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St. Demetrios Church
Publish Date: 2024-02-18
Bulletin Contents
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Parish Announcements
Saints and Feasts
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News
Wisdom of the Fathers
Hymns of the Day
Allsaint
Organization Icon
St. Demetrios Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (440) 331-2246
  • Fax:
  • (440) 331-8407
  • Street Address:

  • 22909 Center Ridge Road

  • Rocky River, OH 44116
  • Mailing Address:

  • 22909 Center Ridge Road

  • Rocky River, OH 44116

Contact Information

Priest Fr. Andy Lentz


alentz@saintdemetriosrr.org | 440-331-2246 x1

Office Manager Eleni Papouras-Jenks


office@saintdemetriosrr.org | 440-331-2246 x2

Operations Manager Byron T. Spooner


opsmgr@saintdemetriosrr.org | 440-331-2246 x3

Services Schedule

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

Special weekday feastday services to be announced in the bulletin.

Past Bulletins


Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

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.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Canaanite
The Reading is from Matthew 15:21-28

At that time, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

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Parish Announcements

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

SUNDAY

2/18

8:20; 9:30 a.m.

Orthros; Divine Liturgy; Sunday School

MONDAY

 

2/19

8:20; 9:30 a.m.

5:00 p.m.

St. Philothei feastday Orthros; Div. Liturgy

Greek Parade planning meeting

TUESDAY

2/20

5:00;  7:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

Greek School; Adult Greek Class

Parish Council meeting

WEDNESDAY

2/21

9:00 a.m.

10:30 a.m.

6:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

Utensil folding / Pickleball

Book Study Group

Daughters of Penelope meeting

Choir rehearsal

THURSDAY

2/22

9:00 a.m.

10:30 a.m.

5:00  p.m.

Utensil folding

Prayer Group

Greek School

FRIDAY

2/23

9:00 a.m.

Pickleball

MEMORIALS

40 days for  Emmanuel Hatzidakis, brother of Olga Packis

1 year for Harriet Asimakis, wife of Tom, mother of Elaine and Nick


BABY BLESSING

Amelia Rose, daughter of Greg and Jennifer Pasiadis.


COFFEE HOST

The Yassou Club invites you all to coffee hour after Liturgy.


GOYA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS

 Please keep our players, coaches and chaperones in your prayers today as they travel home from the final basketball tournament Feb. 16-18. At Holy Trinity in Pittsburgh.


2024 WALL CALENDARS

More copies have been delivered! Pick up on Sundays in the Narthex and weekdays in the office lobby.  

 


OPA-CIZE RESCHEDULED

The Opa-cize class originally scheduled for Feb. 17 will be rescheduled on a March date (to be annoucned.) 


FESTIVAL PREPARATIONS

We continue wrapping the napkins and utensils for the festival on Wed., Feb. 21 & Thu., Feb. 22 at 9 a.m.

(Please note change of dates due to funerals/makarias on 2/19 & 2/20)


MOVIE MONDAY

This year’s evening film series will explore the full wording, intent and application of The Ten Commandments. 

 February 26, 6 p.m.  All About Eve (1950; 2 hours & 18 minutes)  Eve Harrington idolizes a talented Broadway star (Bette Davis.) But when the flattered actress takes the young woman under her wing, she sees that Eve’s true idol may be the Oscar statuette itself…

We will also continue screenings of The Chosen (season 3) March 11, 3 p.m. (Episodes 5 & 6) Simon & Gaius work together; Andrew & Philip find that their mission resulted in devastation.


ST. PHILOTHEI

Mon., Feb. 19:   St. Philothei  (Αγ. Φιλοθέη) 8:20 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy.note: this service will be held in the chapel

Wed., Feb. 21 at  6:00 p.m. the Daughters of Penelope welcome Effie Fillis, iconographer of St. Philothei Chapel, speaking on the process of ‘writing’ an icon and the design of our chapel. We will learn more about this inspiring female saint, enjoy hot cocoa, and color an icon to take home!

 


GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE

Mon., Feb. 19 planning meeting at 5 p.m. at St. Demetrios hall. All Greek regional clubs encouraged to send a representative to register and get more information.

The 34th annual NE Ohio parade will be on Sat., March 30 in Tremont. Doxology at noon in Annunciation Church, 2187 W. 14th St., Cleveland. 1 pm. Kick off from the parking lot. The route will be along W. 11th to Lincoln Park and back up W. 14th. Post-parade festivities in Annunciation hall.


GODPARENTS SUNDAY

Feb. 25, plan to attend and take Communion with your godparent/ godchild. 


'A DAY IN ITALY' SPAGHETTI LUNCHEON

Sun., March 10, in the hall after Divine Liturgy. $17/person. Proceeds to benefit our Choir. Tickets on sale during coffee hours this month. 


STEWARDSHIP

If you have not yet completed a Stewardship Commitment Card for 2024, you may access your account online, return the commitment card recently mailed to your home, or call the Church office.  The Stewardship Commitment Card registers you as a member of our St. Demetrios family, ensures that your payments are recognized, and allows the church to budget and provide for its members


BOOK & BIBLE STUDY

We are reading Engaged:The Call to Be Disciples, Reflection on what it means to be a Christian. By Fr. Stavros Akrotinianakis.  

Please note that each chapter is only a couple of pages and  always begins with a reading from the Scriptures and concludes with appropriate prayers from the Orthodox Church. We will read  four chapters a week.

 In addition to the readings, we also watch videos on YouTube to stimulate discussion. (For Example: Fr. Barnabas Powell, and presentations from reliable Orthodox Christian resources.) We deeply love our Faith. We are a group that enjoys praying, discussing scripture and readings that stimulate discussion.  All our welcome. If you have questions please contact Angie Giallourakis or Maggie Steffas.


PRAYER GROUP

Thursdays at 10:30  a.m. in St Philothei Chapel. Contact Diakonissa Amy (apantelisdo@gmail.com or 330-519-3100) to join, or to submit names for whom we can pray.


PARISH PICKLEBALL

Now on Wednesdays and Fridays , 9:00 a.m. in the Zapis Activity Center.


BATHROOM REMODEL

During construction of the main restrooms, when you are visiting the church, you may use the restrooms in the Zapis Activity Center or lower Narthex.


FRIENDS OF THE POOR

SERVING DINNER AT ST. HERMAN’S Volunteer to feed the homeless with your parish family:

~FOCUS Friends next service date: Sat., March  2. Contact Linda Glynias (216-469-2663)

~Philoptochos next service date:  Tue., March 12 Contact Joanne Harootunian (440-353-0910)


EVENTS ELSEWHERE

FRIDAY FISH FRIES   Support our sister parishes, this week 

-Sts. Constantine and Helen, 3352 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland Heights. 5:00-7:30 p.m. All you can eat Whitefish dinner $17;  College students $15. Shrimp, kids meal, and a la carte menu also available.

-Annunciation Church, 2187 W. 14th St., Cleveland. 5:00-8:00 p.m. Baked Fish $13; Fried Fish $15, shrimp and a la carte items. 

 GRIEF SHARE Tuesday, Feb. 20-May 28,  1-3 p.m. at St. Paul Church, 4548 Wallings Rd., North Royalton. Register at http://tinyurl.com/GriefshareSTP or clal 440-237-8998

 COMEDY NIGHT Thu., Feb. 22, Angelo Tsarouchas and Arianna Papalexopoulos will appear at the Event Center of St. Josaphat, 5720 State Road, Parma. Doors open at 7 p.m. and show starts at 8 p.m. Call 440-390-0549 for tickets. Benefits Annunciation Church.

 ETHIOPIAN CHRISTIANITY THRU THE LOOKING GLASS Sat., Feb 24, 2-3 p.m. at the Cleveland Museum of Art. In anticipation of the upcoming exhibit “Africa & Byzantium”, Dr. Alexandra Sellassie Antohin discusses the art of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, the second oldest Christian culture, since 330 AD.  Free, but ticket required at clevelandart.org

 A NIGHT IN GREECE Sat., Feb. 24, at Mercury Music Lounge, 18206 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Live music by Stigma with guest singer Katerina Papadopoulos and George Antonopoulos on bouzouki. $25/person. Doors open at 8 pm; show at 9 pm. Call George Gountis (216-965-1867)

SWEETHEARTS BALL Sat., Feb. 24, 7:30-11:30 p.m. hosted by ΣΕΦ of OSU, at the Columbus Athenaeum, 32 N. 4th Street, Columbus, Ohio. $45 presale until Feb. 22; $50 at the door. Cash, check or Venmo @Sigma-Finance. Call 740-391-4293 for more info.  

FAMILY AND FAITH RETREAT Sat., March 2, at St Paul Church, 4548 Wallings Rd., N Royalton. 10 a.m.-2 pm. $10/person. Child car available. Stpaulgoc.org

GREEK MARDI GRAS PARTY Sat., March 2, at the Sterea Hellas Foundation, 7890 Brookdside Dr., Olmsted Falls. Doors open at 7 p.m. $15/person; cash bar and meat platter for sale.  Greek music by DJ Vasilios. Costumes welcome but optional.  For tickets, call George (440-390-8142.)

 APOKREATIKO GLENDI Sat., March 9, at St. Nicholas Church, 2000 Tower Blvd., Lorain. Doors open at 6 p.m.  Plated traditional Greek dinner; Cash bar. Prizes for best costumes. Dancing to live music by Stigma. $35/ adult; $20/child under 12; children under 5 free. Call 440-960-2992.

 GOYA SPRING RETREAT March 8-10, at Camp Nazareth, Mercer, PA. St Demetrios Parish Council & Philoptochos are offering a full ride scholarship to this retreat to GOYA teens whose family is a 2024 steward in good standing. Contact the church office to be approved and get the scholarship code. Registration now open at Y2AM.Pittsburgh.goarch.org/Retreat

 HERITAGE GREECE National Hellenic Society’s complementary 2-week cultural immersion odyssey for accomplished Greek American college students  to connect with their faith, heritage, roots and Greek identity, at the American College of Greece (Athens) OR at the American College of Thessaloniki. Session A: June 8-23, 2024; Session B: July 6 - 21, 2024. www.hellenicsociety.org Admissions Deadline: March 1.  

ANTYPAS’ NORTH AMERICAN TOUR Sat., March 16 at Archangel Michael Church hall in Campbell, Ohio. Tickets at www.antypastour.com

  IONIAN VILLAGE The summer camping ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America 2024 dates: Session One: June 25 – July 14, 2024; Session Two: July 23 – August 11, 2024. $6,000/camper. Registration opens Feb. 1, 2024 at  IonianVillage.org

 Sunday of Orthodoxy  March 24   Great Vespers at 4:00 p.m. Hosted by St. Theodosius Orthodox Cathedral, 733 Starkweather Ave., Cleveland.  His Eminence the Most Rev. Nicolae, Metropolitan of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the Americas will preside and offer the homily. This year, donations will be collected for IOCC’s humanitarian relief in Gaza.  If you wish to donate and be listed as a Patron in the program book,  make check payable to “Greater Cleveland Council of Orthodox Clergy”and mail, no later than March 12th,  to: GCCOC, c/o St. Innocent Orthodox Church, PO Box 38208, Olmsted Falls, OH 44138

Pilgrimage to St. Gregory Palamas Monastery934 Cr 2256, Perrysville, Ohio. Join Metropolitan Savas and area clergy on Saturday, March 30:  10 a.m. Hierarchal Divine Liturgy. Lenten meal to follow.  If attending, please call 419-368-5335 so they can prepare enough food.


SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

AHEPA District 11 Buckeye: Available to students currently in college or entering college in Fall 2024, who are OR whose parents are active members of the AHEPA, Daughters of Penelope, Sons of Pericles, or Maids of Athena for 3 consecutive years (2 years plus current year.) Application at www.bsf.buckeyedistrict11.org  Submission deadline: March 31, 2024.

 AHEPA #389 / Daughters of Penelope #321: Available to graduating high school seniors whose families are members of AHEPA or Daughters of Penelope 321, or St. Demetrios Church, who are starting their undergraduate studies in the Fall of 2024. To request the application, email office@saintdemetriosrr.org   Submission deadline: April 19, 2024

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarships: 

for the 2024-2025 academic year

•The Gioles and Malta Scholarships are available to Undergraduate Students.
•The Paleologos Scholarship is available to Graduate students.
•The Taylor Scholarship is available to students pursuing a secondary degree.
•The Tembelis Scholarship is available to all students studying at Hellenic College-Holy Cross.
•The Trakatellis Scholarship is available to graduates of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology who are pursuing further academic studies.

Applications at  www.goarch.org/scholarships  Submission deadline for all: May 17, 2024.


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Saints and Feasts

February 18

Leo the Great, Pope of Rome

According to some, this Saint was born in Rome, but according to others in Tyrrenia (Tuscany), and was consecrated to the archiepiscopal throne of Rome in 440. In 448, when Saint Flavian, Archbishop of Constantinople, summoned Eutyches, an archimandrite in Constantinople, to give account for his teaching that there was only one nature in Christ after the Incarnation, Eutyches appealed to Saint Leo in Rome. After Saint Leo had carefully examined Eutyches's teachings, he wrote an epistle to Saint Flavian, setting forth the Orthodox teaching of the person of Christ, and His two natures, and also counseling Flavian that, should Eutyches sincerely repent of his error, he should be received back with all good will. At the Council held in Ephesus in 449, which was presided over by Dioscorus, Patriarch of Alexandria (and which Saint Leo, in a letter to the holy Empress Pulcheria in 451, was the first to call "The Robber Council"), Dioscorus, having military might behind him, did not allow Saint Leo's epistle to Flavian to be read, although repeatedly asked to do so; even before the Robber Council was held, Dioscorus had uncanonically received the unrepentant Eutyches back into communion. Because Saint Leo had many cares in Rome owing to the wars of Attila the Hun and other barbarians, in 451 he sent four delegates to the Fourth Ecumenical Council, where 630 Fathers gathered in Chalcedon during the reign of Marcian, to condemn the teachings of Eutyches and those who supported him. Saint Leo's epistle to Flavian was read at the Fourth Council, and was confirmed by the Holy Fathers as the Orthodox teaching on the incarnate person of our Lord; it is also called the "Tome of Leo." The Saint wrote many works in Latin; he reposed in 461. See also Saint Anatolius, July 3.

Philothea
February 19

Philothea the Righteous Martyr of Athens

Saint Philothei was born in Athens in 1522 to an illustrious family. Against her will, she was married to a man who proved to be most cruel. When he died three years later, the Saint took up the monastic life and established a convent, in which she became a true mother to her disciples. Many women enslaved and abused by the Moslem Turks also ran to her for refuge. Because of this, the Turkish rulers became enraged and came to her convent, dragged her by force out of the church, and beat her cruelly. After a few days, she reposed, giving thanks to God for all things. This came to pass in the year 1589. She was renowned for her almsgiving, and with Saints Hierotheus and Dionysius the Areopagite is considered a patron of the city of Athens.

February 20

Leo, Bishop of Catania

This Saint, who was from Ravenna in Italy, lived during the reign of Leo the Wise and his son Constantine Porphyrogenitus (end of the ninth and beginning of the tenth centuries). He struggled especially against the paganism and sorcery still prevalent in those regions.

February 21

Eustathios, Patriarch of Antioch

Saint Eustathius, the great defender of piety and illustrious opponent of Arianism, was from Side in Pamphylia. He became Bishop of Beroea (the present-day Aleppo), and in 325 was present at the First Ecumenical Council. From thence he was transferred to the throne of Antioch. But Saint Constantine the Great, led astray by the slanders directed against the Saint by the Arians, banished him to Trajanopolis in Thrace, where he reposed in 337, according to some. Others say he lived until 360.

February 22

Our Righteous Fathers Thalassius and Baradatus

February 23

Polycarp the Holy Martyr & Bishop of Smyrna

This apostolic and prophetic man, and model of faith and truth, was a disciple of John the Evangelist, successor of Bucolus (Feb. 6), and teacher of Irenaeus (Aug. 23). He was an old man and full of days when the fifth persecution was raised against the Christians under Marcus Aurelius. When his pursuers, sent by the ruler, found Polycarp, he commanded that they be given something to eat and drink, then asked them to give him an hour to pray; he stood and prayed, full of grace, for two hours, so that his captors repented that they had come against so venerable a man. He was brought by the Proconsul of Smyrna into the stadium and was commanded, "Swear by the fortune of Caesar; repent, and say, 'Away with the atheists.'" By atheists, the Proconsul meant the Christians. But Polycarp, gazing at the heathen in the stadium, waved his hand towards them and said, "Away with the atheists." When the Proconsul urged him to blaspheme against Christ, he said: "I have been serving Christ for eighty-six years, and He has wronged me in nothing; how can I blaspheme my King Who has saved me?" But the tyrant became enraged at these words and commanded that he be cast into the fire, and thus he gloriously expired about the year 163. As Eusebius says, "Polycarp everywhere taught what he had also learned from the Apostles, which also the Church has handed down; and this alone is true" (Eccl. Hist., Book IV, ch. 14,15).

February 24

Boswell (Boisel) Abbot of Melrose Abbey

He  seems to have been trained by St. Aidan, and served as the Prior of Melrose Abbey in Scotland. 

    St. Boisil’s sanctity drew the young St. Cuthbert (March 20, see March 2023 issue) to Melrose, where Boisil taught him the Scriptures. Together, teacher and student traveled throughout the neighboring villages, preaching to the people. St. Boisil cured the sick and ailing brought to him with his herbal remedies, and by the healing properties of two local springs containing iron salts.    Three years before the great pestilence of 664, St. Boisil foretold his own death of plague. When the plague came, Cuthbert was stricken first, but St. Boisil  declared his student would recover, which he did. However, as he had prophesized, St. Boisil himself died in the epidemic.

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Wisdom of the Fathers

She had a great perfection of faith. She had no uncertainty about His divine majesty. She had no small measure of the virtue of patience. Yet the pitying Physician of the pitiful disdained her petitions. He kept her waiting for answer in order to demonstrate to us the perseverence of this woman that we can always imitate. She had the characteristics of constancy and humility. She willingly embraced the indignity she received, and even confirmed the Lord`s statement. This woman rightly signifies the faith and devotion of the Church gathered from the nations
Saint Bede
Hom. I. 22, In Lent, Homilies on the Gospels, Bk. One, 216, 217.

He kept her waiting for an answer in order to declare that the minds of His disciples should also be merciful. As human beings they were ashamed of the clamor of the woman as she pursued them publicly, but He Himself knew the character of His mercy.
St. Bede
Hom. I. 22, In Lent, Homilies on the Gospels, Bk. One, 216

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Mode

Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the Angel, and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, the women disciples of the Lord spake to the Apostles exultantly: Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, granting great mercy to the world.

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


Apolytikion for the Church in the First Mode

Μέγαν εύρατο εντοίς κινδύνοις,  σε υπέρμαχον η οικουμένη, αθλοφόρε τα έθνη τροπούμενον. Ως ουν Λυαίου καθείλες την έπαρσιν εν τω σταδίω θαρρύνας τον Νέστορα. Ουτως άγιε μεγαλομάρτυς Δημήτριε, Χριστόν τον Θεόν ικέτευε δωρήσασθε ημίν το μεγαέλεος.


Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

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


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