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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2023-02-19
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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (919) 781-4548
  • 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 online Church Calendar.


Vespers: See online Church Calendar.

 


Past Bulletins


Announcements

HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

RALEIGH, NC

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2023

Judgment Sunday

ORTHROS 8:30 a.m. - DIVINE LITURGY 10:00 a.m.

Broadcasting begins at 8:25 a.m.

_______________________________________________________

 

Altar Boy Team on Duty: Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

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.

coffee hour sponsored by the Nicholos family and co-sponsored by the Paschaloudis family

 

 

Memory Eternal

Please join us in prayer following Divine Liturgy for the repose of the servants of God:

 

Agapitos Toulis Paschaloudis (40 day)

Artemis Sarayiotes (2 Years)

Lou Fotiades & Elaine Fotiades

Xanthe Nickolopoulos Nicholos (17 years)

 

May the Lord rest their souls where the just repose.

 

 

Sunday School

Sunday School will not be in session on Sunday, February 19th.

 

Want to learn how to make Prosforo?

Come join us!

On Saturday, February 18th at 11:00am, immediately after the Saturday of the Souls, there will be a training session at the church on how to make Prosforo.  Everyone is invited.

Please bring your round cooking pans and a seal if you own one.

 

Christians Caring for Creation Ministry

Planting season is almost here.

Whether you will plant a tree, bushes, flowers, etc., CCCM is here to help.


Sunday, April 23 in the Multipurpose Room (12:15-1:00pm):

The Pharmacy from God, Herb Workshop, and the last day to order plants


Saturday, April 29 (10am-2pm)

Plant pickup


Sunday, April 30

Pick up remaining plants immediately after Divine Liturgy

 

House Blessings Season

Please contact Father Paul directly for your House Blessing appointments. The house blessing season will end Monday, February 27

 

Philoptochos News
Sweets for Sweet

Thanks to all your efforts we are presenting a $1,600.00 check to Meals on Wheels of Wake County.  A special thanks to all that baked and purchased. Thank you, Stephanie and Sydney for chairing, Julie for her delicious and beautiful cakes, Johanna, Christine and Joanna for being our cashiers, Diane for helping with set up and our terrific sales team.  Every age group in our parish participated. We are a true #ArmyofAgape. 

Sunday February 26

General meeting 12 noon in the church

Special guest speaker from The Poe Center will discuss anti bullying and will provide us tools and insight. All adults are invited. Don’t miss this most important opportunity.

Please join us.

Please contact Christine Kushner or Lekita Essa with questions.

 

Membership/Stewardship

All ladies, eighteen and above, in our parish are welcome to join and participate on a level that works for you. We provide a space of kindness, mutual respect and support for each other as we fulfill our beautiful mission.

Are you aware we have a wonderful college student that has been a member since age eighteen and she participates in and attends most meetings and events. It’s remarkable that she drives from school to be with us. I hope she knows how much we love her.

Please see Sydney or Lekita regarding your membership.

As always,  we have many opportunities to support others. More news to come.

Agape,

Lekita

 

Holy Trinity Scholarships

Scholarships sponsored by our parish families are available for High School Seniors, College and Graduate students. The application for this year is available on holytrinityraleigh.org under the Resources tab. Applications must be completed and submitted by March 26. Questions about the application can be sent to htralscholarship@gmail.com 

Best wishes to all our students!

 

St Anthony’s Group
Tuesday, Feb. 21st at 10:30am in our Parish Hall

The Ambassadors of Good Cheer will perform their slapstick musical comedy.  Pot Luck luncheon to follow.

Saturday, Feb. 25th at 10:30am in our Parish Hall

Lenten Retreat:  A Mindful Lenten Journey session with Kabee Kokenes. Lunch will be provided.  The registration cost is $10/person.  Last day to register is this Sunday, Feb. 19.  Please see/contact Toula if you are interested in registering.

Saturday, March 4th at 1:30pm in our Parish Hall

Monthly chair exercises by Lilly.


Tuesday, March 7th at 12:30pm in our Parish Hall: 

Monthly spaghetti lunch with speaker.  Topic for this month is "How foods interact with medication".

The whole community is invited.


Saturday, March 18th at 11:00am in our Multi-Purpose Room

Trans-generational round table discussion.  The whole community is invited to participate.

Lenten luncheon will be provided.

 

Paper Icons 

If you are interested in donating the small paper icons that are provided during wakes/funerals, please contact Toula Capetanos  at toulacapetanos@yahoo.com  or  919-810-2903.  We are in the process of  collecting and adhering to them on wooden slabs to distribute during community activities.

 

Crochet for a Cause Ministry

We are reinstating "the Crochet for a Cause" ministry effective February 24th.  This ministry will serve as a goodwill gesture to the area hospital pediatric sections by providing crochet/knit items, such as baby caps, booties, blankets, gowns, and any other creative items such as stuffed animals.  Each participant will need to bring his/her materials to create these donations.  Our first crochet/knitting session will be on Friday, February 24th from 10 to 12pm in the library.  Thereafter, this ministry will continue to meet every other Friday from 10 to 12pm in the library.  If you have any questions regarding this ministry, please contact Toula Capetanos at toulacapetanos@yahoo.com  or 919-810-2903.

 

Oratorical Festival – March 25

The Local St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival will be held on Saturday March 25th at 1pm in the Church Sanctuary.  We encourage all students in 7th through 12th grade to participate. The list of topics has been given out through the Sunday School classrooms. If you have questions please contact Shae at shaejn@yahoo.com

 

2023 Stewardship Campaign Update

Happy New Year! Now that we are in full swing into the 2023 Stewardship Campaign, we want to give one last update on the final numbers from our 2022 Stewardship Campaign, for those of you who may not have seen them. We are thrilled to report, and incredibly grateful to each one of you, for our record-breaking dollars raised last year.

 

2022 Stewardship Campaign Final Numbers

  • All Stewardship Dollars Collected: $611,716 (11.8% increase from 2021)
  • Only Pledge Dollars Collected: $462,725 (33% increase from 2021)
  • Number of Giving Families: 361 (1.4% increase from 2021)

Please Note: Budgeted expenses required to run the church per day: $1,740

We are grateful for the steady generosity of those of you who have participated to date. Below is the status of our 2023 campaign progress as of January 31, 2023.

  • Stewardship Pledges received: $310,316
  • Pledges/Unpledged collected in December of 2022 & January 2023: $ 85,816
  • Budget for 2023: $ 638,518

 

Please continue to be good stewards of Holy Trinity, and if you have not already done so, submit your Stewardship Commitment Cards via one of the easy methods listed below. It’s also very important, if you are a long-standing or new member of our community, to provide your ministry/volunteer interests, so we can reach out and get everyone involved and track the participation success of our ministries overall.

 

ONLINE. Visit our church stewardship ministry page (https://www.holytrinityraleigh.org/community/parish-ministries/stewardship-ministry/) and on the right side of our page you will see a link to complete your 2023 Stewardship Commitment Card. After submitting your Card via the link, you can set up your payment schedule via the church’s online giving portal, Abundant Giving, (https://abundant.co/holytrinityraleigh/give).

STEWARDSHIP DROP BOX. You can also turn in your form or pledge payment/donation, via the wooden drop box located on the credenza in the Narthex, as it is checked regularly.

MAIL. You can still mail your completed Stewardship Commitment Card to the church office.

EMAIL. You can scan and email it to the church office athtraleighoffice@gmail.com as well.

Contact Angela Georgallis at 919-339-3169 or acgeorgallis@gmail.com regarding all stewardship questions or concerns.

THANK YOU!!!

 

 

 

UPCOMING SERVICES

 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2023

FIRST SATURDAY OF THE SOULS

NO ORTHROS

DIVINE LITURGY 9:00 A.M.

(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 8:55 A.M.)

 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2023

MEATFARE SUNDAY

ORTHROS 8:30 A.M.

DIVINE LITURGY 10:00 A.M.

(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 8:25 A.M.)

 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2023

SECOND SATURDAY OF THE SOULS

NO ORTHROS

DIVINE LITURGY 9:00 A.M.

(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 8:55 A.M.)

 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2023

FORGIVENESS SUNDAY

ORTHROS 8:30 A.M.

DIVINE LITURGY 10:00 A.M.

(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 8:25 A.M.)

 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2023

FORGIVENESS VESPERS

6:00 P.M.

(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 5:55 P.M.)

 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2023

1ST PRE-SANCTIFIED LITURGY

6:00 P.M.

(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 5:55 P.M.)

 

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2023

1ST SALUTATION TO THE THEOTOKOS

6:30 P.M.

(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 6:25 P.M.)

 

SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 2023

3RD SATURDAY OF THE SOULS

9:00 A.M.

(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 8:55 A.M.)

 

 

 

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode

Let the Heavens rejoice; let earthly things be glad; for the Lord hath wrought might with His arm, He hath trampled upon death by death. The first-born of the dead hath He become. From the belly of Hades hath He delivered us, and hath granted great mercy to the world.
Εὐφραινέσθω τὰ οὐράνια, ἀγαλλιάσθω τὰ ἐπίγεια, ὅτι ἐποίησε κράτος, ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ, ὁ Κύριος, ἐπάτησε τῷ θανάτῳ τὸν θάνατον, πρωτότοκος τῶν νεκρῶν ἐγένετο, ἐκ κοιλίας ᾅδου ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς, καὶ παρέσχε τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Seasonal Kontakion in the First Mode

O God, when You come upon the earth in glory, the whole world will tremble. A river of fire will bring all before Your Judgment Seat and the books will be opened, and everything in secret will become public. At that time, deliver me from the fire which never dies, and enable me to stand by Your right hand, O Judge most just.
Ὅταν ἔλθῃς ὁ Θεός, ἐπὶ γῆς μετὰ δόξης, καὶ τρέμωσι τὰ σύμπαντα, ποταμὸς δὲ τοῦ πυρὸς πρὸ τοῦ Βήματος ἕλκῃ, καὶ βίβλοι ἀνοίγωνται, καὶ τὰ κρυπτὰ δημοσιεύωνται, τότε ῥῦσαί με, ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς τοῦ ἀσβέστου, καὶ ἀξίωσον, ἐκ δεξιῶν σου μὲ στῆναι, Κριτὰ δικαιότατε.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Third Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 16:9-20

Ἀναστὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρωῒ πρώτῃ Σαββάτου ἐφάνη πρῶτον Μαρίᾳ τῇ Μαγδαληνῇ, ἀφ' ἧς ἐκβεβλήκει ἑπτὰ δαιμόνια. Ἐκείνη πορευθεῖσα ἀπήγγειλε τοῖς μετ' αὐτοῦ γενομένοις, πενθοῦσι καὶ κλαίουσι. Κᾀκεῖνοι ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ζῇ καὶ ἐθεάθη ὑπ' αὐτῆς ἠπίστησαν. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα δυσὶν ἐξ αὐτῶν περιπατοῦσιν ἐφανερώθη ἐν ἑτέρᾳ μορφῇ, πορευομένοις, εἰς ἀγρόν. Κᾀκεῖνοι ἀπελθόντες ἀπήγγειλαν τοῖς λοιποῖς, οὐδὲ ἐκείνοις ἐπίστευσαν. Ὕστερον, ἀνακειμένοις αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἕνδεκα ἐφανερώθη, καὶ ὠνείδισε τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν καὶ σκληροκαρδίαν, ὅτι τοῖς θεασαμένοις αὐτὸν ἐγηγερμένον, οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Πορευθέντες εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἅπαντα, κηρύξατε τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει. Ὁ πιστεύσας καὶ βαπτισθείς, σωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ἀπιστήσας, κατακριθήσεται. Σημεῖα δὲ τοῖς πιστεύσασι ταῦτα παρακολουθήσει. Ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου δαιμόνια ἐκβαλοῦσι, γλώσσαις λαλήσουσι καιναῖς, ὄφεις ἀροῦσι, κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν, οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς βλάψει, ἐπὶ ἀῤῥώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσι, καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Κύριος, μετὰ τὸ λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς, ἀνελήφθη εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐξελθόντες, ἐκήρυξαν πανταχοῦ, τοῦ Κυρίου συνεργοῦντος, καὶ τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος, διὰ τῶν ἐπακολουθούντων σημείων. Ἀμήν.

Third Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:9-20

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. After this He appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table and He upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw Him after He had risen. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.


Epistle Reading

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 Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 8:8-13, 9:1-2.

Ἀδελφοί, βρῶμα ἡμᾶς οὐ παρίστησιν τῷ θεῷ· οὔτε γὰρ ἐὰν φάγωμεν περισσεύομεν, οὔτε ἐὰν μὴ φάγωμεν ὑστερούμεθα. Βλέπετε δὲ μήπως ἡ ἐξουσία ὑμῶν αὕτη πρόσκομμα γένηται τοῖς ἀσθενοῦσιν. Ἐὰν γάρ τις ἴδῃ σε τὸν ἔχοντα γνῶσιν ἐν εἰδωλείῳ κατακείμενον, οὐχὶ ἡ συνείδησις αὐτοῦ ἀσθενοῦς ὄντος οἰκοδομηθήσεται εἰς τὸ τὰ εἰδωλόθυτα ἐσθίειν; Καὶ ἀπολεῖται ὁ ἀσθενῶν ἀδελφὸς ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ γνώσει, διʼ ὃν Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν; Οὕτως δὲ ἁμαρτάνοντες εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφούς, καὶ τύπτοντες αὐτῶν τὴν συνείδησιν ἀσθενοῦσαν, εἰς Χριστὸν ἁμαρτάνετε. Διόπερ εἰ βρῶμα σκανδαλίζει τὸν ἀδελφόν μου, οὐ μὴ φάγω κρέα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἵνα μὴ τὸν ἀδελφόν μου σκανδαλίσω. Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος; Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος; Οὐχὶ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἑώρακα; Οὐ τὸ ἔργον μου ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν κυρίῳ; Εἰ ἄλλοις οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος, ἀλλά γε ὑμῖν εἰμι· ἡ γὰρ σφραγὶς τῆς ἐμῆς ἀποστολῆς ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐν κυρίῳ.

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 St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 8:8-13; 9:1-2.

Brethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.


Gospel Reading

Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 25:31-46

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· Ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι ἄγγελοι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, τότε καθίσει ἐπὶ θρόνου δόξης αὐτοῦ, καὶ συναχθήσεται ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ ἀφοριεῖ αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων ὥσπερ ὁ ποιμὴν ἀφορίζει τὰ πρόβατα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐρίφων, καὶ στήσει τὰ μὲν πρόβατα ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ, τὰ δὲ ἐρίφια ἐξ εὐωνύμων. τότε ἐρεῖ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῖς ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ· δεῦτε οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου. ἐπείνασα γάρ, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν, ἐδίψησα, καὶ ἐποτίσατέ με, ξένος ἤμην, καὶ συνηγάγετέ με, γυμνός, καὶ περιεβάλετέ με, ἠσθένησα, καὶ ἐπεσκέψασθέ με, ἐν φυλακῇ ἤμην, καὶ ἤλθετε πρός με. τότε ἀποκριθήσονται αὐτῷ οἱ δίκαιοι λέγοντες· κύριε, πότε σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα καὶ ἐθρέψαμεν, ἢ διψῶντα καὶ ἐποτίσαμεν; πότε δέ σε εἴδομεν ξένον καὶ συνηγάγομεν, ἢ γυμνὸν καὶ περιεβάλομεν; πότε δέ σε εἴδομεν ἀσθενῆ ἢ ἐν φυλακῇ, καὶ ἤλθομεν πρός σε; καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐρεῖ αὐτοῖς· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐφ᾿ ὅσον ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων, ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε. τότε ἐρεῖ καὶ τοῖς ἐξ εὐωνύμων· πορεύεσθε ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ οἱ κατηραμένοι εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ. ἐπείνασα γάρ, καὶ οὐκ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν, ἐδίψησα, καὶ οὐκ ἐποτίσατέ με, ξένος ἤμην, καὶ οὐ συνηγάγετέ με, γυμνός, καὶ οὐ περιεβάλετέ με, ἀσθενὴς καὶ ἐν φυλακῇ, καὶ οὐκ ἐπεσκέψασθέ με. τότε ἀποκριθήσονται αὐτῷ καὶ αὐτοὶ λέγοντες· κύριε, πότε σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα ἢ διψῶντα ἢ ξένον ἢ γυμνὸν ἢ ἀσθενῆ ἢ ἐν φυλακῇ, καὶ οὐ διηκονήσαμέν σοι; τότε ἀποκριθήσεται αὐτοῖς λέγων· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐφ᾿ ὅσον οὐκ ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων, οὐδὲ ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε. καὶ ἀπελεύσονται οὗτοι εἰς κόλασιν αἰώνιον, οἱ δὲ δίκαιοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)
The Reading is from Matthew 25:31-46

The Lord said, "When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."


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Wisdom of the Fathers

"Christian love is the 'possible impossibility' to see Christ in another man, whoever he is..."
Alexander Schmemann
Great Lent, 20th Century

So great was the honour and providential care which God bestowed upon man that He brought the entire sensible world into being before him and for his sake. The kingdom of heaven was prepared for him from the foundation of the world (cf. Matt. 25:34); God first took counsel concerning him, and then he was fashioned by God's hand and according to the image of God (cf. Gen. 1:26-27). God did not form the whole man from matter and from the elements of this sensible world, as He did the other animals. He formed only man's body from these materials; but man's soul He took from things supercelestial or, rather, it came from God Himself when mysteriously He breathed life into man (cf. Gen. 2:7).
St. Gregory Palamas
Topics of Natural and Theological Science no. 24, The Philokalia Vol. 4 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 356, 14th century

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Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
February 19

Niketas the Younger


Lastjudgement1
February 19

Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)

The foregoing two parables -- especially that of the Prodigal Son -- have presented to us God's extreme goodness and love for man. But lest certain persons, putting their confidence in this alone, live carelessly, squandering upon sin the time given them to work out their salvation, and death suddenly snatch them away, the most divine Fathers have appointed this day's feast commemorating Christ's impartial Second Coming, through which we bring to mind that God is not only the Friend of man, but also the most righteous Judge, Who recompenses to each according to his deeds.

It is the aim of the holy Fathers, through bringing to mind that fearful day, to rouse us from the slumber of carelessness unto the work of virtue, and to move us to love and compassion for our brethren. Besides this, even as on the coming Sunday of Cheese-fare we commemorate Adam's exile from the Paradise of delight -- which exile is the beginning of life as we know it now -- it is clear that today's is reckoned the last of all feasts, because on the last day of judgment, truly, everything of this world will come to an end.

All foods, except meat and meat products, are allowed during the week that follows this Sunday.


Allsaint
February 19

The Holy Apostles of the Seventy Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and Onesimus

Concerning Saint Archippus, see November 22.


Philothea
February 19

Philothei the Righteous Martyr of Athens

Saint Philothei was born in Athens in 1522 to an illustrious family. Against her will, she was married to a man who proved to be most cruel. When he died three years later, the Saint took up the monastic life and established a convent, in which she became a true mother to her disciples. Many women enslaved and abused by the Moslem Turks also ran to her for refuge. Because of this, the Turkish rulers became enraged and came to her convent, dragged her by force out of the church, and beat her cruelly. After a few days, she reposed, giving thanks to God for all things. This came to pass in the year 1589. She was renowned for her almsgiving, and with Saints Hierotheus and Dionysius the Areopagite is considered a patron of the city of Athens.


Allsaint
February 20

Agathus, Pope of Rome


Allsaint
February 20

Plotinus


Allsaint
February 20

Cheesefare Monday


Allsaint
February 20

Sadok the Bishop and the 128 other Martyrs of Persia


Allsaint
February 20

Leo, Bishop of Catania

This Saint, who was from Ravenna in Italy, lived during the reign of Leo the Wise and his son Constantine Porphyrogenitus (end of the ninth and beginning of the tenth centuries). He struggled especially against the paganism and sorcery still prevalent in those regions.


Allsaint
February 20

Bessarion the Great


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