Sts. Constantine & Helen Cathedral
Publish Date: 2025-09-14
Bulletin Contents
Today
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
This Week
Hymns of the Day
RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION AT STS CONSTANTINE AND HELEN CATHEDRAL IS DONE IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:

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Sts. Constantine & Helen Cathedral

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (216) 932-3300
  • Street Address:

  • 3352 Mayfield Road

  • Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

Contact Information

Sade L Frayer
office manager

[email protected] | 216 932-3300 ext 4

Services Schedule

SUNDAY SCHEDULE:

MATINS: 8:15 am
LITURGY: 9:30 am

SATURDAYS (subject to change):

VESPERS: 5:00 p.m.

Past Bulletins


Today

TODAY

SUNDAY OF THE ELEVATION OF THE CROSS

MATINS:         8:15 am
LITURGY:       9:30 am
EPISTLE:        I Corinthians 1:18-24 
GOSPEL:         John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30
ACOLYTES:     ALL
PROSFORA:    Cynthia Asimakopoulos
PANGARI:      Team A: Costas J. Sarris, Dimitrios Kalafatis, Renee Sadler
ORTHODOX ED: 10:45 - Little Saints reading club
                                         Classroom Learning
PHILOPTOCHOS: will pass a second tray for the Holy Cross Hellenic College Scholarship fund 
COFFEE HOUR: Community Potluck
EVENTS:         Catechism with Fr. Tom
 
STREAMING SERVICE:   youtube.com/stsconstantine

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Tone. Psalm 98.9,1.
Exalt the Lord our God.
Verse: The Lord reigns; let the people tremble.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 1:18-24.

Brethren, the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Gospel Reading

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross
The Reading is from John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30

At that time, when the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God."

When Pilate heard these words, he was the more afraid; he entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore he who delivered me to you has the greater sin." When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.

But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. Then when Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished"; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

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Wisdom of the Fathers

... concerning that of which Pilate most desired to hear, namely, His Kingdom, He answered, saying, "My Kingdom is not of this world." That is, "I am indeed a King, yet not such an one as thou suspectest, but far more glorious," ...
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 84 on John 18 and Homily 85 on John 19, 4th Century

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This Week

THIS COMING WEEK

Mon, Sept 15th      -  7:30 p.m. - Gamblers Anonymous
Tues, Sept 16th      -  6:30 p.m.- OPA Dance
                               -  7:00 p.m. - Festival follow up meeting
Weds, Sept 17th     -  9:30 a.m. - St. Makrina Bible study
Sat, Sept 20th         -  9:30 a.m. - Library mini-retreat
                                -  4:00 p.m. - Youth Chant Group
                                -  5:00 p.m. - Vespers  (& Confessions)
Sun, Sept 21st         -  8:15 a.m. - Matins
                                  -  9:30 a.m. - Liturgy
                                  -  11:00 a.m. - Library meeting
                                  -   Catechism w Fr. Tom

WELCOME VISITORS!

We’re happy you’ve joined us today. Please sign our guestbook and introduce yourself to one of our greeters or anyone wearing a nametag. We’re here to answer your questions and make your visit to our church meaningful and enjoyable.


ONLINE TEXTS OF SERVICES

Those wishing to follow the livestreamed services with a written text may do so using the links below.
Electronic Version of Orthros (Matins) on Sept 14th:

Electronic Version of Divine Liturgy on Sept 14th:


VISITORS & SACRAMENTS

Everyone is welcome in the Orthodox Church & may receive the blessed bread (antidoron) at the end of the service, but only practicing Orthodox Christians may receive the sacrament of Holy Communion.


SPECIAL TRAY

Hellenic College/Holy Cross (HCHC), our Archdiocese's accredited college & seminary, celebrates its name day on September 14th. This same day is designated as an annual "Day of Giving" to support its ministry. Prayerfully consider making a gift at:

 https://www.hchc.edu/give/give-online/. 


ORTHODOX EDUCATION NEWS

TODAY: Little Saints- Our youngest parishioners, ages 40 days-3 years, along with their parents, are invited to Little Saints! Please join us downstairs after receiving communion, for a story and snack.


FESTIVAL MEETING

Thank you all for your incredible dedication and hard work leading up to and during our recent 2025 Festival.  Your commitment truly made a difference, and we could not have succeeded without each one of you. 

To build on our achievements and ensure we learn from this experience, we invite you to an opportunity to reflect on what went well, discuss any challenges, and gather your valuable feedback. Your insights will help us improve future events and celebrate the contributions of our amazing team.

Our follow-up meeting will be held Tuesday, September 16th at 7pm in the Fellowship Room. Please let us know if you are able to attend, and feel free to suggest topics you would like to discuss. We look forward to coming together once more to share stories, recognize our collective effort, and plan for even greater success in the future.


2025 COFFEE HOSTS

We need hosts for September and parts of October! Help us keep our fellowship going. Visit our online sign-up and put your name down today: 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D48A5AD23A4F58-48824692-sunday#/


ST. MAKRINA ZOOM BIBLE STUDY

Please join as we begin a new Bible Study  book “The Art of Myrrhbearing” by Elissa Bjeletich Davis. We meet every Wednesday at 9:30am over Zoom. You can join at any time and can participate in the discussions as much or as little as you like. You do not have to attend every session. Please contact Toni Madden 
[email protected] for more information and the zoom link.

“The Art of Myrrhbearing by Elissa Bjeletich Davis is a deeply moving, grace-filled invitation to live as a healing presence in the world. Drawing on the lives of the Myrrhbearing Women of the Gospels and other saints throughout Orthodox Christian tradition, Davis gently calls readers into a life of love, forgiveness, and courageous presence in the face of suffering.”    


LIBRARY NEWS

The Sts Constantine and Helen Library will be hosting a mini retreat series this fall. 'Experiencing God's Presence and Transformational Love' will be held on Saturdays: September 20, and 27. Event starts with breakfast refreshments at 9:30 followed by reflections and discussions from 10:00 - noon. $10 covers all sessions; attend as many as you like. To register, contact program facilitator Cynthia Terezis at [email protected]. A handout of reflection questions will be provided.


MORE THAN PINK WALK

The 2025 Susan G. Komen Northeast Ohio More Than Pink Walk is fast approaching, and volunteers are needed to help celebrate the strength and resilience of all people affected by breast cancerđź’–
From cheering participants along the course to cleaning up after the festivities, there are many ways for individuals AND groups to get involved and make an impact!


Click the link below to preview all the volunteer opportunities available on Saturday, Sept. 20: https://komen.volunteermatters.org/project-catalog/168   Questions? Email [email protected] call/text 972-701-2012, or contact Ted Cherpas or Sherie Steinberger for more information.


COMMUNITY POTLUCK COFFEE HOUR

We have no one signed up to host Coffee Hour again until October. So for the following Sundays, we will once again be holding  Community Potluck Coffee Hour:
·   Sept 21
·   Sept 28 
We will provide the coffee, cream, sugar, and paper products, but e ask that each person or family bring a small offering to share.

It could be as simple as cookies, donuts, or pastries—whatever you'd like to contribute! This is a great way to share in the spirit of community, and it doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. Let’s come together and make these Sundays extra special.

Thank you for helping make Coffee Hour a warm and welcoming place for everyone!


COLLIS LECTURE

Please join us for "Virtue and Adornment in Byzantium:  Beautiful Bodies in the Christian East", a lecture by Alicia Walker,  professor at Bryn Mawr College; on Sunday, September 28 at 2 PM.  Please refer to hpsneo.org for promo code for lecture tickets (free, but reservation required) and purchasing of HPS reception tickets online.  Any questions please contact Dean Peters (216) 570-4537.


MEN WHO COOK

Please join the Philoptochos for the 3rd annual  Men Who Cook on Saturday Oct 4th 5:30-8pm. Our talented parishioners and friends will create samples of their signature dishes for you to enjoy and judge to see which of our chefs win the Golden Spoon award. There will be a cash bar. If you cannot attend, please consider underwriting /sponsoring the event. All proceeds will benefit the charities of the Philoptochos.  Admission tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Sponsorships and tickets can be purchased on Sundays after church or online at https://www.jotform.com/build/252113594246152. Please contact Helen Demore 216 324-9293 or Anne Mitchell 440 465-6014 for more information.


GOYA / YOUNG ADULT ACTIVITIES

1) OCF (John Carroll) will have its first meeting of the semester on Thursday, September 18th @ 7:00 p.m. @ Sittoo's (formerly Boaz). We will enjoy a meal and spiritual discussion. RSVP to Ted by Wednesday, September 17th.

2) Registration for our Metropolis Family Camp (Sept 19th- 21st) at Camp Nazareth is now live! Two of our parishioners, Priscilla Callos & Marina Giannirakis, will be the keynote speakers. Space in this program is very limited, so please reserve your spots quickly at https://y2am.pittsburgh.goarch.org/family-camp. Contact Fr. Joe DiStefano at [email protected] with any questions.

3) Our annual GOYA "kickoff" party will take place on Sunday, September 28th from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. The Sennebogen family will graciously host us this year. We will discuss plans and ideas for the upcoming year. Both GOYAns and parents are encouraged to attend! Kindly RSVP to Ted at [email protected] or Coach Carlyn at [email protected].

4) The Metropolis Youth Office presents "Wonderfully Made," a 1-day youth retreat for students with moderate to intensive special needs. This will be hosted by St. Nicholas, Youngstown on Saturday, October 4th from 10:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. Registration is now open at https://y2am.pittsburgh.goarch.org/wonderfully-made. For more information, contact Alyssa Kyritsis at [email protected].

5) HOPE/JOY Families (Kindergarten - 6th grade) are invited to a field trip to Patterson's Family Fun Fest on Friday, October 10th at 1:00 p.m. (NEOEA Day when many schools are closed). Tickets are $10 per person, and 2 and under are free. Attractions include: "covered straw pile, slides, pedal tractors, push carts, tire swings, corn maze, and more!" RSVP to Ted by Sunday, October 5th.


SUNSHINE GROUP

The Sunshine Group's next few dates are October 9, November 13 and December 11.  Call 216-390-2294 or email Maria Cashy at [email protected] with any questions.


ZOOM BOOK GROUP

We are on break for the summer. Look for us to restart in October.


INDIA MISSION

(Personal) I saw a wonderful new video about the Orthodox mission near Kolkata, India, which I visited over time. It's nice to see how things have developed. The video is about 16 minutes long, if you care to watch. - Fr Stephen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNYcC5IKZv4


DEAN PARAS FOUNDATION FALL FAMILY CLAMBAKE

Please join us to raise funds for Neuroendocrine Cancer Research and Awareness, in memory of Dean Paras and all of those affected by this disease. There will be a family clambake at St. Demetrios Cultural Hall, 22909 Center Ridge Rd in Rocky River, on October 12th; doors open at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $75/adults and $20/children. You can purchase tickets online at www.deanparasfoundation.net, or call 216 554-3955 / email [email protected] for more information.


ST THEODOSIUS HELP WANTED

St. Theodosius Orthodox Cemetery is seeking a dedicated and compassionate individual to join our team as a Part-Time Cemetery Worker Assistant. This role supports the maintenance and care of our sacred cemetery grounds, ensuring a peaceful and respectful environment for visitors, families, and memorial services. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong work ethic, attention to detail, and respect for the spiritual significance of the cemetery. For more information, call 216 574 4886 or 440 732 8182, or email Fr. Jan Cizmar: [email protected]


STEWARDSHIP

Our parish strives "To lead people to God through Orthodox Christianity and to provide ways for them live and share God's love."  It does so in good days and in bad. Any financial help that you might offer is, as always, deeply appreciated.


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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion for Elevation of the Holy Cross in the 1st Tone

Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance; grant Thou unto the faithful victory over adversaries. And by the power of Thy Cross do Thou preserve Thy commonwealth.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 4th Tone

Lifted up on the Cross by Your free will, Christ God, grant mercies to the new commonwealth that bears Your name. Gladden our faithful rulers by Your power, giving them victories over their adversaries. May Your alliance be for them a weapon for peace, an invincible standard.
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