Assumption Greek Orthodox Church Bulletin

ASSUMPTION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

601 South Central Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60644

Main: 773-626-3114

Email: office@assumptionchicago.org

Website: assumptionchicago.org

Father Apostolos N. Georgiafentis – Protopresbyter

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2022 - ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ 7 ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΟΥ 2022

READINGS AND PRAYERS

The Holy Righteous Martyr Dometius – August 7

This Martyr, who lived during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great, was a Persian by race and an idolater by religion. He was catechized by a certain Christian named Abarus. He went to Nisibis, a city of Mesopotamia, where he was baptized and donned the monastic habit in a certain monastery. He afterwards ascended a mountain and there endured in extreme ascetical struggles, working miracles for those that came to him, and converting many unbelievers. Julian the Apostate learned of these things as he was marching against the Persians in 363, and at his command the Saint and his two disciples were stoned to death, as they were chanting the Sixth Hour.

Epistle Reading for the Day

St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 1:10-17

BRETHREN, I appeal to you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispos and Gaius; lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Gospel Reading

The Gospel according to Matthew 14:14-22

At that time, Jesus saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

Απόστολος της Ημέρας

Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 1:10-17

Ἀδελφοί, παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα τὸ αὐτὸ λέγητε πάντες, καὶ μὴ ᾖ ἐν ὑμῖν σχίσματα, ἦτε δὲ κατηρτισμένοι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ νοῒ καὶ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμῃ. Ἐδηλώθη γάρ μοι περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί μου, ὑπὸ τῶν Χλόης, ὅτι ἔριδες ἐν ὑμῖν εἰσιν. Λέγω δὲ τοῦτο, ὅτι ἕκαστος ὑμῶν λέγει, Ἐγὼ μέν εἰμι Παύλου, Ἐγὼ δὲ Ἀπολλώ, Ἐγὼ δὲ Κηφᾶ, Ἐγὼ δὲ Χριστοῦ. Μεμέρισται ὁ Χριστός; Μὴ Παῦλος ἐσταυρώθη ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ἢ εἰς τὸ ὄνομα Παύλου ἐβαπτίσθητε; Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ ὅτι οὐδένα ὑμῶν ἐβάπτισα, εἰ μὴ Κρίσπον καὶ Γάϊον· ἵνα μή τις εἴπῃ ὅτι εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα ἐβάπτισα. Ἐβάπτισα δὲ καὶ τὸν Στεφανᾶ οἶκον· λοιπὸν οὐκ οἶδα εἴ τινα ἄλλον ἐβάπτισα. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλέν με Χριστὸς βαπτίζειν, ἀλλʼ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι· οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ λόγου, ἵνα μὴ κενωθῇ ὁ σταυρὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

Ευαγγέλιον της Ήμέρας

Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 14:14-22

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐξελθὼν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶδε πολὺν ὄχλον, καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐθεράπευσε τοὺς ἀρρώστους αὐτῶν. ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες· ἔρημός ἐστιν ὁ τόπος καὶ ἡ ὥρα ἤδη παρῆλθεν· ἀπόλυσον τοὺς ὄχλους, ἵνα ἀπελθόντες εἰς τὰς κώμας ἀγοράσωσιν ἑαυτοῖς βρώματα. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν ἀπελθεῖν· δότε αὐτοῖς ὑμεῖς φαγεῖν. οἱ δὲ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· οὐκ ἔχομεν ὧδε εἰ μὴ πέντε ἄρτους καὶ δύο ἰχθύας. ὁ δὲ εἶπε· φέρετέ μοι αὐτοὺς ὧδε. καὶ κελεύσας τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνακλιθῆναι ἐπὶ τοὺς χόρτους, λαβὼν τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους καὶ τοὺς δύο ἰχθύας, ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εὐλόγησε, καὶ κλάσας ἔδωκε τοῖς μαθηταῖς τοὺς ἄρτους, οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις. καὶ ἔφαγον πάντες καὶ ἐχορτάσθησαν, καὶ ἦραν τὸ περισσεῦον τῶν κλασμάτων δώδεκα κοφίνους πλήρεις. οἱ δὲ ἐσθίοντες ἦσαν ἄνδρες ὡσεὶ πεντακισχίλιοι χωρὶς γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων. Καὶ εὐθέως ἠνάγκασεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἐμβῆναι εἰς τὸ πλοῖον καὶ προάγειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πέραν, ἕως οὗ ἀπολύσῃ τοὺς ὄχλους.

READINGS OF OUR HOLY ORTHODOX SAINTS

+Saints Photios & Aniketos the Martyrs of Nicomedea August 12

These Martyrs contested in Nicomedia about the year 288. When Diocletian stirred up his persecution of the Christians, Anicetus presented himself openly and said that all who worship idols are blind and senseless. He was beaten with rods so ruthlessly that his bones appeared from the rents and wounds in his flesh. As he was suffering further torments, his nephew Photius came and embraced him, calling him his father and his uncle. He was also put to many tortures with him. They were then imprisoned together for three years. Finally they were cast into a furnace, where they gave up their spirits, and their bodies were preserved unharmed. Saint Anicetus is one of the Holy Unmercenaries.

+Saint Maximus the Confessor August 13

The divine Maximus, who was from Constantinople, sprang from an illustrious family. He was a lover of wisdom and an eminent theologian. At first, he was the chief private secretary of the Emperor Heraclius and his grandson Constans. But when the Monothelite heresy became predominant in the royal court, out of hatred for this error the Saint departed for the Monastery at Chrysopolis (Scutari), of which he later became the abbot. When Constans tried to constrain him either to accept the Monothelite teaching, or to stop speaking and writing against it - neither of which the Saint accepted to do - his tongue was uprooted and his right hand was cut off, and he was sent into exile, where he reposed in 662. At the time only he and his few disciples were Orthodox in the East. See also January 21.

^{+The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly.}^{She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to her in our heart, she is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection for mankind. How many churches there are in the world that are dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God! How many healing springs where people are cured of their aliments have sprung up in places where the Most Holy Theotokos appeared and blessed those springs to heal both the sick and the healthy! She is constantly by our side, and all too often we forget her.}^{~Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica}

^{MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS SAVE US!!!}

ΜΙΚΡΟΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΡΙΣΤΗΣ

ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΟΣ - Ο ΜΗΝΑΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΝΑΓΙΑΣ

Στους Ιερούς Ναούς και μάλιστα στα προσκυνήματα τα αφιερωμένα στο όνομά της, συντρέχουν οι πιστοί για να υμνολογήσουν τη Μητέρα του Θεού και να αναφέρουν σε Αυτήν τη θλίψη και τις αγωνίες τους. Και δίκαια, γιατί η Θεοτόκος είναι η λογική κλίμακα που κατέβασε το Θεό στον κόσμο και ανέβασε τον άνθρωπο στο Θεό.΄Ολος ο χριστιανικός κόσμος πιστοί με σέβας βαθύ και ευλάβεις απροσμέτριτη μακαρίζουν και τιμούν το υπερύμνιο όνοα της Αειπαρθένου Κόρης. Η γή όλη είναι γεμάτη από ιερούς Ναούς αφιερωμένους στο ένδοξο όνομά της, από πατθενώνες, μοναστήρια, ιδρύματα προσπάθειες που έχουν τεθή υπό την προστασία της. Η Παναγία είναι το ενδοξότερο πρόσωπο της ιστορίας των ανθρώ- πων και αυτό συνεχίζεται και θα συνεχίζεται.Ο Παντοκράτωρ Υιός και Θεός της εισακούει τις δεήσεις της που εμείς της απευθύνουμε. Κρύβει απέραντη αγάπη σε όλους μας.

Η ΕΙΚΟΝΑ ΤΗΣ ΚΟΙΜΗΣΕΩΣ - Στην ιερή εικόνα της Κοιμήσεως της Θεοτόκου, μπροστά απο το ύπτιο και κοιμισμένο σώμα της Παναγίας μας, εικονογραφείται ο Κύριος και Υιός της όρθιος, αιώνιος Σωτήρας και Λυτρωτής. Στα χέρια Του, στην αγκάλη Του, κρατεί υπό μορφή νηπίου την παναγία της ψυχή,όπως εκείνη κάποτε τον κρατούσε νήπιο στη δική της αγκάλη. Και την κρατεί για να φανεί ότι, παραμένει αδιάσπαστα ενωμένος μ’ αυτή, τη Μητέρα της ζωής. Σύμφωνα με την παράδοση τρείς μέρες πρίν ο Κύριος πάρει κοντά τη Μητέρα Του, έστειλε τον Αρχάγγελο Γαβριήλ να την ειδοποιήσει. Μόλις ακουσε την είδηση αυτή η Παναγία πήγε στο Όρος των Ελαιών, εκεί που είχε προσευχηθεί ο Υιός της πρίν σταυρωθεί. Σε εκείνο τον ιερό χώρο προσευχήθηκε η Θεοτόκος και ευχαρίστησε το Θεό. Μετά επέστρεψε στο σπίτι της, όπου προετοίμασε η ίδια τις λεπτομέρειες για τον ενταφιασμό της. Ενώ γινότα όλα αυτά, νέφη μετέφεραν τους Αποστόλους που βρίσκονταν διασκορπισμένοι σε όλα τα μέρη της γής, στο σπίτι της Παναγίας. Όταν έφθασε ο απόστολος Παύλος έπεσε στα πό- δια της Θεοτόκου και την προσκύνησε και άρχισε να εγκωμιάζει τη Θεοτόκο «Χαίρε Μητέρα του κόσμου» και ευλόγησε τους Αποστόλους. Επειτα ξάπλωσε στο κρεββάτι και παρέδωσε την ψυχή της στα χέρια του Υιού και Θεού της. Η ταφή της έγινε με ευλάβεια και τιμές στη Γεσθημανή. Τρείς μέρες μετά την ταφή της προσήλθε ο Θωμάς να την προσκυνήσει, όταν όμως άνοιξαν τον τάφο της έκπλητοι διαπίστωσαν ότι η Παναγία αναστήθηκε σωματικά και ανελήφθη στους ουρανούς. Όλη η ανθρωπότητα με ευγνωμοσύνη για τις πρεσβείες της στο Σωτήρα Χριστό αναφωνεί: « Χαίρε, ώ Μήτερ της ζωής».

Η ΜΙΚΡH ΠΑΡΑΚΛΗΣΗ:

Περιλαμβάνει θερμές δεήσεις και ικεσίες, για όλες τις δύσκολες περιστάσεις και ανάγκες της ζωής μας στις οποίες, ως πιστοί και ευσεβείς χριστιανοί συνηθίζουμε να επικαλούμεθα τις πρεσβείες, τη μεσητεία και την ασφαλή προστασία της Υπεραγίας Θεοτόκου.

Η ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΠΑΡΑΚΛΗΣΗ: Ποιητής του Μ. Παρακλητικού Κανόνα, είναι ο τελευταίος Αυτοκράτορας της Νίκαιας Θεόδωρος Δούκας. Εχει μάλλον προσωπικό χαρακτήρα και αναφέρεται στα παθήματα του βίου του πολυπληθούς αυτού βασιλέως.Μέ απο τον κανόνα διαφαίνεται ο θρήνος και η αίρησή του για την παροχή του θείου ελέους και της βοηθείας της Παναγίας.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

This week’s Gift of Light is given in loving memory of Xenophon and Demetra Payne.

MEMORIAL

20 years for the late George J. Vlahos

May his memory be eternal!

SERVICES AND EVENTS THIS WEEK:

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES FOR THE FEAST OF THE DORMITION OF THE VIRGIN MARY

MONDAY, AUGUST 8

6:30 p.m. - Great Paraklesis Service / 6:30 μ.μ. - Μεγάλη Παράκλησις

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9

10:30 a.m. - Small Paraklesis Service / 10:30 π.μ. - Μικρή Παράκλησις

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10

6:30 p.m. - Great Paraklesis Service / 6:30 μ.μ. - Μεγάλη Παράκλησις

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

10:30 a.m. - Small Paraklesis Service / 10:30 π.μ. - Μικρή Παράκλησις

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12

6:30 p.m. - Great Paraklesis Service followed by Lamentations - Epitaphios

6:30 μ.μ. - Μεγάλη Παράκλησις - Εγκώμια της Παναγίας - Επιτάφιος

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14

FOREFEAST OF THE DORMITION / ΠΡΟΕΟΡΤΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΚΟΙΜΗΣΕΩΣ ΤΗΣ ΤΗΕΟΤΟΚΟΥ

7:00 p.m. - Great Feast Day Vespers / 7:00 μ.μ. - Πανηγυρικός Μέγας Εσπερινός

ALL NIGHT VIGIL / ΟΛΟΝΥΚΤΟΣ ΑΓΡΥΠΝΙΑ

10:30 p.m.-Small Supplication to the Theotokos/10:30 μ.μ. - Ο Κανών της Μικρής Παρακλήσεως

(Names of the living inaudibly commemorated - Μνημόνευσις ονοματών ζώντων μυστικώς)

MONDAY, AUGUST 15 - ALL NIGHT VIGIL CONTINUES

THE DORMITION OF OUR MOST HOLY LADY THE THEOTOKOS AND EVER VIRGIN MARY

Η ΚΟΙΜΗΣΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΥΠΕΡΑΓΙΑΣ ΔΕΣΠΟΙΝΗΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΤΗΕΟΤΟΚΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΑΕΙΠΑΡΘΕΝΟΥ ΜΑΡΙΑΣ

12:00 a.m. - Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos / 12:00 π.μ. - Ακάθιστος Ύμνος της Θεοτόκου

2:00 a.m. - Sacrament of Holy Unction / 2:00 π.μ. - Ακολουθία του Αγίου Ευχελαίου

First Divine Liturgy / Πρώτη Θεία Λειτουργία

4:00 a.m. - Orthros / 4:00 π.μ. - Όρθρος

5:00 a.m. - Divine Liturgy / 5:00 π.μ. - Θεία Λειτουργία

Second Divine Liturgy / Δεύτερη Θεία Λειτουργία

8:00 a.m. - Orthros / 8:00 π.μ. - Όρθρος

9:30 a.m. - Divine Liturgy / 9:30 π.μ. - Θεία Λειτουργία

Church Office Hours - Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Church office closed on Thursdays.

View Parish Calendar

COMMUNITY PRAYER LIST - Prayers for: Matthew, Elaine, Konstantinos, Angeliki, James, Tom, William, Anastasios, Polyxeni, Julia, Helen, Peter, Sophia

O Lord our God, Who by word alone did heal all diseases, Who cured the mother in law of Peter, You Who chastise with pity and heal according to Your goodness; grant aid to these Your servants (Names) and heal them of every sickness of which they are grieved; lift them up from their pain, and send down upon them Your great mercy. For to you we send up Glory: to Father, and to Son, and to Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayers for the living will be retained on the list for 40 days. Contact Church Office to add names at office@assumptionchicago.org or call Panagia office at 773.626.3114

PARISH MINISTRIES AND EVENTS

PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS

We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to those who volunteered to bake lenten melomakarona and to those who are baking for the Panagia’s Feast Day luncheon.

We are still in dire need of volunteers to help setup, serve and cleanup for Panagia’s Vespers, Sunday, August 14 and Monday, August 15. If you are able to assist with any of these tasks, please contact Evie Maggos at 847-791-5644.

SPONSORS NEEDED FOR HOSTING

Please contact the Church office at: 773.626.3114 or email at: office@assumptionchicago.org if you would like to sponsor a coffee hour in memory of a loved one, a special occasion or just because.

Available dates: August 14 & 28, September 4, 18 & 25

*Please note: August 1 – 15 is the Panagia fast. Please only Lenten items.

New procedures for sponsoring coffee hour are as follows:

Please note, we no longer can purchase or order items on your behalf for coffee hour. If you are unable to shop for the food items, we have a list of vendors that will be able to deliver on Sunday mornings (delivery please by 11:30 a.m. for 75-100 people), or you may order from other places that you would like and have them delivered.

Additionally, we request a fee of $75 made directly to Assumption Church for set-up, clean-up, tablecloths, plates, napkins, utensils, and coffee.

We thank our beloved parishioners and friends of Assumption Panagia for your continued love and support!

FEAST DAY OF THE DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS

Items needed for the Feast Day of Panagia

As we prepare for the feast of the Dormition of the Holy Theotokos, we need the following items:

- 1 family to donate towards flowers for the weekly services for the Icon of Panagia at $250.

- 3 families to donate towards the flowers to don the Icon of the Dormition of the Holy Panagia that is on the Iconostasio (Icon Screen) – Donation is $250/per family.

- 4 families to donate towards flowers for the two Icons of the Dormition of the Panagia which are in the Narthex of our Church – Donation is $250/per family.

-2 families to donate towards the bouquets for the Epitaphio – Donation $250/per family.

Please contact the church office if you would like to donate or need more information. May the Mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you and your families.

KALI PANAGIA!

ARTOKLASIA: If you are planning on offering an Artoklasia (blessing of the five loaves) for the vespers or feast day of Panagia, please contact the church office so we know how many artous, loaves of bread we will have. Please remember to submit your names and write, Artoklasia on top of your list and if it will be for vespers or for the feast day. Thank you and our Holy Panagia be with you and your families!

GIFT OF LIGHT

Please give the “Gift of Light” to Assumption Panagia’s Church. We need a family or an individual, to sponsor, per week, the lighting of our vigil lamps and candles in both of our holy Altars of Panagia and Saint Catherine. This includes the daily lighting of both of our Holy Altars throughout the week. Suggested donation for this ministry is $100.00. Through our Church’s Website, sign up can be made through our Tithe.ly platform, simply click on the big green GIVE button, request your week and make your donation.

Please contact the church office to sponsor a week for the health and well-being of your family or in loving memory of a loved one.

ARTOKLASIA – THE BLESSING OF THE FIVE LOAVES

The Blessing of Five Loaves of Bread is a brief service of thanksgiving through which we express our gratitude for all the blessings of life. Oil, wine, wheat, and the loaves of bread which are used in the service, are viewed as the most basic elements necessary for life. The Blessing reminds us of the miracle of the multiplication of the bread and fish by which Christ fed the multitude. This Blessing is usually offered during Vespers or after the Divine Liturgy on Feast days and other special occasions. After the Service, the bread is cut and distributed to the congregation. If you would like to offer an Artoklasia, please contact the church office at: 773.626.3114 or email: office@assumptionchicago.org to reserve a date.

“And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.” ~Matthew 14:19

2022 STEWARDSHIP

If you haven’t done so already, please pick up a Stewardship packet which is located on the Pangari or contact the church office and we will mail you one. Please fill out the pledge card (it is important that you enter a pledge amount) and the information card completely and return it back in the enclosed envelope. Thank you for supporting our beloved parish of Panagia!

LET’S STAY IN TOUCH - If you would like to receive information about services, activities and events that are happening at our church, please visit our website at: assumptionchicago.org to sign up or call the church office and submit your email address.

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” ~Luke 21:1-4