Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-03-30
Bulletin Contents
Parish News
Hymns of the Day
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings

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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

Thomas Lekas


[email protected] | 678-993-3629

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: 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, Adeline Susan Rahaneotis, 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,Jayden Billeter and Chris.

A WORD FROM:

V. Rev Fr. Maximos Politis, HTGOC Parish Priest

(347) 500-8176 [email protected]

 

 

Προς το μέλλον εν χαρά διευθυδρομήσωμεν

Η εορτή της Σταυροπροσκυνήσεως τελείται στο μέσον της Μεγάλης Τεσσαρακοστής. Ένας λοιπόν ύμνος της επομενης Κυριακής λέει: 

Έχοντας περάσει τη μισή απόσταση αυτής περιόδου της ιερής Νηστείας, ας αγωνιστούμε, χαίροντας με σταθερότητα και πηγαίνοντας προς το τέλος της. Ας χρίσουμε την ψυχή μας με το λάδι της φιλανθρωπίας, ώστε να αξιωθούμε να προσκυνήσουμε τα Θεία Πάθη του Χριστού του Θεού μας, και να φτάσουμε στην ιερή ανάστασή Του!

Η νηστεία και η ιδιαίτερη Πνευματική προσπάθεια που καταβάλλεται αυτή την ειδική περίοδο της Μεγάλης Σαρακοστής δημιουργούν στους Πιστούς κόπωση. Θα λέγαμε και ότι οι ιδιαίτερες συνθήκες που ζει όλη η ανθρωπότητα φέρνουν ακεφιά. Ο ύμνος καλεί τους Πιστούς με χαρά και αισιοδοξία να ατενίσουν το μέλλον. Σα να τους λέει: Μην στεναχωριέστε, μη χάνετε το κέφι σας. Με τη βοήθεια του Πνευματικού αγώνα θα αξιωθούμε σύντομα να προσκυνήσουμε τα Πάθη του Χριστού και να γιορτάσουμε την Ανάστασή Του. 

Η ζωή του Χριστιανού είναι μια Σταυροαναστάσιμη πορεία, είναι μια Μεγάλη Σαρακοστή, από τον αγώνα στη λύτρωση και από την πορεία μέσα στην έρημο της ζωής προς την Γη της Επαγγελίας τον Παράδεισο. Όπως έκαναν και οι Εβραίοι. Και  Εκκλησία μας προτρέπει παρά τις δυσκολίες με χαρά να συνεχίσουμε τον αγώνα ώστε να συναντήσουμε τον Αναστημένο Χριστό την ώρα της προσωπικής μας Ανάστασης.

 

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letusstrive, rejoicing

 

The Sunday of the Holy Cross is celebrated in the middle of Lent. So a hymn from next Sunday says:

Having passed half the distance of this holy fast, let us strive, rejoicing with steadfastness, to its end. Let us anoint ourselves with the oil of charity, that we may be worthy to adore the Holy Passion of Christ our God, and attain his most honored and holy resurrection!

The fasting and the special Spiritual effort made during this specific period of Great Lent create fatigue in the Believers. We would also say that the special conditions that all humanity lives in bring bad mood. The hymn invites the Faithful with joy and optimism to look to the future. As if to say to them: Do not be sad, do not lose your joy. With the help of the Spiritual struggle we will soon worship the Passion of Christ and celebrate His Resurrection.

The life of the Christian is a Crucifixion to Resurrection course, it is a Great Lent, from the struggle to redemption and from the path through the desert of life to the Promised Land of Paradise. As did the Jews. And the Church urges us despite the difficulties, with joy to continue the struggle to meet the Risen Christ at the time of our personal Resurrection.

 

 

Notices:

 

 Alter Boys
We need more altar boys to assist Father Maximos. It takes time to train them especially when Alex & Landen (our altar-server Allstars) take off for college in a couple of years. Parents, please submit the names of your children 8 years and above to [email protected] service is a blessing for the children and the church.

EVENTS:

  Upcoming Events:    

  • 40-Day Memorial for Helen Valavanis on 3/30/2025
  • Memorial for Demetrios Beckus on 3/30/2025
  • "Spring General Assembly on 3/30/2025
  • Presanctified Service 4/2/2025 at 6:00p.m.
  • Salutations Service 4/4/2025 at 6:00p.m.
  • 9 month Memorial for Dr. George Antonatos4/6/2025
  • Easter Card Sign-up deadline 4/6/2025

 

   **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 Grave Tone

You destroyed death by Your Cross, You opened Paradise to the Robber. You turned the Myrrh-bearing Women’s lament into joy, and You commanded Your Apostles to preach that You rose, O Christ God, granting the world the great mercy. Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον· ἠνέῳξας τῷ λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον· τῶν Μυροφόρων τὸν θρῆνον μετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας, ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Apolytikion for Sun. of St. John Climacus in the Plagal 4th Tone

ith the rivers of your tears you made the barren desert bloom; and with your sighs from deep within, you made your labors bear their fruits a hundredfold; and you became a star, illuminating the world by your miracles, O John, our devout father. Intercede with Christ our God, for the salvation of our souls. Ταῖς τῶν δακρύων σου ῥοαῖς, τῆς ἐρήμου τὸ ἄγονον ἐγεώργησας, καὶ τοῖς ἐκ βάθους στεναγμοῖς, εἰς ἑκατὸν τοὺς πόνους ἐκαρποφόρησας, καὶ γέγονας φωστὴρ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ, λάμπων τοῖς θαύμασιν, Ἰωάννη Πατὴρ ἡμῶν ὅσιε, πρέσβευε Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἠμῶν.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal 4th Tone

O Champion General, I your City now inscribe to you Triumphant anthems as the tokens of my gratitude,Being rescued from the terrors, O Theotokos. Inasmuch as you have power unassailable, From all kinds of perils free me, so that unto you, I may cry aloud: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride. Τῇ ὑπερμάχῳ στρατηγῷ τὰ νικητήρια, Ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν εὐχαριστήρια, Ἀναγράφω σοι ἡ Πόλις σου Θεοτόκε. Ἀλλʼ ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον, Ἐκ παντοίων με κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον, Ἵνα κράζω σοι· Χαῖρε νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε.
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Saints and Feasts

March 30

Sunday of St. John Climacus

The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast.

March 30

John Climacus the Righteous, author of The Divine Ladder of Ascent

This Saint gave himself over to the ascetical life from his early youth. Experienced both in the solitary life of the hermit and in the communal life of cenobitic monasticism, he was appointed Abbot of the Monastery at Mount Sinai and wrote a book containing thirty homilies on virtue. Each homily deals with one virtue, and progressing from those that deal with holy and righteous activity (praxis) unto those that deal with divine vision (theoria), they raise a man up as though by means of steps unto the height of Heaven. For this cause his work is called "The Ladder of Divine Ascent." The day he was made Abbot of Sinai, the Prophet Moses was seen giving commands to those who served at table. Saint John reposed in 603, at eighty years of age. See also the Fourth Sunday of the Fast.

March 30

Sosthenes, Apollos, Cephas, Caesar, & Epaphroditos, the Apostles of the 70

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Tone. Psalm 28.11,1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20.

BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. John Climacus
The Reading is from Mark 9:17-31

At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise."

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