Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 63.11,1.
The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord.
Verse: Oh God, hear my cry.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 4:6-15.

Brethren, it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke," we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Prodigal Son
The Reading is from Luke 15:11-32

The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his belly with the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Second Mode

Αγγελικαί Δυνάμεις επί τό μνήμα σου, καί οι φυλάσσοντες, απενεκρώθησαν· καί ίστατο Μαρία εν τώ τάφω ζητούσα, τό άχραντόν σου σώμα· εσκύλευσας τόν Άδην, μή πειρασθείς υπ’αυτού· υπήντησας τή Παρθένω, δωρούμενος τήν ζωήν. Ο αναστάς εκ νεκρών, Κύριε δόξα Σοι.

Αgelike Dinamis epi to mnimasou, ke I filasontes apenekrothisan, ke istato Maria en to tafo zitousa, to ahranton sou soma, eskilefsas ton Adin, mi pirasthis ipaftou, ipindisas ti Partheno, doroumenos tin zoin, O anastas ek ton nekron, Kirie doxa Si.

When the angelic powers appeared at Your tomb and those who guarded You became as though dead, and standing by Your sepulcher was Mary seeking Your pure and sacred body. For You did vanquish Hades and uncorrupted by its touch You came unto the virgin woman, bestowing the gift of life O You who rose from the dead. Lord we give glory to You.

Apolytikion for 1st and 2nd Finding of the Head of the Forerunner in the Fourth Mode

The Forerunner’s head has risen once again from the earth; / it sends forth the brilliant rays of incorruption and cures to the faithful all. / Above it has assembled the arrays of the Angels; / below it calls the human race to gather together. / In unison we offer up glory to Christ our God.

Hymn of Church in the First Mode

Ethnon se kirika ke fostira trismegiston, / Athineon didaskalon ekoumenis aglaisma, / efrosinos gereromen / tous agonas timomen ke tas vasanous thia Christon, / to septon sou martirion, / Agie Pavle Apostole, / presveve Christo to Theo, / sothine tas psichas imon.

O preacher to the gentiles and thrice grandest shining star, / the Athenians’ teacher and the universe’s ornament, / we joyously honor you. / We pay homage to the struggles that you had/for the sake of Christ, / and your dignified martyrdom, / Holy and glorious Apostle Paul, / intercede with Christ our God, / entreating Him to save our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode

I revolted senselessly / out of Your fatherly glory; / I have squandered sinfully / all of the riches You gave me. / Hence to You, using the Prodigal’s words, I cry out, / I have sinned before You, merciful loving Father. / O receive me in repentance, / I pray, and treat me / as one of Your hired hands.

Saints and Feasts

February 24

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Through the parable of today's Gospel, our Saviour has set forth three things for us: the condition of the sinner, the rule of repentance, and the greatness of God's compassion. The divine Fathers have put this reading the week after the parable of the Publican and Pharisee so that, seeing in the person of the Prodigal Son our own wretched condition -- inasmuch as we are sunken in sin, far from God and His Mysteries -- we might at last come to our senses and make haste to return to Him by repentance during these holy days of the Fast.

Furthermore, those who have wrought many great iniquities, and have persisted in them for a long time, oftentimes fall into despair, thinking that there can no longer be any forgiveness for them; and so being without hope, they fall every day into the same and even worse iniquities. Therefore, the divine Fathers, that they might root out the passion of despair from the hearts of such people, and rouse them to the deeds of virtue, have set the present parable at the forecourts of the Fast, to show them the surpassing goodness of God's compassion, and to teach them that there is no sin -- no matter how great it may be -- that can overcome at any time His love for man.

February 24

First & Second Finding of the Venerable Head of John the Baptist

The first finding came to pass during the middle years of the fourth century, through a revelation of the holy Forerunner to two monks, who came to Jerusalem to worship our Saviour's Tomb. One of them took the venerable head in a clay jar to Emesa in Syria. After his death it went from the hands of one person to another, until it came into the possession of a certain priest-monk named Eustathius, an Arian. Because he ascribed to his own false belief the miracles wrought through the relic of the holy Baptist, he was driven from the cave in which he dwelt, and by dispensation forsook the holy head, which was again made known through a revelation of Saint John, and was found in a water jar, about the year 430, in the days of the Emperor Theodosius the Younger, when Uranius was Bishop of Emesa.

Welcome

This Weeks Announcements

We extend greetings and a warm welcome to all visitors worshipping with us today. Please fill out a“visitor information card” located in the narthex and hand to one of the greeters. Following the Liturgy, please join us in our social hall for the coffee social.
Holy Communion in our Church is offered only to Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves through the disciplines of our faith. Speak to Fr. Costas for further details.

We kindly ask everyone to Please silence cell phones and pagers while in Church

Today ~ TRISAGIA: 8 years for Arthur Natsis; 1 year George John Vasilakis; 16 years for Maxine Shinas.
Today ~ and the next two Sundays, we will take nominations for the Annual St. Photios Awards offered by our Metropolis. There are nominations forms on the glass case in the narthex and a box you can place them in. You can suggest two individuals and what specifically they contributed to the life of our parish that you feel makes them worthy candidates.
Today ~ Adult Catechism with Elaine Poulos and Coffee and Conversation with Jonathan and Kristi Tartara following Holy Communion.
Today ~ Vaso Boukis will be collecting names for the Sunday of Orthodoxy patron booklet that is compiled every year. It is a freewill donation. All proceeds go toward supporting the work of the GCCOC (the Greater Cleveland Council of Orthodox Clergy). This year the Sunday of Orthodoxy celebration will be at St. Michael’s Orthodox Church on Mill Rd. Plan to join all our Orthodox brothers and sisters from throughout greater Cleveland for this celebration.
Monday ~ 5:30 p.m. Greek School.
Tuesday ~ 10:00 a.m. Women’s Study group with Elaine Poulos.
Tuesday ~ 6:00 p.m. ~ Family Ministry meeting.
Wednesday ~ 6:00 p.m. ~ Stewardship Committee meeting.
Thursday ~ 7:00 p.m. Fr. Costas is leading a series of studies on the Lord’s Prayer. All are welcome.
Saturday ~ 1^st Saturday of Souls liturgy. Come and bring the names of your diseased loved one so we can pray for the repose of their souls over the next three Saturdays.
Hospital visitations ~ if a loved one is hospitalized and you want Fr. Costas to visit and offer prayers, you must inform the office. With the HIPAA laws in affect, the hospitals do not call the church office anymore and we have no other way of knowing.
Thank you to the 304 stewards who completed and returned their 2019 Stewardship commitment card thus far. If you have not done so yet, please complete and return it to the church office at your earliest convenience. With much gratitude, the Stewardship Committee.
As we are enjoying our new parking lot, we would like to thank all who have returned their commitment card for the Final Phase of the PAVE THE WAY. To date, 72 individuals have pledged $152,932 toward the $350,000 loan. Your names are posted on the bulletin board in the hallway. If you have not made a commitment, please do so and help us retire the outstanding loan. We thank you!

Upcoming Events in Our Parish – Respond Early

Next Sunday ~ Epistle Reading, I Corinthians 8:8-13, 9:1-2; Gospel, Matthew 25:31-46.
Next Sunday ~ TRISAGIA: for Mike, Gregory, Evdoxia, and Steve Pagonakis; for Persofoni Saviou; for Bill and Mary Kanas; for Andrew Regan.
Next Sunday ~ Coffee Social hosted by Libby Darakos, Mary Pagonakis, Maria Regan, and Christine Dopoulos.
Next Sunday ~ Youth Sunday. We will see our youth in action as they assume most of the responsibilities or helping during the service. GOYA meeting in Church; Dance practice for all groups; Greek Corner meets in back classroom at noon.
March 5 ~ 7:00 p.m. Home Committee meeting.
March 10 ~ ONE DAY ONLY Donations of NEW bath towels, children craft supplies, bedding, toiletries, utensils, cleaning supplies, etc. accepted for Zelma George Center during coffee social.
March 12 ~ 6:30 p.m. Philoptochos board meeting followed at 7:00 p.m. with general meeting featuring Zelma George Center with speakers Anna Vedouras and Samantha Justham.
March 24 ~ Greek School Greek Independence program presented after Liturgy with Spaghetti Luncheon to follow. Please purchase tickets in advance to allow us to properly plan.

Lenten Services and Retreats in the parish and Beyond

March 9 ~ 10:00 a.m. Lenten Retreat “Encouraging Faith in One Another” with Father Stavros Akrotirianakis at Sts. Const. & Helen Cleveland Hts. More information, call Anna at 216-287-6890.
March 10 ~ 6:00 p.m. Forgiveness Vespers.
March 11 ~ ΚαθαράΔευτέρα, Great Lent begins; 7:00 p.m. Great Compline Service.
March 13 ~ 5:00 p.m. Presanctified Liturgy followed by Lenten meal prepared by Philoptochos.
March 15 ~ 7:00 p.m. 1^st Salutations to the Theotokos service.
March 30 ~ 9:30 a.m. Orthodox Christian Women of Akron presents Lenten Retreat “Date with Destiny” presented by Cynthia Kostas. For tickets and information, contact Nikki Bober at 330.409.3552.

Events in the Greater Cleveland Area and Beyond

Thursday ~ 6:30 p.m. European Wine Tasting with Dinner to benefit IOCC at St. Michael’s Woodside on Mill Road in Broadview Hts. See Ken Boukis for tickets ($50/person) 440.237.8675.
Saturday ~ 6:00 p.m. Apokriatiko Glendi at St. Nicholas Lorain. Call Dena at 440.960.2992 for reservations. $25 adults / $10 students / children under 5 FREE.
Next Sunday ~ 5:00 p.m. Karnavali Dance at Annunciation Cleveland sponsored by their Greek School Program. For tickets contact Tina Asmis at 216.571.6353.
March 8 – April 19 ~ 5:00 p.m. Fish Fry dinners at Annunciation Cleveland.
March 16 ~ 11:00 a.m. Daffodil Luncheon hosted by the Metropolis of Pittsburgh and St. Haralambos’ Philoptochos at St. Haralambos in Canton. Donation $60/person. For information call Fran Armatas 330.327.9841 or Stephanie Withers 330.354.3245.
April 5 – 7 ~ Metropolis GOYA Spring Retreat “Made Perfect Through my Weakness” with newly ordained Deacon George Athanasiou. Registration OPEN: y2am.pittsburgh.goarch.org. Parish scholarship available to GOYAns active in the program and whose family is a steward of St. Paul. Contact the church office for more information.