A Monthly Publication of

1240 Broadbridge Ave, Stratford, CT 06615

Vol. 7 No. 11 - April & May 2017

Pastor’s Message...... Page 2 Life Passages ... Birthdays, Anniversaries...... Page 3 St. John’s Stewards... Coffee Hr, Cleaning, Readers, Outreach……………...... Pages 3-5 Month in Review, Parish & Diocesan News………………………...... Pages 6-8 Announcements, Schedule, Preparing For Confession ...... Pages 9-14 Coming Events...... Pages 15-17 A View From The Pews, Explanation of & Preparing For Holy Week&PaschaPages 18-21 Lenten Recipe, How to Prepare a Traditional Basket...... Pages 22-24 Daily Scripture Readings...... Pages 25-26 Prayer Corner: Prayer List...... Page 27 April & May Calendars of Liturgical Services and Events...... Page 28-29 The Prophet Fr Peter s Message

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The Official Monthly Publication of

The Orthodox Greek Catholic Church Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

of Saint John the Baptist

Glory To Christ! Glory Forever!

1240 Broadbridge Avenue, Stratford, CT 06615

Parish Website: www.sjoc.org It is hard to believe that we are Email: [email protected] approaching the end of Great and that Holy Week and Pascha are almost Pastor: Very. Rev. Protopresbyter Peter Paproski around the corner.

Phone & Fax: 203-375-2564 Cell: 203-260-0423 I have been very pleased this year to observe the seriousness with which Parish Council President: William Bilcheck, Jr. 203-421-3121 email: [email protected] you, the faithful of this community, are walking on the

Divine Services path way of the Great Fast. Not only has attendance been greater at the various Lenten services, I see in the calm Vespers: Sat: 5:00 pm Eve of Feasts: 7:00 pm demeanor of so many of you the fruits of the three pillars Divine Liturgy Sunday & Week Day 9:00 am of Lent at work in your lives, that of Prayer, Fasting and Services of Intercession as Announced Good Works. Coffee Hour Fellowship Sundays 10:30 am

Church School Sundays: 10:45 am

I have enjoyed our discussion of our Lenten reading book Parish Ministries Coordinators

The Way of The Pilgrim. The Pilgrim’s quest for intimate

Church School Coordinator: Pani Carol Paproski communion with God in unceasing prayer has inspired us to become more zealous in our own prayer life. It has ACRY Youth Group: Eve Nucifora reminded us of how the living saints of the Church seek to love and serve God with all of their heart, mind and Outreach Coordinators soul. Community & Mary Householder/ Soup Kitchen Eve Nucifora As Lent draws to a close, I encourage all of us to take Bereavement Jean Lomme full advantage of the life-giving and inspiring Divine Young Families Michelle Mihaly Services of the Church, which will give us the strength to The Sick /Shut-ins M.Allis/E. Nucifora journey with our Lord through Holy Week. May we have the strength to attend and take part in as many, if not all, Financial Investment William Bilcheck, Jr of the Holy Week Services that is humanly possible. They William Booth, Jr. are of the most beautiful and meaningful of the Liturgical Thomas Decerbo Year. They provide us with many opportunities for Matthew Mihaly spiritual healing and finding inner peace in the knowledge Orestes Mihaly that God is with and within us as we journey to paradise in this earthly life. Property Maintenance/ Thomas Decerbo Improvements Frank Meyernick I urge all of you to use the remaining days of Lent to worthily prepare to receive Holy Communion on Pascha Scholarship Eve Nucifora by making a careful and thorough Confession. You will Helen Guman find much peace and grace by doing so.

Database Coordinator: Christine LeClerc

I wish all of you a blessed remainder of the Great Fast and Webmaster: Michael Decerbo a glorious light-filled Pascha.

With Love in Christ and Prayers,

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR THE JUNE ISSUE OF THE PROPHET

2 Fr. Peter MAY 8, 2017

Life Passages – April 2017

Date Name Event April 1 Anna Kmetz Birthday April 3 Theresa Petricca Birthday April 6 Arlene Auer Birthday April 9 Elizabeth Romanchick Birthday April 11 Katarina Mihaly Birthday April 13 Bob Franco Birthday April 15 MaryAnn Strovers Birthday April 17 Colin Bilcheck Birthday April 20 John & Dana Mihaly Anniversary April 21 Elena Mihaly Birthday April 24 Fr. Peter Paproski Birthday April 25 Zachary Mihaly Birthday ______

May 2 Mike Dion Birthday May 5 Thomas Ivers Birthday May 6 Bill Bilcheck Birthday May11 Michelle Mihaly Birthday May 16 Ilya Mihaly Birthday May 16 Mike Kmetz Sr. Birthday May 19 Shianna Reeves Birthday May 20 Matt & Michelle Mihaly Anniversary May 22 Matthew Mihaly, Sr. Birthday May 23 Katherine Harrington Birthday St John s Stewards: Doing the Work of the Church ’

COFFEE HOUR CHURCH READING CHURCH CLEANING

Date Host Date Hours Epistle Date Cleaner

4/0 2 Ivers/Pierce 4/02 Holly Matt 3/27-4/08 Cleaning Service 4/9 Lomme/Mihaly 4/09 Brett Cantors 4/10-4/22 Decerbo 4/16 PASCHA 4/16 Pani Carol Bill 4/24-5/06 Cleaning Service 4/23 Porter/LeClerc 4/23 Holly Matt 5/08-5/20 Cleaning Service 4/30 Ryan 4/30 Brett Cantors 5/22-6/3 Householder 5/07 Stirna/Meyernick 5/07 Pani Carol Bill 5/14 Mother’s Day 5/14 Holly Matt 5/21 Stokely 5/21 Brett Cantors 5/28 Bilcheck 5/28 Pani Carol Bill

SPONSOR A CLEANING OF THE CHURCH We are now soliciting sponsorships from our parishioners who wish to assist with the cleaning of the Church, but are not able to join the cleaning roster. You may offer a single cleaning sponsorship of $30.00 or multiple cleaning sponsorships. At the present time, our current volunteers are assigned to 4 cleaning sessions per year. With your sponsoring of one or more cleaning sessions, you will lighten the load of the few parishioners who are left on the church cleaning list. If you are interested in doing so, please place your donation in a donation envelope clearly marked with your name and the amount, indicating it is a Cleaning Sponsorship and place it in the metal collection box. You may also mail it to the Church. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

3 Parish Outreach & Community Service

COMMUNITY SUPPER PROGRAM UPDATE

We are responsible for providing supper once a month on Wednesday Evening at Christ Episcopal Church from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm and quarterly on Mondays at St. George Episcopal Church, Bpt. If you are able to work at a supper, or if you are able to make a salad or dessert for a scheduled meal please see Mary Householder or Eve Nucifora. Arrangemen ts can be made to pick up your donation item if you would be unable to drop it off at the supper. If you would like to Sponsor a meal, a donation of $150.00 would cover an entire meal.

PARISH COMMUNITY SUPPER SCHEDULE

Date: Location Mon April 3 Lord’s Kitchen Mon May 15 Lord’s Kitchen Mon June 5 (Tentative) Calvary-St George Mon June 19 Lord’s Kitchen

FOOD FOR THE NEEDY

Our Food Drive for Sterling H ouse isWed ongoing May and 13 their needs are especiallyLord’s Kitchen crucial in this difficult economy. Child - friendly food items are needed. Mon Among June the 8 (Tentative)items neede d are hotCalvary/St and cold George’s cereals, juices,Bridgeport pancake and waffle mixes, frozen breakfast foods, peanut Wedbutter, June jelly, 10 tuna fish, instant Lord’spuddings, Kitchen crackers, snack foods, canned soups and fruits, powdered drink mixes, boxed and canned potatoes and macaroni and cheese, as well as microwavable and single -serving meals. Now refrigerated6/09 items such as milk Calvary and eggs-St George are also Church, accepted. Bridgeport Also: We need some basic items for a needy, mentally disabled person whom we directly help to tide him over until the beginning of each month. Here are items our friend can use: Creamy Peanut Butter and Crackers, Vanilla Wafer cookies, 2 Liter Bottle of Regular Pepsi, Paper Towels, Shampoo, large bottle any brand, Folgers coffee. NO MORE RAVIOLI’S PLEASE Also gift cards from Stop and Shop would be helpful so that we may purchase perishable food items such as bread, milk, meat and other foods items that are needed.. If you can contribute any of these specific items, please leave these items in Father Peter’s Office, not in the general food collection basket. Cash donations/gift cards should be put in an envelope marked clearly for needy food purchase and placed in the collection box on the candle desk. Thank You! “For I was Hungry and You Fed Me”

SPECIAL CHARITY COLLECTIONS

Ecumenical Patriarchate – Our Mother Church - – April 9, 2017

St. Nectarios Fund - 3rd Sundays of March, June, September and December

Orthodox Christian Fellowship – 3rd Sunday in October

International Orthodox Chrisitan Charities (IOCC ) Fund – 3rd Sunday in November.

4

Parish Outreach & Community Service

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION CENTER

During Lent we are collecting money in support of the Missionary works of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, a Pan-Orthodox Agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops.

In particular, we are supporting the missionary works of Fr. Juvenaly Repass – who is originally from Stratford and is serving the Church in Guatemala.

A collection jar has been placed on the coffee hour table for those who wish to support this worthy cause.

May God bless you for your charity and love!

5 March 2017: The Month In Review

Parish Council Updates

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING– Our annual Parish Meeting took place on Sunday February 5, 2017. Major decisions include the approval of funding for the Onofrey Parking Lot and for installing central air conditioning. At the meeting we established an air condition Fund to defray the cost of the project. To date we have received $1985.00 in donations, the total cost is estimated to be approximately $12,000 – $16,000. Your help would be appreciated. We also are pleased to announce that we received a generous $10,000 towards the cost of the Onofrey Parking Lot. ______

Church School Updates

Eve Nucifora's class has spent March learning more about Father Peter! The students present were his "guests" one Sunday as he explained his vesting, showing them each liturgical garment he wears during Divine Liturgy and the prayers associated with them. In learning more about Holy Orders, class has discussed the steps to the priesthood and the episcopacy. The differences in vestments have been made more "real" for the students by having their own printouts to color, so they can learn the colors associated with the church seasons or events. April will bring the lessons of the Holy Mysteries to a near close when the class discusses the Sacrament of Matrimony. (Parents-- please get a wedding photo ready!)

During the month of March Pani Carol's church school class continued to study the history of the Orthodox Church. The class touched briefly upon what life was like for Orthodox Christians under Turkish Rule in the 16th-18th centuries and also mentioned the fact that the Ecumenical Patriarch was relocated to the Church of St. George in the Greek quarter or "Phanar" in Istanbul. After this the class studied the Unia in Eastern Europe in the early 1600's and the creation of Byzantine Catholic churches under the Pope of Rome. The class then turned its attention to America and discovered that the first Orthodox settlers came to Alaska! After learning about the life of St. Herman of Alaska in some detail, the class also heard brief biographies for St. Innocent, St. Juvenaly, and St. Peter the Aleut. Lastly, the class talked about immigration to the US in the 1800's through the early 1900's to set the stage for further study of the Orthodox Church in the US. ______

SSUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY

On the first Sunday of Lent, March 5, our parish youth participated in the annual Sunday of Orthodoxy with icons at the end of Divine Liturgy. This Sunday commemorates the triumphal return of icons to the Church following the Seventh Ecumenical Council. OUR LENTEN JOURNEY It has been an active Lenten Season for our parish. Divine services were held each day during the first week of Lent and we have prayed the Presanctified Liturgy every Wednesday and the Paraklis Service on Friday evenings. All are enjoying the Lenten fellowship meal and the adult book discussion on The Way of The Pilgrim which follows the Presanctified Liturgy. Our Lenten soup sales continue with the profits being given to the Diocesan Lenten Youth Mission Project which supports St. John The Compassionate Mission in Toronto, and the collection jar on the Coffee Hour Table in support of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center is slowly filling up. May Almighty God Give Us The Strength To Complete the Course of the Fast in A Worthy Manner! 6 March 2017: The Month In Review

News From Across The Diocese

Young Adult and College Student Retreat Held At Camp Nazareth

MERCER, PA -- [Camp Nazareth] From Friday, March 17 – Sunday, March 19 nearly 30 young adults ages 18- 35, from 6 different Orthodox jurisdictions, gathered at Camp Nazareth for a Retreat. The Retreat was co- sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh and the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese. The theme of the event was “Navigating Life Using Your Spiritual Compass”. Keynote addresses were delivered by Fr. Ed Pehanich and Mr. Nick Lionas.

Kulis Foundation Offers $10,000 Matching Grant in Support of Lenten Youth Mission Project Kuki

JOHNSTOWN, PA --- The Diocesan Chancery is pleased to announce that the National Jr. ACRY has received a matching funds grant from the John C. Kulis Charitable Foundation up to $10,000 in support of their Annual Lenten Youth Project. As the faithful of the Diocese are aware, the National Junior ACRY undertakes each year a Lenten Youth Project to promote the teachings of Christ to fulfill the needs of others through good works of charity. Parish faithful are urged to make additional donations to take advantage of this tremendous opportunity to help this incredible street ministry.

Bishop Gregory’s Recent Travels.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- [Diocesan Chancery] Bishop Gregory has made numerous pastoral visitations during the month of March. Diocesan parishes visited include, St Stephen Church, Latrobe, PA, Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Central City, PA and the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Akron. In addition, His Grace gave Lenten Presentations at Sts Constantine and Helen Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Annunciation Cathedral in Atlanta, Georgia and the Central Regional Diocesan Lenten Retreat in Homestead, PA. He also presided over the Sunday of Orthodoxy Service at St. Mary Antiochian Church in Johnstown, PA.

Registration is Open For For 2017 ACRY Bowling Tournament

STRATFORD, CT [National ACRY] – Sts Peter and Paul Church in Rockaway, NJ is pleased to be the host for the 2017 69th Metropolitan Orestes Memorial Bowling Tournament. Come join them for an enjoyable weekend of bowling, Christian Fellowship and worship! The tournament is open to all members of the Diocesan and their friends, membership in the ACRY is not required. Not a bowler? No worries, there will be plenty of other enjoyable activities. Visit www.acry.org for more information. Deadline is May 5, 2017.

7 March 2017: Around The Parish

Back by popular demand, a Make Your Own Pizza and Game Night was held on Saturday March 11,

2017. It was preceded by the celebration of the Moleben to the Most-Holy Mother of God.

The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete was served on Thursday, March 9. 2016 at Three Hierarchs Chapel at the Univ. of CT For the members of the OCF. Fr. Peter and OCF members were joined by parishioners from our parish and Holy Trinity Orthodox Church of Willimantic, CT

Parishioner Faith Stirna is third from the left in the top row.

On Sunday March 19, 2017, Fr Sergei Bouteneff joined us for Divine Liturgy and led us in a mini Lenten Retreat on the theme “ Standing at The Crossroads” 8 APRIL & MAY NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Easter Bake Sale - Sat April 8, 2017  Assistance is needed on Saturday April 8th immediately following Liturgy to help with final preparations for the sale.  Additional Assistance may be needed at the bake sale pre-order table as well. – See Pani Carol if you can help  Baked items are also being requested for the bakery table. See Jean Lomme for more details.

Parish Preparations For Holy Week and Pascha  A sign-up sheet will be posted in the Church Hall for the Paschal Fellowship Meal to follow the Paschal Divine Liturgy. Everyone’s help is needed in preparing food items as well as the set-up and clean-up.  A sign-up sheet for , and Easter Sunday is posted. Everyone’s help is needed.  Easter will take place after the Paschal Liturgy (Approx 12:30 pm) – Please bring 10 filled plastic eggs per child to Fr.’s Office during Holy week. Please do not wait until Easter Sunday.  As we have done over the past several years, a vigil at our Lord’s tomb will take place following Good Friday Services until the Holy Saturday Morning Liturgy. Please add your name to the sign-up sheet in the Church Hall and plan to spend some quiet time at the Lord’s Tomb.  Choir/cantors Rehearsals - Sun March 26 & April 2 after Liturgy. Holy Thurs after service and Holy Sat, following basket blessing.  Volunteers are needed to rake the Church grounds and pick up branches and other yard debris prior to Pascha. A suggested work day is after Liturgy on April 8th. Please let Fr. Peter know if you can help.

Church Grounds Work Day  We are holding a Church grounds clean-up day on Sunday May 7 at 12 noon  We will be spreading mulch around the Church and Shrine flower and shrubbery beds.  Please let Fr. Peter know if your able to help. Please bring a metal rake, a lawn rake, a shovel suitable for use with mulch and a wheel barrow if at all possible.

Mother’s Day Breakfast  Our Annual Parish Mother’s Day Breakfast will take place on Sunday May 14, 2017 following Divine Liturgy.  All Parish men are kindly asked to see Tom Decerbo to offer their assistance with the set-up, purchasing of food and preparing, serving and cleaning up.

PARISH WISH LIST

Stop and Shop Gift Cards of any denominations for use in purchasing groceries for the needy

Any parishioner Holy Week/Pascha interested in donating any201 of 7these Divine items are Service kindly asked Schedule to see Fr. Peter

9 2017 Holy Week Schedule

Lazarus Saturday – Saturday April 8 8:00 am Divine Liturgy 5:00 pm Great Vespers & Litya

The Entrance of Our Lord Into Jerusalem – Sunday April 9 9:00 am Divine Liturgy 4:00 pm Bridegroom Matins of

Holy Monday April 10 6:30 pm Presanctified Liturgy

Holy Tuesday April 11 9:00 am Bridegroom Matins 6:30 pm Presanctified Liturgy

Holy Wednesday April 12 9:00 am Bridegroom Matins 7:00 pm Holy Unction Service – St. John’s Mill Hill Avenue

Holy Thursday April 13 9:00 am Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great 7:00 pm Matins of Holy Friday – Reading of the 12 Passion Gospels

Holy Friday April 14 11:00 am Royal Hours 7:00 pm Vespers & Procession With the Winding Sheet

Holy Saturday - April 15 8:30 am Baptism & Chrismation of the Asante Family 9:30 am Vesperal Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great 4:30 pm Confessions 6:00 pm Blessing of Paschal Food Followed by Choir Rehearsal 11:45 pm Nocturnes & Paschal Matins

PASCHA – The Feast of Feasts! April 16 11:45 pm Nocturnes & Midnight Resurrection Matins 9:30 am Choral Singing of Paschal Hymns 10:00 am Paschal Divine Liturgy

Bright Monday April 17 9:00 am Paschal Divine Liturgy 4:00 pm Paschal Vespers

Bright Tuesday May April 18 9:00 am Liturgy – St John’s Church – Mill Hill Avenue.10 10 Preparing to Receive Holy Communion on Easter Sunday

All parishioners are enjoined by Holy Mother Church to Receive the Holy Mysteries of Confession and Communion Frequently. At a very minimal it is to be done at least once a year during /Pascha, and more preferably at least during all four fasting seasons on the year. Palm Sunday is traditionally a time when the entire parish prepares to receive Holy Communion. Those who have prepared for Palm Sunday are encouraged (and most have been doing so) to receive Communion on Pascha itself. I am asking all who are able, to make every effort to come to confession, throughout Great Lent, and especially just prior to Holy Week. I encourage those wishing to receive on Palm Sunday and Pascha to come to confession as early as possible beginning on Wednesday of the week before Holy Week. There are services and events virtually every day from that point on – during which you could receive Confession. Wednesday Noon during the Sixth Hour Service, Wed before Presanctified, Friday before and after Paraklis, before and after Sat Evening Vespers as well as before Liturgy on Palm Sunday. Early on in Holy Week is also a good time. I would ask if at all possible that all confessions be completed by Holy Friday. There will be one last opportunity on Holy Saturday from 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm. Please know I will never turn anyone away from Confession at any time, (although please know most of the other Orthodox Churches in the area do not hear Confessions after Holy Thursday) but I ask that you be considerate and come as

early as possible.

HELPFUL HINTS AND REMINDERS

Before coming to Confession, one should prepare by examining his or her conscience. There are good examinations of conscience in both the Under Thy Cross and Come to Me prayer books and on Page 11 of this issue of The Prophet.

1. When coming to Communion, as a general rule, we are to Fast from Midnight from all food and drink, and smoking. If you must take medication, PLEASE do so, if you are a diabetic or infirm and need to eat before coming to Communion, I would be happy to give you my blessing to do so. 2. It is important not to expectorate (spit) for some time after communion in case some of the Precious Body and Blood may still be in your mouth. A good practice is to drink some type of liquid at coffee hour to prevent this. 3. Please completely blot out or remove lipstick before receiving Communion so it is does not adhere to the communion spoon or chalice. 4. Being a frequent communicant (receiving Holy Communion every Sunday) also means one needs to come to Confession frequently as well. It is not enough to come to confession once or twice a year and receive on a weekly basis. We all need the spiritual medicine of Confession continuously.

HOLY WEEK AND FASTING REMINDERS Meat is not to be eaten during the entire Holy Week and a strict fast from meat and dairy products is to be observed from Holy Friday until after the Paschal (Easter) Divine Liturgy. The elderly and infirm are not bound by the fast. A minimum of a three hour fast is required before receiving Holy Communion at the evening Presanctified Liturgy. The usual fast from midnight is to be observed prior to the Saturday and Sunday Divine Liturgies.

No Fasting is Allowed During Bright Week From April 16- Tues April 25 Normal Fasting Begins Wed April 26 11 Preparing For Pascha – Making A Good Confession

AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

PREPARATION FOR CONFESSION

During Great Lent, and the other fasts of the Church Year, it is customary for all Orthodox Christians to go to confession to their priest. Properly this should be done several times a year, the exact frequency depending upon how often one is blessed to receive the Holy Mysteries and on the counsel and blessing of one's spiritual father. As a preparation for this sacramental confession and to help one examine one's conscience before coming to confession, the following questions are sometimes distributed in parishes and, although of course the list is not exhaustive, it may be a help to those of our readers who are Orthodox Christians.

Sins Against God

 Do you pray to God in the morning and evening, before and after meals?During prayer have you allowed your thoughts to wander?  Have you rushed or gabbled your prayers? or when reading in church?  Do you read the Scriptures daily? Do you read other spiritual writings regularly?  Have you read books whose content is not Orthodox or even anti-Orthodox, or is spiritually damaging?  Have you pronounced the name of God without reverence, joking? Have you asked God's help before starting every activity?  Have you made the sign of the Cross carelessly, thoughtlessly? Have you sworn? Have you murmured against God?  Have you sinned by forgetting God?  Have you been slack in attending church?  Have you consecrated even part of the feast days, particularly Sundays and the Twelve Great Feasts, to God?  Have you tried your best to attend church on these days? or have you spent them more sinfully than ordinary days?  If unable to attend church for some reason, have you nonetheless tried to devote some part of these days to prayer and spiritual reading?  Have you kept the fasts?  Have you behaved irreverently in church, or before the clergy and monastics?  Have you laughed or talked in church, or moved about unnecessarily, thus also distracting other people from prayer?  Have dressed modestly and in a becoming manner when in church?  Have you tried to pay reverent attention to the readings, hymns, and prayers in church?  Have you striven to pray with the service, crossing yourself, etc., or have you rather simply stood and day-dreamed?  Have you prepared for the services beforehand, looking up the Scriptural readings, making sure you have the texts to follow the service etc., especially if the service will be in a language you do not readily understand?  Have you ever left church after the Divine Services, and particularly after receiving the Holy Mysteries and immediately engaged in light talk and thus forgotten the blessings and graces you have received?  Have you been ashamed of your Faith or the sign of the Cross in the presence of others?  Have you made a show of your piety?  Have you used your Orthodox Faith or its teachings merely to browbeat others or belittle them?  Have you used it as a shield or excuse for your own inadequacies rather than humbling yourself? 12 AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE (Continued From Page 12)

 Have you believed in dreams, fortune telling, astrology, signs and other superstitions?  Do you give thanks to the Lord for all things?  Have you ever doubted God's providence concerning yourself?  Do you at least try to perceive His purpose in all the things that come upon you?

Sins Against Your Neighbours

 Do you respect and obey your parents?  Have you offended them by rudeness or contradiction?  (These two apply also to priests, superiors, teachers and elders.)  Have you insulted anyone?  Have you quarreled or fought with anyone? Have you hit anyone?  Are you always respectful to old people?  Are you ever angry, bad tempered or irritable?  Have you called anyone names? Do you use foul language?  Have you derided any that are disabled, poor, old or in some way disadvantaged?  Have you entertained bad feelings, ill will or hatred against anyone?  Have you forgiven those who have offended you?  Have you asked forgiveness from those whom you have offended?  Are you at peace with everyone?  Have you left the needy without help when you could have helped?  Have you attended the sick or elderly when they have asked you to do so?  Have you shown kindness and attention to all, remembering that God is expecting just such an attitude from you?  Have you hit animals without a cause or been cruel to them, or neglectful of those in your care?  Have you stolen anything?  Have you taken or used other people's things without asking?  Have you kept money or things that were lent you without returning them?  Have you wasted your employers' time or resources? Have you taken things from work for your own use, used the firm's phone or other facilities for your own purposes without permission or repayment?  Are you obstinate, and do you always try to have your own way?  Have you been inconsiderate of other people's feelings?  Have you tried to have your revenge against those who have offended you?  Have you harboured resentment? Have you deceived people?  Have you gossiped?  Have you told untruths?  Have you judged and condemned others?  Have you taken pains before approaching for confession to be reconciled with all?

Sins Against Yourself

 Have you been proud? Do you boast of your abilities, achievements, family, connections or riches?  Do you consider yourself worthy before God?  Are you vain, ambitious? Do you try to win praise and glory?

13 AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE (Continued From Page 13)

 Do you bear it easily when you are blamed, scolded or treated unjustly? Do you think too much about your looks, outward appearance and the impression you make?  Have you sinned in thought, word or deed, by a look or glance, or in any other way against the seventh commandment? (Adultery, fornication, all extra-marital sexual relationships with others, masturbation, engaging in unnatural sexual acts, fantasizing, pornography, etc.)  Have you envied anyone anything? Have you been over-sensitive?  Have you been lazy? Have you done your duties heartily?  Have you wasted your time, energy or abilities in things that do not profit the soul?  Have you become obsessive about anything? Have you been despondent or listless?  Have you had thoughts of committing suicide?  Have you brought a curse on yourself or others or ill-wished them, being impatient?  Have you a weakness for alcohol? Have you drunk too much, or become dependent on drink?  Have you taken drugs, other than necessary medicines? Have you smoked?  Have you watched television too much or indiscriminately? Have you given yourself up to any other similar pastime which wastes your time and energy and might have harmed you?  Have you been greedy, either with regard to food or to possessions?  Have you indulged in comfort-eating? Have you become accustomed to eating between meals?  Have you been picky about your food, or wasteful of foods, forgetting that so many people are without proper nourishment? Have you been extravagant? Have you been wasteful?  Do you care for and seek first the salvation of your soul, the spiritual life and the kingdom of God, or have you put earthly considerations in the first place?  Is there any other sin, which burdens your conscience, or which you are ashamed to tell?  Anyone preparing for confession must ask God to help his resolve to tell all his sins. A penitent should prepare for confession and collect his thoughts regarding his sins at least a day before confession. The most valuable thing in the eyes of God is the confession of the sin which weighs most on the conscience.

The questions listed are intended to help the Orthodox Christian examine himself and identify the symptoms of his spiritual ills; they should not be taken as some kind of test to ascertain how well we are doing as if there was a certain "pass-mark." Before God's perfections, we shall always fail. It is for that reason that, as believing Christians, we throw ourselves on the mercy of the Lord and do not trust in our own righteousness.

Remember that our sins can never outweigh God's love towards us. Even if we should seem to have failed with regard to all the points mentioned above and more, we should not lose heart but confess our sins unshamefacedly, we should regret the wrongs we have done, be resolved to make amends, and receive whatever remedy our confessor should be guided to lay upon us. Most of all, one should be assured of the blessing of God which these endeavors will bring upon you.

14 Coming Events

Women’s Council of Eastern Orthodox Christian Churches of Greater Bridgeport, CT

April Meeting

Saturday, April 22nd @ 1:30pm at Saint John’s Church Broadbridge Ave, Stratford, CT

New ByLaws will be voted upon.

**We are very pleased to announce that our group donated 185 pairs of pajamas to The Pajama Program this year! We look forward to our next collection, beginning in September.**

All Parish Women Are Encouraged to Attend

Parish Calendar Of Coming Events

Fri April 7 Feast of Annunciation Sat April 8 Lazarus Saturday Sun April 16 Pascha – The Feast of Feasts! Sun May 14 Mother’s Day Breakfast Fri June 9 Family Camp Weekend – Camp Nazareth Sun June 11 Family Day – Camp Nazareth Sun June 18 Father’s Day & Sun June 25-28 Diocesan Altarboy Retreat and Young Women’s Encounter Sun July 16 Semi-Annual Parish Meeting Sun July 30 –Aug 5 New England Deanery Camp Week, Camp Nazareth

15

News From St Dimitri Romanian Orthodox Church, Easton, CT

16 Coming Events at Camp Nazareth

Fifth Annual Family Camp at Camp Nazareth June 9-11

His Grace, Bishop Gregory has issued a cordial invitation to all Diocesan Youth and their families to join him at Camp Nazareth for the fourth annual Family Camp which will take place during Camp Nazareth's upcoming Family Day Weekend.

Camp Nazareth Family Day Raffle

We have received our allotment of Family Day Raffle tickets. Each ticket is $20.00 with a chance to win $10,000.00. Please see Fr. Peter to purchase your ticket today.

Camp Nazareth Annual Family Day – Sunday June 11, 2017

Fellowship& fun all day including Music entertainment, swimming, craft activities, games and the Raffle Drawing 10am -- DIVINE LITURGY Lunch/Picnic following Liturgy

MENU: Prime Rib Sandwich Barbeque Chicken Potato Salad Pasta Salad Tossed Salad Homemade Desserts Chips/Dip Drinks Vegetarian Option: Vegetable Primavera

Adults $10.00 Under 13 : $6.00 Under 5: free FAMILY PRICE: $30.00 (includes 2 parents & all under age 13)

Camp Nazareth – New England Deanery- July 30 – Aug 5, 2017

It is time to start planning for Camp Nazareth this summer. We are the third week and the registration deadline is June 1. Early bird deadline (saving you $25.00) is May 15. Complete information as well as downloadable registration forms are available at http://www.campnazareth.org. If you do not have computer access, please see Fr. Peter. Also sure to let Fr. Peter know if your child is going to camp so that you have a spot on the Deanery Camp bus.

17 A View From The Pews: Orthodox Easter and Christmas By Serge Mihaly As I grow older my perspective on life has evolved. More and more I see just what my parents and Grandparent spoke about when I was a youngster. I’ve also become more reflective each Sunday realizing just how emotionally and spiritually ‘cleansing’ Church is. Sundays are beautiful in the Orthodox Church, especially in our parish, but I am a bit biased like many of us. The aroma of the incense, the warm colored light that drapes itself across the tetrapod, the flickering candles, the sound of the choir singing age old hymns, the beautiful and unique iconostas and Father’s voice reading the Gospel combine to create a spectacular experience that is penetratingly and comfortably real. This is even more profound during our major holy days of Christmas and Easter or Pascha. While both feasts are beautiful and joyous, there is a difference in spiritual significance though, between Orthodox Christmas and Orthodox Pascha, a difference not in superiority, but in how we experience them. Let me explain.

With crusty snow piled on everyone’s lawns, window shields and the sides of slippery roads, the warmth of Christmas and a winter fire appeared in my imagination as Father Peter spoke about our faith tonight during one of his Wednesday night Boot camps. I thought of the manger scene and the infant Jesus wrapped in ‘swaddling clothes’ with Mary, Joseph, the Angels all watching and welcoming the newborn Messiah. I also thought of Christmas dinner, the smell of fir trees and our families. Christmas is indeed a time for family represented in the Holy Family of the Christ child, the Virgin Mary and the Righteous Joseph. Like Mary and Joseph who wondered and celebrated the new born child’s arrival 2000 years ago, we too, as Christian families wonder and celebrate His arrival. The world was made spectacular that night and beautifully so.

While Christmas is a familial celebration of Christ’s arrival, Pascha is a little different. It is preceded by a more intense fasting season than that which precedes the Nativity, known as Great Lent. This 40-day period of fasting, reflection, of prayer and sacrifice, of almsgiving and the understanding of our sinfulness brings about a profound, personal realization of the depth of God’s love. Why God would sacrifice His Only-Begotten Son for me, I don’t know, but He did. What great love, what great compassion and what great strength He shows I am humbled to tears at this especially during our Friday night Paraklis Services. Like many of us, I was blessed to have parents so strong in their Orthodox faith that they cared enough about my brothers and I to take us to Friday Night Lenten services. The beautiful memories of my Grandfather so poignantly singing Preterpive (Having Suffered the Passion) still moves me. To this day, I can remember him kneeling before the altar singing with all his heart as if he were watching Christ struggle up the hill toward Golgotha to be nailed on the cross.

Pascha, unlike Christmas though, is not so much about family although we still celebrate it with family and a Slavic feast of Kielbasa, Pascha bread, Horseradish, colored eggs, Farmer’s cheese, Ham and other tasty delights. It is more, much more than hunts and chocolate Bunnies. Lent has ended and with it our personal trial in our own spiritual ‘Desert.’ If we’ve sincerely strived to ‘meet’ Christ during Lent, we don’t just recognize how blessed we are as a family of Orthodox Christians, we experience this personally. Each of us ‘meet’ Christ and experience the meaning of Pascha which is the celebration in all of its splendor, the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His conquering of our physical and spiritual death by His death. It is because of this that Pascha is such a joyous Feast. It is truly as we sing at Resurrection Matins, “the Feast of Feasts and Holy Day of Holy Days.”

When that Beautiful Sunday arrives, and it will soon, let us wonder with grateful tears in our eyes and sincere love in our hearts at Christ’s great love and mercy for us. Until then let us strive to move closer to God during the Great Fast, constantly realizing how blessed we truly are. – Serge G. Mihaly, Jr. 18

Holy Week & Pascha- An Explanation of Holy Week

The Sixth Sunday after the beginning of Great Lent begins Holy Week. Palm Sunday is the commemoration of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Because of the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead, Christ was hailed by the masses as the long-awaited Messiah. Thus, in fulfillment of the prophesies of the Old Testament, He entered Jerusalem, “the City of the King”, riding on the colt of an ass, (Zechariah 9:9; John 12:12). The crowds greeted him with branches in their hands and shouted praises: “Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna to David’s son!” This glorification drove the priests and the scribes to destroy Him and put Him to death.

Palm Sunday is one of the major feasts of the Church. It immediately follows those services of Lazarus Saturday The Church building continues to be vested in resurrectional splendor, filled with hymns which continually repeat the “Hosanna” offered to Christ as the Messiah who comes in the name of God the Father for the salvation of the world.

In the Orthodox Church, the last week of Christ’s life is officially called Passion Week. Each day is designated as “great and holy”. There are special services each day which are fulfilled in all churches. The services for Great and Holy Monday are celebrated on Palm Sunday evening; the Orthodox Church begins her day at sunset. Similarly, the remaining services of the week are sung “in anticipation on the eve of the day.

Each day of Holy Week has its own particular theme. The theme of Monday is that of the sterile fig tree which yields no fruit and is condemned. Tuesday the accent is on the vigilance of the wise virgins who, unlike their foolish sisters, were ready when the Lord came to them. Wednesday the focus is on the fallen woman who repents. Great emphasis is made in the liturgical services to compare the woman, a sinful harlot who has sinned — to Judas — a chosen apostle who is lost. The one gives her wealth to Christ and kisses His feet; the other betrays Christ for money with a kiss.

On Wednesday evening in Holy Week, the Matins (morning) service for Great and Holy Thursday is sung, commemorating the and Christ’s washing of the disciples’ feet, Prior to that, the Sacrament of Holy Unction (Healing Oil) is ministered to the faithful in recognition of the “evening of repentance and confession.”

On Good Friday is celebrated the holy, saving, and awful Christ. Also celebrated is the confession and salvation of the penitent thief who was crucified with Christ. Participation in the prayers and historical development of events, as related in the Twelve Gospel passages read that night, provide the faithful with a vivid foundation for the great events yet to come. The procession with the takes place around the Church after the fifth Gospel.

The Royal Hours are read Friday morning, followed by the Un-nailing Services in the afternoon to commemorate the . On Friday evening, the Lamentation service, consisting of Psalms, Hymns and readings, celebrates the entombment of the Divine Body of Christ; and also His descent into Hades, by which our race was recalled from corruption, and permitted to pass over into everlasting life.

On Easter Sunday (Saturday midnight) the life-giving Resurrection of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated. The people leave the Church in procession, and come to stand in front of the closed doors of the Church. At this point the Resurrection is announced with the gospel reading about the empty tomb (Mark 16, 1-8) which refers to the Angel’s statement: "He is risen; He is not here." (Continued on Page 20)

19 Holy Week & Pascha (Continued From Page 19)

The people, breathless with anticipation, wait for the priest to begin the hymn of the Resurrection ‘‘Christ is Risen from the dead; trampling down Death by His death; and bestowing life upon those in the tombs.” From this moment the entire service takes on a joyous atmosphere. At the end of the Liturgy the festive sermon of St. John Chrysostom is read, calling upon the people to: ‘‘Take part in this fair and radiant festival. Let no one be fearful of death,” he continues, “for the death of the Savior has set us free.”

In most parishes, the glorious and joyful Resurrection Liturgy is followed by a breakfast celebration and fellowship: a breaking of the Fast. All sing the hymn ‘‘Christ is Risen From the Dead.’’ The people greet one another joyously, saying "Christ is Risen," a Paschal (Easter) salutation, to which the response is “Truly He is Risen.” The Gospel according to John, proclaiming the Good News of the Resurrection. is read in many languages. The week following Pascha is known as “Bright Week’’ during which all the doors in the Church remain open to signify the empty tomb and the whole week is one of rejoicing, feasting and Christian joy. Preparing For Holy Week And Pascha; Some Helpful Hints

The Great and Holy Week of our Lord's Passion, leading up to the Sunday of Pascha, the Feast of Feasts, is the most important week of the Christian year, during which we commemorate the Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the pre-eminent time in which we re-affirm our Faith, grow closer to God, and re- establish our identity as Christians. Since it is the most important event our year, it also calls for careful and thoughtful preparation. This preparation is of two kinds: practical and spiritual.

Practical Preparation Practical preparation for Holy Week includes planning our time, creating the right atmosphere in our homes, and accomplishing tasks related to Holy Week customs.

Planning our time - Block out every evening during Holy Week and all day on Great Friday for Church attendance, and clear things ahead of time at work and school. If we make this our first priority, the Lord will certainly remove all obstacles from our path at work and school in order to make it happen. Try it and you will see. If some things don't get done at work or school, or we fall behind a little bit, it is not the end of the world. Holy Week only comes once a year, and every year may be our last. Creating the right atmosphere in our homes - The home should feel distinctly different during Holy Week; it should definitely not feel like "business as usual" interrupted by a few Church services. If we turn off the TV, video games, and sound systems of various kinds, and spend our home time in quiet work and quiet time together as we prepare for Great Friday and for the Resurrection, God will give a special grace which will lift us up above the cares of this world. We have to prepare for this special time by sitting down with the family ahead of Holy Week and planning to keep things quiet and focused once Palm Sunday evening comes, explaining to our children especially why we are doing it. Young people like being involved in something special, and they will never forget a real Holy Week kept in quietness, love, and prayer. Accomplishing our tasks - If there is any cleaning, shopping, baking, sewing, etc, that can be done ahead of time, do it! There are many things, of course, which can only be done the day before or a few days before Pascha, but whatever can be done before Holy Week or early in Holy Week, should!

Spiritual Preparation

In the bustle and excitement of preparing for church activities, meals, and visitors, we can easily forget the spiritual essence of Holy Week. During the sixth week of Lent (the week before Holy Week), read the Gospels

(Continued on Page 21) 20 Preparing For Holy Week (Continued From Page 20 of our Lord's Passion and Resurrection (Matthew chapters 26 through 28, Mark 14 through 16, Luke 22 through 24, John 13 through 21); spend an hour in examining your conscience and preparing for confession; resolve ahead of time not to lose your focus during Holy Week; resolve that, no matter what happens - difficulties, distractions, obstacles - you will keep praying within yourself and dispose your soul to receive the grace of the Resurrection.

It is important to remember that we do not have to have a certain kind of emotional experience in order to have a "successful" Holy Week. It is normal to look back on especially dear memories of this or that service or event during a previous Holy Week, and want to reproduce a feeling that we had at that time. Sometimes, however, certain feelings don't happen - we're just tired, or irritated, or distracted, or we are disappointed because something is not "done right." But the reality of Christ's Resurrection and its result - that we can live forever with Him in Paradise - is absolutely available to us regardless of good or bad emotions we may experience during the services and events of Holy Week. What matter is not that "things go smoothly" or that we "feel spiritual," but that we participate as best we can, with faith, in order to receive the grace which the Lord absolutely desires to give us.

May Christ our Savior, Who suffered His Life-giving Passion and rose in glory for our salvation, grant each one of us a blessed and joyful Holy Week, this year and every year of our life! ______THE MIRACLE OF THE IN JERUSALEM

The ceremony begins at noon when the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem recites a specific prayer. The congregants ______will______then chant "Lord, have mercy" until the Holy Fire descends on a lamp of olive oil held by the patriarch while he is alone in the tomb chamber of Jesus. The patriarch will then reveal himself from the tomb chamber and recite some prayers and will come either 33 or 12 lit candles and distribute them to the congregants. The fire is also said to spontaneously ignite other lamps and candles around the church.

The Holy Fire does not burn the hair, faces, etc. in the first minutes after it is ignited. Before entering the Lord's Tomb, the patriarch is examined by Israeli authorities to prove that he does not carry technical means to light the fire. The Holy Fire is first mentioned in the documents dating from the 4th century where the patriarch awaits the holy fire. During the many centuries of the miracle's history, the holy fire is said not to have descended only on certain occasions, usually when heterodox priests attempted to obtain it. According to the tradition, in 1099, for example, the failure of Crusaders to obtain the fire led to street riots in Jerusalem. In 1579, the Armenian patriarch prayed day and night in order to obtain the holy fire, but the lightning miraculously struck a column near the entrance and lit a candle held by the Orthodox patriarch standing nearby. Upon entering the temple, the Orthodox Christians would embrace this column, which bears marks and a large crack which is attributed to the lightning-bolt. You may view a video of this miracle on- line at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EI71Uk28rI&NR=1

PASCHAL GREETINGS IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES CHRIST IS RISEN! INDEED HE IS RISEN XPICTOC BOCKPEC! – VOISTINU VOSKRES! (Church Slavonic) XPI AHETI! – ALITHOS ANESTI (Greek) CHRISTOS AMEFUFUKA! – QUAILI AMEFUFUKA! (Swahili) CHRISTOS A-INVIAT! - ADIVERAT INVIAT! (Romanian) QOM MORAAN (MAIN KABRO)! SHAREE RO EETH QOM! (Aramaic) ALMASIKH Q’AM! – HAQAM Q’AM! (Arabic) KRISTI UNGJAL! – VERTE UNGJAL! (Albanian) CHRISTUS RESUSCITAD! IN VERIDAD RESUSCITAD! (Spanish) FELTAMODT KRISZTUS! VALOBAN FELTAMODT! (Hungarian) 21 HARISTOS FUKATSU! JITSUNE FUKATSU! (Japanese)

21

Lenten Recipe

Chickpeas and Rice / Pεβίθια και Pύζι

Ingredients: Directions:

Ingredients Saute onions for 3 minutes on low heat, add garlic and continue cooking until onion is  2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can) translucent and garlic soft. Add tomato  1 1/2 cup (uncooked) rice paste dissolved in water, chopped fresh dill,  3 cups vegetable broth (or water*) salt, pepper, cinnamon and rice. Stir well  1/4 cup olive oil and cook on low for 5 minutes. Add  1 cup chopped onions cooked/canned chickpeas, stir and cook on  1/3 cup chopped garlic low another 2-3 minutes. Add vegetable  1 tsp salt broth and bring up to low boil. Lower heat  1 tsp fresh ground black pepper to very low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.  1/4 cup chopped fresh dill Uncover and check that rice is cooked. Stir  1/4 tsp cinnamon gently to combine well and serve hot or  1/3 cup tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water room temperature. *If you’re using water, add an additional 1/2 tsp of salt.

Creamy chickpeas, garlicky light tomato sauce and a pinch of smoky sweet cinnamon make this simple, traditional dish divine. A handful of ingredients, 35 min to prep/cook and you have a hearty, healthy, incredibly flavorful meal on the table. This dish is also perfect to take for lunch as its just as yummy at room temperature. A true one-pot-wonder, chickpeas and rice will become one of your favorite go-to recipes in no time!

Doubling or tripling this recipe is so easy and works well every time. Serve with a wedge of lemon, a sprinkle of dried oregano and a piece of crusty bread for a wonderful week day lunch or dinner 22 How to Put Together a Traditional Pascha (Easter) Basket

Following The Resurrection Matins and Liturgy it is traditional among Slavic peoples to have their "Easter baskets" blessed. The gathered faithful place their baskets in a designated place in the parish hall and place lighted candles in the baskets. After the crowd has quieted down, the priest will begin the opening chant: "Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." The congregation replies with Amen!", and the foods are blessed, in three different groups with three different blessings. The bread products are blessed first, then the dairy products, and finally the meat products.

There are traditional foods among every Slavic group: Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Ruthenian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovenian,

Montenegrin, etc.

Following is a list of foods commonly included in the basket. It is not necessary to include every item, nor are Pascha baskets restricted to the items listed below. The general rule is place in the basket foods from which one has abstained during the recent Great Lent and Holy Week.

PASCHA/KULICH: Pascha and Kulich normally refer to the same thing.

However, there are ethnic groups where Pascha and Kulich are quite

different foods. In fact, among those groups, the Pascha becomes the bread

and the Kulich becomes what will appear below as Sirets or Hrutka. Here, it

will be used to refer to bread, a sweet yeast bread rich in eggs, butter and

other condiments. This bread is symbolic of Christ Himself, He Who is our

Bread of life. It is usually baked as a round loaf with a golden crust decorated

with some symbol indicative of Christ, such as a braided cross, a lamb or

something similar. Sometimes a cross of dough is placed on top, and the

entire loaf rimmed with a braided plait of dough giving it a crowned

effect. Sometimes the abbreviation XB is used (in Cyrillic writing - XB does NOT equal "ex bee" but "cha veh," the initials for "Christos Voskrese!" - "Christ is Risen!").

CHEESE (Hrutka or Sirets): A custard-type cheese shaped into a ball which has a rather bland but sweet taste, and is intended to indicate the moderation that Christians should have in all things. Also, creamed cheese is sometimes placed in a small dish and decorated with initials or patterns by placing peppercorns or cloves in appropriate patterns.

23 How To Make A Traditional

HAM (Shoon'-ka): The flesh meat popular among Slavs as the main dish for several reasons: a) the richness of its meat is symbolic of the great joy and abundance of Easter and b) of the richness of the joy in Christ we ought to have, and c) our freedom from the Old Law, now that all things have been made clean in Christ (as indicated to the apostle Saint Peter in the dream on the rooftop at Joppa [Acts 10:9-16]). Being freed from the Old Law and from the curse of death, which is the wage of sin, all things are now permissible to eat - and ham, the most forbidden of all the "unclean" foods is now symbolic of our total redemption. Many of the faithful will include meats like roasted veal, roast beef, and other foods prepared well ahead of time - foods which can be enjoyed without a lot of last-minute preparation. Those who have been preparing all week are already exhausted, but, being filled with joy at Our Lord's Resurrection from the dead, are looking forward to sitting down to a celebratory feast.

BUTTER (Mas'-lo): The butter is usually shaped into a figure of a lamb or of

a three-barred cross and decorated in much the same fashion as the sirets

(cheese) above. Butter is to remind us of the goodness of Christ that we are

to demonstrate to all men by our lives in Him.

SAUSAGE (Kohl-ba'-ssi): A spicy, garlicky sausage of pork, veal, beef and other products. This is indicativeof God's favor and generosity to us sinners.

BACON (Sla-ni'-na): A piece of uncooked bacon cured with spices. This symbolizes of the lavishness and overabundance of God's mercy toward sinners.

SALT (Sol): A condiment necessary for flavor reminding Christians of our duties toward others to "flavor" the world. EGGS (Py-san'-ky): These are highly decorated eggs with symbols and markings made with colored dyes and beeswax. Covered with extremely complicated and intricate designs, some of these eggs take a full week to complete. The word "pysanky" derives from the verb "pysat'," meaning "to write." A , then, is an egg which has been written (drawn) upon. Eggs represent the new life and Resurrection. There are some fascinating pious legends concerning the origin of these pysanky.

HORSERADISH (Hrin): Horseradish is commonly mixed with grated red beets to give this a rich, "blood red"hue. This is symbolic of the Christ's Passion which is still in the minds of the faithful, but which is now sweetened with some sugar because of the Resurrection. A bittersweet red-colored mixture which reminds us of the blood and suffering of Christ, at which great price was purchased the astonishing gift of our Redemption

All the food articles are placed in a wicker basket, and a ribbon or bow is tied to the handle. A decorated candle is placed in the basket at the time of the basket blessing. A linen cover, normally quite intricately embroidered with various Resurrection themes and symbols of Christ, or simply an intricate multicolored border and the words "CHRISTOS VOSKRESE" or "CHRIST IS RISEN," is placed over the food when it is brought to the church.

24 Daily Scripture Readings

Prayer Before Reading Holy Scripture

O Master Who loves mankind, illuminate our hearts with the pure light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our mind to understand the teachings of Your Gospel. Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments, that we may overcome all carnal desires, entering upon a spiritual life and understanding and acting in all things according to Your holy will. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ God, and to You we give glory together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen April 2017

WEEK OF APRIL 3, 2017 M. Isaiah 48:17-49:4; Genesis 27:1-41; Proverbs 19:16-25; St James The Confessor T. Isaiah 49:6-10; Genesis 31:3-16; Proverbs 21:3-21; Priest Martyr Basil W. Isaiah 58:1-11; Genesis 43:26-31; Proverbs 21:23-22:4; Monk Martyr Nikon Th. Isaiah 65:8-16; Genesis 46:1-7; Proverbs 23:15-24:5; St Artemon Bishop of Selucia Fri Isaiah 66:10-14; Genesis 49:33-50:26; Proverbs 31:8-31; Heb 2:11-18; Luke 1:24-38 Annunciation Sat Hebrews 12:28-13:8; John 11:1-45; Lazarus Saturday Sun Philippians.4:4-9; John 12:1-18; Palm Sunday

WEEK OF APRIL 10, 2017 - HOLY WEEK M. Exodus 1:1-20; Job 1:1-12; Matt 24:3-35; St Hilarion The New T. Exodus 2:5-10; Job 1:13-22; Matt 24:36-26:2; St Mark, Bishop of Arethusa W. Exodus 2:11-22 Job 2:1-10; Matt 26:6-16 St John Climacus Th. 1 Corin 11:23-32; Matthew 26:1-20; Holy Thurs F. I Corin 1:18-22; Matthew 27: 1-61; Holy Friday Sat Romans 6:3-11; Mathew 28:1-20; Holy Saturday Sun Acts 1:1-8; John 1:1-17; HOLY PASCHA

WEEK OF APRIL 17, 2017 – BRIGHT WEEK

M. Acts 1:12-17,21-26; John 1: 18-28 Bright Monday T. Acts 2:14-21; Luke 24:12-35 Bright Tuesday W. Acts 2:22-36; John 1:35-51 St Eutychius Pat. Of Const. Th Acts 2:38-43; John 3:1-15 St Calliopius The Martyr Fri Acts 3:1-6; John 2:12-22 Theot of life-Giving Fount Sat Acts 3:11-16; John 3:22-33 Holy Marty Eupsechiuslates Sun Acts 5:12-20; John 20:19-31 St. Thomas Sunday

WEEK OF APRIL 24, 2017

M Acts 3:19-26; John 2:1-11 Priest-Martyr Antipas T. Acts 4:1-10; John 3:16-21 St Basil The Confessor W Acts 4:13-22; John 5:17-24 St Martin The Confessor T Acts 4:23-31; John 5:24-30 Apostle Aristarchius of 70 F. Acts 5:1-11; John 5:30-6:2 Priest Martyr Leonidis S. Acts 5:21-33; John 6:14-27 Martyrs Agapius & Companions S Acts 6:1-7; Mark 15:43-16:8; Sunday

25 Daily Scripture Readings

May 2017

WEEK OF MAY 1, 2017

M Acts 6:8-7:5; 47-60; John 4:46-54; St John Capolitis T. Acts 8:5-17; John 6:27-33; St Pamphnutius of Egypt W. Acts 8:18-25; John 6:35-39; St Theodore of the Hair Shirt T. Acts 8:26-39; John 6:40-44; Priest-Martyr Januarius Acts 8:40-9:19; John 6:48-54; St Theodore the Sykeopte Sat Acts 12:1-11; John 15;17-16:2; Great Martyr George Sun Acts 9:32-42; John 5:1-15; Sunday of the Paralytic

WEEK OF MAY 8, 2017

M Acts 10:1-16; John 7:1-13; Apostle Mark T. Acts 10:21-33; John 7:1-13; PriestMartyr Basil of Amasus W. Acts 14:6-18; John 7:14-30 Feast of Mid-Pentecost T. Acts 10:34-43; John 8:12-20; Nine Martyrs of Cyzicos F. Acts 10:44--11:10; John 8:21-30; Apostles Jason & Sosipater S. Acts 12:1-11; John 8:31-42; Holy Apostle James S. Acts 11:19-26, 29-30; John 4:5-42; Sun of the Samaritan Woman

WEEK OF MAY 15, 2017 M. Acts 12:12-17; John 8:42-51 Transl. of Relics St Athanasius T. Acts 12:25-13:12; John 8:51-59; St Theodosius of Caves W. Acts 13:13-24; John 6:5-14; Holy Martyr Pelagia Th. Acts 14:20-27; John 9:39-10:9; Great Martyr Irene F. Acts 15:5-34; John 10:17-28; Prophet Job, Much Suffering St Acts 15:35-41; John 10:27-38; Appearance of Holy Cross S. Acts 16:16-34; John 9:1-38; The Sunday of the Blind Man

WEEK OF MAY 22, 2017

M. Acts 17:1-15; John 11:47-57; Prophet Isaiah T. Acts 26:1-5;12-20; John 10:1-9; Apostle Simeon The Zealot W. Acts 18:22-28; John 12:36-47; St Cyril and Methodios T. Acts 1:1-12; Luke 24:36-53; Ascension of Our Lord F. Acts 19:1-8; John 14:1-11; Virgin Martyr Glyceria S. Acts 20:7-12; John 14:10-21; Martyr Isidore of Chios S. Acts 20:16-18, 28-36; John 17:1-13; Fathers of 1st Ecum. Council

26 Prayer Corner

A Prayer For The Sick

O Christ, You alone are prompt to defend us; quickly visit Your suffering servant (name). Through the prayers of the Mother of God, deliver (him, her) from sickness and bitter pain. Heal (him, her) so that (he, she) may sing to You and always praise You for You alone love us.

PRAYER LIST

Living Members of Parish Family And Friends

Protopresbyter Luke Barbara (Reeves) Shirley Sedlock Protopresbyter. John Pani Patricia (Duranko) Florence (Gachi) Priest Seraphim Richard (Kaschak) Karolina Gregory (Sabak) Priest John (Baranik) Charles (Householder) Audrey (Fatse) Richard (Kaschak Jr) Mary Ann & Richard Frank (Meyernick) Lou (Gregory) Serge (Mihaly) Michael & Jackie (Banik) Kelly (Friend of Eve) Regis (LeClerc) Katherine Nina (Kuchma) Esther (Johnson) Joshua (Habansky) Geoffrey & Christine Roger (Vanhouten) Zachary Deborah Jason Irene (Knapp) Carol Judy Elsi (Lotufo) Penny (Elsi’s daughter) Propresbyter Ronald (Hazuda) Thomas (Ivers) Kennedy Family Karen (Ivers) Christopher (Zinski) Rachel (friend of Karen) John (Cybul) Gregory (Cybul) Priest James (Gleason) Marge (Allis) Robert Victoria Randy & Janice Kassiani (Nikolakis) Samantha Marilyn Garry & Barbara (Nichols) Nicholas (Papillo) Cynthia (Dion) Matthew (Friend of Mary) Virginia (friend of Eve) Alice (VanHouten) Judy Brown Family Ernie (Friend of Marcia L)

Donna (Pierce) Betty & Daniel Andrew Sean Protopresbyter George Child Emma Walter (Litzie) Dolores (Goneau) Amanda & Will Grace (Sawczyczn) Robert (Franco) Nina Cheri-Lynn Ricky Renee Sue (Friend of Mary H) Rolf John (Kratky) Michael (Serge’s friend) Chris & Kyle Child Jackson Sandy Joseph Mildred Rachel (Rosenguard) Pat (Frusciante) Lisa (Brown)

Departed Members Of Our Parish Family And Friends

Shirley Meyernick Ann Bilcheck Joseph Habansky Irene Leso Helen Zysk Anthony Zysk Bernice & Steve Mihalko Margaret Gregory Henry Paproski David (Tuller) Pauline Pruckner Edward (Popadic)

27

SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST ORTHODOX CHURCH LITURGICAL SERVICES & EVENTS

APRIL 2017

S un Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat APRIL 2016 1 Lenten Retreat

Bethlehem, PA

2 9:00 am Liturgy 3 4 5 12 Noon 6 7 Annunciation 8 Lazarus Sat Panachida- Shirley 6:30 pm Presanctified 9:00 am Vesperal 8 am Liturgy Meyernick, Andrew & Liturgy & Adult Liturgy 10 am Bake Sale 5 Irene Leso, Ch School Education 7:00 pm Paraklis 5 pm Vespers & Ivers/Pierce Coffee Service & Confessions 4 pm Unction-Ansonia Confessions 9 Palm Sunday 10 Holy Mon 11 Holy Tues 12 Holy Wed 13 Holy Thursday 14 Holy Friday 15 Holy Sat 8 am Confessions 6:30 pm 9am Bridegroom 9am Bridegroom 9am Vesperal Liturgy 11am Royal Hours 8:30 am Baptism 9 am Liturgy Ch School Presanctified Matins Matins/ 7:00 pm 7:00 pm Matins of 7:00 pm Vespers Asante Family Lomme/Mihaly Coffee Liturgy 6:30 pm Deanery Unction Holy Friday Reading & Procession with 10 am Vesp.Liturgy 4pm Bridegroom Matins Church Cleaner: Presanctified Service - St. John’s of the Twelve Plaschenitsa 6 pm Food Bless Decerbo Liturgy Church (Mill Hill) PassionGospels 11:45pm Nocturns 16 PASCHA 17 Bright Mon 18 Bright Tues 19 20 21 22 12 am Res. Matins 9:00 am Liturgy 9:00 am Liturgy 1:30 pm Women’s 10 am Liturgy Seniors St. John’s Mill Council Meeting Procession ,Agape Meal Fellowship Hill Avenue 5:00 pm Vespers & Egg Hunt 4 pm Vespers 23 9:00 am Liturgy 24 25 26 27 28 29 First Confession Church Cleaner: Priest Convocation Camp Nazareth 5:00 pm Vespers Porter/LeClerc Coffee Cleaning Service

Church School 30 9:00 am Liturgy Panachida Rep, Marge Gregory, Helen & Anthony Zysk, Kerpchar Family, Church School Ryan Coffee Hour

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SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST ORTHODOX CHURCH LITURGICAL SERVICES & EVENTS MAY 2017

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 10 am Liturgy 6 St George Cambridge Manor 9 am Liturgy Popadics Family Ilona & Gedion Steinhaus 5:00 pm Vespers 7 9:00 am Liturgy 8 9 7:00 pm 10 11 12 13 Panachida Rep Church Cleaner: Moleben to St. 5:00 pm Vespers Paproski & Mihalko Cleaning Service Nectarios

Families & Ann 7:30 pm Parish Bilcheck, Ch School Council Meeting Stirna/Meyernick Coffee Hour 14 Mother‘s Day 15 16 17 18 19 20 9:00 am Liturgy M Mother’s Day 5:00 pm Vespers B Breakfast

21 9:00 am Liturgy 22 23 24 25 26 ACRY 27 ACRY Stokely Coffee Hour / Church Cleaner: 10:00 am General Bowling Bowling Church School Householder Panachida & Tournament Tournament 4:00 pm Blessing of Graves Rockaway, NJ Rockaway, NJ The Lord’s Stratford, CT Kitchen No Vespers 28 9:00 am Liturgy 29 10am Grave 30 31 Bilcheck Coffee Hour Blessing Stratfrd &12 pm Monroe

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