On the top of Mount Tabor, there sits a Greek Orthodox Church appropriately called The Church of the Transfiguration. It has been there since the fifth century. It commemorates the divine visit that took place there, an event observed throughout Orthodox Churches as the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ. So holy a place is this that this initial church was followed by the building of many other churches and monasteries, many of which have stood for centuries on Mount Tabor.

If you ever have occasion to visit the Holy Lands, make it a point to go, venerate in this chapel and the Greek Orthodox Monastery, the sight of the miracle of the Transfiguration of our Lord.

What actually took place there is what makes this such a holy and revered place. As is recorded in three of the gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and the Second Epistle of Peter, Jesus took with him three of His beloved disciples—those who were closest to Him, Peter and the brothers James and John, the sons of Zebedee—to this mountaintop to pray. But Jesus had a greater purpose: that they would witness this great miracle that would foreshadow the glory of the resurrection. The New Testament virtually takes the Christian reader by the hand to join the Apostles Peter, John and James to accompany Jesus to the top of Mount Tabor for a personal glimpse of the power and the glory of God. The true believer experiences this wondrous act as Jesus is bathed in a dazzling glow of light, and gazes upon the two witnesses who appear, the Prophets Moses and Elijah, and then hears God say “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” He was thus fully revealed as the Messiah, the Christ and the fulfillment of all the Law and the Prophets.

This glorious revelation is also meant to inspire us to transfigure our lives for goodness and for the greater glory of God. We marvel at the great Mystery of the Transfiguration, but we can also marvel at God’s mercy and love toward us. If we keep that sense of marvel about His divine power, we will experience every part of our life, all our priorities, and our being becoming gradually transformed by His marvelous acts.  In His light we shall see light.

Please join us every Sunday. Orthros begins at 9 a.m. and  Divine Liturgy begins at 10 a.m.

Holy Communion is being distributed by using seperate spoon for each individual.

A Trisaghion service will be sung on Sunday for the blessed repose of the soul of Romania Ievnii, grandmother of Tetyana Smith and mother of Daria Lesyk. May her memory be eternal.

Saturday, August 6th.

Orthros, 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy, 10 a.m.

Grapes and other fruits are traditionally offered for blessing on this day. You are invited to bring your fruits for the traditional and symbolic blessing.

The Dormition Fast is observed from 1 - 14 August, two weeks dedicated to the Theotokos by a fast from meat and dairy. The fast culminates with the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos on August 15. During this period, the following services will be held.

Paraklesis - Monday, August 8th; Wednesay, August 10th; Friday, August 12th. 6:00 p.m.

On his recent pilgrimage to holy sites in Turkey, Fr. Gianulis visited the The Monastery of the Mother of God at the Spring (Μονὴ τῆς Θεοτόκου τῆς Πηγῆς). There he collected holy water from the miraculous spring. With this holy water, we will have an "aghiasmos" - water blessing on Sunday, August 14th, following the Divine Liturgy.

 Monday, August 15th is the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, one of the great Feastdays of the Church.

Orthros will begin at 8:45 a.m.

Divine Liturgy, 9:30 a.m.

Orthodox tradition links fasting with almsgiving and prayer.  These three practices belong together. During the Dormition Fast, August 1st - 14th, please consider the following.

We are collecting diapers and baby food and baby formula for Hope Pregnancy Services. Please bring some of these items when you come to Church on Sunday or at the Paraklesis Services.

From their website: “Hope Pregnancy Services at Williamsburg House of Mercy offers free, caring, and confidential pregnancy counseling services for young women and their partners.  We are a pro-life pregnancy center committed to supporting young women choose life through:

• Pregnancy testing
• Counseling
• Early Ultrasound referral
• Prenatal care referral
• Adoption referral and counseling
• Maternity Clothing, Diapers, Baby Gear, other material assistance as needed”

...especially during this difficult time, call your priest for pastoral needs, but understand that he is not a mind reader.  If you are sick and hospitalized, or have any other pastoral or sacramental need, do not hesitate to call him. Fr. Gianulis can always be reached by calling the church phone number, 220-0994.  If he is not in, leave a message and he will return your call at his earliest convenience.

Harriet Wright (Riverside Doctors' Hospital)

Georgia Mamangakis and Barney Barnes

Gus Zacharopoulos

Mike Kokolis

Sonny Halioris

Peter and Beverly Daikos

John and Connie Pavlides

Jim Kokolis

Although we do not have a Greek School per se, we are offering Greek Language classes for children and adults. For more information, contact Demetra Demetriou at demetrademetriou7@hotmail.com

FISH welcomes donations of coats, shoes, clothing, housewares. Clothing most needed now: new underclothing for all sizes, men's jeans, shoes, towels, blankets and bed sheets. Food and toiletry donations.  Donations most needed right now: boxed cereal, applesauce, bar soap and laundry detergent.

Updates on Orthodox Church news items can be found on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=saint%20demetrios%20greek%20orthodox%20church%20-%20williamsburg%20va.

Use Amazon Smile and designate St. Demetrios as the charity of choice. It is easy to do.

Click the link below to learn more.

 https://smile.amazon.com/ch/20-4454773

Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church whenever you shop on AmazonSmile. Same products, same prices, same service, but we get a donation. $56.61 was sent to St. Demetrios in December, but we could do much better if all our parishioners designated St. Demetrios Williamsburg as their Amazon Smile charity.

Steve Mamikonian submitted for your edification and enjoyment the following article on the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. You may find it interesting. Click below.

https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/holy-sepulcher/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1659499359

 In past years, we have asked you to come get a backpack, go shop for school supplies, and return the filled backpack to the Church. This year, we have tried to make this easier, but are not getting the same excellent response of prior years. Ironic, but true. So, please see the flyer below and do what you can to help.