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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2019-08-11
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Allsaint
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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (919) 781-4548
  • Fax:
  • (919) 781-4568
  • Street Address:

  • 5000 Lead Mine Road

  • Raleigh, NC 27612


Contact Information








Services Schedule

Orthros/ Matins: Sunday: 8:30 a.m.


Liturgy: Sunday: 10:00 a.m. ;  Weekday: Please see Parish Newsletter.


Vespers: See Parish Bulletin.


Bible Study: Please see Sunday Bulletin for details.


Other Parish Info: Book Club, please see Sunday Bulletin for details.


Past Bulletins


Parish News & Events

 

 

 

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

 

8th Sunday of Matthew 

 

August 11, 2019

 

 

 

Councilors: Maria Hicks, John Constantelos*, George Georgallis, Jim Riley

 

Altar Group: All Groups

 

Ambassador:  Don McEnteer, Kaeli McEnteer

 

No Sunday School

 

New members or visitors, please stop by the Welcome Table across from the candlestand.

 

Orthros and The Divine Liturgy are broadcast live online each week

 

 

 

COLLEGE STUDENT BLESSING THIS SUNDAY AUGUST 11TH

 

Fr. Paul will be offering a blessing on Sunday, August 11th following liturgy for the students who will be traveling to college.  Bring the college students to church!  Please contact Marika LaSorsa if you would like to donate baked goods for the coffee hour:  marika719@gmail.com or 919-906-9560

 

 

 

BLESSING OF THE Grapes for the transfiguration

 

Grapes donated by capetanos family

 

The blessing of grapes, as well as other fruits and vegetables on this day, is the most beautiful and adequate sign of the final transfiguration of all things in Christ. It signifies the ultimate flowering and fruitfulness of all creation in the paradise of God’s unending Kingdom of Life where all will be transformed by the glory of the Lord .This is an ancient Christian custom. In the first weeks of August, the farmers use to gather the early fruits of their summer harvest (grapes, figs etc.) and present them in the Church to be blessed and to give them for free to congregation. These fruits are called the “beginnings”.

 

 

 

HELLENIC DANCE FESTIVAL MEETING

 

This Sunday August 11th, following liturgy, there will be an HDF parent’s interest meeting where we will discuss the estimated number of parents and children going to the Hellenic Dance Festival over MLK Weekend in January.  Please meet in the library following Divine Liturgy so we can get an accurate number of who wishes to attend the Festival.

 

 

 

CELEBRATING THE DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS

 

Please join us in this joyful season where we celebrate the Dormition of the Pure, Most Blessed Theotokos and Mother of Our God. Please submit names at the candlestand

 

of your living loved ones so we can pray for them during services!

 

Friday, August 9th 6:30pm:  Paraklesis to the Theotokos

 

Monday, August 12th 6:30pm:  Paraklesis to the Theotokos

 

Thursday, August 15th:  THE DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS

 

8:30am: Orthros; 9:30am:  Liturgy

 

 

 

CELEBRATING GREAT VESPERS WITH BISHOP SEBASTIANOS AT

 

THE DORMITION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH IN GREENSBORO, NC

 

The Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church in Greensboro, NC is celebrating their Feast day on Wednesday, August 14th at 7:00pm!  There will be a Great Vespers service followed by a reception in preparation for the Feast Day of the Dormition of the Theotokos. 

 

Fr. Paul looks forward to seeing you there!

 

Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church,

 

800 Westridge Road, Greensboro, NC 01234 Phone: 336-292-8013

 

 

 

FESTIVAL TICKETS ON SALE!

 

Pre-sale Festival Admission tickets are going on sale this Sunday in the Fellowship Hall!

 

50 tickets for $5.00

 

 

 

SUNDAY SCHOOL REGISTRATION AUGUST 11TH, 18TH, AND 25TH

 

Please register your children for the 2019-2020 Sunday School year Sunday August 11th, 18th, and the 25th. Fall in love with learning about the Church!

 

Please see Christina Demos or Shae Noffsinger in the Fellowship Hall to get registered!

 

Sunday School will begin August 25th

 

 

 

It is not your Yiayia's_Philoptochos!

 

Please join us on August 18th for a social to learn about Philoptochos today and all the wonderful charities we support.  Get involved and make a difference.  It is an exciting new chapter. 815 Marlowe Road, House 12 from 2:00pm - 4:00pm.

 

Please park around the square. RSVP to sydneylangford@aol.com.

 

 

 

HOLY TRINITY BLOOD DRIVE

 

Holy Trinity is sponsoring a blood drive later this fall! If you are interested in donating, please contact Zoe Pusic at 646-591-5132, email at zpusic@yahoo.com or use the sign-up located on the candle stand.  Thank you for your support and helping to make a difference in someone's life.

 

 

 

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO HOLY TRINITY GAME SHOW

 

 CHAMPIONSHIP EXTRAVANGANZA!

 

Saturday, August 17 from 7 to 9 pm, Presented by Your Parish Council

 

Come be a part of our “studio audience” and cheer your favorite players to victory as we look to crown champions in Family Feud, Pictionary, Holy Trinity’s Funniest Home Videos, and the Great Greek Bake-Off. Are you more of a player than an observer? Fantastic – come on down! We will draw contestants for our Pictionary challenges from the audience, so come in your most attention-grabbing garb if you want to have your chance at fame, glory, and the title of CHAMPION. If art isn’t exactly your thing, don’t worry! Does your family have what it takes to win the Feud? Or perhaps you’ve got comedy gold on your phone? Maybe you’re the baker of the best cookies in the 9-1-9? We need you! If interested in playing Family Feud or entering the Bake-Off, contact Leslie Dombalis at ldombalis@gmail.com or 919-274-8303. You can send your funniest videos, Tik Toks or Boomerangs to htraleighoffice@gmail.com. It’s sure to be a fun-filled time for all ages. 

 

 

 

THANK YOU FROM FESTIVAL!

 

Thank you to EVERYONE who signed up over the weekend! We filled almost 100 time slots!!!  We're down to 620 so let's get rolling. :)  Hop on the website at http://timecounts.org/greek-festival-raleigh and sign up.  If you signed up last year, your username and password are the same - should make it much easier! 

 

Thank you for all you do! 

 

In Christ, 

 

Dori, Stacey, and Frances

 

 

 

FESTIVAL SIGNS UPDATE

 

If you have a sign advertising the 2018 Greek Festival, please bring it to the front office or call the church office so we can update the dates to the 2019 Festival.  We will take count of all the signs and return them to you.  Thank you so much for promoting our Greek Festival!

 

 

 

"NEW" 2019 Greek Festival Cooking Schedule

 

It's that time of year where we are asking the Holy Trinity community to help in making our wonderful pans of Pastitsio and Moussaka for the upcoming Festival.  Please consider coming to help for at least one of the Monday evenings. 

 

We need your help! The dates are:

 

Monday August 12th:  5pm, 6:30pm, Paraklesis, 7:30pm finish assembly-  

 

Assemble 110 pans of Pastistio    Need 50 People

 

Monday August 19th:  5pm-8p  Assemble 80 pans of Moussaka    Need 40 People

 

Please contact George Pappas or Jason Kekas if you have any questions

 

 

 

 Festival Pastries

 

Mark your calendars to help make the pastries for the 2019 Greek Festival!

 

The more hands the faster the work goes!

 

Tuesday August 27 – Kourambiethes

 

 

 

Christians Caring for Creation Ministry (CCCM) Events

 

Family Garden Fun: After Divine Liturgy every Sunday through September, except September 1. Everyone is invited to join us in the Church garden.

 

August 25: CCCM meeting in the Library after Divine Liturgy. All are welcome to attend.

 

 September 1: Observance of Orthodox Day of Prayer for the Creation

 

 

 

ST ANTHONY’S GROUP

 

Sunday, August 11th at 3pm Cast Camp 9 to 5 (Musical Comedy Play) 
NRACT off of Lead Mine Road more information forthcoming
http://www.nract.org/shows#/cast-camp-9-to-5/
Sunday, August 25th at 3pm Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder (Comical Play)
Raleigh Little Theater   RSVP to Toula by August 4th
https://raleighlittletheatre.org/shows/a-gentlemans-guide-to-love-murder/

 

September 22nd at 4pm St. Anthony's Group will be sponsoring the Orthodox Family Night more information to follow
September 27th - 29th St. Anthony's Group will be going to Myrtle Beach. 
Leaving Friday am and returning after Church services Sunday.  
Greek Festival/ outlet shopping/ touring (2 overnight stays).  More information to follow
Sunday, Oct. 20 at 4pm  Jeanie Robertson - The Rocking Chair Tour (Carolina Theater in Durham)http://www.carolinatheatre.org/events/jeanne-robertson-2
Transportation will be available
Sunday, Dec 8th at 3pm Fruit Cakes (Comedy Play) NRACT off of Lead Mine Rd
more information forthcoming http://www.nract.org/shows#/be-more-chill-1/
Friday, Dec. 27th at 9am Christmas Brunch at Café Creedmoor RSVP to Toula by Dec. 20th.

 

 

 

2019 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN UPDATE

 

Please submit your stewardship commitment form today. Every pledge counts! We are inching closer to reaching our goal of $422,000 this year, with just five short months to go in this year’s campaign.  Thank you! As of June 30th, we have received $312,000 in pledges from more than 242 members.

 

You can submit your pledge via one of the methods listed below:

 

*Website / Online Giving: http://www.holytrinityraleigh.org/ministries/stewardship-ministry/online-giving

 

*Place stewardship form in the Narthex Stewardship Form Drop Box

 

*Give stewardship form to a Parish Council Member

 

Take stewardship form to the Church Front Office

 

*Mail stewardship form to the Church:

 

5000 Lead Mine Road, Raleigh, NC 27612 (Attn: Church Office)

 

Angela Georgallis (acgeorgallis@gmail.com / 919-339-3169)

 

George Georgallis (ggeorgallis@hotmail.com / 773-251-8127)

 

 

 

 

 

This Week at Holy Trinity

 

 

SUN AUG 11TH

 

8TH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW

 

8:30AM: ORTHROS

 

10:00AM:  LITURGY

 

BLESSING OF THE GRAPES

 

FOR TRANSFIGURATION

 

40 DAY BLESSING: ALICIA AND BABY CHRISTOS   (DAD NIKO)

 

12:30PM: GREEK FESTIVAL COOKING

 

12:30PM:  YOUTH B (FH)

 

12:30PM:  YOUTH A (MP)

 

1:30PM:  TEENS (FH)

 

 

 

MON AUG 12TH

 

5:00PM:  FESTIVAL PREP: PASTITSIO

 

6:30PM:  PARAKLESIS TO THE THEOTOKOS

 

 

 

TUES AUG 13TH

 

9:00AM:  FESTIVAL PREP: PASTITSIO

 

7:00PM:  ADULT GREEK DANCE

 

 

 

WED AUG 14TH

 

9:00AM:  FESTIVAL PASTRIES

 

5:15PM:  AHEPA/GOYA MEN’S SHELTER

 

7:00PM:  GREAT VESPERS FOR DORMITION

 

(AT THE DORMITION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH IN GREENSBORO)

 

 

 

 

 

THURS AUG 15TH

 

THE DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS

 

8:30AM:  ORTHROS

 

9:30AM: LITURGY

 

6:00PM:  PHILOPTOCHOS BOARD MEETING

 

 

 

SAT AUG 17TH

 

1:00PM: BOYS BBALL

 

2:00PM: ST. ANTHONY’S GROUP

 

7:00PM:  GAME SHOW EXTRAVAGANZA!

 

 

 

SUN AUG 18TH

 

9TH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW

 

8:30AM: ORTHROS

 

10:00AM:  LITURGY

 

MEMORIAL: LENICA CELA (40 DAY)

 

12:00PM:  GREEK SCHOOL TEACHERS MEETING

 

12:30PM:  GREEK FESTIVAL COOKING

 

12:30PM:  YOUTH B (FH)

 

12:30PM:  YOUTH A (MP)

 

1:30PM:  TEENS (FH)

 

2:00PM:  PHILOPTOCHOS GENERAL MEETING

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Grave Mode

Thou didst abolish death by Thy Cross; Thou didst open Paradise to the thief; Thou didst transform the myrrh-bearers' lamentation, and didst bid Thine Apostles to preach that Thou art risen, O Christ God, granting great mercy to the world.
Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, ἠνέῳξας τῷ Λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον, τῶν Μυροφόρων τὸν θρῆνον μετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας, ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Apolytikion for Afterfeast of the Transfiguration in the Grave Mode

Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, showing to Thy disciples Thy glory as each one could endure. Shine forth Thou on us, who are sinners all, Thy light ever-unending, through the prayers of the Theotokos. Light-bestower, glory be to Thee.
Μετεμορθώθης εν τώ όρει Χριστέ ο Θεός, δείξας τοίς Μαθηταίς σου τήν δόξαν σου, καθώς ήδυναντο, Λάμψον καί ημίν τοίς αμαρτωλοίς, τό φώς σου τό αϊδιον, πρεσβείαις τής Θεοτόκου, φωτοδότα δόξα σοι.

Hymn of our Holy Trinity Church Community in the First Mode

O blessed are You, O Christ our God.  Who by sending down the Holy Spirit upon them, made the fisherman wise and through them illumined the world.  And to you the Universe was ever drawn, all glory to You, O Lord.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Grave Mode

You were transfigured upon the mount, O Christ our God, and Your disciples, in so far as they could bear, beheld Your glory. Thus, when they see You crucified, they may understand Your voluntary passion, and proclaim to the world that You are truly the effulgence of the Father.
Επί τού όρους μετεμορφώθης, καί ως εχώρουν οι Μαθηταί σου τήν δόξαν σου, Χριστέ ο Θεός εθεάσαντο, ίνα όταν σε ίδωσι σταυρούμενον, τό μέν πάθος νοήσωσιν εκούσιον, τώ δέ κόσμω κηρύξωσιν, ότι σύ υπάρχεις αληθώς, τού Πατρός τό απαύγασμα.
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Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
August 11

Euplus the Holy Martyr & Archdeacon of Cantania

This Martyr was from Catania in Sicily and contested during the reign of Diocletian. He presented himself of his own accord to Calvisianus the Governor, who put him to exceedingly harsh torments. As Euplus was on the rack, Calvisianus commanded him to worship Mars, Apollo, and Aesculapius; he answered he worshipped the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He was beheaded in the year 304.


Allsaint
August 12

The Holy Martyrs Photius and Anicetus of Nicomedia

These Martyrs contested in Nicomedia about the year 288. When Diocletian stirred up his persecution of the Christians, Anicetus presented himself openly and said that all who worship idols are blind and senseless. He was beaten with rods so ruthlessly that his bones appeared from the rents and wounds in his flesh. As he was suffering further torments, his nephew Photius came and embraced him, calling him his father and his uncle. He was also put to many tortures with him. They were then imprisoned together for three years. Finally they were cast into a furnace, where they gave up their spirits, and their bodies were preserved unharmed. Saint Anicetus is one of the Holy Unmercenaries.


Maximosconfes
August 13

Maximus the Confessor

The divine Maximus, who was from Constantinople, sprang from an illustrious family. He was a lover of wisdom and an eminent theologian. At first, he was the chief private secretary of the Emperor Heraclius and his grandson Constans. But when the Monothelite heresy became predominant in the royal court, out of hatred for this error the Saint departed for the Monastery at Chrysopolis (Scutari), of which he later became the abbot. When Constans tried to constrain him either to accept the Monothelite teaching, or to stop speaking and writing against it - neither of which the Saint accepted to do - his tongue was uprooted and his right hand was cut off, and he was sent into exile, where he reposed in 662. At the time only he and his few disciples were Orthodox in the East. See also January 21.


Allsaint
August 13

Dorotheus, Abba of Gaza

Saint Dorotheos was born in Antioch, Syria, in the year 506 or 508 A.D. He began his education very early in life and profited from the social statusof his parents. He received a classical education in the Greco-Roman world, which included medical studies, thus allowing him to work as a physician. Despite his great mind, Dorotheos yearned for a life of seclusion in the monastery. He inquired through letters with the holy men Barsanuphius and John (see February 6th) as how to begin the process towards monasticism. Many of these letters exist to this day and provide insight to the life of Dorotheos and his relationship with his mentors.

Dorotheos entered the monastery of Thawatha where Barsanuphius and John lived. His quick mind and advanced education made life in the monastery difficult as he struggled with social encounters and even challenged his abbot when he knew of better ways to run the monastery. This struggle against pride lasted a great while and served as an ongoing lesson for Dorotheos. He worked as assistant to the holy father John and enjoyed this position of communication between John and the rest of the community.

As he progressed in the spiritual life, Dorotheos was given spiritual charge over younger monks to which he was hesitant to accept as he struggled with interactions with others. Despite his reservations, Dorotheos took charge over a young man named Dositheos and taught him the monastic life, a relationship which proved to be difficult but beneficial for both. When John died, Dorotheos left the monastery of Thawatha and founded his own monastery where he took charge of many young monks, training them in the spiritual art.


Allsaint
August 13

Tikhon of Zadonsk

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk was born in 1724 into a very poor family of the Novgorod province, and was named Timothy in holy Baptism. In his youth he was sent to seminary in Novgorod where he received a good education and later taught Greek and other subjects. Having received the monastic tonsure with the name Tikhon, in the same year he was ordained deacon and priest, and appointed two years later as rector of the Seminary in Tver. In 1761 he was consecrated Bishop of Kexholm and Ladoga, and in 1763 nominated Bishop of Voronezh, a difficult diocese to administer because of its large size and transient population, which included many schismatics. Feeling the burden of the episcopacy to be beyond his strength, the Saint resigned in 1767, retiring first to the Monastery of Tolshevo, and later to the monastery at Zadonsk, where he remained until his blessed repose. In retirement, he devoted all his time to fervent prayer and the writing of books. His treasury of books earned him the title of "the Russian Chrysostom", whose writings he employed extensively; simple in style, replete with quotes from the Holy Scriptures, they treat mostly of the duties of Christians, with many parables taken from daily life. In them the Christian is taught how to oppose the passions and cultivate the virtues. A large collection of the Saint's letters are included in his works, and these give a wealth of spiritual guidance directed both to the laity and monastics. Saint Tikhon reposed in peace in 1783, at the age of fifty-nine. Over sixty years later, in 1845, when a new church was built in Zadonsk in place of the church where he was buried, it was necessary to remove his body. Although interred in a damp place, his relics were found to be whole and incorrupt; even his vestments were untouched by decay. Many miracles were worked by Saint Tikhon after his death, and some three hundred thousand pilgrims attended his glorification on August 13, 1863. He is one of the most beloved Russian Saints, and is invoked particularly for the protection and upbringing of children.


Allsaint
August 14

The Holy Prophet Michaias (Micah)

This Prophet (whose name means "who is like God?"), was a Morasthite from the land of Judah. He prophesied more than fifty years in the days of Joatham, Ahaz, and Hezekias, Kings of Judah. These kings reigned in the eighth century before Christ. From this it is clear that this Michaias is not the one who was the son of Iembla (or Imlah-III Kings 22:8), who censured Ahab and was murdered by Ahab's son Joram, as the Synaxaristes says; for this Joram reigned the ninth century before Christ. Yet Michaias was still prophesying, as mentioned above, in the days of Hezekias, who was a contemporary of Hosea and Esaias, and of Hoshea, the last King of the ten tribes of Israel, when that kingdom was destroyed by Salmanasar (Shalmaneser), King of the Assyrians (IV Kings 17: 1 - 16; 18: 1). This Michaias is sixth in rank among the minor Prophets. His book of prophecy is divided into seven chapters; he prophesied that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem (Michaias 5: 2). In the reign of Saint Theodosius the Great, the holy relics of the Prophets Michaias and Abbacum were found through a divine revelation to Zebennus, Bishop of Eleutheropolis (Sozomen, Eccl. Hist., Book VII, 29).


Dormitio
August 15

The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary

Concerning the Dormition of the Theotokos, this is what the Church has received from ancient times from the tradition of the Fathers. When the time drew nigh that our Savior was well-pleased to take His Mother to Himself, He declared unto her through an Angel that three days hence, He would translate her from this temporal life to eternity and bliss. On hearing this, she went up with haste to the Mount of Olives, where she prayed continuously. Giving thanks to God, she returned to her house and prepared whatever was necessary for her burial. While these things were taking place, clouds caught up the Apostles from the ends of the earth, where each one happened to be preaching, and brought them at once to the house of the Mother of God, who informed them of the cause of their sudden gathering. As a mother, she consoled them in their affliction as was meet, and then raised her hands to Heaven and prayed for the peace of the world. She blessed the Apostles, and, reclining upon her bed with seemliness, gave up her all-holy spirit into the hands of her Son and God.

With reverence and many lights, and chanting burial hymns, the Apostles took up that God-receiving body and brought it to the sepulchre, while the Angels from Heaven chanted with them, and sent forth her who is higher than the Cherubim. But one Jew, moved by malice, audaciously stretched forth his hand upon the bed and immediately received from divine judgment the wages of his audacity. Those daring hands were severed by an invisible blow. But when he repented and asked forgiveness, his hands were restored. When they had reached the place called Gethsemane, they buried there with honor the all-immaculate body of the Theotokos, which was the source of Life. But on the third day after the burial, when they were eating together, and raised up the artos (bread) in Jesus' Name, as was their custom, the Theotokos appeared in the air, saying "Rejoice" to them. From this they learned concerning the bodily translation of the Theotokos into the Heavens.

These things has the Church received from the traditions of the Fathers, who have composed many hymns out of reverence, to the glory of the Mother of our God (see Oct. 3 and 4).


Napkin
August 16

Translation of the Image of Our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ

When the fame of our Lord Jesus Christ came to Abgar, the ruler of Edessa, who was suffering from leprosy, Abgar sent a messenger named Ananias, through him asking the Savior to heal him of his disease, while bidding Ananias bring back a depiction of Him. When Ananias came to Jerusalem, and was unable to capture the likeness of our Lord, He, the Knower of hearts, asked for water, and having washed His immaculate and divine face, wiped it dry with a certain cloth, which He gave to Ananias to take to Abgar; the form of the Lord's face had been wondrously printed upon the cloth. As soon as Abgar received the cloth, which is called the Holy Napkin (Mandylion), he reverenced it with joy, and was healed of his leprosy; only his forehead remained afflicted. After the Lord's Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, the Apostle Thaddaeus (see Aug. 21) came to Edessa, and when he had baptized Abgar and all his men, Abgar's remaining leprosy also was healed. Abgar had the holy image of our Savior fixed to a board and placed at the city gate, commanding that all who entered the city reverence it as they passed through. Abgar's grandson, however, returned to the worship of the idols, and the Bishop of Edessa learned of his intention to replace the Holy Napkin with an idol. Since the place where it stood above the city gate was a rounded hollow, he set a burning lamp before the Holy Napkin, put a tile facing it, then bricked up the place and smoothed it over, so that the holy icon made without hands was no longer to be seen, and the ungodly ruler gave no further thought to it.

With the passage of time, the hidden icon was forgotten, until the year 615, when Chosroes II, King of Persia, was assaulting the cities of Asia, and besieged Edessa. The Bishop of Edessa, Eulabius, instructed by a divine revelation, opened the sealed chamber above the city gate and found the Holy Napkin complete and incorrupt, the lamp burning, and the tile bearing upon itself an identical copy of the image that was on the Holy Napkin. The Persians had built a huge fire outside the city wall; when the Bishop approached with the Holy Napkin, a violent wind fell upon the fire, turning it back upon the Persians, who fled in defeat. The Holy Napkin remained in Edessa, even after the Arabs conquered it, until the year 944, when it was brought with honor and triumph to Constantinople in the reign of Romanus I, when Theophylact was Ecumenical Patriarch. The Holy Napkin was enshrined in the Church of the most holy Theotokos called the Pharos. This is the translation that is celebrated today.


Allsaint
August 16

Diomedes the Physician & Martyr of Tarsus

The holy Martyr Diomedes was from Tarsus in Cilicia, a physician who treated bodies with his healing art and souls with his piety. In the days of the Emperor Diocletian, about the year 288, Diomedes left Tarsus and came to Nicaea, where he benefited many both as a physician and as a preacher of the Faith. He was accused to Diocletian, who sent men to fetch him. When they arrived, although finding that he had already given up his soul to the Lord, they cut off his head to take it to the Emperor, and because of their inhumanity were stricken with blindness. When Diocletian saw the Saint's head, he commanded them to take it back and put it on the body in its place; when they had done so, they received their sight again. Saint Diomedes is one of the Holy Unmercenaries.


20_gerasimos
August 16

Gerasimus of Cephalonia

Saint Gerasimus was from the Peloponnesus, the son of Demetrius and Kale, of the family of Notaras. He was reared in piety by them and studied the Sacred writings. He left his country and went throughout various lands, and finally came to Cephalonia, where he restored a certain old church and built a convent around it, where it stands to this day at the place called Omala. He finished the course of his life there in asceticism in the year 1570. His sacred relics, which remain incorrupt, are kept there for the sanctification of the faithful.


Myron
August 17

Myron the Martyr of Cyzicus

Saint Myron was a priest during the reign of Decius, when Antipater was ruler of Achaia. On the day of our Lord's Nativity, Antipater entered the church to seize the Christians and punish them. Saint Myron, kindled with holy zeal, roundly insulted Antipater, for which he was hung up and scraped, then cast into a raging furnace, but was preserved unharmed. When Myron refused to worship the idols, Antipater commanded that strips be cut in the Saint's flesh from his shoulders to his feet; the Saint took one of the strips of his flesh and flung it in the tyrant's face. He was beaten, and scraped again upon his beaten flesh; then he was thrown to wild beasts, but when Antipater saw them leaving off their fierce nature and protecting the Saint from harm, he was overcome with unbearable shame and slew himself. The Saint was then sent to Cyzicus, where the proconsul had him beheaded, about the year 250.


Allsaint
August 18

Floros & Lauros the Monk-martyrs of Illyria

These Martyrs were twin brothers, and stonemasons. After the martyrdom of their teachers Proclus and Maximus, they left Byzantium and came to the city of Ulpiana in Illyricum, where a certain Licinius hired them to build a temple for the idols. The wages he gave them, they distributed to the poor, and when the temple was built, Floros and Lauros gathered the paupers, and with their help put ropes about the necks of the idols, pulled them to the ground, and furnished the temple as a church. When Licinius learned of this, he had the paupers burned alive in a furnace. Floros and Lauros were tormented, then cast into a deep well, where they gave up their souls to the Lord. When their holy relics were recovered years later, they poured forth myrrh and worked many miracles; they were enshrined in Constantinople.


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eighth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:11-18

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, Μαρία δὲ εἱστήκει πρὸς τῷ μνημείῳ κλαίουσα ἔξω. ὡς οὖν ἔκλαιε, παρέκυψεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον καὶ θεωρεῖ δύο ἀγγέλους ἐν λευκοῖς καθεζομένους, ἕνα πρὸς τῇ κεφαλῇ καὶ ἕνα πρὸς τοῖς ποσίν, ὅπου ἔκειτο τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ. καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῇ ἐκεῖνοι· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; λέγει αὐτοῖς· ὅτι ἦραν τὸν Κύριόν μου, καὶ οὐκ οἶδα ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν. καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἐστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν ἑστῶτα, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐστι. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; τίνα ζητεῖς; ἐκείνη δοκοῦσα ὅτι ὁ κηπουρός ἐστι, λέγει αὐτῷ· κύριε, εἰ σὺ ἐβάστασας αὐτόν, εἰπέ μοι ποῦ ἔθηκας αὐτόν, κἀγὼ αὐτὸν ἀρῶ. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· Μαρία. στραφεῖσα ἐκείνη λέγει αὐτῷ· ῥαββουνί, ὃ λέγεται, διδάσκαλε. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· μή μου ἅπτου· οὔπω γὰρ ἀναβέβηκα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου· πορεύου δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου καὶ εἰπὲ αὐτοῖς· ἀναβαίνω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ πατέρα ὑμῶν, καὶ Θεόν μου καὶ Θεὸν ὑμῶν. ἔρχεται Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἀπαγγέλλουσα τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὅτι ἑώρακε τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ.

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

Προκείμενον. Grave Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 28.11,1.
Κύριος ἰσχὺν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ δώσει.
Στίχ. Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμήν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 1:10-17.

Ἀδελφοί, παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα τὸ αὐτὸ λέγητε πάντες, καὶ μὴ ᾖ ἐν ὑμῖν σχίσματα, ἦτε δὲ κατηρτισμένοι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ νοῒ καὶ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμῃ. Ἐδηλώθη γάρ μοι περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί μου, ὑπὸ τῶν Χλόης, ὅτι ἔριδες ἐν ὑμῖν εἰσιν. Λέγω δὲ τοῦτο, ὅτι ἕκαστος ὑμῶν λέγει, Ἐγὼ μέν εἰμι Παύλου, Ἐγὼ δὲ Ἀπολλώ, Ἐγὼ δὲ Κηφᾶ, Ἐγὼ δὲ Χριστοῦ. Μεμέρισται ὁ Χριστός; Μὴ Παῦλος ἐσταυρώθη ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ἢ εἰς τὸ ὄνομα Παύλου ἐβαπτίσθητε; Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ ὅτι οὐδένα ὑμῶν ἐβάπτισα, εἰ μὴ Κρίσπον καὶ Γάϊον· ἵνα μή τις εἴπῃ ὅτι εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα ἐβάπτισα. Ἐβάπτισα δὲ καὶ τὸν Στεφανᾶ οἶκον· λοιπὸν οὐκ οἶδα εἴ τινα ἄλλον ἐβάπτισα. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλέν με Χριστὸς βαπτίζειν, ἀλλʼ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι· οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ λόγου, ἵνα μὴ κενωθῇ ὁ σταυρὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 1:10-17.

Brethren, I appeal to you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispos and Gaius; lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.


Gospel Reading

8th Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 14:14-22

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐξελθὼν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶδε πολὺν ὄχλον, καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐθεράπευσε τοὺς ἀρρώστους αὐτῶν. ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες· ἔρημός ἐστιν ὁ τόπος καὶ ἡ ὥρα ἤδη παρῆλθεν· ἀπόλυσον τοὺς ὄχλους, ἵνα ἀπελθόντες εἰς τὰς κώμας ἀγοράσωσιν ἑαυτοῖς βρώματα. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν ἀπελθεῖν· δότε αὐτοῖς ὑμεῖς φαγεῖν. οἱ δὲ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· οὐκ ἔχομεν ὧδε εἰ μὴ πέντε ἄρτους καὶ δύο ἰχθύας. ὁ δὲ εἶπε· φέρετέ μοι αὐτοὺς ὧδε. καὶ κελεύσας τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνακλιθῆναι ἐπὶ τοὺς χόρτους, λαβὼν τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους καὶ τοὺς δύο ἰχθύας, ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εὐλόγησε, καὶ κλάσας ἔδωκε τοῖς μαθηταῖς τοὺς ἄρτους, οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις. καὶ ἔφαγον πάντες καὶ ἐχορτάσθησαν, καὶ ἦραν τὸ περισσεῦον τῶν κλασμάτων δώδεκα κοφίνους πλήρεις. οἱ δὲ ἐσθίοντες ἦσαν ἄνδρες ὡσεὶ πεντακισχίλιοι χωρὶς γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων. Καὶ εὐθέως ἠνάγκασεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἐμβῆναι εἰς τὸ πλοῖον καὶ προάγειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πέραν, ἕως οὗ ἀπολύσῃ τοὺς ὄχλους.

8th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 14:14-22

At that time, Jesus saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

And another thing too we learn, the self-restraint of the disciples which they practised in necessary things, and how little they accounted of food.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 49 on Matthew 14, 4th Century

For being twelve, they had five loaves only and two fishes; so secondary to them were the things of the body: so did they cling to the things spiritual only. And not even that little did they hold fast, but gave up even it when asked.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 49 on Matthew 14, 4th Century

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