Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-05-25
Bulletin Contents

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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (228) 388-6138
  • Street Address:

  • 255 Beauvoir Rd.

  • Biloxi, MS 39531


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Service schedule varies.  The current schedule can be found in the bulletin or parish website.

 


Past Bulletins


Father Paisius McGrath, Presbyter

Christos Voskrese! Greetings to the faithful members and families of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. May our Risen Lord continue to bless and guide us as we grow in our faith and follow Him daily!

Today on the 6th Sunday of Holy Pascha/ Sunday of the Blind Man we again have an opportunity to reflect the healing  power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  In today's Gospel Reading from Saint John 9:1-38 we encounter the miracle of the Healing of the Man Blind from Birth. In this story, as with all the Sunday Gospel readings in the Paschal season, we find spiritual echoes of the healing power of baptism.  This story of the man blind from birth receiving the illumination of sight is of course a spiritual reference to how in Holy Baptism all humanity receives spiritual Holy Illumination by the removal of spiritual blindness just as the blind man has his life long physical blindness removed.

 

       Your Pastor,
 
       Father Paisius R. McGrath

 

 

  

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Tone. Psalm 63.11,1.
The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord.
Verse: Oh God, hear my cry.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 4:6-15.

Brethren, it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke," we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.


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

May 25

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.


May 28

Apodosis of Pascha


May 29

Holy Ascension

The Lord Jesus passed forty days on earth after His Resurrection from the dead, appearing continually in various places to His disciples, with whom He also spoke, ate, and drank, thereby further demonstrating His Resurrection. On this Thursday, the fortieth day after Pascha, He appeared again in Jerusalem. After He had first spoken to the disciples about many things, He gave them His last commandment, that is, that they go forth and proclaim His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. But He also commanded them that for the present, they were not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait there together until they receive power from on high, when the Holy Spirit would come upon them.

Saying these things, He led them to the Mount of Olives, and raising His hands, He blessed them; and saying again the words of the Father's blessing, He was parted from them and taken up. Immediately a cloud of light, a proof of His majesty, received Him. Sitting thereon as though on a royal chariot, He was taken up into Heaven, and after a short time was concealed from the sight of the disciples, who remained where they were with their eyes fixed on Him. At this point, two Angels in the form of men in white raiment appeared to them and said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, Who is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven" (Acts 1:11). These words, in a complete and concise manner, declare what is taught in the Symbol of Faith concerning the Son and Word of God. Therefore, having so fulfilled all His dispensation for us, our Lord Jesus Christ ascended in glory into Heaven, and sat at the right hand of God the Father. As for His sacred disciples, they returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, rejoicing because Christ had promised to send them the Holy Spirit.

It should be noted that the Mount of Olives is a Sabbath's day journey from Jerusalem, that is, the distance a Jew was permitted to walk on the day of the Sabbath. Ecumenius writes, "A Sabbath day's journey is one mile in length, as Clement says in his fifth Stromatis; it is two thousand cubits, as the Interpretation of the Acts states." They draw this conclusion from the fact that, while they were in the wilderness, the Israelites of old kept within this distance from the Holy Tabernacle, whither they walked on the Sabbath day to worship God.


June 01

Fathers of the 1st Council

The heresiarch Arius was a Libyan by race and a protopresbyter of the Church of Alexandria. In 315, he began to blaspheme against the Son and Word of God, saying that He is not true God, consubstantial with the Father, but is rather a work and creation, alien to the essence and glory of the Father, and that there was a time when He was not. This frightful blasphemy shook the faithful of Alexandria. Alexander, his Archbishop, after trying in vain to correct him through admonitions, cut him off from communion and finally in a local council deposed him in the year 321. Yet neither did the blasphemer wish to be corrected, nor did he cease sowing the deadly tares of his heretical teachings; but writing to the bishops of other cities, Arius and his followers requested that his doctrine be examined, and if it were unsound, that the correct teaching be declared to him. By this means, his heresy became universally known and won many supporters, so that the whole Church was soon in an uproar.

Therefore, moved by divine zeal, the first Christian Sovereign, Saint Constantine the Great, the equal to the Apostles, summoned the renowned First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, a city of Bithynia. It was there that the shepherds and teachers of the Church of Christ gathered from all regions in the year 325. All of them, with one mouth and one voice, declared that the Son and Word of God is one in essence with the Father, true God of true God, and they composed the holy Symbol of Faith up to the seventh article (since the remainder, beginning with "And in the Holy Spirit," was completed by the Second Ecumenical Council). Thus they anathematized the impious Arius of evil belief and those of like mind with him, and cut them off as rotten members from the whole body of the faithful.

Therefore, recognizing the divine Fathers as heralds of the Faith after the divine Apostles, the Church of Christ has appointed this present Sunday for their annual commemoration, in thanksgiving and unto the glory of God, unto their praise and honour, and unto the strengthening of the true Faith.


June 01

Justin the Philosopher and Martyr and his Companions

This Saint, who was from Neapolis of Palestine, was a follower of Plato the philosopher. Born in 103, he came to the Faith of Christ when he was already a mature man, seeking to find God through philosophy and human reasoning. A venerable elder appeared to him and spoke to him about the Prophets who had taught of God not through their own wisdom, but by revelation; and he led him to knowledge of Christ, Who is the fulfillment of what the Prophets taught. Saint Justin soon became a fervent follower of Christ, and an illustrious apologist of the Evangelical teachings. To the end of his life, while preaching Christ in all parts, he never put off his philosopher's garb. In Rome, he gave the Emperor Antoninus Pius (reigned 138-161) an apology wherein he proved the innocence and holiness of the Christian Faith, persuading him to relieve the persecution of Christians. Through the machinations of Crescens, a Cynic philosopher who envied him, Saint Justin was beheaded in Rome in 167 under Antoninus' successor, Marcus Aurelius (reigned 161-180). Besides his defense of Christianity (First and Second Apologies), Saint Justin wrote against paganism (Discourse to the Greeks, Hortatory Address to the Greeks), and refuted Jewish objections against Christ (Dialogue with Trypho).


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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal 1st Tone

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 1st Tone

Let us worship the Word who is unoriginate * with the Father and the Spirit, and from a Virgin was born * for our salvation, O believers, and let us sing His praise. * For in His goodness He was pleased * to ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to undergo death, * and to raise up those who had died, * by His glorious Resurrection.

Apolytikion for 3rd Discovery of the Head of the Forerunner in the 4th Tone

Christ God hath revealed to us thy truly ven'rable head as a divine treasure that had been concealed in the earth, O Prophet and Forerunner. Wherefore, as we gather on the feast of its finding, with our hymns inspired of God, we praise Christ the Saviour, Who by thy mighty prayers saveth us from every kind of harm.

Apolytikion for the Church in the 1st Tone

Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who made fishermen all-wise, sending upon them the Holy Spirit and, through them, netting the world. O Loving One, glory to You.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal 4th Tone

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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Wisdom of the Fathers

He who truly wishes to believe in God must be lifted above himself, his mind, and even the whole world. For this reason, the value of faith is considered higher than the value of man. It is even higher than the value of the whole world. Therefore, the reward of faith should be higher than all of man's possessions along with the glories of this world. The reward of faith is God.
Fr. Matthew the Poor
Orthodox Prayer Life: The Interior Way, p. 74, 20th 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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Upcoming Services and Events

  • Upcoming Services and Events

    May 25 to May 31, 2025

    Sunday, May 25

    5th Sunday of Holy Pascha

    Sunday of the Blind Man

    3rd Finding of Head of Saint John the Baptist

    9:30AM Orthros

    10:00AM Divine Liturgy

    11:30AM Memorial for Departed Veterans

    12:30PM Catechuman Class

    Monday, May 26

    Memorial Day

    9:30AM Orthros

    10:00AM Divine Liturgy

    5:30PM Practical Orthodoxy Group

    Wednesday, May 28

    Apodosis (Leavetaking) of Holy Pascha

    9:30AM Orthros

    10:00AM Divine Liturgy

    6:00PM Great Vespers with Artoklasia and Potluck Meal

    Thursday, May 29

    Holy Ascension

    9:30AM Orthros

    10:00AM Divine Liturgy

    6:00PM Parish Bible Study

    Saturday, May 31

    5:00PM Great Vespers

    6:00PM Byzantine Chant Class

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Announcements

 

BIRTHDAYS

Today we as a Parish community extend our best wishes and congratulations to Anthea Ravanos as she celebrates her birthday on May 31 and to Bethany Sommers as she celebrates her birthday on May 31.  May the Lord our God bless His servants, Anthea and Bethany, and may He grant to them many more blessed and happy years!

 

ANNIVERSARIES

 Today we as a Parish community extend our best wishes and congratulations to Cassidy and Crystal Anderson as they celebrate their Anniversary on May 24.  May the Lord our God bless His servants, Cassidy and Crystal, and may He grant to them many more blessed and happy years!

 

NEW CATECHUMEN

Today we as a Parish community extend our best wishes and congratulations to Maureen Garnica as she was enrolled as our newest catechumen this past Wednesday.  May the Lord our God bless and guide her as she grows in her faith in Him!

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 
This morning at the end of Divine Liturgy we offer a Memorial Service for all departed veterans of our Armed Forces whom we honor this Memorial Day weekend.  We will also have Orthros, Divine Liturgy, and Memorial Service tomorrow on Memorial Day.  May the Lord our God grant a blessed repose to His departed servants and may their memory be eternal!
 
This week we celebrate the Apodosis/Leavetaking of Holy Pascha on Wednesday, May 28 with Orthros at 9:30 am and Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.  We will celebrate the service of Holy Pascha this one last time on this day.
 
This week we celebrate the Feast of Holy Ascension with Great Vespers with Artoklasia at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28 and Orthros at 9:30 a.m. and Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 29.  Join us as we celebrate this glorious feast!
 
We invite everyone to join us this week for our weekly Parish Bible Study on Thursday, May 29 at 6:00 p.m.  This week we are studying the Wisdom of Solomon in our Old Testament.
 
We offer a reminder that in the Orthodox Church on the day before Holy Pentecost we have a Soul Saturday.  This year it will be celebrated on Saturday, June 7, and we ask each family to make sure the names of your departed family members and loved ones are handed in so that they are remembered on this special day.
 

HOLY TRINITY SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Monday, May 26, Memorial Day, Orthros 9:30 a.m.  Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m.  Memorial Service 11:30 a.m.
Practical Orthodoxy Group 5:30 p.m. at the Parish Hall
 
Wednesday, May 28, Apodosis/Leavetaking of Holy Pascha, Orthros 9:30 a.m.  Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m.
Great Vespers with Artoklasia 6:00 p.m.  Potluck Meal
 
Thursday, May 29, Holy Ascension, Orthros 9:30 a.m.  Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m.
Parish Bible Study 6:00 p.m.
 
Saturday, May 31, Great Vespers 5:00 p.m.
Byzantine Chant Class
 
Sunday, June 1, Sunday of Holy Fathers of 1st Ecumenical Council of Nicea/Saint Justin Martyr the Philosopher, Orthros 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m.   Catechumen Class 12:30 p.m.
 

The Ministry of Holy Trinity is enabled, thanks be to God, by the faithful support of the following stewards of our Parish:

Abrahem Samander
Adam & Shauna Angel
Akaterina Vamvakas
Alijah King
Angelos and Elizabeth Vamvakas
Brad & Mandy Sartor
Carl & Nancy Malek
Chris Mavromihalis
Chrissanthi Beach
Colleen Collins
Crystal & Cassidy Anderson
Edward S. Maikranz
Eleni Vganges
George & Janie Mavromihalis
George & Sheila Yurchak
George J. Vaporis
George L. Contas
Gus Ravenous
Guy Bowering
Jeff & Christie Maung
Irene Adeline
Irene Koskan
Jaime Ross
John & Donna Collins
Louis and Linda Peters
Malama Thrasivoulou
Mousa Maloof
Mihnea C. & Viorica M Ionescu
Nada D. Harris
Nataliya Petrovska Kirkby
Nicoletta Conner
Panagiotis "Peter" & Maria Loukatos
Rodney and Karen Bridges
Seth Willison
Spiro Vganges
Tim Gilmore
Trent & Rachel Milan
William Patrick Weaver
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Bulletin

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