March 26
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2023-03-26
Bulletin Contents
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
General Information
- Phone:
- (919) 781-4548
- Email:
- htraleighfr@gmail.com
- 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
- Publish Date:
- 2023-04-02
- Publish Date:
- 2023-03-19
- Publish Date:
- 2023-03-12
- Publish Date:
- 2023-03-05
- Publish Date:
- 2023-02-26
- Publish Date:
- 2023-02-19
Announcements
HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
RALEIGH, NC
SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 2023
Sunday of St. John Climacus
ORTHROS 8:30 a.m. – DIVINE LITURGY 10:00 a.m.
Broadcasting begins at 8:25 a.m.
Altar Boy Team on Duty: St 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.
Memory Eternal
Please join us in prayer following Divine Liturgy for the repose of the servant of God:
Earl (Evangelos) Zoidis
May the Lord rest his soul where the just repose.
Great Vespers this Friday Evening in Winston-Salem
Just a reminder that Fr. Paul will be traveling to Annunciation Church in Winston-Salem this Friday, March 24, to participate in the Hierarchical Great Vespers with his brother priests and Bishop Sebastian.
The service begins at 6pm. Fr. Paul would love to see you there.
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
435 Keating Drive,
Winston-Salem, NC 27104
Voice: (336) 765-7145
AHEPA Sponsoring Greek Independence Day this Sunday!
Dear Holy Trinity Community, Greek Independence Day, March 25th is here.
AHEPA will be celebrating this day on Sunday, March 26th after Church.
In remembrance of this day, AHEPA will have a new program by our Greek School and a
short performance by our younger Hellenic dance members.
Prior to these programs, we will be serving a Lenten luncheon. The adult lunch will include;
the main course of broiled flounder, Greek-style green beans, a salad, rolls, apple cobbler,
& coffee/tea/water. The adult event day ticket’s cost will be $25.00.
The kid’s lunch will have fish nuggets, fries, Greek-style green beans, a salad, rolls, apple
cobbler, & tea/water. The kid’s {12 & under} event day ticket’s cost will be $8.00.
In advance of your support, AHEPA wants to say “Thank You”
for helping us in honoring our Greek heritage.
His Grace Bishop Sebastian to Visit During Holy Week
How honored we are to have another Pastoral Visit from His Grace Bishop Sebastian
on Holy Tuesday, April 11.
This is the night of the Bridegroom service with the hauntingly beautiful hymn of Kassiane.
Polla ta eti Your Grace (Many Years)
Lenten Lecture Series #5 – Tues, March 28; Zoom Session
Speaker: Fr. Demetri Kangelaris
Subject: "Holy Land Pilgrimage"
Lent is referred to as a Spiritual Journey. In the presentation, Fr K will focus on a spiritual and physical journey of the Holy Land. Having led 5 such journeys and being born and raised in Jerusalem gives him a unique perspective to share the plight of our church and the Orthodox Christian population in the Holy Land.
Lent and Holy Week Flower Sponsorship
If you are interested in providing a donation for Easter flowers,
please visit or call the church office for details.
Oratorical Festival – this Saturday, 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
Holy Trinity Scholarships Application Deadline this Sunday
The deadline for applications for the 2023 Holy Trinity Scholarships is March 26. Completed applications and letters of recommendation can be sent to htralscholarship@gmail.com or delivered to the church office. The application for this year is available on holytrinityraleigh.org under the Resources tab. Scholarships sponsored by our parish families are available for High School Seniors, College and Graduate students.
Best wishes to all our students!
GOYA
Goya will be selling luminaries for Holy Friday for the next three Sundays after church service in the Fellowship Hall. The cost is $5 for one or $10 for three luminaires.
Pascha Picnic 2023
You are invited to our Pascha Picnic on Sunday, April 16 at 12:00pm! The picnic will be held outside under the tent in the rear parking lot. Lamb will be provided, please bring your own sides and beverages. RSVP in the link below with the number of guest attending by April 11th.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0e4ca8a929a7fb6-pascha#/
We will also have a face painter and a Easter egg hunt with a golden surprise for the kids starting at 12:45pm. Please make sure they grab a basket and hop over for some FUN!!
Piano Ministry
Do you have an interest in learning music? A fascination with its masterful composers like Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart? Then you may enjoy the Piano Ministry, here at our own church! Open to all children from ages 5-13, this is a great introduction to piano playing, music theory, and the history of classical music. It will take place from 12pm to 12:45pm on Sundays (location and start date details to follow).
With Lillian Jaho and Katerina Nikolas, students will have the opportunity for a short 1 to 1 lesson along with group activity. Students will dive into the foundations of piano playing, such as music reading and listening skills, along with a medley of fun activities to gain knowledge of how this music was inspired, who composed it, and what makes it so beautiful.
If you are interested, please reach out to Lillian (lilianjaho@gmail.com) or Katerina (nickaterina3@gmail.com) for more information.
Philoptochos News
Dear Philoptochos sisters and supporters,
“It’s the dedication and participation of every member that makes us a huge success!” Our dedicated Elham Flaherty’s comment that just spoke to me. It’s so true.
Our meeting on Sunday March 19 was extremely informative and fruitful. Thank you for attending. Your presence always makes an impact.
A huge thank you, Christine Kushner, our amazing Speaker and Women’s Health Chair, for securing our speaker from Meals on Wheels. Our eyes were opened regarding the tremendous need for meal delivery for homebound residents.
They deliver approximately fourteen hundred meals each day, Monday through Friday.
We presented Meals on Wheels with a check in the amount of $1,600, the proceeds from our Sweets for Sweet event held in February.
The General membership voted to send $200 to St John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival to help provide scholarships for our much deserving youth.
The General membership also voted to provide, if identified as needed by our Metropolis President, Irene Politis, the $450 registration to allow one delegate from a small Atlanta Metropolis chapter to attend our Metropolis Clergy - Laity Conference in June. The monies will remain in our chapter if no one is identified.
Order your Tsoureki!
Wonderful Julie is a baking machine. We have 120 delicious loaves for purchase, and they are moving fast! Please order online or reach out to Lekita or Francesca with your order.
Please see a few important dates:
Saturday April 08 Communion Breakfast, Palm folding and Tsoureki pick up, following Liturgy
Sunday April 09 Tsoureki pick up following Liturgy
Friday April 14 Easter Egg Wrapping
Sunday April 23 General Meeting including Board nominations
Sunday May 21 General meeting including Board Election
End of year party late afternoon
June 21-25 Clergy-Laity conference in Tarpon Springs, Florida
Saturday Sept 16 Agape Luncheon
Saturday Nov 11 Medical Fund Luncheon in Texas
Membership Drives continues. Join us and have an opportunity to vote and make decisions!
All members please come vote for your Board on Sunday May 21.
We are stronger together! Please participate as often as your schedule permits as our mission of feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, the homeless, poor and destitute has no end in sight. Our ripple effect will create an abundance of love and light for others.
#philostrong #ArmyofAgape
Agape, Lekita
St Anthony’s Group
If you are interested in attending April 29th’s musical “All Shook Up” at 2pm in the Temple Theater (Sanford, NC) Please contact toulacapetanos@yahoo.com or 919-810-2903 no later than prior to March 27th for more information. The group rate is $27 per person.
On Tuesday, April 4th at 12:30pm in Parish Hall - Spaghetti Luncheon at 12:30pm.
The whole community is invited.
On Saturday, April 8th at 1:30pm in Parish Hall – Chair exercises.
On Friday, April 21st at 7:00pm, there is a Jazz Trio concert at Meredith College’s
Carswell Auditorium – Free admission. Please contact Toula by April 18th if you are interested in attending.
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!
Readers at Agape Vespers
Anyone who would like to read the assigned Gospel Lesson from St. John in a foreign language at the 11am Agape Vespers on Pascha Sunday, April 16, please contact Fr. Paul by email at htraleighfr@gmail.com.
Kalo Pascha!
Save the Date! Orthodox Parenting Retreat
with Dr. Philip Mamalakis on June 2-3
We're thrilled to announce that Dr. Philip Mamalakis, author of
Parenting toward the Kingdom: Orthodox Christian Principles of Child-Rearing,
will be visiting us for a parenting retreat Friday, June 2, and Saturday, June 3.
Friday evening, Dr. Mamalakis will provide a seminar to both moms and dads. Childcare will be provided. Saturday, mothers will gather after the Saturday of Souls service for lunch and an afternoon focused on our unique role.
More details to follow in the coming weeks. You can find Dr. Mamalakis' book at
Ancient Faith, Amazon, and soon the Holy Trinity bookstore. We hope to see you there!
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
Sunday, April 23 in the Library (12:15-1:00pm):
The Pharmacy from God, Herb Workshop, and the last day to order plants
Saturday, April 29 (10am-2pm) Plant pickup
UPCOMING SERVICES
SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 2023
ANNUNCIATION OF THE THEOTOKOS
ORTHROS 9:00 A.M.
(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 8:55 A.M.)
SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 2023
SUNDAY OF ST JOHN CLIMACUS
ORTHROS 8:30 A.M.
DIVINE LITURGY 10:00 A.M.
(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 8:25 A.M.)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2023
5th PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY
6:00 P.M.
(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 5:55 P.M.)
FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2023
AKATHIST TO THE VIRGIN MARY
6:30 P.M.
(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 6:25 P.M.)
SUNDAY, APRIL 2, 2023
SUNDAY OF ST MARY OF EGYPT
ORTHROS 8:30 A.M.
DIVINE LITURGY 10:00 A.M.
(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 8:25 A.M.)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2023
6th PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY
6:00 P.M.
(LIVE BROADCAST BEGINS AT 5:55 P.M.)
Hymns of the Day
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Mode
From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; to burial of three days hast Thou submitted that Thou mightest free us from our passions. O our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory be to Thee.
Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.
Apolytikion for Sun. of St. John Climacus in the Plagal Fourth Mode
With the streams of thy tears, thou didst cultivate the barrenness of the desert; and by thy sighings from the depths,thou didst bear fruit a hundredfold in labours; and thou becamest a luminary, shining with miracles upon the world, O John our righteous Father. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.
Ταίς τών δακρύων σου ροαίς, τής ερήμου τό άγονον εγεώργησας, καί τοίς εκ βάθους στεναγμοίς, εις εκατόν τούς πόνους εκαρποφόρησας, καί γέγονας φωστήρ, τή οικουμένη λάμπων τοίς θαύμασι, Ιωάννη Πατήρ ημών, Όσιε, Πρέσβευε Χριστώ τώ Θεώ, σωθήναι τάς ψυχάς ημών.
Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode
To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"
Τὴ ὑπερμάχω στρατηγῶ τὰ νικητήρια, ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν εὐχαριστήρια, ἀναγράφω σοὶ ἡ Πόλις σου Θεοτόκε, Ἀλλ' ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον, ἐκ παντοίων μὲ κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον, ἵνα κράζω σοί, Χαῖρε νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε.
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:
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Matins Gospel Reading
Eighth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:11-18
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, Μαρία εἱστήκει πρὸς τὸ μνημεῖον 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 Ἰησοῦ, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῇ ἐκεῖνοι· Γύναι, τί κλαίεις; λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ὅτι ᾖραν τὸν Κύριόν μου, καὶ οὐκ οἶδα ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν· καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἐστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἑστῶτα, καὶ οὐκ ᾒδει ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστι. Λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Γύναι, τί κλαίεις; τίνα ζητεῖς; ἐκείνη δοκοῦσα ὅτι ὁ κηπουρὸς ἐστι, λέγει αὐτῷ· Κύριε, εἰ σὺ ἐβάστασας αὐτόν, εἰπέ μοι ποῦ αὐτὸν ἔθηκας, κᾀγὼ αὐτὸν ἀρῶ· λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Μαρία· στραφεῖσα ἐκείνη λέγει αὐτῷ· Ῥαββουνί· ὃ λέγεται Διδάσκαλε· λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Μή μου ἃπτου· 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 has 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 touch 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. 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 Ἑβραίους 6:13-20.
Ἀδελφοί, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπαγγειλάμενος ὁ θεός, ἐπεὶ κατʼ οὐδενὸς εἶχεν μείζονος ὀμόσαι, ὤμοσεν καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ, λέγων, Ἦ μὴν εὐλογῶν εὐλογήσω σε, καὶ πληθύνων πληθυνῶ σε. Καὶ οὕτως μακροθυμήσας ἐπέτυχεν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. Ἄνθρωποι μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος ὀμνύουσιν, καὶ πάσης αὐτοῖς ἀντιλογίας πέρας εἰς βεβαίωσιν ὁ ὅρκος. Ἐν ᾧ περισσότερον βουλόμενος ὁ θεὸς ἐπιδεῖξαι τοῖς κληρονόμοις τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ ἀμετάθετον τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ, ἐμεσίτευσεν ὅρκῳ, ἵνα διὰ δύο πραγμάτων ἀμεταθέτων, ἐν οἷς ἀδύνατον ψεύσασθαι θεόν, ἰσχυρὰν παράκλησιν ἔχωμεν οἱ καταφυγόντες κρατῆσαι τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος· ἣν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχομεν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν, καὶ εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος· ὅπου πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἀρχιερεὺς γενόμενος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
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 Hebrews 6:13-20.
BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Gospel Reading
Sunday of St. John Climacus
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 9:17-31
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἄνθρωπός τις προσῆλθε τῷ Ἰησοῦ λέγων, διδάσκαλε, ἤνεγκα τὸν υἱόν μου πρός σε, ἔχοντα πνεῦμα ἄλαλον. καὶ ὅπου ἂν αὐτὸν καταλάβῃ, ῥήσσει αὐτόν, καὶ ἀφρίζει καὶ τρίζει τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ξηραίνεται· καὶ εἶπον τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου ἵνα αὐτὸ ἐκβάλωσι, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς αὐτῷ λέγει· ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος, ἕως πότε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔσομαι; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετε αὐτὸν πρός με. καὶ ἤνεγκαν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτόν. καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν εὐθέως τὸ πνεῦμα ἐσπάραξεν αὐτόν, καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκυλίετο ἀφρίζων. καὶ ἐπηρώτησε τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· πόσος χρόνος ἐστὶν ὡς τοῦτο γέγονεν αὐτῷ; ὁ δὲ εἶπε· παιδιόθεν. καὶ πολλάκις αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς πῦρ ἔβαλε καὶ εἰς ὕδατα, ἵνα ἀπολέσῃ αὐτόν· ἀλλ᾿ εἴ τι δύνασαι, βοήθησον ἡμῖν σπλαγχνισθεὶς ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι, πάντα δυνατὰ τῷ πιστεύοντι. καὶ εὐθέως κράξας ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ παιδίου μετὰ δακρύων ἔλεγε· πιστεύω, κύριε· βοήθει μου τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ. ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ὅτι ἐπισυντρέχει ὄχλος, ἐπετίμησε τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ λέγων αὐτῷ· τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἄλαλον καὶ κωφόν, ἐγώ σοι ἐπιτάσσω, ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ μηκέτι εἰσέλθῃς εἰς αὐτόν. καὶ κράξαν καὶ πολλὰ σπαράξαν αὐτὸν ἐξῆλθε, καὶ ἐγένετο ὡσεὶ νεκρός, ὥστε πολλοὺς λέγειν ὅτι ἀπέθανεν. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς κρατήσας αὐτὸν τῆς χειρὸς ἤγειρεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀνέστη. Καὶ εἰσελθόντα αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπηρώτων αὐτὸν κατ᾿ ἰδίαν, ὅτι ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο τὸ γένος ἐν οὐδενὶ δύναται ἐξελθεῖν εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ. Καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἐξελθόντες παρεπορεύοντο διὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἵνα τις γνῷ· ἐδίδασκε γὰρ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀποκτανθεὶς τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστήσεται.
Sunday of St. John Climacus
The Reading is from Mark 9:17-31
At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise."
Wisdom of the Fathers
Seest thou how He now proceeds to lay beforehand in them the foundation of His doctrine about fasting? ... See, at any rate, how many blessings spring from them both. For he that is praying as he ought, and fasting, hath not many wants, and he that hath not many wants, cannot be covetous; ...
Homily 57 on Matthew 17,4,5. B#54, pp.355,356., 4th Century
... he that is not covetous, will be also more disposed for almsgiving. He that fasts is light, and winged, and prays with wakefulness, and quenches his wicked lusts, and propitiates God, and humbles his soul when lifted up. Therefore even the apostles were almost always fasting.
Homily 57 on Matthew 17,4,5. B#54, pp.355,356., 4th Century
Saints and Feasts
March 26
26 Martyrs in Crimea
March 26
Synaxis in honor of the Archangel Gabriel
This festive Synaxis is celebrated to the glory of the Archangel Gabriel, since he ministered to the marvelous mystery of God's incarnate dispensation.
March 26
Sunday of St. John Climacus
The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast.
March 27
Martyr Matrona of Thessalonica
This martyr was the servant of a certain Jewish woman named Pantilla, the wife of the Governor of Thessalonica. When Matrona refused to follow her mistress into the synagogue Pantilla beat her so severly that she died in a few days, and thus received the crown of her confession.
March 27
5th Monday of Lent
March 27
Paul, Bishop of Corinth
March 28
Hilarion the New
Saint Hilarion took up the monastic life from his youth and lived in seclusion. Later, as Abbot of the Monastery of Pelecete in Asia Minor (believed to be in Bithynia, not far from Triglia), he suffered much from the Iconoclasts, and reposed in the year 754.
March 28
5th Tuesday of Lent
March 28