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Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church
Publish Date: 2019-05-12
Bulletin Contents
Weekly Events
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Sunday's Sermon
Wisdom of the Fathers
Epiphanius
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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

 CHRIST IS RISEN!!

ST. CATHERINE’S  PHILOPTOCHOS  SOCIETY

ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY 

KOKKINO AVGO

will take place on

Saturday, May 11, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the lower hall. 

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 THE ANNUAL MOTHER’S DAY DINNER DANCE

sponsored by GOYA, will be held on Saturday, May 11th, 2019,

  from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the upper hall.

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MEMORIAL SERVICE

On Sunday a memorial service will be offered for the repose of  the soul of Stella Boulas.

The coffee hour is kindly hosted by the Boulas family.

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Next Sunday, May 19th, in light of the 100-year commemoration since the Pontian Greek Genocide, we will offer a memorial service to honor the memory of those who cruelly and unjustly lost their lives.

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MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

Father Anthony will be available to perform the Trisagia Services at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett,  on Monday, May 27th from 11:00 a.m.—12:30 p.m.  Please inform the Church office.

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PARISHIONER OF THE YEAR LUNCHEON

 Fr. Anthony and the Parish Council would like to congratulate our Parishioner of the Year 2019,

Mrs. Maria Nassiopoulos. 

 Mrs. Maria Nassiopoulos will be honored with a luncheon on June 9, 2019 at Lombardos, Randolph and at our parish on June 30, 2019, immediately after Church services in the upper hall.  Please call the office as soon as possible to sign up for these two events.

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SUNDAY SCHOOL GRADUATION 

Our Sunday School Graduation will take place on Sunday, June 2, 2019 immediately after the Divine Liturgy. 

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GREEK  SCHOOL GRADUATION  6/09/2019

The PTO Committee and student families will be hosting the coffee hour after the Divine Liturgy the day of the Greek School Graduation, on Sunday, June 09 2019.  We need everyone to pitch in to help set up and bring a baked good or dish for the entire community to enjoy. The last day of classes will be on Saturday, June 15th.

 

 

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Saints and Feasts

Epiphanius
May 12

Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus

Saint Epiphanius was born about 310 in Besanduc, a village of Palestine, of Jewish parents who were poor and tillers of the soil. In his youth he came to faith in Christ and was baptized with his sister, after which he distributed all he had to the poor and became a monk, being a younger contemporary of Saint Hilarion the Great (see Oct. 21), whom he knew. He also visited the renowned monks of Egypt to learn their ways. Because the fame of his virtue had spread, many in Egypt desired to make him a bishop; when he learned of this, he fled, returning to Palestine. But after a time he learned that the bishops there also intended to consecrate him to a widowed bishopric, and he fled to Cyprus. In Paphos he met Saint Hilarion, who told him to go to Constantia, a city of Cyprus also called Salamis. Epiphanius answered that he preferred to take ship for Gaza, which, despite Saint Hilarion's admonitions, he did. But a contrary wind brought the ship to Constantia where, by the providence of God, Epiphanius fell into the hands of bishops who had come together to elect a successor to the newly-departed Bishop of Constantia, and the venerable Epiphanius was at last constrained to be consecrated, about the year 367. He was fluent in Hebrew, Egyptian, Syriac, Greek, and Latin, and because of this he was called "Five-tongued." He had the gift of working miracles, and was held in such reverence by all, that although he was a known enemy of heresy, he was well nigh the only eminent bishop that the Arians did not dare to drive into exile when the Emperor Valens persecuted the Orthodox about the year 371. Having tended his flock in a manner pleasing to God, and guarded it undefiled from every heresy, he reposed about the year 403, having lived for ninety-three years. Among his sacred writings, the one that is held in special esteem is the Panarion (from the Latin Panarium, that is, "Bread-box,") containing the proofs of the truth of the Faith, and an examination of eighty heresies.

Allsaint
May 12

Germanos, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Germanos, who was from Constantinople, was born to an illustrious family, the son of Justinian the Patrician. First he became Metropolitan of Cyzicus; in 715 he was elevated to the throne of Constantinople; but because of his courageous resistance to Leo the Isaurian's impious decree which inaugurated the war upon the holy icons, he was exiled from his throne in 715. He lived the rest of his life in privacy, and reposed about 740, full of days. The fore-most of his writings is that which deals with the Six Ecumenical Councils. He wrote many hymns also, as is apparent from the titles of many stichera and idiomela, among which are those for the Feast of the Meeting in the Temple.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7.

In those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochoros, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Προκείμενον. Second Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 117.14,18.
Ἰσχύς μου καὶ ὕμνησίς μου ὁ Κύριος.
Στίχ. Παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέ με ὁ Κύριος.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 6:1-7.

Ἐν ταῖς ἡμεραῖς ἐκείναις, πληθυνόντων τῶν μαθητῶν, ἐγένετο γογγυσμὸς τῶν Ἑλληνιστῶν πρὸς τοὺς Ἑβραίους, ὅτι παρεθεωροῦντο ἐν τῇ διακονίᾳ τῇ καθημερινῇ αἱ χῆραι αὐτῶν. Προσκαλεσάμενοι δὲ οἱ δώδεκα τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν, εἶπον, Οὐκ ἀρεστόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς, καταλείψαντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, διακονεῖν τραπέζαις. Ἐπισκέψασθε οὖν, ἀδελφοί, ἄνδρας ἐξ ὑμῶν μαρτυρουμένους ἑπτά, πλήρεις πνεύματος ἁγίου καὶ σοφίας, οὓς καταστήσωμεν ἐπὶ τῆς χρείας ταύτης. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ τῇ διακονίᾳ τοῦ λόγου προσκαρτερήσομεν. Καὶ ἤρεσεν ὁ λόγος ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ πλήθους· καὶ ἐξελέξαντο Στέφανον, ἄνδρα πλήρης πίστεως καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου, καὶ Φίλιππον, καὶ Πρόχορον, καὶ Νικάνορα, καὶ Τίμωνα, καὶ Παρμενᾶν, καὶ Νικόλαον προσήλυτον Ἀντιοχέα, οὓς ἔστησαν ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀποστόλων· καὶ προσευξάμενοι ἐπέθηκαν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας. Καὶ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ηὔξανεν, καὶ ἐπληθύνετο ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν μαθητῶν ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ σφόδρα, πολύς τε ὄχλος τῶν ἱερέων ὑπήκουον τῇ πίστει.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
The Reading is from Mark 15:43-47; 16:1-8

At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 15:43-47, 16:1-8

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐλθὼν Ἰωσὴφ ὁ ἀπὸ Ἀριμαθαίας, εὐσχήμων βουλευτής, ὃς καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν προσδεχόμενος τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τολμήσας εἰσῆλθε πρὸς Πιλᾶτον καὶ ᾐτήσατο τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. Ὁ δὲ Πιλᾶτος ἐθαύμασεν εἰ ἤδη τέθνηκε, καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τὸν κεντυρίωνα ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν εἰ πάλαι ἀπέθανε· καὶ γνοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ κεντυρίωνος ἐδωρήσατο τὸ σῶμα τῷ Ἰωσήφ. Καὶ ἀγοράσας σινδόνα καὶ καθελὼν αὐτὸν ἐνείλησε τῇ σινδόνι καὶ κατέθηκεν αὐτὸν ἐν μνημείῳ, ὃ ἦν λελατομημένον ἐκ πέτρας, καὶ προσεκύλισε λίθον ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν τοῦ μνημείου. Ἡ δὲ Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ Μαρία Ἰωσῆ ἐθεώρουν ποῦ τίθεται. Καὶ διαγενομένου τοῦ σαββάτου Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ Μαρία ἡ τοῦ Ἰακώβου καὶ Σαλώμη ἠγόρασαν ἀρώματα ἵνα ἐλθοῦσαι ἀλείψωσιν αὐτόν. Καὶ λίαν πρωῒ τῆς μιᾶς σαββάτων ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου. Καὶ ἔλεγον πρὸς ἑαυτάς· Τίς ἀποκυλίσει ἡμῖν τὸν λίθον ἐκ τῆς θύρας τοῦ μνημείου; Καὶ ἀναβλέψασαι θεωροῦσιν ὅτι ἀποκεκύλισται ὁ λίθος· ἦν γὰρ μέγας σφόδρα. Καὶ εἰσελθοῦσαι εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον εἶδον νεανίσκον καθήμενον ἐν τοῖς δεξιοῖς, περιβεβλημένον στολὴν λευκήν, καὶ ἐξεθαμβήθησαν. Ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐταῖς· μὴ ἐκθαμβεῖσθε· Ἰησοῦν ζητεῖτε τὸν Ναζαρηνὸν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον· ἠγέρθη, οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε· ἴδε ὁ τόπος ὅπου ἔθηκαν αὐτόν. Ἀλλ᾿ ὑπάγετε εἴπατε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ Πέτρῳ ὅτι προάγει ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν· ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν ὄψεσθε, καθὼς εἶπεν ὑμῖν. Καὶ ἐξελθοῦσαι ἔφυγον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου· εἶχε δὲ αὐτὰς τρόμος καὶ ἔκστασις, καὶ οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν εἶπον· ἐφοβοῦντο γάρ.

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Sunday's Sermon

 LAST WEEKS SERMON

Sunday of St. Thomas

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today we remember Thomas, one of the Disciples of Christ. Thomas is known for doubting. What is it that makes Thomas a Doubting Thomas? He simply does not want to believe what others believe. We cannot blame him because there were many stories like the resurrection. The ancient people simply believed to the stories told by their ancestors. There were many myths that had been handed down from generation to generation. People believed in myths without checking them.

The difference between those who believed in myths and Thomas who wanted to believe in the resurrection of the Lord is essential. In order to understand what this difference is we need to pay attention to another expression used by Thomas. He said that he would not believe unless he touches him and puts his fingers in the holes of the nails on his hands. He wanted to verify. 

Only a week ago when we red the Gospel for Lazarus Sunday we all heard that he said “let us go with Him and die with him if necessary”.  The other disciples were warning Christ about returning to Jerusalem because his life was under threat, but Thomas was ready to die for Christ and for the sake of helping Lazarus. In the Liturgy we say many times “Let us commend ourselves to one another and our whole life to Christ our God”.

Thomas had commended his life to his brothers and to his Lord. Thomas also understood that life was a gift from God and that he could not waste it on foolish causes. 

Do we waste our life dedicating it to foolish things? Thomas did not want to do so. He wanted to verify the cause he was ready to give his life for. When he did verify, that Jesus had really Risen from the dead, then he proclaimed “My Lord and My God”.

Christianity dear brothers and sisters is not just any religion. In it’s core Christianity is a trust in a fundamental Truth that has been confirmed by the Holy apostles and tested and verified generation after generation by millions of people who came before us. For countless times people have done the same thing over and over again and have gotten the same results. 

When the Liturgy encourages us to give our life to Christ our God it is not to be taken lightly. For two thousand years Christianity has been in the business of transforming Lives. All we have to do is like Thomas verify the two thousand years old Truth and say “My Lord and My God” from the depth of our hearts. 

May the transforming Power of our Lord fill your hearts now and forever. 

Amen

ΚΗΡΥΓΜΑ ΤΗΣ ΠΕΡΑΣΜΕΝΗΣ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΑΣ

Η ΨΗΛΑΦΗΣΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΘΩΜΑ

Αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές εν Χριστώ Σήμερα θυμόμαστε έναν από τους Μαθητές του Χριστού. Ο Θωμάς είναι γνωστός με το ψευδώνυμο άπιστος.

Τι είναι αυτό που κάνει τον Θωμά άπιστο; Απλά δεν θέλει να πιστέψει τι πιστεύουν οι άλλοι. Δεν μπορούμε να τον κατηγορήσουμε για αυτό, γιατί ιστορίες όπως η ανάσταση υπήρξαν πολλές. Οι αρχαίοι άνθρωποι απλά πίστευαν τις ιστορίες που έλεγαν οι πρόγονοί τους.

Υπήρχαν πολλοί μύθοι που είχαν παραδοθεί από γενιά σε γενιά. Οι άνθρωποι πίστευαν στους μύθους χωρίς να τους ελέγχουν. Η διαφορά μεταξύ εκείνων που πίστευαν στους μύθους και του Θωμά που ήθελε να πιστέψει στην ανάσταση του Κυρίου ήταν βασική. Για να καταλάβουμε τι είναι αυτή η διαφορά πρέπει να δώσουμε προσοχή σε μια άλλη έκφραση που χρησιμοποιεί ο Θωμάς. Σήμερα είπε ότι δεν θα πιστέψει αν δεν τον αγγίξει και αν δεν βάλει τα δάκτυλά του στις τρύπες των καρφιών στα χέρια του.Σήμερα ήθελε να επαληθεύσει.

Μόλις πριν από μία εβδομάδα, όταν διαβάσαμε το Ευαγγέλιο για την Κυριακή του Λαζάρου, ακούσαμε όλοι ότι είπε “ας πάμε μαζί Του και ας πεθάνουμε μαζί του εάν είναι απαραίτητο”. Οι άλλοι μαθητές προειδοποιούν τον Χριστό να επιστρέψει στην Ιερουσαλήμ επειδή η ζωή του απειλείται, αλλά ο Θωμάς ήταν έτοιμος να πεθάνει για τον Χριστό και για να βοηθήσει τον Λάζαρο.  Στη Λειτουργία λέμε πολλές φορές "Ας εμπιστευτούμε ο ένας τον άλλον και ας εμπιστευτούμε ολόκληρη τη ζωή μας στον Χριστό τον Θεό μας".

Ο Θωμάς είχε εμπιστευτεί τη ζωή του στους αδελφούς του και στον Κύριό του. Ο Θωμάς επίσης καταλάβαινε ότι η ζωή ήταν ένα δώρο από τον Θεό και ότι δεν μπορούσε να το σπαταλήσει για ανόητες αιτίες.  

Μήπως σπαταλάμε τη ζωή μας αφιερώνοντάς την σε ανόητα πράγματα; Ο Θωμάς δεν ήθελε να το κάνει. Ήθελε να επαληθεύσει την αιτία για την οποία ήταν έτοιμος να δώσει τη ζωή του. Όταν επαλήθευσε, ότι ο Ιησούς είχε πραγματικά αναστηθεί από τους νεκρούς τότε διακήρυξε "Κύριέ μου και Θεέ μου".

Ο Χριστιανισμός αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές δεν είναι απλώς μια οποιαδήποτε θρησκεία. Στον πυρήνα του, ο χριστιανισμός είναι μια εμπιστοσύνη σε μια θεμελιώδη Αλήθεια που έχει επιβεβαιωθεί από τους Αγίους Αποστόλους και έχει δοκιμαστεί και επαληθευτεί από γενιά σε γενιά εκατομμυρίων ανθρώπων που ήρθαν πριν από μας.  Αμέτρητες φορές οι άνθρωποι έχουν κάνει το ίδιο πράγμα ξανά και ξανά και έχουν πάρει τα ίδια αποτελέσματα. 

Όταν η Λειτουργία μας ενθαρρύνει να δώσουμε τη ζωή μας στον Χριστό τον Θεό μας, δεν πρέπει να το πάρουμε ελαφρά. Για δύο χιλιάδες χρόνια ο χριστιανισμός έχει ασχοληθεί με τη μεταμόρφωση της ζωής.

Το μόνο που πρέπει να κάνουμε είναι σαν τον Θωμά να επαληθεύσουμε την Αλήθεια των δύο χιλιάδων χρόνων και να πούμε "Κύριέ μου και Θεέ μου" από το βάθος των καρδιών μας. Είθε η μεταμορφωτική δύναμη του Κυρίου μας να γεμίσει τις καρδιές σας τώρα και για πάντα.  

Αμήν

 

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Wisdom of the Fathers

They [the women] had followed Him ministering to Him, and were present even unto the time of the dangers. Wherefore also they saw all; how He cried, how He gave up the ghost, how the rocks were rent, and all the rest.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 88 on Matthew 27, 4th Century

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