Epiphany 2016
By Fr. James Rousakis

The Orthodox Church attempts to make the liturgical events of worship personal to the faithful by using the word “today,” as is heard repeatedly in the Great Blessing of Water prayer at the Feast of Epiphany. Reflecting today on the 25^th time I have been blessed to be part of the historic Epiphany celebration in Tarpon Springs, let me share the highlights of this special event with you.

After the arrival at noon of Archbishop Demetrios and Metropolitan Alexios to the Tampa Bay area on January 5^th, a traditional luncheon was hosted at Holy Trinity in Clearwater. The Archbishop had remarked that it is appropriate to begin the celebration of Epiphany at this parish, since the feast day is about the manifestation of the Holy Trinity. Earlier in the day, after the Vesperal Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Tarpon Springs, His Grace Bishop Sevastianos, a former Proistamenos of St. Nicholas Cathedral, along with Rev. Fr. Sampson Kasapakis, Ephimeros of the Cathedral, blessed the fleet at the Sponge Docks. Following the luncheon, the Hierarchs visited with the former Chancellor of the Metropolis of Atlanta, V. Rev. Fr. Petros and Presvytera Christine Kopsahilis, at their Clearwater home, which was an emotional experience for all present. In the evening, the Hierarchs attended the annual AHEPA dinner in Tarpon Springs, along with the Supreme President of the AHEPA and Sons of Pericles and the Grand President of the Daughters. The Supreme President commented on the overwhelming support of the AHEPA for the St. Nicholas Shrine being built at Ground Zero.

Early on January 6^th, following the Orthros, Divine Liturgy and Great Blessing of Water, a procession, which included the 49 divers, left the Cathedral to process to the Bayou. Upon reaching the steps leading to the Bayou, the divers paused and knelt as the Archbishop read a prayer of encouragement over them. The divers in rushing-of-the-bulls frenzy ran to the spring waters to secure a place on one of the small boats to prepare for the dive of a lifetime. Upon the special platform, erected for this one time usage, a short service of the blessing of the bayou waters is offered. During the reading of the Gospel, with the words, “…appeared as a dove…” Fotini Sisois, the 2016 Dove Bearer, released a dove; and when the hymn of the feast was chanted, the Archbishop hurled a special white cross into the bayou, for the divers to retrieve. In 17 seconds, 18-year-old Anderson Combs of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in New Port Richey emerged victorious and was brought to the Archbishop for a blessing and the placing of a gold cross upon him.

The day ended with a celebration at the annual Glendi, held at the St. Nicholas Community Center, for all to enjoy. Following the meal, St. Nicholas Interim Dean V. Rev Fr. James Rousakis, Nikitas Manias, president of the Parish Council, and Theodora Lialios, GOYA president, presented the Archbishop with a check for the rebuilding of the St. Nicholas Shrine and an icon of St. Nicholas, made from the copper of the old dome of the Cathedral, to be hung in the Shrine as a symbol of unity between the two parishes. The GOYA also presented a check to Metropolitan Alexios in support of the Diaconia Retreat Center, which is also building a church.

The Epiphany became a “today” moment for the young diver, who retrieved the Cross, as well as for all who attended the feast day, which transcended time, joined the past with the present and brought this sacred event into their lives. Now we begin Epiphany 2017!

 Back when the telegraph was the fastest means of long-distance communication, there was a story, perhaps just a legend, about a young man who applied for a job as a Morse code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the address that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a large, noisy office. In the background a telegraph clacked away. A sign on the receptionist's counter instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office. The young man completed his form and sat down with seven other waiting applicants. After a few minutes, the young man stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right in. Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what was going on. Why had this man been so bold? They muttered among themselves that they hadn't heard any summons yet. They took more than a little satisfaction in assuming the young man who went into the office would be reprimanded for his presumption and summarily disqualified for the job.

Within a few minutes the young man emerged from the inner office escorted by the interviewer, who announced to the other applicants, “Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming, but the job has been filled by this young man.”

The other applicants began grumbling to each other, and then one spoke up, “Wait a minute – I don't understand. He was the last one to come in, and we never even got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the job. That's not fair.”

The employer responded, “All the time you've been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message in Morse code: ‘If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours.’ None of you heard it or understood it. This young man did. So the job is his.”

The past week we observed a vigil and commemoration for Holy Theophany, one of the three greatest Feast Days of the Orthodox Church. The next day we remembered St. John the Baptist. Each day, we heard the words of our Heavenly Father proclaim at Jesus Christ’s baptism (Mark 1:11): “You are My Son, the Beloved; with You I am well pleased.”

My brothers and sisters in Christ, our livelihood, indeed our life, depends upon our ability to discern the meaning of these words directed continually to us from our Heavenly Father: “You are My child, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.

Faithfully yours,
+Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor

 "Follow the Light"
By Fr. Athanasios Haros, Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church Florence, SC

As the Church celebrates the Feast of Epiphany, Light has come into the world to lead us out of darkness. The problem is that the world is filled with obstacles that obscure our view of the Light, and we often find ourselves lost in the darkness. Thankfully God has provided us with His Church to help remove the distractions and obstacles so we can see the Light and follow the light. Having Light shining in the darkness only helps if we can see it, but if we don’t follow the Light of the Church we will remain in darkness and lost forever

Journey of Marriage (Pre-Marital Seminar)

IMPORTANT: All couples marrying in the Metropolis must attend a Metropolis-sponsored Journey of Marriage seminar prior to their wedding. The couple will present their certificate of completion to their parish priest after the seminar. 

• January 16 - Tarpon Springs, FL
• January 23 - Atlanta, GA 
• January 23 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• January 30 - Jacksonville, F
• February 6 - Tallahassee, FL
• February 13 - Raleigh, NC
• February 27 - Charlotte, NC
• February 27 - Maitland, FL
• March 12 - Atlanta, GA
• March 26 - Tampa, FL

Check out the latest weekly offerings from the Metropolis' blog this Advent Season! www.familylifeministry.atlanta.goarch.org 

To see the full list of seminars through 2016, and to register, please visit: http://www.familylifeministry.atlanta.goarch.org/upcoming-events-2/