Publish-header
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2023-02-26
Bulletin Contents
Announcements
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Saints and Feasts
Eden
Organization Icon
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

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

  • 5000 Lead Mine Road

  • Raleigh, NC 27612

Contact Information

Proistamenos Fr. Paul N. Christy


HTRaleighFr@gmail.com | 919-781-4548

Deacon Gavrilo Milkovich


deacongavrilo@gmail.com | 919-781-4548

Manager Parish Office

htraleighoffice@gmail.com | 919-781-4548

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 26, 2023

Forgiveness 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 Basil the Great

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.

  

Philoptochos sponsored event open to all adults this Sunday!

This Sunday February 26 at 12 noon in the church, all adults in our parish are invited!  Philoptochos is sponsoring a professional speaker from

The Poe Center to address Stop Bullying. The speaker will educate us and provide guidance and tools on how to deal with bullying that is occurring with our children.  

We look forward to seeing you there. 

 

Lenten Lecture Series starting Tuesday, Feb 28

1st Lenten Lecture will be a Zoom session on Tuesday, February 28th at 7:00pm

Our guest speaker will be Robert Shand, we are delighted to be reunited virtually with our former pastoral assistant/chanter/office manager and youth director!

Rob will be speaking on the subject of “Persons in Communion:  Cultivating safe and secure relationships in communion with Christ.”

You should be receiving a Lenten Lecture brochure in the mail next week, highlighting this year’s schedule, guest speakers, and topics. We will highlight each upcoming week in the bulletin and include the series on the online church calendar.     

 

 

Christians Caring for Creation Ministry

The website for the plant sale to benefit our church is now open:
You can order online at
 htgoc-ccc.square.site
Please place your orders

as soon as possible so that we can minimize substitutions.
You can also order with cash or check in the Fellowship Hall.


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
General Philoptochos Meeting

This Sunday February 26 at 12 noon in the church 

All adults in our parish invited!  Philoptochos is sponsoring a professional speaker from

The Poe Center to address Stop Bullying. The speaker will educate us and provide guidance and tools on how to deal with bullying that is occurring with our children.  

We look forward to seeing you there. 

 

Membership/Stewardship

Please join us as we continue to fulfill our beautiful mission, enjoy fellowship and build life long relationships and sisterhood. 

Agape,

Lekita

 

The Bereavement Committee

The bereavement committee, which is a subcommittee of the Ladies Philoptochos

Society, extends an invitation for parishioners to find out more about the services we

offer to our parish families and how you might become involved in our outreach. If you

would like more information regarding our committee functions and responsibilities,

please contact Sophia Pappas, 919.606.9432 or by email: sophiagreek531@gmail.com.

 

Three Hierarchs Library

Have you visited our Church Library?

We have many books that will help us on our spiritual journey during this Great Lenten period.  We have books inspirational, devotional, informative and biographies of some amazing people, heroes of our faith and much more.

Directions for checking out books are in the Library.  Browse or use the card catalogue to find a book on a subject that interests you.   Contact Helen McCallum if you need help.

 

Missions – Coin Boxes

All Sunday School students will receive a coin box this Sunday. Funds raised through the coin boxes will assist the further growth of ministries that support the reach of Christ’s Church around our world. When the coin boxes are distributed, we ask that the students take them home, place a monetary gift in them each day, and pray for their brothers and sisters serving Christ’s Church around the world in mission countries.

Coin boxes will be collected at the end of Lent. 

 

Parent Tip: For younger children, keep a separate box or jar with quarters or dollars with enough money for the entirety of Lent near the coin boxes so it is easy for your children to take ownership of participating each day. 

For questions please contact Melissa Maurides at melissa.maurides@gmail.com.

 

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
March 4th at 1:30pm in our Parish Hall -  Monthly chair exercises by Lilly.
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.

March 18th at 11:00am in Multi-purpose Room - Transgenerational roundtable discussion. Whole Community invited.  Lenten lunch will be provided.

March 27th - Last day to reserve your theater seat to "All Shook Up!" - a musical play on Elvis Presley performed in Sanford's Temple Theater.

We will be attending on Saturday, April 29th, 2:00pm.  See Toula for additional information.

April 4th at 12:30pm in Parish Hall -  Program to be announced.
April 8th at 1:30pm in Parish Hall - Chair exercises.
April 21st at 7:00pm - Jazz Trio concert at Meredith College’s Carswell Auditorium –

Free admission.
April 29th – Saturday: Temple Theater’s (Sanford, NC) “All Shook Up!” at 2pm.
If interested, please contact toulacapetanos@yahoo.com or 919-810-2903 prior to March 27th for more information.

 

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 distributed through the Sunday School classrooms. If you have questions please contact Shae at shaejn@yahoo.com

 

American Red Cross Blood Drive -May 6

SAVE THE DATE:  Holy Trinity will be hosting a blood drive on Saturday, May 6th from 10:00am-2:30pm.  You can sign up to be a donor by visiting redcrossblood.org or by calling

1-800-RED-CROSS.  Use sponsor code HTGO.  For questions, assistance with sign up

or to volunteer, please contact Zoe Pusic at zpusic@yahoo.com 

or 646-591-5132.  Thank you for helping us save lives!

 

UPCOMING SERVICES

 

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 Fourth Mode

Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the Angel, and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, the women disciples of the Lord spake to the Apostles exultantly: Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, granting great mercy to the world.
Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγέλου μαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀπορρίψασαι, τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις καυχώμεναι ἔλεγον· Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἠγέρθη Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Second Mode

O Master, Prudence, Guide of Wisdom, Instruction to the foolish and Defender of the poor, strengthen my heart and grant it discernment. Give me words, Word of the Father, for behold, I shall not keep my lips from crying out to You, "O Merciful One, have mercy on me who has fallen."
Τῆς σοφίας ὁδηγέ, φρονήσεως χορηγέ, τῶν ἀφρόνων παιδευτά, καὶ πτωχῶν ὑπερασπιστά, στήριξον, συνέτισον τὴν καρδίαν μου Δέσποτα. Σὺ δίδου μοι λόγον, ὁ τοῦ Πατρός Λόγος· ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὰ χείλη μου, οὐ μὴ κωλύσω ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι· Ἐλεῆμον, ἐλέησόν με τὸν παραπεσόντα.

The translations of hymns are under copyright and used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further reproduced, in print or on other websites or in any other form, without the prior written authorization of the copyright holder:

  • Resurrectional Apolytikion in Fourth Tone © Greek Standard Text
  • Resurrectional Apolytikion in Fourth Tone © Holy Transfiguration Monastery
  • Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal of the Second Tone © Greek Standard Text
  • Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal of the Second Tone © Narthex Press
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    Gospel and Epistle Readings

    Matins Gospel Reading

    Fourth Orthros Gospel
    Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 24:1-12

    Τῇ μιᾷ τῶν Σαββάτων, ὄρθρου βαθέος ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμα, φέρουσαι ἃ ἡτοίμασαν ἀρώματα, καί τινες σὺν αὐταῖς. Εὗρον δὲ τὸν λίθον ἀποκεκυλισμένον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου, καὶ εἰσελθοῦσαι οὐχ εὗρον τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ. Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ διαπορεῖσθαι αὐτὰς περὶ τούτου, καὶ Ἰδού, δύο ἄνδρες ἐπέστησαν αὐταῖς ἐν ἐσθήσεσιν ἀστραπτούσαις· ἐμφόβων δὲ γενομένων αὐτῶν καὶ κλινουσῶν τὰ πρόσωπον εἰς τὴν γῆν, εἶπον πρὸς αὐτάς· Τί ζητεῖτε τὸν ζῶντα μετὰ τῶν νεκρῶν; οὐκ ἔστιν ᾧδε, ἀλλ' ἠγέρθη. Μνήσθητε ὡς ἐλάλησεν ὑμῖν, ἔτι ὢν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ, λέγων, ὅτι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδοθῆναι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτωλῶν, καὶ σταυρωθῆναι, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστῆναι. Καὶ ἐμνήσθησαν τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑποστρέψασαι ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου, ἀπήγγειλαν ταῦτα πάντα τοῖς ἕνδεκα καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς λοιποῖς. Ἦσαν δὲ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ Μαρία καὶ Ἰωάννα καὶ Μαρία Ἰακώβου, καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ σὺν αὐταῖς, αἳ ἔλεγον πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ταῦτα. Καὶ ἐφάνησαν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ λῆρος τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἠπίστουν αὐταῖς, ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἀναστὰς ἔδραμεν ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ παρακύψας βλέπει τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα μόνα, καὶ ἀπῆλθε, πρὸς ἑαυτόν θαυμάζων τὸ γεγονός.

    Fourth Orthros Gospel
    The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12

    On the first day of the week at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking spices, which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered His words and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the Apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.

    Epistle Reading

    Προκείμενον. Plagal Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 75.11,1.
    Εὔξασθε καὶ ἀπόδοτε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν.
    Στίχ. Γνωστὸς ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ὁ Θεός, ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ μέγα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.

    τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 13:11-14, 14:1-4.

    Ἀδελφοί, νῦν ἐγγύτερον ἡμῶν ἡ σωτηρία ἢ ὅτε ἐπιστεύσαμεν. Ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικεν· ἀποθώμεθα οὖν τὰ ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, καί ἐνδυσώμεθα τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτός. Ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ. Ἀλλʼ ἐνδύσασθε τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν μὴ ποιεῖσθε, εἰς ἐπιθυμίας. Τὸν δὲ ἀσθενοῦντα τῇ πίστει προσλαμβάνεσθε, μὴ εἰς διακρίσεις διαλογισμῶν. Ὃς μὲν πιστεύει φαγεῖν πάντα, ὁ δὲ ἀσθενῶν λάχανα ἐσθίει. Ὁ ἐσθίων τὸν μὴ ἐσθίοντα μὴ ἐξουθενείτω, καὶ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων τὸν ἐσθίοντα μὴ κρινέτω· ὁ θεὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν προσελάβετο. Σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; Τῷ ἰδίῳ κυρίῳ στήκει ἢ πίπτει. Σταθήσεται δέ· δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς στῆσαι αὐτόν.

    Prokeimenon. Plagal Fourth Mode. Psalm 75.11,1.
    Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
    Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

    The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4.

    Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

    As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to make him stand.

    Gospel Reading

    Forgiveness Sunday
    Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 6:14-21

    Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· ᾿Εὰν γὰρ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, ἀφήσει καὶ ὑμῖν ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἀφήσει τὰ παραπτώματα ὑμῶν. ῞Οταν δὲ νηστεύητε, μὴ γίνεσθε ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ σκυθρωποί· ἀφανίζουσι γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως φανῶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἀπέχουσι τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν. σὺ δὲ νηστεύων ἄλειψαί σου τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου νίψαι,ὅπως μὴ φανῇς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύων, ἀλλὰ τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι ἐν τῷ φανερῷ. Μὴ θησαυρίζετε ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅπου σὴς καὶ βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται διορύσσουσι καὶ κλέπτουσι· θησαυρίζετε δὲ ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅπου οὔτε σὴς οὔτε βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται οὐ διορύσσουσιν οὐδὲ κλέπτουσιν· ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρὸς ὑμῶν, ἐκεῖ ἔσται καὶ ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν.

    Forgiveness Sunday
    The Reading is from Matthew 6:14-21

    The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

    "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

    "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

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    Wisdom of the Fathers

    Spiritual delight is not enjoyment found in things that exists outside the soul.
    St. Isaac of Syria
    Unknown, 7th century

    Do we forgive our neighbors their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness, then, of your sins or unforgiveness, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation.
    St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
    Unknown, 18th century

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    Saints and Feasts

    Eden
    February 26

    Forgiveness Sunday

    The Holy Fathers have appointed the commemoration of Adam's exile from the Paradise of delight here, on the eve of the holy Forty-day Fast, demonstrating to us not by simple words, but by actual deeds, how beneficial fasting is for man, and how harmful and destructive are insatiety and the transgressing of the divine commandments. For the first commandment that God gave to man was that of fasting, which the first-fashioned received but did not keep; and not only did they not become gods, as they had imagined, but they lost even that blessed life which they had, and they fell into corruption and death, and transmitted these and innumerable other evils to all of mankind. The God-bearing Fathers set these things before us today, that by bringing to mind what we have fallen from, and what we have suffered because of the insatiety and disobedience of the first-fashioned, we might be diligent to return again to that ancient bliss and glory by means of fasting and obedience to all the divine commands. Taking occasion from today's Gospel (Matt. 6:14-21) to begin the Fast unencumbered by enmity, we also ask forgiveness this day, first from God, then from one another and all creation.

    Allsaint
    February 26

    Porphyrius, Bishop of Gaza

    Saint Porphyrius had Thessalonica as his homeland. He became a monk in Scete of Egypt, where he lived for five years. He went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, after which he spent five years in much affliction in a cave near the Jordan. Stricken with a disease of the liver, he departed to Jerusalem, where he was ordained presbyter and appointed Keeper of the Cross at the age of 45. Three years later he was made Bishop of Gaza. He suffered much from the rulers and pagans of Gaza; but with the friendship of Saint John Chrysostom, and the patronage of the Empress Eudoxia, he razed the temple of the idol Marnas in Gaza and built a great church to the glory of God. He reposed in 450.

    Photini
    February 26

    The Holy Great Martyr Photine, the Samaritan Women

    Saint Photini lived in 1st century Palestine and was the woman that Christ met at Jacob's Well in Samaria as recorded in the Gospel according to John (4:4-26). After her encounter with Christ, she and her whole family were baptized by the Apostles and became evangelists of the early Church. Photini and her children eventually were summoned before the emperor Nero and instructed to renounce their faith in Christ. They refused to do so, accepting rather to suffer various tortures. After many efforts to force her to surrender to idolatry, the emperor ordered that she be thrown down a well. Photini gave up her life in the year 66.

    St. Photini is commemorated on three occasions during the year: February 26 (Greek tradition), March 20 (Slavic tradition), and the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman on the 5th Sunday of Pascha.

    Theocletus
    February 26

    Holy Martyr Theocletus

    Allsaint
    February 26

    John Claphas the new Martyr

    Allsaint
    February 27

    Nesios the Martyr

    Allsaint
    February 27

    Gelasios the Actor and Martyr of Heliopolis

    Allsaint
    February 27

    Stephen the Monk

    Allsaint
    February 27

    Procopius the Confessor of Decapolis

    Saints Procopius and Basil, fellow ascetics, lived about the middle of the eighth century, during the reign of Leo the Isaurian (717-741), from whom they suffered many things for the sake of the veneration of the holy icons. They ended their lives in the ascetical discipline.

    St-raphael-of-brooklyn-01
    February 27

    Raphael of Brooklyn

    Saint Raphael Hawaweeny was born on November 8th, 1860 A.D., in Damascus, Syria, to pious Christian parents. He studied Arabic grammar and mathematics at the Antiochian Patriarchate parochial school where he was tonsured a reader in 1874. His strong academics served him well throughout his life, providing for him numerous opportunities to succeed and grow. He accepted a position in 1877 as an assistant teacher of Arabic and Turkish, which became full time in 1879. In 1879 he was tonsured a monk while working with Patriarch Hierotheos at the patriarchate, traveling with him on pastoral visits and serving as his personal assistant.

    Longing to continue his theological studies, Raphael petitioned the Patriarch for permission to study at Halki Theological School, which was the only option for students of the Antiochian Patriarchate as the Balamand Seminary in Lebanon had been closed since 1840. After much persistence, Raphael received the blessing of the Patriarch and enrolled in Halki Seminary where he was ordained a deacon in 1885. After completing his degree at Halki, the young Deacon Raphael studied at the Kiev Theological Academy, working as a liaison between the Moscow and Antiochian patriarchates. Deacon Raphael was ordained to the holy priesthood in 1889 while in Kiev, continuing to serve that community for many years.

    The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 led to the subsequent collapse of the silk industry in the Middle East, causing many Syrians and others to immigrate to the United States. These new citizens desired to have their religion present in their new homeland and sent letters to their mother churches for pastoral help. A few priests were sent, but none lasted, and so the people asked for Father Raphael Hawaweeny to come to America and serve. Both the Antiochian and Moscow Patriarchs agreed to this idea, and Father Raphael left for America where the people greeted him with great love. Father Raphael then spent many years serving the Syrians in Brooklyn, New York, but he desired to scan the continent for Syrians and other Orthodox Christians who were without spiritual leadership. He traveled by train and carriage across the nation, finding Orthodox Christians, recording their location, and performing liturgies, baptisms, and weddings. Upon his return to Brooklyn, Father Raphael worked to find clergy to send to these dispersed communities, giving them a full time pastor to minister to their needs.

    In 1909, by the hands of Bishops Tikhon and Innocent of the Moscow Patriarchate, he was the first bishop consecrated in the New World. The now Bishop Raphael continued his ministry to the Christians throughout America. Bishop Raphael worked tirelessly in Brooklyn to mediate disputes between the Orthodox Christians from Syria and Maronite Catholic Christians who often fought violently with one another. Despite numerous outbursts and setbacks, Bishop Raphael continued his ministry serving the Orthodox throughout his vast diocese. One such incident was when an influential leader of the Maronite group was killed and many people accused Bishop Raphael of ordering his murder. This led to many people attempting to harm the bishop, but he endured it all willingly. He was arrested under attempted murder charges, but was eventually cleared and let go after much time and money was spent in his defense.

     

    Throughout his time in North America, Bishop Raphael founded 36 parishes to bring the Church to the faithful who were without a priest to guide them. Bishop Raphael truly lived out Gospel in all aspects of his life, striving tirelessly for the people in his care, even to the point of sacrificing his own physical health in order to maintain the spiritual health of his people. Bishop Raphael died on February 27th, 1915, at his home in Brooklyn. His funeral was attended by hundreds of people, including clergy from all ethnic backgrounds, illustrating his love for all of the people of God regardless of where they came from. The sacred relics of Saint Raphael, “the good shepherd of the lost sheep in North America,” were first interred in a crypt beneath the holy table at his Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn on March 7th, 1915, before being moved to the Syrian section of Mount Olivet Cemetery in Brooklyn on April 2nd, 1922. They were finally translated to the Holy Resurrection Cemetery at the Antiochian Village near Ligonier, Pennsylvania, on August 15th, 1988. His sanctity was officially proclaimed by the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America on March 29th, 2000, and his glorification was celebrated on May 29th of that year at the Monastery of Saint Tikhon in Pennsylvania.

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