Publish-header
Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church
Publish Date: 2019-09-29
Bulletin Contents
Weekly Events
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
This Sunday is celebrated
Wisdom of the Fathers
Symeonstyliteskiriakos
Organization Icon
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

 THE WINTER HOURS BEGAN

  Orthros at 8:30 a.m. and Div. Liturgy at 10 a.m.

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 WEEKDAY SERVICES

Wednesday, October 2—PARAKLESIS to the Most Holy Theotokos at 6 p.m.

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 THE DORMITION FAMILY TABLE

 Our Dormition Family Table takes place every 1st Wednesday of the month.  The next one will be served on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 from 4 p.m.—6 p.m.  We are looking for volunteers to help cook and serve.  Cooking starts at 2:00 p.m.

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  SUNDAY SCHOOL STARTED

            Our Sunday School started.  Please do not forget to register your children.  If you would like to help with Sunday School, please call the Church office or contact Eleni Raschi at eleniraschi@gmail.com.

GREEK SCHOOL STARTED

            Our Greek School started last Wednesday, September 18th.  Please do not forget to register your children for an exciting new school year, with a great group of wonderful teachers, a reintroduced curriculum, and a language culture and religious program.  Call the office  at 617-625-2222.

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Bible Study—Every Wednesday, a bible study group will be meeting with Fr. Anthony at 10—11 a.m. and at 7—8:30 p.m. 

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ATTENTION— Every second Sunday of the month, instead of a Sermon Fr. Anthony will have “Questions and Answers”.  Any questions relating to the scriptural reading and personal spiritual life. 

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              DONATIONS NEEDED FOR THE ALTAR FUND

Video Camera—Fr. Anthony is looking for a donor to a video camera for recording and broadcasting Church Services and Annual Church events.  The video camera cost is $3000.00.

* Thank you to Stefanos Boulas, Lizza Sterianos, Christos Karavitis & George Baris for their partial donations towards the Video Camera.  We still need $2470.00 to reach our goal.

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Saints and Feasts

Symeonstyliteskiriakos
September 29

Cyriacus the Hermit of Palestine

This Saint was born in Corinth in 448. He went to Palestine to the Lavra of Euthymius the Great, but because of his youth was sent by Saint Euthymius to Saint Gerasimus; after the death of Saint Gerasimus he returned to the Lavra of Saint Euthymius. Later he took on a more rigorous life of asceticism in the wilderness of Natoufa, where there was nothing to eat except the exceedingly bitter wild herb called squills, which, however, through his prayers, God made sweet for him and his disciple. He lived 107 years and reposed in the year 555.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 4:6-15.

Brethren, it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke," we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

Προκείμενον. Plagal Second Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 27.9,1.
Σῶσον, Κύριε τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου.
Στίχ. Πρὸς σἐ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι ὁ Θεός μου.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους β' 4:6-15.

Ἀδελφοί, ὁ θεὸς ὁ εἰπὼν ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψαι, ὃς ἔλαμψεν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν πρὸς φωτισμὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν προσώπῳ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν· ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι, ἀλλʼ οὐ στενοχωρούμενοι· ἀπορούμενοι, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐξαπορούμενοι· διωκόμενοι, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι· καταβαλλόμενοι, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀπολλύμενοι· πάντοτε τὴν νέκρωσιν τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέροντες, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι ἡμῶν φανερωθῇ. Ἀεὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες εἰς θάνατον παραδιδόμεθα διὰ Ἰησοῦν, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ φανερωθῇ ἐν τῇ θνητῇ σαρκὶ ἡμῶν. Ὥστε ὁ μὲν θάνατος ἐν ἡμῖν ἐνεργεῖται, ἡ δὲ ζωὴ ἐν ὑμῖν. Ἔχοντες δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πίστεως, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, Ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα, καὶ ἡμεῖς πιστεύομεν, διὸ καὶ λαλοῦμεν· εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ ἐγείρας τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ ἡμᾶς διὰ Ἰησοῦ ἐγερεῖ, καὶ παραστήσει σὺν ὑμῖν. Τὰ γὰρ πάντα διʼ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσασα διὰ τῶν πλειόνων τὴν εὐχαριστίαν περισσεύσῃ εἰς τὴν δόξαν τοῦ θεοῦ.

Gospel Reading

2nd Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 6:31-36

The Lord said, "As you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."

2nd Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 6:31-36

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· καθὼς θέλετε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς ὁμοίως. καὶ εἰ ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας ὑμᾶς, ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστί; καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτοὺς ἀγαπῶσι. καὶ ἐὰν ἀγαθοποιῆτε τοὺς ἀγαθοποιοῦντας ὑμᾶς, ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστί; καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ποιοῦσι. καὶ ἐὰν δανείζητε παρ᾿ ὧν ἐλπίζετε ἀπολαβεῖν, ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστί; καὶ γὰρ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἁμαρτωλοῖς δανείζουσιν ἵνα ἀπολάβωσι τὰ ἴσα. πλὴν ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν καὶ ἀγαθοποιεῖτε καὶ δανείζετε μηδὲν ἀπελπίζοντες, καὶ ἔσται ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολύς, καὶ ἔσεσθε υἱοὶ ὑψίστου, ὅτι αὐτὸς χρηστός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀχαρίστους καὶ πονηρούς. Γίνεσθε οὖν οἰκτίρμονες, καθὼς καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν οἰκτίρμων ἐστί.

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This Sunday is celebrated

This Week’s Sermon

 Love is Patient 9-28

 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ 

            In today’s Gospel Jesus talks about mercy. He is asking us to be as merciful as our heavenly Father is. 

            Mercy is one of the most important parts of our relationship with God. Our Liturgy is completely saturated with requests for the mercy of God. We need God’s mercy because we could not have life without God’s mercy. 

 God’s mercy is the result of His unconditional love for us. We say God is Love and that His Love does not depend on our goodness.  God loves us because that is what God chooses to do freely. God’s Love is very similar to the Love of a Mother. Good Mothers love their children not because of something they have done but just because of the relationship. 

 If you ask a loving mother why she loves her child she will not be able to give a logical explanation.  It is sad however that the unconditional Love between humans are limited only to the relationship between parents and children. It is very sad to say but sometimes-even parents do not love their children without conditions. 

 We Christians are called to be more, to be greater.  First of all hatred should not have any place in our hearts. Second we should not be indifferent towards people who are not necessarily part of our close circle. If we would like to be real Christians we need to be like Christ. 

 We need to understand that being Christian is the hardest thing the humans can chose to be. It is hard to be Christian dear brothers and sisters because being Christian means to love those who do not love us. It means to be able to put all worldly cares aside and become love. 

 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

   Κήρυγμα αυτής της εβδομάδας

Η αγάπη είναι Υπομονετική 9-28

Αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές εν Χριστώ

            Στο σημερινό Ευαγγέλιο ο Ιησούς μιλάει για το έλεος. Μας ζητά να είμαστε τόσο ειλικρινείς , όσο ο ουράνιος Πατέρας μας. 

            Το Έλεος είναι ένα από τα πιο σημαντικά μέρη της σχέσης μας με το Θεό. Η Λειτουργία μας είναι εντελώς κορεσμένη με αιτήματα για το έλεος του Θεού. Χρειαζόμαστε το έλεος του Θεού επειδή δεν  θα μπορούσαμε να έχουμε ζωή χωρίς το έλεος του Θεού.

 Το έλεος του Θεού είναι το αποτέλεσμα της άνευ όρων αγάπης Του για μας. Λέμε ότι ο Θεός είναι αγάπη και ότι η αγάπη Του δεν εξαρτάται από την καλοσύνη μας. Ο Θεός μας αγαπάει επειδή αυτό είναι που ο Θεός επιλέγει να κάνει ελεύθερα.

 Η αγάπη του Θεού είναι πολύ παρόμοια με την αγάπη μιας μητέρας. Οι καλές μητέρες αγαπούν τα παιδιά τους όχι λόγω αυτού που έχουν κάνει, αλλά μόνο λόγω της σχέσης. Εάν ρωτήσεις μια μητέρα που αγαπάει, γιατί αγαπάει το παιδί της, δεν θα μπορέσει να δώσει μια λογική εξήγηση. 

 Είναι λυπηρό, ωστόσο, ότι η άνευ όρων αγάπη μεταξύ των ανθρώπων περιορίζεται μόνο στη σχέση γονέων και παιδιών. Είναι πολύ λυπηρό να το πούμε, αλλά μερικές φορές - ακόμη και οι γονείς δεν αγαπούν τα παιδιά τους χωρίς όρους.

 Εμείς οι Χριστιανοί καλούμαστε να είμαστε κάτι περισσότερο, να είμαστε κάτι μεγαλύτερο. Πρώτα απ 'όλα, το μίσος δεν πρέπει να έχει θέση στην καρδιά μας. 

 Δεύτερον, δεν πρέπει να είμαστε αδιάφοροι απέναντι σε ανθρώπους που δεν είναι απαραίτητα μέρος του στενού κύκλου μας. Αν θέλουμε να είμαστε πραγματικοί Χριστιανοί πρέπει να είμαστε σαν τον Χριστό. 

 Πρέπει να καταλάβουμε, ότι το να είσαι Χριστιανός, είναι το πιο δύσκολο πράγμα που μπορούν να επιλέξουν οι άνθρωποι. Είναι δύσκολο να είσαι χριστιανός, αγαπητοί αδελφοί και αδελφές , επειδή το να είμαστε Χριστιανοί σημαίνει να αγαπάμε αυτούς  που δεν μας αγαπούν. Σημαίνει να είμαστε σε θέση να παραμερίσουμε όλες τις εγκόσμιες φροντίδες και να γίνουμε αγάπη.

  Η αγάπη υπομένει, η αγάπη είναι ευγενική.  Δεν ζηλεύει, δεν καυχιέται, δεν είναι περήφανη. Δεν αποθαρρύνει τους άλλους, δεν είναι αυτοεπιδίωξη, δεν θυμώνει  εύκολα, δεν κρατάει κανένα αρχείο με λάθη.. Η αγάπη δεν χαίρεται με το κακό αλλά χαίρεται με την αλήθεια. Πάντα προστατεύει, πάντα εμπιστεύεται, πάντα ελπίζει, πάντα εμμένει.

  

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Wisdom of the Fathers

Let us then, bearing in mind all the things which have been said, show forth great love even towards our enemies; and let us ease away that ridiculous custom, to which many of the more thoughtless give way, waiting for those that meet them to address them first.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 18 on Matthew 5, 4th Century

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