Hellenic Orthodox Mission

“A Pan-Orthodox Christian Community”

Ecumenical Patriarchate + Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America + Metropolis of Atlanta

Services Held at St. Nicholas Chapel, 13460 Olympic Village Lane, Brooksville, FL - (352) 796-8482

Fr. Stanley S. Harakas, Protopresbyter – (352) 688-2382; Cell (352) 263-3005; Fax (352) 688-9846; Email: Rharakas@aol.com

   On this day we celebrate the memory of our venerable father John, the author of the "Ladder," also known as John of the Climax. Our venerable father John lived during the reign of emperor Justinus the younger, who was the famous Emperor Justinian's nephew (570 AD). When he was sixteen years old, he was education in philosophy. After that, he offered himself to God, as a most holy sacrifice. So, he ascended mount Sinai and lived in obedience under an elder. When he was nineteen years old, he left his elder and moved to the stage of solitude, living some five miles away from the Church of the Skete on Sinai; the name of that place was Tholas.
   The blessed man spent forty whole years there. Every day he burnt with fervent love for God. He used to eat from every kind of food, which monks are allowed to eat, but only in small quantities. Being discrete, he did this most wisely in order to crush the vice of pride, which disturbed him with the thought that he was different from the rest of the monks, unless he ate.
   He used to sleep very little and even this he did so as not to harm his mind with his extreme vigils. His whole life was a continuous and unceasing prayer and incomparable love for God. He acquired the virtues and therefore he was made worthy by God to see great visions and foresee things before they happened. So, when his disciple slept under a rock that was going to fall on him and smash him, the saint foresaw this with the grace of the Holy Spirit. As he was sitting in his cell, he appeared in his disciple's dream and, waking him up, he saved him from death. When he had matured in virtue, he became abbot of the monastery on mount Sinai. Then, he left this transitory life and departed for the eternal one.
   Before he died, he wrote a book of spiritual wisdom describing thirty divine and spiritual ascents, that is “steps.” This is why it is called "Ladder". The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the spiritual life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of Orthodox Christian piety; 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.

Service Hours: Sundays and Feast days: Orthros at 9:30 a.m.; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

Saints: St. John of the Ladder; Eutychios, Patriarch of Constantinopele (+582); The Righteous Platonis of Syria & Gregory the Byzantine (+300); Martyr Archilias, the Presbyter; Methodios, Enlightener of the Slavs; Elstan, Bishop of Rambury, England

GOSPEL ENTRANCE HYMNS

(Sing in English after the Entrance) ("From on high did you descend"). (Same).

(Read) With the rivers of your tears, / you have made the barren desert fertile. / Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, / your labors have borne fruit a hundred-fold. / By your miracles you have become a light, / shining upon the world. /O John, our Holy Father, / pray to Christ our God, / to save our souls.

(Read) To You, the Champion Leader, / do I, Your City, / ascribe thank-offerings of victory, / for you, O Mother of God, have delivered me from terrors; / but as you have invincible power, / free me from every kind of danger, / so that to you, I may cry: / Hail, O Bride unwedded.

EPISTLE: 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 changeable 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.

GOSPEL: 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."

FOR THE RECORD: For March 25 & 30: Candles-$112; Offering-$113; Dino Adamis Philanthropic Fund-$376. The Stewardship of Treasure makes good things happen!

BAPTISM: On Sunday, March 30, Demetri and Kara Hazivasilis baptized their sons, William and Daniel at our Church. They were the 2^nd and 3^rd baptisms in our new Baptismal Font. Serving as God-parent for both William and Daniel was Billy (Vasilios) Urling, assisted by his mother Nancy Urling. May God bless the Hazivasilis boys and grant them and their Baptismal Sponsor “Billy” Urling “Many Years!”

LENTEN EVENTS THIS WEEK: Wednesday, April 9- 10:00 a.m.: The Great Canon of Repentance by St. Andrew of Crete; Friday, April 11- 2:30 p.m.: Parish Education Program (Study of the Gospel of John 5:1-18 4:00 p.m.: The Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos (the complete service with the four stanzas).

APRIL BIRTHDAYS: Blessing prayers for those celebrating their birthdays will be offered today for the following parishioners of the Mission who celebrate their birthdays in April: Vera Pasvantis 4/2; Mike Triantafilon 4/5; Stephanie Pasvantis 4/7; Fr. John Liadis 4/8; Feenie Ferriero 4/11; Cathy Lemonedes 4/29; Connie Pappas 4/30. Congratulations!

PROSFORON BAKING: Fran Triantafilon 4/6; Bette Ferriero 4/13; Helen Nicolelis 4/24 (Holy Thursday); Presbytera Emily (Holy Saturday) 4/26; Gloria Vardakis (Pascha) 4/27; Connie Mourgides 5/4; Venice Cosmadelis 5/11; Fran Mather 5/18; George Nikas 3/30. Include family names, both living and deceased.

THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE FOUNDATION ANNUAL MEETING will be held tomorrow, April 7 at 4:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

FOOD COLLECTION: We will soon be distributing Easter baskets to needy families and children in our area. Please bring canned and boxed foods. Thanks for your support!

Be a bulletin sponsor! Bulletin Sponsors donate $20 for each issue of the Orthodox Messenger in order to support this outreach effort of our Mission. We now reach over 100 families each week with “The Orthodox Messenger.” Please help! See Council President Connie Mourgides today and give her the wording of your message or call her at 686-0589.

SALUTATIONS FLOWERS: Flowers for the feast of the Adoration of the Cross, March 30 were given by Nicolai and Nanka Kastelan for blessings for their children and grand-childrn. Flowers for Icon of the Theotokos for Friday, April 4 were given by Spiro and Kathy Lemonedes for blessings for their grand-children. Many thanks!

SIGN UP TO SPONSOR A COFFEE HOUR! Coffee Hour Sponsors provide the cake, sweets and fruit. The rest is supplied by the Hospitality Committee, Dee Nikas, Chair and Bette Ferriero Vice-Chair. Help foster the spirit of fellowship in our Mission!

THE BAPTISMAL FONT: The Parish Council is pleased to announce that the full cost of our new Baptismal Font has been donated! Thanks to all who gave to make this gift to our parish. A total (for the font and for the shipping costs) of $2090 was raised. Thank you!

SOPHIA VARDAKIS

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY ‘NOUNO’ FEENIE FERRIERO!”



Contents		The Orthodox Messenger Vol. II, No. 12 – Sunday, April 6, 2003 “A Pan-Orthodox Christian Community” Ecumenical Patriarchate + Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America + Metropolis of Atlanta Services Held at St. Nicholas Chapel, 13460 Olympic Village Lane, Brooksville, FL - (352) 796-8482 The Hellenic Orthodox Mission Website: http://orthodoxhernandocountyfl.org/ Fr. Stanley S. Harakas, Protopresbyter – (352) 688-2382; Cell (352) 263-3005; Fax (352) 688-9846; Email: Rharakas@aol.com ST. JOHN OF THE LADDER On this day we celebrate the memory of our venerable father John, the author of the "Ladder," also known as John of the Climax. Our venerable father John lived during the reign of emperor Justinus the younger, who was the famous Emperor Justinian's nephew (570 AD). When he was sixteen years old, he was education in philosophy. After that, he offered himself to God, as a most holy sacrifice. So, he ascended mount Sinai and lived in obedience under an elder. When he was nineteen years old, he left his elder and moved to the stage of solitude, living some five miles away from the Church of the Skete on Sinai; the name of that place was Tholas. The blessed man spent forty whole years there. Every day he burnt with fervent love for God. He used to eat from every kind of food, which monks are allowed to eat, but only in small quantities. Being discrete, he did this most wisely in order to crush the vice of pride, which disturbed him with the thought that he was different from the rest of the monks, unless he ate. He used to sleep very little and even this he did so as not to harm his mind with his extreme vigils. His whole life was a continuous and unceasing prayer and incomparable love for God. He acquired the virtues and therefore he was made worthy by God to see great visions and foresee things before they happened. So, when his disciple slept under a rock that was going to fall on him and smash him, the saint foresaw this with the grace of the Holy Spirit. As he was sitting in his cell, he appeared in his disciple's dream and, waking him up, he saved him from death. When he had matured in virtue, he became abbot of the monastery on mount Sinai. Then, he left this transitory life and departed for the eternal one. Before he died, he wrote a book of spiritual wisdom describing thirty divine and spiritual ascents, that is “steps.” This is why it is called "Ladder". The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the spiritual life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of Orthodox Christian piety; 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. Service Hours: Sundays and Feast days: Orthros at 9:30 a.m.; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. Evening Services as announced 4^th SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT – ST. JOHN OF THE LADDER Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil Saints: St. John of the Ladder; Eutychios, Patriarch of Constantinopele (+582); The Righteous Platonis of Syria & Gregory the Byzantine (+300); Martyr Archilias, the Presbyter; Methodios, Enlightener of the Slavs; Elstan, Bishop of Rambury, England GOSPEL ENTRANCE HYMNS Dismissal Hymn - Plagal 4th Tone (Sing in Greek before the Entrance) ("Ex ypsous katelthes").Hymnal, 89-90. (Sing in English after the Entrance) ("From on high did you descend"). (Same). Dismissal Hymn of St. John of the Ladder (Read) With the rivers of your tears, / you have made the barren desert fertile. / Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, / your labors have borne fruit a hundred-fold. / By your miracles you have become a light, / shining upon the world. /O John, our Holy Father, / pray to Christ our God, / to save our souls. Dismissal Hymn of St. Nicholas (Sing in English) “An Example of the Faith” Hymnal. 110-111. Kontakion to the Theotokos Sing in Greek “Tee Yepermacho Stratego ta Niketeria” Hymnal, 98. (Read) To You, the Champion Leader, / do I, Your City, / ascribe thank-offerings of victory, / for you, O Mother of God, have delivered me from terrors; / but as you have invincible power, / free me from every kind of danger, / so that to you, I may cry: / Hail, O Bride unwedded. Return to page 26 – “Holy God, Holy Mighty . . . .”. EPISTLE: 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 changeable 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. GOSPEL: 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." FOR THE RECORD: For March 25 & 30: Candles-$112; Offering-$113; Dino Adamis Philanthropic Fund-$376. The Stewardship of Treasure makes good things happen! BAPTISM: On Sunday, March 30, Demetri and Kara Hazivasilis baptized their sons, William and Daniel at our Church. They were the 2^nd and 3^rd baptisms in our new Baptismal Font. Serving as God-parent for both William and Daniel was Billy (Vasilios) Urling, assisted by his mother Nancy Urling. May God bless the Hazivasilis boys and grant them and their Baptismal Sponsor “Billy” Urling “Many Years!” LENTEN EVENTS THIS WEEK: Wednesday, April 9- 10:00 a.m.: The Great Canon of Repentance by St. Andrew of Crete; Friday, April 11- 2:30 p.m.: Parish Education Program (Study of the Gospel of John 5:1-18 4:00 p.m.: The Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos (the complete service with the four stanzas). APRIL BIRTHDAYS: Blessing prayers for those celebrating their birthdays will be offered today for the following parishioners of the Mission who celebrate their birthdays in April: Vera Pasvantis 4/2; Mike Triantafilon 4/5; Stephanie Pasvantis 4/7; Fr. John Liadis 4/8; Feenie Ferriero 4/11; Cathy Lemonedes 4/29; Connie Pappas 4/30. Congratulations! PROSFORON BAKING: Fran Triantafilon 4/6; Bette Ferriero 4/13; Helen Nicolelis 4/24 (Holy Thursday); Presbytera Emily (Holy Saturday) 4/26; Gloria Vardakis (Pascha) 4/27; Connie Mourgides 5/4; Venice Cosmadelis 5/11; Fran Mather 5/18; George Nikas 3/30. Include family names, both living and deceased. THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE FOUNDATION ANNUAL MEETING will be held tomorrow, April 7 at 4:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. BORROW A BOOK FROM THE LIBRARY TODAY! FOOD COLLECTION: We will soon be distributing Easter baskets to needy families and children in our area. Please bring canned and boxed foods. Thanks for your support! Be a bulletin sponsor! Bulletin Sponsors donate $20 for each issue of the Orthodox Messenger in order to support this outreach effort of our Mission. We now reach over 100 families each week with “The Orthodox Messenger.” Please help! See Council President Connie Mourgides today and give her the wording of your message or call her at 686-0589. SALUTATIONS FLOWERS: Flowers for the feast of the Adoration of the Cross, March 30 were given by Nicolai and Nanka Kastelan for blessings for their children and grand-childrn. Flowers for Icon of the Theotokos for Friday, April 4 were given by Spiro and Kathy Lemonedes for blessings for their grand-children. Many thanks! HOSPITALIZED: Oak Hill: Electra Butcher. We pray for her rapid recovery SIGN UP TO SPONSOR A COFFEE HOUR! Coffee Hour Sponsors provide the cake, sweets and fruit. The rest is supplied by the Hospitality Committee, Dee Nikas, Chair and Bette Ferriero Vice-Chair. Help foster the spirit of fellowship in our Mission! THE BAPTISMAL FONT: The Parish Council is pleased to announce that the full cost of our new Baptismal Font has been donated! Thanks to all who gave to make this gift to our parish. A total (for the font and for the shipping costs) of $2090 was raised. Thank you! SOPHIA VARDAKIS “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY ‘NOUNO’ FEENIE FERRIERO!” Come to Church! HELLENIC ORTHODOX MISSION OF HERNANDO COUNTY P.O. BOX 5566 SPRING HILL, FL 34611 “A Pan-Orthodox Christian Community”
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