Contents
Hellenic Orthodox Mission of Hernando County
"A Pan-Orthodox Community”
Ecumenical Patriarchate + Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America + Diocese of Atlanta Meeting at St. Nicholas Chapel, 13460 Olympic Village Lane, Brooksville, FL - (352) 796-8482
The Hellenic Orthodox Mission Website: http://web.tampabay.rr.com/dorey/goc/index.htm
FR. STANLEY S. HARAKAS, PROTOPRESBYTER - (352) 688-2382 (Afternoons and Evenings)
“THE SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY”
The first Sunday of Great Lent is a spiritual reward for the spiritual endeavors of the first week of Great Lent. It celebrates the decision of the 7th Ecumenical Council held in 787 that restored the use of icons in the Church. We mark it with a procession of icons and with a special and triumphal Sunday of Orthodoxy Vesper service. It celebrates our Orthodox Faith by honoring the icons, for "Orthodox" literally means "True Faith."
In the Vesper service of Saturday night, all of this is spelled out. One of the major hymns of this service begins with these words: "The grace of truth has shone forth upon us; the mysteries darkly prefigured in the times of old have now been openly fulfilled." The hymn is saying that the truth of the faith is a shining gift from God for us. The Christian truth illumines the prophesies of the Old Testament and shows us the ways of God in a fresh and bright way.
The hymn continues: "For behold, the Church is clothed in a beauty that surpasses all things earthly, through the icon of the incarnate Christ that was foreshadowed by the ark of the testimony." Truth is not just a rational idea; the truth of the Christian faith is a person, whose coming was foretold. The Church's truth is someone beautiful, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. A physical thing, the Ark of Covenant in the Old Testament was thought to be the dwelling place of God.
IN THE SAME WAY the icon of Jesus Christ is the means we use to affirm the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. That is why the hymn continues, “ . . . but we shall glory in the icon of the Word made flesh, which we venerate but worship not as an idol." It the Divine/Human ("Theanthropos") Jesus Christ whom we worship, and in reverencing the icon of Christ we affirm our true Orthodox faith.
LET TAKE STRENGTH from this day, and continue the Lenten journey to PASCHA, the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection.
Service Hours: Sundays and Feast days: Orthros at 9:30 a.m.; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. Evening Services as announced.
1st Lent: Sunday of Orthodoxy: – 1st Tone
Saints: Righteous Zacharias of Scetis; Righteous Artemon, Bishop of Seleucia (1st cent.); Holy Martyr Parthenios III, the Younger, Patriarch of Constantinople (+1657).
EPISTLE – Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-40
BRETHREN, Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered abuse suffered for the Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked to the reward. Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets -- who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated -- of whom the world was not worthy -- wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen some-thing better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
GOSPEL – John 2:44-52
AT THAT TIME Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."
GOSPEL ENTRANCE HYMNS
Dismissal Hymn – 1st Tone in the Divine Liturgy Hymnal, pp. 80-81.
(Sing in Greek) (“Tou lithou sfragisthentos”) before the Gospel Entrance and in English after the Entrance (“The stone that had been sealed. . .” )
Dismissal Hymn – Sunday of Orthodoxy – Special Sheet
(Sing in English) (“Your sacred icon, Christ our God)
(Sing in English) Hymn of St. Nicholas - Divine Liturgy Hymnal, pp. 110-111
"An example of the Faith and a life of humility. . ."
The Kontakion of the Sunday of Orthodoxy - Divine Liturgy Hymnal, pp. 98-99
(Sing in Greek) (“Tee Eepermacho . . .)
IN THE LITURGY OF ST. BASIL: “Epi si haire” – Special Handout.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
THE PROCESSION OF ICONS for the Sunday of Orthodoxy will take place following the Liturgy. Use the Special Music Sheet to sing the Dismissal Hymn of the Feast during the Procession. We will sing it in both Greek and English.
STEWARDS OF PROSFORON BAKING: Presbytera Emily Harakas – Mar. 22 (Saturday of Souls); Mar. 23 George Nikas – Mar. 24; Fran Triantafilon – Mar. 25 (Annunciation); Gloria Vardakis – March 31; Venice Cosmadelis – Apr. 7; Bette Ferriero – Apr. 14 Fran Mather – Apr. 21; Connie Mourgides Apr. 28. Helen Nicolelis – May 2 (Holy Thursday). George Nikas, Prosforon Coordinator (597-1375).
PARISH EDUCATION PROGRAM (P.E.P.): “Church History – 2000 Years in 50 Minutes!” Next Friday, Mar. 29. Join Us! Starts at 2:30 p.m. Coffee and . . . .
THE 2nd SERVICE OF THE SALUTATIONS TO THE THEOTOKOS will be conducted this Friday, March 29 at 4:00 p.m. Please prepare a “Lenten Covered Dish,” for our evening meal following the service.
OUR NEW WEBSITE: Our Hellenic Orthodox Mission of Hernando County is now online! If you have a computer and an internet connection, put our internet web address on your “favorites” list: http://web.tampabay.rr.com/dorey/goc/index.htm. Many thanks to Dorothy Triantafilon who spent many hours getting the website ready. It was her idea to establish the website of our parish, which is updated weekly. Included are past issues of The Orthodox Messenger, Parish Education Program (P.E.P.) handouts, and many interesting links to other valuable Orthodox websites, including the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and the Diocese of Atlanta. Check us out!
ANNUNCIATION DAY: Tomorrow, March 25. Orthros – 9:30; Liturgy 10:00 a.m.
SPONSOR AN ISSUE OF “THE ORTHODOX MESSENGER” with a donation of $20. You can honor a person having a birthday, nameday, or a couple having a wedding anniversary or any other event. To sponsor an issue, contact Connie Mourgides, Parish Council President (686-0589).
Fr. Harakas will be attending the PAN-ORTHODOX “Sunday of Orthodoxy” Vespers at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Lecanto this evening. You also are invited! We will be leaving from the Chapel at 5:00 p.m. for the 6:00 p.m. Vespers. (A Lenten meal will follow). For travel details, see Fr. Stanley.
FLOWERS FOR LENT: Many thanks to John and Theano Hatzi for donating the wreath for the icon of the Theotokos at the Salutations this past week. To donate a Salutations Wreath, please contact Dora Halvatzes (683-2635).
YOUR PLEDGE. If you haven’t returned a pledge card, you will soon receive another for your consideration. Your pledge card helps our Mission Parish budget for the year. Please make your pledge contributions on a regular basis.
THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR:
Mr. Chris Nakis of Chris’s Pizza, Pasta & Subs
Coastal Shopping Ctr, 13103 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, next to Sears. 592-0878
HELLENIC ORTHODOX MISSION
OF HERNANDO COUNTY
P.O. BOX 5566
SPRING HILL, FL 34611
“A Pan-Orthodox Community”