December Saint 2018Sophia Greek Orthodox CathedralPage HERALD DECEMBER 2018

V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas Dean Fr. Christopher Kolentsas Assistant Priest

Tel. 323-737-2424 www.stsophia.org

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Dean’s Message 2

President’s 3 Message

Stewardship 4

Parish Council Message 4

Ministries List 6

Sacraments/Memorials 7

Philoptochos News 8

Philoptochos VIP 9

Feast Day Article 9,10

Orthodox Calendar 11

December 4th Barbara the Great Martyr

December 6th St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

December 12th Spyridon the Wonderworker

December 24th Christmas Eve Vesperal Liturgy 6:00 pm

December 25th The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

December 27th Stephen, 12th Century Angel Mosaic, Uncovered in 2016 Archdeacon & First Martyr Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, West Bank

Page 2 December 2018

THE DEAN’S MESSAGE A CHRISTMAS GIFT OF TIME

A very successful and highly respected local businessman I pray that under your Christmas tree you will place a large tells about the greatest Christmas gift he ever received. He wrapped box of time certificates. Shower your family with was a youngster when, one Christmas, he discovered a box these gifts and make Christmas a reality every day of the under the Christmas tree with his name on it. The box was coming year. from his dad. “It was so light” he said about the weight of the box itself, and I couldn’t imagine what might be on the inside. Merry Christmas At first I thought what might be on the inside. Then I thought it might be some money, but I knew better, because we were very poor at that time and didn’t have any money to share. I In Christ, could hardly wait, “he said” until Christmas Day when I could open up the gift from my dad and see what it was. Finally

Christmas Day came. Inside the box he found a note, just a simple note, that’s all. But what that note said meant everything in the world to him. V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas, Dean

This is what the note said, “Dear son: This year I will give you three hundred and sixty five hours of my time and my undivided attention, one hour every single day right after dinner. It’s yours! We’ll talk about what you want to talk about. We’ll go where you want to go. Or, if you wish, we’ll play what you want to play. But it will be your hour and my hour together and it’s what I want to give you for Christmas this year”. “My dad not only kept that promise” the businessman said, “but he renewed it every year. It’s the greatest Christmas gift I ever received and now that he’s dead and gone, it’s more precious to me than ever”.

Dear brethren in the Lord. As you begin to think about the bundle of gifts you will place under your Christmas tree this year, think about the most precious gift you can give to your family and most especially to your children and grandchildren. That most life-changing and soul-enhancing gift is your gift of time. In our day and age, time is indeed more precious than gold, more elusive than a dream. It is a gift everyone can give. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gave us the gift of His time by entering time as a babe in Bethlehem. The gift of His time allows us to have our personal moments with Him in prayer and fellowship. It gives us spiritual intimacy and strength.

December 2018 Page 3

PARISH COUNCIL MESSAGE CHRISTMAS

The twelfth month of the year. As we all know, this is the time “That’s really what Christmas is all about. Each of us is when we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a incredibly blessed in so many ways. But those blessings time when our hearts tend to be a little softer, a little more aren’t just meant to be enjoyed – they’re meant to be used open, a little more generous, a little more forgiving, a little and shared with those who have less. The Christian faith more peaceful. Would it not be wonderful to hold onto these teaches us that on this day a child was born so that we might feelings throughout the year? One of my favorite sayings is have eternal life. And at the heart of many of the world’s great from Charles Dickens, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and religions is the idea that we’re all better off when we treat our try to keep it all the year.” To me, its sentiment is timeless, brothers and sisters with the same love and compassion that universal, and always fitting. we want for ourselves,” Barack Obama.

In this holiday message, I thought it would be nice to share “And Know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time,” other words of Christmas inspiration that you can take into the Jesus Christ. coming year. Wishing a blessed Christmas to one and all. “Christmas is joy, religious joy, an inner joy of light and peace,” Pope Francis. Yours in Christ,

“It is Christmas every time you let God love others through Maria Baltazzi, Parish Council President you…yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand,” Mother Teresa.

“Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone,” Charles M. Schultz.

“Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas, Dale Evans Rogers.

“A good conscience is a continual Christmas,” Benjamin Franklin.

“Christmas is a state of mind. It is found throughout the year whenever faith overcomes doubt, hope conquers despair and love triumphs over hate. It is present when men of any creed bring love and understanding to the hearts of their fellow man,” Ronald Reagan.

Page 4 December 2018

Believe and Belong through Christian Stewardship STEWARDSHIP FAMILIES NOVEMBER 2018 $2,000 To $3,999 $650 To $999 Anonymous (1) Billis, Mr. and Mrs. Stephan Gilman, Mr. & Mrs. Brian Georgeson, Mr. Michael & Mrs. Helen

$1,000 To $1,999 Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Anonymous (1) Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael Helm, Michael & Sophia CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION

Please join us after Divine Liturgy on December 25 for a Champagne Celebration Hosted by Jim Demetriou and Mary-Kay Demetriou. Hope to see you there.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Dear Stewards of Saint Sophia Cathedral, We will be having our General Assembly on December 2, 2018* after services. Members in good standing are encouraged to attend. Thank you, Parish Council 2019 PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Dear Saint Sophia Parishoners, Giving back to our community can be very rewarding. If you would like to serve our community by joining the Parish Council, please submit your name, email and phone number to Jack Stumpus at [email protected]. You must be a member in good standing and let us know by Sunday December 2nd. Elections will take place Sunday, December 9th.

FR. BAKAS TO BE HONORED

His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian has announced that our own Fr. John Bakas will be honored for his ministry and general outreach to the community on Tuesday, December 4th at 7:00pm at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, 3325 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank, CA 91504. Our Saint Sophia choir will be singing a number of our Greek Orthodox hymns, joined by the St. Leo Armenian choir. Please attend this unique event, as we celebrate common traditions with our Armenian brothers and sisters. As we say here in our Byzantine Latino Quarter, “We are each angels with one wing and we can only fly embracing each another.”

December 2018 Page 5

Page 6 December 2018 MINISTRIES

Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Very Reverend Father John S. Bakas, Dean Chris Kolentsas, Assistant Priest Jim Kollias, Choir Director Mario Lazaridis , Protopsaltis Michael Kontaxis, Assistant Psaltis Christopher Yokas, Organist James Karatsikis, Sexton FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES PARISH COUNCIL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Executive Officers Executive Officers George E. Preonas, President. Maria Baltazzi, President Gig Kyriacou, Vice President Glenn Lianos, 1st Vice President Constantine M. Boukidis, Secretary Peter Cosfol, 2nd Vice President Tina Callas, Treasurer Angela Ananias, Treasurer Members Dinah Wellington, Recording Secretary Bertha Angels, Corresponding Secretary V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas, Maria Baltazzi, Timi Loomos Members Freshman, Steve Hanna, Diane Sakellaris Lapa, Tony Bill Striglos; Costa Bargeliotes; Daniel Settelmayer; Natsis, John Peterson, Jean Paul Wardy, Jim Zaferis Dean Peratsakis, Jeanine Hanna; Paris Yatskar; Presidential Appointments Tonifaye Palomares Nicholas Manolelis, Associate Anna Yallourakis, Associate Member Trustees Emeritus Auditing Committee Nicholas Bissias, Andrew Evangelatos, John T. James Boltinghouse, Anthony Demetriou, Pappas, Alek Haidos, Dr. James A. Demetriou Phillip Ruhl, Pete J. Cazacus

PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY ALTAR BOYS HELLENIC ACADEMY Executive Officers Chris Halekakis Anna Aronis Judith Christopoulos, President BASKETBALL John Kopatsis Gig Kyriacou & Paul Cooper HOSPITALITY Christina Peratsakis, 1st VP BIBLE STUDY Niki Korbakis Maria Pelargos Maria Toczek 2nd VP Very Rev. Father John Bakas BOOK STORE L.A. GREEK FEST Virginia Noyes, Recording Secretary William Striglos Parish Council Executive Board Mary Tassop, Corresponding Secretary CHILD CARE Kathy & Marsha Zagorianos MR. & MRS. CLUB Mary Gallanis, Treasurer CHOIR Dean & Christine Peratsakis Jim Kollias PHILOPTOHOS V.I.P. Connie Cooper, Assistant Treasurer COFFEE HOUR Angela Ananias, President Members Ann Pappas SAINT SOPHIA CAMP Melanie O’Regan Dorothea Ales, Anna Aronis, Mary-Kay Demetriou, Georgia Vasila DOCENTS Kathleen Kyriacou Stephanie Lubian Dina Demetrius, Alexia Itzigsohn, Olga Jordan, Angela Ananias (Co-Chair Golf Event) Constance Manders, Sophie Mastor, Marianna EASTER PICNIC Nick Ananias Politis, Jayne Poullos, Patricia Skeriotis, Allison Ted Pappas (Co-Chair Golf Event) Stavaridis GREEK DANCE GROUPS Barbara Kappos Tony Mastor (Tennis Event) Mary-Kay Demetriou Eleni Constantine Manolelis (Tennis Event) ADMINISTRATIVE AND CUSTODIAL STAFF Demitra Koutsos SUNDAY SCHOOL John Kopatsis, Executive Director HELLENIC ENTERTAINMENT Jessica Benitez, Admin. Assist. , Angela Kim, Accountant Eleni Yokas COOPERATIVE Oscar Castro, Erick Mendez, Mauricio Mira, Devin Smith, YOUTH Alejandra Villasenor, Staff Dina Demetrius V. Rev. Father John S. Bakas

December 2018 Page 7

BAPTISMS MEMORIALS December 8 Zoe Barnett daughter of Sterling Barnett and December 9 December 16 Amalia Paliobeis Angela Daskalieros Stavroula Kouvaritakis Sponsors: Alexandra Georgiou and George Daskalieros (5 years) Vasilios Petrou Stavros Daskalopoulos Panagos Kouvaritakis (47 years) Leonidas Sala son of Nestor Sala and Marina Koukis Lea Sackas John (59 years) Vasiliki Sala James Spears Eftychios Psaltiras (2 years) Sponsors: Christos Papakostas and Hasmig John Tsioutsias Basile Aronis Lisa Nalbandian Nekoletta Tsioutsias Mary Aronis Michael Mack Zax son of Paris Zax and George Williams Melina Margaret Aronis Christina Mack Sophoula Dagres Palomares Ray Rasmussen Sponsors: Dorothea Paschalidou (7 years) Stacy Rasmussen Gus Constance Dion Anastasios Dionisopoulos son of Jose Emmanuel Dionisopoulos and Demetrios Margaret Constance Rebecca Simonsson Christos Spiro Constance Sponsors: Christoffer Tsantikos Fani December 23

WEDDINGS Demetrios Louis Loukaris (21 years) December 8 Shereen Rabadi and Amir Farzin Ekaterini Lucas Loukaris Nikos Koumbaros: Nicholas Haddad Efstratios Costas Despina EPISTLE READERS Yianni Stavros December 2 Kenyatta Smith Presvytera Ana Hariklia December 9 Louis Anastas Ramon Lucia Efstratios December 16 Eleni Romm Angela Myrsini December 23 John Kopatsis Josephina Fotios December 30 John Holloway Michael Divris Hariklia Dora Divris MEMORIALS Myltiadis Fotios Aronis December 2 December 9 Marika Kostas Divris Theodora Naoumovitch (1 year) Petroula Arvanitis Gina Fotini Chiampas Sophia Sotiriu Katherine Pentogenis Litsa Vasilios Tzavellas (6 months) James S. Drulias Steve Cosfol (27 years) Symeon (Sam) Zagorianos Steve Skoutaris Penelope Caiopoulos Batanides Pauline Tassop Panayiotis Korbakis Amilia Skoutaris Andrew Kyriaco John Tassop (20 years) Georgia Korbakis Lulu Kappas Elias Chimarios (40 days) Ernie Tassop Michael Pentogenis Helen Phinos Bill Anast Nicholas Tassop Christina Kappas Andreas Phinos Catina Anast Lola Gialketsis Peter Markos December 30 Ernest N. Anast George Gialketsis Anna Markos Theophanis Sirus Chris Daly Ernie J. Tassop George Markos Steve Halekakis (40 days) Virginia Daly Gust Kappas Nikos Daskalelis Fotini Spiros Daskalelis Paula Roussos (2 years) Aristidis Daskaleros Nick Stathes (40 days)

Page 8 December 2018 PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS

ANGEL TREE This year we will be collecting gifts for children ages 1 year -15 years old. Tags will be put on our tree with each child’s Christmas gift wish. The Angel tree will be located at the Philoptochos Table during Coffee Hour. You can also choose to make a donation to Philoptochos (for a Target Card). Please write: Angel Tree (on the memo line). For more info: [email protected]

PLEASE NOTE UPCOMING EVENTS: January 6, 2019 – Holy Theophany and Vasilopita Celebration January 20, 2019 — Debutante Presentation Ball

December 2018 Page 9 PHILOPTOCHOS VIP

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving with friends and family. Now comes the Christmas season and I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas. Kala Xristougena. We are inviting you all to join us for the last and festive event of the year.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 is the Christmas Luncheon. Donation is $25.00. Chair person is Irene Mitropetros and co-chair is Anne Dres. To make your reservations, please call Mary Morrison at 818-500-0904 or mail your reservations to her at 1325 Valley View Rd, #201 Glendale, CA 91202. Please make your reservations as soon as possible. There will be a delicious luncheon, favors, singing and a visit from a special person from the North.

In His service,

Angela Ananias, President Christmas concert

21st Annual Christmas Musicfest under the Byzantine Dome, Sunday December 2, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. Featuring; the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral Choir and soloists directed by Jim Kollias, the POYAC - Pan-Orthodox Young Adult Choir directed by Jonny Braun; and the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church Khachaturian Choir directed by Deacon Stephan Gozumian. They all are presenting Orthodox Christmas hymns and chants, plus several selections from the English Christmas Carol repertoire and traditional sing-along carols of the holiday season. Freewill offering. Reception immediately following concert. It is a wonderful and joyous way to begin the Christmas holiday season.

THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY

By John Kopatsis has been expanded, and today it covers approximately Passing along Star Street in Bethlehem in the West Bank 130,000 square feet, comprising three different monasteries: towards the Holy Place of Jesus’ Nativity, as did the Magi one Greek Orthodox, one Armenian Apostolic, and one from the East and, later, countless pilgrims, in the distance, Catholic. and before arriving to the square in front of the current church, In its interior, the church has preserved all the architectural the visitor is struck by the enchantment of a place that for elements from the 6th century. The floor of the original 4th centuries has called millions of pilgrims from throughout the century church was completely paved over in mosaic. During world to adore it. Arriving at the paved square, the Church of the Byzantine period, due to the variations in the floor level the Nativity comes into view. At first sight it is not easy to within the church, the floor was re-done using white-veined understand the architectural structure of the church complex, marble. Through trapdoors opening in the pavement it is still which over the centuries has undergone numerous possible to enjoy a view of the ancient mosaics. Their transformations. It was originally commissioned in 327 by workmanship is truly detailed and refined, above all those in Constantine the Great and his mother Helena, Saints the nave. Their density of tesserae (small squares of stone or Constantine and Helen, on the site that was the birthplace of glass) is twice that of ordinary mosaics. This factor by itself Jesus. That original church was destroyed by fire during the allows one to understand why these decorations are so highly Samaritan revolts of the 6th century, and a new church was valued, as their higher density permitted the representation of built in 565 by Byzantine Emperor Justinian, who restored the more refined images and the reproduction of more shades of architectural tone of the original. The Church of the Nativity, color, like the effect of higher pixilation in digital pictures. The while remaining basically unchanged since the Justinian result was decorative mosaics that are extremely detailed, reconstruction, has seen numerous repairs and additions, reflecting the importance of this Holy Place. especially from the Crusader period, including wall mosaics and paintings. Over the centuries, the surrounding compound The particularly dark appearance of the nave is due to the continued to page 14

Page 10 December 2018 continued from page 13 past decade, and the three churches were able to come inadequate maintenance which over the years has led to a together under the auspices of a special committee formed by deterioration in the condition of the Church. The lack of the Palestinian National Authority. Through joint discussions maintenance left the church’s priceless mosaics obscured they reached a working agreement permitting the much under layers of dust and soot or destroyed by rain water that needed restorations on the Church of the Nativity to begin. seeped in from the leaky roof. Yet the surviving mosaics have emerged with such luster that it’s difficult to believe they were The Church of the Nativity was placed on the 2008 Watch List created nearly 1,000 years ago. Commissioned in the 12th of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments century by the Crusader king Almaric I and Byzantine Fund. The mosaic restoration is part of the first known Emperor Manuel Komnenos, the mosaics with their gold and overhaul of the revered church since 1479, and it came just in silver leaf pressed under clear glass, inlaid mother-of-pearl the nick of time. A Palestinian official warned in 2011 that and local stones which at one point completely covered the churchgoers faced a dangerous “risk of collapsing beams,” walls of the church, retain their fascinating effect. The tesserae were positioned tilted downwards in order to enhance the beauty of the mosaic when observed from a position several meters below. In this manner a strong visual impact is received by the pilgrim upon entering the church, despite the poor state of preservation. Only 1,400 square feet of mosaics remain from the original 21,528 square feet that adorned the wall. The remaining mosaics portray different scenes in the life of Jesus and the church, Joseph and a dolorous Mother Mary, Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey and the Assumption. The 12 apostles are depicted, including “doubting Thomas” with Jesus pulling his hand to his crucifixion wound. There are glimmering saints and patriarchs, even a baby camel. The mosaics are reminiscent of Byzantine mosaics of Sicily, Florence, and Ravenna. Art historians The spot of Jesus’ Birth commented that the Bethlehem mosaics employ plant and animal designs that are also strikingly similar to Byzantine era and the United Nations declared the church an endangered mosaics in Jerusalem at the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa World Heritage site in 2012. The initial phase of the Mosque. restoration work was completed in early 2016. New windows have been installed, structural repairs on the roof have been The Grotto of the Nativity, the place where Jesus was born, is completed and art works and mosaics have been cleaned and an underground space which forms the crypt of the Church of restored. Palestinians consider the Church of the Nativity a the Nativity. It is the oldest site continuously venerated in national treasure and one of their most visited tourist sites. Christianity. It is situated underneath its main altar, and it is normally accessed by two staircases on either side of the During the work, a restoration technician was slowly passing a altar. The Grotto is part of a network of caves, which are thermographic camera over the smooth plaster walls, when accessed from the adjacent Catholic Church of Saint she spotted an intriguing shape. As she and her colleagues Catherine's. The exact spot where Jesus was born is marked began painstakingly scraping away the plaster, a radiant face emerged, illuminated by mother-of-pearl. According to beneath this altar by a 14-pointed silver star with the Latin Giammarco Piacenti, CEO of the Piacenti Restoration Center inscription Hic De Virgine Maria Jesus Christus Natus (Here in charge of the church restoration, when the team saw the Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary.) The star is set into first golden tiles of a shimmering halo, it was a very emotional the marble floor and surrounded by 15 silver lamps moment. Beneath the plaster stood an eight-foot-tall angel, representing the three Christian communities: six belong to lost for centuries but now rediscovered and reunited with six the Greek Orthodox, four to the Catholics, and five to the other angels that watch over pilgrims in one of the oldest Armenian Apostolic. churches in Christendom. The seventh angel was an unexpected reward of an arduous, multi-year effort to rescue The Church of the Nativity is shared by the Greek Orthodox, the 1,700-year-old church from centuries of neglect. The the Catholic and the Armenian Orthodox churches. It is angels' arms gently direct pilgrims toward the Grotto of the governed by the traditional Status Quo, the 1852 agreement Nativity, the site where Theotokos gave birth to Jesus. During that preserves the division of ownership and responsibilities of the Ottoman Empire, the angels' faces were disfigured with various Christian holy sites. In years past, the denominations gunshots to the nose and so here the missing pieces have have been known to jealously guard over their sections of the been replaced, said Piacenti. "They were shot in the nose to destroy, to kill them," Piacenti said. Restoration gave them "a church, to the extent of fist fights breaking out over who could second life." Both Islam and Judaism prohibit graven human clean which part of the stone floor. Relations among the images. churches have become progressively more cordial over the

December 2018 Page 11

DECEMBER 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Barbra the Great St. Nicholas the Martyr Wonderworker 14th Sunday of 8:45 am Orthros 8:45 am Orthros St. Luke 9:30 am Divine Liturgy 9:30 am Divine Liturgy

8:30 am Orthros Bible Studies Class w/ 9:45 am Memorials Fr. John 10:00 Divine Liturgy 11 am

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Spyridon the 10th Sunday of Bible Studies Class Wonderworker 8:45 am Orthros w/ Fr. John St. Luke 9:30 am Divine Liturgy 8:30 am Orthros 11 am 9:45 am Memorials Young Adult Bible 10:00 Divine Liturgy Studies Class w/ Fr. Chris

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

11th Sunday of St. Luke Young Adult Bible 8:30 am Orthros Studies Class w/ 9:45 am Memorials Fr. Chris 10:00 Divine Liturgy 7:30 pm

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Sunday before Stephen, Archdeacon Nativity The Nativity of Our Christmas Eve Lord and Savior, Jesus and First Martyr 8:30 am Orthros Vesperal Liturgy Christ 8:45 am Orthros 9:45 am Memorials 6 pm 8:45 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 Divine Liturgy 9:30 am Divine Liturgy

OFFICE CLOSED

30 31 Strict Fast Fish Allowed Wine and Oil Dairy, Eggs, Fast Free Allowed and Fish Sunday after Allowed Nativity 8:30 am Orthros 9:45 am Memorials 10:00 Divine Liturgy

Page 12 December 2018

Saint Sophia Greek Cathedral Greek Orthodox Community 1324 South Normandie Avenue Los Angeles, California 90006

Place address label here

Phone 323 737 2424 E-mail [email protected]

We’re on the Web! www.stsophia.org

“Religion and science are fighting a joint battle in an incessant, never relaxing crusade against skepticism and against dogmatism, against unbelief and superstition... [and therefore] 'On to God!”

Max Planck, April 23,1858 – October 4, 1947) was a German theoretical physicist whose discovery of energy quanta won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918