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Saint Basil The Great
Publish Date: 2019-09-15
Bulletin Contents
Fr. Donat Augusta Message
ST. BASIL CHURCH CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES
Greek Cultural Fair 2019 FLYER and VOLUNTEER FORMS
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Saints and Feasts
ST. BASIL GREEK SCHOOL
Hymns of the Day
Exaltation
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Saint Basil The Great

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (203)777-8294
  • Street Address:

  • 1 Tower Lane

  • New Haven, CT 06519
  • Mailing Address:

  • P.O. Box 9356

  • New Haven, CT 06533

Contact Information

Priest Rev. Donat Augusta

FrDonatAugusta@mail.goarch.org | 860-306-7230

Parish Council President Dr. Spyros Condos

athenacondos250@hotmail.com | 203-387-9504

Services Schedule

SUNDAY SERVICES

9:00 am Orthros

10:00 am Divine Liturgy

Church School

Coffee Social following Liturgy

 

OTHER SERVICES

As announced.

Past Bulletins


Fr. Donat Augusta Message

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SUNDAY,  September 15: Orthros at 9:00am.  Divine Liturgy at 10:00am.  Celebration of the Universal Exaultation of the Precious and Life Giving Cross.   Social Hour in the Parish Hall following Liturgy.

+THEODORA KARACHRISTOS Three-Year Memorial Service at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy.   

REFLECTION:  At the beginning of this ecclestical new year and soon after we celebrated the Nativity of the Theotokos on September 8, we encounter the Cross of our Savior (September 14).  Our only Glory is in the Cross of Jesus.  In the Gospel of John (chapter 3) we hear that “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

We know that the cross of our Lord is how He was crucified for our salvation, but we also must be reminded to  “bear our Cross,”  and remember that the cross is our Redemption, that our sins are forgiven through the Blood of Christ shed on the cross, and that there is a relationship between the tree of the cross and love.

Moses in the wilderness of Shur (Exodus 15) plunged a tree into the bitter waters which were made sweet.  In a similar manner the tree of the cross, plunged into the bitterness in our hearts, can make them sweet. 

In Proverb (chapter 3) we see that wisdom is the “tree of life for all who cleave to her.”  The cross which seems to the world ‘folly’, is wisdom herself and is identified with the tree of life of the earthly paradise, the fruits of which imparted physical immortality.

On this feast, the cross which is normally kept in the sanctuary is brought out and is placed in the center of the church for the faithful to venerate and we sing, “Before Your Cross we bow down in worship O Master, and we praise and glorify Your holy Resurrection.”  In the church and therefore in our hearts, we never separate the cross from the tomb, the crucifixion from the resurrection, and death from life.  Christ Himself planted on earth the life-giving tree of the cross. 

On this feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, let us hold high and keep in our hearts the cross of Jesus, let us commit to the highest and most complete understanding of these words of our Lord (John 15:12-13), “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

GREETER SCHEDULE:    Sunday, September 15: ________.    

SCHEDULING MEMORIAL SERVICES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Memorial Services scheduled for Sundays at the end of the Liturgy can be announced in the weekly eBulletin if the information is sent to Fr. Don's email.  Please send your Memorial information by email to Fr. Don by the Thursday prior to the scheduled Memorial Service date.  FrDonatAugusta@mail.goarch.org

Email to Fr. Don:  FrDonatAugusta@mail.goarch.org . 

Email to St. Basil Church:  office@stbasil.ct.goarch.org.    You can ask to forward your email to the parish priest, the parish council, the Philoptochos, the Greek School, or the New Haven Greek Community for a response.   Just indicate where you want your  email to be directed..

Visit our St. Basil parish website:    www.stbasil.ct.goarch.org.  You will find many interesting links.  Especially visit the "Orthodox Marketplace" where you will find an excellent selection of icons, books, and gift ideas for birthdays and holidays.  Also, you can link to our Parish Facebook page.  Thanks to Arven Saunders for managing the parish website. 

On Facebook do a search for:  "Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church."  You will find lots of information about parish activities, photos, and updates.  Thanks to Athena Nomikos for her work posting photos and information on our parish Facebook site.

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ST. BASIL CHURCH CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES

ST. BASIL CALENDAR

+THEODORA KARACHRISTOS Three-Year Memorial Service at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on this Sunday, September 15.   

GREETER SCHEDULE:    Sunday, September 15: ________.  

BAPTISM:  Sunday, September 29th, 2019 at 1:00pm.  Baptism of  Alexander Panos Vamvakas, son of John and Melissa Vamvakas.

ST. BASIL 2019 GREEK FAIR:  Friday, Sept. 20, Sat. 21st, and Sunday the 22nd.  This coming week is the FAIR!  Now is the time for you to offer your time and support for the FAIR.  Your contributions, donations, and offering will make a successful Fair.  If you haven't yet, please fill out the 2019 FAIR VOLUNTEER FORM and bring it to Church this Sunday.  The FORM is found under the "Greek Cultural Fair 2019" in this eBulletin.     Please purchase and/or sell the FAIR RAFFLE TICKETS.  Thank You.

NEW !!!  LIVE GREEK MUSIC BY DJ NICK NAKIS  added this year to the 2019 GREEK FAIR on Saturday! ! !   LIVE DJ GREEK MUSIC will be on Saturday, September 21 from 3pm to  7pm ! !  DJ Nick Nakis is the one who provided Greek Dancing Music at the last church dance.  Those who wish will be able to dance!  It will be a great new addition to this year's FAIR.  A good chance to share a Greek experience with friends and neighbors.

ST. BASIL GREEK SCHOOL     The new academic year for St. Basil Greek School will start on Saturday October 5th at 10:00 am. Letters have been mailed to parents with registration forms and parents are asked to return the forms to the church's mailing address or to the church on Sunday.    For additional information or questions you may have, please call Athena Condos (203-387-9504)

MEMORIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Memorial Services scheduled for Sundays at the end of the Liturgy can be announced in this weekly eBulletin.  Please send your email to Fr. Don by the Thursday prior to the scheduled memorial service date.  FrDonatAugusta@mail.goarch.org       

You may add church events/announcements/Memorials/FAIR News by sending email to:  FrDonatAugusta@mail.goarch.org.


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Greek Cultural Fair 2019 FLYER and VOLUNTEER FORMS

    Fair Flyer and Volunteer Form

    Fair Flyer and Volunteer Form

    Please print out the Flyer and distribute to help promote the Greek Cultural Fair 2019. Also, fill out the Volunteer Form and return it to the Church indicating your areas to help. And, if you wish, send in a donation to help defray some of the cost and give your donation to support this year's Fair. Thank you.

    STEWARDSHIP 2019 FORM

    STEWARDSHIP 2019 FORM

    Print out the Stewardship 2019 Form and send it to St. Basil Church with your offering. Send to: St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church, PO Box 9356, New Haven, CT 06533.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 2:16-20.

Brethren, knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 103.24,1.
Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου Κύριε, πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας.
Στίχ. Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Γαλάτας 2:16-20.

Ἀδελφοί, εἰδότες ὅτι οὐ δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, ἐὰν μὴ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιστεύσαμεν, ἵνα δικαιωθῶμεν ἐκ πίστεως Χριστοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου· διότι οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐξ ἔργων νόμου πᾶσα σάρξ. Εἰ δέ, ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ, εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος; Μὴ γένοιτο. Εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα, ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν συνίστημι. Ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον, ἵνα θεῷ ζήσω. Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι· ζῶ δέ, οὐκέτι ἐγώ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός· ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ.

Gospel Reading

Sunday after Holy Cross
The Reading is from Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

Sunday after Holy Cross
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 8:34-38, 9:1

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι. ὃς γὰρ ἂν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ σῶσαι, ἀπολέσει αὐτήν· ὃς δ᾿ ἂν ἀπολέσῃ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, οὗτος σώσει αὐτήν. τί γὰρ ὠφελήσει ἄνθρωπον ἐὰν κερδήσῃ τὸν κόσμον ὅλον, καὶ ζημιωθῇ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ; ἢ τί δώσει ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ; ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν ἐπαισχυνθῇ με καὶ τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ μοιχαλίδι καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ, καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπαισχυνθήσεται αὐτὸν ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων τῶν ἁγίων. Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι εἰσί τινες τῶν ὧδε ἑστηκότων, οἵτινες οὐ μὴ γεύσωνται θανάτου ἕως ἂν ἴδωσι τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐληλυθυῖαν ἐν δυνάμει.

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Wisdom of the Fathers

When, on this day, we look at the precious Cross of Christ, in faith let us adore it, let us rejoice, and embrace it ardently, beseeching our Lord, who of His own choice gave Himself to be crucified on it, to make us worthy of adoring His most precious Cross so that, free from all defilement, we may attain the day of Resurrection.
Orthros for the Adoration of the Holy Cross

A Christian's . . . duty is to "take up his cross." The word cross means sufferings, sorrows and adversities. To take up one's cross means to bear without grumblings everything unpleasant, painful, sad, difficult and oppressive that ay happen to us in life. . .without expecting any earthly reward in return, but bear it all with love, with joy and with courageous strength.
St. Innocent of Alaska
The Lenten Spring, SVS Press, p. 147, 19th Century

To deny oneself means to give up one's bad habits; to root out of the heart all that ties us to the world; not to cherish bad thoughts and desires; to suppress every evil thought; to avoid occasions of sin; not to desire or to do anything out of self-love, but to do everything out of love for God. To deny oneself, according to St. Paul means "to be dead to sin. . . but alive to God."
St. Innocent of Alaska
The Lenten Spring, SVS Press, p. 147, 19th Century

Interior crosses can be found at all times, and more easily than exterior ones. You have only to direct your attention to yourself and examine yourself with a sense of repentance, and a thousand interior crosses will at once present themselves to you. . . Interior crosses are sometimes so burdensome that the sufferer can find no consolation whatever in anything. All this can happen to you too! But in whatever position you may be, and whatever sufferings of the soul you may feel, do not despair and do not think that the Lord has abandoned you. NO! God will always be with you and will invisibly strengthen you even when it seems to you that you are on the very brink of perdition.
St. Innocent of Alaska
The Lenten Spring, SVS Press, p. 148, 19th Century

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Saints and Feasts

Exaltation
September 14

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross

Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered. The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole. Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, "Lord have mercy." It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.

Rest from labour. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.

Nikitas
September 15

Nikitas the Great Martyr

This Saint was of high birth among the Goths beyond the Danube River. He was taken by Athanaric, pagan ruler of the Goths, and after being tortured, was burned to death for his confession of Christ. According to some, this took place during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great; according to others, under the Emperor Gratian.

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ST. BASIL GREEK SCHOOL

ST. BASIL GREEK SCHOOL    The new academic year for St. Basil Greek School will start on Saturday October 5th at 10:00 am. Letters have been mailed to parents with registration forms and parents are asked to return the forms to the church's mailing address or to the church on Sunday.      If you have any questions about the Greek School, call:  Athena Condos at 203-387-9504 or email Athena at:  athenacondos250@hotmail.com.

 

 

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Mode

The women disciples of the Lord heard from the angel, the joyful news of the Resurrection and the repeal of the sentence imposed upon our forefathers. With pride they said to the Apostles, "Death is vanquished, Christ our God is risen bestowing upon the world His great mercy."
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.

Apolytikion for Afterfeast of the Holy Cross in the First Mode

Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance, granting our rulers to prevail over adversaries, and protecting Your commonwealth by Your Cross.
Σώσον Κύριε τόν λαόν σου καί ευλόγησον τήν κληρονομίαν σου, νίκας τοίς Βασιλεύσι κατά βαρβάρων δωρούμενος καί τό σόν φυλάττων διά τού Σταυρού σου πολίτευμα.

Apolytikion for Saint Basil the Great in the First Mode

Apolytikion (First Tone)

Your voice resounded throughout the world that received your word by which, in godly manner, you taught dogma, clarified the nature of beings, and set in order the character of people. Venerable father, Royal Priesthood, intercede to Christ God to grant us great mercy.

Kontakion (Fourth Tone)

For the Church art thou in truth a firm foundation, granting an inviolate lordship unto all mortal men and sealing it with what thou hast taught, O righteous Basil, revealer of heavenly things.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

Lifted up on the Cross by Your free will, Christ God, grant mercies to the new commonwealth that bears Your name. Gladden our faithful rulers by Your power, giving them victories over their adversaries. May Your alliance be for them a weapon for peace, an invincible standard.
Ο υψωθείς εν τώ Σταυρώ εκουσίως, τή επωνύμω σου καινή πολιτεία, τούς οικτιρμούς σου δώρησαι, Χριστέ ο Θεός, Εύφρανον εν τή δυνάμει σου, τούς πιστούς Βασιλείς ημών, νίκας χορηγών αυτοίς, κατά τών πολεμίων, τήν συμμαχίαν έχοιεν τήν σήν, όπλον ειρήνης, αήττητον τρόπαιον.
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