At the end of last week Divine Liturgy, we had our Sunday School Graduation Ceremony. Once again, congratulations to our children. I also express my deepest gratitude to Vickie Adams and Jeanne Palaigos for their tremendous work, and to all the parents for their commitment and desire to transmit their faith.
Today is also Father’s Day. Even though it is not a liturgical feast, we should remember and recognize what our fathers have done for us and thank them. We often recall that children are blessings for their parents. But we should also remember how parents are gifts of God to their children. The prayer during the sacrament of marriage reads: “for the prayers of parents confirm the foundation of houses.”
Let us also pray for the Greek Island of Lesbos and its people after the earthquake that happened last Monday.
God bless you!
Fr. Nicolas
Στο τέλος της Θείας Λειτουργίας της προηγούμενης εβδομάδας, είχαμε την τελετή αποφοίτησής του Κυριακάτικου Σχολείου μας. Και πάλι, συγχαίρω τα παιδιά μας. Εκφράζω επίσης την βαθύτατη ευγνωμοσύνη μου προς την Vickie Adams και τη Jeanne Palaigos για το τεράστιο έργο τους και προς όλους τους γονείς για τη δέσμευσή τους και την επιθυμία τους να μεταδώσουν την πίστη τους στα παιδιά τους.
Σήμερα είναι η γιορτή του Πατέρα. Ακόμα κι αν δεν είναι μια λειτουργική γιορτή, πρέπει να θυμόμαστε και να αναγνωρίζουμε τι έχουν κάνει οι πατέρες μας για εμάς και να τους ευχαριστήσουμε. Συχνά λέμε ότι τα παιδιά είναι ευλογία για τους γονείς. Αλλά πρέπει επίσης να θυμηθούμε πώς οι γονείς είναι δώρο του Θεού στα παιδιά τους. Η προσευχή κατά τη διάρκεια του μυστηρίου του γάμου αναφέρει: «Εὐχαί γονέων στηρίζουσι θεμέλια οἴκων»
Ας προσευχηθούμε επίσης για το ελληνικό νησί της Λέσβου και τους κατοίκους της μετά τον σεισμό που συνέβει την περασμένη Δευτέρα.
Ο Θεός να σας ευλογεί!
Πάτερ Νικόλαος
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Second Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:1-8
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back, for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid.
Second Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 16:1-8
Καὶ διαγενομένου τοῦ σαββάτου Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ Μαρία ἡ τοῦ ᾿Ιακώβου καὶ Σαλώμη ἠγόρασαν ἀρώματα ἵνα ἐλθοῦσαι ἀλείψωσιν αὐτόν. καὶ λίαν πρωῒ τῆς μιᾶς σαββάτων ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου. καὶ ἔλεγον πρὸς ἑαυτάς· τίς ἀποκυλίσει ἡμῖν τὸν λίθον ἐκ τῆς θύρας τοῦ μνημείου; καὶ ἀναβλέψασαι θεωροῦσιν ὅτι ἀποκεκύλισται ὁ λίθος· ἦν γὰρ μέγας σφόδρα. καὶ εἰσελθοῦσαι εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον εἶδον νεανίσκον καθήμενον ἐν τοῖς δεξιοῖς, περιβεβλημένον στολὴν λευκήν, καὶ ἐξεθαμβήθησαν. ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐταῖς· μὴ ἐκθαμβεῖσθε· ᾿Ιησοῦν ζητεῖτε τὸν Ναζαρηνὸν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον· ἠγέρθη, οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε· ἴδε ὁ τόπος ὅπου ἔθηκαν αὐτόν. ἀλλ᾿ ὑπάγετε εἴπατε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ Πέτρῳ ὅτι προάγει ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν· ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν ὄψεσθε, καθὼς εἶπεν ὑμῖν. καὶ ἐξελθοῦσαι ἔφυγον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου· εἶχε δὲ αὐτὰς τρόμος καὶ ἔκστασις, καὶ οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν εἶπον· ἐφοβοῦντο γάρ.
Prokeimenon. First Mode. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 2:10-16.
Brethren, glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
Προκείμενον. First Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 32.22,1.
Γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ' ἡμᾶς.
Στίχ. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε δίκαιοι ἐν Κυρίῳ
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 2:10-16.
Ἀδελφοί, δόξα δὲ καὶ τιμὴ καὶ εἰρήνη παντὶ τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ τὸ ἀγαθόν, Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνι· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν προσωποληψία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ. Ὅσοι γὰρ ἀνόμως ἥμαρτον, ἀνόμως καὶ ἀπολοῦνται· καὶ ὅσοι ἐν νόμῳ ἥμαρτον, διὰ νόμου κριθήσονται· οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἀκροαταὶ τοῦ νόμου δίκαιοι παρὰ τῷ θεῷ, ἀλλʼ οἱ ποιηταὶ τοῦ νόμου δικαιωθήσονται. Ὅταν γὰρ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιῇ, οὗτοι, νόμον μὴ ἔχοντες, ἑαυτοῖς εἰσιν νόμος· οἵτινες ἐνδείκνυνται τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου γραπτὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν, συμμαρτυρούσης αὐτῶν τῆς συνειδήσεως, καὶ μεταξὺ ἀλλήλων τῶν λογισμῶν κατηγορούντων ἢ καὶ ἀπολογουμένων, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὅτε κρινεῖ ὁ θεὸς τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου, διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
2nd Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 4:18-23
At that time, as Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left their boat and their father, and followed him. And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
2nd Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 4:18-23
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, περιπατῶν δὲ παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν τῆς Γαλιλαίας εἶδε δύο ἀδελφούς, Σίμωνα τὸν λεγόμενον Πέτρον καὶ ᾿Ανδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, βάλλοντας ἀμφίβληστρον εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν· ἦσαν γὰρ ἁλιεῖς· καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων. οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὰ δίκτυα ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ. Καὶ προβὰς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄλλους δύο ἀδελφούς, ᾿Ιάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ ᾿Ιωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ μετὰ Ζεβεδαίου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν καταρτίζοντας τὰ δίκτυα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς. οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὸ πλοῖον καὶ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ. Καὶ περιῆγεν ὅλην τὴν Γαλιλαίαν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς διδάσκων ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν ἐν τῷ λαῷ.
Summer Donation 2017
Dear Faithful Family,
As many of us spend our summer months with family and friends in far off locales, the work and the ministry of Saint Spyridon in Washington Heights continues. In order to keep our doors, open for the summer months, today we are asking you to help support us; not only through prayers and love, but also financially. Any donation that you make will help ensure that the work of our historic parish can continue through the summer months. We hope and pray that you have a restful and enjoyable summer vacation. May God continually bless each of you and your families!
Καλοκαιρινή Δωρεά 2017
Αγαπητοί Πιστοί,
Καθώς πολλοί από εμάς περνάμε τους καλοκαιρινούς μήνες με την οικογένεια και τους φίλους μας σε μακρινές περιοχές, το έργο και η διακονία του Αγίου Σπυρίδωνα στο Washington Heights συνεχίζεται. Για να διατηρήσουμε τις πόρτες μας ανοιχτές για τους καλοκαιρινούς μήνες, σήμερα ζητάμε την υποστήριξη σας, όχι μόνο μέσα από τις προσευχές και την αγάπη σας, αλλά και οικονομικά. Κάθε δωρεά που κάνετε θα βοηθήσει να διασφαλιστεί το έργο της ιστορικής ενορίας μας μέσα στους καλοκαιρινούς μήνες. Ελπίζουμε και προσευχόμαστε να έχετε ξεκούραστες και ευχάριστες καλοκαιρινές διακοπές. Είθε ο Θεός να ευλογεί συνεχώς τον καθένα από εσάς και τις οικογένειές σας!
Restoration Project: The restoration of our beautiful church continues. Every week there are new things to see. We hope you will all participate and donate the icon restoration or area of your choosing. The more funds we receive; the more areas of restoration will be completed.
For more information visit our website!
The National Herald honored the President of the Parish Council Mrs. Lydia Vagelos - Callimanis in the April edition for the monthly magazine Γυναίκα. A great opportunity for the advertisement of the restoration project of our beautiful church.
Beloved family and friends of St. Spyridon Church: The restoration of St. Spyridon Church has begun! You can witness the iconography returning to its original glory as soon as you walk into the nave. The removal of years of smoke and grime is revealing some of the finest example of Byzantine iconography in the United States. Each week brings a new surprise and blessing. Come see for yourself and be amazed! The attached brochure details the extent of the project and the cost. Please review it carefully and prayerfully consider how you can help complete the project with as generous a donation as you can. Working together, we can restore our church, spiritually and physically. The restoration project is an important part of that endeavor. Wishing you an abundance of God’s blessings and thank you!