October 13
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2019-10-13
Bulletin Contents
St. Demetrios Calendar
Readings and Information
Parish News and Events
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Saints and Feasts
Wisdom of the Fathers
Hymns of the Day
Message from His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
General Information
- Phone:
- (781) 237-5561
- Fax:
- (781) 237-8612
- Email:
- office@stdemetriosweston.org
- Street Address:
- 57 Brown Street
- Weston, MA 02493
Contact Information
Services Schedule
Matins Sunday - 8:30 a.m. Weekdays - 9:00 a.m.
Liturgy Sunday - 9:30 a.m. Weekdays - 9:30 a.m.
Past Bulletins
- Publish Date:
- 2019-10-20
- Publish Date:
- 2019-10-06
- Publish Date:
- 2019-09-22
- Publish Date:
- 2019-09-15
- Publish Date:
- 2019-09-08
- Publish Date:
- 2019-09-01
St. Demetrios Calendar
SUNDAY OF THE 7TH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, October 13
- Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 8:30 am
TUESDAY, October 15
- Greek School, 4 pm
- Orthodox Life, 7 pm
FRIDAY, October 18
St. Luke the Evangelist
- Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 9 am
- Senior Guild Luncheon
SATURDAY, October 19
- Agape Prayer Group, 8:30 am
- Pet Blessing, 11 am
- Hellenic Nursing Home, 2 pm
6TH SUNDAY OF LUKE, October 20
- Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 8:30 am
- Greek Dancing, 12 noon
Readings and Information
Today’s Epistle Reading (Titus 3:8-15) is found on page 152 in your spiral Gospel and Epistle Book.
Today’s Gospel Reading (Luke 8:5-15) is found on page 99 in your spiral Gospel and Epistle Book.
Resurrectional Apolytikion, “From On High” is found on page 105 in your Blue Liturgy Book.
Thanksgiving prayers, for after Communion, are found on page 91 in your Blue Liturgy Book.
TODAY’S USHERS: Georgia Gefteas, Captain; Mark Gefteas; Perry Zois; Chris Pappas; Maria Tatakis; Van Spiros;
Carolyn Spiros; Mike Krone.
TODAY’S MEMORIAL: 1 year for Alexandros Parodos.
TODAY’S FELLOWSHIP HOUR: is graciously hosted by the Parodos Family.
TODAY’S GREETERS: Ethel Gionas.
Parish News and Events
ST. DEMETRIOS FEASTDAY CELEBRATIONSOCTOBER 25TH, 26TH, & 27TH
Friday, Oct. 25th
Great Vespers, 6 pm. Clergy and faithful of the area have been invited to join us. A reception hosted by Philoptochos will follow and bakers are needed to make Greek pastries and other baked goods. If you have any questions find Presbytera Elaine during coffee hour.
Saturday, Oct. 26th
Orthros & Divine Liturgy, 8:30 am for St. Demetrios with a light reception after.
Sunday, Oct. 27th
Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:30 am with Metropolitan Methodios presiding.
ORTHODOX LIFE
Join us on October 1, 8 and 15 at 7 pm for an exciting look at what iconography is, why it is important to our faith and how it can be applied to our community.
As we prepare to embark on this phase in the life of our church, come and learn more about its importance in our day to day life.
SILENT AUCTION UPDATE
The Silent Auction Committee of the 60th Anniversary Gala would like to thanka ll donors who have contributed to our auction. Thank you so much, we appreciate all that you have done. Stay tuned for more information to come about our fabulous items, available for bidding on the evening of November 2nd.
-Kathy Hamilton, Suzanne Polymeros, Bobi Koukounaris, and Carolyn DelGizzi
YOUTH BASKETBALL
We look forward to the 2019-20 Metropolis Basketball season. This program is a great opportunity for kids ages 8 to 18 to enjoy competition and fellowship with other Orthodox youth from throughout the Boston area.Teams will be finalized in early October and games will begin before Thanksgiving. For more information or to Register your son(s) and/or daughter(s), please contact the Church Office or email Emanuel “Jack” Markis at EJMarkis@Markislaw.com
60th Anniversary Gala Dinner-Dance
In celebration of the 60th Anniversary of St. Demetrios, join us for the Gala Dinner Dance on Saturday, November 2nd at the Westin Waltham-Boston Hotel. Reception 6 pm, dinner 7 pm. Enjoy the music of Enosis. Wonderful Silent Auction Items! Tickets: $175/person. After October 6th, $190/person. Young Adults 30 years or under: $150/person. To purchase tickets online visit: http://bit.ly/stdemetrios60th Complimentary parking and hotel rooms are available at a special group rate.
For further information, please contact Eleni Condakes at (781) 235-8429 or Philippa Condakes at (781) 235-0759.
SPECIAL VISIT FROM HIS EMINENCE ARCHBISHOP ELPIDOPHOROS OF AMERICA
His Eminence Metroopolitan Methodios has informed us that Archbishop Elpidophoros, our new Archbishop of America, will be visiting St. Demetrios on Sunday, October 6th. His Eminence will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and we will have the opportunity to welcome and greet him as he begins his Archpastoral ministry here in America. Please place Sunday, October 6th on your calendar and be sure to be present on that special day. Thank you.
FR. MANIKAS LIBRARY
Check out the magazine "Cyprus Today" which is available for circulation. If interested, you are welcomed to
borrow. So we can keep track of the interest of these magazines, please fill in your last name and the dates (month and year) on the label on the back cover. Allowed check out period is one month.
PHILOPTOCHOS CATERING
Philoptochos is delighted to offer their St. Christine's Catering Program. Visit the church website under the Philoptochos page to view the ordering menu. Thanks for using the Philoptochos Catering.
SAVE THESE DATES
Friday, October, 25 - Vespers for St. Demetrios
Saturday, October 26 - St. Demetrios Feast Day Liturgy
Saturday, November 2 - St. Demetrios Gala Dinner Dance, Westin Hotel in Waltham
SPONSORING FLOWERS
If you would like to sponsor altar flowers in memory of loved ones or in honor of a special occasion please contact the church office for more details on available dates.
SPONSORING FELLOWSHIP HOUR
The calendar is open for any one wishing to sponsor coffee hour this coming year. If you are interested please contact Pam Brody at 781-864-6427.
USHERING GUIDELINES
As the Church School year comes to a start, we ask that everyone assist us by waiting patiently in your seats for the children to receive Holy Communion first so that they may get to their classes.
In order to facilitate this process as efficiently as possible, we ask that Church School Teachers, Children and their parents be dismissed first for communion. All other parishioners are asked to stay in their seats and wait for the ushers to dismiss their row. We appreciate your patience and your support!
ST. DEMETRIOS ORTHO-TAXI SERVICE
We miss you when you are not with us! If you need a ride to and from church consider taking the St. Demetrios Ortho-Taxi service. If you are interested call the church office (781-237-5561) by Friday at noon for Sunday Liturgy, or two days in advance for other services or events. You will receive a call from your driver to arrange pick-up times. The roundtrip fare is $5 to be donated to the Senior Guild.
SUNDAY GREETERS
We are looking for additional people to help greet/welcome our parishioners to church on Sunday mornings. All those who are interested in being a part of this wonderful program please contact Angel Hatgelakas through Marianne at the church office. Tel: 781-237-5561 or email: office@stdemetriosweston.org. Thank you.
USHERING
If you are interested in joining the Usher Team please contact Georgia Gefteas at gaghome1@gmail.com or 978-973-7476.
WWW.GOARCH.ORG
The webpage of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has a great amount of resources for anyone looking to learn more about the faith. You can find the daily readings of the church, information about saints, what we believe, and prayers for any occasion. Additionally, you can stay up to date with news that affects us as Christians. Be sure to check www.goarch.org regularly!
PHILOXENIA HOUSE
Located near HCHC in Brookline, the Philoxenia House offers a home and hospitality to patients and those who accompany them while they are undergoing treatment in the Boston area. For several years a few of us visit the home twice a year to try to brighten their lives by planting flowers. This is a joy for us. For more information regarding this ministry please contact Betty Titus, 781.237.4748, or Eleanor Spiliakos, 978.443.3746.
WHAT IS THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
Being asked this during our festival a number of times — we as Orthodox Christians ought to respond:
“The Orthodox Christian Church is a worldwide body of believers who confess and worship Jesus Christ as the Son of God, as Lord and Messiah. This body has a tangible and continuous history of Christian faith and practice from the time of Christ’s Apostles. The use of the adjective ‘orthodox’ to describe the Church dates back to the earliest centuries and was applied to those Christians who maintained the tradition transmitted by Christ’s Apostles (1 Thess 2:15)”
FR. MANIKAS LIBRARY
Come and visit the Fr. Manikas Library and check out one of our many books on a variety of different topics. After Divine Liturgy, please stop by the library and see what we have to offer. See Cindi Dabrowski in the library for assistance on picking out a selection to take home and further your knowledge of our faith.
DAILY READINGS APP
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has developed and released a Daily Readings App for iOS and Android. It offers the daily Epistle and Gospel readings of the day as well as the saints that are commemorated on that day. Furthermore, it offers prayers, dates of future Feast Days and fasting guidelines.
It’s a great resource that is offered by our Archdiocese. Sign into your app store and download it today!
BE THE BEE WEBSERIES
The National Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries offers a weekly web video series on YouTube called “Be the Bee” each week a question or theme about our faith is answered in just 5 minutes! Check out this new and interesting approach to learning about our faith! Go to: www.youtube.com/user/y2am to see the entire series!
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. Fourth Tone. 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 Titus 3:8-15.
Titus, my son, the saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.
When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful.
All who are with me send greeting to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.
Gospel Reading
Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council
The Reading is from Luke 8:5-15
The Lord said this parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold." And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience." As he said these things, he cried out "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Saints and Feasts
October 13
Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council
On the Sunday that falls on or immediately after the eleventh of this month, we chant the Service to the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which gathered in Nicaea in 787 under the holy Patriarch Tarasius and during the reign of the Empress Irene and her son, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, to refute the Iconoclast heresy, which had received imperial support beginning with the Edict issued in 726 by Emperor Leo the Isaurian. Many of the holy Fathers who condemned Iconoclasm at this holy Council later died as Confessors and Martyrs for the holy Icons during the second assult of Iconoclasm in the ninth century, especially during the reigns of Leo the Armenian and Theophilus.
October 13
Carpus, Papylus, Agathodorus, & Agathonica, the Martyrs of Pergamus
Saint Carpus was Bishop of the Church of Thyatira in Asia Minor and Papylus was his deacon, whom he had ordained. Seized as Christians and tormented in Thyatira, they were taken to Sardis, whither Agathodorus, their servant, followed them, and also confessed Christ, and was tormented with them. Together with Agathonica, the sister of Saint Papylus. they were all beheaded during the reign of Decius, in the year 250.
October 13
Florentios the Martyr of Thessaloniki
October 13
Meletios of Pegas, Patriarch of Alexandria
October 13
Benjamin the Deacon
October 14
Nazarius, Gervasius, Protasius, & Celsus of Milan
The holy Martyrs all contested for piety's sake in Milan; after the passage of much time their holy relics were discovered and given honourable burial by Saint Ambrose.
October 14
Praised Ignatius, Archbishop of Methymna
October 14
Cosmas the Hagiopolite
Saint Cosmas was from the Holy City, Jerusalem, and was a contemporary and peer of Saint John of Damascus (Dec. 4), with whom also he was reared when, because of his orphanhood he was adopted by Sergius, Saint John's father, and with whom he had the same instructor. About the year 743, he was elected Bishop of Maiuma, a coastal city of Palestine, aforetime under the jurisdiction of Gaza, with the name Port Gaza. During the reign of Saint Constantine the Great, it became a separate township and at that time was renamed Constantia, after Constantine, the son of the Emperor (see Sozomen, Eccl. Hist., V:3). Cosmas became an excellent hymnographer, from whence he is called "the Composer and Melodist," Among his many compositions are the Canon of the Cross (Sept. 14) and the Canon for the Nativity of Christ, "Christ is born, give ye glory."
October 14
Righteous Paraskeve of Serbia
Saint Paraskeve was born in Thrace in the eleventh century. In her youth she went to Constaninople, and thence journeyed to the Holy Land in pursuit of the ascetical life. After struggling for many years in the wilderness of the Jordan, she was moved by God to return to her homeland. She continued her monastic labours there for a few more years, and then reposed in peace.
October 14
Monday of the 5th Week
October 15
Tuesday of the 5th Week
October 15
Lucian the Martyr of Antioch
This Saint was from Samosata, the son of pious parents. He established a catechetical school in Antioch, and taught the correct doctrines of the Faith and made clear the parts of the divine Scriptures that were difficult to understand. He edited the Old Testament translation from the Hebrew tongue, and published it in an excellent edition, free from every heretical corruption and interpolation. He travelled to Nicomedia to strengthen the faithful there in their contests for Christ, and was accused before Maximinus, with whom he conversed openly. When he had made a defence of the Christian Faith, he was condemned to imprisonment where, in 311, he died of hunger and thirst.
October 15
Savinos the Bishop of Catania
October 15
Barsus the Confessor
October 15
Euthymios the New
October 16
Longinus the Centurion
This Martyr was in the service of Pontius Pilate at the time of Christ our Saviour's Passion. While standing guard at the Cross and beholding the earthquake and all that came to pass, he cried out with fear, "Truly this was the Son of God" (Matt. 27:54). After the Resurrection, he forsook the military and departed for Cappadocia, his homeland, where he preached Christ. By the agency of Pontius Pilate, Tiberius Caesar had him arrested and beheaded.
October 16
The Two Soldiers martyred with Saint Longinus
October 17
Thursday of the 5th Week
October 17
Hosea the Prophet
According to some, Hosea, whose name means "God is help," was from the tribe of Issachar, or more likely, from that of Reuben; he was the son of Beeri. He is the first in order of the twelve minor Prophets and the most ancient of all. He prophesied in the days of the divided Kingdom; the Lord told him to take a harlot to wife (Hosea 1:2), and then an adulteress (ibid., 3:1). The harlot, a known sinner, was a figure of the Kingdom of Israel in Samaria, which openly worshipped idols; the adulteress, lawfully married yet sinning secretly with her lovers, was a figure of the Kingdom of Judah in Jerusalem, which, while having the Temple, and the priesthood, and the divine worship according to the Law, stealthily served the idols also. The Prophet Hosea prophesied for sixty years, and lived for some ninety years, from 810 to 720 B.C. His book is divided into fourteen chapters.
October 17
Holy Martyrs Cosmas and Damian of Arabia
October 17
Andrew the Righteous Monk-martyr of Crete
Saint Andrew was from the island of Crete, where he lived the monastic life. During the reign of Constantine Copronymus, he came to Constantinople and suffered many things in defence of the veneration of the holy icons. Finally, he was dragged through the market, bound by the feet, one of which was severed by a fishmonger wielding a cleaver, and thus the Saint surrendered his spirit unto God in the year 761. His sacred relics were buried at a certain place called "The Judgment."
October 17
Removal and Placing of the Sacred Relics of the Holy and Righteous Lazarus
October 18
Luke the Evangelist
This Apostle was an Antiochean, a physician by trade, and a disciple and companion of Paul. He wrote his Gospel in Greek after Matthew and Mark, after which he wrote the Acts of the Apostles, and dedicated both works to Theophilus, who, according to some, was Governor of Achaia. He lived some eighty-six years and died in Achaia, perhaps in Patras, the capital of this district. His emblem is the calf, the third symbolical beast mentioned by Ezekiel (1:10), which is a symbol of Christ's sacrificial and priestly office, as Saint Irenaeus says.
October 18
Marinos the Martyr
October 19
Saturday of the 5th Week
October 19
Joel the Prophet
The Prophet Joel, whose name means "Yah is God," was of the tribe of Reuben, the son of Bathuel, and lived from 810 to 750 B.C. (but some say in the 7th century B.C.). His book is divided into three chapters, and is the second in order of the minor Prophets. He foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Joel 2:28, and quoted by the Apostle Peter in Acts 2:17), and the saving power of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Joel 2:32).
October 19
Varys the Martyr
Saint Varys contested for the sake of Christ during the reign of Maximian, in the year 304. He was a soldier in the service of the Emperor Maximian, and held in honour for his courage. While in Egypt, he visited the Christians held in prison and comforted them. Among them, he visited seven monks imprisoned together; when one of them died from his torments, Saint Varys took his place. When this became known to the governor, Saint Varys was arrested and tortured to death.
October 19
John of Rilas
Saint John of Rilas founded the renowned monastery of that name in Bulgaria in the tenth century. Over the centuries, great and wondrous healings have flowed from his holy relics.
October 19
Felix the Hieromartyr & Eusebius the Deacon
October 19
John the Wonderworker of Kronstadt
Saint John of Kronstadt was a married priest, who lived with his wife in virginity. Through his untiring labours in his priestly duties and love for the poor and sinners, he was granted by our Lord great gifts of clairvoyance and miracle-working, to such a degree that in the last years of his life miracles of healing--both of body and soul--were performed countless times each day through his prayers, often for people who had only written to him asking his help. During his lifetime he was known throughout Russia, as well as in the Western world. He has left us his diary My Life in Christ as a spiritual treasure for Christians of every age; simple in language, it expounds the deepest mysteries of our Faith with that wisdom which is given only to a heart purified by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Foreseeing as a true prophet the Revolution of 1917, he unsparingly rebuked the growing apostasy among the people; he foretold that the very name of Russia would be changed. As the darkness of unbelief grew thicker, he shone forth as a beacon of unquenchable piety, comforting the faithful through the many miracles that he worked and the fatherly love and simplicity with which he received all. Saint John reposed in peace in 1908.
October 20
6th Sunday of Luke
October 20
Artemius the Great Martyr of Antioch
Saint Artemius lived during the years of Saint Constantine the Great, and was appointed by him to be Governor of Alexandria; later, he was honoured with the rank of patrician. During the reign of Julian the Apostate, in the year 361, Artemius appeared before the Emperor and censured him for his apostasy. For this, he endured many torments and was finally beheaded.
October 20
Matrona the Righteous of Chios
October 20
Gerasimus of Cephalonia
Saint Gerasimus was from the Peloponnesus, the son of Demetrius and Kale, of the family of Notaras. He was reared in piety by them and studied the Sacred writings. He left his country and went throughout various lands, and finally came to Cephalonia, where he restored a certain old church and built a convent around it, where it stands to this day at the place called Omala. He finished the course of his life there in asceticism in the year 1570. His sacred relics, which remain incorrupt, are kept there for the sanctification of the faithful.
October 20
Andronicus the Righteous Martyr
Wisdom of the Fathers
For by seed here He means His doctrine, and by land, the souls of men, and by the sower, Himself .... For as the sower makes no distinction in the land submitted to him, but simply and indifferently casts his seed; so He Himself too makes no distinction of rich and poor, of wise and unwise, of slothful or diligent, of brave or cowardly; but He discourses unto all, fulfilling His part, although foreknowing the results.
Homily 44 on Matthew 12, 4th Century
When you see life's pleasures, beware that they might not distract you, for they conceal death's snares. Likewise a fisherman casts not his hook to no purpose. As bait for his hook, the enemy uses the delusion of sensuality to arouse desire, that he might thereby catch men's souls and subject them to himself. A soul which has been caught to serve the enemy's will then serves as a snare for other souls, for it conceals the grief of sin with its apparent delight.
A Spiritual Psalter no 43, pg. 74, 4th century
Hymns of the Day
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Tone
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.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Apolytikion for Sun. of the 7th Ecumenical Council in the Plagal Fourth Tone
Most glorified art Thou, O Christ our God, Who hast established our Fathers as luminous stars upon the earth, and through them didst guide us all to the true Faith. O Most Merciful One, glory be to Thee.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Tone
O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery