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Holy Trinity Church
Publish Date: 2022-05-01
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Thomsund
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Holy Trinity Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (978) 458-8092
  • Fax:
  • (978) 970-0935
  • Street Address:

  • 62 Lewis Street

  • Lowell, MA 01854
  • Mailing Address:

  • 62 Lewis Street

  • Lowell, MA 01854


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Sunday Orthros        9am
Sunday Liturgy       10am
Sunday Fellowship 12pm


Past Bulletins


Today's Calendar

Χριστός Ανέστη - Christ is Risen!  
MEMORIAL SERVICE- Μνημόσινο: 1 year for George Karafilidis
FELLOWSHIP COFFEE HOUR following Divine Litugy
PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS ON DUTY:  Greg Curtis, Dan Routsis, Betty Themeles, Tom Themeles
26th Annual Greek Independence Day Parade in Boston - May 1 at 1:00pm:  Parade will begin on Boylston Street and end at Charles Street.  Immediately following the parade there will be a Celebration "on the Park" at the Parkman Bandstand-Boston Common featuring Greek Dance groups from throughout New England and Greek Food.  The Federation of Hellenic-American Societies of New England invites everyone to join in the Celebration!

 

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Weekly Calendar

Philoptochos Mother's Day Celebration -  May 3 at 6:00pm Four Oaks Country Club/Opal Room $45 per person:  Menu-Cheese Served with Fresh Fruit Garnish & Assorted Crackers, Honey Glazed Salmon, Penne with Marinara, Steak Tips, Potato and Vegetable and Strawberry Torte.  If you would like to attend, please mail your information[name, phone number, number of attendees] by Monday April 25 to Jill Cricones PO Box 337, Dracut, MA  01826.  Make checks payable to: Holy Trinity Philoptochos Or pay by Venmo: @HolyTrinityPhiloptochosLowell.  

In celebration of Mother’s Day, consider submitting a photo of your mom, you & your mom or children, you or your grandmother for our projected photo display. Send to us by email at HTC.Philoptochos.Lowell@gmail.com or by text at 978.888.5945
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Announcements

HAA PTA Golf Tournament  - MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022  Indian Ridge Country Club, Andover 
For Sponsorships and Golfer Registration[$195]: checkout.square.site/buy/4JHRM2ELFMBF7KEWAHWITCLL.   For donations, please send check to Hellenic American Academy at 41 Broadway Street, Lowell, MA 01854. Thank You!

2022 Scholarships - Deadline extended to May 22  Philoptochos Scholarships & Mary V. Kiafas Scholarships: The Holy Trinity Philoptochos awards scholarships annually to graduating high school seniors who plan to pursue a post-secondary education. Application forms are available in the Church Narthex.  Completed applications should be submitted to:  Holy Trinity Philoptochos – Scholarship Program  62 Lewis Street   Lowell, MA 01854

Hellenic American Academy Alumni Association Scholarships: Application forms are available in the Church Narthex.  Two high school graduate and two college student scholarships are available.  Completed applications should be submitted no later than June 1, 2022.
Ukraine Relief Fund:  Together, the Archdiocese and IOCC aim to raise $1 million for both immediate and long-term support of the Ukrainian people.  Make your donation by visiting goarch.org/ukraine
Clergy-Laity Congress - Save the Date!  July 3-7, 2022 at the Marriott Marquis, New York, NY   https://www.goarch.org/-/clergy-laity-congress-official-schedule-2022?inheritRedirect=true
 
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese 2022 Directory:  The Annual Directory (formerly the Annual Yearbook) of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is a rich resource of ecclesiastical and directory information for the unifying ministry and diakonia of Christ’s Church to all the faithful and the world. https://www.goarch.org/-/2022-directory
 
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SAVE THE DATE

 2022 Holy Trinity Greek Festival   June 10-11-12 
Our 2022 Festival will take place on the grounds of the Hellenic American Academy.  Admission is free. 
In order for our three day festival to be a success, we need EVERYONE’S help and support!  Volunteers needed to prep food, set up, cook, serve, clean etc.!   Thursday, May 5 - 6:30pm  "2022 Holy Trinity Greek Festival" Meeting in the Church Hall
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT    Monday, August 22  Indian Ridge Country Club—Andover, MA
 

 

 
 

 

 
 
 
 
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Metropolis of Boston News

The 36th Metropolis of Boston Ministry Awards Ceremony to be held at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, June 12th

03/30/2022

This year marks the 36th anniversary of our Metropolis of Boston Ministry Awards Ceremony, where we gather every second Sunday of June to honor the faithful, loving, and dedicated ministry offered by the Clergy and Laity of our 62 parishes throughout New England.

Hellenism in Ukraine

03/30/2022

Hellenism in Ukraine
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Archdiocese News

Centennial Pilgrimage Led By His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America

04/21/2022

Join the Centennial Pilgrimage, led by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, to Cappadocia, Smyrna, and Constantinople.

Patriarch Begins Rare Rite of Holy Myrrh at Phanar

04/20/2022

The Phanar--Holy Myrrh or Chrism is the visible sign of the transmission of the Holy Spirit upon members of the Church. And it’s a tangible bond that unites all Orthodox Christians worldwide and through time. But where does it come from? Who makes it? How? And from what materials?

A Very Short Course in Orthodox Theology Six Week Course - May 11 – June 15, 2022

04/13/2022

This free adult Christian Education course is offered by the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco Christian Education Ministry and Saint Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine, CA. Each class session topic is independent. Attend when you are able – a series commitment is not required. The fast moving format is a combination of lecture, visual presentation, discussion, and occasional video. No homework. Supplemental reading will be provided by PDF at no cost.

Arizona Teens Receive Carnegie Medal for Heroism

04/13/2022

It was nearly two years ago that the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco shared with pride the story of the heroism of two Arizona teens who saved two young women from drowning after they were swept into a Pacific Ocean cove by a five-foot wave.
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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.
Χριστός ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν, θανάτῳ θάνατον πατήσας, καί τοῖς ἐν τοῖς μνήμασι ζωήν χαρισάμενος.

Apolytikion for Thomas Sun. in the Grave Mode

Christ our God, You are the Life that dawned from the grave, though the tomb was sealed. Through closed doors You came to the Apostles. You are the Resurrection of all. And, You renewed us through them with an upright spirit, according to Your great mercy.
Ἐσφραγισμένου τοῦ μνήματος ἡ ζωὴ ἐκ τάφου ἀνέτειλας Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, καὶ τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων, τοῖς Μαθηταῖς ἐπέστης ἡ πάντων ἀνάστασις, πνεῦμα εὐθὲς δι' αὐτῶν ἐγκαινίζων ἡμῖν, κατὰ τὸ μέγα σου ἔλεος.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.
Εἰ καὶ ἐν τάφῳ κατῆλθες ἀθάνατε, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ᾍδου καθεῖλες τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ ἀνέστης ὡς νικητής, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, γυναιξὶ Μυροφόροις φθεγξάμενος. Χαίρετε, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις εἰρήνην δωρούμενος ὁ τοῖς πεσοῦσι παρέχων ἀνάστασιν.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. 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 Acts of the Apostles 5:12-20.

In those days, many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, "Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life."

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

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 5:12-20.

Ἐν ταῖς ἡμεραῖς ἐκείναις, διὰ δὲ τῶν χειρῶν τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐγίνετοB σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα ἐν τῷ λαῷ πολλά· καὶ ἦσαν ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἅπαντες ἐν τῇ στοᾷ Σολομῶντος. Τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν οὐδεὶς ἐτόλμα κολλᾶσθαι αὐτοῖς, ἀλλʼ ἐμεγάλυνεν αὐτοὺς ὁ λαός· μᾶλλον δὲ προσετίθεντο πιστεύοντες τῷ κυρίῳ, πλήθη ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν· ὥστε κατὰ τὰς πλατείας ἐκφέρειν τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς, καὶ τιθέναι ἐπὶ κλινῶν καὶ κραββάτων, ἵνα ἐρχομένου Πέτρου κἂν ἡ σκιὰ ἐπισκιάσῃ τινὶ αὐτῶν. Συνήρχετο δὲ καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν πέριξ πόλεων εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, φέροντες ἀσθενεῖς καὶ ὀχλουμένους ὑπὸ πνευμάτων ἀκαθάρτων, οἵτινες ἐθεραπεύοντο ἅπαντες. Ἀναστὰς δὲ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ πάντες οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ - ἡ οὖσα αἵρεσις τῶν Σαδδουκαίων - ἐπλήσθησαν ζήλου, καὶ ἐπέβαλον τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους, καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτοὺς ἐν τηρήσει δημοσίᾳ. Ἄγγελος δὲ κυρίου διὰ τῆς νυκτὸς ἤνοιξεν τὰς θύρας τῆς φυλακῆς, ἐξαγαγών τε αὐτοὺς εἶπεν, Πορεύεσθε, καὶ σταθέντες λαλεῖτε ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τῷ λαῷ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης.


Gospel Reading

Thomas Sunday
The Reading is from John 20:19-31

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them: "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him: "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them: "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."

Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said: "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

Thomas Sunday
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:19-31

Οὔσης ὀψίας τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τῇ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων, καὶ τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων ὅπου ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ συνηγμένοι διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ. Ἐχάρησαν οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ ἰδόντες τὸν Κύριον. Εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς πάλιν· Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. Καθὼς ἀπέσταλκέ με ὁ πατήρ, κἀγὼ πέμπω ὑμᾶς. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησε καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Λάβετε Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον· ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφίενται αὐτοῖς, ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται.

Θωμᾶς δὲ εἷς ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος, οὐκ ἦν μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ὅτε ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί· Ἐωράκαμεν τὸν Κύριον. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὴν χεῖρά μου εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω. Καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ πάλιν ἦσαν ἔσω οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ Θωμᾶς μετ᾽ αὐτῶν. Ἔρχεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων, καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ εἶπεν· Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. Εἶτα λέγει τῷ Θωμᾷ· Φέρε τὸν δάκτυλόν σου ὧδε καὶ ἴδε τὰς χεῖράς μου, καὶ φέρε τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ βάλε εἰς τὴν πλευράν μου, καὶ μὴ γίνου ἄπιστος, ἀλλὰ πιστός. Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Ὅτι ἑώρακάς με, πεπίστευκας· μακάριοι οἱ μὴ ἰδόντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες. Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλα σημεῖα ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐνώπιον τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, ἃ οὐκ ἔστι γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ· ταῦτα δὲ γέγραπται ἵνα πιστεύσητε ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἵνα πιστεύοντες ζωὴν ἔχητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

For great is the dignity of the priests. ... And hold them very exceedingly in honor; for you indeed care about your own affairs, and if you order them well, you give no account for others; ...
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 86, 4th Century

... but the priest even if he rightly order his own life, if he have not an anxious care for yours and that of all those around him, will depart with the wicked into hell; and often when not betrayed by his own conduct, he perishes by yours, if he have not rightly performed all his part.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 86, 4th Century

The Lord stoops to the level even of our feeble understanding. He works a miracle of His invisible power in order to satisfy the doubts of unbelieving minds.
St. Hilary of Poitiers
On the Trinity, 1.20. Taken from: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Vol: John. Intervarsity Press, 2007, p. 369.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1) And here He pronounces blessed not the disciples only, but those also who after them should believe.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 87 on John 20, 4th Century

For though the Apostles themselves modestly ascribe it all to this cause, declaring that they did these things in the name of Christ, yet at the same time the life and noble conduct of the men helped to produce this effect. "And believers were more added unto the Lord, multitudes both of men and women." Observe, how he now no longer tells the number of them that believe; at such a rate was the faith making way even to an immense multitude, and so widely was the Resurrection proclaimed. So then "the people magnified them:" but they were now no longer lightly to be despised as once they were: for in a little moment, at a single turn of the scale, such have been the effects produced by the fisherman and by the publican! Earth was become a heaven, for manner of life, for boldness of speech, for wonders, for all besides; like Angels were they looked upon with wonder:
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 12 on Acts IV, 4th Century

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Saints and Feasts

Thomsund
May 01

Thomas Sunday

Though the doors were shut at the dwelling where the disciples were gathered for fear of the Jews on the evening of the Sunday after the Passover, our Saviour wondrously entered and stood in their midst, and greeted them with His customary words, "Peace be unto you." Then He showed unto them His hands and feet and side; furthermore, in their presence, He took some fish and a honeycomb and ate before them, and thus assured them of His bodily Resurrection. But Thomas, who was not then present with the others, did not believe their testimony concerning Christ's Resurrection, but said in a decisive manner, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe." Wherefore after eight days, that is, on this day, when the disciples were again gathered together and Thomas was with them, the Lord Jesus came while the doors were shut, as He did formerly. Standing in their midst, He said, "Peace be unto you"; then He said to Thomas, "Bring hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not unbelieving, but believing."

And Thomas, beholding and examining carefully the hands and side of the Master, cried out with faith, "My Lord and my God." Thus he clearly proclaimed the two natures - human and divine - of the God-man (Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-29).

This day is called Antipascha (meaning "in the stead of Pascha," not "in opposition to Pascha") because with this day, the first Sunday after Pascha, the Church consecrates every Sunday of the year to the commemoration of Pascha, that is, the Resurrection.


Constantinegreat
May 07

Commemoration of the Precious Cross that appeared in the sky over Jerusalem in 351 A.D.

On this day in the year 351, not long after Cyril had succeeded Maximus as Archbishop of Jerusalem, during the reign of Constantius, the son of Saint Constantine the Great, on the day of Pentecost, the sign of the Cross appeared over Jerusalem. Saint Cyril, in his letter to the Emperor Constantius, says, "At about the third hour of the day, an enormous Cross, formed of light, appeared in the heaven above holy Golgotha and reaching to the holy Mount of Olives, being seen not by one or two only, but manifest with perfect clarity to the whole multitude of the city; not, as one might suppose, rushing swiftly past in fancy, but seen openly above the earth many hours in plain sight, and overcoming the beams of the sun with its dazzling rays" (PG 33:1 16q).


Myrrbear
May 08

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women

About the beginning of His thirty-second year, when the Lord Jesus was going throughout Galilee, preaching and working miracles, many women who had received of His beneficence left their own homeland and from then on followed after Him. They ministered unto Him out of their own possessions, even until His crucifixion and entombment; and afterwards, neither losing faith in Him after His death, nor fearing the wrath of the Jewish rulers, they came to the sepulchre, bearing the myrrh-oils they had prepared to annoint His body. It is because of the myrrh-oils, that these God-loving women brought to the tomb of Jesus that they are called the Myrrh-bearers. Of those whose names are known are the following: first of all, the most holy Virgin Mary, who in Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 is called "the mother of James and Joses" (these are the sons of Joseph by a previous marriage, and she was therefore their step-mother); Mary Magdalene (celebrated July 22); Mary, the wife of Clopas; Joanna, wife of Chouza, a steward of Herod Antipas; Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus; and Susanna. As for the names of the rest of them, the evangelists have kept silence (Matt 27:55-56; 28:1-10. Mark 15:40-41. Luke 8:1-3; 23:55-24:11, 22-24. John 19:25; 20:11-18. Acts 1:14).

Together with them we celebrate also the secret disciples of the Saviour, Joseph and Nicodemus. Of these, Nicodemus was probably a Jerusalemite, a prominent leader among the Jews and of the order of the Pharisees, learned in the Law and instructed in the Holy Scriptures. He had believed in Christ when, at the beginning of our Saviour's preaching of salvation, he came to Him by night. Furthermore, he brought some one hundred pounds of myrrh-oils and an aromatic mixture of aloes and spices out of reverence and love for the divine Teacher (John 19:39). Joseph, who was from the city of Arimathea, was a wealthy and noble man, and one of the counsellors who were in Jerusalem. He went boldly unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and together with Nicodemus he gave Him burial. Since time did not permit the preparation of another tomb, he placed the Lord's body in his own tomb which was hewn out of rock, as the Evangelist says (Matt. 27:60).


05_irene
May 05

Irene the Great Martyr

Saint Irene was the daughter of a princelet called Licinius; named Penelope by her parents, through a divine revelation she was brought to faith in Christ and at Baptism was renamed Irene. In her zeal for piety she broke in pieces all the idols of her father, who commanded that she be trampled underfoot by horses. But while she remained unharmed, one of the horses rose up and cast down her father, killing him. By her prayer she raised him to life again, and he believed and was baptized. Afterwards, in many journeyings, Saint Irene suffered torments and punishments for her faith, but was preserved by the power of God, while working dread miracles and converting many thousands of souls. At last she came to Ephesus, where she fell asleep in peace, in the first half of the fourth century. Two days after her death, her gravestone was found lifted off, and her grave empty. At least two churches were dedicated to Saint Irene in Constantinople, and she is also the patroness of the Aegean island of Thera, which is commonly called Santorin (or Santorini), a corruption of "Saint Irene."


Allsaint
May 06

2nd Friday after Pascha


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