Announcements

ORTHROS BEGINS AT 8:30AM & THE DIVINE LITURGY BEGINS AT 9:30AM

Website Links: Visit the church's website at www.stgeorgeclifton.org for our online streaming links.

To find the prayers for each service and to follow along, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Digital Chant Stand at https://digitalchantstand.goarch.org.

To light a candle or make a donation follow this link https://st-george-greek-orthodox-churchand-the-shrine-of-st-nectarios.square.site/

WE WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CHURCH COMMUNITY!

We are grateful that you have joined us for prayer and worship. Please join us after the Divine Services in our Fr. John & Presvytera Margaret Orfanakos Fellowship Hall for our Hospitality Hour sponsored by the Rigopoulos family in memory of their beloved family member.

Memorial Services Today For:

Eleonore Rigopoulos – 40 days Irene Spanos – 2 years

May their memory be eternal.

The Artoclasia Service today is offered by the Mish family in honor of the feast day of St. Alexios and for their daughter Alexis’ name day; and by the Sofocleou family in honor of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and their son Panayiotis’ name day.

Liturgical Schedule:

Sunday, March 26^th – Vespers……………………………………………………2:00PM

Monday, March 27^th – Great Compline………………………………………5:30PM

Wednesday, March 29^th – Pre-Sanctified Divine Liturgy………………6:00PM

Friday, March 31^st – The Akathyst Hymn………………………………………6:30PM

Special Events During Church Services: Requests for Memorial Services, Artoclasias, 40-day baby blessings, Fanouropites, etc. are welcomed. We recommend that you please let the office know ahead of time so that we can include your special service in the Sunday bulletin.

Mark Your Calendar:

Tuesday, March 28^th ………..Daughters of Penelope Kronos #188 Meeting – 7PM

Wednesday, March 29^th ……GOYA and HOPE & JOY interactive youth service during Pre-Sanctified Divine Liturgy at 6:00PM followed by Lenten Dinner

Tuesday, April 4^th ……………Making Palm Crosses, 4:00 – 7:00PM

Thursday, April 6^th ………….Making Palm Crosses, 4:00 – 7:00PM

Friday, April 7^th ……………….The Spirit of Lent Concert at Holy Trinity in Westfield – 8PM

Saturday, April 8^th ……………Rise Against Hunger & Making Palm Crosses following Liturgy

Sunday, April 9^th ……………..Palm Sunday Philoptochos Tsoureki Sale Pick-up

Sunday, April 16^th ……………Great & Holy Pascha

Sunday, April 23^rd ……………St. George’s Feast Day

Sunday, April 30^th…………….Greek Parade NYC

May 5^th, 6^th & 7^th …………Greek Festival

St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival:

We want to congratulate all the children who participated in the Oratorical Festival last Sunday. Speakers in the Junior Division were George Amabile and Constantina Pilarinos. In the Senior Division the speakers were Aspasia Fatsis, Paraskevi Gerollari and Landy Mammas. Constantina Pilarinos (Junior Division) and Paraskevi Gerollari (Senior Division) will represent our parish at the District Level on April 1^st at St. George in Piscataway. Today you will hear Paraskevi & Constantina give their speeches. Special thanks to Morfia Sokolic for chairing the Oratorical Festival again this year. Now in its 39^th year, we are honored that the National Finals for the Archdiocese will be held at our parish on Saturday, June 10^th. Please join us as we support this wonderful event that had as its National Chairpersons for over 30 years, Father John and Presvytera Margaret Orfanakos.

St. George Youth Choir:

For children from 1^st through 12^th grade. Rehearsal today at 12:00pm in the choir loft with the adult choir. New members welcome!

Lenten Dinner and Lecture Series:

This Wednesday, immediately following Pre-sanctified Liturgy, we will have our final Lenten lecture followed by a Lenten meal hosted by our GOYA and HOPE & JOY ministries. Fr. Peter will present the topic “Great Lent: A Journey Towards the Risen Christ.

Philoptochos Tsoureki Sale:

The ladies of the St. Paraskevi Philoptochos will be offering delicious Tsoureki Breads for Easter that are baked, wrapped and individually boxed by the Sisters of Agia Skepi. Only pre-orders will be sold! The cost is $25 for each 2-pound bread. Please make checks payable to St. Paraskevi Philoptochos. Orders must be received by April 01, 2023. Tsoureki will be available for pick-up on Sunday, April 9^th after Liturgy.

Greek Parade:

The Greek Parade in New York is going to be held on Sunday, April 30th. At this point, we intend to hire a bus. We are also looking for a sponsor for the float. If you are interested in riding the bus, or in sponsoring the float, please contact any of our Parish Council members.

Making Palm Crosses:

We all know that many hands make little work, but did you know that we need over 1,000 palm crosses for the Palm Sunday service?! The Sunday School students will learn how to make palm crosses on Sunday, April 2^nd. Parishioners, students and their families are invited to meet in the lower hall on Tuesday, April 4^th and Thursday, April 6^th to make palm crosses from 4-7 PM and again on the Saturday of Lazarus which falls on April 8^th this year. This is a wonderful way for all of us to get involved in the Paschal season and learn the importance of giving back and helping our Church. We hope to see you there!

Easter Candles/Lambades:

Our St. George Greek School will once again be selling beautiful Easter Candles/LAMBADES! The Lambades will be on sale following church services. Please email greekschool@stgeorgeclifton.org or call the church office for any further questions or concerns regarding orders or sales. All proceeds will benefit our St. George Greek School. Kali Sarakosti! Good Lent!

Agape Vespers Readers Needed:

We are looking for volunteers to read the Resurrectional Gospel reading during the Agape Vespers service on Great & Holy Pascha on Sunday, April 16^th. If you can read another language and are able to attend the service, please contact Fr. Peter or the Church Office. During the Agape Vespers it is the tradition of the Church to read the Gospel reading (John 20:19-25) in multiple languages. This is a great way to reinforce the message of the Great Commission of Christ to our own community today.

Sponsor A Day Program:

One way to help the church is through our “Sponsor A Day” program. We encourage our parishioners to select a day that has special meaning to them like a birthday, feast day, anniversary or a memorial and make a suggested donation of $250. We would like to thank Gina Pramagioulis for sponsoring March 25^th, the Annunciation of the Theotokos, in memory of her grandmother Marie. For more information about the program, please speak to one of our Parish Council members, Ministry Leaders or call the church office.

Please consider sponsoring these Feast Days:

March 27^th – St. Matrona of Thessaloniki
March 30^th – St. John Climacus, the Righteous
April 1^st – St. Mary of Egypt

Talent Needed:

In an effort to expand our reach and impact as a community of faith, we are searching for volunteers with expertise in communications. We would like to organize a committee of individuals with expertise in social media, writing, photography, graphic design, film production and editing. If you or someone you know would be a suitable candidate, please contact Parish Council President George Orfanakos at 973-768-4995 or by emailing him at gorfanakos@gmail.com. Initial commitment will be minimal and extend from now until June.

Earthquake Relief Fund:

His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America announces the GOARCH Earthquake Relief Fund, a fundraising effort by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to provide humanitarian aid to the victims of the recent earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. To make a donation please visit: www.goarch.org/donate/earthquake-relief-fund.

Orthodox Life Institute:

Classes have resumed via ZOOM. If you are interested in joining us, send your email address and contact information to Lisa Marcopulos at lmarcopul@gmail.com and we will send you the ZOOM invitation. During Lent classes will be held on Tuesday evenings at 7:00pm.

Pilgrimage led by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros:

SAVE THE DATE! April 30th through May 12th! The pilgrimage will visit sites in Alexandria, Cairo & Mount Sinai. Call or email to reserve your spot today: 718.721.3808 or stephen@cloudtours.com.

Saints and Feasts

March 26

Sunday of St. John Climacus

The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast.

March 26

Synaxis in honor of the Archangel Gabriel

This festive Synaxis is celebrated to the glory of the Archangel Gabriel, since he ministered to the marvelous mystery of God's incarnate dispensation.

March 30

John Climacus the Righteous, author of The Divine Ladder of Ascent

This Saint gave himself over to the ascetical life from his early youth. Experienced both in the solitary life of the hermit and in the communal life of cenobitic monasticism, he was appointed Abbot of the Monastery at Mount Sinai and wrote a book containing thirty homilies on virtue. Each homily deals with one virtue, and progressing from those that deal with holy and righteous activity (praxis) unto those that deal with divine vision (theoria), they raise a man up as though by means of steps unto the height of Heaven. For this cause his work is called "The Ladder of Divine Ascent." The day he was made Abbot of Sinai, the Prophet Moses was seen giving commands to those who served at table. Saint John reposed in 603, at eighty years of age. See also the Fourth Sunday of the Fast.

April 01

Mary of Egypt

When Mary was only twelve years old, she left her parents and departed to Alexandria, where she lived a depraved life for seventeen years. Then, moved by curiosity, she went with many pilgrims to Jerusalem, that she might see the Exaltation of the venerable Cross. Even in the Holy City she gave herself over to every kind of licentiousness and drew many into the depth of perdition. Desiring to go into the church on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, time and again she perceived a certain invisible power preventing her entrance, whereas the multitude of people about her entered unhindered. Therefore, wounded in heart by this, she decided to change her way of life and reconcile herself to God by means of repentance. Invoking our Lady the Theotokos as her protectress, she asked her to open the way for her to worship the Cross, and vowed that she would renounce the world. And thus, returning once again to the church, she entered easily. When she had worshipped the precious Wood, she departed that same day from Jerusalem and passed over the Jordan. She went into the inner wilderness and for forty-seven years lived a most harsh manner of life, surpassing human strength; alone, she prayed to God alone. Toward the end of her life, she met a certain hermit named Zosimas, and she related to him her life from the beginning. She requested of him to bring her the immaculate Mysteries that she might partake of them. According to her request, he did this the following year on Holy and Great Thursday. One year after this, Zosimas again went thither and found her dead, laid upon the ground, and letters written in the sand near her which said: "Abba Zosimas, bury here the body of wretched Mary. I died on the very day I partook of the immaculate Mysteries. Pray for me." Her death is reckoned by some to have taken place in 378, by some, in 437, and by others, in 522. She is commemorated also on the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent. Her life was recorded by Saint Sophronius of Jerusalem.

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

You descended from on high, O merciful Lord, and accepted the three-day burial in order to free us from our passions. Glory to you, O Lord, our life and our resurrection.

Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

Apolytikion for Sun. of St. John Climacus in the Plagal Fourth Mode

With the streams of thy tears, thou didst cultivate the barrenness of the desert; and by thy sighings from the depths,thou didst bear fruit a hundredfold in labours; and thou becamest a luminary, shining with miracles upon the world, O John our righteous Father. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Ταίς τών δακρύων σου ροαίς, τής ερήμου τό άγονον εγεώργησας, καί τοίς εκ βάθους στεναγμοίς, εις εκατόν τούς πόνους εκαρποφόρησας, καί γέγονας φωστήρ, τή οικουμένη λάμπων τοίς θαύμασι, Ιωάννη Πατήρ ημών, Όσιε, Πρέσβευε Χριστώ τώ Θεώ, σωθήναι τάς ψυχάς ημών.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

To you, defender and commander in a time of war, I, your City, offer gratitude for victory, for you rescued me from suff'rings, O Theotokos. Since the power you possess is unassailable, from all dangers I entreat you to deliver me, that I may cry to you: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride.

Τὴ ὑπερμάχω στρατηγῶ τὰ νικητήρια, ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν εὐχαριστήρια, ἀναγράφω σοὶ ἡ Πόλις σου Θεοτόκε, Ἀλλ' ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον, ἐκ παντοίων μὲ κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον, ἵνα κράζω σοί, Χαῖρε νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus has lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and she told them that He had said these things to her.

Eighth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:11-18

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, Μαρία εἱστήκει πρὸς τὸ μνημεῖον κλαίουσα ἔξω· ὡς οὖν ἔκλαιε, παρέκυψεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ θεωρεῖ δύο ἀγγέλους ἐν λευκοῖς καθεζομένους, ἕνα πρὸς τῇ κεφαλῇ, καὶ ἕνα πρὸς τοῖς ποσίν, ὅπου ἔκειτο τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῇ ἐκεῖνοι· Γύναι, τί κλαίεις; λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ὅτι ᾖραν τὸν Κύριόν μου, καὶ οὐκ οἶδα ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν· καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἐστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἑστῶτα, καὶ οὐκ ᾒδει ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστι. Λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Γύναι, τί κλαίεις; τίνα ζητεῖς; ἐκείνη δοκοῦσα ὅτι ὁ κηπουρὸς ἐστι, λέγει αὐτῷ· Κύριε, εἰ σὺ ἐβάστασας αὐτόν, εἰπέ μοι ποῦ αὐτὸν ἔθηκας, κᾀγὼ αὐτὸν ἀρῶ· λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Μαρία· στραφεῖσα ἐκείνη λέγει αὐτῷ· Ῥαββουνί· ὃ λέγεται Διδάσκαλε· λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Μή μου ἃπτου· οὔπω γὰρ ἀναβέβηκα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου, πορεύου δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου, καὶ εἰπὲ αὐτοῖς· Ἀναβαίνω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ πατέρα ὑμῶν, καὶ Θεόν μου καὶ Θεὸν ὑμῶν· ἔρχεται Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἀπαγγέλλουσα τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὅτι ἑώρακε τὸν Κύριον· καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Fourth Mode. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20.

BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Προκείμενον. Plagal Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 75.11,1.
Εὔξασθε καὶ ἀπόδοτε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν.
Στίχ. Γνωστὸς ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ὁ Θεός, ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ μέγα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 6:13-20.

Ἀδελφοί, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπαγγειλάμενος ὁ θεός, ἐπεὶ κατʼ οὐδενὸς εἶχεν μείζονος ὀμόσαι, ὤμοσεν καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ, λέγων, Ἦ μὴν εὐλογῶν εὐλογήσω σε, καὶ πληθύνων πληθυνῶ σε. Καὶ οὕτως μακροθυμήσας ἐπέτυχεν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. Ἄνθρωποι μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος ὀμνύουσιν, καὶ πάσης αὐτοῖς ἀντιλογίας πέρας εἰς βεβαίωσιν ὁ ὅρκος. Ἐν ᾧ περισσότερον βουλόμενος ὁ θεὸς ἐπιδεῖξαι τοῖς κληρονόμοις τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ ἀμετάθετον τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ, ἐμεσίτευσεν ὅρκῳ, ἵνα διὰ δύο πραγμάτων ἀμεταθέτων, ἐν οἷς ἀδύνατον ψεύσασθαι θεόν, ἰσχυρὰν παράκλησιν ἔχωμεν οἱ καταφυγόντες κρατῆσαι τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος· ἣν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχομεν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν, καὶ εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος· ὅπου πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἀρχιερεὺς γενόμενος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. John Climacus
The Reading is from Mark 9:17-31

At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise."

Sunday of St. John Climacus
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 9:17-31

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἄνθρωπός τις προσῆλθε τῷ Ἰησοῦ λέγων, διδάσκαλε, ἤνεγκα τὸν υἱόν μου πρός σε, ἔχοντα πνεῦμα ἄλαλον. καὶ ὅπου ἂν αὐτὸν καταλάβῃ, ῥήσσει αὐτόν, καὶ ἀφρίζει καὶ τρίζει τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ξηραίνεται· καὶ εἶπον τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου ἵνα αὐτὸ ἐκβάλωσι, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς αὐτῷ λέγει· ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος, ἕως πότε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔσομαι; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετε αὐτὸν πρός με. καὶ ἤνεγκαν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτόν. καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν εὐθέως τὸ πνεῦμα ἐσπάραξεν αὐτόν, καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκυλίετο ἀφρίζων. καὶ ἐπηρώτησε τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· πόσος χρόνος ἐστὶν ὡς τοῦτο γέγονεν αὐτῷ; ὁ δὲ εἶπε· παιδιόθεν. καὶ πολλάκις αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς πῦρ ἔβαλε καὶ εἰς ὕδατα, ἵνα ἀπολέσῃ αὐτόν· ἀλλ᾿ εἴ τι δύνασαι, βοήθησον ἡμῖν σπλαγχνισθεὶς ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι, πάντα δυνατὰ τῷ πιστεύοντι. καὶ εὐθέως κράξας ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ παιδίου μετὰ δακρύων ἔλεγε· πιστεύω, κύριε· βοήθει μου τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ. ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ὅτι ἐπισυντρέχει ὄχλος, ἐπετίμησε τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ λέγων αὐτῷ· τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἄλαλον καὶ κωφόν, ἐγώ σοι ἐπιτάσσω, ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ μηκέτι εἰσέλθῃς εἰς αὐτόν. καὶ κράξαν καὶ πολλὰ σπαράξαν αὐτὸν ἐξῆλθε, καὶ ἐγένετο ὡσεὶ νεκρός, ὥστε πολλοὺς λέγειν ὅτι ἀπέθανεν. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς κρατήσας αὐτὸν τῆς χειρὸς ἤγειρεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀνέστη. Καὶ εἰσελθόντα αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπηρώτων αὐτὸν κατ᾿ ἰδίαν, ὅτι ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο τὸ γένος ἐν οὐδενὶ δύναται ἐξελθεῖν εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ. Καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἐξελθόντες παρεπορεύοντο διὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἵνα τις γνῷ· ἐδίδασκε γὰρ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀποκτανθεὶς τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστήσεται.

Wisdom of the Fathers

Seest thou how He now proceeds to lay beforehand in them the foundation of His doctrine about fasting? ... See, at any rate, how many blessings spring from them both. For he that is praying as he ought, and fasting, hath not many wants, and he that hath not many wants, cannot be covetous; ...

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 57 on Matthew 17,4,5. B#54, pp.355,356., 4th Century

... he that is not covetous, will be also more disposed for almsgiving. He that fasts is light, and winged, and prays with wakefulness, and quenches his wicked lusts, and propitiates God, and humbles his soul when lifted up. Therefore even the apostles were almost always fasting.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 57 on Matthew 17,4,5. B#54, pp.355,356., 4th Century