Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day
03/19/2015
The Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary, is a day when we celebrate a truly amazing and miraculous revelation. At the event of the Annunciation, the messenger of God appeared before Mary and announced the divine plan for our salvation through the birth of Christ. The words of the Archangel Gabriel revealed how God’s promises would be fulfilled and the ancient prophesies affirmed.
Archbishop's Encyclical for Greek Independence Day Parade
03/16/2015
Our annual gathering for the Greek Independence Day Parade is a celebration of our cherished ideals, a commemoration of those who sacrificed for the sake of liberty, and a witness of the strength of our faith and heritage. This year, as you probably know, our Parade will be held on Sunday, March 29, and I invite you to join with us as we march down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for Holy and Great Lent 2015
02/20/2015
In the hymns and services of the Triodion period and at the entrance of this holy season of Great Lent, we are called to repentance. We are invited to come before God in the humility of the Publican. We are beckoned to return to His dwelling and His compassionate embrace as the Prodigal Son. We are confronted with the causes of our separation from God and our need for His great mercy. It is truly a time of repentance as we prepare to commemorate and contemplate all that has been done for us through Christ our Lord.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of St. Photios and Saint Photios National Shrine Day - February 6, 2015
02/03/2015
On this blessed Feast of Saint Photios, we offer our gratitude and support for our beloved Saint Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine in St. Augustine, Florida. For almost four decades, our National Shrine as been a place that honors the earliest roots of our Greek American experience, affirms the value of this experience and the role of our Hellenic heritage in this country, and offers a beautiful witness of the power and grace of our Orthodox faith.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of Three Hierarchs and Greek Letters Day
01/26/2015
On this blessed Feast of the Three Hierarchs, we give thanks to God for the beautiful and faithful witness of Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom. Venerated on this day as great Teachers and Theologians, we also recognize them as representative of many great Saints of the Church who have conveyed truth, communicated divine wisdom, and offered an inspiring witness of the Gospel of love. For the depth of their teaching and their ardent defense of the faith, our hymns call all people to a universal celebration on this day.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of Saint Basil and the New Year
12/29/2014
On this blessed Feast of Saint Basil and the beginning of the New Year, our honored tradition is to offer prayers and support for the sacred ministry of our beloved Saint Basil Academy. For seventy years this institution of our Holy Archdiocese has offered the love of Christ, the comfort of His presence, and the healing power of faith to children, youth, and families in need. Serving Orthodox children from throughout the United States, Saint Basil Academy continues to provide a caring and spiritual environment where they are able to grow, learn, and achieve.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of the Nativity 2014
12/16/2014
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for Thanksgiving Day 2014
11/20/2014
These foundations of Thanksgiving Day, and its place within the history and life of this nation as a regular observance have made this a holiday shared by many as well as a time for families to gather in fellowship and gratitude. The focus on giving thanks to God, the attitude of gratefulness for the blessings in our lives, and the traditions centered upon the family resonate with our emphasis on the family as a dwelling of Christ and a witness of His Gospel.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of the Holy Archangels - November 8, 2014
11/05/2014
The blessed ministry of the angels is also reflected in the quality of care and compassionate service offered by our beloved Saint Michael’s Home. On this feast we recognize the faithful service of the trustees, directors, and staff, affirming that in a sacred environment, filled with the presence of God, they are being faithful to His command to offer comfort, love, and healing.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of the Holy Unmercenaries - November 1, 2014
10/28/2014
We are led in this effort by our National Ladies Philoptochos Society, and on Sunday, November 2, local chapters throughout our Holy Archdiocese will have a special offering for these ministries. I ask that you contribute generously to assist the work of our beloved Ecumenical Patriarchate at a time when critical needs there and throughout the Middle East are growing. As we are witnessing, long established ministries are challenged for resources as new humanitarian crises and desperate pleas for assistance are growing.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for OXI Day - October 28, 2014
10/21/2014
As we commemorate OXI Day on October 28 and remember the valiant stand of the people of Greece in 1940 against the advancement of the forces of Fascism, we are aware that struggles for freedom and peace and against tyranny are very much a part of our modern world. Just as some of us and most certainly our fathers and mothers saw and experienced the brutality and inhumane actions of an occupying force, so too we are witnesses today of persecution, violence, and death.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for National Leadership 100 Sunday - October 26, 2014
10/09/2014
On this Sunday, October 26, the Feast of Saint Demetrios and following the Feast of Saint Iakovos on October 23, we give thanks to God for the steadfast and abounding labor of the members of Leadership 100 and celebrate the great accomplishments of the Leadership 100 Endowment Fund, as its celebration of its 30th Anniversary comes to a close.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross
09/10/2014
We lift up the Cross because while it was used as an instrument of torture and indignity, it brought honor and glory to God. It was used as a means of ending life, but it became entrance to eternity. It was used as a violent weapon, but for believers it became a weapon of true peace. The Cross, a symbol of suffering and defeat, through Christ it became a symbol of hope and victory. Instead of death, our Lord through the Cross brought us life and abundance of life.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Ecclesiastical New Year and the Day for the Protection of our Natural Environment
08/27/2014
As we commemorate this Feast of the Indiction, the beginning of the new ecclesiastical year, we ask our great and merciful God to “bless the crown of this year which His goodness has allowed us to begin” (Hymn of Orthros). It is His goodness and grace that has brought us to the beginning of one more ecclesiastical year and to another blessed cycle of the feasts and observances of our Holy Orthodox Faith. In anticipation of the marvelous and wonderful things our Lord will accomplish in our lives, parishes, and families, we look forward to the blessings that will come through our worship, prayer, and service.
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos - August 15, 2014
08/11/2014
We commemorate this blessed Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, honoring and celebrating her faith in God and the witness of the miraculous power of grace in her life through her willing obedience to His will. As a result of the amazing level of personal holiness and the abundance of grace, the Theotokos offers us a superb example of a relationship with God and a deep connection with Him that is essential for our lives and the sacred institution of the family.
