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Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation
Publish Date: 2019-08-25
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Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (916) 443-2033
  • Fax:
  • (916) 443-2743
  • Street Address:

  • 616 Alhambra Blvd

  • Sacramento, CA 95816


Contact Information








Services Schedule

Sundays & Appointed Weekdays:
Matins - 9:00 am
Divine Liturgy - 10:00 am

Summer Schedule for Sundays & Appointed Weekdays:
Matins - 8:30 am
Divine Liturgy - 9:30 am


Past Bulletins


This Week at Annunciation Sacramento

 

August 25 - September 1, 2019

 

Sunday, August 25th  

Epistle   I Corinthians 4:9-16
Gospel   Matthew 17:14-23

8:30 am Orthros
9:30 am Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, August 27th 

6:30 pm Volleyball Open Gym

Wednesday, August 28th

11:00 am Studies in the Faith
7:00 pm Orthodox Basic Training

Thursday, August 29th

8:30 am Orthros
9:30 am Divine Liturgy: Beheading of St. John the Forerunner and Baptist

Saturday, August 31st

GOYA Outing: Annual CAL Berkeley Football Game (vs. UC Davic)

Sunday, September 1st  

Epistle   I Timothy 2:1-7
Gospel   Luke 4:16-22

8:30 am Orthros
9:30 am Divine Liturgy

 

NOTICE

On September 8th, we will resume regular hours.
Orthros 9:00 am | Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Register for the Sunday School 2019-2020 academic year:
https://annunciationsac.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/64/responses/new

Register for the 2019-2020 Dance season via:
https://annunciationsac.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/97/responses/new

Please visit our "Parish Ministries" section below for more information

Parish Directory of Stewards 2019 | Now Available!

Pick up your copy of the Parish Directory of Stewards on Sundays following the Divine Liturgy at the Stewardship Ministry table in the Annunciation Hellenic Center

At and Around Annunciation Sacramento
Check out all the events at our church and around Sacramento!
http://www.annunciationsac.org/at-and-around-sacramento/

 

Please visit our parish website for the monthly calendar and to subscribe
http://www.AnnunciationSac.org/master-calendar/

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Bulletin Inserts

    Sunday Bulletin | August 25th

    Sunday Bulletin | August 25th

    The bulletin from Sunday, August 25th - Including corrections from yesterday's printed bulletin.


    Sacramento Greek Festival Volunteers & Baking Dates

    Sacramento Greek Festival Volunteers & Baking Dates

    Our Sacramento Greek Festival is coming up and we need your help! Sign up now to volunteer by using this link! https://www.signupgenius.com/index.cfm?go=c.SignUpSearch&eid=0FCACDDDFACBFC61&cs=09B5BAAE8FB98B117B7E64755BB59BCF&sortby=l.title And don't forget about our upcoming baking days! Pastitsio and Mousaka | September 16th & 18th Syrup Melomakarona | September 23rd


    Sacramento Greek Festival Donations

    Sacramento Greek Festival Donations

    We are happy to host the Sacramento Greek Festival at our own church grounds. The Festival Board and our Chairpersons look forward to the challenge of making sure that we provide the same quality for this Greek Festival that we have delivered for the last 56 years. We would appreciate your support. October 4-6, 2019


    Youth Ministries Meeting | September 3rd

    Youth Ministries Meeting | September 3rd

    On the first Tuesday of every month, (starting on September 3rd at 6:00 pm) our Youth Ministries will gather for a short prayer service, followed by meetings supervised by a parent adviser, and with the spiritual guidance of Fr. James, Fr. Timothy, and Yianni.  These brief, 1-hour meetings will allow our youth to take ownership of their own ministry by planning events and philanthropies, while growing together in Christ, as well as gaining leadership skills.  We are very excited about this new format and are thankful for your prayers and support.   Meet our Youth Ministries! GOYA | 9-12th grade Jr. GOYA | 6-8th Grade JOY | 3-5th Grade


    ASL Monthly Luncheon | September 5th

    ASL Monthly Luncheon | September 5th

    Thursday, September 5th 11:30 am - 1:30 pm The Old Spaghetti Factory 19th and J Street Prepaid, advance reservations are required! Please rsvp to Mary Kondos by September 3rd 5328 Spilman Ave. Sacramento, Ca. 95819 (916) 457-2196 mkondos@att.net


    St. Anna Groundbreaking Invitation | September 7th

    St. Anna Groundbreaking Invitation | September 7th

    You are cordially invited to join the faithful of St. Anna Greek Orthodox Christian Church as they break ground for the construction of their holy sanctuary. Saturday, September 7, 2019 GROUNDBREAKING SERVICE 2:00 PM RECEPTION TO FOLLOW GREAT VESPERS 5:00 PM 1001 STONE CANYON DRIVE ROSEVILLE, CA 95661 RSVP (916) 772-9372 GROUNDBREAKING@SAINTANNA.ORG


    20 Years and Counting | September 15th

    20 Years and Counting | September 15th

    Fr. Timothy was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on September 5, 1999! Axios! He has faithfully served our parish these past thirteen years. Our Annunciation Church family will be honoring him with a special luncheon following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, September 15th. Save the date & plan to bring the entire family!


    Cappella Romana: Mary and the Cross | September 15th

    Cappella Romana: Mary and the Cross | September 15th

    Cappella Romana, coming to Sacramento! Sunday, September 15, 2019 at 7:30 pm at our church. Mary and the Cross, Hymns for the Virgin Mary at the Cross: intensely moving traditional Byzantine chants sung in Greek and in English. Tickets & Info: Cappellaromana.org (503) 236-8202


    10th Annual Hellenic Golf Classic | September 27th

    10th Annual Hellenic Golf Classic | September 27th

    Join us for our 10th Annual Hellenic Golf Classic! September 27th | Lincoln Hills Golf Club. Course is limited to the first 144 golfers. Sign up now! https://annunciationsac.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/92/responses/new Please contact Pat Kallergis at (916) 812-3649


    Greek Night w/ Sacramento Republic FC | October 2nd

    Greek Night w/ Sacramento Republic FC | October 2nd

    Join us for GREEK NIGHT with the Sacramento Republic FC. Featuring pregame performances by our Greek Dance Ministry, the National Anthem sung by our Annunciation Choir, and a postgame meet & greet with Charalampos Chantzopoulos! Did we mention limited edition Republic FC scarves in GREEK?! Purchase your tickets now! http://groups.sacrepublicfc.com/s/other/GreekNight1012 Proceeds benefit our Annunciation Youth Ministries. Thank you for your support!


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Homily

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The Homily offered by Fr. Timothy Robinson on Sunday, August 25th

https://youtu.be/fojzwptrW9E

As part of our outreach ministry, we are pleased to announce that divine services at our church are now being streamed live on Facebook!  The purpose of this ministry is to provide an opportunity to view our church services for those who are not physically able to make it to services, like shut-ins and college students away from home, as well as people interested in learning about our precious Orthodox Christian Faith.  Again, this is not a substitute for those who are able to come to church.

Recordings of the Sunday Homily will still be posted to our YouTube channel

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Stewardship Voice

Stewardship

Stewardship 2019

07/18/2019

Webster's dictionary defines stewardship as "the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care."

Just as a parent never stops caring for their child, we should always remember our responsibility to our Church. It is a responsibility and a privilege.

As we all enjoy our summer, let's not forget to continue our support of our beloved Annunciation by continuing with our stewardship pledges.

In Christ,

Stella Dariotis
Stewardship Chair


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Parish, Metropolis, & Archdiocesan Ministries

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Annunciation Sacramento Ministries and Resources

Annunciation Observer

July August Observer

Sunday School

Register for the Sunday School 2019-2020 academic year! First day of classes, September 15th 
https://annunciationsac.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/64/responses/new

Annunciation Dance Ministry

Registration for the 2019-2020 dance season is now open! First day of dance practice will be on September 8th.
https://annunciationsac.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/97/responses/new
Save these important dates!

  • 9/8/19 -- Youth Ministries Kickoff Sunday
  • 9/1/19 -- Hara Coffee Hour
  • 9/8/19 -- Nea Genia Coffee Hour
  • 9/22/19 -- Ta Zouzounakia Coffee Hour
  • 9/29/19 -- Ta Filarakia Coffee Hour
  • 10/2/19 -- Sac Republic Greek Night with pre-game dance performance
  • 10/4/19 - 10/6/19 -- Festival Performances
  • 12/15/19 -- St. Dionysios Family to Family Project
  • 1/10/20 -- Preview Rehearsal & Group Photos
  • 1/12/20 -- Preview during Coffee Hour
  • 2/8/20 -- FDF Glendi
  • 2/13/20 - 2/16/20 -- FDF in Anaheim
  • 5/8/20 -- Coffee Hour/Mother’s Day Event

Annunciation Greek School

Thank you for registering for the 2019-2020 academic year! More information coming soon!
Also, there is a tuition discount for all of the Annunciation church stewards. Please remember to identify yourself as a steward and receive a discount for each child enrolled in Greek school.
Our Annunciation Greek School is now Ellinomatheia certified! If you would like to take the certification test, please look for more information on their website: http://greekschoolannunciation.org/ellinomatheia/

Annunciation Senior League

The ASL will see you at 11:30 am on Thursday, September 5th at The Old Spaghetti Factory!
Reservations are REQUIRED by September 3rd.  For the flyer and RSVP information, please look in the "Bulletin Inserts" section.

Altar Guild

As most of you are aware, Jane Bardis been handling the Altar Guild beautifully for the past ten years.  Understandably, Jane has decided to step down as the coordinator of the Altar Guild and Mary Ellen Kassotakis, Rula Manikas and I are now overseeing it.  We are grateful to Jane for her service over the past ten years, and especially for the annual Altar Guild Luncheon she hosted each February.  Although Jane is no longer coordinating the Altar Guild, she is fortunately staying on as a volunteer.

We are very excited to have ten new members to the Altar Guild this year.  Please join us in welcoming Nikki Avdis, Kathy Ballas, Marianna Demas, Koula Fotopoulos, Nicki Hansen, Lindsey Kivetos, Nicolette Madrid, Helen Nickolson, Malamo Romas, and Donna Wagner!

We have prepared a new Altar Guild Membership Roster which will be distributed to each member, along with handouts regarding the Ministry (decorating instructions and tips, what to bring, etc.)  You will also receive your assigned date (as well as the entire schedule of assignments for the year).  However, before we coordinate the assignments and distribute the assignment list (and other documents), please advise us if you have a special request to decorate the icon on a certain Sunday or Feast Day.  I have attached a list of the major Feast Days, but please also specify any special date not listed.  If you do have a date request, please reply to this email by September 1.  We will do our best to accommodate your request.  (A few of you have already notified us, and we have noted your request).  

Importantly, Sunday, September 8, after Liturgy is the Ministry Kick-off at church.  There will be a demonstration of how to decorate an icon during that time.  (Exact time and location to be announced).  This demonstration is for the benefit of the new members, but is open to all Altar Guild volunteers.  We will have handouts at the demonstration, and we will be available to answer any questions or address any concerns.

Christine may be contacted at cdariotis@golyon.com or (916) 412-8112
Rula may be contacted at (916) 606-2193

10th Annual Hellenic Golf Classic - September 27, 2019

Registration is now open! Limited to the first 144 golfers!  Please join us in celebrating 10 years of the Hellenic Golf Classic with food, fun, and prizes! For more information, please contact Pat Kallergis (916) 812-3649.
Sign up now at https://annunciationsac.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/92/responses/new

At and Around Annunciation Sacramento

Check out all the events at our church and around Sacramento!
http://www.annunciationsac.org/at-and-around-sacramento/

Acolytes

Young men ages 8 and up are welcome to learn about our faith by serving in the Holy Altar.  Please contact Yianni Magoulias (Magoulias@AnnunciationSac.org) for inquiries.

Youth Ministries

On the first Tuesday of every month, (starting on September 3rd at 6:00 pm) our Youth Ministries will gather for a short prayer service, followed by meetings supervised by a parent adviser, and with the spiritual guidance of Fr. James, Fr. Timothy, and Yianni.  These brief, 1-hour meetings will allow our youth to take ownership of their own ministry by planning events and philanthropies, while growing together in Christ, as well as gaining leadership skills.  We are very excited about this new format and are thankful for your prayers and support.  

Meet our Youth Ministries!

GOYA | 9-12th grade
Jr. GOYA | 6-8th Grade
JOY | 3-5th Grade

Upcoming GOYA Events: 

  • Annual GOYA Cal Berkeley Football Game Outing | August 31st
    Contact Yianni Magoulias to reserve your spot.

Parish Contact 

Have you moved? Do you have a new number? Please notify the Church Office to stay up to date with everything happening at our parish!

Parish Communications

In the fast-pace society we live in today, internet communications are the norm.  
Please follow us online and on social media.

Parish Website: http://www.annunciationsac.org/
Parish Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annunciation.sacramento/
Parish Instagram: @AnnunciationSac
Parish Twitter: @AnnunciationSac
Parish YouTube: Annunciation Sac
Annuciation Young Professionals: https://www.facebook.com/groups/310609672670680/
Annunciation Bookstore: https://www.facebook.com/AnnunciationBookstore/
Sacramento Greek Festival: https://www.facebook.com/sacramentogreekfestival/
Hellenic Golf Classic: https://www.facebook.com/hellenicgolfclassic/

Observer Articles are due on the 10th of the month

Please visit our parish website for the monthly calendar and to subscribe
http://www.AnnunciationSac.org/master-calendar/

Prosfora Offering

Every Divine Liturgy, the priest uses a special bread, called Prosforo, to prepare the Holy Eucharist.  The priest cuts the bread in a special way and prays to God, the Theotokos, the saints, the prophets, and the angels for their prayers and intercessions… The priest also prays for all those living and those who have passed away. Following the Divine Liturgy, the remainder is handed out to all the people.

This bread is a beautiful offering by an individual or a family.  The Church is always in need of Prosfora.  
Please contact the Church Office for the recipe and to schedule a time to bring Prosfora.

 

Metropolis of San Francisco Ministries and Resources

St. Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center

Every summer, hundreds of children and teenagers from throughout the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco gather for our summer camp program. The Orthodox Christian faith comes alive for young people as they develop lifelong friendships and memories that will last forever. Summer camp activities include: arts and crafts, faith and culture, athletics, swimming, canoeing, campfires, archery, hikes, daily worship services, a visit to the Monastery of the Theotokos the Lifegiving Spring, and Orthodox life discussions.
http://gosfyouth.org/basic-information/

Annunciation Scholarship for St. Nicholas Ranch Summer Camp Sponsored by the Annunciation Endowment Fund

Interested in going to Summer Camp at St. Nicholas Ranch this summer?
Apply now for Annunciation’s St. Nicholas Ranch Summer Camp Scholarship by sending your completed St. Nicholas Ranch registration confirmation to Yianni Magoulias (Magoulias@AnnunciationSac.org)

Application Deadline: July 6, 2019

2019 SUMMER CAMP DATES

Session I: July 7 – 13
Session II: July 14 – 20 
Session III: July 21 – 27

Youth and Young Adult Ministries - San Francisco

The Metropolis of San Francisco is hosting the 2019 Young Adult League (YAL) Conference this Labor Day Weekend! This 3-day conference will have hundreds of young adults across the nation coming together for a weekend of great social events, guest speakers and workshops, worship, service and beach fun! 

Ages: 18 - 35
Dates: August 29th - September 2nd 
Website & Registration: https://cvent.me/ZlYm1 
Where: Hyatt Regency Long Beach 

$299 Student Discount Deadline - June 14, 2019
$375 General Deadline - July 14, 2019
$450 Late Deadline - July 31, 2019
*Registration Price covers all meals, speakers and transportation to and from the weekend's events*

Please reach out to Katherine Rotas with any questions - krotas@mac.com

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Ministries and Resourses

Hellenic College Holy Cross, Greek Orthodox School of Theology

Achrdiocesan Orthodox Christian college, graduate school, and seminary.
www.HCHC.edu

Ionian Village

Ionian Village is not just another summer camp; it is like nothing you have ever experienced. The campers and Staff come not only to understand their Orthodox Faith and Hellenic Culture in a more realistic and tangible way, but also to meet and interact with other young people just like them from all over the country. Through this interaction, their eyes are opened as to what the reality of being an Orthodox Christian in this world truly should be: to be people who live Christ-centered lives, to be people of love. " Applications open on March 1, 2019.

https://www.ionianvillage.org/summer-camp

St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival

Introduced in 1983, the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival provides Greek Orthodox teenagers the opportunity to write about and defend their faith.  The purpose of the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival is to give teenagers an opportunity to learn, write, and speak about their Orthodox Christian Faith, Church, and Heritage.  This process will enhance their understanding and appreciation of their identity as Greek Orthodox Christians and cultivate spiritual growth and maturity.  The overall Oratorical program is called an Oratorical Festival rather than a contest to minimize the competitive spirit and emphasize a joyful learning experience.

https://www.goarch.org/oratorical

CrossRoad

What does it mean to travel the road of the Cross of Christ in your life, for your life?
CrossRoad is an engaging 10-day summer institute for Orthodox Christian high school juniors and seniors of all jurisdictions that takes place every summer on the campus of Hellenic College Holy Cross in Brookline, Massachusetts. Students from the United States and Canada are invited to take part in an exciting summer vocations exploration program designed to help them discern their life callings and match their God-given gifts with the needs of the world. Applications are due February 1, 2019.
http://www.crossroadinstitute.org/

 

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Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News

Enthronement Luncheon Proceeds to Benefit St. Nicholas

08/19/2019

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America reports that a donation of $260,000 is being made to the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine from the proceeds of the Enthronement Luncheon for His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros.

Archbishop Elpidophoros meets with Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Archdiocese

08/23/2019

Archbishop Elpidophoros was received August 22, 2019, by Metropolitan Joseph for their first official visit at the headquarters of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. The two hierarchs discussed the various practical, pastoral, and ecclesial matters pertaining to the Orthodox Christian community in the United States of America.

Archbishop Elpidophoros Meets with Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church

08/20/2019

On Tuesday, August 20, 2019, Archbishop Elpidophoros met with Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church under the jurisdiction of the Holy See of the Great House of Cilicia.

An Emotional 15th of August in Imbros

08/19/2019

In a moving atmosphere, the Dormition of the Theotokos was celebrated in Imbros, where the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the village of Agios Theodoros.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. First Mode. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 4:9-16.

Brethren, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

Προκείμενον. First Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 32.22,1.
Γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ' ἡμᾶς.
Στίχ. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε δίκαιοι ἐν Κυρίῳ

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 4:9-16.

Ἀδελφοί, ὁ θεὸς ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐσχάτους ἀπέδειξεν ὡς ἐπιθανατίους· ὅτι θέατρον ἐγενήθημεν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ ἀγγέλοις, καὶ ἀνθρώποις. Ἡμεῖς μωροὶ διὰ Χριστόν, ὑμεῖς δὲ φρόνιμοι ἐν Χριστῷ· ἡμεῖς ἀσθενεῖς, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰσχυροί· ὑμεῖς ἔνδοξοι, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄτιμοι. Ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας καὶ πεινῶμεν, καὶ διψῶμεν, καὶ γυμνητεύομεν, καὶ κολαφιζόμεθα, καὶ ἀστατοῦμεν, καὶ κοπιῶμεν ἐργαζόμενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσίν· λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν· διωκόμενοι ἀνεχόμεθα· βλασφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν· ὡς περικαθάρματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐγενήθημεν, πάντων περίψημα ἕως ἄρτι. Οὐκ ἐντρέπων ὑμᾶς γράφω ταῦτα, ἀλλʼ ὡς τέκνα μου ἀγαπητὰ νουθετῶ. Ἐὰν γὰρ μυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς ἔχητε ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλʼ οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας· ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα. Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε.


Gospel Reading

10th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 17:14-23

At that time, a man came up to Jesus and kneeling before him said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him." And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me." And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move hence to yonder place,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting." As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day."

10th Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 17:14-23

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐλθόντων αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν ὄχλον προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἄνθρωπος γονυπετῶν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων· Κύριε, ἐλέησόν μου τὸν υἱόν, ὅτι σεληνιάζεται καὶ κακῶς πάσχει· πολλάκις γὰρ πίπτει εἰς τὸ πῦρ καὶ πολλάκις εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ. καὶ προσήνεγκα αὐτὸν τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου, καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν αὐτὸν θεραπεῦσαι. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν· ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη! ἕως πότε ἔσομαι μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετέ μοι αὐτὸν ὧδε. καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ τὸ δαιμόνιον καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης. Τότε προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ τῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ κατ᾿ ἰδίαν εἶπον· διατί ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό; ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν ὑμῶν. ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, ἐρεῖτε τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ, μετάβηθι ἐντεῦθεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ μεταβήσεται, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀδυνατήσει ὑμῖν. τοῦτο δὲ τὸ γένος οὐκ ἐκπορεύεται εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ. ᾿Αναστρεφομένων δὲ αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· μέλλει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθήσεται. καὶ ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

Yet if his unbelief was the cause ... why does He blame the disciples? Signifying, that even without persons to bring the sick in faith, they might in many instances work a cure.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 57 on Matthew 17, 4th Century

For as the faith of the person presenting oftentimes availed for receiving the cure, even from inferior ministers; so the power of the doers oftentimes sufficed, even without belief in those who came to work the miracle.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 57 on Matthew 17, 4th Century

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Saints and Feasts

Healdemonicboy
August 25

10th Sunday of Matthew


Philbartbarnabas
August 25

Return of the Body of Bartholomew the Glorious Apostle

Concerning the Apostle Bartholomew, see June 11


Allsaint
August 25

Titus the Apostle of the 70

Saint Titus was a Greek by race, and an idolater. But having believed in Christ through the Apostle Paul, he became Paul's disciple and follower and labored with him greatly in the preaching of the Gospel. When Paul ordained him Bishop of Crete, he later wrote to him the Epistle which bears his name. Having shepherded in an apostolic manner the flock that had been entrusted to him, and being full of days, he reposed in peace, some ninety-four years of age.


Natalia
August 26

The Holy Martyrs Adrian and Natalie

The holy Martyrs Adrian and Natalie confessed the Christian Faith during the reign of Maximian, in Nicomedia, in the year 298. Adrian was a pagan; witnessing the valor of the Martyrs, and the fervent faith with which they suffered their torments, he also declared himself a Christian and was imprisoned. When this was told to his wife Natalie, who was secretly a believer, she visited him in prison and encouraged him in his sufferings. Saint Adrian's hands and feet were placed on an anvil and broken off with a hammer; he died in his torments. His blessed wife recovered part of his holy relics and took it to Argyropolis near Byzantium, and reposed in peace soon after.


Phanourios
August 27

Holy Martyr Phanurius

The story of St. Phanourios is remarkably different than any other saint.  An icon of the saint was discovered by a group of nomadic pagans, who pillaged and destroyed a church on the island of Rhodes, Greece in 1500 A.D.  Nearby monks witnessed the destruction of the church and went to the site after the pagans had left.  Buried in the rubble were many damaged and destroyed icons, however one looked brand new and as if it had just been painted.  The icon was of a male soldier and St. Phanourios was inscribed next to his halo.  Around him were twelve scenes from his life and persecution as a believer in Christ.  The monks could find no record of the saint in their library, but, as his icon revealed, he was an indestructible instrument of God which was sufficient evidence of his sainthood.

St. Phanourios, lost for centuries to the Church, has become the patron saint of things lost.  “Phanourios” comes from the Greek word, “Φανερώνω,” meaning “I reveal”.  When we lose an item, we pray that through St. Phanourios’s intercessions to Christ, we may find our lost item.  When found, we bake the special Phanouropita, with thankfulness to the saint and with love for Christ our God.  St. Phanourios is celebrated on August 27th, the day the monks found his icon.


Allsaint
August 28

Moses the Black of Scete

Saint Moses, who is also called Moses the Black, was a slave, but because of his evil life, his master cast him out, and he became a ruthless thief, dissolute in all his ways. Later, however, coming to repentance, he converted, and took up the monastic life under Saint Isidore of Scete. He gave himself over to prayer and the mortification of the carnal mind with such diligence that he later became a priest of exemplary virtue. He was revered by all for his lofty ascetical life and for his great humility. Once the Fathers in Scete asked Moses to come to an assembly to judge the fault of a certain brother, but he refused. When they insisted, he took a basket which had a hole in it, filled it with sand, and carried it on his shoulders. When the Fathers saw him coming they asked him what the basket might mean. He answered, "My sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and I am come this day to judge failings which are not mine." When a barbarian tribe was coming to Scete, Moses, conscious that he himself had slain other men when he was a thief, awaited them and was willingly slain by them with six other monks, at the end of the fourth century. He was a contemporary of Saint Arsenius the Great (see May 8).


Jbaptbhd
August 29

Beheading of the Holy and Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John

The divine Baptist, the Prophet born of a Prophet, the seal of all the Prophets and beginning of the Apostles, the mediator between the Old and New Covenants, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, the God-sent Messenger of the incarnate Messiah, the forerunner of Christ's coming into the world (Esaias 40: 3; Mal. 3: 1); who by many miracles was both conceived and born; who was filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb; who came forth like another Elias the Zealot, whose life in the wilderness and divine zeal for God's Law he imitated: this divine Prophet, after he had preached the baptism of repentance according to God's command; had taught men of low rank and high how they must order their lives; had admonished those whom he baptized and had filled them with the fear of God, teaching them that no one is able to escape the wrath to come if he do not works worthy of repentance; had, through such preaching, prepared their hearts to receive the evangelical teachings of the Savior; and finally, after he had pointed out to the people the very Savior, and said, "Behold the Lamb of God, Which taketh away the sin of the world" (Luke 3:2-18; John 1: 29-36), after all this, John sealed with his own blood the truth of his words and was made a sacred victim for the divine Law at the hands of a transgressor.

This was Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee, the son of Herod the Great. This man had a lawful wife, the daughter of Arethas (or Aretas), the King of Arabia (that is, Arabia Petraea, which had the famous Nabatean stone city of Petra as its capital. This is the Aretas mentioned by Saint Paul in II Cor. 11:32). Without any cause, and against every commandment of the Law, he put her away and took to himself Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, to whom Herodias had borne a daughter, Salome. He would not desist from this unlawful union even when John, the preacher of repentance, the bold and austere accuser of the lawless, censured him and told him, "It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife" (Mark 6: 18). Thus Herod, besides his other unholy acts, added yet this, that he apprehended John and shut him in prison; and perhaps he would have killed him straightway, had he not feared the people, who had extreme reverence for John. Certainly, in the beginning, he himself had great reverence for this just and holy man. But finally, being pierced with the sting of a mad lust for the woman Herodias, he laid his defiled hands on the teacher of purity on the very day he was celebrating his birthday. When Salome, Herodias' daughter, had danced in order to please him and those who were supping with him, he promised her -- with an oath more foolish than any foolishness -- that he would give her anything she asked, even unto the half of his kingdom. And she, consulting with her mother, straightway asked for the head of John the Baptist in a charger. Hence this transgressor of the Law, preferring his lawless oath above the precepts of the Law, fulfilled this godless promise and filled his loathsome banquet with the blood of the Prophet. So it was that that all-venerable head, revered by the Angels, was given as a prize for an abominable dance, and became the plaything of the dissolute daughter of a debauched mother. As for the body of the divine Baptist, it was taken up by his disciples and placed in a tomb (Mark 6: 21 - 29). Concerning the finding of his holy head, see February 24 and May 25.


Alexandr
August 30

Alexander, John, and Paul the New, Patriarchs of Constantinople

Saint Alexander was sent to the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea as the delegate of Saint Metrophanes, Bishop of Constantinople (see June 4), to whose throne he succeeded in the year 325. When Arius had deceitfully professed allegiance to the Council of Nicaea, Saint Alexander, knowing his guile, refused to receive him into communion; Arius' powerful partisans threatened that they would use force to bring Arius into the communion of the Church the following day. Saint Alexander prayed fervently that God might spare the Church; and as Arius was in a privy place relieving nature, his bowels gushed forth with an effusion of blood, and the arch-heresiarch died the death of Judas. Saint Alexander was Bishop from 325 until 337, when he was succeeded by Saint Paul the Confessor, who died a martyr's death at the hands of the Arians (see Nov. 6). The Saint John commemorated here appears to be the one who was Patriarch during the years 562-577, surnamed Scholasticus, who is also commemorated on February 21. He was from Antioch, where he had been a lawyer (scholasticus); he was made presbyter, then was sent to Constantinople as representative (apocrisiarius) of the Patriarch of Antioch, and was appointed Patriarch of Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian. Saint Paul was Bishop of Constantinople during the years 687 - 693, in the reign of Emperor Justinian II, and presided over the Quinisext Council in 692.


Mgenthroned
August 31

The Placing of the Honorable Sash of the Most Holy Theotokos

Although the historical accounts differ somewhat, the Deposition that is celebrated today took place most likely during the reign of Emperor Arcadius (395-408), when the precious Cincture of the Mother of God was brought from Zela of Cappadocia to Constantinople, and placed in the Church of the Theotokos in the section of Chalcopratia.


Creation_adam
September 01

Ecclesiastical New Year

For the maintenance of their armed forces, the Roman emperors decreed that their subjects in every district should be taxed every year. This same decree was reissued every fifteen years, since the Roman soldiers were obliged to serve for fifteen years. At the end of each fifteen-year period, an assessment was made of what economic changes had taken place, and a new tax was decreed, which was to be paid over the span of the fifteen years. This imperial decree, which was issued before the season of winter, was named Indictio, that is, Definiton, or Order. This name was adopted by the emperors in Constantinople also. At other times, the latter also used the term Epinemisis, that is, Distribution (Dianome). It is commonly held that Saint Constantine the Great introduced the Indiction decrees in A.D. 312, after he beheld the sign of the Cross in heaven and vanquished Maxentius and was proclaimed Emperor in the West. Some, however (and this seems more likely), ascribe the institution of the Indiction to Augustus Caesar, three years before the birth of Christ. Those who hold this view offer as proof the papal bull issued in A.D. 781 which is dated thus: Anno IV, Indictionis LIII -that is, the fourth year of the fifty-third Indiction. From this, we can deduce the aforementioned year (3 B.C.) by multiplying the fifty-two complete Indictions by the number of years in each (15), and adding the three years of the fifty-third Indiction. There are three types of Indictions: 1) That which was introduced in the West, and which is called Imperial, or Caesarean, or Constantinian, and which begins on the 24th of September; 2) The so-called Papal Indiction, which begins on the 1st of January; and 3) The Constantinopolitan, which was adopted by the Patriarchs of that city after the fall of the Eastern Empire in 1453. This Indiction is indicated in their own hand on the decrees they issue, without the numeration of the fifteen years. This Indiction begins on the 1st of September and is observed with special ceremony in the Church. Since the completion of each year takes place, as it were, with the harvest and gathering of the crops into storehouses, and we begin anew from henceforth the sowing of seed in the earth for the production of future crops, September is considered the beginning of the New Year. The Church also keeps festival this day, beseeching God for fair weather, seasonable rains, and an abundance of the fruits of the earth. The Holy Scriptures (Lev. 23:24-5 and Num. 29:1-2) also testify that the people of Israel celebrated the feast of the Blowing of the Trumpets on this day, offering hymns of thanksgiving. In addition to all the aforesaid, on this feast we also commemorate our Saviour's entry into the synagogue in Nazareth, where He was given the book of the Prophet Esaias to read, and He opened it and found the place where it is written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for which cause He hath anointed Me..." (Luke 4:16-30).

It should be noted that to the present day, the Church has always celebrated the beginning of the New Year on September 1. This was the custom in Constantinople until its fall in 1453 and in Russia until the reign of Peter I. September 1 is still festively celebrated as the New Year at the Patriarchate of Constantinople; among the Jews also the New Year, although reckoned according to a moveable calendar, usually falls in September. The service of the Menaion for January 1 is for our Lord's Circumcision and for the memorial of Saint Basil the Great, without any mention of its being the beginning of a new year.


Symstylt
September 01

Symeon the Stylite

Our righteous Father Symeon was born about the year 390 in a certain village named Sis, in the mountain region of Cilicia and Syria. Having first been a shepherd, he entered the monastic discipline at a young age. After trying various kinds of ascetical practices, both in the monastery and then in the wilderness, he began standing on pillars of progressively greater height, and heroically persevered in this for more than forty years; the greater part of this time he spent standing upright, even when one of his feet became gangrenous, and other parts of his body gave way under the strain. He did not adopt this strange way of life out of vainglory, a charge that some of his contemporaries made against him at the first: because he was already famous for his asceticism and holiness before ascending his first pillar (in Greek, style, whence he is called "Stylite"), many pious people came to him wishing to touch his garments, either for healing or for a blessing; to escape the continual vexation they caused, he made a pillar about ten feet high, and then higher and higher, until the fourth and last was about fifty feet high. The Church historian Theodoret of Cyrrhus, an eyewitness of his exploits who wrote of him while Symeon was yet alive, called him "the great wonder of the world." God gave him the grace to persevere in such an astonishing form of asceticism that multitudes came to see him from Persia, Armenia, South Arabia, Georgia, Thrace, Spain, Italy, Gaul, and the British Isles. Theodoret says that he became so famous in Rome that the Nomadic Arabs by the thousands believed in Christ and were baptized because of him; the King of Persia sent envoys to inquire into his way of life, and the Queen asked to be sent oil that he had blessed. He also was a great defender of sound doctrine, and confirmed the Orthodoxy of the Holy Council of Chalcedon for many who had been beguiled by the teachings of the Monophysites, including the Empress Eudocia, widow of Theodosius the Younger. After a life of unheard-of achievements and struggles, he reposed in peace at the age of sixty-nine, in the year 459.


Fortyvirgins
September 01

The 40 Holy Ascetic Virgin Martyrs of Thrace and their Teacher Ammon the Deacon

Written by Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas
 
Saint Ammoun was a Deacon at Adrianople in Thrace and was the teacher and spiritual guide of the Forty Venerable Virgin Martyrs. The exact period in which they lived is not mentioned in the Synaxaria, but it is certain they lived during the persecutions of the early Christian centuries. Deacon Ammoun and his forty disciples were arrested by the ruler of Adrianople named Vavdos for refusing to sacrifice to idols, and were then taken to the governor of Thrace named Licinius. They boldly confessed their faith and endured horrible torture with admirable bravery and unceasing prayer. What is striking is that the tyrant applied to the forty martyrs and their Teacher a different form of death. The first ten he burned alive, the next eight he beheaded, and the next ten he killed with the sword after striking them in the mouth then stabbing them in the heart. Finally, of the last twelve, six of them died after heated metal balls were put into their mouths, and six were stabbed with knives. Their Teacher was killed after they put a burning cap over his head, though another source says he was beheaded.
 
To follow, it seems appropriate to provide the names of the Venerable Virgin Martyrs, especially for those that may bear their name, to celebrate their memory and invoke their intercessions:
 
Adamantine, Athena, Akrive, Antigone, Arivea, Aspasia, Aphrodite, Dione, Dodone, Elpinike, Erasmia, Erato, Ermeneia, Evterpe, Thaleia, Theanoe, Theano, Theonymphe, Theophane, Kalliroe, Kalliste, Kleio, Kleonike, Kleopatra, Koralia, Lambro, Margarita, Marianthe, Melpomene, Moscho, Ourania, Pandora, Penelope, Polymnia, Polynike, Sapfo, Terpsichore, Troada, Haido, and Harikleia.

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the First Mode

Savior, Your tomb was sealed with a stone. Soldiers kept watch over Your sacred body. Yet, You rose on the third day giving life to the world. Wherefore the powers of heaven cried out, "O Giver of Life, glory to Your Resurrection O Christ; glory to Your Kingdom, glory to Your dispensation who alone are the Loving One."
Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλασσόντων τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα, ἀνέστης τριήμερος Σωτήρ, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν ζωήν. Διὰ τοῦτο αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐβόων σοι Ζωοδότα· Δόξα τῇ ἀναστάσει σου Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ Βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ σου, μόνε Φιλάνθρωπε.

Apolytikion for Apostle Bartholomew in the Third Mode

O Holy Apostles, intercede to our merciful God, that He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
Απόστολοι Άγιοι, πρεσβεύσατε τώ ελεήμονι Θεώ ίνα πταισμάτων άφεσιν, παράσχη ταίς ψυχάς ημών.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

In your holy birth, Immaculate One, Joachim and Anna were rid of the shame of childlessness; Adam and Eve of the corruption of death. And so your people, free of the guilt of their sins, celebrate crying: "The barren one gives birth to the Theotokos, who nourishes our life."
Ιωακείμ καί Άννα όνειδισμού ατεκνίας, καί Αδάμ καί Εύα, εκ τής φθοράς τού θανάτου, ηλευθερώθησαν, Άχραντε, εν τή αγία γεννήσει σου, αυτήν εορτάζει καί ο λαός σου, ενοχής τών πταισμάτων, λυτρωθείς εν τώ κράζειν σοι, Η στείρα τίκτει τήν Θεοτόκον, καί τροφόν τής ζωής ημών.
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