THE GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA 

ARCHIEPISCOPAL ENCYCLICAL  

Encyclical on the Feast of the Three Hierarchs and the Day of Greek

January 30, 2021 

So, from the very beginning, we must examine each of their teachings, 
to harmonize it with our ultimate purpose, according to the Doric proverb,  
“testing each stone by the measuring-line.”  
(St. Basil the Great, ADDRESS TO YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT USE OF GREEK LITERATURE) 

To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and  Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox  Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day,  Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic  Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America, 

Beloved Brethren in the Lord, The Day of Greek Letters is upon us, the Feast of the Holy Three Hierarchs: Basil  the Great, John Chrysostom, and Gregory the Theologian. This Feastday was designed to  settle the disputes about who was the greatest of the three. And the answer is … they are  all great! 

The brilliance of these τρεῖς µεγίστους φωστῆρας τῆς τρισηλίου Θεότητος, “the  three great lamps of the Divine Threefold-Sun,” comes not only from their spiritual  wisdom and teaching, but from their special appreciation for education in all its forms.  Saints Basil and Gregory were graduates of the Academy of Plato. Saint John Chrysostom  was regarded as the greatest rhetorician of his age, and studied with a pagan master of  the art, Libanius the Sophist. The Three Hierarchs were not afraid of science and learning. 

Each of them incorporated the very best from the world of their day, and showed the  Church how to put knowledge in the service of faith. 

We call Basil “Great,” because he exemplifies how a Hierarch of the Church should  excel in teaching, in pastoral care of all the flock, and in humility. We call John  “Chrysostomos” – the “golden tongue,” because his preaching was so inspiring that his  words were held more valuable to the soul than a ransom of kings. And we call Gregory  “Theologian,” because his orations are filled with the true and Orthodox teaching of the  Holy Trinity.

Each of these geniuses infused their spiritual work with all the precious elements  they found in Greek Literature and Παιδεία. They all subscribed to the same Doric  proverb cited by Saint Basil above, which Saint Gregory also repeats in his Letter xxxviii,  and Saint John Chrysostom in his Homily xxv. The wise builder measures each stone as  he constructs his house. And as we construct the houses of our souls, we must also  measure the material we use. Is it edifying or merely entertaining? Is it wholesome and  conducive to our spiritual growth? 

The Three Hierarchs found in the libraries of Classical Greece a wealth of  knowledge and instruction, and we may find the same for ourselves and our children.  Let us celebrate their memory and honor their legacy, by recommitting to preserving our  language, culture, and the vast treasure that is Hellenic Παιδεία, which is our rightful  inheritance, following in the footsteps of the these “three great lamps of the Divine  Threefold-Sun.” 

With paternal love in Christ Jesus, 

† ELPIDOPHOROS 
Archbishop of America

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Join us for Sunday Worship

Matins 9:30 AM & Divine Liturgy 10:30 AM

Worship is conducted in English & Greek

Fellowship & Refreshments follow Sunday Worship 

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Swearing in of Parish Council members took place on Sunday January 10, 2021.  We welcome our new Parish Council. 

- Andrew George - President

- Christina Halatsis - Vice President 

- George Souris - Treasurer 

- May Vlachos - Secretary 

- Marcus Marrero

- Sophia Robbins

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Please visit our new website and follow us on our social media pages.  

- Website:http://www.saintgeorgenyc.org/ 

- Stewardship and Light a candle: https://stgeorgenyc.square.site/

- Livestreaming:https://www.facebook.com/SaintGeorgeChurchNYC
 

**************MARILENA'S MEALS: I was hungry and you fed me."  Matthew 25:35   

Our Marilena’s Meals program is not currently distributing meals, but we are still finding ways to actively support our most vulnerable members of NYC; those without food and shelter.

We have partnered with the Antonio Olivieri Drop-In Center at 257 West 30th Street, as they are continuing their efforts to give aid to those in need.   

With the funds donated in September, October and November, we purchased 58 pairs of sweatpants and 38 sweatshirts, as we were alerted that those are the items that are most in need for the men and women receiving services at the center.  We also purchased gloves for when the weather turns cold.

For December 2020, we donated our Marilenas Meals funds to Philoxenia.  Philoxenia will be arranging for dinner for the residents of the Jan Peek House in Peekskill, NY, a shelter for about 25 individuals who are homeless https://www.chhop.org/. They provided 40 meals for the residents so that they can have a second serving and so that there is enough food for any walk-ins.  Visit https://philoxenia.org/ for more information.

For our January 2021 program, our two 11th grade teen volunteers, Kayla Malcolm-Joseph and Leah Allen, donated funds that they raised to purchase thirty $10 Dunkin Donuts gift cards for those in need at the Antonio Olivieri Drop-In Center.  Hand written cards from the girls are included with each gift card. 

We hope to resume our monthly program of making and distributing meals as soon as it is safe to do so.  In the meantime, we will continue to pursue meaningful ways to safely help those in need.  

We are actively looking for sponsors and other donations.  Please contact May Vlachos for information on sponsorship and donations: marilenasmeals@gmail.com 

 
2020 - 2021 Program:

September 2020 - Sponsored by an anonymous donor and dedicated with love and gratitude to God for helping their mother live a cancer-free, long and healthy life. 

October 2020 - Sponsored by Irene Gregov and her family, in loving memory of her mother Popi Stefanidis, a faithful long time parishioner of St. George.

November 2020 -  Sponsored with love by May Vlachos, in celebration of her godchildren Peter Bounougias, Jack Theodore Venditto and Sophia Anna Onesto.

December 2020 -  Dedicated in loving memory of our grandparents: Theodore Vlachos, May Vlachos, James Karitenos, Amelia Karitenos, Panagiotis Nictas, Marianthi Nictas, Nicholas Mikedis and Anna Mikedis, by Ted, Maria, Ioanna and Eleni Vlachos.

January 2021 -  Sponsored by our two 11th grade volunteers, Kayla Malcolm-Joseph and Leah Allen.  The teens worked with their school, Sacred Heart Greenwich in Greenwich, Connecticut to raise money.  Kayla and Leah volunteer during our traditional Marilena’s Meals program every month, and are two of our most diligent, dedicated and youngest volunteers. 


Sponsorship opportunities available for 2021!     Please contact May Vlachos at marilenasmeals@gmail.com

January 2021 gift cards with messages for those in need at the Antonio Olivieri Drop-In Center.