The Orthodox Messenger
Vol. VI, No. 15 – Sunday, April 15, 2007
Christ
the Savior Greek Orthodox Church - Presentation of Christ at
the Temple
The Hellenic
Orthodox Mission of Hernando County, Florida–“A
Pan-Orthodox Christian Community”
Ecumenical
Patriarchate + Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America +
Metropolis of Atlanta
Website:
http://orthodoxhernandocountyfl.org
THE “HOLY FIRE” OF PASCHA AT THE HOLY SEPULCHER
JERUSALEM - Worshippers filled
Christianity's most revered church on Easter this year, lighting
rows of candles, dripping hot wax on their faces and dancing in
celebration of the Orthodox Easter "holy fire" ritual.
Orthodox Christians believe Jesus Christ was crucified and
buried where the Church of the Holy Sepulcher now stands, and
the fire appears spontaneously from his tomb on the eve of
Easter as a message that He has not forgotten his followers.
The fire ceremony started with the entrance of Jerusalem's
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theofilos III, dressed in robes and a
large yellow-and-white cowl, and carrying a large staff.
He descended into the church's underground tomb to bring out
the flame. When he emerged, church bells pealed and flames were
passed around to the thousands of faithful, filling the church
with light and smoke.
Worshippers quickly lit their candles many of them carrying
bunches of long tapers tied up with string and decorated with
pictures of Jerusalem.
Arab Christian women wailed and others beat out drum
rhythms. One youth bounced up and down on another's shoulders,
waving a candle.
The "holy fire" is taken aboard special flights to Athens
and other cities connecting many of the 200 million Orthodox
Christians worldwide to their spiritual roots.
Outside the church in Jerusalem's Old City, Israeli police
helped worshippers light candles from the flame many of the
faithful stretching their arms across barricades erected to keep
back the surging crowd.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims packed into the walled Old
City for Easter, and many said they had been unable to get past
the barriers to reach the ceremony.
A local Greek Orthodox woman, Reem Carmi, 27, said
she and two friends shouldered their way through police lines
and into the crush of candle-waving celebrants. "This is a
beautiful occasion for me," she said. "Christianity is based on
light and resurrection."
Although police could not give an exact figure, the number
of Easter pilgrims in Jerusalem was higher than normal because
the calendars of major Christian faiths coincided this year,
bringing Orthodox and Western Christians to the cramped Old City
at the same time. This happens only once every four years.
The "holy fire" ritual dates back at least 1,200 years.
Service
Hours: Sundays and Feast Days: Orthros at 9:30 am; Divine
Liturgy at 10:00 am
Evening Services as Announced
Saints:
Apostle Thomas; Krescens, Martyr; Basilissa and
Anastasia, Martyrs Leonidas Bishop of Athens, Martyr; Theodore
the Presbyter, and Pausolipius.
2nd SUNDAY OF PASCHA – THOMAS
SUNDAY
Gospel Entrance
and Other Hymn Changes
Dismissal Hymn after the Doxology:
Sung in Greek by the
Leaders – Esfraghizmenou to Mnematos (For Translation,
see below).
Dismissal Hymn for Pascha
Sung in Greek before
the Entrance ("Christos Aneste…").
Priest’s Entrance Hymn:
In the congregations bless God, the Lord who
springs out of Israel. Priest and People: Save us o Son
of God who did rise from the dead, we sing to You, Alleluia.
Sung in English
after the Entrance – “Christ is risen. . .”
Dismissal Hymn For St. Thomas Sunday -
(Read) While the tomb was sealed, /
You, O Life, / did shine forth from the grave, / O Christ God; /
and while the doors were shut, / You came to Your disciples, / O
Resurrection of all, / renewing through them / an upright Spirit
in us / according to Your great mercy.
Kontakion for Pascha
(Read) Even though You descended into the
grave, / O immortal One, / You destroyed the power of Hades; /
and You arose as victor, / O Christ our God, / saying to the
myrrh-bearing women, / “Hail!” / and to Your Apostles granting
peace; / You also grant resurrection to the fallen.
Return to page 26 for “Holy God” and for the Epistle and Gospel
Readings
EPISTLE:
Acts 5:12-20
n those days,
many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands
of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's
Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held
them in high honor. And more than ever believers were added to
the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, so that they even
carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and
pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on
some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around
Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean
spirits, and they were all healed. But the high priest rose up
and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees,
and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them
in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened
the prison doors and brought them out and said, "Go and stand in
the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life."
GOSPEL:
John 20:19-31
n the evening
of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut
where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and
stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he
had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the
disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them
again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I
send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and
said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins
of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they
are retained." Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin,
was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told
him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see
in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the
mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not
believe." Eight days later, his disciples were again in the
house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus
came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." Then
he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and
put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless,
but believing." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus
said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." Now Jesus
did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are
not written in this book; but these are written that you may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that
believing you may have life in his name.
In the Place of “Axion Esti” -
The Leaders sing: Se ten Faeinen lampada”
(Read) O you shining lamp, / O Mother of God, / you of
most manifest glory, / who are more exalted than all creation, /
you we magnify with hymns.
In the Place of the Communion Hymn “Praise the Lord,” –
The Leaders sing Epainei Ierousalem
(Read)
Praise the Lord, / O Jerusalem; / praise your God, / O Zion. /
Alleluia
In the Place of “We have seen the true light,” (Hymnal,
70), Sing “Christos Anesti, Christ is risen.”
One Tray Today – Stewardship & Visitors’ Donations
+ FREDRICK UNDERWOOD: A 40
Day Memorial Service with Kolyva will be offered today by the
Underwood Family for the rest of the soul of their late beloved
husband, father and grandfather and great-grandfather. May his
memory be eternal!
FOR THE RECORD: April 7
– Candles $18; April 8 Resurrection Service –
Attendance 80; Candles $231; Visitors’ Donations $334;
Stewardship $375. April 8 Agape Vespers Candles $11.
Thank you for your support!
PROSFORON BAKERS: Presbytera Emily Harakas 4/15.
George Nikas 4/22; Fran Triantafilon 4/29; Argyris & Carol
Gymnaos 5/6; Venice Cosmadelis 5/13.
HOSPITALIZED: Oak Hill: Gina Kardimoglou. We
pray for a rapid recovery.
COFFEE HOUR SPONSORS FOR APRIL: 4/15 – Dora
Halvatzes & Denise Zotto; 4/22 – Presbytera Emily Harakas
& Harriet Pasisis; 4/29 – Helene Arvanites & ???
P.E.P.: Fr. Michael Petrides of St. George Church, New
Port Richey was to have been our speaker this past Friday at
P.E.P., but because of a family emergency, he and the members of
the St. George Senior citizens club cancelled, so the P.E.P.
session was also cancelled. This coming Friday, the P.E.P. topic
will be “The Parable of the Mustard Seed.”
STEWARDS were informed by letter last week that Fr.
Stanley, our Priest for the past five and a half years, will
take his “second retirement” (the first was eleven years ago),
to resume his writing ministry. Fr. & Presbytera Emily’s last
Divine Liturgy will be Sunday, April 29. The Metropolis of
Atlanta will work on the assignment of a new Priest.
TRISAGION: A Trisagion will
be offered today by Fr.& Presbytera Harakas, on the 8th
anniversary of their daughter Katherine Mary DeFilippo’s
passing. Memory Eternal!
EPITAPHION AND CHURCH DECORATION for Pascha was under
the direction of Venice Cosmadelis, and shared in by Bette
Ferriero, Presbytera Emily Harakas, Nanka Kastelan, Harriet
Pasisis, Christina Thomas, Emily Thomas, Dorothy Triantafilon,
Fran Triantafilon, Helen Vangel, Gloria Vardakis. A beautiful
Stewardship of Time and Talents!
OUR PASCHAL GREETINGS:
It is the tradition of our Orthodox Church during the
forty days after Pascha, not to greet each other with "hello"
and "goodbye" but to say the greeting "Christ is Risen!" with
the response "Truly He is Risen!" Let us try to remember to use
this greeting!
$500: Venice Cosmadelis reported that as a result of
last years Bake Sale, Sam’s Club recently matched our earnings
with an additional $500. Congratulations and many thanks!
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 at 7:00
p.m.
A MEETING OF THE ST. KATHERINE LADIES SOCIETY will be
held following the Divine Liturgy this coming Sunday, April
22nd. All Ladies of the Mission are invited to attend. On the
agenda will be a discussion about the future of the Ladies
Society.
BULLETIN SPONSORS: THE
UNDERWOOD FAMILY
“Many Blessings to our friends at Christ the Savior for your
outpouring of prayers and support during our time of
sorrow.”
DURING THIS SACRED
SEASON WE GREET EACH OTHER SAYING
“CHRIST IS RISEN!”
AND
RESPONDING “TRULY HE IS RISEN!”
CHRIST THE SAVIOR
GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
P.O. BOX 5566
SPRING HILL, FL 34611
SATURDAY,
APRIL 20
Delta Woods
Park Pavilion
(Deltona Blvd., Spring Hill)
12:00 - NOON
Bring The Whole Family! Food – Fun – Games
A Good Time!
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