The Messenger

TheWeekly Worship Guide of MessengerThe Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation, Atlanta Georgia Sunday, September 16, 2018 – Κυριακή, 16 Σεπτεμβρίου 2018 Sunday After the Elevation of the Holy Cross Κυριακή Μετά τήν Ὑψωσιν τοῦ Τιμίου Σταυροῦ Euphemia the Great Martyr, Victor and Sosthenes the Martyrs, Melitene the Martyr

40 Day Baby Blessings Baby of Philip & Kiki Kendall Baby of Costa & Ismini Alexiou Today in Honor of the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross we will pass a special tray for the many needs of our Seminary, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

ALL Sunday School students will remain in Church TODAY for the Procession of the Holy Cross. Students will not go to their classrooms at the regular time

Students in PreKC (4 yrs) - 5th Grades meet in the Narthex right after Holy Communion to line up for the procession

Students in PreKA, PreKB and 6th-12th Grades will remain in Church to observe the procession As soon as the procession is over, ALL classes will meet for 30 minutes

Saint Euphemia the Great Martyr The Holy Great Martyr Euphemia the all-praised was the daughter of Christians, Philophronos, who was a senator and Theodosia. Euphemia suffered for Christ in the year 304 in the city of Chalcedon, on the banks of the Bosphorus opposite Constantinople. The Chalcedon governor Priscus circulated an order to all the inhabitants of Chalcedon and its surroundings to appear at a pagan festival to worship and offer sacrifice to an idol of Ares, threatening grave torments for anyone who failed to appear. During this impious festival, 49 Christians were hidden in one house, where they secretly attended services to the True God. The young Euphemia was also among those praying there. Soon the hiding place of the Christians was discovered, and they were brought before Priscus to answer for themselves. For nineteen days the martyrs were subjected to various tortures and torments, but none of them wavered in their faith nor consented to offer sacrifice to the idol. The governor sent them for trial to the emperor Diocletian. He kept the youngest, Euphemia, hoping that she would not remain strong if she were all alone. Priscus at first urged the saint to recant, promising her earthly blessings, but then he gave the order to torture her. The martyr was tied to a wheel with sharp knives, which cut her body. The saint prayed aloud, and as it happened, the wheel stopped by itself and would not move even with all the efforts of the executioners. An angel of the Lord, came down from Heaven, removed Euphemia from the wheel and healed her of her wounds. The saint gave thanks unto the Lord with gladness. Not perceiving the miracle that had occurred, the torturer ordered the soldiers Victor and Sosthenes to take the saint to a burning furnace. But the soldiers, seeing two fearsome angels in the midst of the flames, refused to carry out the order of the governor and became believers in the God, Whom Euphemia worshipped. Boldly proclaiming that they too were Christians, Victor and Sosthenes bravely went to suffering. They were sent to be eaten by wild beasts. During their execution, they cried out for mercy to God, ask- ing that the Lord would receive them into the Heavenly Kingdom. A heavenly Voice answered their cries, and they en- tered into eternal life. Saint Euphemia, cast into the fire by other soldiers, remained unharmed. With the help of God she emerged unharmed after many other tortures and torments. Finally, they sentenced her to be devoured by wild beasts at the circus. One of the bears gave her a small wound on the leg, from which came blood, and immediately the holy Great Mar- tyr Euphemia died. A majestic church was later built over the grave of the Great Martyr Euphemia. At this church the ses- sions of the Fourth Ecumenical Council took place in the year 451. At that time, the holy Great Martyr Euphemia confirmed the Orthodox confession in a miraculous manner, and exposed the Monophysite heresy. (From the website of the Orthodox Church of America)

ORDER OF HYMNS FOLLOWING THE SMALL ENTRANCE Apolytikion

Ἀναστάσιμον Ἀπολυτίκιον. Ἦχος βαρύς Resurrectional Apolytikion. Mode grave Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, ἠνέῳξας By means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished τῷ Λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον, τῶν Μυροφόρων τὸν death. To the robber You opened Paradise. The θρῆνον µετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις lamentation of the myrrhbearing women You trans- κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας· ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, formed, and You gave Your Apostles the order to παρέχων τῷ κόσµῳ τὸ µέγα ἔλεος. proclaim to all that You had risen, O Christ our God, and granted the world Your great mercy.

Ἀπολυτίκιον τοῦ Σταυροῦ. Ἦχος α´ Apolytikion for the Cross. Mode 1 Σῶσον, Κύριε, τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν Save, O Lord, Your people and bless Your inher- κληρονοµίαν σου, νίκας τοῖς βασιλεῦσι κατὰ itance, granting victory to the faithful over the ene- βαρβάρων δωρούµενος, καὶ τὸ σὸν φυλάττων διὰ my, and by Your Cross protecting Your common- τοῦ Σταυροῦ σου πολίτευµα. wealth.

Ἀπολυτίκιον τῆς Ἁγίας. Ἦχος γ΄ Apolytikion for the Saint. Mode 3 Λίαν εὔφρανας τοὺς ὀρθοδόξους, καὶ κατῄσχυνας To the Orthodox you brought elation, * the unortho- τοὺς κακοδόξους, Εὐφηµία Χριστοῦ καλλιπάρθενε· dox, humiliation, * O Euphemia, the beautiful virgin τῆς γὰρ Τετάρτης Συνόδου ἐκύρωσας, ἃ οἱ Πατέρες of Christ. * For what the Fathers of the Fourth Ecu- καλῶς ἐδογµάτισαν, Μάρτυς ἔνδοξε, Χριστὸν τὸν menical * Synod decreed well as dogma you ratified. Θεὸν ἱκέτευε, δωρήσασθαι ἡµῖν τὸ µέγα ἔλεος. * Pray to Christ our God, O glorious Martyr, fervent- ly, * entreating Him to grant us His great mercy.

Ἀπολυτίκιον τοῦ Ναοῦ. Ἦχος δ' Apolytikion of the Church. Mode 4 Σήμερον τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν τὸ Κεφάλαιον, καὶ τοῦ Today is the beginning of our salvation, and the rev- ἀπ' αἰῶνος Μυστηρίου ἡ φανέρωσις, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ elation of the mystery which was hidden from eterni- Θεοῦ, Υἱὸς τῆς Παρθένου γίνεται, καὶ Γαβριὴλ τὴν ty. The Son of God becomes the Virgin’s Son, and χάριν εὐαγγελίζεται. Διὸ καὶ ἡμεὶς σὺν αὐτῷ τῇ Gabriel announces the grace of this Good News. Let Θεοτόκῳ βοήσωμεν· Χαῖρε Κεχαριτωμένη, ὁ us also join with him, calling to the Theotokos: Re- Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ. joice, O Woman full of grace; the Lord is with you.

Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος δ΄ Kontakion. Mode. 4. Ὁ ὑψωθεὶς ἐν τῷ Σταυρῷ ἑκουσίως, τῇ ἐπωνύµῳ You who were lifted on the cross voluntarily, * O σου καινῇ πολιτείᾳ τοὺς οἰκτιρµούς σου δώρησαι, Christ our God, bestow Your tender compassions * Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός· εὔφρανον ἐν τῇ δυνάµει σου τοὺς upon Your new community to which You gave Your πιστοὺς βασιλεῖς ἡµῶν, νίκας χορηγῶν αὐτοῖς κατὰ name. * Cause our faithful emperors to be glad in τῶν πολεµίων· τὴν συµµαχίαν ἔχοιεν τὴν σήν, Your power, * granting them the victories against ὅπλον εἰρήνης, ἀήττητον τρόπαιον. their adversaries. * And for an ally, Lord, may they have You, * peace as their armor, the trophy invinci- ble.

DIVINE LITURGY CONTINUES ON PAGE 39 OF THE DIVINE LITURGY BOOK Sunday After the Elevation of the Holy Cross Κυριακή Μετά τήν Ὑψωσιν τοῦ Τιμίου Σταυροῦ

TODAY’S EPISTLE READING IS FROM: ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS 2:16-20

READER: SOPHIA PAPPADAKIS

PROKEIMENON: THE LORD WILL GIVE STRENGTH TO HIS PEOPLE. VERSE: BRING TO THE LORD, O SONS OF GOD, BRING TO THE LORD HONOR AND GLORY.

rethren, knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, B in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

TODAY’S GOSPEL READING MARK 8:34-38;9:1

he Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the T whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

“Take up and read, take up and read.” St. Augustine, Confessions XII

DIVINE LITURGY CONTINUES ON PAGE 51 OF THE DIVINE LITURGY BOOK ACOLYTES GROUP FOUR HANDMAIDENS GROUP FOUR Jack Demos Niko Reynolds Andreanna Kitas Reece Hughes Jack McClure Niko Tiliakos Bella Reynolds Remy Hughes John Syribeys William Adams Christina Pribas Sophia Vallianatos John Xides Yanni Kitas Gabriella Mayes Manoli Pappas Matthew Davis Natalia Nicolaides Nicolas Adams Paraskevi Baker

Demetri Hadjisimos Despina Lamas Ted Kipreos Irene Fotos George Koulouris Greg Koutrelakos

GUIDELINES FOR RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION Holy Communion is offered in the Orthodox Church only to those individuals baptized and chrismated (confirmed) in the Orthodox Faith. To participate in Holy Communion one must be in good standing with the Church spiritually (for example, married people must have had their marriage blessed in the Church; and, all must be without grave sin on their hearts). For all Orthodox Christians, the proper preparation for Holy Communion must be observed: that is, examination of conscience, confession, reading the prayers for Holy Communion, and the proper fasting. If you have any further questions about this, please speak with the clergy. Women should remove all lipstick when approaching for Holy Communion. Please let parents with their babies and the elderly approach first. Thank you.

WELCOME EVERYONE! Welcome everyone! We extend a warm welcome to our visitors worshiping with us today in our Cathedral. You are invited to join us for our fellowship following the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy in Carlos Hall next to the Church. Thank you for your visit! Please stop by our hospitality table and sign the register in the Narthex.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

Rev. Fr. Paul A. Kaplanis, Dean Rev. Fr. Christos P. Mars, Presbyter Elias Lampropoulos, Pastoral Assistant

2500 Clairmont Road N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30329 404-633-5870 www.atlgoc.org