Sts. Constantine & Helen Cathedral
Publish Date: 2025-01-05
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


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 BEFORE THEOPHANY  / VASILOPITA SUNDAY  
MATINS:                      8:15 a.m.
LITURGY:                    9:30 a.m.  
EPISTLE:                     II Timothy 4:5-8
GOSPEL:                      Mark 1:1-8  
GREEK TEXT:               p. 216  (black book) 
ACOLYTES:                  Team B
PROSFORA:                Katina Nicolacakis
PANGARI:                  Team A: Steve Demetriou III, Costa Sarris, Jack Ramsey
ORTHODOX ED:          9:30 a.m. -  Family Worship Sunday / Church Learning
VASOLOPITA CELEBRATION: 10:45 a.m.
PHILOPTOCHOS:         will pass a second tray for the National  Philoptochos St Basil/ Youth services fund
LIBRARY GREETERS:  Renee Sadler & Rose Marie Paliobeis 
COFFEE HOSTS:          Philoptochos 

STREAMING SERVICE:   youtube.com/stsconstantine


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Sixth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:36-53

At that time, having risen from the dead, Jesus went up and stood among His disciples and said to them, "Peace be with you." But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave Him a piece of broiled fish [and some honeycomb], and He took it and ate before them. Then He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then He opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name in all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands, He blessed them. While He blessed them, He parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the Temple blessing God.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal 2nd Tone. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 4:5-8.

TIMOTHY, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.

For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Gospel Reading

Sunday before Epiphany
The Reading is from Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophets, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' John was baptizing in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

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Wisdom of the Fathers

Repentance is the renewal of baptism and is a contract with God for a fresh start in life.
St. John Climacus
Ladder of Divine Ascent Step 5:On Penitence, Paulist Press pg. 121, 6th century

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This Week

THIS COMING WEEK

Mon, Jan 6th            - 9:30 a.m. - Liturgy  (Epiphany)
                                 - 6:30 p.m. - Boys Basketball
                                 - 7:30 p.m. - Gamblers Anonymous
Tues, Jan 7th            - 9:30 a.m. - Liturgy (St. John)
                                 - 5:00 p.m. - Greek School: 3rd Grade
                                 - 6:30 p.m. - Girls Basketball
                                 - 6:30 p.m. - OPA Dance
Weds, Jan 8th           - 9:30 a.m. - St. Makrina Bible study
                                 - 6:00 p.m. - Greek School: adult
Thurs, Jan 9th           - 5:00 p.m. - Greek School: K-2nd Grade
Sat, Jan 11th            - 5:00 p.m. - Vespers (& Confessions)
                                 - 6:00 p.m. - St. Kyranna Cooking Class
Sun, Jan 12th           - 8:15 a.m. - Matins
                                 - 9:30 a.m. - Liturgy
                                 - 9:30 a.m. - OE: Classroom Learning / Distribute Oratorical Topics
                                 - 10:45 a.m. - 1 Year Memorial: Fotini Coutris
                                 - 10:45 a.m. - 7 Year Memorial: Maria M Sarris
                                 - 10:45 a.m. - 50 Year Memorial: John Coutris
                                 - 11:30 a.m. - Special GOYA Mtg. (Oratorical)
                                 - 11:30 a.m. - Catechism w Fr. Tom
                                 - 12:00 p.m. - Girls/Boys Basketball


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 Jan 5th:

Electronic Version of Divine Liturgy on Jan 5th:


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.


ORTHODOX FORUM

The Orthodox Forum will be on break until some time in January. Please watch this space for word on upcoming speakers!


LIBRARY/BOOKSTORE NOW OPEN

Our Church Library is open after Liturgy! Come and See our new bookstore. Looking for a book or icon? Let us know and we can order it for you!


PHILOPTOCHOS GENERAL MEETING

Join us at our upcoming General Meeting January 12th in the conference room after Liturgy. You can get the scoop on upcoming events and our plans for the New Year.


SUNSHINE GROUP

Sunshiners--Please join us for a wonderful New Year's lunch on January 9 at 1:00 pm at Cheesecake Factory, 24265 Cedar Rd. in Lyndhurst. Please let Maria Cashy know if you can make it at 216-390-2294 or email at [email protected] with any questions.  All are welcome to join us.  


METALLINOS GUITAR WORKSHOP

Our first session of the new year will be on Tuesday, January 14 at 7 pm. Bring an instrument, or just come and listen. All are welcome. 


HELLENIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY

There will be a Lecture & Presentation on Thurs., January 23rd at 5:30 p.m. by Dr. Seth Pevnick, Curator of Greek and Roman Art, on the upcoming Byzantine exhibit at CMA; along with our Annual Dinner Meeting.

The event will be held at St. Paul Hellenic Center, 4548 Wallings Rd. in No. Royalton and will include the presentation of Odyssey and Iliad Awards. All are welcome. For tickets and information, visit

https://hpsneo.org/hps-general-meeting/


ILLNESS BOOK ZOOM GROUP

Last year we read and discussed the Orthodox understanding of death and grief. The group is now transitioning to read and discuss: The Theology of Illness, written by Jean-Claude Larchet, PhD.

Now is a good time to Join Us! We will Zoom once weekly to read and discuss, on Thursday evenings at 7:30-8:30pm. This session lasts for 10 weeks, starting on January 16.

If interested, contact Cynthia Terezis at [email protected] to be added to the Zoom email invite  and to place an order for the book ($18) through the bookstore at the Church Library. Book is also available at svspress.com and on Amazon.


PRAYERS FOR LIFE

ZOE for Life! is once again offering an Akathist to our Sweet Lord Jesus with special prayers for the Unborn.  This will be held at St Matthew Orthodox Church in North Royalton on January 26 at 6:00pm.  Fr. Andrew Harmon will be the speaker at the coffee hour immediately following the service. 


2025 COFFEE HOSTS

Interested in hosting coffee hour? We have open dates in January, February, and March waiting for you! 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#/


CHURCH COMMUNICATIONS

2025 House Blessing Schedule:
The tradition of house blessings involves the blessing of our most treasured possession, our home, with the Holy Water of Epiphany; and it enables the priest to briefly visit every home in his community. If you aren't sure when he will be in your area, you can check the schedule on our website: https://stsconstantine.com/news/latest/current-news/2025-house-blessings

Our weekly bulletin contains announcements and links of interest to the Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Community. If you are not receiving our bulletin or other church notices in your email and would like to, you can sign up for it here: https://stsconstantine.com/news/mailing-list


GOYA / YOUNG ADULT ACTIVITIES

1) Online registration for GOYA basketball 2025 is now live! All GOYAns, chaperones, and coaches must register with the Metropolis to participate in the 2025 tournament weekends. (Note: spectators do *not* need to register). The deadline is Saturday, January 11th. Go to https://y2am.pittsburgh.goarch.org/basketball to sign up, and see Ted with any questions.

2) St. Kyranna Cooking Class will have its next meeting on Saturday, January 11th @ 6:00 p.m. Our host will be Gabrielle Labrozzi, and our theme will be "Gnocchi" Participants are encouraged to also attend Great Vespers beforehand @ 5:00 p.m. Kindly RSVP to Ted by Monday, January 6th.

3)  GOYA will have a special meeting on Sunday, January 12th @ 11:30 a.m. in the alcove. With Dr. Maria Misthos, we will go over this year's Oratorical topics.

4) OCF (John Carroll) will have its next meeting on Thursday, January 30th @ 7:00 p.m. @ Boaz. We will enjoy a meal and spiritual discussion. RSVP to Ted by Monday, January 27th.

5)  2025 Summer Camp @ Camp Nazareth staff applications will go live on January 1st!  This is a wonderful way to "give back" and support our camp program. The Metropolis receives lots of applications, so candidates are encouraged to apply early. For more information, visit: y2am.pittsburgh.goarch.org/campstaff.


ST. MAKRINA ZOOM BIBLE STUDY

Saint Makrina Bible study will be starting a new book: "6 Hours, 7 Lessons -How Christ’s Lights Transcends Our Darkness" by Father Nicholas and Dr. Roxanne Louh. You do not have to attend every session. We meet every Wednesday via zoom from 9:30-11:00am. Please contact Toni Madden for the zoom link. The book can be purchased on Amazon. Please join us!

“During His darkest moments, Jesus uttered seven statements on the Cross that offer us tremendous wisdom in our own dark seasons—when we feel alone, forgotten, and unable to surrender, forgive, or let go of our mistakes. Christ’s final words direct us toward the light of His love and protection while giving us the guidance we need to find hope and healing.”


ORTHODOX EXCHANGE STUDENT

AFS Intercultural Programs USA is seeking a host family for a Greek Orthodox exchange student: "Meet Sofia, a curious, hardworking, and creative student. When she's not busy diving into books, she enjoys staying active through aqua aerobics and Greek folklore dancing but also is a big foodie. She's very excited to share her culture with a family like you!" Contact Jessica Andres at [email protected] for more information.


WANTED: SOCIAL WORKER

St Herman House is looking for a new case manager - who should be a licensed social worker.  This position is key to the success of its residents and they would love to have someone in place by the end of the year.  For more information: https://www.orthodoxjobs.com/postings/2024/case-manager-focus-cleveland


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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 3rd Tone

Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad, for the Lord has shown the power of his reign. He has conquered death by death and become the first born of the dead. He has delivered us from the depths of Hades and has granted the world great mercy.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Cross Press


Apolytikion for Eve of Epiphany in the 4th Tone

River Jordan was turned back by Elisseus' mantle once, when the fiery man of zeal Elias had been taken up; then were its waters divided hither and thither. The running streams became dry passage unto him, truly as a sign and type of Baptism, whereby we pass to the other side of the shifting stream of this fleeting life. Christ hath appeared in the Jordan River, to sanctify the waters.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery


Apolytikion for the Church in the Plagal 4th Tone

Your Apostle among the Rulers, St. Constantine, who once beheld in the sky the image of Your Cross, and who like Paul received his calling not from man, once entrusted the Ruling City into Your hand. We entreat You to restore it in peace forever, at the intercession of the Theotokos, O Lord who loves humanity. (Copyright Fr. Seraphim Dedes, used by permission. All rights reserved)


Seasonal Kontakion in the 4th Tone

In the running waters of the Jordan River, on this day the Lord of all crieth to John: Be not afraid and hesitate not to baptize Me, for I am come to save Adam, the first-formed man.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery


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