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Holy Trinity Cathedral
Publish Date: 2023-12-24
Bulletin Contents
Parish News
Insert
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Saints and Feasts
Wisdom of the Fathers
Archdiocese News
Eugenia
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Holy Trinity Cathedral

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (419) 243-9189
  • Fax:
  • (419) 243-3799
  • Street Address:

  • 740 Superior Street

  • Toledo, OH 43604
  • Mailing Address:

  • 740 Superior Street

  • Toledo, OH 43604

Contact Information

Priest Father Larry Legakis


priestholytrinity@gmail.com | 419-243-9189

Services Schedule

Sunday Services Orthros 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Church School Following Holy Communion Week Day Divine Liturgy Orthros 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Evening Services Consult Echo Calendar or Weekly Bulletin for times.

Past Bulletins


Parish News

Holy Trinity’s Mission Statement:  To worship and glorify God, by promoting the teachings, of the Greek Orthodox Faith. To encourage all members' participation through our Greek culture, educational programs,   community outreach and fundraising activities while serving God, our community and humanity

PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS USHERING TODAY:

Kristin Zink – Kathy Chaka – Andrew Cleaver – Gene Haberman

CHRISMATIONS:  Today we are blessed to Chrismate the servants of God Robert Franks Sponsored by Frank Reder and Cameron Porter Sponsored by John Andujar.  May our Lord continue to illumine and bless them!

THIS WEEK’S TRISAGION PRAYERS ARE FOR:      William Tzanakis – 1 year    Angeline Tzanakis – 10 years   May Their Memory Be Eternal

THIS WEEK’S EPISTLE READERS ARE:  In Greek: Basil Apostolou    In English: Greg Cook 

THIS WEEK’S ALTAR FLOWERS ARE SPONSORED BY: The loving children of Maria Melas in celebration of her birthday.  May God Continue to Bless Her Always

PROSFORA BY:  Kris Reder   Thank you and God Bless You

IN THE HOSPITAL THIS PAST WEEK:  Faye Grevis (Toledo)   Chrysoula Stathopoulos (Flower) Perastika and a Speedy Recovery

THIS WEEK’S COFFEE HOUR IS SPONSORED BY: Our Holy Trinity Sunday School and Choir. Please join them after Liturgy today for coffee, refreshments, and fellowship in our Veronie Community Hall. 

THIS WEEK AT HOLY TRINITY:    

Monday, December 25th: Christmas Orthros 9 am Divine Liturgy 10 am

Tuesday, December 26th:  Office Closed

Wednesday, December 27th: St. Stephen Orthros 9 am Divine Liturgy

Worship opportunities in January:

Monday, 1st

New Year’s Day-St. Basil

9:00 a.m.        Orthros

10:00 a.m.      Divine Liturgy

Friday, 5th                   

Eve of the Epiphany

9:00 a.m.  Vesperal Divine Liturgy                                                 

Lesser Blessing of Waters

Saturday, 6th            

Feast of the Epiphany

9:00 a.m.        Orthros

10:00 a.m.      Divine Liturgy

Great Blessing of Waters

Sunday, 7th                

Vasilopita Sunday                         

Feast of St. John the Baptist

9:00 a.m.       Orthros

10:00 a.m.     Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 13th

Pan-Orthodox Blessing of the Maumee

Attention: Warm Hands to Warm Hearts (WHWM): Our January meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 30th, 2024 from 1:00 PM-3:00 PM in the AHEPA Room of the Veronie Community Hall. Our yarn supply is now growing, so we thank you very much! Please continue to donate whenever you can. We appreciate it very much and can assure you that it will be used! Please keep crocheting or knitting 7x9 inch rectangles. It takes 25 for each lap blanket. Winter is a perfect time to stay warm and cozy inside and work on making colorful rectangles in the stitch and design of your choice. For more information or questions, please call Elena Perry at (419) 265-6275 or Maria Petros at (419) 473-2387. Thanks!

SEARCHING FOR LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS GIFTS?? Check out all the new items in our Bookstore-Icons, Bookmarks, Bracelets, Children’s coloring books, Visor clips, Ornaments, Books and much more.

NEW NEW NEW Pantry Bulletin Article.  We are in the cold and difficult months for those that are homeless and less fortunate.  Please consider donating nonperishable food items, hygiene items or monetary donations.  Our most needed items this month are: canned chicken, jelly, pasta sauce, chili soups or other hardy soups, oatmeal, and cereal. We are so grateful for your donations.  Thank you!

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE:  We are in the 12th month of our 2023 Stewardship Campaign and fast approaching the last quarter.  Are you current with your pledge?...If you are…we thank you!..If you aren’t. Please catch up.  We need everyone’s support to make this a successful campaign!

Sunday Coffee Hours –There are many Sundays available and it is a great way for your family, or a few families together, to offer fellowship and refreshments to our community. Please let Carole know which Sunday you would like to offer Coffee Hour.

ATTENTION PROSFORA BAKERS: ***PROSFORA NEEDED FOR THE MONTHS OF December and January.  Please call Connie Mynihan at 419-250-4899 or email at cmynihan5@gmail.com 

ALTAR FLOWERS ARE NEEDED FOR March 10 2024 cost is $50 for 2 beautiful vases. It’s a great way to show your support in honor or memory of someone and beautify our altar too! Call the Church office if you’re interested. 

Up-Coming Memorials: December 31st:  Dora Kokolakis – 1 year, Father Chris Hadgigeorge- 8 years (Trisagion) January 14th – Neocles Leontis – 3 years

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Insert

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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.

Apolytikion for Eve of Nativity in the Fourth Mode

As the fruit of David's seed, Mary was registered of old with the Elder Joseph in the little town of Bethlehem, when she conceived with a seedless and pure conception. Behold, the time was come that she should bear her Child, but no place was found within the inn for them; yet the cave proved a delightful palace for the pure Lady and Queen of all. For Christ is born now to raise the image that had fallen aforetime.

Apolytikion for Sun. before Nativity in the Second Mode

Great are the achievements of faith! In the fountain of flame, as by the water of rest, the Three Holy Children rejoiced. And the Prophet Daniel proved a shepherd of lions as of sheep. By their prayers, O Christ our God, save our souls.

Apolytikion of the Church in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who made fisherman all-wise, by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them, drawing all the world into Your net. O Loving One, glory be to You.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode

On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Seventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:1-10

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying and the napkin, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:9-10; 32-40.

BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Gospel Reading

Sunday before Nativity
The Reading is from Matthew 1:1-25

The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.

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Saints and Feasts

Eugenia
December 24

Eugenia the Righteous Nun-martyr of Rome and those with her

This Martyr was the daughter of most distinguished and noble parents named Philip and Claudia. Philip, a Prefect of Rome, moved to Alexandria with his family. In Alexandria, Eugenia had the occasion to learn the Christian Faith, in particular when she encountered the Epistles of Saint Paul, the reading of which filled her with compunction and showed her clearly the vanity of the world. Secretly taking two of her servants, Protas and Hyacinth, she departed from Alexandria by night. Disguised as a man, she called herself Eugene while pretending to be a eunuch, and departed with her servants and took up the monastic life in a monastery of men. Her parents mourned for her, but could not find her. After Saint Eugenia had laboured for some time in the monastic life, a certain woman named Melanthia, thinking Eugenia to be a monk, conceived lust and constrained Eugenia to comply with her desire; when Eugenia refused, Melanthia slandered Eugenia to the Prefect as having done insult to her honour. Eugenia was brought before the Prefect, her own father Philip, and revealed to him both that she was innocent of the accusations, and that she was his own daughter. Through this, Philip became a Christian; he was afterwards beheaded at Alexandria. Eugenia was taken back to Rome with Protas and Hyacinth. All three of them ended their life in martyrdom in the years of Commodus, who reigned from 180 to 192.

Treejesse
December 24

Sunday before Nativity

On the Sunday that occurs on or immediately after the eighteenth of this month, we celebrate all those who from ages past have been well-pleasing to God, beginning from Adam even unto Joseph the Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos, according to genealogy, as the Evangelist Luke hath recorded historically (Luke 3:23-38); we also commemorate the Prophets and Prophetesses, and especially the Prophet Daniel and the Holy Three Children.

Allsaint
December 24

Eve of the Nativity of Christ

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Wisdom of the Fathers

Pray, my brethren, to the Mother of God when the storm of enmity and malice bursts forth in your house. She, Who is all-merciful and all-powerful, can easily pacify the hearts of men. Peace and love proceed from the one God, as from their Source, and Our Lady - in God, as the Mother of Christ the Peace, is zealous, and prays for the peace of the whole world, and above all - of all Christians.
St. John of Kronstadt
My Life in Christ: Part 1, Holy Trinity Monastery pg. 179, 19th century

Through their prayers for, and alms on behalf of, the deceased, Christians display the relationship between this world and the world to come. The Church in this world and the Church in the other world are one and the same the one Body of Christ one the Church Militant and the other the Church Triumphant. It can be compared to a tree which has roots beneath the earth comprise as well as branches above the earth, but both the roots and the branches comprise one organism. This metaphor also illustrates how we on earth who comprise the Church Militant can receive help from the saints and the righteous ones in the Heavenly Church Triumphant. Saint Athanasios says: 'As it happens with wine inside a barrel which, when the vineyard blooms in the field, senses it and the wine itself blossoms together with it, so it is with the souls of sinners. They receive some relief from the Bloodless Sacrifice offered for them and from charity' performed for their repose. Saint Ephrem the Syrian cites that same example with wine and the vineyard and concludes: 'And so, when there exists such mutual sensitivity even among plants, is not the prayer and sacrifice felt even more for the departed ones?' '[At the Eucharist] the bread itself and the wine are changed into God's body and blood. But if you enquire how this happens, it is enough for you to learn that it was through the Holy Spirit, just as the Lord took on Himself flesh that subsisted in Him and was born of the Holy Mother of God through the Spirit. And we know nothing further save that the Word of God is true and energises and is omnipotent, but the manner of this cannot be searched out. But one can put it well thus, that just as in nature the bread by the eating and the wine by the drinking are changed into the body and blood of the eater and drinker, and do not become a different body from the former one, so the bread of the table and the wine and water are supernaturally changed by the invocation and presence of the Holy Spirit into the body and blood of Christ, and are not two but one and the same.'
St. John of Damascus
An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book 4: Chapter 13; Eerdmans pg. 83, 8th century

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Archdiocese News

Patriarchal Encyclical for Christmas (2023)

12/19/2023

https://www.goarch.org/-/patriarchal-encyclical-for-christmas-2023-?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss

With the grace of God, we are once again this year celebrating in chant, hymn, and spiritual song the Nativity according to the flesh of the pre-eternal Son and Word of God, namely the manifestation of the mystery of God and humankind. According to St. Nicholas Cabasilas, what occurs in the Divine Liturgy is “the mystagogy of the Lord’s incarnation,” while its introductory acclamation “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” is evidence “that it is through the Lord’s incarnation that people first learned that God is three persons.”[1] The same saintly Father proclaims that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was the first and only to demonstrate the authentic and perfect human being, concerning His ethos, life, and everything else.”[2]


Fully Human Podcast "The Word Became Flesh So We Might Become Little Christs"

12/19/2023

https://www.goarch.org/-/fully-human-podcast-the-word-became-flesh-so-we-might-become-little-christs-?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss

Presvytera Melanie DiStefano shares a reflection on Chapter 1 of the Gospel of John, as it related to the Nativity Season, Caregiving, and learning to serve Christ in every person we encounter. 


Sunday Sermon Series Sunday Before Nativity December 24

12/20/2023

https://www.goarch.org/-/sunday-sermon-seriesdepartment-of-religious-education-dre-sunday-before-nativity-december-24?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss

This week, find insights about the upcoming Gospel reading, where we learn about the Incarnation of the Son of God and the genealogy of Jesus. What does Emmanuel mean? And how does He change history? Also, what does Jesus being born in a manger have to do with Holy Communion?


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