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Saint John The Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2023-06-18
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Saint John The Baptist Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (212) 473-0648
  • Street Address:

  • 143 East 17th Street

  • New York, NY 10003
  • Mailing Address:

  • 143 East 17th Street

  • New York, NY 10003


Contact Information






Services Schedule

Orthros:  8:50 am.

Divine Liturgy:  10 a.m.


Past Bulletins


Always a Spiritual Focus, First

 

SERVANT LEADERSHIP AWARDS BANQUET

Stewardship is about becoming good caretakers of all that God has given us. God has given each of us special and unique gifts. And through Holy Scripture He teaches us all that we have is a loan. He lends everything to us, and reminds us that one day He will ask us to give a detailed accounting of what we have done with the gifts He has given us. Archbishop Anastasios of Albania has noted that “we find ourselves by offering ourselves.” Have we learned the blessedness of generously giving to others of all we have?

 

On June 6, the Archdiocese held its first Servant Leadership Awards Banquet to honor 2 Stewards from each parish who exemplify servant leadership and a commitment to the Church community. Congratulations to Alex Mastoras as our veteran steward and Georgia Anastasiou as our youth steward. Thank you for your constant generosity of time and skills to help our parish grow!

 

 

 

June 18th, 2023

 

Always a Spiritual Focus, First

 

 Dearest Parish Family Members,

 

What may we say for this week? How  has your past few weeks been, for your life? Have you had any chance to rest, to mediate, have a calm moment for yourself? I think this is what we need to consciously try to do for ourselves, at least once a week, for however long we may be able to hold onto a sense of calmness, even of prayer.

 

In our busy lives of 2023, what I find most helpful to me, in helping me to slow down and look around myself, is the simple act of reading this Sunday’s Epistle and Gospel. I take the time to think about them, what they are saying to me, and how I may be able to apply their messages into my daily survival. The first thing is that I slow down. I take the time—and it doesn’t take much time at all. Just minutes. Any chance to slow down means to be able to focus on something other than my frantic distractions in this world. Even if just for a few minutes.

 

This Sunday’s Epistle speaks of how we may be able to hold God’s laws in our hearts, doing things because they are the right things to do, and not just from fear of punishment, but from love in our hearts to lean toward what is good. As Saint Paul says, we can get to the point where what is good is written on our hearts and that our consciences can bear witness to the good. How may we cultivate this attitude into our hearts? By holding our faith before us, while we make decisions and life-choices.

 

And this Sunday’s Gospel lesson shows how Jesus invited his Disciples to follow him. They prioritized their lives and gave up things to follow him. Even now, in 2023, we may still make similar choices, simply by focusing on our prayers, speaking to the Lord, waiting for the dialogue to happen within us.

 

Another way for us to grow closer to God is by growing closer to each other, to our parish family and community. It is in this way that we may be able to manifest a sense of peace within ourselves, to find that focus that can enhance the rest of our days and daily grind. We invite all of you who take the time to read this, to join us on a Sunday, and spend some quality time with us. It’s about quality time, not quantity.

 

Faithfully, Father Samaras

 

Eothinon 2

On June 18th, 2023, we commemorate the Ηoly Martyrs Leontiοs of Greece, and Hypatios and Theodoulos, who witnessed with him in Phoenicia; and the Holy Martyr Aetherios.

 

Συναξάριον Τοῦ Μηναίου. Τῇ ΙΗʹ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μηνὸς μνήμη τοῦ Ἁγίου Μάρτυρος Λεοντίου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ, Ὑπατίου καὶ Θεοδούλου. Τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ, μνήμη τοῦ Ἁγίου Μάρτυρος Αἰθερίου.

 

 

SAINT JOHN'S SCHEDULE

Sunday, June 18, 2023

2nd Sunday of Matthew

9:00am Orthros/10:00am Divine Liturgy

 

Sunday, June 25, 2023

3rd Sunday of Matthew

 9:00am Orthros/10:00am Divine Liturgy

 

 Sunday, July 2, 2023

4th Sunday of Matthew

 9:00am Orthros/10:00am Divine Liturgy

 

Sunday, July 9, 2023

 5th Sunday of Matthew

9:00am Orthros/10:00am Divine Liturgy

 

 

2023 PARISH COUNCIL

 President - Theo Christ 

Vice President – Yvonne Anastasiou

Treasurer – Chris Pappas

Secretary – Dina Mastoras

Parish Council Member - Evdokia Sofos 

Parish Council Member - Dialecti Voudouris 

Parish Council Member - Anastassios Mentis 

Parish Council Member – Paula Refolo

 

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the First Mode

Although the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers guarded Your most pure body, You arose on the third day, O Savior, giving life to the world. For this reason, the heavenly powers cried out to you, O Giver of Life: Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ! Glory to Your kingdom! Glory to Your dispensation, only Lover of Mankind!
Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλασσόντων τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα, ἀνέστης τριήμερος Σωτήρ, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν ζωήν. Διὰ τοῦτο αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐβόων σοι Ζωοδότα· Δόξα τῇ ἀναστάσει σου Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ Βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ σου, μόνε Φιλάνθρωπε.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

A protection of Christians unshamable, intercessor to our Holy Maker, unwavering, please reject not the prayerful cries of those who are in sin. Instead, come to us, for you are good; your loving help bring unto us, who are crying in faith to you: hasten to intercede and speed now to supplicate, as a protection for all time, Theotokos, for those who honor you.
Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε, μεσιτεία πρὸς τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀμετάθετε. Μὴ παρίδῃς ἁμαρτωλῶν δεήσεων φωνάς, ἀλλὰ πρόφθασον, ὡς ἀγαθή, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν, τῶν πιστῶς κραυγαζόντων σοι· Τάχυνον εἰς πρεσβείαν, καὶ σπεῦσον εἰς ἱκεσίαν, ἡ προστατεύουσα ἀεί, Θεοτόκε, τῶν τιμώντων σε.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Second Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back - it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, He is not here; see the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Second Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 16:1-8

Διαγενομένου τοῦ Σαββάτου, Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ Μαρία ἡ τοῦ Ἰακώβου καὶ Σαλώμη ἠγόρασαν ἀρώματα, ἵνα ἐλθοῦσαι ἀλείψωσιν τὸν Ἰησοῦν. Καὶ λίαν πρωῒ τῇ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου. Καὶ ἔλεγον πρὸς ἑαυτάς· Τίς ἀποκυλίσει ἡμῖν τὸν λίθον ἐκ τῆς θύρας τοῦ μνημείου; καὶ ἀναβλέψασαι θεωροῦσιν ὅτι ἀποκεκύλισται ὁ λίθος· ἦν γὰρ μέγας σφόδρα. Καὶ εἰσελθοῦσαι εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, εἶδον νεανίσκον καθήμενον ἐν τοῖς δεξιοῖς, περιβεβλημένον στολήν λευκήν, καὶ ἐξεθαμβήθησαν· ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐταῖς· Μὴ ἐκθαμβεῖσθε, Ἰησοῦν ζητεῖτε τὸν Ναζαρηνὸν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον, ἠγέρθη, οὐκ ἔστιν ᾧδε· ἴδε, ὁ τόπος ὅπου ἔθηκαν αὐτόν, ἀλλ' ὑπάγετε, εἴπατε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ Πέτρῳ, ὅτι προάγει ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν· ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν ὄψεσθε, καθὼς εἶπεν ὑμῖν. Καὶ ἐξελθοῦσαι ταχὺ ἔφυγον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου, εἶχε δὲ αὐτὰς τρόμος καὶ ἔκστασις, καὶ οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν εἶπον· ἐφοβοῦντο γάρ.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. First Mode. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 2:10-16.

Brethren, glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Προκείμενον. First Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 32.22,1.
Γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ' ἡμᾶς.
Στίχ. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε δίκαιοι ἐν Κυρίῳ

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 2:10-16.

Ἀδελφοί, δόξα δὲ καὶ τιμὴ καὶ εἰρήνη παντὶ τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ τὸ ἀγαθόν, Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνι· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν προσωποληψία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ. Ὅσοι γὰρ ἀνόμως ἥμαρτον, ἀνόμως καὶ ἀπολοῦνται· καὶ ὅσοι ἐν νόμῳ ἥμαρτον, διὰ νόμου κριθήσονται· οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἀκροαταὶ τοῦ νόμου δίκαιοι παρὰ τῷ θεῷ, ἀλλʼ οἱ ποιηταὶ τοῦ νόμου δικαιωθήσονται. Ὅταν γὰρ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιῇ, οὗτοι, νόμον μὴ ἔχοντες, ἑαυτοῖς εἰσιν νόμος· οἵτινες ἐνδείκνυνται τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου γραπτὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν, συμμαρτυρούσης αὐτῶν τῆς συνειδήσεως, καὶ μεταξὺ ἀλλήλων τῶν λογισμῶν κατηγορούντων ἢ καὶ ἀπολογουμένων, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὅτε κρινεῖ ὁ θεὸς τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου, διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.


Gospel Reading

2nd Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 4:18-23

At that time, as Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left their boat and their father, and followed him. And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.

2nd Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 4:18-23

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, περιπατῶν δὲ παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν τῆς Γαλιλαίας εἶδε δύο ἀδελφούς, Σίμωνα τὸν λεγόμενον Πέτρον καὶ ᾿Ανδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, βάλλοντας ἀμφίβληστρον εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν· ἦσαν γὰρ ἁλιεῖς· καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων. οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὰ δίκτυα ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ. Καὶ προβὰς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄλλους δύο ἀδελφούς, ᾿Ιάκωβον τὸν τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ ᾿Ιωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ μετὰ Ζεβεδαίου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν καταρτίζοντας τὰ δίκτυα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς. οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὸ πλοῖον καὶ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ. Καὶ περιῆγεν ὅλην τὴν Γαλιλαίαν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς διδάσκων ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν ἐν τῷ λαῷ.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

Prayer, fasting, vigil and all other Christian practices, however good they may be in themselves, do not constitute the aim of our Christian life, although they serve as the indispensable means of reaching this end. The true aim of our Christian life consists in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God.
St. Seraphim of Sarov
The Acquisition of the Holy Spirit: Chapter 3, The Little Russian Philokalia Vol. 1; Saint Herman of Alaska Brotherhood pg. 79, 19th century

Within the visible world, man is as it were a second world; and the same is true of thought within the intelligible world. For man is the herald of heaven and earth, and of all that is in them; while thought interprets the intellect and sense perception, and all that pertains to them. Without man and thought both the sensible and the intelligible worlds would be inarticulate.
Ilias the Presbyter
Gnomic Anthology IV no. 112, Philokalia Vol. 3 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 61

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Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
June 18

Aitherios the Martyr of Nicomedia


Callapostles
June 18

2nd Sunday of Matthew


Allsaint
June 18

Leontius, Hypatius, & Theodulus the Martyrs of Syria

This Martyr was from Greece. Being of great bodily stature and strength, he was an illustrious soldier in the Roman legions who had won many victories, and was known for his prudence and sobriety of mind. When it was learned that he gave grain to the poor from the imperial stores, and was moreover a Christian, Hadrian the Governor of Phoenicia sent Hypatius, a tribune, and Theodulus, a soldier, to arrest him. Saint Leontius converted them on the way to Tripolis in Phoenicia, where Hypatius and Theodulus were tormented and beheaded by Hadrian for their confession of Christ. Then Hadrian with many flatteries and many torments strove to turn Leontius from Christ. All his attempts failing, he had Leontius put to such tortures that he died in the midst of them, under Vespasian in the year 73.


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