The Orthodox Messenger
Vol. VII, No. 19 – Sunday, April 20, 2008
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
Fr. Stanley S.
Harakas, Th.D.,D.D. (352) 796-2377; Cell (352) 263-3005; Fax
(352-796-9081)
RELIVING THE
LAST DAYS OF CHRIST’S LIFE ON EARTH - 4
Last week’s bulletin
article reviewed the second part of Holy Week. This week we conclude
this brief description of Holy Week focusing on the Resurrection
Services.
Holy Saturday Night (April 26) we will gather in the church at
11:30 p.m. We will repeat the hymns of the Canon from Great Friday
night’s service. These hymns focus on the death and burial of Christ.
One of these hymns has us say: “Beholding
you upon the throne and on high and in the grave below the things of
heaven and the things beneath the earth trembled at your death; for in a
manner past understanding were you, the very source of Life, seen dead.”
We anticipate the moment of the
Resurrection.
The Midnight Resurrection Service (April 27) begins as electric
lights, and all candles and vigil lights are extinguished. The church is
in darkness representing the fallen world. The Priest lights the Paschal
Candle, symbolizing the new life of the Resurrection, turns and chants:
“Come, receive the light from the unwaning light, and glorify Christ Who
is risen from the dead” offering the Resurrection Light to the waiting
congregation.
Then there is a procession with candles, processional Cross and Fans,
Resurrection icon and the Gospel Book, with the censer proceeding, going
outdoors to the stand placed in the gazebo. We sing: “Angels sing of
Your Resurrection in heaven, Christ Savior. Make us on earth also worthy
to glorify You with pure hearts.” The Priest then reads the Gospel
of the Resurrection. Immediately thereafter, the triumphant Resurrection
hymn is sung many times with verses as the clergy cense the Gospel Book
on all sides: “Christ is risen from the dead. By Death, He has
trampled death; and to those in the tombs He has granted life.”
Returning to the church the canon of the Orthros of the Holy
Resurrection of Christ:
“Resurrection Day! O peoples, let us radiantly shine! Pascha, the Lord’s
Pascha! For Christ our God has out of death passed us over into life,
and likewise from earth to heaven, as we now sing unto Him a triumphal
hymn”
is
sung. The Triumphal Paschal Liturgy then follows and we share in
the new life of the Resurrection! It concludes with the beautiful and
inspiring Easter Sermon of St. John Chrysostom.
At noon, we gather for the “Vespers of Love.” We read the Gospel of
Christ’s appearance to the Disciples, in the absence of Thomas. The next
Sunday, the Sunday of Thomas, we hear him say to the risen Christ:
"My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28).
Until Ascension Day, 40 days after Pascha (May 5), our normal greeting
will be “Christ is Risen!” and the response we give will be
“Truly He is
risen!”
LIVE HOLY WEEK
AND PASCHA THIS YEAR! COME TO AS MANY CHURCH SERVICES AS YOU CAN!
Service
Hours: Sundays and Feast Days: Orthros at 9:30 a.m.; Divine Liturgy at
10:00 a.m.
Evening Services as Announced
Today’s Saints: Righteous Theodore of Trichina (+400); The
Martyrs Victor, Zoticus, Zeno, Acindynus, Caesarius, Seviarn,
Christopher, Theonas & Antoninus; Fr. John of the Ancient Lavra;
Athanasios of Meteora (+1383); Ioasaph; Zachaios the Apostle (+1st
c.); Priest Martyr Anastasios of Antioch.
PALM SUNDAY – THE ENTRANCE OF JESUS INTO JERUSALEM
GOSPEL ENTRANCE AND OTHER HYMNS
Dismissal Hymn Following Doxology – Sung by the Leaders in
Greek “Syntafendes sou” (See translation below).
1st Antiphon: “Save us O Son of God who was seated on
the foal of a donkey, we sing to you. Alleluia.”
Dismissal Hymn of the Feast
(Sung in Greek before the
Entrance by the Leaders) "Ten Koinen Anastasin "
The Priest Sings
the Entrance: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Save
us O Son of God who was seated on the foal of a donkey,
we sing to you Alleluia!”
Dismissal Hymn of the Entrance: (Read) To confirm the
general resurrection / before Your Passion, / You resurrected Lazarus
from the dead, / O Christ our God. / therefore imitating the children, /
carrying the symbols of victory, / we cry out to You the Victor over
death: / Hosanna in the highest! / Blessed are You, / the One, who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Additional Festal Dismissal Hymn – Sung by the Leaders in
Greek “Syntafendes sou”
(Read) We were buried with You through Baptism, O Christ our God,
/ and thus by Your Resurrection / we have been granted immortal life, /
and extolling You we cry aloud, / Hosanna in the highest! / Blessed are
You, the One who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Kontakion – Sung
in Greek by the Leaders: “To throno
en ourano”
(Read) In heaven upon the throne, / on earth upon the
foal, / You were carried, O Christ our God; / and the praise of the
Angels, / and the hymns of the children, / You received as they cried to
You, / “Blessed are You, the One, / who is coming to call Adam back
again.”
Turn to
pp. 26-27
of the
Hymnal, for “Holy God . . . .”
EPISTLE -
Philippians 4:4-9 (Palm Sunday)
rethren,
rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know
your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all
understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is
just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if
there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think
about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and
seen in me, do; and the God of peace
will be with you.
GOSPEL - John
12:1-18 (Palm Sunday)
ix days before Passover,
Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazaros was, whom Jesus had raised from the
dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Lazaros was one
of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure
nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair;
and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. But Judas
Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said "Why was
this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"
This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief,
and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. Jesus
said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor
you always have with you, but you do not always have me." When the
great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only
on account of Jesus but also to see Lazaros, whom he had raised from the
dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazaros also to death, because
on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in
Jesus. The next day a great crowd who had
come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took
branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of
Israel!" And Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it; as it is
written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey's colt!" His disciples did not understand this at
first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this had
been written of him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been
with him when he called Lazaros out of the tomb and raised him from the
dead bore witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that
they heard he had done this sign.
In the place of “Axion
Estin” the leaders sing “Theos
Kyrios . . . systisate eorten”
(Read) The Lord is God and He has
appeared to us. / Therefore let us celebrate and sing with joy. / Come
let us glorify Christ, / and with palms and branches, / sing to Him
songs of praise; / “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the
Lord, / our Savior.
In the place of the Communion Hymn “Praise the Lord” the
Leaders sing “Evlogemenos o erchomenos” (Read) “Blessed is
He who comes in the name of the Lord, Save us O Son of God, the King of
Israel.”
In the place of
“Blessed be
the name of the Lord ” the Leaders sing “Ten
Koinen Anastasin.”
(Read) To confirm the
general resurrection / before Your Passion, / You resurrected Lazarus
from the dead, / O Christ our God. / therefore imitating the children, /
carrying the symbols of victory, / we cry out to You the Victor over
death: / Hosanna in the highest! / Blessed are You, / the One, who comes
in the name of the Lord.
TWO TRAYS TODAY: 1) STEWARDSHIP AND VISITORS’ OFFERINGS
2) DINO ADAMIS PHILANTHROPIC
FUND
HOLY CHRISMATION service will be
conducted today following the blessing of the Palms, receiving Rainey
(“John”) and Geraldine (“Mary”) Council of Dade City into the Orthodox
Church. Following the Sacrament, all are invited to greet our new
parishioners.
APRIL NAME DAY BLESSINGS
will be offered today after the Divine
Liturgy.
BUILDING COMMITTEE Chairs Paul
Cosmadelis and Nick Kastelan inform us that on May 1, the County
Building agencies will review plans of our new church & hall.
HOSPITALIZED:
Oak Hill:
Bette Ferriero; Lindalee Bell.
Herron Pointe Rehab: Demetra (Toula) Panagopoulos. We pray for
“Rapid Recovery.”
PARISH COUNCIL - CANDLE STAND:
4/20 - Venice Cosmadelis & Jennie
Palmenteri. Holy Week – All Parish Council members should be available.
BULLETIN SPONSORS
NEEDED! - $20 FOR YOUR PERSONALIZED MESSAGE
A FAREWELL TO GLORIA VARDAKIS
took place this past Sunday with a
luncheon given by Dora Hazivasilis, Bette Ferriero & Helen Vangel. “Many
Years!”
PASCHA/EASTER GLENDI – DID YOU SEND IN
YOUR RESERVATIOS?
CONGRATULATIONS
to Fr. Michael and Pani Karen Miklos on the
appointment by Governor Crist of their son John, President of Bio-Tech
Consulting in Orlando, to the Environmental Regulation Commission of the
State of Florida. We are proud!
COFFEE HOUR SPONSORS:
4/20 - (Palm Sunday Buffet) Diane & David Covington & Harriet Pasisis;
4/27 - (After Easter Sunday Midnight Liturgy) Hazivasilis Family,
Harriett Pasisis, Diane Covington; (Easter Sunday Vespers [Noon],
followed by “Easter Sunday Glendi” [1:00 pm]), Curtis and Emily
Thomas.
BULLETIN SPONSORS:
WILLIAM & OLGA EUGENIDES
“Happy Birthday Billy
Eugenides From All Of Us. Many, many more!”
CHRIST THE SAVIOR
GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
P.O. BOX 5566
SPRING HILL, FL 34611
STAY
TODAY FOR YOUR PALM SUNDAY
SEAFOOD
SALAD BUFFET
Salmon, Shrimp, Tuna, Potato
and Macaroni Salads
Cole Slaw
– Dessert - Beverage
Donation $8; children 6-12 $4; Under 6, Free
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