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Holy Cross Church
Publish Date: 2021-06-06
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Holy Cross Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (248) 477-1677
  • Fax:
  • (248) 477-0231
  • Street Address:

  • 25225 Middlebelt Rd.

  • Farmington Hills, MI 48336


Contact Information






Services Schedule

facebook: HolyCrossGreekOrthodoxChurch

DIVINE LITURGY SUNDAYS 10 A.M.

OFFICE HOURS 10 A.M.- 3 P.M.  MONDAY-TUESDAY & THURSDAY - FRIDAY  (CLOSED WEDNESDAY)

BONNIE SITARAS: OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

 


Past Bulletins


Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that He had said these things to her.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal First Mode. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 16:16-34.

IN THOSE DAYS, as we apostles were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying. She followed Paul and us, crying, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." And this she did for many days. But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice." The crowd joined in attacking them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one's fetters were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, "Men, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with all his household that he had believed in God.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Blind Man
The Reading is from John 9:1-38

At that time, as Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, "Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is he"; others said, "No, but he is like him." He said, "I am the man." They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight." They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes and I washed, and I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was a division among them. So they again said to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess him to be Christ he was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age, ask him."

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, "Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?" And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you." He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

But I assert that he even received benefit from his blindness: since he recovered the sight of the eyes within.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 56 on John 9, 4th Century

When, then, have they taken place, save when the Word of God Himself came in the body? Or when did He come, if not when lame men walked, and stammerers were made to speak plain, and deaf men heard, and men blind from birth regained their sight? For this was the very thing the Jews said who then witnessed it, because they had not heard of these things having taken place at any other time.
St. Athanasius
Incarnation of the Word 38, 4th Century

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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal First Mode

Let us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him that with the Father and the Spirit is co-beginningless God, Who was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; for He was pleased to mount the Cross in the flesh that He assumed, accepting thus to endure death. And by His glorious rising, He also willed to resurrect the dead.

Apolytikion for the Church in the First Mode

Save, O Lord, Your people and bless Your inheritance, granting victory to the faithful over the enemy, and by Your Cross protecting Your commonwealth.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.
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Saints and Feasts

Jcblind1
June 06

Sunday of the Blind Man

The Lord Jesus was coming from the Temple on the Sabbath, when, while walking in the way, He saw the blind man mentioned in today's Gospel. This man had been born thus from his mother's womb, that is, he had been born without eyes (see Saint John Chrysostom, Homily LVI on Matthew; Saint Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V:15; and the second Exorcism of Saint Basil the Great). When the disciples saw this, they asked their Teacher, "Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" They asked this because when the Lord had healed the paralytic at the Sheep's Pool, He had told him, "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee" (John 5:14); so they wondered, if sickness was caused by sin, what sin could have been the cause of his being born without eyes. But the Lord answered that this was for the glory of God. Then the God-man spat on the ground and made clay with the spittle. He anointed the eyes of the blind man and said to him, "Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam." Siloam (which means "sent") was a well-known spring in Jerusalem used by the inhabitants for its waters, which flowed to the eastern side of the city and collected in a large pool called "the Pool of Siloam."

Therefore, the Saviour sent the blind man to this pool that he might wash his eyes, which had been anointed with the clay-not that the pool's water had such power, but that the faith and obedience of the one sent might be made manifest, and that the miracle might become more remarkable and known to all, and leave no room for doubt. Thus, the blind man believed in Jesus' words, obeyed His command, went and washed himself, and returned, no longer blind, but having eyes and seeing. This was the greatest miracle that our Lord had yet worked; as the man healed of his blindness himself testified, "Since time began, never was it heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind," although the Lord had already healed the blind eyes of many. Because he now had eyes, some even doubted that he was the same person (John 9:8-9); and it was still lively in their remembrance when Christ came to the tomb of Lazarus, for they said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have caused that even this man should not have died?" Saint John Chrysostom gives a thorough and brilliant exposition of our Lord's meeting with the woman of Samaria, the healing of the paralytic, and the miracle of the blind man in his commentaries on the Gospel of Saint John.


Allsaint
June 06

Hilarion the New of Dalmation Monastery

Saint Hilarion, the fervent zealot for the veneration of the holy icons, was born in 775 and had Cappadocia as his homeland. About 806-811 he became Abbot of the Monastery of Dalmatus (see May 30), but was exiled by the Emperor Leo the Armenian, and later again by Theophilus; he was set free by the pious Empress Theodora, and again became Abbot of the Monastery of Dalmatus from 843 to 845, until the time of his repose.


Ascension
June 10

Holy Ascension

The Lord Jesus passed forty days on earth after His Resurrection from the dead, appearing continually in various places to His disciples, with whom He also spoke, ate, and drank, thereby further demonstrating His Resurrection. On this Thursday, the fortieth day after Pascha, He appeared again in Jerusalem. After He had first spoken to the disciples about many things, He gave them His last commandment, that is, that they go forth and proclaim His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. But He also commanded them that for the present, they were not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait there together until they receive power from on high, when the Holy Spirit would come upon them.

Saying these things, He led them to the Mount of Olives, and raising His hands, He blessed them; and saying again the words of the Father's blessing, He was parted from them and taken up. Immediately a cloud of light, a proof of His majesty, received Him. Sitting thereon as though on a royal chariot, He was taken up into Heaven, and after a short time was concealed from the sight of the disciples, who remained where they were with their eyes fixed on Him. At this point, two Angels in the form of men in white raiment appeared to them and said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, Who is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven" (Acts 1:11). These words, in a complete and concise manner, declare what is taught in the Symbol of Faith concerning the Son and Word of God. Therefore, having so fulfilled all His dispensation for us, our Lord Jesus Christ ascended in glory into Heaven, and sat at the right hand of God the Father. As for His sacred disciples, they returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, rejoicing because Christ had promised to send them the Holy Spirit.

It should be noted that the Mount of Olives is a Sabbath's day journey from Jerusalem, that is, the distance a Jew was permitted to walk on the day of the Sabbath. Ecumenius writes, "A Sabbath day's journey is one mile in length, as Clement says in his fifth Stromatis; it is two thousand cubits, as the Interpretation of the Acts states." They draw this conclusion from the fact that, while they were in the wilderness, the Israelites of old kept within this distance from the Holy Tabernacle, whither they walked on the Sabbath day to worship God.


Philbartbarnabas
June 11

Bartholomew the Holy Apostle

Saint Bartholomew was one of the Twelve Apostles, and had Galilee as his homeland; this is all that is known of him for certain according to the history of the Gospels. Concerning his apostolic work, certain say that he preached in Arabia and Persia, and especially in India, bringing to them the Gospel written by Saint Matthew, which had been written originally in Hebrew, and which was found there one hundred years later by Pantaenus, formerly a stoic philosopher and later an illustrious teacher of the Christian school in Alexandria (see Eusebius, Eccl. Hist., 5: 10). Other accounts say that he went to Armenia. According to some, he ended his life by being crucified, or by being flayed alive, in Albanopolis (Urbanopolis) of Armenia. This also confirms an ancient tradition preserved by the Armenians. According to some, Bartholomew and Nathanael are the same person, because the Evangelists who mention Bartholomew do not mention Nathanael; and John, who alone mentions Nathanael as one of the Twelve, says nothing of Bartholomew. Indeed, Bartholomew is a patronymic, "son of Talmai," which means "bold, spirited" (see also Jesus of Navi 15:14; II Kings 3:3), and Nathanael could have had this as a surname. According to the Synaxarion of the Menaion on April 22, however, it is Simon the Zealot and Nathanael who are the same; the Evangelists who mention Simon the Zealot (or "the Canaanite") do not mention Nathanael.


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Announcements

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN! HRISTOS A INVIAT!

ΑΛΗΘΩΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! TRULY HE IS RISEN! ADEVERAT A INVIAT!

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CONGRATULATIONS TO

Athanasios & Liana Tsitsipas on their marriage on May 30, 2021.

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GUS' NIGHT OF EXCELLENCE

Friday, June 25. See flyer attached.

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CLASS OF 2021 GRADUATES

We will be honoring our Graduates on Sunday, June 13. Please use this form to submit names asap if  you have not do so. 

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HOUSE BLESSINGS

Please contact the Church Office to schedule your annual house blessing with Fr. Alex. 

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PROSPHORA

Interested in sponsoring prosphora? Please contact Maria Heller. 

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 TODAY

Sunday, June 6 - Divine Liturgy @ 10:00 am

                          - Memorial (1 year) Marge Lazarou

                          - Philoptochos Oath of Office

                          -  Coffee Hour hosted by Bittinger & Stewart families 

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UPCOMING

Monday, June 7 - Bible Study @ 7:00 pm

Tuesday, June 8 - Young Adult Meeting @ 7:00 pm

Wednesday, June 9 - Parish Council Meeting @ 7:30 pm

Thursday, June 10 - Holy Ascension Divine Liturgy @ 10:00 am

Sunday, June 13  - Divine Liturgy @ 10:00 am

                             - Graduation Sunday                     

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WORSHIP

THE CHURCH IS OPEN. Please join us in prayer. Check our COVID-19 safety measures and policy.

LITURGY BOOKS have been removed from the pews. Please use this link to view the Divine Liturgy book.

Please download the Daily Readings App Lite (free download) for the daily Gospel & Epistle readings.

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LIVESTREAM SERVICES

www.holycrossgo.org/webcam

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STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE

Please continue to support our Chuch during this difficult time via your Stewardship pledge and donations. Please mail your checks directly to the church or donate online by clicking on the "GIVE" button on our website. Visit the Stewardship webpage to fill out your annual pledge card and/or to pay your stewardship.

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VIGIL CANDLES

If you would like us to light a vigil candle for you, please call the Church Office or email office@holycrossgo.org with your name(s) and Fr. Alex will light a vigil candle for you and say a prayer. Donations are optional.

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SHOP AT ACE HARDWARE? 5% minus tax = (!)

Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church or #214538. 5% line discount off everyday pricing in the store Ace Rewards as well as 6% Tax Exempt will come off automatically. 2% Ace Rewards

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SHOP AT KROGER?

Register your card in a few steps. Each May the registration needs to be renewed,
so if you were part of the program last year and haven't renewed, please do so. Go to:
www.krogercommunityrewards.com
Holy Cross' ID # 83567

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Prayer Requests

Please continue to pray for the health and healing of the following friends:

  • Theodora Kazakos
  • Irene Zervos
  • Angelo
  • Maria Heller
  • Tula Georgeson
  • Tasi Kanellopoulos
  • Rena Protopsaltis
  • Jack Gougoutas
  • Marilyn Georgeson
  • George Benardos
  • Gina Weiler
  • Terrie Stefanakis
  • Evelyn Morris
  • Dr. Pan Pesaros
  • Faye Prekeges
  • Fr. George Livanos
  • Dr. Maureen Kelly
  • Dr. Rick Wilsom
  • Dina Rand
  • Casiana

If you would like to add your name or a loved one's to the prayer list, please email the office. Thank you!

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Ladies Philoptochos News

Philoptochos_seal_new

NEXT PHILOPTOCHOS MEETING
TBD

 

 

  

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO 

Our newly elected Philoptochos Board:

Denise Liberty - President

Regina Angelas - 1st Vice President

Bonnie Sitaras - 2nd Vice President

Irene Katsias - Corresponding Secretary

Lisa Sturm - Recording Secretary

Cathy Blough - Treasurer

Debbie George - Advisor

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PHILOPTOCHOS OATH OF OFFICE 

Sunday, June 6th following Divine Liturgy.

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2021 STEWARDSHIP

New and returning members are encouraged to complete the stewardship form. New members and new ideas are always welcome, so please consider joining and attending a meeting. Please click here.

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FLOWERS

If you are interested in donating flowers to decorate an icon for a feast day, please contact Debbie George or the Church Office. 

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COFFEE HOUR

Coffee Hour will be served on the Endearment Walk weather permitting. If you are interested in hosting Coffee Hour, please contact Debbie George or the Church Office.  

Sunday, June 6 - Bittinger and Stewart families

Sunday, June 13 - TBD

Sunday, June 20 - GOYA

Sunday, June 27 - TBD

 

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Altar Boys

NOTICE FOR ALTAR BOYS & PARENTS

Being an Altar Server is a GREAT RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMITMENT to the Lord. Please BE ON TIME (arrive at least 15 minutes prior to any Church Service).

 

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LIST OF ALTAR BOYS

 TEAM A

 TEAM B

​ Ioannis Yannakis (Captain)

​​ Dimitri Sitaras (Captain)

 Stavros Fekaris

 Alex Matthews

 Mateo Pesaros

 Dino Thanos

 Panos Stilianos

 Niko Thanos

 Christos Stilianos

 Benjamin Barnaby

 

 Nicholas Barnaby

SCHEDULE 2020-2021

 TEAM A

 TEAM B

 2020

 2020

 OCT. 18

 OCT. 25

 NOV. 1, 15, 29

 NOV. 8, 22

 DEC. 13, 27

 DEC. 6, 20

 2021

 2021

 JAN. 10, 24

 JAN. 3, 17, 31

 FEB. 7, 21

 FEB. 14, 28

 MAR. 7, 21

 MAR. 14, 28

 APR. 4, 18

 APR. 11, 25

 MAY 2, 16, 30

 MAY 9, 23

 JUNE 13, 27

 JUNE 6, 20

 



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Memorial Donations to Holy Cross

OUR THANKS

To those who in lieu of flowers gave monetary

contributions to the Church in memory of :

 

PRESV. NIKIE ARTEMAS

M/M George Katsias

JOHN IOANOU

Elaine Ioanou

ILENE MILES

M/M James Heller

SOPHIA GAGGOS

M/M Tom Casoglos

PETER MIHOS

M/M Evans Lucas

ALEXANDER & ELLEN TZOURAS

Angel Linzell

GEORGE & ATHENA HANZAKOS

Angel Linzell

GEORGIA MORRIS

M/M Peter Morris

M/M George Katsias

SAMUEL & DOLLY KAPAS

Valerie Kapas

M/M Peter Zervos

TENA TARACHAS

Valerie Kapas

M/M Peter Zervos

GUS SPANOS

M/M Ted Andris

M/M Doug Garber

Hountalas Family

Dr/M Marcus Zervos

Gregory Demopoulos

M/M Paul Pesaros

M/M George Katsias

Maritsa Loizos

M/M John Liadis

M/M Edward Power

M/M Peter Zervos

M/M Tim Keros

MARKELLA MATHEOS

Anastasia Spanos

Dr/M Marcus Zervos

Drs. Pamela Georgeson & Mark Decco

Tula Georgeson

M/M Ken MacLaren

M/M Tim Keros

EILEEN LUDWIG

M/M James Heller

M/M Steve Fekaris

M/M Martin Gehan

Dr/M Marcus Zervos

M/M George Katsias

Margarita Shukla

M/M Bill Williams

M/M Scott Linzell

M/M Evans Lucas

M/M Peter Zervos

Jane Mitchell

ANDREW SOVES

Drs. Pamela Georgeson & Mark Decco

Tula Georgeson

GEORGE, TASIA & ALIA DEMOPOULOS

Pat & Sophia Quinn

ANTHONY BYK

M/M Evans Lucas

ROGER SAAD

M/M Evans Lucas

C. "BO" BOWMASTER

M/M James Heller

MYRA HERMIZ

Anastasia Spanos

Dr/M Marcus Zervos

M/M George Katsias

HELEN WILLIAMS

Dr/M Marcus Zervos

M/M George Katsias

 

MAY THEIR MEMORY BE ETERNAL

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Events, Announcements and Flyers

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