St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-06-01
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

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody

Now, there was an important job to be done, and Everybody was asked to do it.

Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Now, Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could have done it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

So, it ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

In our parish, like so many other Greek Orthodox Churches across the country, the Greek Festival is the primary fund raiser for the year.  It is a real blessing to have faithful and dedicated parishioners who dedicate time and talent to working for the good of the Church. We appreciate you!  And to do so without complaining and criticizing others is better still, as St. Paul writes, “God loves a cheerful giver” (2Cor. 9:7). This is a form of true stewardship. Let's all work together for the good of the Church.

Certainly, there will be times when we do grow tired and weary, wondering why the lion’s share of the work falls on the same few people every year.  I urge patience and reflection—remember why we do this.  We don’t simply work to support and maintain our parish.  But we do it for the love of our Lord.

For those who are not helping, I urge you to please volunteer. Lend a hand.  It is not necessary to wait to be asked. We are asking now.

Working for the Church is everyone’s responsibility and anybody can help.  As our Lord said to those who had received the talents from their Master and then on the day of reconning, returned that and double back to the Master. The Master said to them, “‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’”

May we hear the same words from our Lord on the great day of reconning.


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PATRIARCHAL ENCYCLICAL

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Upcoming Divine Services and Holy Days

THE SERMON THIS SUNDAY

Timothy Sofis, who is in the final year of his Holy Deaconate program at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, will deliver this Sunday's homily.


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Announcements

FESTIVAL PREPARATION - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Our Greek Festival is this week!  

Food preparations are complete and we continue to take deliveries and work on our logistics on the festival.  Thanks to all who have helped prepare our terrific food and pastries.  Here are some key dates before the festival as we continue our preparations.
June 1 at 10 am: Continue pastry packaging and set-up the ballroom
June 2 & June 3 at 10am:  Set-up the ballroom and festival booths.
June 4 at 10am:  Set-up the vendors and final preparations.
Jume 5 at 10:30 am:  Opening Aghiasmos (Blessing Service) and the festival opens.
 
We are a volunteer army.  Please sign-up and join us in our most important fund raiser and community outreach event.  
Thank you and God bless the parish of St. Demetrios of Williamsburg, VA.
 
Athanasios (Tom) Jouvanis
Festival Chair

ICONOGRAPHY PROJECT

The Parish Council voted and agreed o sign the contract with our iconographers, the Christodoulou Iconography House of Thessaloniki, Greece, to complete the remaining iconography of the church. The contract stipulates very favorible terms, which extend over a two-year period. This means your donations could be split between two years, this year and next, if that would work better for you. If you have an interest in participating in this lasting legacy, please contact Father Milton, Tom Jouvanis, or Mike Thompson.  More information on our iconographers and their work can be found on their website at https://holyicon.gr/ 


EMAIL TO THE CHURCH

Please, many of your computers may default to our old email address (because your computer may default to the old address). However, we lost that domain a year ago. If you wish to email Fr. Milton, make sure you use this address: [email protected]

If you want to send an email to the Parish Council president or treasurer, use this address: [email protected]

DO NOT SEND TO [email protected] That is no longer a valid account.


GREEK LANGUAGE CLASSES

Interested in learning Greek? Greek Language classes for children and adults are offered via Zoom. For more information, contact Demetra Demetriou at [email protected]


St. Demetrios Car Magnet

The Bookstore has magnet sticker with our St. Demetrios logo. Please pick one up for all your vehicles. We are providing this at no charge to you--free! It is an excellent outreach.


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

Physician of Souls and Bodies – Royal Doors


Beverly Daikos

Peter Daikos

Sonny Halioris

Athanasia Jouvanis

Bessie Karageorgis (mother of Elaine Jansen)

Jim Kokolis

Nancy Marakos

Chris Marker

John and Connie Pavlides


National Presvytera Sunday

Sunday, June 1st, is National Presvytera Sunday.  Please make every effort to find a way to honor and pay tribute to ALL of the Presvyteres (active, retired, and widowed) in your parishes on Sunday.  


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FLYERS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Fathers of the 1st Council
The Reading is from Acts of the Apostles 20:16-18, 28-36

IN THOSE DAYS, Paul had decided to sail past Ephesos, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. And from Miletos he sent to Ephesos and called to him the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' " And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

Fathers of the 1st Council
Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 20:16-18, 28-36

Ἐν ταῖς ἡμεραῖς ἐκείναις, ἔκρινεν ὁ Παῦλος παραπλεῦσαι τὴν Ἔφεσον, ὅπως μὴ γένηται αὐτῷ χρονοτριβῆσαι ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ· ἔσπευδεν γάρ, εἰ δυνατὸν ἦν αὐτῷ, τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς γενέσθαι εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα. Ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς Μιλήτου πέμψας εἰς Ἔφεσον μετεκαλέσατο τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς ἐκκλησίας. Ὡς δὲ παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτόν, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, προσέχετε οὖν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ παντὶ τῷ ποιμνίῳ, ἐν ᾧ ὑμᾶς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἔθετο ἐπισκόπους, ποιμαίνειν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ κυρίου καὶ θεοῦ, ἣν περιεποιήσατο διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου αἵματος. Ἐγὼ γὰρ οἶδα τοῦτο, ὅτι εἰσελεύσονται μετὰ τὴν ἄφιξίν μου λύκοι βαρεῖς εἰς ὑμᾶς, μὴ φειδόμενοι τοῦ ποιμνίου· καὶ ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἀναστήσονται ἄνδρες λαλοῦντες διεστραμμένα, τοῦ ἀποσπᾷν τοὺς μαθητὰς ὀπίσω αὐτῶν. Διὸ γρηγορεῖτε, μνημονεύοντες ὅτι τριετίαν νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν οὐκ ἐπαυσάμην μετὰ δακρύων νουθετῶν ἕνα ἕκαστον. Καὶ τὰ νῦν παρατίθεμαι ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, τῷ θεῷ καὶ τῷ λόγῳ τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, τῷ δυναμένῳ ἐποικοδομῆσαι, καὶ δοῦναι ὑμῖν κληρονομίαν ἐν τοῖς ἡγιασμένοις πᾶσιν. Ἀργυρίου ἢ χρυσίου ἢ ἱματισμοῦ οὐδενὸς ἐπεθύμησα. Αὐτοὶ γινώσκετε ὅτι ταῖς χρείαις μου καὶ τοῖς οὖσιν μετʼ ἐμοῦ ὑπηρέτησαν αἱ χεῖρες αὗται. Πάντα ὑπέδειξα ὑμῖν, ὅτι οὕτως κοπιῶντας δεῖ ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι τῶν ἀσθενούντων, μνημονεύειν τε τῶν λόγων τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, ὅτι αὐτὸς εἶπεν, Μακάριόν ἐστιν μᾶλλον διδόναι ἢ λαμβάνειν. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπών, θεὶς τὰ γόνατα αὐτοῦ, σὺν πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς προσηύξατο.


Gospel Reading

Fathers of the 1st Council
The Reading is from John 17:1-13

At that time, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work which you gave me to do; and now, Father, you glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made.

"I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world; yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you; for I have given them the words which you gave me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you did send me. I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are mine; all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves."

Fathers of the 1st Council
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 17:1-13

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, καὶ ἐπῆρε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ εἶπε· πάτερ, ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα· δόξασόν σου τὸν υἱόν, ἵνα καὶ ὁ υἱός σου δοξάσῃ σε, καθὼς ἔδωκας αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν πάσης σαρκός, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκας αὐτῷ δώσῃ αὐτοῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ αἰώνιος ζωή, ἵνα γινώσκωσί σε τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστόν. ἐγώ σε ἐδόξασα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὸ ἔργον ἐτελείωσα ὃ δέδωκάς μοι ἵνα ποιήσω· καὶ νῦν δόξασόν με σύ, πάτερ, παρὰ σεαυτῷ τῇ δόξῃ ᾗ εἶχον πρὸ τοῦ τὸν κόσμον εἶναι παρὰ σοί. ᾿Εφανέρωσά σου τὸ ὄνομα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις οὓς δέδωκάς μοι ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου. σοὶ ἦσαν καὶ ἐμοὶ αὐτοὺς δέδωκας, καὶ τὸν λόγον σου τετηρήκασι. νῦν ἔγνωκαν ὅτι πάντα ὅσα δέδωκάς μοι παρὰ σοῦ ἐστιν· ὅτι τὰ ῥήματα ἃ δέδωκάς μοι δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλαβον, καὶ ἔγνωσαν ἀληθῶς ὅτι παρὰ σοῦ ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας. ᾿Εγὼ περὶ αὐτῶν ἐρωτῶ· οὐ περὶ τοῦ κόσμου ἐρωτῶ, ἀλλὰ περὶ ὧν δέδωκάς μοι, ὅτι σοί εἰσι, καὶ τὰ ἐμὰ πάντα σά ἐστι καὶ τὰ σὰ ἐμά, καὶ δεδόξασμαι ἐν αὐτοῖς. καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ οὗτοι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ εἰσί, καὶ ἐγὼ πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι. πάτερ ἅγιε, τήρησον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ᾧ δέδωκάς μοι, ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν καθὼς ἡμεῖς. ὅτε ἤμην μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, ἐγὼ ἐτήρουν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου· οὓς δέδωκάς μοι ἐφύλαξα, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπώλετο εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας, ἵνα ἡ γραφὴ πληρωθῇ. νῦν δὲ πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι, καὶ ταῦτα λαλῶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἵνα ἔχωσι τὴν χαρὰν τὴν ἐμὴν πεπληρωμένην ἐν αὐτοῖς.


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Saints and Feasts

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).


June 01

Pyrros the Hieromartyr


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Second Tone

When the angelic powers appeared at Your grave, the soldiers guarding it feared and became as dead. And standing by the sepulcher was Mary who was seeking Your immaculate body. You devastated Hades, not afflicted by it. You went to meet the virgin, and granted eternal life. You resurrected from the dead. O Lord, glory to You.
Ἀγγελικαὶ Δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμά σου, καὶ οἱ φυλάσσοντες ἀπενεκρώθησαν, καὶ ἵστατο Μαρία ἐν τῷ τάφῳ, ζητοῦσα τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα. Ἐσκύλευσας τὸν ᾍδην, μὴ πειρασθεὶς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, ὑπήντησας τῇ Παρθένῳ, δωρούμενος τὴν ζωήν, ὁ ἀναστὰς ἐκ των νεκρῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Apolytikion for Holy Ascension in the Fourth Tone

You ascended in glory O Christ Our Lord and God, and Your disciples were filled with joy, by the promise of the Holy Spirit unto them. And through this blessing You did proclaim and thus assure them, that You are truly the Son of God and the redeemer of the world.
Ἀνελήφθης ἐν δόξῃ Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὀς ἡμῶν χαροποιήσας τοὺς μαθητὰς τῇ ἐπαγγελίᾳ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος βεβαιωθέν των αὐτῶν διὰ τῆς εὐλογίας ὅτι Σὺ εἶ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ λυτρωτὴς τοῦ κόσμου.

Apolytikion for Fathers of the 1st Council in the Plagal Fourth Tone

You are greatly glorified, O Christ our God, who established our Fathers as luminaries upon the earth, and through them led us all to the true Faith. O Most compassionate, glory to You.
Ὑπερδεδοξασμένος εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ φωστῆρας ἐπὶ γῆς τοὺς Πατέρας ἡμῶν θεμελιώσας, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν πρὸς τὴν ἀληθινὴν πίστιν, πάντας ἡμᾶς ὁδηγήσας· πολυεύσπλαγχνε, δόξα σοι.

Apolytikion for the Church in the Third Tone

All the world has you, its mighty champion, fortifying us in times of danger, and defeating our foes, O Victorious One. So, as you humbled Lyaios’s arrogance by giving courage to Nestor in the stadium, thus, O holy Great-martyr Demetrius, to Christ our God pray fervently, beseeching Him to grant us His great mercy. [SD]

Μέγαν εύρατο εv τοίς κιvδύvοις, σέ υπέρμαχοv η οικουμένη, Αθλοφόρε τά έθνη τροπούμενον. Ως ούν Λυαίου καθείλες τήν έπαρσιν, εν τώ σταδίω θαρρύvας τόν Νέστορα, ούτως Άγιε, Μεγαλομάρτυς Δημήτριε, Χριστόν τόν Θεόν ικέτευε, δωρήσασθαι ημίν τό μέγα έλεος.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Second Tone

O Christ our God, upon fulfilling Your dispensation for our sake, You ascended in Glory, uniting the earthly with the heavenly. You were never separate but remained inseparable, and cried out to those who love You, "I am with you and no one is against you."
Τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πληρώσας οἰκονομίαν, καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς ἑνώσας τοῖς οὐρανίοις, ἀνελήφθης ἐν δόξῃ, Χριστε ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, οὐδαμόθεν χωριζόμενος, ἀλλὰ μένων ἀδιάστατος, καὶ βοῶν τοῖς ἀγαπῶσί σε· Ἐγώ εἰμι μεθ' ὑμῶν, καὶ οὐδεὶς καθ' ὑμῶν.
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Wisdom of the Fathers

For there is One God, and One Mediator between God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus. For He still pleads even now as Man for my salvation; ...
St. Gregory the Theologian
4th Theological Oration, 4th Century

Pray without ceasing, calling upon the name of the life-giving Trinity in order that your soul should not be suddenly overwhelmed by any passion, pride, or envy, or malice and hatred, or avarice, or covetousness, or gluttony, or anger and irritability, or harsh judgment, or scorn, or falsehood and calumny, or any such passion; for we walk amongst snares every hour, every minute of our life.
St. John of Kronstadt
My Life in Christ: Part 1, Holy Trinity Monastery pg. 211, 19th Century

The person found worthy of praising God gains more by it than God, for he has received a great and marvelous gift of grace. The more he praises God, the more he becomes a debtor, until finally he finds no limit or interruption to his knowledge of God or to thanksgiving or humility or love.
St. Peter of Damaskos
Book 1: A Treasury of Divine Knowledge, Philokalia Vol. 3 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg.148, 8th century

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