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Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2017-05-21
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Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (540) 667-1416
  • Fax:
  • (540) 667-1990
  • Street Address:

  • 1700 Amherst Street

  • Winchester, VA 22601


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Sunday Services

Matins -                 8:45am 

Divine Liturgy -    10:00am

Sunday School -  In summer recess


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal First Mode

Let us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him that with the Father and the Spirit is co-beginningless God, Who was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; for He was pleased to mount the Cross in the flesh that He assumed, accepting thus to endure death. And by His glorious rising, He also willed to resurrect the dead.

Apolytikion for Constantine and Helen in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Having seen the image of Thy Cross in Heaven, and like Paul, having received the call not from men, Thine apostle among kings entrusted the commonwealth to Thy hand, O Lord. Keep us always in peace, by the intercessions of the Theotokos, O only Friend of man.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that He had said these things to her.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 18.4,1.
Their voice has gone out into all the earth.
Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 26:1, 12-20.

IN THOSE DAYS, King Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: "I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and bear witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles-to whom I send you to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' "Wherefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and perform deeds worthy of their repentance."


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Blind Man
The Reading is from John 9:1-38

At that time, as Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, "Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is he"; others said, "No, but he is like him." He said, "I am the man." They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight." They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes and I washed, and I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was a division among them. So they again said to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess him to be Christ he was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age, ask him."

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, "Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?" And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you." He said, "Lord, I believe": and he worshiped him.


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Saints and Feasts

Jcblind1
May 21

Sunday of the Blind Man

The Lord Jesus was coming from the Temple on the Sabbath, when, while walking in the way, He saw the blind man mentioned in today's Gospel. This man had been born thus from his mother's womb, that is, he had been born without eyes (see Saint John Chrysostom, Homily LVI on Matthew; Saint Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V:15; and the second Exorcism of Saint Basil the Great). When the disciples saw this, they asked their Teacher, "Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" They asked this because when the Lord had healed the paralytic at the Sheep's Pool, He had told him, "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee" (John 5:14); so they wondered, if sickness was caused by sin, what sin could have been the cause of his being born without eyes. But the Lord answered that this was for the glory of God. Then the God-man spat on the ground and made clay with the spittle. He anointed the eyes of the blind man and said to him, "Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam." Siloam (which means "sent") was a well-known spring in Jerusalem used by the inhabitants for its waters, which flowed to the eastern side of the city and collected in a large pool called "the Pool of Siloam."

Therefore, the Saviour sent the blind man to this pool that he might wash his eyes, which had been anointed with the clay-not that the pool's water had such power, but that the faith and obedience of the one sent might be made manifest, and that the miracle might become more remarkable and known to all, and leave no room for doubt. Thus, the blind man believed in Jesus' words, obeyed His command, went and washed himself, and returned, no longer blind, but having eyes and seeing. This was the greatest miracle that our Lord had yet worked; as the man healed of his blindness himself testified, "Since time began, never was it heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind," although the Lord had already healed the blind eyes of many. Because he now had eyes, some even doubted that he was the same person (John 9:8-9); and it was still lively in their remembrance when Christ came to the tomb of Lazarus, for they said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have caused that even this man should not have died?" Saint John Chrysostom gives a thorough and brilliant exposition of our Lord's meeting with the woman of Samaria, the healing of the paralytic, and the miracle of the blind man in his commentaries on the Gospel of Saint John.


21_conshel
May 21

Constantine and Helen, Equal-to-the Apostles

This great and renowned sovereign of the Christians was the son of Constantius Chlorus (the ruler of the westernmost parts of the Roman empire), and of the blessed Helen. He was born in 272, in (according to some authorities) Naissus of Dardania, a city on the Hellespont. In 306, when his father died, he was proclaimed successor to his throne. In 312, on learning that Maxentius and Maximinus had joined forces against him, he marched into Italy, where, while at the head of his troops, he saw in the sky after midday, beneath the sun, a radiant pillar in the form of a cross with the words: "By this shalt thou conquer." The following night, our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him in a dream and declared to him the power of the Cross and its significance. When he arose in the morning, he immediately ordered that a labarum be made (which is a banner or standard of victory over the enemy) in the form of a cross, and he inscribed on it the Name of Jesus Christ. On the 28th Of October, he attacked and mightily conquered Maxentius, who drowned in the Tiber River while fleeing. The following day, Constantine entered Rome in triumph and was proclaimed Emperor of the West by the Senate, while Licinius, his brother-in-law, ruled in the East. But out of malice, Licinius later persecuted the Christians. Constantine fought him once and again, and utterly destroyed him in 324, and in this manner he became monarch over the West and the East. Under him and because of him all the persecutions against the Church ceased. Christianity triumphed and idolatry was overthrown. In 325 he gathered the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, which he himself personally addressed. In 324, in the ancient city of Byzantium, he laid the foundations of the new capital of his realm, and solemnly inaugurated it on May 11, 330, naming it after himself, Constantinople. Since the throne of the imperial rule was transferred thither from Rome, it was named New Rome, the inhabitants of its domain were called Romans, and it was considered the continuation of the Roman Empire. Falling ill near Nicomedia, he requested to receive divine Baptism, according to Eusebius (The Life of Constantine. Book IV, 61-62), and also according to Socrates and Sozomen; and when he had been deemed worthy of the Holy Mysteries, he reposed in 337, on May 21 or 22, the day of Pentecost, having lived sixty-five years, of which he ruled for thirty-one years. His remains were transferred to Constantinople and were deposed in the Church of the Holy Apostles, which had been built by him (see Homily XXVI on Second Corinthians by Saint John Chrysostom).

As for his holy mother Helen, after her son had made the Faith of Christ triumphant throughout the Roman Empire, she undertook a journey to Jerusalem and found the Holy Cross on which our Lord was crucified (see Sept. 13 and 14). After this, Saint Helen, in her zeal to glorify Christ, erected churches in Jerusalem at the sites of the Crucifixion and Resurrection, in Bethlehem at the cave where our Saviour was born, another on the Mount of Olives whence He ascended into Heaven, and many others throughout the Holy Land, Cyprus, and elsewhere. She was proclaimed Augusta, her image was stamped upon golden coins, and two cities were named Helenopolis after her in Bithynia and in Palestine. Having been thus glorified for her piety, she departed to the Lord being about eighty years of age, according to some in the year 330, according to others, in 336.


Allsaint
May 21

Pachomios the Righteous New Martyr


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Wisdom of the Fathers

But I assert that he even received benefit from his blindness: since he recovered the sight of the eyes within.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 56 on John 9, 4th Century

When, then, have they taken place, save when the Word of God Himself came in the body? Or when did He come, if not when lame men walked, and stammerers were made to speak plain, and deaf men heard, and men blind from birth regained their sight? For this was the very thing the Jews said who then witnessed it, because they had not heard of these things having taken place at any other time.
St. Athanasius
Incarnation of the Word 38, 4th Century

The work of God is, after all, the forming of man. He did this by an outward action, as Scripture says, 'And the Lord took clay from earth, and formed man.' Notice here too how the Lord spit on the earth, and made clay and smeared it on his eyes, showing how the ancient creation was made. He was making clear to those who can understand, that this was the [same] hand of God through which man was formed from clay.
St. Irenaeus
Against Heresies. 5.15.2. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Vol: John 1-10. Intervarsity Press, 2006, p. 324.

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Rev Protopresbyter Panagiotis Papanikolaou

Holy Pascha - Walking with the Risen Lord

Beloved in the Risen Lord:

Christ is Risen!

     As we celebrated the glorious Pascha Season and chant joyously the hymn proclaiming Christ’s triumph over all forces of darkness, we are renewed by the dignity that comes from our destiny as Orthodox Christians who have been saved by the Crucified and Risen Christ and offered the opportunity to live eternally with Him. With this thought in mind, let us reflect on how we can walk with the Risen Lord.

     It has been said that an Orthodox Christian is a person in whom the Risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ lives. The Apostles and Saints lived in such closeness to the Lord that they experienced a spiritual identity with Him. Saint Paul writes: “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave His life for me” (Gal 2:20).

     Is it possible for men and women today to live in such nearness to Christ, to “walk” with Him in their everyday lives? Indeed, yes and it is not only possible – it is essential. How can a pious Orthodox Christian try to “walk” with the Lord from day to day so that the Lord’s presence maybe real? One way is through prayer. Prayers puts us immediately in the presence of the living Lord. Begin each day with a regular time of quality prayer. The Saints encourage us to totally open our hearts to the Lord and to pray with feeling, assured that we stand before His holy presence. Seek to establish a warm feeling toward Christ. Ask for His guidance and help regarding specific daily tasks and concerns. Commit yourself to let the Lord’s will be done in all things. Then look for His guidance. Take a few moments before each task to lift up your heart to the Lord. Try to maintain that special warm feeling toward Christ during the day. Your life will begin to take on the spirit of prayer, the quality of a mystery by virtue of His gracious presence.

     A second way is through obedience. The Lord taught clear teachings and lived them by example. The Lord expects His followers to listen to His words and obey them as wise people who build their houses on a solid foundation, not as foolish people who listen but do not obey and thus build on sand (Mat 7:24-26). Obedience makes God’s presence real to us. “By this we maybe sure that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (I Jn 2:3). The golden rule of the true disciple is “to walk in the same way He walked” so that love for God maybe perfected in us (I Jn 2:5-6). Obedience is not a matter of formal obligation in order to earn a reward or avoid punishment. Rather it is a matter of personal love for the Lord, allowing Him through obedience to enter into our everyday lives and to lead us to a loving communion with Him and the Father. “Whoever loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and my Father and I will come to him and live with him” (Jn 14:23).

     The third way is through the Divine Liturgy. When we celebrate the Divine Liturgy we celebrate the life of Christ, we “walk” with Him in His birth, death and resurrection. We follow the Lord during His ministry. We join the Lord at the Mystical Supper. We witness the Lord’s solemn actions of breaking the bread and offering the cup. We hear the Lord’s solemn words of invitation: “Take, eat, this is my body” and “Drink of it all of you, this is my blood of the New Covenant.” As often as we partake of Holy Communion, the Risen Christ comes to live in us. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him” (Jn 6:56).  The Divine Liturgy is the highest experience of the Lord’s presence.

     Christ is Risen! Praying that Christ our true God Who rose from the dead bless you and may the light of Great and Holy Pascha shine brilliantly within your heart, I humbly remain, 

   With love and blessings in the Risen Lord,
+Fr. Panagiotis 

 

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May & June Liturgical Calendar

Sunday of the Blind Man / Saints Constantine & Helen

Sunday, May 21
8:45am - Matins & Divine Liturgy


Holy Ascension

Thursday, May 25
9:00am - Matins & Divine Liturgy


Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council

Sunday, May 28
8:45am - Matins & Divine Liturgy


Saturday of the Souls

Saturday, June 3
9:00am - Matins & Divine Liturgy


Holy Pentecost

Sunday, June 4
8:45am - Matins & Divine Liturgy


Sunday of All Saints

Sunday, June 11
8:45am - Matins & Divine Liturgy


2nd Sunday of Matthew (Father's Day)

Sunday, June 18
8:45am - Matins & Divine Liturgy


Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

Saturday, June 24
9:00am - Matins & Divine Liturgy


3rd Sunday of Matthew

Sunday, June 25
8:45am - Matins & Divine Liturgy


Forefeast of Saint Peter and Paul

Wednesday June 28
7:00pm - Great Vespers at Saints Peter & Paul Church in Frederick, MD


Saints Peter and Paul, Paramount of the Apostles

Thursday, June 29
9:00am - Matins & Divine Liturgy


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Parish Life

2-Year Memorial for Manuel Sempeles

Sunday, May 21
Today we will chant the 2-Year Memorial Service for Manuel Sempeles. The Coffee Hour will be hosted by Florine Sempeles and family in memory of Manuel. May his memory be eternal!


Mary Kakouras' Battling Cancer

Sunday, May 21
Please join us in helping Mary Kakouras, a faithful steward of our Church family, who is battling cancer. A fundraiser, with raffles for gift baskets, will be held on Saturday, June 10, from 1:00 until 6:00 pm at 105 Bull Run Court, Stephens City VA. For more information, please contact Christine Tarrant at (708) 536-8555 or Tim Tarrant at (815) 260-5555. All proceeds will be given to the Kakouras family. Tickets are $10 per person

We still need items to raffle off gift baskets. Please donate items with the following themes:  Movie, wine, coffee and tea, car wash, Italian pasta, music lovers, board games or any other items we could put together as a theme. Other donations can include restaurant gift cards or services i.e. Christine is donating three voice lessons. We will be raffling off these items and donating all the money to Mary. 
 
We are accepting all donated items at the Church Social Hall until Sunday May 21st.  

Spring Parish Assembly

Sunday, June 11
The Spring Parish (General) Assembly will be held immediately following the Coffee Hour in the Social Hall. All stewards in good standing for 2017 are welcomed to attend.


Catechism School (a.k.a. Sunday School )

Classes will begin in September – the date and time to be determined. We encourage all our youth to attend Catechism School. For more information, please contact Presvytera Tina at (240) 578-2549.

 


Altar Boys

Young men between the ages of 10 to 18 are invited to serve in the Holy Altar. Altar Boys are requested to be in the Holy Altar immediately following their Sunday School classes. For more information, please contact Father Panagiotis at (540) 667-1416.

 

 


Philoptochos

Please help support the less fortunate by donating non-perishable foods, pantry items, clothing and baby needs for the CCAP Ministry. Place your donations in the CCAP bin in the Social Hall. 


Coffee Hour

Everyone is welcome to join in fellowship during the Coffee Hour following the Divine Liturgy on Sundays. If you would like to host a coffee hour, please sign up on the bulletin board next to Father's Study. For more information regarding hosting a Coffee Hour, please contact Marie Hughes at (540) 664-1185. 


Cell Phones

We respectfully request that you please turn off or silence your cell phone prior to entering the Narthex during the Church services. If you have a professional reason to carry a cell phone for emergencies, keep it on mute, not vibrate, and sit near to the exits so that leaving for an emergency will not be a distraction to others who are praying. Thank you for your kind understanding and cooperation.


Parish Calendar

Is on the Dormition’s website and can be viewed for upcoming liturgical services, meetings and events. To view the Parish Calendar  Click here.

All ministries are kindly requested to coordinate with Father Panagiotis, as early as possible, the date/time of proposed meetings and events to prevent scheduling conflicts. E-mail new postings or updates to frpeter.dormition@gmail.com. Everyone's cooperation is essential.


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Bulletin Submission Guidelines

Bulletin Announcements

Announcements for the Sunday e-bulletin and printed bulletin may be submitted by e-mail to frpeter.dormition@gmail.com or by fax to Father's Study at (540) 667-1990. The deadline for all announcements is Wednesday morning by 9:00 for the upcoming  bulletins. When feastdays or holidays fall on Thursday or Friday, the bulletins will be published earlier in that week.

All announcements must be in connection with Parish events, activities, fundraisers or community services. Fundraiser and community service announcements must be for non-commercial/non-profit events and activities. The content of the announcement must be in accordance with Orthodox Christian teachings, believes and values.

All ministries are requested to coordinate with Father Panagiotis, as early as possible, the date/time of proposed meetings and events to prevent scheduling conflicts. E-mail new postings, updates and changes to Father. Everyone's cooperation is essential.

To ensure the privacy of our Parishioners, announcements for births, baptisms, and weddings are not automatically included.  The family should make this request to Fr. Panagiotis. 

All announcements should be brief and concise including accurate contact information. All submissions are subject to edit by the Presiding Priest.

 


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Driving Directions to the Church

The Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church welcomes you to worship with us on Sunday and whenever the Divine Liturgy is celebrated. Orthros begins at 8:45am and the Divine Liturgy at 10:00am.

Click here for Google Map & Specific Driving Directions »

DIRECTIONS TO THE CHURCH FROM THE NORTH:

1. Proceed south on Interstate 81 South heading toward Winchester
2. Take exit 317 for VA-37/ US-11 toward US-522 N/ US-50 W/ Winchester/ Stephenson (0.3 mi)
3. Turn right at US-11 S/ VA-37 S/ Martinsburg Pike, Continue to follow VA-37 S (3.8 mi)
4. Take the ramp to US-50 E/ Northwestern Pike (0.2 mi)
5. Turn left at US-50 E/ Northwestern Pike, Continue to follow US-50 E (0.6 mi )
6. Turn left at Omps Dr, Continue to entrance of the Church`s parking lot (100 ft)
7. Turn left into the Church`s parking lot.

DIRECTIONS TO THE CHURCH FROM THE SOUTH:

1. Proceed north on Interstate 81North heading toward Winchester
2. Take exit 310 for VA-37 toward US-11/VA-642/ Winchester/ Kernstown/ US-50/ US-522/ Berkely Spgs/ Romney (0.2 mi)
3. Turn left at VA-37 N (5.2 mi)
4. Take the US-50 ramp to Winchester/ Romney (0.3 mi)
5. Turn right at US-50 E/ Amherst St (0.5 mi)
6. Turn left at Omps Dr, Continue to entrance of the Church`s parking lot (100 ft)
7. Turn left into the Church`s parking lot.

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