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Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church
Publish Date: 2021-05-09
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Thomsund
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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! / ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ!

  ______________________________

 THANK YOU!!

 We thank the Parish Council  President Diane Karavitis the parish council members, all the members of ministries, the office staff, the choir, the chanter, the altar boys, and the myrrh-bearing girls for having so kindly taken care of the preparation of our Church, and for their participation in the services for Holy Week and Holy Resurrection.

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 ST. CATHERINE’S PHILOPTOCHOS  SOCIETY

 ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY 

 KOKKINO AVGO

 will take place on

 Saturday, May 15, 2021, at 12 noon

  ΚΟΚΚΙΝΟ ΑΥΓΟ ΤΗΣ ΦΙΛΟΠΤΩΧΟΥ

θα λάβει χώρα το

Σάββατο, 15 Μαϊου, 2021 στίς 12 το μεσημέρι

 _______________________________________

 GREEK GYRO FEST

PICK UP  AND GO

12 Noon—8 p.m.

   Saturday & Sunday

MAY 22nd & 23rd

To order go to: www.grecianfood.com

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 MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

Father Anthony will be available to perform a Trisagion Service at the Woodlawn Cemetery in

Everett, on Monday, May 31st, from 11:00 a.m.—12:30 p.m. Please inform the Church office.

ΗΜΕΡΑ  ΜΝΗΜΗΣ

 Ο πατήρ Αντώνιος την Δευτέρα 31 Μαϊου, από τις 11.00 π.μ. μέχρι τις 12.30 μ.μ.  θα είναι διαθέσιμος για να τελέσει Τρισάγιο στο κοιμητήριο του Everett.  Ενημερώστε το γραφείο.

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Saints and Feasts

Thomsund
May 09

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.


Isaiah
May 09

The Holy Prophet Esaias (Isaiah)

The Prophet Esaias, the son of Amos, was descended from a royal tribe. He prophesied in the days of Ozias (who is also called Azarias), Joatham, Ahaz, and Hezekias, Kings of Judah. About 681 B.C, in the reign of Manasses, the son and successor of the most pious Hezekias, when this Prophet was censuring Manasses' impiety and lawlessness, he was sawn asunder with a wooden saw, and thus received a martyr's end.

Of all the Prophets, he is called the most eloquent because of the beauty and loftiness of his words. His book of prophecy, divided into sixty-six chapters, is ranked first among the greater Prophets. The Fifth Ode of the Psalter, "Out of the night my spirit waketh at dawn unto Thee, O God . . ." is taken from his book. It was this holy Prophet who foretold that a Virgin would conceive in the womb (7:14); that not an ambassador, nor an angel, but the Lord Himself would save fallen man (63:9); that the Messiah would suffer, bearing our sins (ch. 53). His name means "Yah is helper."


Christopher2
May 09

Christopher the Martyr of Lycea

Saint Christopher was at first named Reprobus. Seeing the Christians persecuted, he rebuked the tyrants for their cruelty. Soldiers were sent to bring him to appear before the ruler; but he converted them to Christ, and with them was baptized, receiving the name Christopher. After he appeared before the ruler, he was imprisoned and two harlots were sent to seduce him, but he converted them also, and encouraged them in their martyrdom. He was subjected to torments and finally beheaded in the days of Decius. Many marvellous and mythical things are said about him out of ignorance and superstition, one of which is that it is impossible for one to die suddenly from some unexpected cause on the day on which one looks at the Saint's icon. This is the origin of that proverb that is quoted in various quarters: "If on Christopher thou shouldst gaze, thou shalt safely wend life's ways." The etymology of his name, which means "Christ-bearer," has undoubtedly moved iconographers to depict him carrying the infant Jesus on his shoulders; it is completely erro-neous, however, to depict him, as some uninformed iconographers do, having the head of a dog, because of a statement in his life that he was dog-faced, by which is meant only that his countenance was exceedingly frightful to look upon.


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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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This Sunday is celebrated

This Week’s 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 in 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 it 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 read 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. At its 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. Like Thomas, all we have to do is, 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

 Κήρυγμα της Εβδομάδας

Η Ψυλάφησης του Θωμά

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

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

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Attachments

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