Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Grave Tone

Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, ἠνέῳξας τῷ Λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον, τῶν Μυροφόρων τὸν θρῆνον μετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας, ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

O Lord, by your sacred cross you abolished death, and granted unto the thief blessed Paradise. The Myrrh-bearers ceased lamenting and turned to joy. The apostles did preach the Good News at Your command, that You had risen from the dead, O Christ our God, bestowing Your mercy upon the world evermore.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 1st Tone

Ὅταν ἔλθῃς ὁ Θεός, ἐπὶ γῆς μετὰ δόξης, καὶ τρέμωσι τὰ σύμπαντα, ποταμὸς δὲ τοῦ πυρὸς πρὸ τοῦ Βήματος ἕλκῃ, καὶ βίβλοι ἀνοίγωνται, καὶ τὰ κρυπτὰ δημοσιεύωνται, τότε ῥῦσαί με, ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς τοῦ ἀσβέστου, καὶ ἀξίωσον, ἐκ δεξιῶν σου μὲ στῆναι, Κριτὰ δικαιότατε.

When You, O God, will come to earth with glory, and all things tremble, and the river of fire flows before the Judgment Seat, and the books are opened and the hidden things made public, then deliver me from the unquenchable fire, and deem me worthy to stand at Your right hand, O most righteous Judge.

Saints and Feasts

March 10

Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)

The foregoing two parables -- especially that of the Prodigal Son -- have presented to us God's extreme goodness and love for man. But lest certain persons, putting their confidence in this alone, live carelessly, squandering upon sin the time given them to work out their salvation, and death suddenly snatch them away, the most divine Fathers have appointed this day's feast commemorating Christ's impartial Second Coming, through which we bring to mind that God is not only the Friend of man, but also the most righteous Judge, Who recompenses to each according to his deeds.

It is the aim of the holy Fathers, through bringing to mind that fearful day, to rouse us from the slumber of carelessness unto the work of virtue, and to move us to love and compassion for our brethren. Besides this, even as on the coming Sunday of Cheese-fare we commemorate Adam's exile from the Paradise of delight -- which exile is the beginning of life as we know it now -- it is clear that today's is reckoned the last of all feasts, because on the last day of judgment, truly, everything of this world will come to an end.

All foods, except meat and meat products, are allowed during the week that follows this Sunday.

March 10

Quadratus the Martyr & his Companions

These Martyrs contested for piety's sake in Corinth during the reign of the Emperor Valerian (253-260).

March 11

Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem

This Saint was born in Damascus. As a young man he became a monk at the Monastery of Saint Theodosius the Cenobiarch in Palestine, where he met John Moschus and became his close friend. Having a common desire to search out ascetics from whom they could receive further spiritual instruction, they journeyed together through Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, and Egypt, where they met the Patriarch of Alexandria, Saint John the Almsgiver, with whom they remained until 614, when Persians captured Jerusalem (see also Saint Anastasius the Persian, Jan. 22). Saint Sophronius and John Moschus departed Alexandria for Rome, where they remained until 619, the year of John Moschus' death. Saint Sophronius returned to the Monastery of Saint Theodosius the Cenobiarch, and there buried the body of his friend. He laboured much in defence of the Holy Fourth Council of Chalcedon, and traveled to Constantinople to remonstrate with Patriarch Sergius and the Emperor Heraclius for changing the Orthodox Faith with their Monothelite teachings. After the death of Patriarch Modestus in December of 634, Sophronius was elected Patriarch of Jerusalem. Although no longer in the hands of the Persians, the Holy Land was now besieged by the armies of the newly-appeared religion of Mohammed, which had already taken Bethlehem; in the Saint's sermon for the Nativity of our Lord in 634, he laments that he could not celebrate the feast in Bethlehem. In 637, for the sins of the people, to the uttermost grief of Saint Sophronius, the Caliph Omar captured Jerusalem. Having tended the flock of his Master for three years and three months, Saint Sophronius departed in peace unto Him Whom he loved on March 11, 638.

Saint Sophronius has left to the Church many writings, including the life of Saint Mary of Egypt. The hymn "O Joyous Light," which is wrongly ascribed to him, is more ancient than Saint Basil the Great, as the Saint himself confirms in his work "On the Holy Spirit" (ch. 29). However, it seems that this hymn, which was chanted at the lighting of the lamps and was formerly called "The Triadic Hymn," was later supplemented somewhat by Saint Sophronius, bringing it into the form in which we now have it. Hence, some have ascribed it to him.

March 12

Symeon the New Theologian

Saint Symeon became a monk of the Studite Monastery as a young man, under the guidance of the elder Symeon the Pious. Afterwards he struggled at the Monastery of Saint Mamas in Constantinople, of which he became abbot. After enduring many trials and afflictions in his life of piety, he reposed in 1022. Marvelling at the heights of prayer and holiness to which he attained, and the loftiness of the teachings of his life and writings, the church calls him "the New Theologian." Only to two others, John the Evangelist and Gregory, Patriarch of Constantinople, has the church given the name "Theologian." Saint Symeon reposed on March 12, but since this always falls in the Great Fast, his feast is kept today.

March 12

Gregory Dialogos, Bishop of Rome

Saint Gregory was born in Rome to noble and wealthy parents about the year 540. While the Saint was still young, his father died. However, his mother, Sylvia, saw to it that her child received a good education in both secular and spiritual learning. He became Prefect of Rome and sought to please God even while in the world; later, he took up the monastic life; afterwards he was appointed Archdeacon of Rome, then, in 579, apocrisiarius (representative or Papal legate) to Constantinople, where he lived for nearly seven years. He returned to Rome in 585 and was elected Pope in 590. He is renowned especially for his writings and great almsgiving, and also because, on his initiative, missionary work began among the Anglo-Saxon people. It is also from him that Gregorian Chant takes its name; the chanting he had heard at Constantinople had deeply impressed him, and he imported many elements of it into the ecclesiastical chant of Rome. He served as Bishop of that city from 590 to 604.

March 14

Benedict the Righteous of Nursia

This Saint, whose name means "blessed," was born in 480 in Nursia, a small town about seventy miles northeast of Rome. He struggled in asceticism from his youth in deserted regions, where his example drew many who desired to emulate him. Hence, he ascended Mount Cassino in Campania and built a monastery there. The Rule that he gave his monks, which was inspired by the writings of Saint John Cassian, Saint Basil the Great, and other Fathers, became a pattern for monasticism in the West; because of this, he is often called the first teacher of monks in the West. He reposed in 547.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Προκείμενον. 4th Tone. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 146.5;134.3.
Μέγας ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν, καὶ μεγάλη ἡ ἰσχὺς ἀὐτοῦ.
Στίχ. Αἰνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον, ὅτι ἀγαθός.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 8:8-13, 9:1-2.

Ἀδελφοί, βρῶμα ἡμᾶς οὐ παρίστησιν τῷ θεῷ· οὔτε γὰρ ἐὰν φάγωμεν περισσεύομεν, οὔτε ἐὰν μὴ φάγωμεν ὑστερούμεθα. Βλέπετε δὲ μήπως ἡ ἐξουσία ὑμῶν αὕτη πρόσκομμα γένηται τοῖς ἀσθενοῦσιν. Ἐὰν γάρ τις ἴδῃ σε τὸν ἔχοντα γνῶσιν ἐν εἰδωλείῳ κατακείμενον, οὐχὶ ἡ συνείδησις αὐτοῦ ἀσθενοῦς ὄντος οἰκοδομηθήσεται εἰς τὸ τὰ εἰδωλόθυτα ἐσθίειν; Καὶ ἀπολεῖται ὁ ἀσθενῶν ἀδελφὸς ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ γνώσει, διʼ ὃν Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν; Οὕτως δὲ ἁμαρτάνοντες εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφούς, καὶ τύπτοντες αὐτῶν τὴν συνείδησιν ἀσθενοῦσαν, εἰς Χριστὸν ἁμαρτάνετε. Διόπερ εἰ βρῶμα σκανδαλίζει τὸν ἀδελφόν μου, οὐ μὴ φάγω κρέα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἵνα μὴ τὸν ἀδελφόν μου σκανδαλίσω. Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος; Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος; Οὐχὶ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἑώρακα; Οὐ τὸ ἔργον μου ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν κυρίῳ; Εἰ ἄλλοις οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος, ἀλλά γε ὑμῖν εἰμι· ἡ γὰρ σφραγὶς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀποστολῆς ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν κυρίῳ.

Prokeimenon. 4th Tone. Psalm 146.5;134.3.
Great is our Lord, and great is his power.
Verse: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 8:8-13; 9:1-2.

Brethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

Gospel Reading

Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 25:31-46

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· Ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι ἄγγελοι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, τότε καθίσει ἐπὶ θρόνου δόξης αὐτοῦ, καὶ συναχθήσεται ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ ἀφοριεῖ αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων ὥσπερ ὁ ποιμὴν ἀφορίζει τὰ πρόβατα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐρίφων, καὶ στήσει τὰ μὲν πρόβατα ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ, τὰ δὲ ἐρίφια ἐξ εὐωνύμων. τότε ἐρεῖ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῖς ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ· δεῦτε οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου. ἐπείνασα γάρ, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν, ἐδίψησα, καὶ ἐποτίσατέ με, ξένος ἤμην, καὶ συνηγάγετέ με, γυμνός, καὶ περιεβάλετέ με, ἠσθένησα, καὶ ἐπεσκέψασθέ με, ἐν φυλακῇ ἤμην, καὶ ἤλθετε πρός με. τότε ἀποκριθήσονται αὐτῷ οἱ δίκαιοι λέγοντες· κύριε, πότε σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα καὶ ἐθρέψαμεν, ἢ διψῶντα καὶ ἐποτίσαμεν; πότε δέ σε εἴδομεν ξένον καὶ συνηγάγομεν, ἢ γυμνὸν καὶ περιεβάλομεν; πότε δέ σε εἴδομεν ἀσθενῆ ἢ ἐν φυλακῇ, καὶ ἤλθομεν πρός σε; καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐρεῖ αὐτοῖς· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐφ᾿ ὅσον ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων, ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε. τότε ἐρεῖ καὶ τοῖς ἐξ εὐωνύμων· πορεύεσθε ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ οἱ κατηραμένοι εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ. ἐπείνασα γάρ, καὶ οὐκ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν, ἐδίψησα, καὶ οὐκ ἐποτίσατέ με, ξένος ἤμην, καὶ οὐ συνηγάγετέ με, γυμνός, καὶ οὐ περιεβάλετέ με, ἀσθενὴς καὶ ἐν φυλακῇ, καὶ οὐκ ἐπεσκέψασθέ με. τότε ἀποκριθήσονται αὐτῷ καὶ αὐτοὶ λέγοντες· κύριε, πότε σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα ἢ διψῶντα ἢ ξένον ἢ γυμνὸν ἢ ἀσθενῆ ἢ ἐν φυλακῇ, καὶ οὐ διηκονήσαμέν σοι; τότε ἀποκριθήσεται αὐτοῖς λέγων· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐφ᾿ ὅσον οὐκ ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων, οὐδὲ ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε. καὶ ἀπελεύσονται οὗτοι εἰς κόλασιν αἰώνιον, οἱ δὲ δίκαιοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)
The Reading is from Matthew 25:31-46

The Lord said, "When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Parish News and Events

Fellowship Hour

Today is our annual Apokreatiko Lamb Shank dinner. Thanks to everyone who prepares and serves the meal!

If you are planning to host a Fellowship Hour after a Memorial Service, Please make sure to sign up on the Felllowship Hour sheet on the bulletin board well in advance. Otherwise the Fellowship Hour Team will plan the Fellowship Hour for that day.

On most regular Sundays, there will be a basket out to receive your generous offering for the substantial Fellowship offerings you partake of. This money will be used to pay for the ingredients needed to make our monthly sandwiches for the guests at the McKenna House. Please remember to be as generous as possible!

If you would like to put on a coffee hour (for example, for a memorial) but you are unable to do so, please talk to Presbytera, and we will help you put together a simple Coffee Hour. There are many empty spots till the end of the year. Please check out the schedule and sign up for a Fellowship Hour!

Fresh Prosphora

Could you make some fresh prosphora (bread for Communion)? Instead of defrosting frozen breads, we would like to start having fresh bread for the Divine Liturgy. We need two or three loaves; they could be left at the church on Fridays between 3 and 4 pm or on Saturdays (Please let Father know what time you could come so someone can be there to let you in if you do not have a key). If you need a seal and/or a recipe, please see Father.

Offering the bread for the Liturgy is a very special ministry, but one that anyone can do. The breads do not have to be perfect, just made with love for God and others! If you need a recipe and/or a seal, we can provide one.

Please sign up on the board in the Church Hall. God bless your hands!

Lenten Needs

As always, we have need of donations for flowers for the first 5 Fridays of Lent for the Salutations and the Akathist Hymn. We are asking $45 for each icon. We will also be needing daffodils for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Veneration of the Cross), a donation of $100. The palms for Palm Sunday are more expensive than usual because the company needs to have a special shipment, since our Palm Sunday falls a month after that of most of their clients. The cost of the Palms is $274; even a partial donation towards this will be helpful. Thank you!

Family Pre-Lenten Retreat

Mark you calendars! Come and enjoy a family retreat on Cheesefare Saturday (this Saturday!), March 16. We will begin with the Divine Liturgy for the 2nd Saturday of Souls, then we will gather in the Church Hall for a snack and various activities, such as blanket making for the poor, and making Kyra Sarakosti. Get a great kick off for Lent by learning about the three legs of the Lenten stool: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. There will be a light lunch and we will end about 2:00. Everyone, especially families, are invited. If you would like to come, please let Father or Presbytera know, so that we can plan enough food and materials.

Great Vespers for Sunday

Orthodoxy is not a "Sunday morning only" way of life. An important part of our liturgical celebration of our Lord's resurrection every Sunday is the celebration of Great Vespers the evening before. In order to get us back into this practice, we are celebrating Great Vespers on 2 Saturdays each month. Yesterday evening was our first. Our next Great Vespers will be Saturday, March 23, at 5:00 pm. This is a beautiful and not very long service. We hope to see you there on the 23rd!

District 1 Lenten Retreat

Everyone from District 1 (that's our district in the Metropolis) is invited for a Lenten Retreat at Assumption Church in Manchester on Friday, March 29. We will all be celebrating the Salutations together at 6:00 pm, followed by a Lenten dinner with a speaker to follow. There will be programs for GOYA and JOY children; the GOYA young people are invited to have a sleep over until 11:00 am Saturday. If you are interested in taking part, please let Father know before March 25.

Philoptochos Bake Sale

The Philoptochos Ladies will be having a pre-order Pastry Sale on Saturday, March 30 (western Holy Saturday) from 11 am to 3 pm. Call in orders at 603-225-2961 or by email: ordermygreekpastries@gmail.com. Pastries will also be available for purchase the day of the sale. The cut-off for ordering is March 16.

The baking workshops are posted in the Church Hall. Please sign up to help produce the delicious pastries to sell.

Upcoming Silent Auction

The Outreach Ministries is hosting a Silent Auction in May after Pascha. The items will be open for bidding for four Sundays during Fellowship Hour. In order to have an exciting Silent Auction, we need a number of items for bidding. We are hoping our Parish Family will help out by asking for gift certificates from your favorite businesses or by offering your own gift certificates for some item or service you can offer (like a gift certificate for 2 hours of lawn work or for some homemade jewelry or for a tray of your Greek cookie specialty or of spanakopita, etc.). If you can help out in this, please see Elena Newman.

Men Can Cook Too: Holy Trinity Concord Cookbook, dedicated to the men of the Community.
We would like this to be not only a great cookbook, but also a way to remember members of our Parish.

Gentlemen, we are looking for your recipes! Of course women can and should also send in recipes. Recipes should be dedicated to men (e.g. something your husband, dad, etc. likes or liked to cook or eat). Ideally the recipe should be accompanied by a few words and/or photo (e.g. this is my husband‘s favorite Lenten dish. Every birthday my dad wanted to eat this cake. My papou always had these koulourakia for breakfast, etc.). Recipes should reflect the diversity of our community. We are not looking exclusively for Greek recipes. If you are interested in being part of the Cookbook Committee to work on some aspect of it, please see Presbytera.

Please send any type of recipe ( and as many as you want ) to Jill Argyrople at jillargyrople@gmail.com.

An Appeal from the Outreach Ministries

The Outreach Ministries are continuing to collect warm blankets, dark warm socks, and a new item--hand warmers. Extra winter coats are also always welcome. The food collection as well is always going on. Thank you from the least of your brothers and sisters for your generosity!

We are also in need for more items for the Blessing Bags: shampoo, body wash or soap, granola bars, and dark warm socks. Do you have a Blessing Bag in your car? If not, make sure to pick one (or more!) up on your way out of the Church Hall.

Can You Help with a Strategic Plan for our Parish?

Our two task forces: (Stewardship and Engagement in Ministry, and Liturgical Engagement and Education) have competed the first stage of preparing the Strategic Plan for our Parish. The next step is the final polishing of the plan. This will take place on Saturday, April 6 beginning with lunch at noon and going until 4:30. Even if you have not been part of this undertaking, we are going to need more involvement for the step and the next phase. Please come and join in this exciting time for the future of our Parish Family!

Parish Events of the Week

Sunday, March 10--Sunday of the Last Judgment

9:00 am--Orthros

10:00 am--Divine Liturgy

Apokreatiko Lamb Shank Dinner

Monday, March 11

7:30 pm--Introduction to Orthodoxy

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85351680700?pwd=RXZjNkdQL0RjNUlHb3RBemxNUXVYUT09

Wednesday, March 13

7:30 pm--Bible Study (postponed from last week), The Acts of the Apostles

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81018886123?pwd=Y1FYR3AyUENYSFo0MUNrQ2pCMTFFQT09

Friday, March 15

3:00 pm--Adult Greek Conversation Group

4:15 pm--Young People's Greek Class

Saturday, March 16--2nd Saturday of Souls

10:00 am--Divine Liturgy and Memorial Service

10:00 am--2:00 pm--Pre-Lenten Family Retreat

Sunday, March 17--Commemoration of the Expulsion of Adam from Paradise / Sunday of Forgiveness

9:00 am--Orthros

10:00 am--Divine Liturgy

Memorial Service for Tasoula Lilios

Liturgy Followed by Vespers of Forgiveness

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