Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral New Orleans, Louisiana

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral New Orleans, Louisiana JANUARY 4, 2015 SUNDAY BEFORE THE EPIPHANY Sunday, January 4 ~ 9:00 am Orthros, 10:00 am Divine Liturgy Sunday School following Holy Communion Youth Hymnology in Common Area First Parish Council Oath of Office 12:00 pm ~ 150 th Anniversary DVD and Commemorative Coins in Coffee Room 12:00 pm ~ 2015 Epiphany Luncheon Tickets on Sale in Coffee Room 12:00 pm ~ Youth Pre-K/K Greek School in Room 210 Monday, January 5 ~ 9:00 am Divine Liturgy and the Lesser Blessing of the Waters 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm ~ Adult Beginner Greek School in Room 210 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm ~ Adult Elementary Greek School in Room 210 Tuesday, January 6 ~ THE FEAST OF EPIPHANY 9:00 am ~ Divine Liturgy and the Great Blessing of the Waters 7:00 pm ~ 2015 Epiphany Celebration Committee Meeting in Boardroom Wednesday, January 7 ~ 9:00 am Divine Liturgy Synaxis of Saint John the Forefunner Saturday, January 10 ~ 8:00 am GET FIT HTC First Session in Hellenic Cultural Center 10:00 am ~ Philoptochos Board Meeting in Boardroom 10:00 am to 11:00 am ~ Youth Beginner Greek School in Room 210 10:30 am ~ Philoptochos General Meeting in Coffee Room 11:00 am to 12:00 pm ~ Youth Elementary Greek School in Room 210 Sunday, January 11 ~ 9:00 am Orthros, 10:00 am Divine Liturgy 2015 Epiphany Celebration Dove Release and Cross Retrieval on the Bayou 2015 Epiphany Celebration Cathedral Family Luncheon in Gymnasium 12:00 pm ~ 150 th Anniversary DVD and Commemorative Coins in Coffee Room 12:00 pm ~ 2015 Epiphany Luncheon Tickets on Sale in Coffee Room CPR CLASS FOR ALL PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS All current Parish Council members, as well as newly elected/appointed members, are asked to attend a CPR class, specifically scheduled for the Parish Council, on Saturday, February 7, 2015, at 10:00 am at the Hellenic Cultural Center. Please mark your calendars. PARISH COUNCIL OATH OF OFFICE The six returning Parish Council members will receive the Oath of Office today, Sunday, January 4, 2015. Afterward, they will meet in the boardroom to elect officers. 2015 EPIPHANY CELEBRATION NEXT SUNDAY, JANUARY 11 DON T MISS IT! H O L Y T R I N I T Y C A T H E D R AL 2015 EPIPHANY CELEBRATION Dove Release - Cross Retrieval Cathedral Family Luncheon The 2015 Epiphany Celebration, along with the culmination of the 150th Anniversary Celebration of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, will take place Sunday, January 11, 2015. Orthros and Divine Liturgy will be followed by the Blessing of the Waters, Dove Release, and Cross Retrieval along the banks of Bayou St. John. Your support for this spiritually uplifting Cathedral Family event commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan will provide a memorable experience. Following the outdoor events on the Bayou, parishioners and guests are invited to the Family Luncheon and Recognition Ceremony in the Hellenic Cultural Center. LUNCHEON TICKETS $10 per person and $6 for children 12 and under are on sale in the Coffee Room today, Sunday, January 4, through the day of the luncheon. See Luncheon Chairperson Maria Anastasiou for tickets, as well as Epiphany T-Shirt presale orders. Please direct all other questions to the Cathedral office or either Epiphany Co-Chairmen Nick Chronis at nicholaschronis@bellsouth.net and Costa Vennis at kvennis@cox.net. EPIPHANY T-SHIRTS A second order for 2015 Epiphany T-Shirts may be placed, if enough people are interested. Please see Maria Anastasiou or Lawrence Labatut in the Coffee Room today, January 4, and next Sunday, January 11. Shirts are $15 each. 150 TH ANNIVERSARY ITEMS DOCUMENTARY DVD AND COMMEMORATIVE COIN The 150 th Anniversary Documentary DVD ($20) and the Commemorative Coin ($15) are available for sale. DVDs may be purchased on Sunday after Divine Liturgy or ordered through the Cathedral office. The coins may also be ordered through the Cathedral office or call Barbara Wolf at 985-807-4034. DVD OF OCTOBER 12 EVENTS A video DVD of the October 12, 2014, Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and Celebration Banquet will be available for purchase for $10. If you would like a video of the events of that historic day, please submit an order form to the Cathedral office.

CHOIR New choir robes arrived, and the choir members thank the community for purchasing them. PHILOPTOCHOS SENIOR CITIZENS LUNCHEON Senior Citizens are invited to the next Senior Luncheon, sponsored by Super Captain-Master Mariner Demetrios Petratos, on January 15, 2015, at 11:30 am in the Coffee Room. Mark your calendar now and plan to attend. PHILOPTOCHOS MEETING The next Philoptochos meeting will take place Saturday, January 10, in the Coffee Room. All members are encouraged to attend. Kathy Lorio will make a presentation on "Law School Summer School in Greece." Board members are reminded to attend the board meeting at 10:00 am. Cutting the Vasilopita The Philoptochos tradition of Cutting the Vasilopita is a major source of funding for the Academy of Saint Basil operating expenses. The event is held in January by every Philoptochos chapter in every parish across the United States, and this year our parish will continue the tradition on Sunday, January 18, 2015, following the Divine Liturgy. What is the meaning of this tradition and how did it begin? For centuries upon centuries parents, grandparents, and godparents have related the following story to Orthodox children about St. Basil and the Vasilopita. One year, during a time of terrible famine, the emperor levied a sinfully excessive tax upon the people of Caesarea. The tax was such a heavy burden upon the already impoverished people that to avoid debtors' prison each family had to relinquish its few remaining coins, as well as pieces of jewelry that included precious family heirlooms. Learning of this injustice against his flock, St. Basil the Great, the archbishop of Caesarea, took up his bishop's staff and the book of the holy Gospels and came to his people's defense by fearlessly calling the emperor to repentance. By God's grace, the emperor did repent! He cancelled the tax and instructed his tax collectors to give St. Basil all of the chests containing the coins and jewelry, which had been paid as taxes by the people of Caesarea. But now, St. Basil was faced with the daunting and impossible task of returning the coins and pieces of jewelry to their rightful owners. After praying for a long time before the icons of Christ and His All-Holy Mother, St. Basil had all the treasures baked into one huge "pita" and called all of the townspeople to prayer at the cathedral. After Divine Liturgy he blessed and cut the "pita, giving a piece to each person. Wondrously, each owner received in his piece of Vasilopita his own valuables. They all joyfully returned home, giving thanks to God, Who delivered them from abject poverty, and to their good and holy bishop St. Basil the Great. Message from Father George Christ is Born Glorify Him! Having just commemorated our father among the Saints, Basil the Great, I am reminded of a letter that Saint Basil wrote to the Patrician Caesaria in Cappadocia in which he recommended receiving the Eucharist daily. He said: "to commune every day, that is to say to partake of the holy Body and Blood of Christ, is good and beneficial since He Himself clearly says, He that eats My flesh and drinks My blood has everlasting life. (John 6:54) For our part, however, we commune four times each week on the Lord's day (Sunday), on the fourth day (Wednesday), on Friday, and on Saturday and on the other days only when there is a commemoration of a saint." The Church recommends that we do receive Holy Communion regularly, but with it comes preparation as well. The question is how do we prepare? In our Orthodox Prayer Books, there are services of preparation that each Orthodox Christian should include in their personal prayer life each time he or she receives the Eucharist. Please know that the four pre-communion prayers in the Holy Cross Liturgy text in our pew book racks are merely a fraction of the services of preparation that the Orthodox Christian should be praying. Also, for the Orthodox Christian to be prepared to receive Holy Communion, he or she must participate in the Sacrament of Holy Confession as well. I pray that in this New Year 2015 we consider participating regularly in the soulcleansing Sacrament of Confession and that we make the time to include the beautiful prayers of preparation before we come forward to receive the Holy Body and Precious Blood of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. GET FIT HTC Holy Trinity parishioners and friends are invited to share fellowship while working out in the new GET FIT HTC program scheduled to begin January 10, 2015, at 8:00 am. A certified trainer will be on hand. Contact the Cathedral office, if interested. The session is $5. RETREAT DEADLINE A special HTC Family Retreat is scheduled at The Solomon Episcopal Conference Center in Loranger, Louisiana, for February 19-21, 2015. The registration deadline is extended to Friday, January 9. Enclosed is a page from The Flame, which gives great detail on the event. Please review the enclosure and contact the Cathedral office as soon as possible, if you plan to attend.

SUNDAY SCHOOL GUEST On Sunday, January 18, 2015, Major Elias Koniditsiotis will talk to the 7 th 12 th grade Sunday School students, discussing the role that his Orthodox faith has played in his military service and answering questions from the students. Members of this class are strongly encouraged to make a special effort to attend and to convey the message to their friends. Holy Trinity Cathedral Greek Orthodox Community of New Orleans 1200 ROBERT E. LEE BOULEVARD NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70122 Reverend Father George Wilson, Dean priest@holytrinitycathedral.org PHONE: (504) 282-0259 FAX: (504) 283-5586

4η ΙΑΝΟΥΑΡΙΟΥ 2015 4 TH JANUARY 2015 ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΠΡΟ ΤΩΝ ΦΩΤΩΝ SUNDAY BEFORE THEOPHANY Ἑωθινόν Η Eothion 8 1864 150 TH ANNIVERSARY 2014 Ἀπολυτίκιον τῆς Ἀνάστασης Ἦχος πλ α Τὸν συνάναρχον Λόγον Πατρὶ καὶ Πνεύματι, τὸν ἐκ Παρθένου τεχθέντα εἰς σωτηρίαν ἡμῶν, ἀνυμνήσωμεν πιστοὶ καὶ προσκυνήσωμεν, ὅτι ηὐδόκησε σαρκί, ἀνελθεῖν ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ, καὶ θάνατον ὑπομεῖναι, καὶ ἐγεῖραι τοὺς τεθνεῶτας, ἐν τῇ ἐνδόξῳ Ἀναστάσει αὐτοῦ. Ἀπολυτίκιον τῶν Προεόρτιον Ἦχος δ Ἑτοιμάζου Ζαβουλῶν, καὶ εὐτρεπίζου Νεφθαλείμ. Ἰορδάνη ποταμέ, στήθι ὑπόδεξαι σκιρτῶν, τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ἐρχόμενον τὸν Δεσπότην. Ἀγάλλου ὁ Ἀδὰμ σὺν τὴ Προμήτορι, μὴ κρύπτετε ἑαυτούς, ὡς ἐν Παραδείσῳ τὸ πρίν, καὶ γὰρ γυμνοὺς ἰδὼν ὑμᾶς ἐπέφανεν, ἵνα ἐνδύσῃ τὴν πρώτην στολήν, Χριστὸς ἐφάνη, τὴν πᾶσαν κτίσιν, θέλων ἀνακαινίσαι. Ἀπολυτίκιον τῆς Ἁγίας Τριάδας Ἦχος πλ δ Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἀναδείξας, καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοί. Κοντάκιον τῶν Προεόρτιον Ἦχος δ Ἐν τοῖς ῥείθροις σήμερον τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, γεγονῶς ὁ Κύριος, τῶ Ἰωάννη ἐκβοᾷ. Μὴ δειλιάσης βαπτίσαι με, σῶσαι γὰρ ἥκω, Ἀδὰμ τὸν πρωτόπλαστον. Resurrection Apolytikion Plagal Tone 1 Let us worship the Word who is unoriginate with the Father and the Spirit, and from a Virgin was born for our salvation, O believers, and let us sing His praise. For in His goodness He was pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to undergo death, and to raise up those who had died, by His glorious Resurrection. Apolytikion of the Forefeast Tone 4 Be you ready, Zabulon; prepare yourself, O Nephthalim. River Jordan, stay your course and skip for gladness to receive the Sovereign Master, Who comes now to be baptized. O Adam, be you glad with our first mother, Eve; hide not as you did of old in Paradise. Seeing you naked, He has appeared now to clothe you in the first robe again. Christ has appeared, for He truly wills to renew all creation. Apolytikion of the Holy Trinity Plagal Tone 4 Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who made fishermen all-wise, sending upon them the Holy Spirit and, through them, netting the world. O Loving One, glory to You. Kontakion of the Forefeast Tone 4 In the running waters of the Jordan River, on this day the Lord of all cries to John: Be not afraid and hesitate not to baptize Me, for I am come to save Adam, the first-formed man.

ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Β' Τιμόθεον δ 5-8 Σῶσον, Κύριε τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου. Πρὸς σἐ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι ὁ Θεός μου Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, νῆφε ἐν πᾶσιν, κακοπάθησον, ἔργον ποίησον εὐαγγελιστοῦ, τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σπένδομαι, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀναλύσεως ἐφέστηκεν. Τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἠγώνισμαι, τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκα, τὴν πίστιν τετήρηκα λοιπόν, ἀπόκειταί μοι ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος, ὃν ἀποδώσει μοι ὁ κύριος ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ὁ δίκαιος κριτής οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐμοί, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσιν τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσιν τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ. ΤΟ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ Μᾶρκον α 1-8 Αρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ως γέγραπται ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ,ἐγένετο Ιωάννης βαπτίζων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ κηρύσσων βάπτισμα μετανοίας εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. Καὶ ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν πᾶσα ἡ Ιουδαία χώρα καὶ οἱ Ιεροσολυμῖται, καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο πάντες ἐν τῷ Ιορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν. Ἦν δὲ ὁ Ιωάννης ἐνδεδυμένος τρίχας καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐσθίων ἀκρίδας καὶ μέλι ἄγριον. Καὶ ἐκήρυσσε λέγων ἔρχεται ὁ ἰσχυρότερός μου ὀπίσω μου, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς κύψας λῦσαι τὸν ἱμάντα τῶν ὑποδημάτων αὐτοῦ ἐγὼ μὲν ἐβάπτισα ὑμᾶς ἐν ὕδατι, αὐτὸς δὲ βαπτίσει ὑμᾶς ἐν Πνεύματι Αγίῳ. THE EPISTLE 2 Timothy 4:5-8 O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance. To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God. TIMOTHY, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. THE GOSPEL Mark 1:1-8 The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

HTC FAMILY RETREAT SLATED IN FEBRUARY The Education, Culture, and Youth Ministries Committee is pleased to announce the community s first Family Retreat Program. Targeting adults and families with GOYA aged children, this program will focus on real life issues and spiritual challenges that families and teenagers face. Led by Father George Wilson, the program will incorporate readings from the Bible, group sessions, one-on-one spiritual guidance, and liturgy. Through the efforts of Maria Patselikos, ECYM has been fortunate to secure space at The Solomon Episcopal Conference Center, a place where you rest your mind and revive your soul, located in Loranger, Louisiana, approximately an hour and a half from the New Orleans/Metairie area. The Committee has tentatively scheduled this program for Thursday, February 19, through Saturday, February 21, 2015, with two overnight stays (Thursday and Friday). Below is posted the cost per adult per night, including all meals, snacks, and use of all facilities. Children between ages 6 and 18 and accompanied by a parent or a guardian attend free and will only have to pay for their meals. Below are posted rates and directions for the Solomon Episcopal Conference Center with additional information available at www.solomoncenter.org. In an effort to estimate attendance, you are advised to contact the Cathedral office of your interest in attending no later than December 30, 2014, at which point the Committee requests that you secure your spot at the retreat with a deposit of $100 per family. Please feel free to contact Father George Wilson or Steve Psarellis with your retreat questions. RATES All listed prices are per person, unless otherwise stipulated. Day Function (Includes price for Facility Access, Lunch, Meeting Space, Chapel, and Pavilion use) $31 Adult Overnight (Includes price for 3 Meals, Lodging, Meeting Space, Pavilion, and Chapel) Private Room and 3 Meals $140 Multiple Occupancy Room and 3 meals $112 Extra Meals (No charge for children under 6 years w/ parents) Adult / Youth Country Breakfast w/cereal and fruit Bar $12 / $10 Continental Breakfast (if requested at scheduling) $8 Lunch w/salad Bar $16 / $13 Dinner (Supper) w/salad Bar $19 / $17 Optional Upgrades to evening meal available (table service, linens, adult beverages, special menu) for an additional $14 per person Adult Retreats / Functions with children present Children (with parent or guardian) under the age of 6 years are not charged for their stay Children (with parent or guardian) between the ages of 6 and 18 pay only for meals in dining hall DIRECTIONS FROM NEW ORLEANS Cross the Causeway. Go straight (3 miles) to Interstate 12. Take I-12, WEST, toward Hammond. Take the "Robert" Exit 47 and go north on Hwy 445 for 12 miles. At the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp, turn RIGHT. Look for The Solomon Episcopal Conference Center sign on the RIGHT side of the road, (1.5 miles past Hwy 40-E). 4 The Solomon Episcopal Conference Center 54296 HWY 445 Loranger, LA 70446 985.748.6634 www.solomoncenter.org