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St. Eleftherios Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2017-07-02
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Centurian
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St. Eleftherios Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (212) 924-3919
  • Fax:
  • 212-924-8011
  • Street Address:

  • 359 West 24th Street

  • New York, NY 10011
  • Mailing Address:

  • 359 West 24th Street

  • New York, NY 10011


Services Schedule

SUNDAY SERVICES:

ORTHROS AT 9:10 A.M.

DIVINE LITURGY AT 10:30 A.M.

 

WEEKDAY SERVICES:

ORTHROS AT 9:00 A.M.

DIVINE LITURGY AT 10:00 A.M.

 

ALL EVENING SERVICES:

AT 7:00 P.M.


Past Bulletins


WEEKLY MEDITATION

"Just Say the Word..."

06/25/2017

“Just Say the Word…”

Fr. Al Demos, July 2, 2017

My life has been blessed in that while on my life-long pursuit for truth, my faith experiences have been richly enhanced by being raised in the Baptist Faith, baptized in the Roman Catholic Faith and confirmed in the Greek Orthodox Faith.  These faith experiences have given me insights and experiential understanding that have been profoundly meaningful to my life as a priest, while enabling me to comprehend, respect and appreciate people of all faiths.

One of my favorite pastimes is to chant…Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant hymns, as well as some secular music.  As a small child, I learned to sing the hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers” as it appears below.  This hymn was written by Sabine Baring-Gould, in 1865.  I wonder if she knew that St. Constantine had become the First Christian Emperor by leading his men into battle with the Cross of Jesus on their shields.

I love this hymn because it expresses the basic ancient Christian belief that we are at war with the devil and all evil forces; and that our strength and reinforcement is found in the Cross of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

In today’s Gospel, the Centurion, a powerful man of authority in the Roman Army, turns to Christ and asks for Jesus to heal his servant who is ill.  When Jesus turns to go to his home, he states, “Lord, I am not worthy that you enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant shall be healed.” (MT 8:8)

Jesus marveled at the profound faith of the centurion.  Just imagine, such a powerful man of such great authority, coming so humbly before Jesus, entreating Him for a great favor.  What an example for us! 

Here we see that we should be bold ‘soldiers’ for Christ; that we should face evil and temptation with the strength and assurance of the power of the Cross; that we should be truly humble servants of our Lord; and that we should have a profound Faith that God can do anything that we request of Him...if we only believe... and if God sees so fit to respond...“in His good time”!

You, precious child of God, are a ‘soldier’ of Christ.  Follow His lead wherever it may take you!  Go forward and onward as a true Christian Soldier!

 

“Onward Christian Soldiers”

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!

Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.

    At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;
    On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!
    Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
    Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.

    Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
    Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
    We are not divided, all one body we,
    One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

    Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
    But the church of Jesus constant will remain.
    Gates of hell can never ’gainst that church prevail;
    We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

    Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
    Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
    Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King,
    This through countless ages men and angels sing.

 


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Fourth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered in to the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.

Fourth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 24:1-12

Καὶ τὸ μὲν σάββατον ἡσύχασαν κατὰ τὴν ἐντολήν, Τῇ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων ὄρθρου βαθέος ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμα φέρουσαι ἃ ἡτοίμασαν ἀρώματα, καί τινες σὺν αὐταῖς. εὗρον δὲ τὸν λίθον ἀποκεκυλισμένον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου, καὶ εἰσελθοῦσαι οὐχ εὗρον τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Κυρίου ᾿Ιησοῦ. καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ διαπορεῖσθαι αὐτὰς περὶ τούτου καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνδρες δύο ἐπέστησαν αὐταῖς ἐν ἐσθήσεσιν ἀστραπτούσαις. ἐμφόβων δὲ γενομένων αὐτῶν καὶ κλινουσῶν τὸ πρόσωπον εἰς τὴν γῆν εἶπον πρὸς αὐτάς· τί ζητεῖτε τὸν ζῶντα μετὰ τῶν νεκρῶν; οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε, ἀλλ᾿ ἠγέρθη· μνήσθητε ὡς ἐλάλησεν ὑμῖν ἔτι ὢν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ, λέγων ὅτι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδοθῆναι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ σταυρωθῆναι, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστῆναι. καὶ ἐμνήσθησαν τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑποστρέψασαι ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου ἀπήγγειλαν ταῦτα πάντα τοῖς ἕνδεκα καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς λοιποῖς. ἦσαν δὲ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ Μαρία καὶ ᾿Ιωάννα καὶ Μαρία ᾿Ιακώβου καὶ οἱ λοιπαὶ σὺν αὐταῖς, αἳ ἔλεγον πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ταῦτα. καὶ ἐφάνησαν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ λῆρος τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἠπίστουν αὐταῖς. ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἀναστὰς ἔδραμεν ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ παρακύψας βλέπει τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα μόνα, καὶ ἀπῆλθε πρὸς ἑαυτόν, θαυμάζων τὸ γεγονός.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Third Mode. Luke 1: 46-48.
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
Verse: For he has regarded the humility of his servant.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 9:1-7.

BRETHREN, the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence; it is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain stood a tent called the Holy of Holies, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, which contained a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. These preparations having thus been made, the priests go continually into the outer tent, performing their ritual duties; but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people.

Προκείμενον. Third Mode. Λουκάν 1:46-48.
Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἠγαλλίασε τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ σωτῆρί μου.
Στίχ. Ὅτι ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης αὐτοῦ.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 9:1-7.

Ἀδελφοί, εἶχεν ἡ πρώτη σκηνὴ δικαιώματα λατρείας, τό τε ἅγιον κοσμικόν. Σκηνὴ γὰρ κατεσκευάσθη ἡ πρώτη, ἐν ᾗ ἥ τε λυχνία καὶ ἡ τράπεζα καὶ ἡ πρόθεσις τῶν ἄρτων, ἥτις λέγεται ἅγια. Μετὰ δὲ τὸ δεύτερον καταπέτασμα σκηνὴ ἡ λεγομένη ἅγια ἁγίων, χρυσοῦν ἔχουσα θυμιατήριον, καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης περικεκαλυμμένην πάντοθεν χρυσίῳ, ἐν ᾗ στάμνος χρυσῆ ἔχουσα τὸ μάννα, καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος Ἀαρὼν ἡ βλαστήσασα, καὶ αἱ πλάκες τῆς διαθήκης· ὑπεράνω δὲ αὐτῆς Χερουβὶμ δόξης κατασκιάζοντα τὸ ἱλαστήριον· περὶ ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν νῦν λέγειν κατὰ μέρος. Τούτων δὲ οὕτως κατεσκευασμένων, εἰς μὲν τὴν πρώτην σκηνὴν διὰ παντὸς εἰσίασιν οἱ ἱερεῖς, τὰς λατρείας ἐπιτελοῦντες· εἰς δὲ τὴν δευτέραν ἅπαξ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ μόνος ὁ ἀρχιερεύς, οὐ χωρὶς αἵματος, ὃ προσφέρει ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ ἀγνοημάτων·


Gospel Reading

4th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 8:5-13

At that time, as Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.

4th Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 8:5-13

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, εἰσελθόντι δὲ αὐτῷ εἰς Καπερναοὺμ προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἑκατόνταρχος παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων· Κύριε, ὁ παῖς μου βέβληται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ παραλυτικός, δεινῶς βασανιζόμενος. καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· ἐγὼ ἐλθὼν θεραπεύσω αὐτόν. καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἑκατόνταρχος ἔφη· Κύριε, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς ἵνα μου ὑπὸ τὴν στέγην εἰσέλθῃς· ἀλλὰ μόνον εἰπὲ λόγῳ, καὶ ἰαθήσεται ὁ παῖς μου. καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν, ἔχων ὑπ᾿ ἐμαυτὸν στρατιώτας, καὶ λέγω τούτῳ, πορεύθητι, καὶ πορεύεται, καὶ ἄλλῳ, ἔρχου, καὶ ἔρχεται, καὶ τῷ δούλῳ μου, ποίησον τοῦτο, καὶ ποιεῖ. ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐθαύμασε καὶ εἶπε τοῖς ἀκολουθοῦσιν· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ τοσαύτην πίστιν εὗρον. λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν ἥξουσι καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται μετὰ ᾿Αβραὰμ καὶ ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ ᾿Ιακὼβ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν, οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἐκβληθήσονται εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον· ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς τῷ ἑκατοντάρχῳ· ὕπαγε, καὶ ὡς ἐπίστευσας γενηθήτω σοι. καὶ ἰάθη ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode

Let the heavens sing for joy, and let everything on earth be glad. * For with His Arm the Lord has worked power. * He trampled death under foot by means of death; * and He became the firstborn from the dead. * From the maw of Hades He delivered us; * and He granted the world His great mercy.
Εὐφραινέσθω τὰ οὐράνια, ἀγαλλιάσθω τὰ ἐπίγεια, ὅτι ἐποίησε κράτος, ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ, ὁ Κύριος, ἐπάτησε τῷ θανάτῳ τὸν θάνατον, πρωτότοκος τῶν νεκρῶν ἐγένετο, ἐκ κοιλίας ᾅδου ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς, καὶ παρέσχε τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Apolytikion for Robe of the Theotokos in the Plagal Fourth Mode

O Ever-Virgin Theotokos, shelter of mankind, thou hast bestowed upon thy people a mighty investure, even thine immaculate body's raiment and sash, which by thy seedless childbirth have remained incorrupt; for in thee nature and time are made new. Wherefore, we implore thee to grant peace to the world, and great mercy to our souls.
Θεοτόκε αειπάρθενε, τών ανθρώπων η σκέπη, Εσθήτα καί Ζώνην τού αχράντου σου σώματος, κραταιάν τή πόλει σου περιβολήν εδωρήσω, τώ ασπόρω τόκω σου άφθαρτα διαμείναντα, επι σοί γάρ καί φύσις καινοτομείται καί χρόνος, διό δυσωπούμέν σε, ειρήνην τή οικουμένη δωρήσασθαι, καί ταίς ψυχαίς ημών τό μέγα έλεος.

St. Eleftherios in the First Mode

Ιερέων ποδήρει κατακοσμούμενος, και αιμάτων τοις ρείθροις επισταζόμενος, τω Δεσπότη σου Χριστώ μάκαρ ανέδραμες. Ελευθέριε σοφέ, καθαιρέτα του Σατάν. Διό μη παύση πρεσβεύων, υπέρ των πίστει τιμώντων, την μακαρίαν σου άθλησιν.    

   Iereon podiri katakosmoumenos, ke ematon tis rithris epistazomenos, to Despoti sou Hristo makar anedrames, Eleftherie sofe, kathereta tou Satan. Dio mi pafsi pressvevon, iper ton pisti timonton, tin makarian sou athlisin.  

   Bedecked with the priestly gown that reached the ground, and drenched by the streams of flowing blood, to your Master and your Christ you sped O blessed one, Eleftherios  the wise, and Satan destroyer. Hence do not cease interceding, for those who honour in faith, you blessed martyrdom. 

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

O godly shelter that dost cover all mankind, the sacred robe that covered thy sacred body hast thou bestowed on all the faithful graciously, O pure Virgin, as a robe of divine incorruption. As we celebrate with love its august deposition, we cry to thee with fear, O graced of God: Rejoice, O modest one, boast of the Christian race.
Περιβολήν πάσι πιστοίς αφθαρσίας, θεοχαρίτωτε Αγνή εδωρήσω, τήν Ιεράν Εσθήτά σου, μεθ' ής τό ιερόν, σώμά σου εσκέπασας, σκέπη θεία ανθρώπων, ήσπερ τήν κατάθεσιν, εορτάζομεν πόθω, καί εκβοώντες κράζομεν πιστώς, Χαίρε Παρθένε, Χριστιανών τό καύχημα.
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Special Services

Our Ladies Phioloptochos will have a meeting in the Hall today following the Fellowship Hour.
100 YEARS!!!  Yes, we will celebrate our 100th anniversary in establishing the Parish of St. Eleftherios next May in 2018!  The Orthodox Church was founded by our Lord Jesus Christ in 33 A.D., and this parish established by our forefathes in 1918.  Let us honor their memories, and offer glory and praise to Almighty God for allowing us to celebrate this momentous event. 

Happy Anniversary to Stephen and Katherine on June 25th;

and Happy Birthday to Kristin and Kathy on June 30th!ll 

Our Sister Parish of the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava is worshipping in our Church Haon Sunday mornings.  Please be quiet and respectful when entering the main entrance so as not to disturb their Worship.  Thank you!

Prayers for the Health of the servants of God: Alexa, Alexis, Andriana, Anna, Anna, Annette, Anthony, Anthony, Athena, Betsy, Billy, Bob, Caroline, Carolyn, Chris, Christin, Christine, Colin, Dakota, Dave, Debbie, Delores, Dennis, Despina, Despina, Devon, Diane, Donna, Dorothy, Dr. Boris, Edwin, Eleni, Ellen, Elpida, Erica, Erin, Fay, Fr. George, George, George Hios, George, Ginny, Giovanni, Pres. Gloria, Gregory, Hannah Joy, Helen, Irmenia, Jack, Jason, Jason, Jennifer, Joan, Joanne, John, Joy, Julia, Julian, Kara, Katherine, Katherine, Kiki, Kim, Kosta, Laura, Lindsey, Louise, Margaret, Margie, Maria, Marion, Marsha, Michael, Millie, Murial, Nicholas, Nicole, Niki, Noah, Nunzio, Panagiotis, Paraskevi, Paul, Paul, Pablo, Rachel, Richard J., Rita, Robert, Rosie Rose, Ruth, Samuel, Sofia, Sondra, Sondra, Stavros, Stefan, Stephanie, Susi, Teri, Tess, Thelma, Tom, Tracy, Varidad, Vasili, Vasilios, Victoria and Virginia, are kindly requested.  Please offer your prayers to Almighty God for their sound health and complete recovery.  Thank You!

 

 

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Wisdom of the Fathers

Let us hearken, as many as are to receive Christ: for it is possible to receive Him even now. Let us hearken, and emulate, and receive Him with as great zeal; for indeed, when you receive a poor man who is hungry and naked, you have received and cherished Him.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 26 on Matthew 8, 4th Century

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Saints and Feasts

Centurian
July 02

4th Sunday of Matthew


Allsaint
July 02

Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Orphan


Maximovitch
July 02

John Maximovitch, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco

The Holy Hierarch John Maximovitch was born in the Kharkov region in 1896, and reposed in Seattle in 1966. In 1921, during the Russian Civil War, his family fled to Belgrade, joining the ranks of Russian exiles in Serbia, where he later became a monk and was ordained priest. In 1934 he was made Bishop of Shanghai, where he served until the Communists came to power. Thereafter he ministered in Europe, serving as Bishop first in Paris then in Brussels, until he became Archbishop of San Francisco in 1962. Throughout his life he was revered as a strict ascetic, a devoted man of prayer, and a truly wondrous unmercenary healer of all manner of afflictions and woes. He served the Divine Liturgy daily, slept little more than an hour a day, and kept a strict fast until the evening. It is doubtful that any one man gave so much protection and comfort as he to the Russian Orthodox people in exile after the Revolution of 1917; he was an unwearying and watchful shepherd of his sheep in China, the Philippines, Europe, and America. Through his missionary labors he also brought into the Church many who had not been "of this fold." Since his repose in 1966, he has been especially glorified by God through signs and miracles, and his body has remained incorrupt.


26_theotokos2
July 02

Deposition of the Precious Robe of the Theotokos in Blachernae

During the reign of Leo the Great (457-474) two patricians and brethren on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land lodged with an old widow, a Christian of Jewish descent. Seeing the many miracles wrought at a small shrine in her house, they pressed her until she revealed to them that she had raiment of the most holy Theotokos kept in a small coffer. Our Lady had had two virgins in her lifetime who attended upon her; before her holy dormition, she gave each of them one of her divine garments as a blessing. This old widow was of the family of one of those two virgins, and it had come through the generations into her hands. With the permission of God, that this holy relic might be had for the profit of many, the two men took the garment by stealth and brought it to Blachernae near Constantinople, and building a church in honor of the Apostles Peter and Mark, they secretly enshrined the garment therein. But here again, because of the multitude of miracles that were worked, it became known to the Emperor Leo, and a magnificent church was built, as some say, by that same Leo, but according to others, by his predecessors Marcian and Pulcheria, and enlarged by Leo when the holy raiment was found. The Emperor Justin the Younger completed the church, which the Emperor Romanus IV Diogenes raised up immediately again after it had burned in 1070. It burned again in 1434, and from that time it remained a small house of prayer together with the renowned holy spring. After the seventh century, the name Blachernae was given to other churches and monasteries by their pious founders out of reverence for this famous church in Constantinople. In this church John Catacuzene was crowned in 1345; also, the Council against Acindynus, the follower of Barlaam, was convoked here (see the Second Sunday of the Great Fast).


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