The Orthodox Messenger

Vol. VII, No. 22 – Sunday, May 11, 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

HIS EMINENCE METROPOLITAN ALEXIOS` REFLECTIONS on BRIGHT WEEK

My dearly beloved,    

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

   It is with a jubilant heart and glad spirit that I greet you in the name of our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! At this wonderful and glorious time of celebration and renewal, I extend to you my Hierarchical blessings and best wishes for blessed and joyous Paschal season.
   We give thanks that our Almighty God through His Divine Love and Mercy has bestowed His Grace on us so that once again we may experience the glorious Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and His Victory over sin, death and the power of the Evil One. This is not merely a commemoration of an historical event, but a shining reality in our own lives and hearts.
   Our Holy Orthodox Church has set aside times both for feasting and fasting, so that this week we observe “Diakaimsimos”, “Bright Week” or “Renewal Week”, named for the spiritual renewal and joy brought to the world by the resurrected Christ. Because all things are renewed by Christ as “a new heaven and a new earth.” During this blessed Week, the Royal Doors into the Sanctuary remain open, fasting is forbidden, and at funerals, we do not sing the customary Funeral Service but sing of the Resurrection. The light of Pascha illumines this week, as each day we celebrate the glory of His Resurrection in the Divine Liturgy. We greet each other joyfully "Christos Anesti! Christ is risen!” The time of sorrow is over; the whole creation sings and glorifies the Lord!
   Also during this glorious week, we commemorated the name days of the great St. George, Saints Raphael, Nicholas and Irene, the Prophet Jeremiah, the nun-martyr Pelagia, Irene the Great Martyr of Thessaloniki, and the Feast of "The Life-Giving Fountain," the Zodochos Peghe.
   The Resurrection of Christ is the foundation and cornerstone of our Orthodox Christian faith. As St. Paul tells us: "If Christ be not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty" (1 Cor. 15:14). As we experience the joy of Pascha, we also enter into that Heavenly Kingdom, the beginning of the endless joy of Heaven.
   My dear ones, I ask you to join me in giving thanks to our Heavenly Father for this great gift that He bestowed upon us all. Let us also beseech Him to strengthen us as we strive to live as brothers and sisters in Christ, loving and assisting one another, even as the Apostles did. So that we may remain faithful in the service of our Risen Lord and Savior, proclaiming and testifying always to His Resurrection, as St. Thomas did: “My Lord and my God!”
   May God keep you and your loved ones under His Protection always and may you be spiritually uplifted with the love, freedom and peace that our Lord’s Holy Resurrection offers to us all. As you are always in my thoughts and prayers and in my heart, I pray that I will remain in your hearts and prayers also.

                                                                                                 + ALEXIOS, Metropolitan of Atlanta

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

3rd SUNDAY OF PASCHA – THE MYHRR BEARING WOMEN

Gospel Entrance and Other Hymn Changes

Hymn After Doxology  - Sing in English “Christ is Risen . . .”

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.

 Dismissal Hymn of the Resurrection - 2nd Tone

    (Sing in English after the Entrance) ("When you descended"). Hymnal, 81-82.

Troparion of Joseph of Arimathea - Leaders sing “O efschemon Iosif”

   (Read) When he took down Your immaculate Body / from the Cross, / the honorable Joseph / wrapped it in a clean linen shroud with spices / and laid it in a new tomb. / But on the third day / You arose, O Lord, / and granted the world Your great mercy.

Troparion of the Myrrh-Bearing Women - Leaders sing “Tes Myrofores gynaixin”

    (Read) The Angel standing at the sepulcher / cried out and said to the ointment-bearing women: / Ointments are appropriate for those who are mortal, / but Christ has been shown to be a stranger to decay. / So go and cry aloud, / “The Lord has risen / and granted the world His great mercy.

Dismissal Hymn of the Presentation of Christ (Sing) From the sheet in the pew.

Kontakion for Pascha - The Leaders sing “e kai en tafo” (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 of the Apostles 6:1-7 (Myrrh Bearing Women)

n those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochoros, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

GOSPEL: Mark 15:43-16:8 (Myrrh Bearing Women)

t that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Changes Later In the Divine Liturgy

In the place of “Truly it is proper . . .” (p. 54) the Leaders sing “O Angelos eboa . . . “Fotizou, fotizou ”   (Read) The Angel cried out to the one full of Grace: / Hail! Holy Virgin, and again I say, Hail! / Your Son has risen from the tomb on the third day. / Shine, shine, / the New Jerusalem! / For the glory of the Lord has dawned upon You. / Rejoice now and be glad, O Zion; / and You, O all-pure Theotokos, / delight in the Resurrection of Him, / to Whom you gave birth.

 In the place of the Communion Hymn (Praise Him . . . )

   (Sing) “Soma Christou” . . .  Body of Christ . . . Hymnal, p. 104

In the place of “We have seen the light”   (Sing) “Christos Anesti,”  “Christ is Risen “

  10 YEAR TRISAGION: Katherine Mary Harakas DeFilippo. Eternal Memory!

  MOTHERS DAY TODAY: A flower will be given to all Mothers after Church.

  MAY BIRTHDAY AND ANNIVERSARY BLESSINGS TODAY: Birthdays- Anargyros Kotsakis 5/3; Achilles Thomas 5/4; Nicholas Hazivasilis 5/8; Evangelia Thomas 5/11; Delcie Kelo 5/16; Dimitra Panagopoulos 5/21; Dino Moshonisiotis 5/22; Zachary Naverud 5/25; Gabrielle Navarud 5/25; Adam Martinez 5/27. Anniversaries: Thomas & Betty Frangos 5/3; Fr. Michael & Pani Karen Miklos 5/9; Bill & Ruby Hazivasilis 5/19; Spero & Kathy Lemonedes 5/19. Many Years!

   PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW was listed this past week by Time Magazine in its list of “100 Most Influential People”. More details next week. We are proud!

  FOR THE RECORD: Reported by Treasurer Curtis Thomas. Candles: $55; Donations  $82; Coffee Hour $29; Easter Donation $25; Telephone Book Ad $200; Stewardship $665; Attendance 43. Many thanks for your support! Please remember that our expenses continue throughout the summer season.

    APRIL / MAY COFFEE HOUR HOSTS: The following have signed up to host the Coffee Hour for the Sundays of May. May 11 – Diane Lydia Covington; May 18 – Harriet Pasisis; May 25 Emily Thomas & Harriet Pasisis. Please sign up for June.

    MAY PARISH COUNCIL CANDLE STAND ASSIGNMENTS: May 11 - Argyris Gymnaos & Carol Gymnaos; May 18 - Venice Cosmadelis & Jennie Palmenteri; May 25 - George  Maniates & Bill Pasisis.

   Without notice, the recycling bin was removed from our property. Christ the Savior Church however believes in recycling for the benefit of the environment. The closest full service recycling is located at the east end of the Walmart Shopping Center on Rt. 50. Bin 0 takes Magazines, Telephone Books, Office Paper & Junk Mail. Bin 1 takes Newspapers. Bin 4 takes Cardboard. Bin 6 takes Plastic Bottles, Steel and Aluminum Cans. We encourage all Christ the Savior parishioners to take re-cycling seriously.

CHRIST THE SAVIOR

GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

P.O. BOX 5566

SPRING HILL, FL 34611