Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral January 6, 2019

St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral Church Office 508-791-7326 Mon.-Fri.: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m www.spyridoncathedral.org Reverend Doctor Dimitrios Moraitis - Dean Reverend Father Nicholas Livingston - Associate Priest Reverend Father Dean N. Paleologos - Dean Emeritus Reverend Deacon Andrew Giourelis Georgia Parafestas - Parish Council President Email - frdimitrim@gmail.com Metropolis of Boston WELCOME! Welcome to the Saint Spyridon Cathedral in Worcester, Massachusetts. We are honored that you have chosen to worship with us today. It is our hope that your visit here will bring you many blessings from God. Our Church Family worships the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and every Sunday, the Lord s Day, we commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to live the Holy Gospel in accordance with the Orthodox Faith; towards sanctification through God s grace in worship, the Divine Liturgy and the Sacraments: glorifying God through all joys and struggles; and as a Church Community, in Christian love, we seek to do His will so that through His mercy, we may attain His Kingdom. We are blessed to have the slippers of St. Spyridon, which are located in a reliquary at the front-left of the Church; please be sure to venerate them. Also, please be reminded that one must be an Orthodox Christian in order to receive Holy Communion. Be sure to tell us if you are visiting or if you are new to our community. If you would like more information about embracing the Orthodox Faith, please see Father Dimitrios or Father Nicholas after the Divine Liturgy concludes. We pray you have a blessed day and that you visit with us again soon. January 6, 2019 - Theophany of Christ 6 Ιανoυαρίου, 2019 - Θεοφανία του Χριστόυ HAPPY NEW YEAR Happy New Year! Καλή Χρονιά! Wishing you and your families every blessing for 2019 from our Loving God. SUNDAY SERVICES Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:45am WEEKDAY SERVICES Synaxis of John the Baptist Monday, Jan 7th Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am ASAINTS OF THE DAY The Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Theophan the Recluse ΑΓΙΟΙ ΤΗΣ ΗΜΕΡΑΣ Aγία Θεοφάνεια το Κυρίου Όσιος Θεοφάνης ο Έγκλειστος HAPPY NAMEDAY Basil, Vasilios, Vasiliki, Willliam, Theophanis, Theophania, Fotini, Fotios

Εισοδικά Entrance Hymns Απολυτίκιον Ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ βαπτιζομένου σου Κύριε, ἡ τῆς Τριάδος ἐφανερώθη προσκύνησις, τοῦ γὰρ Γεννήτορος ἡ φωνὴ προσεμαρτύρει σοί, ἀγαπητὸν σὲ Υἱὸν ὀνομάζουσα, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐν εἴδει περιστεράς, ἐβεβαίου τοῦ λόγου τὸ ἀσφαλές. Ὁ ἐπιφανεῖς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, καὶ τὸν κόσμον φωτίσας δόξα σοί. Ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ βαπτιζομένου σου Κύριε, ἡ τῆς Τριάδος ἐφανερώθη προσκύνησις, τοῦ γὰρ Γεννήτορος ἡ φωνὴ προσεμαρτύρει σοί, ἀγαπητὸν σὲ Υἱὸν ὀνομάζουσα, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐν εἴδει περιστεράς, ἐβεβαίου τοῦ λόγου τὸ ἀσφαλές. Ὁ ἐπιφανεῖς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, καὶ τὸν κόσμον φωτίσας δόξα σοί. Κοντάκιον Ἐπεφάνης σήμερον τὴ οἰκουμένη, καὶ τὸ φῶς σου Κύριε, ἐσημειώθη ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, ἓν ἐπιγνώσει ὑμνούντάς σε. Ἦλθες ἐφάνης τὸ Φῶς τὸ ἀπρόσιτον. Apolytikion When Thou wast baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest; for the voice of the Father bare witness to Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the certainty of the word. O Christ our God, Who hast appeared and hast enlightened the world, glory be to Thee. Theophany Lord, when You were baptized in the Jordan, the veneration of the Trinity was revealed. For the voice of the Father gave witness to You, calling You Beloved, and the Spirit, in the guise of a dove, confirmed the certainty of His words. Glory to You, Christ our God, who appeared and enlightened the world. Kontakion You appeared to the world today, and Your light, O Lord, has left its mark upon us. With fuller understanding we sing to You: "You came, You were made manifest, the unapproachable light."

Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Στίχ. Στίχ. Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ ὅτι ἀγαθὸς, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ. Τίτον 2:11-14, 3:4-7 Τέκνον Τίτε, ἐπεφάνη γὰρ ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θ ε ο ῦ ἡ σ ω τ ή ρ ι ο ς π ᾶ σ ι ν ἀνθρώποις, παιδεύουσα ἡμᾶς ἵνα ἀρνησάμενοι τὴν ἀσέβειαν καὶ τὰς κοσμικὰς ἐπιθυμίας σωφρόνως καὶ δικαίως καὶ εὐσεβῶς ζήσωμεν ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι, προσδεχόμενοι τὴν μακαρίαν ἐλπίδα καὶ ἐπιφάνειαν τῆς δόξης τοῦ μεγάλου Θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃς ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα λυτρώσηται ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀνομίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἑαυτῷ λαὸν περιούσιον, ζηλωτὴν καλῶν ἔργων. ὅτε δὲ ἡ χρηστότης καὶ ἡ φιλανθρωπία ἐπεφάνη τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Θεοῦ, οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων τῶν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ὧν ἐποιήσαμεν ἡμεῖς, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν αὐτοῦ ἔλεον ἔσωσεν ἡμᾶς διὰ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας καὶ ἀνακαινώσεως Πνεύματος Αγίου, οὗ ἐξέχεεν ἐφ ἡμᾶς πλουσίως διὰ Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, ἵνα δικαιωθέντες τῇ ἐκείνου χάριτι κληρονόμοι γενώμεθα κατ ἐλπίδα ζωῆς αἰωνίου. ΤΗΕ EPISTLE Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Verse: Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His mercy endures forever. St. Paul's Letter to Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 TITUS, my son, the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

ΤΟ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 3:13-17 Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, παραγίνεται ὁ Ιησοῦς ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐπὶ τὸν Ιορδάνην πρὸς τὸν Ιωάννην τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπ αὐτοῦ. ὁ δὲ Ιωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν λέγων ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με; ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ιησοῦς εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν ἄφες ἄρτι οὕτω γὰρ πρέπον ἐστὶν ἡμῖν πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτόν καὶ βαπτισθεὶς ὁ Ιησοῦς ἀνέβη εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνεῴχθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ οὐρανοί, καὶ εἶδε τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θ ε ο ῦ κ α τ α β α ῖ ν ο ν ὡ σ ε ὶ περιστερὰν καὶ ἐρχόμενον ἐπ αὐτόν καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα. THE HOLY GOSPEL The Gospel According to Matthew 3:13-17 At that time, Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." FASTING / ΝΗΣΤΕΙΑ We return to our normal fasting schedule, refraining from meat and dairy products on Wednesday and Friday.

ANNOUNCEMENTS HOLY TRINITY A HEARTFELT THANK YOU to the good faithful of our parishes that bought Christmas gifts for the residents of Holy Trinity. Thoughtful gestures such as these really make a difference in the lives of those who live in our nursing home. It shows that they are not forgotten. God bless you and all those who support Holy Trinity in so many ways! THE DECEMBER ISSUE of the Holy Trinity Times is available at: www.htnr.net. Check out the latest news. DIVINE LITURGY is celebrated every Wednesday morning at 9:30am. And please always keep Holy Trinity Nursing Home, it s staff, directors, residents, and families in your payers. And remember: you can always visit! NEVER FORGET: Holy Trinity Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is an Orthodox Charity and relies on your donations to continue its mission of providing the best care possible. BOOKSTORE Great Christmas Gift for Those who have Everything! Born to Hate, Reborn to Love, by Klaus Kenneth A great story about a child whose mother, a famous actress, dislikes him {hates?} almost to the point of being "possessed". She turns her child over to a priest to care for who in turn abuses him sexually. This person grows to hate Christianity, becomes a rock musician, leads a debased life and finally seeks redemption in the religions of India and China and in passing meets Mother Theresa. This book reads at times like a tawdry novel, but it is not..it is a true story and will not disappoint you. The last chapter will blow you away! LITTLE ANGELS Little Angels: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! This is a reminder that Little Angels will be meeting twice a month now. Our meetings for January are this coming Tuesday, January 8 th at 10:00 a.m. and again on Tuesday, January 22 nd at 1:00 p.m. The theme will be Epiphany. Looking forward to seeing you all! Love, Presvytera Flora HOME BLESSINGS It is traditional to invite your priest to bless your home and your family members, praying for good health and year full of blessings. Please be sure to call the Church Office to schedule your Home Blessing for 2019! HOPE/JOY Please join us for the next HOPE/JOY meeting on Friday, January 11 at 5:30pm

New Year 2019 Services Sunday, Jan 6th Monday, Jan 7th Sunday, Jan 13th Thursday, Jan 17th Friday, Jan 18th Sunday, Jan 20th Friday, Jan 25th Sunday, Jan 27th Wednesday, Jan 30th Holy Theophany: Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am w/ Great Blessing of the Waters Synaxis of St. John the Baptist: Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am Sunday After Theophany: Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:45am St. Anthony the Great: Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am St. Athanasios the Great: Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am 15th Sunday of Luke: Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:45am St. Gregory the Theologian: Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am 16th Sunday of Luke: Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:45am w/ Three Hierarchs Greek School Celebration & Artoklasia Three Hierarchs: Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am Annual Vasilopita Cutting Ceremony Be sure to join us in the auditorium following Divine Liturgy for a special Vasilopita Cutting ceremony! Each ministry head will receive a piece, hoping to be the lucky one to find the coin! This age old tradition began in the fourth century, when Saint Basil the Great, who was a bishop, wanted to distribute money to the poor in his Diocese. He wanted to preserve their dignity, so as not to look like charity, he commissioned some women to bake sweetened bread, in which he arranged to place gold coins. Thus the families in cutting the bread to nourish themselves, were pleasantly surprised to find the coins. This tradition continues today, with a blessing for good health and optimistic outlook on the new year.

Happy New Year! As we celebrate the feast day of Saint Basil on the first day of every New Year, let us pause and reflect on the children s home, appropriately named in his honor, which provides young people who are in need of peace, love and shelter, a place to call home. St. Basil s Academy, located in Garrison, New York, was built more than sixty five years ago and relies solely upon our financial support to provide every child it welcomes through its doors with a solid Orthodox Christian foundation centered in Jesus Christ in addition to a strong academic education. The Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society leads this effort annually through the Vasilopita fundraising event. Therefore, we are asking for your continued support and generosity by joining us on Sunday, January 13, 2019, for our annual Vasilopita celebration to benefit St. Basil's Academy. This year, we are planning a Vasilopita Luncheon in the Family Center Auditorium. Afterwards, the Vasilopita will be blessed by Fr. Dimitrios and administered to all those in attendance, including representatives from organizations within our cathedral. While the donation for the Luncheon is a nominal $25.00, St. Spyridon Philoptochos relies upon donations from our ministries to support this vital cause. We humbly ask that with prayerful thought and consideration, you please make a donation and make checks payable to: St. Spyridon Ladies Philoptochos Society, and note in the memo field; St Basil Academy, for your record. As always, we thank you for your continued support in our efforts to fulfill this worthy mission. May God continue to bless you and your families. Your sisters in Christ, St. Spyridon Ladies Philoptochos Society.

WHAT ST. PAUL TELLS US ABOUT LAW & MARRIAGE Wednesday, January 9, 2019 Tonna Room Come this Wednesday to hear Fr. Dimitrios explain what St. Paul tells us on whether or not we should sue each other and about the sanctity of marriage and responsibilities of husband and wife.

ST SPYRIDON FEEDING MINISTRY Our Mission: To provide nourishment that feeds one s physical, spiritual and emotional hunger through healthy fellowship. The Feeding Ministry, with the help of our parish volunteers, is continuing to serve a luncheon meal for those in need on the second Saturday of every month from 11:30am-1pm in the Cotsidas Cultural Center. January s luncheon (Saturday the 12 th ), is being donated anonymously. We d like to thank them in advance for their participation in the Lord s Work. We would also like to thank last month s donators, George and Diane Tonna, who sponsored our Breakfast with Santa in honor of their mother, Florica Tonna. We are currently looking for sponsors for 2019. If you would like to volunteer, sponsor a luncheon or make a donation (in honor or in memory of a loved one), please contact: Savvas Fotiadis 508.873.9836 Maria Kassos- amkassos@townisp.com Thank you, St. Spyridon Feeding Ministry

PARISH COUNCIL 2019 OATH OF OFFICE: DEAN ALEXANDROU NICHOLAS PALEOLOGOS GEORGE FOTOS ARISTOTLE TELLY KASSOS EFROSINI SUE KIKA GEORGE PANAGIOTOPOULOS CHRISTINA MITKONIS MAGDALINI MORAITIS ANTHONY DRAPOS GEORGE GOUROUSIS ARTHUR PIRPERIS MARIANA VASILAKERIS VASILIOS GJINIS KONSTANTINOS GIANNAKIS Please welcome the existing and new Parish Council members as they take the Oath of Office today following the Divine Liturgy. Thereafter, the Parish Council will convene in the Tonna Room to elect the new Parish Council board. We thank you for giving of yourselves and serving in the Lord s work.

ST. SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL BURN THE MORTGAGE CAMPAIGN Burn the Mortgage Committee Rev. Dr. Dimitrios Moraitis, Dean Demitrios Moschos, Chairman Georgia Parafestas, Parish Council President & Co-Chair Dr. Matthew Panagiotu, Co-Chair Janice Dionis Michael Dionis George Fotiades George Gourousis Celeste Moschos Nicholas Paleologos $1,450,000 $560,930.00 Pledged $407,754.00 Received Thank You! 3 Year Pledge Amount Annually Monthly $15,000 $5,000 $416 $3,000 $1,000 $83 $1,000 $333 $28 Total Cost of Family Center Renovation $4,100,000 Total raised by our community during first fund drive $2,650,000 Remaining Loan Balance to be paid $860,042 It s not too late to donate to the Burn the Mortgage Campaign! The Angel Board construction honoring those who have contributed to these efforts is in process and will be in place soon!

WEEK 2019 TOTAL 2019 STEWARDSHIP REPORT PLEDGES RECEIVED AVERAGE $ PER PLEDGE *GOAL STEWARDSHIP BUDGET 1 $ 4,620.00 10 $462 $300,000.00 Stewardship Total 2018 $281,726.20 *Goal amount includes the 2019 Stewardship Budget Receipts of $300,000.00. Funds reflect all monies received in 2019. We suggest budgeting your Stewardship contribution as you would your monthly home expenses. Our Cathedral must meet the financial needs of its ministries and annual operating budget by way of our Christian Stewardship Program. It is everyone s responsibility to accept this honor and support our role as a Contributing Steward. Please pledge the Required Stewardship Contribution now, if you have not done so. May God continue to bless the work of your hands.