St. Luke Church
Publish Date: 2025-03-23
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St. Luke Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (413) 525-4551
  • Fax:
  • (413) 525-4552
  • Street Address:

  • 400 Prospect Street

  • East Longmeadow, MA 01028
  • Mailing Address:

  • 400 Prospect Street

  • East Longmeadow, MA 01028


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Second Mode

O Christ, the angelic powers appeared at Your tomb, the guards were as dead, and Mary stood by the sepulcher, seeking Your sacred body. You destroyed Hades yet remained untouched by it. You encountered the Virgin and through her, bestowed Life. Glory to You who has risen from the dead!

Apolytikion for Sun. of the Holy Cross in the First Mode

Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance, granting our rulers to prevail over adversaries, and protecting Your commonwealth by Your Cross.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Sixth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:36-53

At that time, having risen from the dead, Jesus went up and stood among His disciples and said to them, "Peace be with you." But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave Him a piece of broiled fish [and some honeycomb], and He took it and ate before them. Then He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then He opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name in all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands, He blessed them. While He blessed them, He parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the Temple blessing God.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-6.

BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in another place, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Holy Cross
The Reading is from Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."


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Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

Memorial and Trisagion Prayers

03/23/2025

There are no Memorial or Trisagion prayers today


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Parish News

Parish News

03/23/2025

1.  Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross

2.  Wednesday, March 26 @ Saint George CathedralPresanctified Liturgy @ 6 pm followed by a Lenten meal

3.  Monday @ 6 pm -- Great Vespers of the Annunciation

Tuesday @ 8:30/9:30 am -- FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION

3rd Salutations -- Friday, March 28 @ 6 pm

4.  Philoptochos will pass a second tray to support Hellenic Collge Holy Cross

5.  Philoptochos News 

Lenten Coffee Hour – TODAY, Sunday, March 23, 2025, Join US in the Fellowship 

Lenten Coffee Hour

Membership Drive 2025

Don't forget to pledge your support today! Extra forms are available in the fellowship hall.

We invite you to join us in championing Philoptochos's philanthropic mission at all three levels—national, the Boston Metropolis, and our St. Luke Chapter. Together, our collective impact truly makes a difference!

Philoptochos Easter Mailer 

Please take a moment to review all the giving opportunities available to you and your family as we prepare for Pascha. Your support can take many forms, including volunteering, assisting Philoptochos, and giving back to our St. Luke community.

We encourage families to embrace the beautiful traditions of our faith! Bring your children to participate in:

  • Baking workshops
  • Epitaphios decorating
  • Dyeing red eggs for Holy Saturday

Let’s pass these meaningful Pascha traditions on to future generations!

Save the Dates!

Philoptochos Easter Baking Workshops

 Bread – Monday, March 31, 2025, at 10 AM (Lunch provided)
 Cookies – Friday, April 4, 2025, at 10:30 AM (Lunch provided)

Philoptochos will host a Lenten Community Meal on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, following the Presanctified Liturgy. If you or your family would like to contribute, please see Melissa Kaitis.

 

 

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Words from the Saints and our Fathers

Words from the Saints

03/09/2025

Lord and Master of my life; take from me the spirit of sloth, vain curiosity, lust of power, and idle talk.  But grant to me Your servant, the spirit of prudnece, humility, patience, and love.  Yes, Lord, grant me to see my faults and not to condemn my brother or sister, for blessed are You unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

 

-- Lenten Prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian


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Saints and Feasts

March 23

Sunday of the Holy Cross

With the help of God, we have almost reached the middle of the course of the Fast, where our strength has been worn down through abstinence, and the full difficulty of the labour set before us becomes apparent. Therefore our holy Mother, the Church of Christ, now brings to our help the all-holy Cross, the joy of the world, the strength of the faithful, the staff of the just, and the hope of sinners, so that by venerating it reverently, we might receive strength and grace to complete the divine struggle of the Fast.


March 23

The Holy Righteous Martyr Nicon and His 199 Disciples

Saint Nicon was from Neapolis (Naples) in Italy. His father was an idolater and his mother a Christian. At first he was a soldier, but later he went to the East, where he was baptized and in time became a bishop. After some years, he returned to the West and came to Sicily, where he and many of his disciples were put to death by beheading because they would not worship the idols.


March 23

Anatolios & Protoleon the Martyrs converted by the martyrdom of St. George


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Wisdom of the Fathers

The key to knowledge is the humility of Christ. The door of the Kingdom of Heaven is open, not to those who only know in their learned minds the mysteries of faith and the commandments of their Creator, but to those who have progressed far enough to live by them.
St. Bede the Venerable
Unknown, 8th century

To deny oneself means to give up one's bad habits; to root out of the heart all that ties us to the world; not to cherish bad thoughts and desires; to suppress every evil thought; to avoid occasions of sin; not to desire or to do anything out of self-love, but to do everything out of love for God. To deny oneself, according to St. Paul means "to be dead to sin. . . but alive to God."
St. Innocent of Alaska
The Lenten Spring, SVS Press, p. 147, 19th Century

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