sign in sign up
<<
Home , Feast of Orthodoxy

March 2020 FROM FR. ANTHONY

Beloved in Christ,

In I recently spoke about preparing for during the first three weeks of the Triodion. My emphasis was on spiritual and physical preparation by heeding the themes presented in the on the first four Sundays, and by easing into the strictness of the Fast during the week preceding Lent. On Clean Monday, March 2, we enter the saving and grace-filled Holy and Great Lent. On that sacred day we commence our spiritual journey and physical exercise, toward spiritual renewal and the joyous celebration of Holy Pascha next month. These goals can only be fully accomplished through that which the Church offers us for our spiritual growth during this holy season.

As we enter Great Lent, the one question we should first ask ourselves is, how much have we actually experienced Lent in the past? From a liturgical standpoint as I’ve mentioned before, simply attending church on the Sundays of the Fast does not truly expose one to Lenten . The only differences on the Sundays of Lent are certain hymns added during , and the celebration of the liturgy of St. Basil instead of that of St. (the only difference between the two liturgies being some of the priestly prayers). The liturgical heart of Great Lent lies in its weekday services.

Each Sunday evening of Lent, a service is celebrated known as the Vespers of Contrition or Compunction (Katanyktikos Esperinos). This service is not typically done in most parishes, however here, I always celebrate the first one on Forgiveness Sunday, the day before Clean Monday. The Sunday Lenten Vespers is the weekly transition into the more somber and penitential liturgical mood of Great Lent.

The two main Lenten services that are celebrated during the week are the Great Compline, which I conduct each Monday evening, and the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, which is celebrated each Wednesday evening and Friday morning. Only by attending these services would an Orthodox Christian experience the deeply spiritual and contrite nature of Lenten worship.

Continued on Page 3

St. Athanasius the Great 4 Appleton Street ■ Arlington, MA 02476 ■ 781.646.0705 ■ www.saintathanasius.org ■ email: [email protected] ATHANASIUS THE GREAT GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

Metropolis of Boston 4 Appleton Street, Arlington, MA 02476

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE PARISH COUNCIL OFFICERS Constandinos Ioakimidis ...... President Great Vespers - Saturday 6:00 p.m. Peter Stanitsas ...... 1st Vice President

Nicole VanKuilenburg ...... 2nd Vice President Regular Worship Schedule S. Nicholas Kriketos ...... Secretary Orthros 8:45 a.m. - : 10:00 a.m. Fotini Gavrielidis ...... Associate Secretary Presiding Priest: Fr. Anthony Evangelatos Peter Gennis ...... Treasurer Michael Terzakis ...... Associate Treasurer St. Athanasius the Great is a parish under the spiritual Nikitas Splagounias ...... Associate Treasurer and ecclesial oversight of His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of the Metropolis of Boston, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, under the Parish Council Members: ...... jurisdiction of The Ecumenical of Stefanos Bouboulis, Vicki Konstandakis, Constantinople. Alexandros Kyrou, Charlie Pappas, Elias Patoucheas, Theodore Speros, A. Paul Tsitsopoulos, and Mark Ypsilantis

The St. Athanasius the Great Greek Orthodox Church in PARISH MINISTRIES & Arlington, Massachusetts strives to be the living witness of our Lord and Savior Christ. Our mission as a parish ORGANIZATIONS is to “practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13), as St. Paul so exhorts. Thus it is our rich blessing to strive and bring the Altar Boys (Acolytes): ...... Fr. Anthony Evangelatos Light of Christ to all of God’s people, through Orthodox Cantors/Psaltes:……………………Dimitrios Manolakis & Christian tradition, education and philanthropy. We seek to …………………………………….Christos Tsavalakoglou serve the spiritual needs of our faithful parishioners through Little Halos Director:………..…………..Argyro Nikoletos the sacramental life of the Church. By means of outreach Fellowship Hour Ministry:...... Vicki Konstandakis and faith in God, we continue our growth as a living Church by inviting others into the Orthodox faith through Baptism Gardening & Maintenance Ministry: .. S. Nicholas Kriketos and/or , and educating them through the GOYA President: ...... Kiki Mamounas establishment of our Christian ministries, programs, HOPE & JOY Ministry:…..………….…Betty Dakopoulos schools and philanthropic activities. P.E.A.C.E. Ministry:…………………….Althea Ioakimidis

Philoptochos President……….……..…Vicki Konstandakis CHURCH DIRECTORY Pine Street Inn Ministry: Michael Terzakis & Randy Fassas Parish Administrative Assistant Stewardship Ministry:………………………...Peter Gennis Stella Kazantzas Sunday School Coordinator:…………….George Makredes Parish Office Hours: M-F 9:00-2:00 p.m. Parish Office: (781) 646-0705 Young at Heart Seniors:…………………Katina Ioakimidis

FAX: (781) 641-4700 EMAIL: [email protected] FR. ANTHONY’S OFFICE HOURS Website: www.saintathanasius.org During Great Lent, Fr. Anthony will generally be in the Metropolis of Boston website office on M, T, W, F from 10 am to 3 pm, and will be www.boston.goarch.org away on Thursday. If he needs to be reached after office Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website hours, please call (401) 662-5259, or by e-mail: www.goarch.org [email protected].

2 FROM FR. ANTHONY continued

Another very familiar service to Orthodox Christians during Lent is the Hymn to the , which is divided into four sections chanted on the first four Friday evenings, and then in its entirety on the fifth Friday. Although not Lenten in their style and structure, these services have for centuries been part of the Lenten cycle of services (their original connection being with the feast of the Annunication, which always falls during Lent). It is only logical that we fervently call upon the Theotokos for her aid during our spiritual journey through Great Lent. Now that I have reminded everyone of the liturgical structure of Lent, let us move to the subject of fasting. An important reminder must be made that fasting cannot, and should not be practiced without adding increased prayer and charitable works to our Lenten struggle. Solely following the dietary rules of the Lenten fast will be meaningless, and can even be frustrating if not combined with other spiritual disciplines. Fasting, along with prayer and good works, will lead us toward humility and repentance, the main fruits of our Lenten askesis (spiritual exercise). It is also important to understand the true meaning and reason for fasting. Here I refer you to an entry I included in a past bulletin that specifically speaks to this. It is from the book, The Lenten Triodion, by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware of Great Britain. You can find that in the March, 2018 bulletin archived on our website (saintathanasius.org). Increased prayer during Lent means both in our personal lives as well as communally in church. In the Orthodox spiritual tradition, daily private prayer is part and parcel of the life of an Orthodox Christian, and even more so during Lent. In addition, it has always been the expectation of the Church that we attend services more frequently during Lent. Of course, this presupposes that all forms of entertainment are set aside throughout this holy period. Charitable works during Lent go without saying (review the gospel reading of the Sunday of the Last Judgment as a reminder – Mt 25:31-46). Although this should continually be part of our lives as Orthodox Christians, this time of year more than ever is when charitable works are emphasized. Obviously, this could be anything from financial donations to volunteering one’s time and talents to an organization, or something on a more personal level. For parents, there is no better example of being a true Christian to their children; these lessons will stay with them their entire life. At this point some may be thinking, Fr. Anthony, you are asking too much of us… We have so much going on that we can’t attend church more than Sunday… Fasting is difficult, we just can’t do all that… This is when we should remind ourselves that our Church is asking these things of us for our spiritual benefit and growth, as we work toward salvation in Christ. Most of us don’t enjoy going to the doctor, only to be told that we need to change our diet and lifestyle if we want to be healthy and live a long life. Knowing the ramifications of not following these guidelines, prudent patients strive to comply as best as possible. The Church realizes that not everyone can be at every service; that we cannot always uphold a strict fast for many weeks, especially if there are health issues; that we may not have sufficient income to be as charitable as we would like, nor have enough extra time to volunteer our services. Of course, this doesn't mean that we should simply ignore all these things without trying our best. Parents lovingly encourage their children to do their best in their academic endeavors and extra-curricular activities, and not to settle for less. Our physicians strongly encourage us to improve our health out of concern for our physical and emotional well-being. Christ, through His Church, continually loves us and shows us His unending mercy and forgiveness, for which we are

3 FROM FR. ANTHONY continued

never worthy. Let us therefore do our part in order to store up eternal treasure for the Kingdom of Heaven!

With Christ’s love for a blessed Lent,

+Fr. Anthony

In Appreciation

My family and I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our entire parish family, for the wonderful luncheon offered in honor of my 25th anniversary of ordination. I also want to express my deep gratitude for the beautiful pectoral cross gifted to me by the Parish Council and our Philoptochos Society. Presvytera and I feel very blessed to be part of our spiritual family at St. Athanasius.

In addition, I would like to express my gratitude for all the expressions of sympathy offered for the passing of my beloved mother, Georgia. May God keep all of you well, and may you have a most blessed Great Lent!

Making Lent Meaningful at Home

Great Lent is the most significant time of the year in the spiritual life of Orthodox Christians. During Lent, parents have an opportunity to teach and reinforce its importance and significance to their children, so that they may always love and appreciate this holy period. Here are some things to consider…

 Purchase an Orthodox prayer book if you don’t have one, and use it.

 Plan which services you can realistically attend each week as a family (try for at least one).

 Parents, read a book or on-line resource on Great Lent to understand it better (see Fr. Anthony for suggestions).

 Try as much as possible to keep the fast in an appropriate way for your family (perhaps try keeping a strict fast on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays if you can’t do more).

 Curb television, movies, and entertainment; (perhaps replace with films with edifying messages, or that are biblically themed).

 Periodically light incense and keep a lit candle or vigil lamp in front of the holy , to create a more spiritual atmosphere in the home (Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sunday after church are appropriate days to light incense).

4 FROM FR. ANTHONY continued

 Plan on going to confession as a family during Lent (parents are the example in everything to their children – don’t keep them from this spiritually beneficial opportunity).

 If properly prepared, receive Holy Communion more frequently as a family during Lent.

 Choose one or more charities that the family would like to support financially or otherwise (involve children as much as possible with this process).

Fasting Guidelines for Great Lent

Holy and Great Lent commences on 3/2 this year. Following are the traditional fasting guidelines in their full form as a starting point. Obviously, many will need to follow a reduced manner of fasting due to health or other obstacles. As your spiritual father, I’m always available for guidance.

Please remember that Lent is not only about abstaining from certain foods and drink. A true fast pleasing to God includes prayer and charitable works, as well as abstinence. It goes without saying that increased participation in worship should also be part of our Lenten journey.

 Weekdays of Lent – Strict fast from all animal products including fish (shellfish permitted), wine (all alcoholic beverages), and olive oil (vegetable/seed oil permitted).

 Weekends of Lent – Relaxed fast; olive oil and wine (all alcoholic beverages) permitted. Note: On weekdays we attempt to reduce the quantity of food consumed. On weekends there is no limit on food consumed. On the feast of the Annunciation, 3/25, fish, wine, and olive oil are permitted.

Presanctified Liturgies & Lenten Suppers

Please plan on joining us in worship and fellowship on the Wednesday evenings of Great Lent.* We will begin with the service of the 9th Hour at 5:15 pm, followed by the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at 5:30 pm. Following services, a lenten supper will be hosted by one of our ministry groups, which will include a short video presentation on various aspects of our faith.

*Please note three exceptions:

 On Wednesday, 3/11, our parish will host a regional liturgy and supper for neighboring parishes. That evening’s services will begin at 5:45 pm.  On Wednesday, 3/25, there will be no evening services due to the feast of the Annunciation.  On Wednesday, 4/8, St. Demetrios parish of Weston will host the second, regional Presanctified Liturgy.

Preparation for Holy Communion at Presanctified Liturgies: To receive Holy Communion on Wednesday evenings, it is permissible to have both breakfast and lunch (strict Lenten fasting), and then refrain from food and drink – barring no health issues – until the liturgy. Continual drinking of water is permissible for those who easily dehydrate.

5 FROM FR. ANTHONY continued

Lenten Reflections

(The following is taken from Great Lent, by Fr. Alexander Schmemann, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1990 – a classic resource for Orthodox Lent .)

Repentance, we are told, is the beginning and the condition of a truly Christian life. Christ’s first word when He began to preach was: ‘Repent!’ (Matt.4:17). But what is repentance? In the rush of our daily life, we have no time to think about it, and we simply assume that all we have to do during Lent is abstain from certain foods, cut down on ‘entertainment,’ go to Confession, be absolved by the priest, receive (once in the whole year!) Holy Communion, and then consider ourselves perfectly ‘in order’ till next year. There must be a reason, however, why the Church has set apart seven weeks as a special time for repentance and why she calls us to a long and sustained spiritual effort. All this certainly must concern me, my faith, my life, my membership in the Church. Is it not then my first duty to try to understand the teaching of my Church about Lent, to try to be an Orthodox Christian not in name only but in life itself? To the questions: What is repentance? Why do we need it? How are we to practice it? – Great Lent gives the answer. It is indeed a school of repentance to which every Christian must go every year in order to deepen his faith, to re-evaluate, and, if possible, to change his life. It is a wonderful pilgrimage to the very sources of Orthodox faith – a rediscovery of the Orthodox way of life. It is through the forms and the spirit of her lenten worship that the Church conveys to us the meaning of this unique season… It is my hope that the reader may discover for himself that in this world nothing is as beautiful and deep, as inspired and inspiring, as that which the Church, our Mother, reveals and freely gives to us once we enter the blessed season of the ‘lenten spring.’

Holy Confession

During Great Lent I will be available to hear confessions as follows:

 Each Monday evening after Great Compline  Each Friday evening after Salutations  Each Saturday after Vespers (all year)  During office hours by appointment (all year)

Please take advantage of this great gift of mercy and compassion offered by our Lord through His Holy Church!

6 FROM FR. ANTHONY continued

Meetings & Activities During Lent

Again, since Great Lent begins on 3/2, let us all plan accordingly for ministry meetings and activities in March and the first half of April.

 The first week of Lent is on par with Holy Week in terms of solemnity and spiritual focus. Therefore, there should be no meetings or activities on the evenings of the first week, as there will be daily services. This includes Clean Monday and Clean Friday morning services.

 For the remaining weeks of Lent there should be no meetings or activities on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, and on Friday mornings due to Lenten services.

We truly appreciate everyone’s cooperation with this request. May you all have a most blessed Lenten journey, and we hope to see as many as possible at our various Lenten services!

PARISH NEWS

Funerals

1/31 – Georgia Evangelatos, in San Francisco, California 2/22 – Thomas Nanopoulos

Donations

 New Lenten altar table covers – Anthony and Elaine Sgouros and family, for their health and well-being  New Lenten chalice and paten covers – Eleni Cristofilos, Eleni Georgacopoulos, Popi Mamounas, and Koula Moisakis  New pew edition liturgy books - We thank our many generous donors who have covered the cost of the new books

Floral Decorations Needed for Great Lent

for the Salutations to the Theotokos (5 Fridays) – $75 each  Flowers for the of the Holy Cross (3/22) – $340

Note: Please make checks out to St. Barbara’s Philoptochos, indicating item donated on memo line. Floral needs for Holy Week and Pascha will be listed in the April bulletin.

7 PARISH NEWS continued

Kitchen & Coffee Bar Kitchenette Updates

A new commercial grade stainless steel island with cabinets, drawers, and shelving was installed this past month providing better functionality, a cleaner environment, and more storage capacity. The former island was removed and the base cabinets were repurposed under the coffee bar area in the kitchenette adding to increased efficiency, organization, and better use of space. This project also decreased waste to landfills by repurposing cabinets and accepting a gently used commercial grade stainless steel island which would have been sent to a scrap yard for disposal.

Special thanks to Bill Karras for offering his time and talents to install the base cabinets with his trusty laborer S. Nicholas Kriketos alongside him. This work would not have been possible without their assistance. Thank you, Bill and Nicholas!

It is important to note that this project was at no cost to the parish

All labor, materials, and the stainless steel island were donated

8 Lenten Presantified Liturgies

"The light of Christ illumines all" Wednesday, March 11 Saint Athanasius, Arlington 4 Appleton St, Arlington, MA The Annunciation Cathedral Chapel 162 Goddard Ave Brookline, MA

Wednesday, April 8 Saint Demetrios, Weston 57 Brown Street Weston MA Dormition of the Virgin Mary, Somerville 29 Central St, Somerville, MA

All Services begin at 6:00 p.m.

Following the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, the host community will offer a Lenten dinner for all in attendance. An informative discussion over dinner on a Lenten theme will also take place. All are invited to join in prayer on these days. This year, we are holding services in a city based church as well as a suburb based church in an effort to accommodate more of the faithful. Please join us!

9

Religious Education

“Father, all things are possible to You; Remove this cup from Me . . . Yet . . Not My will be done, . . . but what You will.”

(Luke 22:42)

Those were Jesus’s words in prayer just before His arrest, scourging, and crucifixion.

We touched upon this in class: Why didn’t God save His Son from suffering such horrid mistreatment? Jesus only did good things, helping others, and performing many miracles. So, why wasn’t He rewarded with only good things in His earthly life?

Remember, it was Jesus who instructed us to say ‘Thy will be done’ (not our will be done), when praying to God. So, He prayed accordingly, saying,

“Not My will be done, but what You will”

In situations where our prayer results seem other than what we had asked, we need to be mindful that all in life is prayed to be according to His will, (though we may not fully comprehend the response). Much like accepting, yet incapable of understanding, how God created everything out of absolutely nothing, in the first place.

Paradoxically, many atheists were believers once, who turned away from God as things in life didn’t go as they had expected. So, rebelling against Him, they blindly conclude, He doesn’t exist!

The image that comes to mind here, is of such non-believers, visibly upset, demonstrating with signs in-hand demanding, ‘Paradise Now!’

(From Teen Class Notes - George Makredes)

10

Religious Education

ATTENTION 7th TO 12th GRADE STUDENTS!

 Our Parish Oratorical Festival will take place on Sunday, April 26th  The Metropolis Oratorical Festival will be on Saturday, May 16th  The National Oratorical Festival takes place from June 12th to 14th at Loveland, CO

(Go to goarch.org for details)

Junior Division (Grades 7–9) Can choose one of these topics:

1. The Orthodox Church honors the Virgin Mary as the Theotokos. Discuss the role she plays in the Church and as a role model for all Christians. 2. Christ and many often criticized the wealthy. Do Christians need to live a life of poverty? Is it a sin to live a comfortable life? 3. “Lord have mercy” is the most repeated phrase in the Divine Liturgy. What does it mean to truly have mercy? 4. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3). Discuss the importance of reading Scripture in your life. 5. The theme of the upcoming 2020 –Laity Congress is “the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Discuss the way St. Paul defines love in this important chapter of the Bible.

Senior Division (Grades 10–12) Can choose one of these topics:

1. Discuss how the separation of church and state benefits us as Orthodox Christians in the United States. 2. In his enthronement address, Archbishop Elpidophoros said, “We are all .” Discuss the importance of being a – a servant – in the Church. 3. Discuss the significance of Constantinople in Church history and the struggles Orthodox Christians in Constantinople face today. 4. How have modern-day from the past 100 years, from St. Nektarios to St. Paisios and others, helped Orthodox Christians live their lives today? 5. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2). How might Orthodox Christians put this command into practice?

(For candidates for the Parish Scholarship Award, participation in the Oratorical Festival is included on the scholarship application. Your participation in the festival will also be a plus on college and other scholarship applications.)

11 MARCH 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Sunday of 2 3 4 5 6 7 Forgiveness Clean Monday 3rd Part of Great 9th Hour & St. Theodore Tyron (Cheesefare), Great Lent Begins , 9:00 am Presanctified (miracle of kollyva) Orthros 8:45 am Lenten Orthros Liturgy, 9:15 am Orthros 8:30 am, Divine Liturgy 10 am 9:00 am 2nd Part of Great 9th Hour & 4th Part of Great Div. Lit. 9:30 am 1st Salutations to the Memorial 40 days Canon, 7:00 pm Presanctified Liturgy Canon, 7:00 pm (Trisagion w/kollyva); st Theotokos, 7:00 pm +Georgia Evangelatos 1 Part of Great 5:15 pm, followed by Pan-Orthodox Vespers Vespers of Canon, 7:00 pm Lenten Supper -Triumph of Forgiveness 5:00 pm -St. George Cathedral, Worcester, 6:00 pm

8 9 10 11 Regional 12 13 14 Sunday of Orthodoxy Presanctified Liturgy 9th Hour & Orthros 8:45 am 9th Hour 5:45 pm Presanctified Liturgy Divine Liturgy 10 am Liturgy 6:00 pm 9:15 am Great Compline followed by Lenten Festival Meeting 2nd Salutations to the Great Vespers 6 pm 7:00 pm supper 7 pm Theotokos, 7:00 pm

15 Sunday of 16 17 18 19 20 9th Hour & 21 St. Gregory of Palamas Presanctified Liturgy Orthros 8:45 am 9:15 am Divine Liturgy 10 am 9th Hour & Memorials +Thomas Great Compline Presanctified Liturgy 3rd Salutations to the Great Vespers 6 pm Nanopoulos 40 days; 7:00 pm 5:15 pm, followed by Theotokos, 7:00 pm Memorial 1 yr +Maria +Georgios Vizaniaris Lenten Supper Olga Georgopoulos 2yrs

th 22 Sunday of 23 24 25 26 27 9 Hour & 28 the Holy Cross The Annunciation Presanctified Liturgy Orthros 8:45 am Great Vespers of the of the Theotokos 9:15 am Divine Liturgy 10 am Annunciation – Orthros 8:30 am Hope-Joy 6 pm Lecture 1:30 pm Great Compline Woburn 7 pm Div. Lit. 9:45 am Great Vespers 6 pm “Lenten Journey” Dr. Elisabeth 7:00 pm (no evening services)

Prodromou "Keeping 4th Salutations to the

Christians of the Holy Theotokos, 7:00 pm

Land in our Hearts" 29 Sunday of 30 31 Strict Fast St. Wine/Oil Allowed Orthros 8:45 am Fast Free Divine Liturgy 10 am Fish Allowed Memorial 1 yr Great Compline Dairy Allowed +Demitrios (James) 7:00 pm Demopoulos

Sunday School Every Sunday 10 am Little Halos Pre-School Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 3pm Goya Basketball every Friday at Ottoson Middle School 5:30 – 7:30 pm 12 Adult Greek Dancing Every Monday 7:00 pm  Κυριακή Δευτέρα Τρίτη Τετάρτη Πέμπτη Παρασκευή Σάββατο 1 Κυριακή 2 Καθαρά 3 4 5 6 7 Αγίου Θεοδώρου Της Συγχωρήσεως Δευτέρα 3η Στάση του 9η Ώρα & Τύρωνος (της Τυρινής) Όρθρος, 9 πμ Μεγάλου Κανόνος, Προηγιασμένη (θαύμα των κολλύβων) Όρθρος 8:45 πμ 9πμ Λειτουργία, 9:15 πμ (Τρισάγιο μετά Θεία Λειτ. 10 πμ 2α Στάση του κολλύβων), Μνημόσυνο 40 ημ η Μεγάλου Κανόνος 9η Ώρα, 4η Στάση του 1η Στάση Όρθρος 8:30 πμ 1 Στάση του Θεία Λειτ. 9:30 πμ +Γεωργία Ευαγγελάτου Μεγάλου Κανόνος 7 μμ Προηγιασμένη Μεγάλου Κανόνος, Χαιρετισμών της Κατανυκτικός Πανορθόδοξος Εσπερινός 7 μμ Λειτουργία 5:15 μμ 7 μμ Θεοτόκου, 7 μμ Εσπερινός της Ορθοδοξίας στον Αγ. & Δείπνο της Συγχωρήσεως Γεώργιο – Ουόστερ

5 μμ (όχι Εσπερινός εδώ)

8 Κυριακή 9 10 11 9η Ώρα & 12 13 9η Ώρα & 14 της Ορθοδοξίας Προηγιασμένη Προηγιασμένη Όρθρος 8:45 πμ Λειτουργία με άλλες Λειτουργία, 9:15 πμ Θεία Λειτ. 10 πμ εκκλησίες της 2η Στάση Μεγάλο Απόδειπνο περιοχής 5:45 μμ Χαιρετισμών της 7μμ & Δείπνο Μέγας Εσπερινός 6μμ Θεοτόκου, 7 μμ

η 15 Του Αγ. Γρηγορίου 16 17 18 19 20 9 Ώρα & 21

του Παλαμά Προηγιασμένη Όρθρος 8:45 πμ 9η Ώρα, Λειτουργία, 9:15 πμ Θεία Λειτ. 10 πμ Μέγας Εσπερινός 6μμ Προηγιασμένη 3η Στάση Μνημόσυνα Λειτουργία 5:15 μμ Μνημόσυνο +Μαρία +Θωμάς Νανόπουλος Μεγάλο Απόδειπνο Χαιρετισμών της & Δείπνο Όλγα Γεωργοπούλου 40 ημ 7 μμ Θεοτόκου, 7 μμ +Γεώριος Βηζανιάρης 2χρ 22 Της 23 24 25 26 27 9η Ώρα & 28 Σταυροπροσκυνήσεως Ο Ευαγγελισμός Προηγιασμένη Όρθρος 8:45 πμ της Θεοτόκου Λειτουργία, 9:15 πμ Θεία Λειτ. 10 πμ Όρθρος 8:30 πμ Χοπ-Τζοΐ 6 μμ, Ομιλία Δρ Ελισάβετ Μέγας Εσπερινός Θεία Λειτ. 9:45 πμ «Σαρακοστιανό Ταξίδη» Προδρόμου 1:30μμ του Ευαγγελισμού (άνευ Προηγιασμένη 4η Στάση Μέγας Εσπερινός 6μμ "Κρατώντας τους Μεγάλο Απόδειπνο της Θεοτόκου στο το απόγευμα) Χαιρετισμών της Χριστιανούς των Αγίων 7 μμ Ουόμπουρν 7 μμ Θεοτόκου, 7 μμ Τόπων στις Καρδιές μας»

29 Του Αγ. Ιωάννου 30 31 Αυστηρή Νηστεία της Κλίμακος Επιτρέπεται Κρασί Όρθρος 8:45 πμ & Λάδι Θεία Λειτ. 10 πμ Μεγάλο Απόδειπνο Άνευ Νηστεία Μνημόσυνο 1 χρ 7 μμ Επιτρέπεται Ψάρι +Δημήτριος Δημόπουλος Επιτρέπεται Γάλα Κατηχητικό Σχολείο 10 πμ Κάθε Κυριακή Λίτελ Χεΐλος, Δευτέρα έως Παρασκευή, 8:30 πμ μέχρι 3 μμ Γκόγια Μπάσκετ στο Σχολείο Όττοσον 5:30 – 7:30 μμ κάθε Παρασκευή Ελληνικός Χορός για τους Μεγάλους Κάθε Δευτέρα 7 μμ 13

"The Lenten Journey: Keeping the Christians of the Holy Land in Our Hearts" Dr. Elizabeth H. Prodromou

The journey through Holy and Great Lent is a time when Christians worldwide turn their hearts toward the holy city of Jerusalem, the place of the passion, crucifixion, and Christ. Yet, the journey to Jerusalem actually begins in the holy city of Bethlehem, where the event of the Incarnation took place. The two cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, separated by a territorial distance of only 5.5 miles, form the core of the footprint of in the Holy Land. What do Christians in the United States know about the facts on the ground, the existential reality, and the daily struggles and sacrificial witness of the Christian communities of the Holy Land? How can the Lenten journey offer the possibility for active, purposeful remembrance of the Christians of the Holy Land? How and why should the Lenten journey become a reminder to commit to expanding knowledge, unceasing prayer, and sustained action on behalf of the Christians of the Holy Land? Dr. Prodromou will explore these questions.

Dr. Elizabeth H. Prodromou is a faculty member at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where she directs the Initiative on Religion, Law, and Diplomacy. She is a non-resident Senior Fellow and Co-Chair of the Working Group on Christians and Religious Pluralism in the Middle East, at the Center for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute, and was a non-resident Senior Fellow in National Security and the Middle East, at the Center for American Progress. She is a Co- President of Religions for Peace International. Prodromou served as Vice Chair and Commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (2004- 2012) and was a member of the U.S. Secretary of State’s Religion & Foreign Policy Working Group (2011-2015). She attends the St. Athanasius the Great parish in Arlington, MA, with her husband, Dr. Alexandros K. Kyrou, and their daughter, Sophia.

St. Barbara’s Philoptochos St. Athanasius Greek Orthodox Church Sunday, March 22, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. James Bouboulis Auditorium

Light Lenten Lunch and Refreshments will be offered by St. Barbara’s Philoptochos Email [email protected] for reservations or 781-646-0705 4 Appleton Street, Arlington, MA 02476

14 St. Barbara’s Philoptochos Society of St. Athanasius Greek Orthodox Church EASTER Baklava BAKE SALE 4 Appleton Street, Arlington, Massachusetts

Baklava Put a little Greek tradition on your Easter table this year! St. Barbara’s Philoptochos o ers to our extended family a bake sale of homemade Greek pastry previously o ered only during our annual festival.

$30.00: Baklava Tray $15: Koulourakia Tray Rich lo pastry layered with walnuts and Traditional butter cookies (20-piece) drenched with syrup (8-piece) Tsoureki $12.50: Greek Easter Eggs $30.00: Spanakopita One dozen traditional red-dyed eggs (Oven Ready) Our famous spanakopita ready In the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, for you to bake fresh for your table (half sheet) Easter eggs are dyed red to represent the blood of Christ, with further symbolism being found in the $15.00: Tsoureki hard shell of the egg symbolizing the sealed Tomb Traditional Greek Easter bread—bigger and of Christ—the cracking of which symbolized his tastier than ever! resurrection from the dead. Tsoureki All items must be pre-ordered and pre-paid by April 7, 2020. Pastry pick-up dates: Friday, April 10th from 5–7 pm and Saturday, April 11th from 12–3 pm

Name: ______

Spanakopita Address: ______Phone: ______

ITEM PRICE QUANTITY TOTAL q Baklava (8-pc) $30.00 ______q Spanakopita (half sheet) $30.00 ______Koulourakia q Tsoureki $15.00 ______q Koulourakia (20-pc) $15.00 ______q Easter Eggs $12.50 ______

Please send your order form and check payable to St. Barabara’s Philoptochos Society, St. Athanasius Greek Orthodox Church, 4 Appleton Street, Arlington, MA 02476. You may also bring your order form and check to the church’s parish o ce or submit Red-dyed eggs your order online using a credit card by visiting www.SaintAthanasius.org.

4 Appleton Street, Arlington, Massachusetts • 781-646-0705 • www.SaintAthanasius.org 15

4 APPLETON STREET ARLINGTON, MA 02476 (781) 646-1322

A Greek bilingual NOW ENROLLING program, which focuses on the FOR THE Orthodox faith and Greek culture. 2020-2021

SCHOOL YEAR! Half day: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Full day: 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

AGES 2.9 YEARS

TO 5 YEARS OLD

For more information contact Preschool Director,

Argyro Nikoletos, (781) 646-1322 or [email protected] www.littlehalospreschool.org EEC LICENSED

16

The month of February children learned about shadows, and how they are made. They had fun experimenting with their shadows and playing shadow puppet show. They also made predictions whether the groundhog will see his shadow, and they were happy to found out that we will have spring soon. Furthermore, we talked about feelings and emotions, and children made faces depicting their emotions. On Thursday, February 12th, Fr. Anthony visited our classroom and talked to us about being nice to each other and the importance to ask for forgiveness.

**Important dates: Sunday March 22nd – Greek Independence Day Program after the Divine Liturgy. **

Now Enrolling for the 2020-2021 School Year! To find out about our program please call, Argyro Nikoletos, PreSchool Director at (781) 646-1322 or email [email protected]

17 The Council of Eastern Orthodox Churches of Central Massachusetts invites you to Triumph of Orthodoxy VESPERS Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral 30 Anna St, Worcester, MA

Saturday March 7, 2020 6:00pm Metropolitan METHODIOS of Boston Preaching

The Feast of Orthodoxy (also knowns as the the Triumph of Orthodoxy) is celebrated on the first Sunday of Great Lent (six Sundays before Pascha) in the liturgical calendar of the and of the Eastern Catholic Churches. The Feast is kept in memory of the final defeat of and the restoration of the icons to the churches. All Assembly Bishops and Clergy are invited to serve

18 ANASTASIA (ANN) AND GEORGE C. DIMITRAKIS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

The Anastasia (Ann) and George C. Dimitrakis Memorial Scholarship was established in 2008 at the St. Athanasius the Great Greek Orthodox Church with a generous gift of $100,000 by the late Ann Dimitrakis, in loving memory of her spouse, George C. Dimitrakis. George and Ann Dimitrakis have long been faithful stewards and communicants at the St. Athanasius Church. The first scholarships were awarded in June 2010.

St. Athanasius the Great Greek Orthodox Church has established the Scholarship Awards Committee for the purpose of administering this scholarship. The Awards Committee, in its discretion, will award a scholarship(s) to that high school graduating senior(s) who achieve(s) exemplary rankings according to criteria established by the Awards Committee. The amount of the award(s) will be based on the scholarship fund’s return on investment, as determined by October of each year, and as distributed by the Trustees of the Scholarship Fund.

Please visit the parish website at (www.stathanasius.org) for all application materials and application instructions. Application information will only be available online.

Eligible applicants must meet all of the following requirements: (1) be in their senior year of high school; (2) complete in full all application forms (typed) and provide all requested information; (3) family must be stewards of St. Athanasius the Great Greek Orthodox Church for three successive years (if one year has been missed, applicant’s family has the opportunity to become current for that year); (4) must have been accepted to a full-time course of study at an accredited 4-year college or university. Applications will not be reviewed if each of the aforementioned requirements has not been met.

Applications are available on-line (www.saintathanasius.org) and must be submitted in full by Friday, May 15, 2020. Only complete typed application packages will be reviewed by the Awards Committee; it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all materials have been mailed to the Awards Committee. Any late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Please mail complete application packages to the Anastasia (Ann) and George S. Dimitrakis Memorial Scholarship, c/o St. Athanasius Greek Orthodox Church, 4 Appleton St., Arlington, MA 02476.

The awarding of the scholarship(s) will take place on a Sunday, June 21, 2020. The disbursement will take place after October 21, 2020, and only after the student(s) has provided to the Awards Committee an official confirmation of enrollment from the Registrar’s Office of the university/college.

Awards Committee Eleni Carayannopoulos Betty Paganis Dennis P. George, Jr. Alexa (Zevitas) Adams Melanie Marken Rev. Fr. Anthony Evangelatos ex offici

19 Αρχιεπισκοπική Εγκύκλιος της εορτής του Αγίου Φωτίου Ημέρα Εθνικού Προσκυνήματος του Αγίου Φωτίου

Προσφιλεῖς Ἀδελφοί καί Ἀδελφές ἐν Χριστῷ,

Καθώς ἑορτάζουμε τόν Μέγα Φώτιο, Πατριάρχη Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, σέ ὁλόκληρη τήν Ἀρχιεπισκοπή μας, ἑορτάζουμε ταυτόχρονα καί τό πρῶτο μας Ἐθνικό Προσκύνημα, πού φέρει τό ὄνομά του. Τό Ἐθνικό Ἑλληνορθόδοξο Προσκύνημα τοῦ Ἁγίου Φωτίου, τό ὁποῖο ἵδρυσε ὁ ἀείμνηστος Ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Ἰάκωβος, ἀποτίει φόρο τιμῆς στούς πρώτους γνωστούς Ἕλληνες πού ἦρθαν στήν Ἀμερική τόν 18ο αἰώνα, πολύ πρίν τά μακρινά ἐξαδέλφια τους ἀρχίσουν νά ἔρχονται μαζικά σχεδόν ἕναν αἰώνα μετά.

Ὄμορφα τοποθετημένο στό Avero House, στήν ἱστορική πόλη τοῦ Ἁγίου Αὐγουστίνου, Φλώριδα (ἀρχαιότερη πόλη στίς Ἡνωμένες Πολιτεῖες), τό Προσκύνημα ἀποτελεῖ ταπεινό παλάτι «μνήμης ἀγάπης καί παρηγορίας» (Bibliotheca 545:18-19), ὅπως θά ἔλεγε καί ὁ ἴδιος ὁ Ἅγιος Φώτιος. Εἶναι τό μέρος ὅπου μποροῦμε νά ἐνθυμούμεθα τούς προγόνους μας, οἱ ὁποῖοι ἦρθαν σ’αὐτές τίς εὐλογημένες ἀκτές σέ ἀναζήτηση καλύτερης ζωῆς καί ἔφεραν μαζί τους τήν πολύτιμη Ὀρθόδοξη Χριστιανική Πίστη τους. Τό Προσκύνημα ἀποτελεῖ ἐπίσης σύμβολο τῆς κλήσεως τῆς Ἐκκλησίας νά διαδώσει τό Εὐαγγέλιο τοῦ Κυρίου μας Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ σέ ὅλους τούς ἀνθρώπους, ἀκόμη καί στά πέρατα τῆς γῆς (Πράξεις 1:8), ἀκριβῶς ὅπως οἱ πατέρες μας ἔφεραν τήν Ὀρθόδοξη Πίστη στήν Ἀμερική. Εἶναι σημαντικό γεγονός, ὅτι τό Ὀρθόδοξο Χριστιανικό Ἱεραποστολικό Κέντρο ἔχει ἐπίσης τή βάση του στόν Ἅγιο Αὐγουστῖνο, ἀπηχώντας τήν ἱστορική μνήμη τοῦ ἱεραποστολικοῦ ἔργου ἐνεργῶν ἱεραποστόλων!

Ἔτσι, λοιπόν, τήν ἡμέρα αὐτή ἑορτάζουμε τόν Ἅγιο, τό Προσκύνημα καί τό ἱερό καθῆκον ὅλων μας νά μοιραζώμεθα τήν ἀγάπη καί τήν εἰρήνη τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πρίν ἀπό χίλια καί πλέον χρόνια, ὁ Μέγας Ἅγιος Φώτιος, ἀπέστειλε τούς ἀδελφούς Κύριλλο καί Μεθόδιο στή Ρωσία, νά μεταφέρουν τό φῶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ στούς Σλάβους. Καί σήμερα, ὁ μεγάλος Οἰκουμενικός Πατριάρχης κ. κ. Βαρθολομαῖος, ἀναζωπύρωσε τό φῶς αὐτό δίδοντας Αὐτοκεφαλία στό λαό τῆς Οὐκρανίας. Ἡ ἱεραποστολή μας συνεχίζεται, ἕως τήν δευτέρα ἔλευση.

Εἴθε ὅλοι μας νά τιμοῦμε καί νά μνημονεύουμε ἐκείνους πού μᾶς ἐχάρισαν τό φῶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ καί νά συνεχίσουμε νά τό κρατᾶμε ἀναμμένο στή ζωή μας, στήν οἰκογένειά μας, στήν κοινότητά μας καί σέ ὁλόκληρη τήν Ἐκκλησία μας, διά τῶν μεσιτειῶν τοῦ Ἁγίου Φωτίου καί τῶν ἁγίων ὅλων τῶν ἐποχῶν, μέ τούς ὁποίους Ἐκεῖνος εὐαρεστεῖται.

Μέ πατρική ἐν Χριστῷ ἀγάπη,

† ὁ Ἀμερικῆς Ἐλπιδοφόρος

20 Αντιπροσωπεία του Μουσείου της Βίβλου των ΗΠΑ στο Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο

Έγιναν δεκτοί από τον Παναγιώτατο με αφορμή την υπογραφή Συμφώνου Συνεργασίας μεταξύ του Πατριαρχείου και του αμερικανικού Ιδρύματος

Ο Παναγιώτατος Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης Βαρθολομαίος δέχθηκε σήμερα σε ακρόαση Αντιπροσωπεία του Μουσείου της Βίβλου, που εδρεύει στην Πρωτεύουσα των ΗΠΑ, Ουάσινγκτον, με αφορμή την υπογραφή συμφώνου συνεργασίας μεταξύ του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου και του σημαντικού αμερικανικού Ίδρύματος.

Κατά τη διάρκεια της συναντήσεώς τους με τον Παναγιώτατο οι Δρ. Jeff Kloha, επί κεφαλής Επιμελητής (Chief Curator), και Δρ. Andy Νiggemann, συνεργάτης Επιμελητής (Associate Curator) του Μουσείου, καθώς και η Καθηγήτρια στο Πανεπιστήμιο Tufts Ελισάβετ Προδρόμου, Μέλος του Γνωμοδοτικού Συμβουλίου του Μουσείου, είχαν την ευκαιρία να τον ενημερώσουν για τις δράσεις και τις συνεργασίες του αμερικανικού Ιδρύματος, που δέχεται περί το ένα εκατομμύριο επισκέπτες τον χρόνο. Στη συνάντηση παρέστη και ο Αρχιμανδρίτης Αγαθάγγελος Σίσκος, Αρχειοφύλαξ του Πατριαρχείου, ο οποίος έχει οριστεί από τον Οικουμενικό Πατριάρχη ως υπεύθυνος της συνεργασίας με το Μουσείο της Βίβλου.

Αμέσως μετά στην Αίθουσα Ακροάσεων ο Αρχιμ.Αγαθάγγελος, από την πλευρά του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου, και ο Δρ. Jeff Kloha, εκ μέρους του Μουσείου της Βίβλου, υπέγραψαν το σχετικό σύμφωνο συνεργασίας, σκοπός της οποίας είναι η διαχρονική προβολή της ιστορίας του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου.

Στο πλαίσιο αυτής της συνεργασίας, ο Παναγιώτατος, κατά την επίσκεψή του στις ΗΠΑ, τον ερχόμενο Μάιο, θα εγκαινιάσει την μόνιμη έκθεση για το Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο στο εν λόγω Μουσείο.

Να σημειωθεί ότι ανάλογες συμφωνίες με το Μουσείο της Βίβλου έχουν υπογράψει τα Μουσεία του Βατικανού και η Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων του Ισραήλ.

21 St. Athanasius Families Contributing to 2020 Stewardship Contributions as of February 15, 2020 THANK YOU! Your continued Love and Support make our many ministries possible ΣΑΣ ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΟΥΜΕ! Η αγάπη και η υποστήριξη σας στηρίζουν τις πολλές διακονίες της εκκλησίας μας

Betty Athanasoulas Mrs. Crystal Iakovou Arthur Papas

Mr. Georgios I. Bouboulis Mr. & Mrs. Constandinos Ioakimidis Mr. Nicholas Pappas

Mihail S. Bouboulis Mr. & Mrs. John Ioakimidis Joanne E. Piandes

Mr. & Mrs. Stefanos Bouboulis Stavros & Katina Ioakimidis Ms. Florence Pollock

Irene Bouboulis & Antonios Giakoumis Elizabeth Karagianis Anthony & Elaine Sgouros

Mrs Maria Bourikas Mrs. Constantina Katsos Mr. & Mrs. Dimitrios Skourides

Leo & Eleni Carayannopoulos Mr. & Mrs. Steven Katsos Anthony & Despina Speros

Anastasios & Eleni Christophilos Ms Jenny Koulouris Theodore & Elaine Speros

Mr. & Mrs. Elias Christopoulos Mr. S. Nicholas Kriketos II Mr. & Mrs. Nikitas Splagounias Family

Mrs. Angela Denison Mr. Peter Ladas Ms. Anna Stathopoulou

Leonidas & Virginia Dimakis Mr. Nicholas Lambrou Paul & Elaine Tilly

Mr. & Mrs. Dimitrios Dimopoulos Mrs. Effie Legatos Mr. & Mrs. Anastasios Tsaousidis

Fr. Anthony & Pres. Themmi Evangelatos Ms. Lemonia Litopoulos Maria Tsaousidis

Mr. Randall T. Fassas John Macaris & Fotini Patsiocostas Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Tsaousidis

Mr. & Mrs. Louis Fenerlis Mr. & Mrs. Gary Makredes Mr. & Mrs. Apostolos Tsitsopoulos

John & Joanne Francis George & Leona Makredes Mr. & Mrs. George Tsitsopoulos

John Gagalis Panagiotis & Kalliopi Mamounas Nicole VanKuilenburg

Mr. & Mrs. Konstantinos Gavrielidis Angeliki Mamounas Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Zevitas

Mr. & Mrs. James Geanakos Melanie I. Marken Mr. & Mrs. Menelaos Zotos

Mrs. Evangeline Gianocostas Mr. & Mrs. Maria Matos

Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Henson Mr. & Mrs. Charles Moisakis

If you don’t see your family name on this list, please consider making your stewardship contribution today. Your donations help make our many ministries possible. If you made a stewardship contribution, but don’t see your name, please forgive us and contact the Parish Council so that we can correct our error

22 SAINT ATHANASIUS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH CONFIDENTIAL FAMILY INFORMATION FORM Please complete and return this form to the Church Office 4 Appleton Street, Arlington, MA 02476

Name: Home Telephone:

Address: City: State: Zip:

I am a new steward: My previous parish was?

I would like to receive my monthly bulletin via U.S. mail: or via email:

Member Spouse Children /Age

Name: /

Mobile Tel: /

E‐mail: /

Occupation: /

Work Tel: /

2020 STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE / DONATION

Family Name

I understand it takes approximately $1,000 per active Stewardship family to operate and support the ministries and facility of the St. Athanasius Parish in 2020.

We would like to pledge $ Weekly (approx. $20/week)

We would like to pledge $ Monthly (approximately $85/month) We would like to pledge $ Yearly You can also pledge at http://www.saintathanasius.org/stewardship/

Please check  those items in which you or a member of your family has some expertise or interest. Place name or initials of the specific family member after each item checked.

 Bible Study  Youth Ministry  Office Work  Teaching  Sunday School  Medical/Nurse  Greek School/Little Halos  Church Choir  Art/Design Services  Visitation of Elderly/Infirm  Reader (in liturgy)  Legal  Philoptochos  Ushering / Welcome  Finance  Festival  Evangelism  Architecture  Outreach to Community  New parents  Real Estate Management  Soup Kitchen  Scouting  Electrical  Computer – Hardware/Systems  Youth Work  Construction  Computer ‐ software  Gardening  Mechanical / Plumbing  Web Design  PR / Marketing  Other

Ver. 01-2018 23 “One Final Thought”

My soul, my soul arise! Why do you sleep? The end draws near and soon you will be troubled. Watch, then, that Christ your God may spare you, for He is everywhere present and fills all things.

Kontakion of the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete (chanted on the first four days of Lent, and on the fifth Thursday)

Please call the Church Office to be removed from this mailing, (781) 646-0705

 Volume 31, Number 7, March 2020

24