Transfiguration of Our Saviour Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-01-05
Bulletin Contents
Announcements
Weekly Inserts
Weekly Calendar
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Hymns of the Day
Wisdom of the Fathers
Saints and Feasts

Organization Icon
Transfiguration of Our Saviour Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (978) 458-4321
  • Street Address:

  • 25 Fr. John Sarantos Way

  • Lowell, MA 01854
  • Mailing Address:

  • 25 Fr. John Sarantos Way

  • Lowell, MA 01854

Contact Information

Proistamenos Fr. Gregory Floor


[email protected] | 978-458-4321

Fr. John Vaporis


[email protected]

Services Schedule

Sunday Schedule:

Orthros: 8:30 a.m.
Divine Liturgy: 9:30 a.m.

Bible Study:

Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m.

Past Bulletins


Announcements

Happy New Year!  Καλή Xρονιά!

Transfiguration Family, as we come to the close of our 100th Year Anniversary celebration, let us thank Almighty God one last time for His plentiful blessings in our parish’s rich history, beginning with our forefathers and mothers abundant sacrifices, and entreat Him to be ever with us as we continue proclaiming the Good News of His victory over death to the whole world. And let us thank all those who worked so hard and gave so much of their time, talent, and treasure to make this year’s celebration so special. And let’s conclude this Centennial like we do all of our liturgical services: “Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us.” Amen.

FELLOWSHIP HOUR

We welcome everyone to join us for coffee fellowship following Liturgy

POINSETTIAS

Thank you to those who generously donated poinsettias. Anyone who wishes to take one home today is welcome to.

PHILOPTOCHOS VASILOPITA FUNDRAISER

Orders are being taken for special Vasilopita slices - a chance to win the gold coin!  $20 per slice.  Join us after Liturgy on January 12 for a light Vasilopita reception in Fellowship Hall to announce the winner of the gold coin! To order your slices please contact Pat Mahoney [email protected] or Soula Spaziani [email protected]. All proceeds from the Vasilopita support Saint Basil's Academy and youth and young adult programs throughout the Archdiocese and in all Metropolises.    

100TH ANNIVERSARY

COMMEMORATIVE ALBUM – Prayfully our 100th Anniversary Commemorative Album will be printed this spring. This album will include a celebration of our past and look to our future. Please consider sending your photos, special thoughts and/or your congratulatory messages. For questions you make speak with Pat Mahoney and/or Olivia Sintros. Please don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to become part of church history. Deadline will be January 15th. Thank you.

100th Anniversary Ornaments are available this Sunday and through the holidays. A lovely gift for anyone not able to attend the Gala. Donation $10.00.

HOUSE BLESSINGS 2025

Fr. Gregory welcomes the opportunity to bless your home. Please complete the form available in the narthex or scan the QR code in the email bulletin to schedule an appointment. House blessing will begin on January 6th.

STEWARDSHIP 2025

Thank you to those who have completed their 2024 stewardship pledge to the church.  As we enter 2025 your stewardship donation is greatly appreciated and will go directly to support the mission of our beloved parish

LTLC

The Transfiguration parish family hosts dinner at the Lowell Transitional Living Center on the second Saturday of each month. The opportunity to serve dinner is once again open to all parishioners. Thank you to Philoptochos who will be serving in January and to faithful parishioners who have volunteered to serve in February. Please consider helping out as we move through 2025.

MONTHLY PARAKLESIS

We will be offering a monthly Paraklesis to the Theotokos on the 4th Friday of every month at 6:30 PM, wherein we will beseech the Theotokos to intercede for all of our living loved ones who are suffering in any way.  Bring names of your loved ones to the service or email them to Fr. Gregory in advance of the 4th Friday of the month. 

PLEASE NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESSES!!

New email addresses for church contacts. See the reverse side of the bulletin for an updated listing of email addresses with the domain @transfigurationlowell.org. 

 

 Trinity votive candles (To Sponsor a Candle please call the Church Office.)

†Vigil Light at the Side Altar (Icon of the Theotokos): In Loving Memory of Angelike Flanagan – from her daughter Mary Ploof and grandchildren
†Vigil Light at the Icon of Christ: In Loving Memory of Deborah Victoria Skrekas and George Skrekas
†Vigil Light at the Theotokos: In Loving Memory of Ioannis "John" Zaralidis - from his family
†Vigil Light at the Icon of the Forerunner: Available
†Vigil Light at the Foot of the Holy Cross: In Loving Memory of George Tsoukalas - from his family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Weekly Inserts

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Weekly Calendar

Sunday, January 5  SUNDAY BEFORE THEOPHANY                        
†Orthros 8:30 am
†Liturgy 9:30 am
Monthly Trisagion

Monday, January 6  HOLY THEOPHANY                                                   
†Orthros 8:30 am
†Liturgy 9:30 am

Tuesday, January 7                             
Synaxis of St. John the Baptist – Liturgy, 9:30 am

Sunday, January 12  SUNDAY AFTER THEOPHANY                           
†Orthros 8:30 am
†Liturgy 9:30 am
1 Year Memorial for Christine Stamas
2 Year Memorial for Stratos Dukakis
3 Year Memorial for Eva Dukakis
Parish Council Oath of Office
Vasilopita Reception
 

TODAY’S PARISH COUNCIL:  Patricia Mahoney, Peter Gavriil & Valerie Diggs

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 15
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am/7:00 pm

January 19
Twelfth Sunday of Luke

January 22
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am/7:00 pm

January 25
St. Gregory the Theologian - Liturgy, 9:30am

January 26
Fifteenth Sunday of Luke

January 29
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am/7:00 pm

January 30
Synaxis of the Three Hierarchs – Liturgy, 9:30 am

February 2                           
Presentation of Our Lord

February 5
Bible Study (online), 10:00 am/7:00 pm

February 9                         
Sunday of the Publican & Pharisee
Triodion Begins

February 16                         
Sunday of the Prodigal Son

February 17                         
Presidents Day – Office Closed

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. 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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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode

Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad, for the Lord has shown the mighty power of his arm. He has trampled down death by death, becoming the first born of the dead. He has delivered us from the depths of hell and has granted to all the world his great mercy.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Kevin Lawrence


Apolytikion for Eve of Epiphany in the Fourth Mode

Make ready, O Zebulon, * and prepare yourself, O Nephtali; * O River Jordan, stop and receive with joy * the Master coming to be baptized. * O Adam, rejoice with the first mother, Eve, * and do not hide yourselves as before in Paradise. * For, having seen you unclothed, * Christ has appeared to clothe you with the first robe; * He has appeared to renew all creation.

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: American Carpatho-Russian Diocese


Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

Today the Lord has appeared in the waters of the Jordan River. * He cried out to John, saying: * "Do not be afraid to baptize me, * for I have indeed come to save Adam, the first to be created."

Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: American Carpatho-Russian Diocese


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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

It was for that reason that Joshua, son of Nun, removed his sandals (Cf. Jos. 5:15), in order that he also could preserve the gift of so great a function for Him who was to come. It is for that reason that John says, 'A man is coming after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to loose,' ...
St. Ambrose of Milan
Seven Exegetical Works, 4.22, 4th Century

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Saints and Feasts

January 05

Theopemptos, Bishop of Nicomedea Theonas, the Martyrs

When the persecution of Diocletian broke out in 290, Saint Theopemptus, a bishop, was taken for his confession of Christ, and convicted Diocletian to his face for his error and ungodliness. Remaining unhurt after cruel tortures, he was given poison to drink, which had been prepared by a sorcerer named Theonas. Protected by divine grace from this also, he drew Theonas to Christ, and after other torments, was beheaded. Saint Theonas was cast into a pit and buried alive.

January 06

The Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

About the beginning of our Lord's thirtieth year, John the Forerunner, who was some six months older than Our Saviour according to the flesh, and had lived in the wilderness since his childhood, received a command from God and came into the parts of the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins. Then our Saviour also came from Galilee to the Jordan, and sought and received baptism though He was the Master and John was but a servant. Whereupon, there came to pass those marvellous deeds, great and beyond nature: the Heavens were opened, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon Him that was being baptized and the voice was heard from the Heavens hearing witness that this was the beloved Son of God, now baptized as a man (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:1-22). From these events the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the great mystery of the Trinity were demonstrated. It is also from this that the present feast is called "Theophany," that is, the divine manifestation, God's appearance among men. On this venerable day the sacred mystery of Christian baptism was inaugurated; henceforth also began the saving preaching of the Kingdom of the Heavens.

January 07

Synaxis of John the Holy Glorious Prophet, Baptist, & Forerunner

Today we celebrate the Synaxis in honour of the most sacred Forerunner, since he ministered at the Mystery of the Divine Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rest from labour. Fish allowed.

January 08

George the Chozebite

Saint George lived about the beginning of the ninth century in Palestine, in a certain monastery called Hozeva, which lies in a great ravine between Jerusalem and Jericho.

January 09

Polyeuctos the Martyr of Meletine in Armenia

Saint Polyeuctus, a soldier in rank, contested during the reign of Valerian, in the year 255. He was from Melitene, a city in Armenia.

January 10

Dometian, Bishop of Melitene

Saint Dometian lived in the years of the Emperor Justin II, who reigned from 565 to 578, and the Emperor Maurice, who reigned from 582 to 602. Born of pious parents named Theodore and Eudocia, he received a thorough education in both secular and sacred knowledge. After he had lived in lawful wedlock a short time, his wife died, and he, for his virtue was made Bishop of Melitene in Armenia at the age of thirty. As a kinsman and trusted friend of the Emperor Maurice, he received from him great largesse, which he spent on the building of churches and the help of the poor; he was entrusted with the dealings of Byzantium with Persia. While in Constantinople, he reposed in peace in the year 602.
January 11

Theodosios the Great, the Cenobite

This Saint had Cappadocia as his homeland. He lived during the years of Leo of Thrace, who reigned from 457 to 474. The Saint established in the Holy Land a great communal monastery, wherein he was the shepherd of many monks. While Saint Sabbas was the head of the hermits of Palestine, Saint Theodosius was governor of those living the cenobitic life, for which reason he is called the Cenobiarch. Together with Saint Sabbas, towards whom he cherished a deep brotherly love in Christ, he defended the whole land of Palestine from the heresy of the Monophysites, which was championed by the Emperor Anastasius and might very well have triumphed in the Holy Land without the opposition of these two great monastic fathers and their zealous defense of the Holy Council of Chalcedon. Having lived for 103 years, he reposed in peace.

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