Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-02-16
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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (904)-829-0504
  • Fax:
  • (904)829-0504
  • Street Address:

  • 2940 CR-214

  • St. Augustine, FL 32084-2718


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Sunday  Divine Liturgy 10:00am    V. Rev. Father Maximos Politis, Priest


Past Bulletins


Parish News

PRAYER REQUEST:

"I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people….  This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

We pray for mercy, life, peace, and healing of all parishioners.

Prayers for the family and friends of: Dr. George Antonatos, Ellen Sarris Allen, Maryann Bolt, Leonardos Daniels, Athena Duddy, Mikae Gaetanos, Susana G. Kugeares, Kostas Lantzounis, Chresanthe Lemieux, George Lemieux, Jr., James Mahourtis, Mary Mastoridis, Nicolaos Pramagioulis, Tommy Stewart and Trey Wilkinson.

May their memory be eternal!

Prayers for Taki Andriotis, Angelique Dalarides Kelley, Michael Colburn, Chris Bersu, Michael and Ingrid Fotianos, Ruza Basimamovic, Zoe Kauttu (daughter of Melissa Sarris Kauttu), James Day, James, Kyriake, Alex Aclim, Jane Anderson, Gwen H, Lewis Hayberg and Jayden Billeter

A WORD FROM:

V. Rev Fr. Maximos Politis, HTGOC Parish Priest

(347) 500-8176 [email protected]

 

 

H χειραφέτηση του Ασώτου.

Την Κυριακή ακούμε την Παραβολή του Ασώτου υιού. Με αφορμή το γνωστό ευαγγελικό ανάγνωσμα, θα ήταν καλό να πούμε κάτι σχετικά με την ανάγκη που κατ' αρχάς ο νέος και γενικότερα ο άνθρωπος αισθάνεται για την χειραφέτηση από τις κοινωνικές ή τις θρησκευτικές αξίες. Απεμπολεί λοιπόν κάθε τι που νομίζει ότι τον περιορίζει και τον βαραίνει ενώ στην πραγματικότητα αυτό είναι το σπίτι, το καταφύγιο και η τροφή του . Αυτό τον προστατεύει, τον φυλάγει και τον τρέφει.  Στο τέλος, αντί να βρει αυτό που νομιζει ως τον πραγματικό εαυτό του και την ολοκλήρωση της προσωπικότητάς του, επιτυγχάνει το αντίθετο. Αισθάνεται άδειος, αποξενωμένος και πεινασμένος. Τελικά βρίσκει την ταυτότητα του στην Πατρική αγκαλιά και νιώθει ότι είναι υιός. Δεν είναι αναγκαίο ο άνθρωπος να φτάσει σε αυτή την πνευματική πείνα, δίψα, ή αποξένωση προκειμένου να νιώσει την έλλειψη του πνευματικού του Πατέρα και του Θεού. Όπως όταν  βρεθούμε εκτεθειμένοι στο κρύο, και τα χιόνια, ή και σε ασιτεία, τότε καταλαβαίνουμε καλά την σημασία των ρούχων και της τροφής. Η αληθινή μετάνοια, η αναγνώριση της προσωπικής ευθύνης, χωρίς δικαιολογίες, ανοίγει τον δρόμο της επιστροφής στο πατρικό σπίτι, και κάνει τον άνθρωπο άξιο συνδαιτημόνα του αιώνιου πνευματικού δείπνου.

 

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The emancipation of the Prodigal Son

On Sunday, we hear the Parable of the Prodigal Son. This well-known evangelical reading reminds us of the desire, particularly among young people, and people in general, to emancipate themselves from social or religious values. They seek to discard everything they perceive as limiting and burdensome, when in reality, these very things serve as their home, shelter, and nourishment. These values protect, guard, and sustain them.

Instead of discovering their true self and completing their personality, such individuals often experience the opposite. They end up feeling empty, alienated, and hungry. Ultimately, they find their identity in the embrace of the Father and realize they are His children. It is not necessary for a person to reach a state of spiritual hunger, thirst, or alienation to recognize their need for their spiritual Father and God. Just as we appreciate the importance of clothing and food when exposed to cold, snow, or need, we should understand the value of our spiritual relationship with God before reaching a point of desperation.

True repentance and the recognition of personal responsibility, without excuses, open the way to return to our heavenly home. This return allows us to become "radiant guests of His kingdom," partaking in the eternal spiritual feast.

 

 

EVENTS:

           Upcoming Events:    

  • Mortgage Reduction Campaign 2/16/2025
  •  Valentines Day 2/14/2025
  • Presidents day 2/17/2025 Parish and Archdiocese Offices closed

 

   **If you have an article for the Bulletin or Newsletter please email by Wednesday each week to Carey at the Church office to [email protected].

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 1st Tone

The stone having been sealed by the Pharisees and chief priests, * and Your all-immaculate body being guarded by soldiers, * You rose on the third day, O Lord and Savior, granting life unto the world. * Then the powers of the heavens cried out to You, O Giver of Life, and shouted, * “Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ! * Glory to Your eternal rule! * Glory to Your plan for saving us, only benevolent God!” 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 the Church in the 4th Tone

Blessed are You, O Christ our God; You made wise men of poor fishermen by sending down upon them Your Holy Spirit, and through them You caught the whole world, O Lover of mankind, glory to You.

Εύλογητός εἶ Χριστὲ ὁ Θεος ἡμῶν ὁ πανσόφους τοὺς ἁλιεῖς ἁναδείξας καταπέμψας αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῶν τῆν οἰκουμένην σαγηνεύσας φιλάνθρωπε δόξα Σοι

Seasonal Kontakion in the 3rd Tone

I revolted senselessly out of Your fatherly glory; I have squandered sinfully all of the riches You gave me. Hence to You, using the Prodigal’s words, I cry out, I have sinned before You, merciful loving Father. O receive me in repentance, I pray, and treat me as one of Your hired hands. Τῆς πατρῴας, δόξης σου, ἀποσκιρτήσας ἀφρόνως, ἐν κακοῖς ἐσκόρπισα, ὃν μοι παρέδωκας πλοῦτον· ὅθεν σοι τὴν τοῦ Ἀσώτου, φωνὴν κραυγάζω· Ἥμαρτον ἐνώπιόν σου Πάτερ οἰκτίρμον, δέξαι με μετανοοῦντα, καὶ ποίησόν με, ὡς ἕνα τῶν μισθίων σου.
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Saints and Feasts

February 16

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Through the parable of today's Gospel, our Saviour has set forth three things for us: the condition of the sinner, the rule of repentance, and the greatness of God's compassion. The divine Fathers have put this reading the week after the parable of the Publican and Pharisee so that, seeing in the person of the Prodigal Son our own wretched condition -- inasmuch as we are sunken in sin, far from God and His Mysteries -- we might at last come to our senses and make haste to return to Him by repentance during these holy days of the Fast.

Furthermore, those who have wrought many great iniquities, and have persisted in them for a long time, oftentimes fall into despair, thinking that there can no longer be any forgiveness for them; and so being without hope, they fall every day into the same and even worse iniquities. Therefore, the divine Fathers, that they might root out the passion of despair from the hearts of such people, and rouse them to the deeds of virtue, have set the present parable at the forecourts of the Fast, to show them the surpassing goodness of God's compassion, and to teach them that there is no sin -- no matter how great it may be -- that can overcome at any time His love for man.


February 16

Pamphilus the Martyr & his Companions

This Martyr contested during the reign of Maximian, in the year 290, in Caesarea of Palestine, and was put to death by command of Firmilian, the Governor of Palestine. His fellow contestants' names are Valens, Paul, Seleucus, Porphyrius, Julian, Theodulus, and five others from Egypt: Elias, Jeremias, Esaias, Samuel, and Daniel. Their martyrdom is recorded in Book VIII, ch. 11 of Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History, called The Martyrs of Palestine.


February 16

Flavianos, Patriarch of Constantinople


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 1st Tone. 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 First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20.

Brethren, "all things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" -- and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Prodigal Son
The Reading is from Luke 15:11-32

The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his belly with the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"


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