St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-10-20
Bulletin Contents

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St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 757-220-0994
  • Street Address:

  • 4900 Mooretown Road

  • Williamsburg, VA 23188


Contact Information








Services Schedule

Sunday Services -- Kuriakh:

Orthros, 9:00 a.m.

Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m.

OrqroV, 0900 pm.

Q. Leitourgia, 1000 pm.

 

Weekday Holy Days (as scheduled):

Orthros, 8:45 a.m.

Divine Liturgy, 9:30 a.m.

KaqhmerineV EorteV:

OrqroV, 0845 pm.

Q. Leitourgia, 0930 pm.

 


Past Bulletins


Message from Fr. Gianulis

A Special Celebration of St. Demetrios

What is a patron saint? We have one, Saint Demetrios. However, do we really ever consider our relationship with our patron saint? Yes, it is a relationship.

A patron saint is a holy person to whose protection and intercession a person, a church, or a place is dedicated. The choice is often made on the basis of some real or presumed relationship with the persons or places involved. Even if we are unaware of how that relationship started, it nonetheless is developed. As with any relationship, it can be nurtured. And, the relationship is mutual. It is about the patronage of St. Demetrios as well as our specific devotion to him.

We are less than two weeks away from our Patronal Feast, that is, the celebration of St. Demetrios the Great-Martyr and Myrrh-Streamer, Patron Saint of our parish. We are richly blessed and quite fortunate to have accomplished what we have here in Williamsburg—to build this church and grow this community. Last March, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros expressed his amazement of what we, so few and a small community, have accomplished.

Of course, many individuals deserve a lot of gratitude for their sacrifices and gifts. But not the least of whom is the great martyr and saint who watches over us, our patron saint. Let us in turn show our gratitude and reverence to him in liturgy.

Come on Saturday, October 26th to the Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. and offer St. Demetrios a prayer of praise and thanks for his oversight and care. Humbly ask for his continuing guidance and protection. 

Following the Divine Liturgy, join us for a luncheon. This will be a special luncheon because in this his final year of service to the Church, Fr. Martin Ritsi, the Executive Director of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) will be our guest and speak to us about the glorious happenings in the field of missions.

There will be no charge for the lunch. There will be a special educational program for our youth. And all of us stand to learn a great deal about the Church worldwide, from Africa to Albania, from Guatemala to Indonesia. Come and see while enjoying good food and fellowship under the watchful eye of the holy great martyr Demetrios.


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Upcoming Divine Services and Holy Days

St. Demetrios the Great-Martyr and Myrrh-Exhaler

The Feast of our parish is on October 25/26

Great Vespers, 6:30 p.m. on Friday (reception to follow)

Orthros, 9:00 a.m.

Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m. with a luncheon to follow. 

We thank all those who are bringing food items for the Friday reception and Tom and Linda Jouvanis who are hosting the catered luncheon on Saturday.

Fr. Martin Ritsi will be our guest celebrant and speaker at the Lunch on Saturday. He is the Executive Director of  OCMC and former missionary in Albania, Kenya, and other places.


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Announcements

PATRONAL FEAST DAY CELEBRATIONS

On Friday and Saturday, we will celebrate St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrh Streamer. Join us for Great Vespers at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25th. A reception to follow. And Orthros at  9 a.m. followed by Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26th.

After the Divine Liturgy, all are invited to attend a free luncheon celebrating the wonderful work of Fr. Martin Ritsi, Executive Director of OCMC, who will be our guest. Please see the enclosed flyer for reservations and details.


PHILOPTOCHOS OATH OF OFFICE

On November 3rd, the newly elected board members of our newly established chapter of the Philoptochos Society #1100 will receive their official Oath of Office, and in thanksgiving to God and asking His blessings on their philanthropic work will offer the 5 loaves for an Artoklasia service. Please plan to be there and show your support for Philoptochos. 


GREEK SCHOOL ONLINE

We are pleased to be able to continue to offer virtual Greek lessons for children and adults starting the week of September 23, 2024.  This semester, we are planning to offer five separate classes which will include:
  • Beginners class for children picking up where we left off this past spring.
  • Beginners class for children with no prior Greek School experience
  • Intermediate class for children also continuing where we left off this past spring.
  • Adult class for advanced beginners.  
  • Adult class for lower beginners.
Through continued generosity of Nick & Kimi Vlahakis, we are able to offer the classes below cost at $100 per student this semester for St. Demetrios parishioners.   Scholarships are also available.  
As in the past, 12 lessons will be offered this semester starting the week of September 23rd.  This is an excellent opportunity to learn the Greek language and culture.   Please contact either Demetra Demetriou (our teacher) or Tom Jouvanis (our parish council president) if you have an interest.   Ms. Demetriou can be contacted by phone at (702)427-5925 or via email at [email protected].  Likewise, Mr. Jouvanis can be contacted at (703)283-4216 or via email at [email protected].  
Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and participation. Let me know as soon as possible.
Demetra Demetriou
Tom Jouvanis

Help Needed. You Could Save a Life.

A former member of our Greek American community of Hampton Roads is still in need of a stem cell transplant. I have extra registration kits available for anyone who would like to join. To join the registry, all that is required is a short health survey and a cheek swab. Join the Registry | NMDP (Formerly Be The Match) Only persons between 18- 40 years old are eligible. Please contact me, Elaine Jansen at 757 810-5206 or [email protected] with any questions and to sign up. Thank you! 


Visit us on Facebook

Updates on Orthodox Church news items can be found on our Facebook page. We thank Presbytera for monitoring and administering the page.

Also, check out our St. Demetrios website.


Remember in Prayer for Health

"I was sick and you visited me." (Matthew 25:36)

St. Mary Immaculate Hospital: Bercu Yelciman

Riverside Regional Medical Center: Nick Vlahakis

Nick would like to express his gratitude for all the prayers, calls, and good wishes for his health from the St. Demetrios community.

Christ the Healer (ICON) 10.25" x 6.25"
Lift up in prayer:

Peter and Beverly Daikos

Markos Embry

Sonny Halioris

Athanasia Jouvanis

John Kaminarides

Jim Kokolis

Maria Kokolis

Nikki Mageris 

Fr. John Manuel, St. Nicholas GOC

Nancy Marakos

Chris Marker

John and Connie Pavlides

Justin Tench

  Nick Vlattas


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

17th Sunday after Pentecost
The Reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:1

Brethren, you are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.

17th Sunday after Pentecost
Πρὸς Κορινθίους β' 6:16-18, 7:1

Ἀδελφοί, ὑμεῖς ἐστε ναὸς Θεοῦ ζῶντος, καθὼς εἶπεν ὁ θεός ὅτι Ἐνοικήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσω· καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτῶν θεός, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μοι λαός. Διὸ, Ἐξέλθετε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν καὶ ἀφορίσθητε, λέγει κύριος, καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε· κἀγὼ εἰσδέξομαι ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἔσομαι ὑμῖν εἰς πατέρα, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθέ μοι εἰς υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας, λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ. Ταύτας οὖν ἔχοντες τὰς ἐπαγγελίας, ἀγαπητοί, καθαρίσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ παντὸς μολυσμοῦ σαρκὸς καὶ πνεύματος, ἐπιτελοῦντες ἁγιωσύνην ἐν φόβῳ θεοῦ.


Gospel Reading

6th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 8:26-39

At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me." For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

6th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 8:26-39

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐλθόντι τῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Γαδαρηνῶν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἀντίπερα τῆς Γαλιλαίας. ἐξελθόντι δὲ αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ ἀνήρ τις ἐκ τῆς πόλεως, ὃς εἶχε δαιμόνια ἐκ χρόνων ἱκανῶν, καὶ ἱμάτιον οὐκ ἐνεδιδύσκετο καὶ ἐν οἰκίᾳ οὐκ ἔμενεν, ἀλλ᾿ ἐν τοῖς μνήμασιν. ἰδὼν δὲ τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν καὶ ἀνακράξας προσέπεσεν αὐτῷ καὶ φωνῇ μεγάλῃ εἶπε· τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί, ᾿Ιησοῦ, υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου; δέομαί σου, μή με βασανίσῃς. παρήγγειλε γὰρ τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ ἐξελθεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. πολλοῖς γὰρ χρόνοις συνηρπάκει αὐτόν, καὶ ἐδεσμεῖτο ἁλύσεσι καὶ πέδαις φυλασσόμενος, καὶ διαρρήσσων τὰ δεσμὰ ἠλαύνετο ὑπὸ τοῦ δαίμονος εἰς τὰς ἐρήμους. ἐπηρώτησε δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς λέγων· τί σοί ἐστιν ὄνομα; ὁ δὲ εἶπε· λεγεών· ὅτι δαιμόνια πολλὰ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς αὐτόν· καὶ παρεκάλει αὐτὸν ἵνα μὴ ἐπιτάξῃ αὐτοῖς εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον ἀπελθεῖν. ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖ ἀγέλη χοίρων ἱκανῶν βοσκομένων ἐν τῷ ὄρει· καὶ παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν ἵνα ἐπιτρέψῃ αὐτοῖς εἰς ἐκείνους εἰσελθεῖν· καὶ ἐπέτρεψεν αὐτοῖς. ἐξελθόντα δὲ τὰ δαιμόνια ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰσῆλθον εἰς τοὺς χοίρους, καὶ ὥρμησεν ἡ ἀγέλη κατὰ τοῦ κρημνοῦ εἰς τὴν λίμνην καὶ ἀπεπνίγη. ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ βόσκοντες τὸ γεγενημένον ἔφυγον, καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἀγρούς. ἐξῆλθον δὲ ἰδεῖν τὸ γεγονός, καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν καὶ εὗρον καθήμενον τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀφ᾿ οὗ τὰ δαιμόνια ἐξεληλύθει, ἱματισμένον καὶ σωφρονοῦντα παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ, καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν. ἀπήγγειλαν δὲ αὐτοῖς οἱ ἰδόντες πῶς ἐσώθη ὁ δαιμονισθείς. καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν ἅπαν τὸ πλῆθος τῆς περιχώρου τῶν Γαδαρηνῶν ἀπελθεῖν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν, ὅτι φόβῳ μεγάλῳ συνείχοντο. αὐτὸς δὲ ἐμβὰς εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ὑπέστρεψεν. ἐδέετο δὲ αὐτοῦ ὁ ἀνήρ, ἀφ᾿ οὗ ἐξεληλύθει τὰ δαιμόνια, εἶναι σὺν αὐτῷ· ἀπέλυσε δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς λέγων· ὑπόστρεφε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου καὶ διηγοῦ ὅσα ἐποίησέ σοι ὁ Θεός. καὶ ἀπῆλθε καθ᾿ ὅλην τὴν πόλιν κηρύσσων ὅσα ἐποίησεν αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς.


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Saints and Feasts

October 20

Artemius the Great Martyr of Antioch

Saint Artemius lived during the years of Saint Constantine the Great, and was appointed by him to be Governor of Alexandria; later, he was honoured with the rank of patrician. During the reign of Julian the Apostate, in the year 361, Artemius appeared before the Emperor and censured him for his apostasy. For this, he endured many torments and was finally beheaded.


October 20

Gerasimus of Cephalonia

Saint Gerasimus was from the Peloponnesus, the son of Demetrius and Kale, of the family of Notaras. He was reared in piety by them and studied the Sacred writings. He left his country and went throughout various lands, and finally came to Cephalonia, where he restored a certain old church and built a convent around it, where it stands to this day at the place called Omala. He finished the course of his life there in asceticism in the year 1570. His sacred relics, which remain incorrupt, are kept there for the sanctification of the faithful.


October 20

Matrona the Righteous of Chios


October 20

Andronicus the Righteous Martyr


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Tone

You descended from on high, O compassionate One, and condescended to be buried for three days, so that from the passions You might set us free. Our life and resurrection, O Lord, glory be to You.
Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Apolytikion for Great Martyr Artemius in the Fourth Tone

Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.
Ο Μάρτυς σου Κύριε, έν τή αθλήσει αυτού, τό στέφος εκομίσατο τής αφθαρσίας, εκ σού τού Θεού ημών, έχων γάρ τήν ισχύν σου, τούς τυράννους καθείλεν, έθραυσε καί δαιμόνων, τά ανίσχυρα θράση, αυτού ταίς ικεσίαις Χριστέ, σώσον τάς ψυχάς ημών.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Tone

The protection of Christians unshameable, intercessor to our Holy Maker, unwavering, do not turn from the prayerful cries of those who are in sin; instead, come to us, for you are good; your loving help bring unto us, who are crying in faith to you: Hasten to intercession and speed now to supplication as a protection for all time, Theotokos, for those who honor you.
Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε, μεσιτεία πρὸς τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀμετάθετε. Μὴ παρίδῃς ἁμαρτωλῶν δεήσεων φωνάς, ἀλλὰ πρόφθασον, ὡς ἀγαθή, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν, τῶν πιστῶς κραυγαζόντων σοι· Τάχυνον εἰς πρεσβείαν, καὶ σπεῦσον εἰς ἱκεσίαν, ἡ προστατεύουσα ἀεί, Θεοτόκε, τῶν τιμώντων σε.
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Wisdom of the Fathers

For if we, going about on the earth which is familiar and well known to us, being encompassed with a body, when we are journeying in a strange road, know not which way to go unless we have some one to lead us; how should the soul, being rent away from the body, and having gone out from all her accustomed region, know where to walk without one to show her the way?
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 28 on Matthew 8, 4th Century

Love is the perfection of the law. It is not only bringing us teaching of what one must do in concise form, but is making the accomplishment of them easy also.
St. John Chrysostom

A tree is known by its fruits, a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.
Saint Basil the Great

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MISSIONS PAGE

    Feast of St. Demetrios

    Feast of St. Demetrios

    You are invited to celebrate the parish nameday and join for a no cost meal and support OCMC, our Missions Center.


    Orthodoxy 101

    Orthodoxy 101

    Catechism Classes for all those interested in become Orthodox Christians through Baptism of Chrismation. And open to all who are interested in learning the fundamentals of our Faith. Please sign up on the form in the anteroom or by email to Father Milton at: [email protected]


    OCMC CHILDRENS ACTIVITY

    OCMC CHILDRENS ACTIVITY

    Please see enclosed for details and information on how to register.


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