March 5, 2017 Sunday of Orthodoxy Conon the Gardener Mark the Ascetic Righteous Father Mark of Athens ENTRANCE HYMNS Resurrectional Apolytikion To Fedhron Tis Anastaseos ( The Joyful News of Your Resurrection ) The joyful news of your resurrection was proclaimed by the angel to the women disciples. Having thrown off the curse that fell on Adam, they ran elatedly to tell the apostles: Death has been vanquished; Christ our God is risen from the dead, blessing all the world with his great mercy. Hymn of the Feast Tin achrandon Ikona Sou ( Your immaculate icon ) We venerate Your immaculate icon, O good Lord, and entreat You to forgive our offences, O Christ our God. By Your own choice you were pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, to deliver us, whom You created, from our slavery to the foe. Therefore we cry to You with gratitude: You have filled all things with joy, O our Savior, by coming to save the world. Apolytikion of St. Sophia/Ss. Faith, Hope & Agape Greek Oς ελαία κατά καρπος ανεβλάστησας, έν ταίς ανλαίς του Κυρίου, Σοφία μάρτυς σεμνή, καί προσήγαγες Χριστώ καρπόν η δύτατον, τούς τής νηδύος σου βλαστούς, δί α γώνων εύαγων, Αγάπην τε καί `Ελπίδα σύν τη θεόφρονι Πίστει, μεθων δυσώπει υπέρ πάντων ήμων. English Phonetics for Greek Os elea kata karpos anevlastisas, en tes avles tu Kyriou Sofia martys semni, ke prosigages Christo karpon idytaton, tus tis nidyos su vlastus, di agonon evagon, Agapin te ke Elpida, syn ti theofroni Pisti; meth on dysopi yper pandon imon. English As an olive tree laden with fruit you sprouted forth, in the courtyards of the Lord, Sophia martyr dignified, and you brought to Christ a fruit most sweet, Namely your womb s own sprouts, brought up by instructive deeds: your daughters Love and Hope, along with God-minded Faith; together intercede with God for us all. Seasonal Kontakion Ti ipermacho ( O Champion General ) O Champion General, I your City now ascribe to you * triumphant anthems as the tokens of my gratitude, * being rescued from the terrors, O Theotokos. * Inasmuch as you have power unassailable, * from all kinds of perils free me so that unto you * I may cry aloud: * Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.
EPISTLE READING The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-40 Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers. Verse: For you are just in all you have done. Brethren, by faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets -- who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign enemies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated -- of whom the world was not worthy -- wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Ἀνάγνωσις ἐπιστολῆς Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 11:24-26, 32-40 Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Πατέρων ἡμῶν. Στίχ. Ὅτι δίκαιος εἶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, οἷς ἐποίησας ἡμῖν. Ἀδελφοί, πίστει Μωϋσῆς μέγας γενόμενος ἠρνήσατο λέγεσθαι υἱὸς θυγατρὸς Φαραώ, μᾶλλον ἑλόμενος συγκακουχεῖσθαι τῷ λαῷ τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ πρόσκαιρον ἔχειν ἁμαρτίας ἀπόλαυσιν μείζονα πλοῦτον ἡγησάμενος τῶν Αἰγύπτου θησαυρῶν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀπέβλεπεν γὰρ εἰς τὴν μισθαποδοσίαν. Καὶ τί ἔτι λέγω; Ἐπιλείψει γὰρ με διηγούμενον ὁ χρόνος περὶ Γεδεών, Βαράκ τε καὶ Σαμψών καὶ Ἰεφθάε, Δαυίδ τε καὶ Σαμουὴλ καὶ τῶν προφητῶν οἳ διὰ πίστεως κατηγωνίσαντο βασιλείας, εἰργάσαντο δικαιοσύνην, ἐπέτυχον ἐπαγγελιῶν, ἔφραξαν στόματα λεόντων, ἔσβεσαν δύναμιν πυρός, ἔφυγον στόματα μαχαίρας, ἐνεδυναμώθησαν ἀπὸ ἀσθενείας, ἐγενήθησαν ἰσχυροὶ ἐν πολέμῳ, παρεμβολὰς ἔκλιναν ἀλλοτρίων. Ἔλαβον γυναῖκες ἐξ ἀναστάσεως τοὺς νεκροὺς αὐτῶν ἄλλοι δὲ ἐτυμπανίσθησαν, οὐ προσδεξάμενοι τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, ἵνα κρείττονος ἀναστάσεως τύχωσιν ἕτεροι δὲ ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μαστίγων πεῖραν ἔλαβον, ἔτι δὲ δεσμῶν καὶ φυλακῆς ἐλιθάσθησαν, ἐπρίσθησαν, ἐπειράσθησαν, ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας ἀπέθανον περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι - ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος - ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι καὶ ὄρεσιν καὶ σπηλαίοις καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς. Καὶ οὗτοι πάντες, μαρτυρηθέντες διὰ τῆς πίστεως, οὐκ ἐκομίσαντο τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, τοῦ θεοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένου, ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν τελειωθῶσιν.
GOSPEL READING The Reading is from the Gospel according to John 1:43-51 At that time, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and he said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." EVΑΓΓÉΛΙΟΝ Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 1:44-52 Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἠθέλησεν ὁ Ιησοῦς ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν καὶ εὑρίσκει Φίλιππον καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ἀκολούθει μοι. ἦν δὲ ὁ Φίλιππος ἀπὸ Βηθσαϊδά, ἐκ τῆς πόλεως Ανδρέου καὶ Πέτρου. εὑρίσκει Φίλιππος τὸν Ναθαναὴλ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὃν ἔγραψε Μωϋσῆς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ οἱ προφῆται, εὑρήκαμεν, Ιησοῦν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Ιωσὴφ τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρέτ. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ναθαναήλ ἐκ Ναζαρὲτ δύναταί τι ἀγαθὸν εἶναι; λέγει αὐτῷ Φίλιππος ἔρχου καὶ ἴδε. εἶδεν ὁ Ιησοῦς τὸν Ναθαναὴλ ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει περὶ αὐτοῦ ἴδε ἀληθῶς Ισραηλίτης, ἐν ᾧ δόλος οὐκ ἔστι. λέγει αὐτῷ Ναθαναήλ πόθεν με γινώσκεις; ἀπεκρίθη Ιησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ πρὸ τοῦ σε Φίλιππον φωνῆσαι, ὄντα ὑπὸ τὴν συκῆν εἶδόν σε. ἀπεκρίθη Ναθαναὴλ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ῥαββί, σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ισραήλ. ἀπεκρίθη Ιησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὅτι εἶπόν σοι, εἶδόν σε ὑποκάτω τῆς συκῆς, πιστεύεις; μείζω τούτων ὄψει. καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπ ἄρτι ὄψεσθε τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγότα, καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀναβαίνοντας καὶ καταβαίνοντας ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.
March 5, 2017 Sunday of Orthodoxy Conon the Gardener Mark the Ascetic Righteous Father Mark of Athens Today we celebrate the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. The differences between this Liturgy and the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom are found in the priest's prayers of the Anaphora, between pages 19 and 28 of your Divine Liturgy books. The Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated on Christmas Eve, the feast of St. Basil, the Feast of Theophany, Holy Saturday morning, and the Sundays of Great Lent. Thank you to the following individuals/families who signed up to read the prayers during the Salutations to the Theotokos and/or have decorated the icon of the Panagia: Friday, March 3 rd The readers were Matushka Angela Sydek and Dr. & Mrs. Thomas and Ann Zavitsanos. Fr. Peter and Presvytera Katherine decorated the icon of the Panagia in honor of Sophia s birthday. St. Nicholas Shrine Vigil Candle: Thank you to Ana Papageorge for sponsoring today s vigil candle. Anyone wishing to sponsor a vigil candle should sign up at the Pangari. (Each vigil candle lasts one week). Each week a new vigil candle is placed next to the icon of St. Nicholas until the construction of St. Nicholas Shrine has been completed. The asking donation is $10. Festival Committee Meeting: The next festival committee meeting will take place on Monday evening, March 6 th, at 6 pm. All those interested in participating in the organization of the festival are welcome to attend. Readers for Salutations to the Theotokos: The second Salutations to the Theotokos are on Friday evening, March 10 th. We still need readers for the English and Greek for that Friday and the following three Fridays. If you are interested in reading, please call Elaine in the Parish office to put your name on the list. Also, if you are interested in bringing flowers and decorating the icon of the Panagia on one of the Fridays, please call Elaine as well to find out which Friday is available. Family Dinner Night: As we have done the past few years, we will be having a Lenten Pot Luck dinner each Friday evening during Lent (before the Salutations). The first dinner is on Friday, March 10 th, at 6:00 pm. We ask that the families of the parish bring a Lenten covered dish to the church so that we may gather for fellowship prior to the Salutations to the Theotokos, which begin at 7:00 pm. Many Lenten recipes can be found online just Google Orthodox Lenten Recipes and you will have many resources at your fingertips. These recipes should NOT include meat or dairy products. Senior Citizen Ministry: St. Sophia s Senior Parea will meet on Thursday, March 9 th in the Cultural Center from 10am to 12 noon.
St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival: Next Sunday, March 12 th, following the Divine Liturgy, four of our youth will be participating in the Parish Level of the Oratorical Festival. We will be having 2 contestants in the Junior Division and 2 in the Senior Division. Save the Date! On April 30, 2017, the PTO will be hosting our annual BINGO Party after church. Parents, we are in need of gift cards, cash donations and new toys. Please see Kristen Shuler, Cathy Cox or Joanna Kalathas-Peoples if you have something to donate. We appreciate your help. Register Tapes: Don t forget to save your Shop-Rite register tapes. We can only use receipts from any of the ten Brown s stores located in: Bensalem PA, East Norriton, PA, Fairless Hills PA, Cheltenham, PA and in Philadelphia, PA, on Island Ave., Oregon Ave., 52 nd & Parkside, Haverford Ave., and Ridge Ave. in the Roxborough section. They also have one store in Brooklawn, NJ. The drop off box is located in the lobby of the Cultural Center. Please submit receipts timely, only tapes from within 4 months of the transaction date are accepted. GIANT shoppers: We have enrolled in their Gift Card Program and the gift cards are on sale during coffee hour. If you are interested, please see Alexis Witt. REDNER S Register Tapes: We are now collecting Redner s Market register tapes. Remember to use your Pump Perks card when making purchases. The drop off box is located in the lobby of the Cultural Center. Pastoral Visits - A Request to All Parishioners: If you desire a pastoral visit in case of a hospitalization, or for someone who is homebound, in a nursing facility, or in prison, please have an immediate family member notify the Parish office at 610-650-8960 so that a visit can be arranged. Office Angels Volunteer Opportunities: The Parish office occasionally needs volunteers to help stuff and label mailing envelopes, assemble bulletins before special holidays, etc. Office Angels may be called upon to help once a month or seasonally (before Christmas, during Holy Week, and before our festival mailings are sent out.) If you would like to be an Office Angel, please call the Parish office at 610-650-8960. We will take down your name, number and availability and you will be called the next time we need help. Bulletin Announcements: Any church organization requesting that their announcement or flyer be placed in the bulletin must submit their material by 12 noon Wednesday for the upcoming Sunday s bulletin. Please e-mail information to elaine.stsophia@verizon.net. Thank you. Elaine Piligian In Case of Emergency: If you are having an extreme medical emergency ONLY and are in need of an Orthodox priest, please call the Parish office at 610-650-8960.
Hellenic News of America, Hermes Expo International & Mid-Atlantic Greek-American Foundation presents ELEFTHERIA Scholarship Opportunities. To be eligible, each contestant must be a full-time student in high school or an undergraduate student at an accredited college/university in the Mid-Atlantic States (DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, and VA). To enter, an application and essay must be written; the due date is March 28, 2017. Scholarship awards will be presented at the 25th Hermes Expo Awards Dinner at the Concordville Inn, in Concordville, PA on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, at 6 PM. Click on the following link for more information about the application and essay: https://hermesexpo.com/scholarship ******************************************************** The 2017-2018 Hellenic University Club of Philadelphia Scholarships are being offered to students of Greek descent or those pursuing studies in Greek disciplines, Classics, Archaeology, and Ancient History/Greek Studies. The eligibility rules and descriptions of the undergraduate scholarships and graduate scholarships for law, dental, medical and other disciplines are available on the web site; applications can be downloaded and/or completed electronically. Click on the following link to reach the website: www.hucphiladelphia.org. The application and all supporting documents must be received by Monday, April 3, 2017. ******************************************************** Hellenic Hearts is focusing on the youth through its Educational Guidance Program With mentoring, networking, admissions counseling, and professionalism programs, Hellenic Hearts' Educational Guidance Program (EGP) provides education-to-career guidance to Hellenic-American Youth. Through this program, we aim to promote higher education and increasing participants' professional success. + Educational Guidance Program Overview + FREE SAT Tutoring Scholarship Program + Online Application for the SAT Prep Program + Register for EGP Inaugural Mentoring Event on April 22, 2017 Is your child a rising Junior or Senior in High School? Is your child becoming overwhelmed and concerned about taking their upcoming SAT test in preparation for college? Well, Hellenic Hearts Educational Guidance Program ( EGP ) has the answer for you! EGP is providing FREE SAT tutoring through one of the premier tutoring services in the Greater Philadelphia Area, Princeton Review. To benefit from this program, your child must apply at the link below. As space in this course is extremely limited, your child must apply as soon as possible to be considered. Click on the following link for more information: https://hellenichearts.org/egp/sat-tutoring-program/apply/ Do you shop at Amazon.com? Instead, go to www.smile.amazon.com, select St. Sophia/Ss. Faith Hope & Agape Greek Orthodox Church as your charity, then shop as you normally do. One-half of a percent of your purchase amount will automatically go to St. Sophia! Change one small habit today to help your church.