson Hunter demonstrates that political action has never been the cause of cultural shifts even though some good things can happen in this way. More often it leads to oppression of minority views, more division and greater discord. If we truly want to bring Christ back to the center of our lives, a different approach is necessary. We are creatures of God called to something much higher than life in this world, the Kingdom of Heaven. To reach this kingdom, Scripture makes it clear, we must become continually better at living like Jesus Christ and become an active participant in a true compassionate faith community. To achieve our God given calling and make a difference in this world, our lived life in our faith community must be different from the general society. This view is clearly spelled out by the acclaimed sociologist Dr James Davison Hunter in his book, To Change The World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World. I suggest you read it. 38

He writes, Contemporary Christian understandings of power and politics are a very large part of what has made contemporary Christianity in America appalling, irrelevant, and ineffective part and parcel of the worst elements of our late-modern culture today, rather than a healthy alternative to it. Pg 94 Jesus offers a new alternative. His power is quite different. It is based on His submission to His Father s will. This we must learn to follow. The Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.... I can do nothing on my own.... I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me (John 5: 19, 30) He is also extremely humble becoming a servant, taking on human flesh and is obedient even to death on the Cross. He is compassionate. We too must learn humility and compassion. Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10: 45) He never advocated violence or coercion. in the Sermon on the Mount he said, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And also, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matt. 5: 39, 44). Our actions cannot limit freedom, promote violence or hatred or involve coersion. Jesus demonstrates a different, non political power. To follow Him is difficult in our modern pluralistic society that embraces diversity and relativism. We must become leaders, but not in a political sense. We lead through humility and obedience. His teaching calls us to observe all things [He] commanded (Matt 28:19-20). Saint Paul teaches to walk in the Spirit: To be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1: 9 10). This way of life is known to be a struggle, requiring preparation, training, ascesis, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the needed role of the Church. When we examine how the early church grew and shaped a new culture over many years, we find that Christians lived a life based on the way Christ lived. They were different in how they lived. Many even sacrificed their life to stay true to their faith. It was their faithfulness to His way, His teachings, and their exemplary love for all humankind that made them different. They lived in a very difficult time that was in great odds with Christian teachings. Even so, they did not seek to overthrow or change the government, but lived by the Spirit, as Saint Paul says. They understood that the kingdom sought was not of the world but of the Kingdom of Heaven. They trusted in God and relied on the work of the Holy Spirit. They were faithful in all things. Their efforts were aimed at becoming like Christ, humble, obedient to His teachings, compassionate, accepting that we are all sinners knowing we are all made in God s image. Isn't this is what we as Christians must now do? First, we must understand the limits of our current condition and accept the reality that our current Christian institutions, our leaders and members, and most importantly, ourselves, do not model the life and teachings of Christ. Thus we are powerless. Filled with pride, we only profess Christian ideals and try to impose morality on others through political actions and social media. Sometimes we even forget the commandment to love our neighbors, even our enemies, finding ourselves rejecting or condemning others because they are different. We must learn to live with love in a world with a plurality of values and ideas while holding true to those Christ teaches us. 39

I do not think it is likely that the current state of Christianity will ever bring about societal change. Our churches can best focus on spiritual development of its members, helping them to gain the power of the Holy Spirit, to become mystically united with God, to unite their will with the will of God, and live in love and humility. This is the teaching of the Orthodox Church, the way of life it prescribes and nurtures. The Church is a place for spiritual healing, it s the loving body of Christ, a place where we can surrender to His teachings and be guided to a way of life that is filled with love of all mankind. So what are a few of the key elements in this Orthodox way of life? 1. Praying Daily: Have a regular prayer rule that includes morning and evening prayer. 2. Worshiping and Participating in the Sacraments: Attend and participate in the Divine Liturgy receiving Holy Communion regularly as well as regular participation in Confession. 3. Honoring the Liturgical Cycle: Follow the seasons of the church and participate in the fasts and feasts of the Church. 4. Using the Jesus Prayer: Repeat the Holy name whenever possible throughout the day or night. 5. Slowing Down and Ordering Your Life: Set priorities and reduce the stress and friction caused by a hurried life. 6. Being Watchful: Give full attention to what you are doing at the moment. 7. Taming the Passions: Overcome your habits, attachment to your likes and dislikes, and learn to practice the virtues. 8. Putting Others First: Free yourself from your selfishness and find joy in helping others. 9. Spiritual Fellowship: Spend time regularly with other Orthodox Christians for support and inspiration. 10. Reading Scripture and writings of the Church fathers. Practicing these basic elements will lead to continual spiritual formation, a deeper and deeper faith, and a change in our way of life when practiced as a member of a church community under the guidance of a spiritual father. It is a life that begins with faith and nurtured by repentance and cooperation with grace. It demands humility and an open heart for God s love to permeate. James Davidson Hunter writes in his book, The task for the church and all Christians in every generation is to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness ; to seek to integrate the very order of the heavens within our personal lives and relationships, our families, our work and leisure, and our communities. God s Kingdom, of course, is not political in character but spiritual, moral, relational, vocational, and environmental (including the social milieu). P 268. Christians, like most modern people, have politicized every aspect of public life and private life as well from church/ state issues, education, the media, entertainment and the arts, and the environment to family values, sexuality, and parenting. In this, they mistakenly imagine that to pass a referendum, elect a candidate, pass a law, or change a policy is to change culture. In so doing, Christians undermine the message of the very gospel they cherish and desire to advance. P275 Christians must cultivate tension with the world by affirming the centrality of the church itself and the parish or local congregation in particular. James Davidson Hunter Reference: Dr James Davison Hunter, To Change The World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World. 40

Stop saying Glory to God for all things! A testimony offered by Hieromonk Synesios. A few years ago, I was the parish priest of St. Vasileios church (Piraeus) and was called to hear the confession of a young man, Xenophon, 42 years old. When I arrived, his days were numbered. Cancer with rapid metastases had affected his brain too. He was all alone at the ward, the bed next to him was empty, so we were all alone. This is what he told me about how he came to Faith, since he was a hardened atheist in his own words: I arrived here about 35 days ago, in this ward of two beds. Next to me was another patient, about 80 years old. He was suffering from cancer too, in his bones, and although he was experiencing excruciating pain, he was constantly praising the Lord Glory to God! Glory to God for all things! He also recited more prayers which I heard for the first time in my life since I was an atheist who had never set my foot to church. Often, all those prayers comforted him and he slept for a couple of hours. Then, after 2-3 hours, he woke up again from the excruciating pain, and he would start over My Christ, I thank you! Glory be to Thy Name! Glory to God! Glory to God for all things! I was moaning with my pain, and this patient at the next bed to mine was glorifying God. I was blaspheming Christ and the Theotokos, and he was thanking God, thanking him for the cancer which he had given to him, and for all the excruciating pain he was suffering. I was so rebellious and indignant at this! Not only for the excruciating pain I was suffering, but also for his never-ending Doxology. He was also partaking daily of Holy Communion, while I was throwing up in disgust. Will you please shut up! Shut up and stop saying all the time Glory to God! Can t you see that this God, Whom you are thanking and glorifying, this same God is torturing us with such cruelty? What kind of God this is? No, He does not exist! And the patient on the next bed would meekly answer me: He does exist, my child, and He is also a most loving Father, because with all this illness and pain, He cleanses me from my many sins. If you had worked on some rough task, and your clothes and your body stank, would you not need a rough brush to clean all this dirt? Likewise, God is using this disease as a balm, as a beneficial cleansing for my soul, in order to prepare it for the Kingdom of Heaven. His replies got even more on my nerves and I was blaspheming gods and demons. All my reactions were sadly most negative, and all I did was to keep on screaming: There is no God. I do not believe in anything. Neither in this God nor in His Kingdom I remember his last words: Wait and you shall see with your own eyes how the soul of a Christian who believes is separated from his body. I am a sinner, but His Mercy will save me. Wait, and you will behold and will believe! And that day came. The nurses wanted to place a screen, as is their duty, but I protested against and stopped them. I told them No, don t do this, because I want to watch how this old man will die!!! So I watched him and he was glorifying God all the time. He also said a few Hail, Unwedded Bride for the Theotokos, which as I later found out, they are called Salutations. He would also chant Theotokos Virgin Mary, From my many sins.. and It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, and he would also make the sign of the Cross a number of times. Then he raised both of his hands and said Welcome, my Angel! Thank you for coming with such 41

a bright synodeia to take my soul. Thank you! Thank you! He raised his hands a little bit more, he made the sign of the Cross, he crossed his arms on his chest and fell asleep in the Lord. Suddenly, the ward was filled with Light, like ten and more bright suns had risen all together, such was splendour of the light with which this ward was lit! And not only was this ward lit, but a heavenly fragrance spread around, inside the ward, even outside the corridor, so powerful that those patients in the neighbouring wards who were not asleep and could get out of their beds, they came out and started walking up and down the corridor, trying to discern where this special fragrance was exuded from. Thus, my Father, I, the hardened atheist did believe and called for you to hear my Confession. * Xenophon was firm and merciless with his old self, but the Mercy of our Lord was great, really great! He offered a clear confession, received Holy Communion a couple of times, and departed in deep repentance, in peace, a holy death, himself glorifying God! By Protopresbyter Stephanos Anagnostopoulos ********************************************************************************** 42

Introducing The Tech-Wise Family Challenge On January 7, we ll kick off The Tech-Wise Family Challenge, a 21-day journey to rethink the role of technology in your life and home. Read through The Tech-Wise Family with us and receive daily challenges to help you and your family form new habits in the new year. The challenge includes: Access to an exclusive webcast with Barna editor in chief, Roxanne Stone, author Andy Crouch and his daughter, Amy Crouch Email or text reminders with a daily reading, action step and discussion questions Downloadable resources including a calendar to track your progress and table topics for your family Access to a Facebook group to share with other challenge participants Opportunities to win prizes that promote quality time as a household Sign Up Now! Want to participate in The Tech-Wise Family Challenge? Here are your next steps: 1. Sign up and/or text TECHWISE to 345345 2. Watch the Barna webcast (link will be provided in your welcome email) 3. If you don't have one already, get a copy of The Tech-Wise Family (a 10% off promo code will be provided in your welcome email) 4. Invite your friends and family to participate as well 5. On January 7, begin your 21-day journey to reclaim real life in a world of devices Find out more. https://barna.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=f4b8fc90118f192159faebff9&id=1e2335a238 43

Education: Doctorate Masters Bachelors ANNOUNCEMENT We welcome our own Helen Nixon as the new DIRECTOR of Y.C.M. Youth Catechetical Ministry 44 Dr. Helen A. Nixon Hapn526@gmail.com 301-675-0578 Education Leadership and Policy Studies, The George Washington University Dramatic Literature, Virginia Commonwealth University English, Clemson University Work History: 2018-Present Assistant Superintendent Fairfax County Public Schools 2015-2018 Chief Human Resources and Leadership Development Howard County Public Schools 2010-2015 Assistant Associate Superintendent for Human Resources Montgomery County Public Schools 2004-2010 Assistant Principal Roberto Clemente Middle School 2002-2004 Staff Development Teacher Coach Roberto Clemente Middle School 1999-2002 English Teacher Eastern Middle School 1997-1999 English Teacher Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox High School 1995-1997 Theatre Teacher Governor s School for Government and International Studies College Teaching (part-time): 1999 to Present Adjunct Professor Montgomery College Department of Communication 1997-1999 Adjunct Professor St. John s University Department of Theatre and Speech 1992-1995 Adjunct Professor Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Theatre and Speech Certifications: Maryland State Certification Grades 7-12 (English) Maryland State Certification Administration and Supervision of Schools Maryland State Certification Superintendent

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House Blessings 2019 This is a great opportunity for Father Michael to visit your family and to get to know one another up close and personal. Please call Father Michael at 301-502- 2850 and schedule a day/time that is convenient for you and your family. May the Christ Child continue to bless you and your family! Μία ευκαιρία για τον Πατέρ Μιχαήλ να επισκεφθεί την οικογένειά σας και να γνωρίσετε ο ένας τον άλλο από κοντά και προσωπικά. Σας παρακαλώ καλέστε τον Πατήρ Μιχαήλ στο (301) 502-2850 για να προγραμματίσετε μια ημέρα / ώρα βολική για την οικογένειά σας. Ας συνεχίσει ο Νεογεννηθείς να ευλογεί εσάς και την οικογένειά σας! 46

CONFESSION Fr. Michael is available for CONFESSION anytime. Just call: 301-502-2850. 47

The following may be purchased after church at 100 Year Anniversary Table: Faith and Food Community Cookbook Christmas Ornaments Centennial DVD of the history of our church Centennial Album Choir CD OUTREACH VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY Orthodox Home Build Team - You can make a difference by helping neighbors in need, in disaster affected areas. For general information, please go to: https://www.iocc.org/takeaction/join-action-team/home-build-volunteers Interested in joining the April Build Team? April 15 20, 2019 Houston, TX Contact Kathy Hallas at: Katherine_i_hallas@mcpsmd.org or at 301-325-0716 What are you doing for New Year s Eve? Don t let time run out! Limited seating - sell out pending. ACT NOW!!! To purchase tickets call 301-509-2449. We accept all major credit cards. 48

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Directory of Ministries Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Churc h of Washington, DC 701 Norwood Road, Silver Spring, MD 20905 Phone: (240) 389-1366 Email: admin@schgocdc.org Website: www.schgoc.org Reverend Father Michael J. Eaccarino, Presiding Priest Cell Phone: (301) 502-2850 & Email: fm@papouli.net Deacon Nikolas Delaveris Cell Phone: (614)378-8242 & Email: FatherNikolas@schgocdc.org ALTAR BOY MINISTRY Liaisons Spyros & Eleni Loukas loukasspy @yahoo.com (240) 205-2882 CHOIR MINISTRY Choir Director Dr. Theodore Papaloizos Ted @greek123.com (301) 681-5648 CATECHETICAL MINISTRY Liaisons Dr. Helen A. Nixon Director of Y.C.M. Hapn526@gmail.com 301-675-0578 STEWARSHIP MINISTRY Liaison Sotirios Nasios Snasios @yahoo.com (240) 483-7022 YOUTH MINISTRY GOYA Liaisons Sophia Mantzouranis Angelina Marmaras and Jenny Tsahalis **************** ORTHODOX FINE ARTS & CRAFTS MINISTRY Liaison **************** ST. KOSMAS AITOLOS BOOKSTORE MINISTRY Liaison Rovena Katsafanos rckatsafanas@comcast.net (301)910-8006 youthministry @schgocdc.org 301-437-6297 Pauline Rakis Prakis1040 @aol.com (301) 622-1748 Dora Kavadias theodorakavadias @gmail.com ***************** HOPE/JOY Liaison Irene Murshed murshed@msn.com (240) 425-3068 GREEK LANGUAGE MINISTRY Liaison Lena Petropoulou & (Director) Ifigenia Kambanis Agkambanis @msn.com (240) 478-8240 GREEK DANCE MINISTRY Liaison Kristina-Maria Paspalis kmpaspalis @gmail.com (240) 413-4800 PHILOPTOCHOS Nikki Pappas (President) npgreekschool@ hotmail.com (301) 949-0035 YOUNG AT HEART Liaisons Helen Thornberg bwt602r @aol.com 301-949-1788 & Christina Clifton Christina.Clifton @verizon.net 301-530-5478 OUTREACH & EVANGELISM MINISTRY Liaison 53

PARISH LIFE : 12/31/18-1/06/19 Tuesday 1/01/19 Circumcision of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ & Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia: Orthros: 9:00am & Divine Liturgy: 10:00am Saturday 1/05/19 Eve of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: Orthros: 9:00am & Divine Liturgy: 10:00am Blessing of Waters Sunday 1/06/19 The Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: Orthros: 8:00am & Divine Liturgy: 9:15am Blessing of Waters ************************************************ GOYA Event "Let's Get Wet!": 4:00pm Maroules Residence NOTICE: Fr. Michael is available for CONFESSION anytime. Just call: 301-502-2850. +PLEASE REMEMBER OUR CHURCH IN YOUR WILL+ 54