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SAINT SPYRIDON
GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
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124 Wadsworth Avenue, New York, NY 10033
Tel: (212) 795 - 5870 | www.saintspyridon.net
Rev. Fr. George Kazoulis, Parish Priest
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5th Sunday of Matthew
Sunday, July 25, 2021
Orthros 8:30 AM | Divine Liturgy 9:30 AM
COMPLIMENTARY VALET PARKING AVAILABLE
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Fast Free | No fasting restrictions.
Today we commemorate
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Archiepiscopal Encyclical on the Day of Mourning for
Hagia Sophia
July 24, 2021
My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Ἡ σοφία ᾠκοδόµησεν ἑαυτῇ οἶκον καὶ ὑπήρεισεν στύλους ἑπτά. (Παροιµίαι 9:1) Wisdom has built herself a house, and has set up seven pillars. (Proverbs 9:1)
One year ago today, the Great Church of Holy Wisdom, our Ἁγία Σοφία, was unnecessarily seized and given over to an alien purpose. This was a grim day for all people of good will and equanimity, because Hagia Sophia is much more than a sacred space. It is the vision and embodiment of the substance of our Orthodox Christian Faith. As a cultural icon, the Great Church could have been left as a museum. And although this is less than any of us would desire, at least it respected the integrity of the space. But for this past year, in a city which has abundant places for Islamic worship, it was misappropriated and done so in order to send a message to religious minorities, and to appeal to misplaced nationalistic fervor.
Therefore, we mourn, and not only today, but every day, until a measure of justice is meted out for the Great Church. Every culture and civilization is worthy of respect, and Hagia Sophia, the epitome of the Byzantine achievement, should have been left as a place of cultural intersection and religious harmony. Or, if it was to be restored to worship, it should have been restored to its original intention.
Until such time as our prayers are answered, we must redouble our efforts to bear witness to this House of Wisdom. We must be like the Seven Pillars spoken of in Proverbs, and support Hagia Sophia in every way. Moreover, we must stand with and offer our vigilance to the continuing Great Church of Christ – the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, for it is the See of Saint Andrew that furthers the ecumenical mission and purpose enshrined in the stones of Hagia Sophia.
Yes, today we mourn, but not as those without hope, as the Apostle says (I Thessalonians 4:13), ever expecting the revelation of the hope of the Resurrection in all things; and in our Ἁγία Σοφία as well.
With paternal love in our Lord Jesus Christ,
† ELPIDOPHOROS
Archbishop of America
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Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Mode
Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the Angel, and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, the women disciples of the Lord spake to the Apostles exultantly: Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, granting great mercy to the world.
Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγέλου μαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀπορρίψασαι, τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις καυχώμεναι ἔλεγον· Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἠγέρθη Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.
Apolytikion for Dormition of St. Anna in the Fourth Mode
O Godly-minded Anna, thou didst give birth unto God's pure Mother who conceived Him Who is our Life. Wherefore, thou hast now passed with joy to thy heavenly rest, wherein is the abode of them that rejoice in glory; and thou askest forgiveness of sins for them that honour thee with love, O ever-blessed one.
Ζωήν τήν κυήσασαν, εκυοφόρησας, αγνήν Θεομήτορα, θεόφρον Άννα, διό πρός λήξιν ουράνιον, ένθα ευφραινομένων, κατοικία εν δόξη, χαίρουσα νύν μετέστης, τοίς τιμώσί σε πόθω, πταισμάτων αιτουμένη, ιλασμόν αειμακάριστε.
Apolytikion for the Church in the First Mode
O Father, God-bearer, Spyridon, you were proven a champion and Wonder Worker of the First Ecumenical Council. You spoke to the girl in the grave and turned the serpent to gold. And, when chanting your prayers, most sacred One, angels ministered with you. Glory to Him who glorified you; glory to Him who crowned you; glory to Him who, through you, works healing for all.
Τῆς Συνόδου τῆς πρώτης ἀνεδείχθης ὑπέρμαχος, καὶ θαυματουργὸς θεοφόρε, Σπυρίδων Πατὴρ ἠιμῶν, διὸ νεκρὰ σὺ ἐν τάφῳ προσφωνεῖς, καὶ ὄφιν εἷς χρυσοῦν μετέβαλες, καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλπειν τὰς ἁγίας σου εὐχάς, Ἀγγέλους ἔσχες συλλειτουργούντάς σοὶ Ἱερώτατε, Δόξα τῶ σὲ δοξάσαντι, δόξα τῶ σὲ στεφανώσαντι, δόξα τῶ ἐνεργοῦντι διὰ σοῦ πάσιν ἰάματα.
Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode
We celebrate now the mem'ry of Christ's ancestors, while asking their help with faith, that we may all be saved from all manner of tribulation as we fervently cry aloud: Be thou with us, O Lord our God, Whose pleasure it was to glorify them both.
Προγόνων Χριστού, τήν μνήμην εορτάζομεν, τήν τούτων πιστώς, αιτούμενοι βοήθειαν, τού ρυσθήναι άπαντας, από πάσης θλίψεως, τούς κραυγάζοντας, ο Θεός γενού μεθ' ημών, ο τούτους δοξάσας ως ηυδόκησας.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings |
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Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 67.35,26.
God is wonderful among his saints.
Verse: Bless God in the congregations.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 4:22-27.
Brethren, Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are many more than the children of her that is married."
Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 67.35,26.
Θαυμαστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τοῖς Ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ.
Στίχ. Ἐν Ἐκκλησίαις εὐλογεῖτε τὸν Θεὸν.
Πρὸς Γαλάτας 4:22-27.
Ἀδελφοί, Ἀβραὰμ δύο υἱοὺς ἔσχεν· ἕνα ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης, καὶ ἕνα ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας. Ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης κατὰ σάρκα γεγέννηται, ὁ δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας διὰ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. Ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα· αὗται γάρ εἰσιν δύο διαθῆκαι· μία μὲν ἀπὸ ὄρους Σινᾶ, εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἅγαρ. Τὸ γὰρ Ἅγαρ Σινᾶ ὄρος ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Ἀραβίᾳ, συστοιχεῖ δὲ τῇ νῦν Ἱερουσαλήμ, δουλεύει δὲ μετὰ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς. Ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστίν, ἥτις ἐστὶν μήτηρ πάντων ἡμῶν· γέγραπται γάρ, Εὐφράνθητι, στεῖρα, ἡ οὐ τίκτουσα· ῥῆξον καὶ βόησον, ἡ οὐκ ὠδίνουσα· ὅτι πολλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ἐχούσης τὸν ἄνδρα.
Gospel Reading
The Reading is from Matthew 8:28-34; 9:1
At that time, when Jesus came to the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one would pass that way. And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine." And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood. And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 8:28-34, 9:1
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐλθόντος τῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰς τὸ πέραν εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Γεργεσηνῶν ὑπήντησαν αὐτῷ δύο δαιμονιζόμενοι ἐκ τῶν μνημείων ἐξερχόμενοι, χαλεποὶ λίαν, ὥστε μὴ ἰσχύειν τινὰ παρελθεῖν διὰ τῆς ὁδοῦ ἐκείνης. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔκραξαν λέγοντες· τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί, ᾿Ιησοῦ υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ; ἦλθες ὧδε πρὸ καιροῦ βασανίσαι ἡμᾶς; ἦν δὲ μακρὰν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀγέλη χοίρων πολλῶν βοσκομένη. οἱ δὲ δαίμονες παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν λέγοντες· εἰ ἐκβάλλεις ἡμᾶς, ἐπίτρεψον ἡμῖν ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ἀγέλην τῶν χοίρων. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ὑπάγετε. οἱ δὲ ἐξελθόντες ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἀγέλην τῶν χοίρων· καὶ ἰδοὺ ὥρμησε πᾶσα ἡ ἀγέλη τῶν χοίρων κατὰ τοῦ κρημνοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ ἀπέθανον ἐν τοῖς ὕδασιν. οἱ δὲ βόσκοντες ἔφυγον, καὶ ἀπελθόντες εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀπήγγειλαν πάντα καὶ τὰ τῶν δαιμονιζομένων. καὶ ἰδοὺ πᾶσα ἡ πόλις ἐξῆλθεν εἰς συνάντησιν τῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ, καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν παρεκάλεσαν ὅπως μεταβῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἐμβὰς εἰς πλοῖον διεπέρασε καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν.
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AUGUST SCHEDULE OF SERVICES |
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CLICK on the link below for more information and to donate
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BAPTISM OF JULIANA YUELIS |
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God bless Juliana Yuelis with many years of good health, faith, and love as she grows in Christ.
Congratulations to her parents, godparents, and her entire family!
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Our Saint Spyridon Young Adults Professionals organized a trip, a spiritual pilgrimage, to Saint Nektarios Monastery in Roscoe, NY as their summer trip.
They enjoyed a day at the monastery filled with friends, fellowship, and faith. Glory to God for all things!
May the intercessions of Saint Nektarios be with us all!
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The George Papaleas Chapter No. 367 of Ahepa was founded in 1950 and has been a part of the St. Spyridon Church community for over 70 years. Ahepa is a global organization, founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 1922 with Chapters in Canada, Greece, and Europe. As the largest organization of Greek Americans in the country, its membership is comprised of both Hellenes and Philhellenes.
Its mission is to promote Hellenism, education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, family, and individual excellence.
Please join us as we promote worthwhile projects and endeavors.
Contact: George Patsalos, membership chair at george@jamaica.net
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Please help support the Agape Pantry which is an outreach program from the Philoptochos Ladies
to our St. Spyridon community.
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ORDER KOLIVA OR ARTOKLASIA |
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If you wish to order Koliva or Artoklasia
you may contact the Church Office:
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COVID-19 GUIDELINES
AND PROTOCOLS
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Orthodox Christian Stewardship Program
Stewardship means the giving of time, talent AND treasure. It is a commitment one makes after prayerful consideration and in gratitude for all the blessings that our Lord and Savior has freely given us.
Would you consider offering the cost of a single day? That translates to just $21 per week. Setting-up a monthly online contribution of just $92 is easy…just click here.
We ask you to support the worthy ministries of St. Spyridon and seek your participation in helping us realize the vision of our community. We are to give, St. Paul says, “as God has prospered you” (I Cor. 16:2).
Giving to His Church is a way to thank God for His grace and generosity and to show our gratitude. Your contribution is most meaningful when accompanied by your presence, your willingness to serve, your prayers, and your commitment. Giving is not a substitute for commitment – it is an expression of commitment and an expression of thanks for the many blessings in your life.
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Saint Spyridon Parish Council 2021 |
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You can reach Fr. George Kazoulis at:
Email: frgeorgekazoulis@saintspyridon.net
Cell: 347-837-6712
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