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Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church
Publish Date: 2018-11-25
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Katherin
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Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (617) 625-2222
  • Fax:
  • (617) 628-4529
  • Street Address:

  • 29 Central Street

  • Somerville, MA 02143


Past Bulletins


Weekly Events

WEEKDAY SERVICES

Sunday, November 24th - Great Vespers for St. Catherine at 6:30pm

Monday  - Τhursday, November 26th — November 29th— (Sarantaleitourgo) Divine Liturgy  8:30 a.m.— 9:30 a.m. 

Friday, November 30, ST. ANDREW 

There will be NO SARANTALEITOURGO 

Div. Liturgy at  the Metropolis Chapel from 8:30—10:30 a.m.

 

On Sunday, November 25th, a 1 year memorial service will be offered for the repose of the soul of Konstantinos Moustakas, and a trisagion for the repose of the soul of Steve Nemphos. 

The coffee hour is kindly hosted by the Moustakas family.

________________________

  

ST. CATHERINE'S PHILOPTOHOS SOCIETY

 CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON

Sunday, December 2nd, 2018

Immediately following the Divine Liturgy

 

THE DORMITION FAMILY TABLE

          The next Dormition Family Table will be served on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 from 4 p.m.—6 p.m.

We are looking for volunteers to help cook and serve.  Cooking starts at 2:00 p.m.

 

PTO EVENTS

On Saturday, December 8, 2018 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. the children of the Greek and Sunday Schools are invited to gather in the lower hall to make their very own Gingerbread House.  The PTO Committee will offer a complimentary lunch to the participating families of the Dormition Schools.  The Gingerbread Houses will be on display at Church for the entire community to adore.  The children can take home their creation on 12/23/18, after the Sunday School Christmas Pagaent.  Kindly let us know in advance, by email, if you will attend this event no later than December 2, 2018, since we need to purchase enough kits and lunch for the children. 

Also on December 8, 2018 from 3:45 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. all families and Church members are invited to visit the NH Motor Speedway Christmas Lights located in Loudon, NH and enjoy a 3 course dinner at a local restaurant.  We will depart by bus from the Church no later than 3:45 p.m. and return at 9:45 p.m.  Cost for the children $25.  PTO Parents $40.  Adult Church Members $45. We need at least 30 attendees to respond no later than December 2, 2018 in order to go forward with this holiday field trip.  To reserve you spot contact Michael Ververis at 781-710-4646 or via email at ververislaw@gmail.com as soon as possible.

 

2018 GREEK SCHOOL  CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

on December 16th

After the Divine Liturgy, in the Upper Hall.

Please join us as our children perform plays, songs and

dances for this festive season!

Afterwards, we will have a special visitor from the North Pole!

  

Sunday, December 23rd, 2018

DORMITION PTO PROUDLY PRESENTS OUR

GREEK AND SUNDAY SCHOOL

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

 

Please join us for the 2018

PTO  COMMUNITY LENTEN BREAKFAST

To be held on December 30th after Liturgy in the upper hall

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 67.35,26.
God is wonderful among his saints.
Verse: Bless God in the congregations.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-5.

Brethren, before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 67.35,26.
Θαυμαστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τοῖς Ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ.
Στίχ. Ἐν Ἐκκλησίαις εὐλογεῖτε τὸν Θεὸν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Γαλάτας 3:23-29, 4:1-5.

Ἀδελφοί, πρὸ τοῦ δὲ ἐλθεῖν τὴν πίστιν, ὑπὸ νόμον ἐφρουρούμεθα, συγκεκλεισμένοι εἰς τὴν μέλλουσαν πίστιν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι. Ὥστε ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγὸς ἡμῶν γέγονεν εἰς Χριστόν, ἵνα ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθῶμεν. Ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς πίστεως, οὐκέτι ὑπὸ παιδαγωγόν ἐσμεν. Πάντες γὰρ υἱοὶ θεοῦ ἐστε διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθητε, Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσασθε. Οὐκ ἔνι Ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ Ἕλλην, οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος, οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ· πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ, ἄρα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ σπέρμα ἐστέ, καὶ κατʼ ἐπαγγελίαν κληρονόμοι. Λέγω δέ, ἐφʼ ὅσον χρόνον ὁ κληρονόμος νήπιός ἐστιν, οὐδὲν διαφέρει δούλου, κύριος πάντων ὤν· ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ ἐπιτρόπους ἐστὶν καὶ οἰκονόμους, ἄχρι τῆς προθεσμίας τοῦ πατρός. Οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι, ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἦμεν δεδουλωμένοι· ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον, ἵνα τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον ἐξαγοράσῃ, ἵνα τὴν υἱοθεσίαν ἀπολάβωμεν.


Gospel Reading

13th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 18:18-27

At that time, a ruler came to Jesus and asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.' " And he said, "All these I have observed from my youth." And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. Jesus looking at him said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" But he said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

13th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 18:18-27

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἄρχων λέγων· διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω; εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ Θεός. τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας· μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, μὴ φονεύσῃς, μὴ κλέψῃς, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου. ὁ δὲ εἶπε· ταῦτα πάντα ἐφυλαξάμην ἐκ νεότητός μου. ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἔτι ἕν σοι λείπει· πάντα ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον καὶ διάδος πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι. ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας ταῦτα περίλυπος ἐγένετο· ἦν γὰρ πλούσιος σφόδρα. ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς περίλυπον γενόμενον εἶπε· πῶς δυσκόλως οἱ τὰ χρήματα ἔχοντες εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ! εὐκοπώτερον γάρ ἐστι κάμηλον διὰ τρυμαλιᾶς ῥαφίδος εἰσελθεῖν ἢ πλούσιον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν. εἶπον δὲ οἱ ἀκούσαντες· καὶ τίς δύναται σωθῆναι; ὁ δὲ εἶπε· τὰ ἀδύνατα παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δυνατὰ παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ ἐστιν.


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Saints and Feasts

Katherin
November 25

Catherine the Great Martyr of Alexandria

Saint Catherine, who was from Alexandria, was the daughter of Constas (or Cestus). She was an exceedingly beautiful maiden, most chaste, and illustrious in wealth, lineage, and learning. By her steadfast understanding, she utterly vanquished the passionate and unbridled soul of Maximinus, the tyrant of Alexandria; and by her eloquence, she stopped the mouths of the so-called philosophers who had been gathered to dispute with her. She was crowned with the crown of martyrdom in the year 305. Her holy relics were taken by Angels to the holy mountain of Sinai, where they were discovered many years later; the famous monastery of Saint Catherine was originally dedicated to the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord and the Burning Bush, but later was dedicated to Saint Catherine. According to the ancient usage, Saints Catherine and Mercurius were celebrated on the 24th of this month, whereas the holy Hieromartyrs Clement of Rome and Peter of Alexandria were celebrated on the 25th. The dates of the feasts of these Saints were interchanged at the request of the Church and Monastery of Mount Sinai, so that the festival of Saint Catherine, their patron, might be celebrated more festively together with the Apodosis of the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos. The Slavic Churches, however, commemorate these Saints on their original dates.


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Sunday's Sermon

 

LUKE’S 13TH SUNDAY

My brothers and sisters in Christ,

In today's gospel Jesus Christ our Lord, deals once again with the spiritual condition of a man who has everything, is young, rich, healthy, and who wants also to gain entrance to the eternal life.

In prior descriptions of rich men, in the parables such as that of the fool rich man and the rich man and poor Lazarus, we heard that they typically lived a life far from God. In today’s Gospel reading however, we hear about a different encounter with another kind of rich person, a ruler. Through the dialogue that developed, we observe a man who refers to Christ with respect, who obeys all the Law’s commands, and who wants to know whether he will gain entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven through his acts.

Christ’s response to this man was unconditional: “If you want to be perfect go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven”. Once the young man heard those words he became sorrowful and left, for he had many possessions.  Christ then turned to His disciples, and again His words were unconditional as He said: “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God”.

When this young ruler presented himself in front of Christ, he was almost certain that all he had done in his life had been well done and he expected to be praised. Therefore Christ in order to wake him up, to uncover his spiritual nakedness, asked for the ultimate sacrifice, that is to separate himself from the riches that he so much loved, and to gift them to the poor. Our Lord knew, that this man was not aware of the fact that his possessions, and riches, and health, and everything else existed as a loan from God. That he had been blessed to own them only temporarily, for the period of this life, and that they ought to be used for the glory of God. That he should manage his riches as a “good steward” who cares for his greater family, his poorer brothers.

Brethren, our good Lord, because of His overabundant love for us, has been very generous with our Forefathers, when He installed them in Paradise and made them kings of the whole Creation, offering them the whole world. But they had to live accordingly, through “using the world and not abusing it” as the Fathers of the church say. After the fall, they became evil, they started enslaving nature and other people to satisfy their passions. Money and wealth are neither good nor bad. Our relation to them can be beneficial if we use them to get closer to God, or detrimental if we are used by them. There existed wealthy saints and very poor saints. Both, however, had managed properly what they had and what they had not, to attain their salvation. The poor had not groaned and the rich had not been captured by the riches. The earthly matter is blessed enough for man to use it and offer it back, report it eucharistically to God, as we say during the Liturgy: “Offering to You these gifts from Your own gifts....”.  Whenever man’s mind is captured by the love of money, he succumbs to one of the three giants of the passions that turn him away from God, avarice-the love of money. The Apostle Paul calls avarice a paganism. St.Basil the Great writes about the love of money: “I know a lot of men who fast, pray, groan, show off all of the inexpensive reverence, while they do not intend to give alms or a coin. So what is to them the benefit of the rest of the other virtues?”. Indeed, we have no spiritual advantage, if a deadly passion like gluttony, love of money, or love of human glory rule upon us, even if we have many of the lesser virtues.

In this gospel passage, Christ makes a proposition that is at the same time a tender. He says: “If you want to inherit the eternal life, sell your possessions and follow me”. The Eternal Life is to follow Christ, to recognize Him as our Lord, and thereby to seek union with God. These words were spoken by our Lord during His Archpastoral Prayer when He explained: “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent” (Joh. 17,3). The following of Christ cannot be undertaken without effort and sacrifice. We toil and sacrifice those persons and things that we love in our lives the most. Whoever believes that he loves Jesus, must devote himself to Him totally. The Lord Himself told us that: “Where your treasure is, there is your heart” (Matt. 6,21). Some people must abandon their wealth like the man in today’s gospel passage, because money is very important to them. Others must abandon their sensuality, or selfishness, their envy or their wicked ways. And others have to let go of some persons of this world that absorb their whole interest and make them forget about Christ and the eternal life.

My brothers and sisters,

Our Lord’s call which we hear in today's gospel is repeated throughout the centuries. I keep wondering, have we succeeded to realize that the eternal life is not inherited without great sacrifices?

KONSTANTINOS MANETAS

 

13H ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΤΟΥ ΛΟΥΚΑ

Ο ΠΛΟΥΣΙΟΣ ΝΕΑΝΙΑΣ

Αγαπητοί αδελφοί

            Στο σημερινό ευαγγέλιο ο Χριστός μας ασχολείται για άλλη μια φορά με την πνευματική κατάσταση του πλούσιου ανθρώπου και τις επιπτώσεις της πάνω στην απόκτηση της βασιλείας Του Θεού.

Ενώ όμως άλλες φορές με παραβολές αναφέρθηκε σε πλούσιους που ζούσαν μια ζωή μακριά από Το Θεό, που Τον είχαν ξεχάσει ότι υπάρχει – όπως ήταν η παραβολή με τον άφρονα πλούσιο ή με το φτωχό Λάζαρο-στο σημερινό ευαγγέλιο παρακολουθούμε μία συνάντηση με ένα άλλο πλούσιο, νέο, διαφορετικό από τους προηγούμενους. Αυτού του νέου η σκέψη του, η εξωτερική συμπεριφορά του, η προσωπικότητά του χαρακτηρίζονται από θρησκευτικότητα και ενδιαφέρον για αναζήτηση της πνευματικής ζωής.

  Ετσι, μέσα από τον διάλογο που αναπτύσσεται διακρίνουμε έναν άνθρωπο που απευθύνεται με σεβασμό προς τον Χριστό, που αναζητά την αιώνια ζωή, που είναι σίγουρος ότι τηρεί κατά γράμμα τον θρησκευτικό νόμο και που θέλει να μάθει αν όσα κάνει είναι σωστά. Σ’αυτόν τον άνθρωπο ο Χριστός μας απαντάει με ένα τρόπο απόλυτο, του λέει: «πούλησε όλα τα υπάρχοντα σου, μοίρασε τα λεφτά στους φτωχούς και έλα μαζί μου». Σαν τ’ άκουσε αυτά ο νέος ζαλίστηκε, στενοχωρήθηκε κι’ έφυγε.

  Αλλά και στους μαθητές Του ο Χριστός μίλησε με απόλυτο τρόπο λέγοντάς τους ότι είναι ευκολότερο για μια καμήλα να περάσει από την τρύπα της βελόνας παρά να μπεί ένας πλούσιος στον Παράδεισο.

Γιατί άραγε ο Χριστός μας υπήρξε τόσο απόλυτος απέναντι σ’ αυτόν το νέο; Αραγε απαιτεί τόσα πολλά και δύσκολα πράγματα από τους ανθρώπους, που για μας τους πολλούς κάνουν αδύνατη την απόκτηση του Παραδείσου; Είναι τόσο σκληρός μαζί μας; Δεν φαίνεται να είναι έτσι. Αν ήταν έτσι θα είχε ζητήσει από την πρώτη στιγμή από τον πλούσιο νέο της περικοπής να πουλήσει τα υπάρχοντα του και δεν θα του είχε πει να τηρεί τις εντολές του Νόμου που ήξερε και ξέρουμε και εμείς σήμερα: δηλαδή να τηρεί τη συνείδησή του.

  Οταν ο νέος αυτός παρουσιάστηκε μπροστά στον Χριστό έψαχνε την αυτοδικαίωση του, ήταν σχεδόν βέβαιος ότι όλα τα είχε κάνει σωστά στη ζωή του και περίμενε την επιβράβευση. Και ο Χριστός για να τον ξυπνήσει, για να του δείξει την πνευματική του γυμνότητα, του ζήτησε το απόλυτο: να αποχωρισθεί από τα υπάρχοντά του και να τα χαρίσει.  Ηξερε ο Κύριος μας ότι ο νέος δεν πίστευε πως τα υπάρχοντά του και τα πλούτη του, όπως και η υγεία του και ότι άλλο κατείχε ήταν θεϊκά δώρα, παραχώρηση στον άνθρωπο ο οποίος οφείλει να τα χρησιμοποιεί για τη δόξα Του Θεού, να τα διαχειρίζεται σαν «καλός οικονόμος» που φροντίζει για την μεγάλη του οικογένεια, τους αδελφούς του.  Εγνώριζε ακόμη, ότι ο νέος αυτός όπως και καθένας που πιστεύει ότι θα δικαιωθεί από τα έργα του δεν σώζεται από μόνος του, γι’ αυτό και απάντησε στους μαθητές του, όταν γεμάτοι απορίες τον ρώτησαν: «Τότε  ποιος θα σωθεί;» ότι «αυτά που είναι αδύνατα παρ’ανθρώποις, είναι δυνατά παρά τω Θεώ».

  Αδελφοί μου, ο καλός Θεός, μέσα στην πολλή Του αγάπη, υπήρξε γενναιόδωρος με μας τους άνθρωπους όταν μας έβαλε στον Παράδεισο και μας κατέστησε βασιλείς της φύσεως χαρίζοντάς μας ολόκληρο τον κόσμο. Εμείς όμως έπρεπε να ζήσουμε ως «χρόμενοι τον κόσμο και μη κατασχόντες» όπως λένε οι Πατέρες. Με την πτώση άρχισε ο άνθρωπος να κάνη το κακό, υποδουλώνοντας τη φύση αλλά και τους συνανθρώπους του για να ικανοποιήση τα πάθη του. Τα χρήματα δεν είναι ούτε καλά ούτε κακά. Εξαρτάται αν τα χρησιμοποιούμε για να πλησιάσουμε τον Θεό ή αν μας χρησιμοποιούν εκείνα. Υπήρξαν άγιοι πάμπλουτοι και άγιοι πάμφτωχοι. Και οι δύο όμως, διαχειρίστηκαν σωστά ότι είχαν και ότι δεν είχαν για τη σωτηρία τους. Οι φτωχοί δεν εγόγγισαν και οι πλούσιοι δεν αιχμαλωτίσθηκαν. Η ύλη είναι ευλογία αρκεί ο άνθρωπος να την χρησιμοποιεί και να την προσφέρει—να την αναφέρει ευχαριστιακά στον Θεό, όπως λέμε στη Θεία Λειτουργία: «Τα Σα εκ των Σων, Σοι προσφέρομεν..». Αν αιχμαλωτισθεί ο νους του ανθρώπου από το χρήμα, τότε υποκύπτει στον έναν από τους τρείς γίγαντες  των παθών που τον απομακρύνουν από τον Θεό: την φιλαργυρία. Ο Απ. Παύλος αποκαλεί την φιλαργυρία ειδωλολατρεία. Γράφει γιά τη φιλαργυρία ο Μέγας Βασίλειος: «Γνωρίζω πολλούς νηστευτές, προσευχόμενους, στενάζοντες, που δείχνουν όλη την αδάπανη ευλάβεια, ενώ δεν προτίθενται να δώσουν ελεημοσύνη ούτε έναν οβολό. Ποιό είναι λοιπόν σ’αυτούς το όφελος από την υπόλοιπη αρετή;». Πράγματι, κανένα όφελος δεν έχουμε, εάν κυριαρχεί επάνω μας ένα θανάσιμο πάθος σαν την φιλαργυρία, ακόμη κι’αν έχουμε πολλές από τις υπόλοιπες αρετές.

Αδελφοί μου, στο ερώτημα των μαθητών του Χριστού «τότε ποιος θα σωθεί; » η απάντηση είναι μία: ο Θεός θα μας σώσει. Εμείς πρέπει να Τον πλησιάζουμε κάνοντας υπακοή στις εντολές Του, με συναίσθηση και επίγνωση ότι είμαστε πολύ μακριά από αυτό που Εκείνος θέλει. Γιατί ο Θεός μας έχει μία και μόνη επιθυμία: ολοκληρωτική αφιέρωση σ’ Εκείνον. Δέχεται όμως και την παραμικρή κίνησή μας προς Αυτόν: και την καλή σκέψη, και τα ελάχιστα έργα, και το μηδενικό μας τίποτα, φτάνει να έχουμε την επίγνωση της κατάστασής μας. «Και τα έργα δέχεται και την γνώμην ασπάζεται. Και την πράξιν τιμά και την πρόθεσιν επαινεί », ακούμε τον Αγ. Ιωάννη τον Χρυσόστομο να διαλαλεί το βράδυ της Αναστάσεως. Η ταπείνωσή μας είναι εκείνη που κρατάει το δρόμο της προσέγγισής Του ανοικτό, σε αντίθεση με τον πλούσιο νέο της σημερινής περικοπής που μέσα από τη συνομιλία του με Τον Χριστό, επεδίωξε να δικαιωθή.

Αυτώ η δόξα εις τους αιώνας

 

π. Κωνσταντίνος Μανέτας

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Wisdom of the Fathers

Love of money is the worship of idols, a daughter of unbelief, an excuse for infirmities, a foreboder of old age, a harbinger of drought, a herald of hunger.
St. John Climacus
The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 16:2,7 and Step 17:1, 6th Century

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