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Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church
Publish Date: 2019-06-09
Bulletin Contents
Weekly Events
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Sunday's Sermon
Wisdom of the Fathers
Hlyfthrs
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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!!

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 MEMORIAL SERVICES

 On Sunday, a memorial service will be offered for the repose of  the soul of  Maria Grigoriadis (3 years), Phillip Lambrukos (6 years) and Konstantinos Lambrukos (8 years).

The coffee hour is kindly hosted by the Mihalakopoulos & Politis families.

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WEEKDAY SERVICES

 Saturday, June 15th— SOUL SATURDAY

 Orthros at 8:30 a.m. & Div. Liturgy at 9:30 a.m.

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ATTENTION:  PTO BAKE SALE & FUNDRAISER

THIS Sunday, June 9, 2019, the Annual PTO Bake Sale will take place after the Divine Liturgy   Please make a purchase to support the PTO.  All the proceeds from the bake sale will benefit events and projects designed for our children.

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GREEK  SCHOOL GRADUATION - THIS SUNDAY, June 09th

 Also the last day of classes will be on Saturday, June 15th.

 A ICE CREAM SOCIAL for Greek School students will be held on Wednesday, June 12th and on 

Saturday June 15th during school time.

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THE HOLY ICON AXION ESTIN

On Tuesday, June 11th, 2019, there will be a Liturgy for the Veneration of the Holy Icon of the Theotokos Axion Estin with an Orthros at 8:30 a.m. and a Divine Liturgy at 9:30 a.m.

A coffee hour will be offered to the participants by the Philoptochos.

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Pastichio & Moussaka Workshops

Please join us, in making Pastichio and Moussaka on Monday, June 10th & Tuesday, June 11th at 10:00 am. Your help would be greatly appreciated.  

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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL GTRADUATE

Stavroula Eliadis

& TO OUR GREEK SCHOOL GRADUATES!!

Panagioti Gianouko, Polixeni Ververis & Anna Makrigiannis 

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SUMMER RETREAT—SAVE THE DATES

           Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church Summer Retreat for our youth, ages 4 to 10, on Monday, August 5, 2019 through and including, Friday, August 9, 2019. 

     Check out our website at www.dormitionchurch.org for additional details regarding the daily programs for each day or pick up a program at the Pangari.      

  Please speak to Father Anthony for the specific time and details.  Father is organizing the retreat along with some assistance from GOYA and the PTO.  Exciting activities are planned for your children.

  The price per child is $50 in total for all the days.  A maximum cost per family is $125.00.  

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Saints and Feasts

Hlyfthrs
June 09

Fathers of the 1st Council

The heresiarch Arius was a Libyan by race and a protopresbyter of the Church of Alexandria. In 315, he began to blaspheme against the Son and Word of God, saying that He is not true God, consubstantial with the Father, but is rather a work and creation, alien to the essence and glory of the Father, and that there was a time when He was not. This frightful blasphemy shook the faithful of Alexandria. Alexander, his Archbishop, after trying in vain to correct him through admonitions, cut him off from communion and finally in a local council deposed him in the year 321. Yet neither did the blasphemer wish to be corrected, nor did he cease sowing the deadly tares of his heretical teachings; but writing to the bishops of other cities, Arius and his followers requested that his doctrine be examined, and if it were unsound, that the correct teaching be declared to him. By this means, his heresy became universally known and won many supporters, so that the whole Church was soon in an uproar.

Therefore, moved by divine zeal, the first Christian Sovereign, Saint Constantine the Great, the equal to the Apostles, summoned the renowned First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, a city of Bithynia. It was there that the shepherds and teachers of the Church of Christ gathered from all regions in the year 325. All of them, with one mouth and one voice, declared that the Son and Word of God is one in essence with the Father, true God of true God, and they composed the holy Symbol of Faith up to the seventh article (since the remainder, beginning with "And in the Holy Spirit," was completed by the Second Ecumenical Council). Thus they anathematized the impious Arius of evil belief and those of like mind with him, and cut them off as rotten members from the whole body of the faithful.

Therefore, recognizing the divine Fathers as heralds of the Faith after the divine Apostles, the Church of Christ has appointed this present Sunday for their annual commemoration, in thanksgiving and unto the glory of God, unto their praise and honour, and unto the strengthening of the true Faith.

Allsaint
June 09

Righteous Father Cyril of Belozersk

Saint Cyril of Belozersk, a Muscovite born in 1337, was tonsured in the Simonov Monastery in Moscow where he was later made abbot. Renouncing this position, at a revelation from the Mother of God he set out for the wilderness of Belozersk (White Lake) to live the life of a hermit. Later, when others desiring to lead the monastic life had gathered under his direction, he founded the Monastery of Belozersk. Throughout his life he had a very great reverence for the wonderworker, and was adorned with all the vitues, above all humility. Once, through the working of the enemy, one of his monks conceived an unendurable hatred for him; after being tormented by it for a whole year, he finally decided to reveal it to Cyril. When the monk was overcome with grief and shame at his malice towards such a venerable man, Cyril comforted him, affectionately telling him, "All the others are in error concerning me; only you have perceived my unworthiness," and forgiving him, sent him away in peace. Saint Cyril reposed on this day in 1427 at the age of ninety.

Athncyrl
June 09

Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria

On this day we commemorate Saint Cyril's falling asleep. On January 18 we commemorate the occasion of the Saint's restoration to his see in Alexandria after he had suffered a brief exile because of the machinations of the Nestorians. Shortly thereafter the Third Ecumenical Council was convoked in Ephesus and the blasphemous doctrine of Nestorius was condemned. See January 18 for Saint Cyril's life and works.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 20:16-18, 28-36.

IN THOSE DAYS, Paul had decided to sail past Ephesos, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. And from Miletos he sent to Ephesos and called to him the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' " And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. Δανιήλ 3.26-27.
Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Πατέρων ἡμῶν.
Στίχ. Ὅτι δίκαιος εἶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, οἷς ἐποίησας ἡμῖν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 20:16-18, 28-36.

Ἐν ταῖς ἡμεραῖς ἐκείναις, ἔκρινεν ὁ Παῦλος παραπλεῦσαι τὴν Ἔφεσον, ὅπως μὴ γένηται αὐτῷ χρονοτριβῆσαι ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ· ἔσπευδεν γάρ, εἰ δυνατὸν ἦν αὐτῷ, τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς γενέσθαι εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα. Ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς Μιλήτου πέμψας εἰς Ἔφεσον μετεκαλέσατο τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς ἐκκλησίας. Ὡς δὲ παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτόν, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, προσέχετε οὖν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ παντὶ τῷ ποιμνίῳ, ἐν ᾧ ὑμᾶς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἔθετο ἐπισκόπους, ποιμαίνειν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ κυρίου καὶ θεοῦ, ἣν περιεποιήσατο διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου αἵματος. Ἐγὼ γὰρ οἶδα τοῦτο, ὅτι εἰσελεύσονται μετὰ τὴν ἄφιξίν μου λύκοι βαρεῖς εἰς ὑμᾶς, μὴ φειδόμενοι τοῦ ποιμνίου· καὶ ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἀναστήσονται ἄνδρες λαλοῦντες διεστραμμένα, τοῦ ἀποσπᾷν τοὺς μαθητὰς ὀπίσω αὐτῶν. Διὸ γρηγορεῖτε, μνημονεύοντες ὅτι τριετίαν νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν οὐκ ἐπαυσάμην μετὰ δακρύων νουθετῶν ἕνα ἕκαστον. Καὶ τὰ νῦν παρατίθεμαι ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, τῷ θεῷ καὶ τῷ λόγῳ τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ, τῷ δυναμένῳ ἐποικοδομῆσαι, καὶ δοῦναι ὑμῖν κληρονομίαν ἐν τοῖς ἡγιασμένοις πᾶσιν. Ἀργυρίου ἢ χρυσίου ἢ ἱματισμοῦ οὐδενὸς ἐπεθύμησα. Αὐτοὶ γινώσκετε ὅτι ταῖς χρείαις μου καὶ τοῖς οὖσιν μετʼ ἐμοῦ ὑπηρέτησαν αἱ χεῖρες αὗται. Πάντα ὑπέδειξα ὑμῖν, ὅτι οὕτως κοπιῶντας δεῖ ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι τῶν ἀσθενούντων, μνημονεύειν τε τῶν λόγων τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, ὅτι αὐτὸς εἶπεν, Μακάριόν ἐστιν μᾶλλον διδόναι ἢ λαμβάνειν. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπών, θεὶς τὰ γόνατα αὐτοῦ, σὺν πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς προσηύξατο.

Gospel Reading

Fathers of the 1st Council
The Reading is from John 17:1-13

At that time, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work which you gave me to do; and now, Father, you glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made.

"I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world; yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you; for I have given them the words which you gave me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you did send me. I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are mine; all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves."

Fathers of the 1st Council
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 17:1-13

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, καὶ ἐπῆρε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ εἶπε· πάτερ, ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα· δόξασόν σου τὸν υἱόν, ἵνα καὶ ὁ υἱός σου δοξάσῃ σε, καθὼς ἔδωκας αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν πάσης σαρκός, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκας αὐτῷ δώσῃ αὐτοῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ αἰώνιος ζωή, ἵνα γινώσκωσί σε τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστόν. ἐγώ σε ἐδόξασα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὸ ἔργον ἐτελείωσα ὃ δέδωκάς μοι ἵνα ποιήσω· καὶ νῦν δόξασόν με σύ, πάτερ, παρὰ σεαυτῷ τῇ δόξῃ ᾗ εἶχον πρὸ τοῦ τὸν κόσμον εἶναι παρὰ σοί. ᾿Εφανέρωσά σου τὸ ὄνομα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις οὓς δέδωκάς μοι ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου. σοὶ ἦσαν καὶ ἐμοὶ αὐτοὺς δέδωκας, καὶ τὸν λόγον σου τετηρήκασι. νῦν ἔγνωκαν ὅτι πάντα ὅσα δέδωκάς μοι παρὰ σοῦ ἐστιν· ὅτι τὰ ῥήματα ἃ δέδωκάς μοι δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλαβον, καὶ ἔγνωσαν ἀληθῶς ὅτι παρὰ σοῦ ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας. ᾿Εγὼ περὶ αὐτῶν ἐρωτῶ· οὐ περὶ τοῦ κόσμου ἐρωτῶ, ἀλλὰ περὶ ὧν δέδωκάς μοι, ὅτι σοί εἰσι, καὶ τὰ ἐμὰ πάντα σά ἐστι καὶ τὰ σὰ ἐμά, καὶ δεδόξασμαι ἐν αὐτοῖς. καὶ οὐκέτι εἰμὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ οὗτοι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ εἰσί, καὶ ἐγὼ πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι. πάτερ ἅγιε, τήρησον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ᾧ δέδωκάς μοι, ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν καθὼς ἡμεῖς. ὅτε ἤμην μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, ἐγὼ ἐτήρουν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου· οὓς δέδωκάς μοι ἐφύλαξα, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπώλετο εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας, ἵνα ἡ γραφὴ πληρωθῇ. νῦν δὲ πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι, καὶ ταῦτα λαλῶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἵνα ἔχωσι τὴν χαρὰν τὴν ἐμὴν πεπληρωμένην ἐν αὐτοῖς.

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Sunday's Sermon

 LAST WEEK'S SERMON

Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ

 Last Sunday’s Gospel is not a story it is not a teaching but it is a prayer.  It is a prayer but not just any prayer. It is the prayer of our Savior for the sake of his disciples.  He is praying to the Father because he knows that he is leaving his disciples in this world.

 The world was and still is a dangerous place for all people but especially for Christians.  We can see and hear every day about all kinds of events happening in the world that makes our hearts hurt. Most importantly we know how the world has figured out all the ways of taking our young generations out of our hands.

 Speaking about the world Christ said to His disciples that He is sending them as sheep among the wolves. He also mentioned about wolves in sheepskins. He told them that they would be arrested, taken to courts and crucified. He told them that they would be betrayed by their own brothers and sisters and even by their parents.

 Christ knew that by sending them to preach the Good News to the world He was simply sending them to their death. He also taught them that laying down one’s life for others and fore the sake of the Gospel is the true sign of Love. Jesus knew the importance of the mission he was asking His friends to take upon themselves and He wanted His disciples also to fully understand how difficult it was going to be for them.

 To be a member of an Orthodox church means to be a disciple of Christ. It means to understand that we have no other alternatives but to love.  We need to understand that Love is not a coffee break conversation with a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Love is not about taking care of people that we like. Love is to give hundred percent. Love is to embrace the sinner. Love is to forgive your fellow humans like He forgives our transgressions. Love is to become vulnerable; love is to come out of your comfort zone to give a hand to a suffering person.

 Christ knew that if we do all those things that make us loving persons we will need all the protection we can get. Most importantly he knew that in order to be able to do what He asks us to do we need to be united.

 “Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one”.

 This is the central message of His Prayer that with the help of our Heavenly Father we will remain united in His name.  The world has adopted the distractive tactic from the very beginning: “Divide and concur”.

 Divisiveness is the weapon used by the evil one. It is not a new tool. It has been used all the time starting from the Garden of Eden.  It has been used to divide humanity and it has been used to divide even the Church.

 The evil one is not sleeping even today. Divisions are happening everywhere.  Christ is praying with tears in His eyes even today: “Father, keep them in your name… that they may be one, even as we are one”.

 Now dear brothers and sisters it is our turn it is up to us to look in to the tearful eyes of our Lord and stay united. I also pray with the Lord. Please join me in my prayer to stay united in His name forever. Amen.

 

 ΚΗΡΥΓΜΑ ΤΗΣ ΠΕΡΑΣΜΕΝΗΣ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΑΣ

Αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές εν Χριστό

              Της περασμένης Κυριακής το Ευαγγέλιο δεν είναι μια ιστορία που δεν είναι διδασκαλία, αλλά είναι μια προσευχή.  Είναι μια προσευχή αλλά όχι απλά οποιαδήποτε προσευχή. Είναι η προσευχή του Σωτήρα μας για χάρη των μαθητών του.  Προσεύχεται στον Πατέρα επειδή γνωρίζει ότι αφήνει τους μαθητές του σε αυτόν τον κόσμο.

              Ο κόσμος ήταν και εξακολουθεί να είναι ένα επικίνδυνο μέρος για όλους, αλλά ειδικά για Χριστιανούς. Βλέπουμε και ακούμε κάθε μέρα για όλα τα είδη γεγονότων που συμβαίνουν στον κόσμο που κάνουν τις καρδιές μας να πονάνε.  Το πιο σημαντικό είναι ότι γνωρίζουμε πως ο κόσμος έχει βρει τρόπους έτσι ώστε οι νέες γενιές να μην εξαρτώνται απο εμάς.

 Μιλώντας για τον κόσμο ο Χριστός είπε στους μαθητές Του ότι τους στέλνει ως πρόβατα στους λύκους. Αναφέρθηκε επίσης σε λύκους σε προβιές. Τους είπε ότι θα συλληφθούν, θα οδηγηθούν στα δικαστήρια και θα σταυρωθούν. Τους είπε ότι θα προδοθούν από τα αδέλφια τους και από τους γονείς τους.

 Ο Χριστός ήξερε ότι με την αποστολή τους να κηρύξουν το Καλό Λόγο στον κόσμο, απλά τους έστειλε στο θάνατό τους. Τους δίδαξε επίσης ότι η καθιέρωση της ζωής τους για τους άλλους και για χάρη του Ευαγγελίου είναι το αληθινό σημάδι της Αγάπης.

 Ο Ιησούς γνώριζε τη σημασία της αποστολής που ζητούσε από τους φίλους Του να αναλάβουν τον εαυτό τους και θέλησε επίσης τους μαθητές Του να καταλάβουν πλήρως πόσο δύσκολο θα ήταν γι 'αυτούς.

 Να είσαι μέλος μιας Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας σημαίνει να είσαι μαθητής του Χριστού. Αυτό σημαίνει να καταλάβουμε ότι δεν έχουμε άλλες εναλλακτικές λύσεις παρά να αγαπάμε. Πρέπει να καταλάβουμε ότι η αγάπη δεν είναι μια συνομιλία με ένα φίλο ή μια φίλη. Η αγάπη δεν αφορά τη φροντίδα των ανθρώπων που μας αρέσουν.  Η αγάπη είναι να δώσεις εκατό τις εκατό.  Η αγάπη είναι να αγκαλιάσεις τον αμαρτωλό. Η αγάπη είναι να συγχωρείς τους συνανθρώπους σου σαν να συγχωρεί τις παραβάσεις μας. Η αγάπη πρέπει να γίνει ευάλωτη. Η αγάπη είναι να βγείτε από τη ζώνη άνεσής σας για να δώσετε ένα χέρι σε ένα άτομο που υποφέρει.

 Ο Χριστός ήξερε ότι αν κάνουμε όλα εκείνα τα πράγματα που μας κάνουν καλούς ανθρώπους, θα χρειαστούμε όλη την προστασία που μπορούμε να πάρουμε. Το σημαντικότερο γνώριζε ότι για να μπορέσουμε να κάνουμε αυτό που μας ζητάει να κάνουμε πρέπει να είμαστε ενωμένοι.

 "Πατέρα, κρατήστε τους στο όνομά σας, τις οποίες μου δώσατε, για να είναι ένα, όπως και εμείς είμαστε".

 Αυτό είναι το κεντρικό μήνυμα της προσευχής Του ότι με τη βοήθεια του Επουράνιου Πατέρα μας θα παραμείνουμε ενωμένοι στο όνομά Του. Ο κόσμος έχει  από την αρχή υιοθετήσει τηω κακή τακτική να Διαιρεί και να Κυριεύει.

 Η διχαστικότητα είναι το όπλο που χρησιμοποιεί το κακό. Δεν είναι ένα νέο εργαλείο.  Έχει χρησιμοποιηθεί όλη την ώρα ξεκινώντας από τον Παράδεισο. Έχει χρησιμοποιηθεί για να διαιρέσει την ανθρωπότητα και έχει χρησιμοποιηθεί για να διαιρέσει ακόμη και την Εκκλησία. Ο κακός δεν κοιμάται ακόμη και σήμερα. Οι διαιρέσεις συμβαίνουν παντού.

 Ο Χριστός προσεύχεται με δάκρυα στα μάτια Του ακόμη και σήμερα: "Πατέρα, κρατήστε τους στο όνομά σας ... για να είναι ένα, όπως και εμείς είμαστε".

 Τώρα αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές είναι η σειρά μας να κοιτάξουμε μέσα στα δακρυσμένα μάτια του Κυρίου μας και να μείνουμε ενωμένοι. Προσεύχομαι επίσης με τον Κύριο. Παρακαλώ προσευχηθείτε μαζί μου να μείνουμε ενωμένοι στο όνομά Του για πάντα. Αμήν. 

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Wisdom of the Fathers

... for He continues to wear the Body which He assumed, until He make me God by the power of His Incarnation; although He is no longer known after the flesh -- I mean, the passions of the flesh, the same, except sin, as ours.
St. Gregory the Theologian
4th Theological Oration, 4th Century

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