Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-12-22
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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (540) 362-3601
  • Fax:
  • (540) 362-3638
  • Street Address:

  • 30 Huntington Blvd. N.E.

  • Roanoke, VA 24012


Contact Information



Services Schedule

Sunday Services: Orthros 9:00am / Divine Liturgy 10:00am

 


Past Bulletins


News & Information

Upcoming Special Services
Orthros 8am / Divine Liturgy 9am
Friday, December 27 - Divine Liturgy for St. Stephen

Nativity Services ~ Tuesday, December 24
Orthros, Great Hours, Vesperal Liturgy starting at 8am
Orthros at 8pm, Divine Liturgy of the Nativity @9pm
No Services Christmas Day ~ Fast Free Period Begins


Merry Christmas to Everyone!

Encyclical from the Archbishop has not been released but will  be posted here next Friday.

 
Previous Announcements

From Philoptochos
> Last chance to purchase cookbooks and ornaments. They make great gifts!  Help  support Philoptochos and our year end donations to local charities such as Salvation Army, RAM House and Feeding America SW Virginia!

> New and returning members - 2025 dues of $30 due before January 30.

> The January Coffee Hour calendar is up in the hall.  Please consider hosting a fellowship hour.

> Next meeting Sunday, January 19th.

Event Brochures:   Church Website

 Email the Church Office       Make a Donation     Church Website    Youtube


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Welcome to All Visitors!
Communion
For those visiting an Orthodox Church for the first time, please be aware that Holy Communion is a sign of unity of faith, which is only offered to Baptized and Chrismated Orthodox Christians.  However, all are welcome  to come forward and receive the antidoron (or blessed bread) which is distributed at the end of the service.
Fellowship
Following Divine Liturgy, we invite you to join us for fellowship and refreshments in our hall. Please introduce yourself to one of our Parish Council or welcoming committee members who are gathered near the candle stand in the entrance area, so that we may have the chance to greet and welcome you properly. We strongly encourage you to fill out a Welcome to our Church form.

Prayers and Offerings
Click this link to download the Prayer Card PDF in PDF format which can be printed and filled in by hand use with the use of 'Fill and Sign'. Use this when offering prosphora, for memorial services, or for prayer requests in general.

Office Hours
Fr. Theodore Lyketsos is our parish priest. Office hours are Monday-Thursday 9am until 2pm. If a need arises please contact the Church Office

 

Church Website
Current Monthly Newsletter

 

 
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:9-10; 32-40.

BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. Δανιήλ 3.26-27.
Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Πατέρων ἡμῶν.
Στίχ. Ὅτι δίκαιος εἶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, οἷς ἐποίησας ἡμῖν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 11:9-10, 32-40.

Ἀδελφοί, πίστει παρῴκησεν Ἀβραὰμ εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ὡς ἀλλοτρίαν, ἐν σκηναῖς κατοικήσας μετὰ ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ ᾿Ιακὼβ τῶν συγκληρονόμων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῆς αὐτῆς· ἐξεδέχετο γὰρ τὴν τοὺς θεμελίους ἔχουσαν πόλιν, ἧς τεχνίτης καὶ δημιουργὸς ὁ Θεός. Καὶ τί ἔτι λέγω; Ἐπιλείψει γάρ με διηγούμενον ὁ χρόνος περὶ Γεδεών, Βαράκ τε καὶ Σαμψὼν καὶ ᾿Ιεφθάε, Δαυΐδ τε καὶ Σαμουὴλ καὶ τῶν προφητῶν, οἳ διὰ πίστεως κατηγωνίσαντο βασιλείας, εἰργάσαντο δικαιοσύνην, ἐπέτυχον ἐπαγγελιῶν, ἔφραξαν στόματα λεόντων, ἔσβεσαν δύναμιν πυρός, ἔφυγον στόματα μαχαίρας, ἐνεδυναμώθησαν ἀπὸ ἀσθενείας, ἐγενήθησαν ἰσχυροὶ ἐν πολέμῳ, παρεμβολὰς ἔκλιναν ἀλλοτρίων· ἔλαβον γυναῖκες ἐξ ἀναστάσεως τοὺς νεκροὺς αὐτῶν· ἄλλοι δὲ ἐτυμπανίσθησαν, οὐ προσδεξάμενοι τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, ἵνα κρείττονος ἀναστάσεως τύχωσιν· ἕτεροι δὲ ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μαστίγων πεῖραν ἔλαβον, ἔτι δὲ δεσμῶν καὶ φυλακῆς· ἐλιθάσθησαν, ἐπρίσθησαν, ἐπειράσθησαν, ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας ἀπέθανον, περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι, ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος, ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι καὶ ὄρεσι καὶ σπηλαίοις καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς. Καὶ οὗτοι πάντες μαρτυρηθέντες διὰ τῆς πίστεως οὐκ ἐκομίσαντο τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένου, ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν τελειωθῶσι.


Gospel Reading

Sunday before Nativity
The Reading is from Matthew 1:1-25

The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.

Sunday before Nativity
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 1:1-25

Βίβλος γενέσεως ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ Δαυῒδ υἱοῦ ᾿Αβραάμ. ᾿Αβραὰμ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ισαάκ, ᾿Ισαὰκ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ιακώβ, ᾿Ιακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ, ᾿Ιούδας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Φαρὲς καὶ τὸν Ζαρὰ ἐκ τῆς Θάμαρ, Φαρὲς δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Εσρώμ, ᾿Εσρὼμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Αράμ, ᾿Αρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Αμιναδάβ, ᾿Αμιναδὰβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ναασσών, Ναασσὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαλμών, Σαλμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Βοὸζ ἐκ τῆς ῾Ραχάβ, Βοὸζ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ωβὴδ ἐκ τῆς ῾Ρούθ, ᾿Ωβὴδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ιεσσαί, ᾿Ιεσσαὶ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Δαυῒδ τὸν βασιλέα. Δαυῒδ δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐγέννησε τὸν Σολομῶνα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου, Σολομὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ῾Ροβοάμ, ῾Ροβοὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Αβιά, ᾿Αβιὰ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ασά, ᾿Ασὰ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ιωσαφάτ, ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ιωράμ, ᾿Ιωρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Οζίαν, ᾿Οζίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ιωάθαμ, ᾿Ιωάθαμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ῎Αχαζ, ῎Αχαζ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Εζεκίαν, ᾿Εζεκίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Μανασσῆ, Μανασσῆς δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Αμών, ᾿Αμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ιωσίαν, ᾿Ιωσίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ιεχονίαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος.

Μετὰ δὲ τὴν μετοικεσίαν Βαβυλῶνος ᾿Ιεχονίας ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαλαθιήλ, Σαλαθιὴλ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ζοροβάβελ, Ζοροβάβελ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Αβιούδ, ᾿Αβιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ελιακείμ, ᾿Ελιακεὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Αζώρ, ᾿Αζὼρ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαδώκ, Σαδὼκ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Αχείμ, ᾿Αχεὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ελιούδ, ᾿Ελιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ελεάζαρ, ᾿Ελεάζαρ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ματθάν, Ματθὰν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ιακώβ, ᾿Ιακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ᾿Ιωσὴφ τὸν ἄνδρα Μαρίας, ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη ᾿Ιησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός. Πᾶσαι οὖν αἱ γενεαὶ ἀπὸ ᾿Αβραὰμ ἕως Δαυῒδ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες, καὶ ἀπὸ Δαυῒδ ἕως τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος ἕως τοῦ Χριστοῦ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες.

Τοῦ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ γέννησις οὕτως ἦν. μνηστευθείσης γὰρ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας τῷ ᾿Ιωσήφ, πρὶν ἢ συνελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εὑρέθη ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ Πνεύματος ῾Αγίου. ᾿Ιωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, δίκαιος ὢν καὶ μὴ θέλων αὐτὴν παραδειγματίσαι, ἐβουλήθη λάθρα ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν. ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐνθυμηθέντος ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατ᾿ ὄναρ ἐφάνη αὐτῷ λέγων· ᾿Ιωσὴφ υἱὸς Δαυΐδ, μὴ φοβηθῇς παραλαβεῖν Μαριὰμ τὴν γυναῖκά σου· τὸ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ Πνεύματός ἐστιν ῾Αγίου. τέξεται δὲ υἱὸν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦν· αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν. Τοῦτο δὲ ὅλον γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσουσι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ᾿Εμμανουήλ, ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός. Διεγερθεὶς δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιωσὴφ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου ἐποίησεν ὡς προσέταξεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ παρέλαβε τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτὴν ἕως οὗ ἔτεκε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς τὸν πρωτότοκον, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦν.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

Pray, my brethren, to the Mother of God when the storm of enmity and malice bursts forth in your house. She, Who is all-merciful and all-powerful, can easily pacify the hearts of men. Peace and love proceed from the one God, as from their Source, and Our Lady - in God, as the Mother of Christ the Peace, is zealous, and prays for the peace of the whole world, and above all - of all Christians.
St. John of Kronstadt
My Life in Christ: Part 1, Holy Trinity Monastery pg. 179, 19th century

Through their prayers for, and alms on behalf of, the deceased, Christians display the relationship between this world and the world to come. The Church in this world and the Church in the other world are one and the same the one Body of Christ one the Church Militant and the other the Church Triumphant. It can be compared to a tree which has roots beneath the earth comprise as well as branches above the earth, but both the roots and the branches comprise one organism. This metaphor also illustrates how we on earth who comprise the Church Militant can receive help from the saints and the righteous ones in the Heavenly Church Triumphant. Saint Athanasios says: 'As it happens with wine inside a barrel which, when the vineyard blooms in the field, senses it and the wine itself blossoms together with it, so it is with the souls of sinners. They receive some relief from the Bloodless Sacrifice offered for them and from charity' performed for their repose. Saint Ephrem the Syrian cites that same example with wine and the vineyard and concludes: 'And so, when there exists such mutual sensitivity even among plants, is not the prayer and sacrifice felt even more for the departed ones?' '[At the Eucharist] the bread itself and the wine are changed into God's body and blood. But if you enquire how this happens, it is enough for you to learn that it was through the Holy Spirit, just as the Lord took on Himself flesh that subsisted in Him and was born of the Holy Mother of God through the Spirit. And we know nothing further save that the Word of God is true and energises and is omnipotent, but the manner of this cannot be searched out. But one can put it well thus, that just as in nature the bread by the eating and the wine by the drinking are changed into the body and blood of the eater and drinker, and do not become a different body from the former one, so the bread of the table and the wine and water are supernaturally changed by the invocation and presence of the Holy Spirit into the body and blood of Christ, and are not two but one and the same.'
St. John of Damascus
An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book 4: Chapter 13; Eerdmans pg. 83, 8th century

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the First Mode

Although the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers guarded Your most pure body, You arose on the third day, O Savior, giving life to the world. For this reason, the heavenly powers cried out to you, O Giver of Life: Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ! Glory to Your kingdom! Glory to Your dispensation, only Lover of Mankind!
Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλασσόντων τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα, ἀνέστης τριήμερος Σωτήρ, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν ζωήν. Διὰ τοῦτο αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐβόων σοι Ζωοδότα· Δόξα τῇ ἀναστάσει σου Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ Βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ σου, μόνε Φιλάνθρωπε.

Apolytikion for Forefeast of the Nativity in the Fourth Mode

Be thou ready, Bethlehem, Eden hath opened unto all. Ephratha, prepare thyself, for now, behold, the Tree of life hath blossomed forth in the cave from the Holy Virgin. Her womb hath proved a true spiritual Paradise, wherein the divine and saving Tree is found, and as we eat thereof we shall all live, and shall not die as did Adam. For Christ is born now to raise the image that had fallen aforetime.
Ετοιμάζου Βηθλεέμ, ήνοικται πάσιν η Εδέμ, Ευτρεπίζου Εφραθά, ότι τό ξύλον τής ζωής, εν τώ Σπηλαίω εξήνθησεν εκ τής Παρθένου, Παράδεισος καί γάρ, η εκείνης γαστήρ, εδείχθη νοητός, εν ώ τό θείον φυτόν, εξ ού φαγόντες ζήσομεν, ουχί δέ ως ο Αδάμ τεθνηξόμεθα, Χριστός γεννάται, τήν πρίν πεσούσαν, αναστήσων εικόνα.

Apolytikion for Sun. before Nativity in the Second Mode

Great are the achievements of faith! In the fountain of flame, as by the water of rest, the Three Holy Children rejoiced. And the Prophet Daniel proved a shepherd of lions as of sheep. By their prayers, O Christ our God, save our souls.
Μεγάλα τὰ τῆς πίστεως κατορθώματα! ἐν τῇ πηγὴ τῆς φλογός, ὡς ἐπὶ ὕδατος ἀναπαύσεως, οἱ ἅγιοι τρεῖς παϊδες ἠγάλλοντο, καὶ ὁ Προφήτης Δανιήλ, λεόντων ποιμήν, ὡς προβάτων ἐδείκνυτο, Ταὶς αὐτῶν ἱκεσίαις, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς.

Apolytikion of the Holy Trinity in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἀναδείξας, καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοι.

Blessed are You, O Christ our God who, by sending down the Holy Spirit upon them, made the fishermen wise and through them, illumined the world, and to You the universe is ever drawn. O Loving God, Glory to You.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode

On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.
Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν Προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀπορρήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν.
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