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Saint Sophia HERALD Volume 13 Number 4 Many Lives...One Heart April 2008 From Warehouse to Cathedral Easter 2008 It was a few minutes before midnight on April 13, 1908. The rented warehouse at 240 Anderson Ave here in Los Angeles was pitch dark. Greek immigrants from throughout Southern California and beyond waited in huddled anticipation. Their Sunday best attire newly cleaned and pressed smelled of orange and lemon colognes, a reminder of the old country’s festive scents. It was so far away from their “horio”, their villages. Far away were parents and families. A world apart. Yet for those few minutes the sights and sounds were familiar and embracing. Behind a curtain at a makeshift altar the visiting priest proclaimed “Defte lavete fos”…Come receive the light. Slowly from his candle, the small warehouse was brightly lit, candle by candle, person to person. The incredible joy of Easter was upon them. It was 100 years ago that the parents and grandparents of a number of you who are reading these words, celebrated Pascha and joyously proclaimed Christos Anesti. We can only imagine what they were thinking of and hoping for on that Easter Sunday, as they embraced and greeted each other. One thing is for sure. The church was in their heart. Christ lived in their simplicity, in their broken halting English, and in their humble homes and struggling businesses and jobs. The light of Easter that year moved them to sign the official Charter establishing the Greek Orthodox Community of Los Angeles. That same unfading light inspired them to build in four short years their church on San Julian Street. They named it the Church of the Annunciation. One hundred years later, on April 27th, 2008 we will huddle together for the midnight Easter service, not in a warehouse, but a glorious golden Cathedral. We have been the recipients of their vision and labors. We found everything ready and in place. We inherited everything. We worship in a magnificent church building with no debt or encumbrance. We have shouldered no finan- cial burdens over the years. Thanks to them, we can now spread the light of Christ, candle by candle, as we, too, sing the Christos Anesti. Let us imitate those pioneers. It is our turn now to be the visionaries and builders ourselves, building needed new facilities for ourselves and our children. The May edition of the Saint Sophia Cathedral Herald will be dedicated to informing you about the on-going work of planning and building our new Cultural, Educational and Sports Complex. We have been quietly raising funds to that end. We are making steady progress to reaching our financial goals. God is answering our prayers and bringing us generous people who are responding to the needs of our growing community. Perhaps you can be one of those generous people who has yet to make a generous gift. Now is the time. We grow when we are inspired by a high purpose, when we contemplate reaching vast horizons. The sacrifice of oneself is not very difficult, for one burning with the love of Christ. I embrace you my beloved, with the joy of our Lord. ΚΑΛΟ ΠΑΣΧΑ – HAPPY EASTER Fr. John Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas, Dean - Fr. Bill Tragus, Assistant 1324 S. Normandie Avenue -Los Angeles, CA 90006 Tel. 323.737.2424 Fax. 323.737.7029 www.stsophia.org PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE “The most basic task of the church leader is to discern the spiritual gifts of all those under his authority, and to encourage those gifts to be used to the full for the benefit of all.” St. John Chrysostom We were blessed to have had the leaders of Orthodoxy here at the Cathedral to celebrate the Divine Pan Orthodox Liturgy. On the occa- sion of Sunday of Orthodoxy we hosted over a thousand faithful who filled the Cathedral to capacity and joined us in fellowship. His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos, joined by His Grace Bishop Joseph, His Grace Bishop Maxim, His Grace Bishop Benjamin and assisted by our own Dean, V. Rev. Fr. John Bakas, celebrated the most inspiring Liturgy. From 8 AM, when the first bishop arrived, to the last minute of the program, everything went according to the plans. Sincere appreciation and congratulations to all for your great effort and execution of this spectacular Pan Orthodox Event. A special thank you to Ted and Jan Pastras for organizing the activities and the hospitality in the Fellowship Hall, and for working out all the details needed to accommodate our guests. Yassou Levendi and Levendissa. OPA!!! On Friday, March 14th, with the great help of George Kaplanis (our marble Guru), the custodian staff worked very hard to clean the St. Constantine Chapel; the metamorphosis took several hours. I hope you have had the opportunity to visit the Chapel to see the amazing craftsmanship of George. Thank you Mastora! We used the chapel to dress the four bishops and their cathedral deans; they were all amazed with the new addition on our grounds. The Holy procession was assembled at the chapel and for the first time in our history, the bishops and the deans, assisted by the deacons, walked our grounds to enter the Cathedral in a truly inspirational Doxology. Congratulations to Connie Callinicos, Chris Yokas and the entire choir, who once again made us feel like we were in a concert hall. Special thanks to all the ladies who worked in the Cathedral and in the Fellowship Hall to accommodate all the needs of our guests. Kudos to Jim Karatsikis for all the liturgical preparations and to Keith Strong for his hard work. After this spiritual intense period, we are now preparing ourselves for the Holy Week and the fundamental message of the feast of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the most sacred of the feasts in our church. We gather together in joy and in agape, celebrating the presence of the Risen Lord in our midst, and singing the Triumphant Hymn, “Christos Anesti – Christ is Risen” As the Holy Week approaches, I would like to remind you about the church religious services which recall the Passion, Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Christ, and are conducted each morning and evening throughout the week. The complete schedule can be found in the Herald calendar, the Narthex and the office. On Easter Sunday, we will be celebrating our traditional Easter Picnic at Brookside Park in Pasadena with traditional Greek food, pas- tries, music, dancing, games for children and fellowship for family and friends. Please come support the tradition that started 86 years ago. Parking is free; we kept the admission low, so you can bring your family and friends to celebrate Pascha in the most traditional way. The Easter Picnic is sponsored by the Parish Council and the Event Chair is John T. Pappas, assisted by Ted J. Pappas, Tony Dres and Dean Treantafelles. Thank you gentlemen, for all your hard work. Happy Easter and Kali Anastasi! In His service, Panos A. Angels – Angeletopoulos APRIL BIRTHDAYS THE JOY OF PARENTING 2008 George Psyllas Jeanine Klima Founder: Jeanne Lyons Jimmy Spears Theodore Kiapos Facilitators: Voula Baliotis, Ph. D, Irene Watson Gordon Freshman Barbara Kappos, MSW, Theodore Mc Evoy Irena Trutnik Katina Kostoulas, Ph. D, Nikos Stefanidis, Ph. D Michael Divris Carole Xanthos Julia Judge Maria Paphronis As always, the class takes place immediately after Holy Vanessa Ambatielos Michael Helm Communion in Saint John’s room. The classes are for any- Daniel Rivera Aspasia Kitchens one who is interested in attending and are free of charge. Alexander Saviola Russell Kitchens Charles Rico Katherine Kokenes March 2, 2008 Single Parents Gena Bougeokles Kari Zoolakis March 9, 2008 Adolescent Mental Health Michael Travis Peter Divris March 16, 2008 Dating March 23, 2008 Death and Dying March 30, 2008 Empty Nest Syndrome APRIL ANNIVERSARIES Termination Pamela and Nickolas Edwards Helen and Joseph Boltinghouse Rosemary and Nicholas Georgiou BIBLE STUDY RECESS During Lent and Holy Week, Bible study on Tuesdays with Fr. APRIL READERS John and on Wednesdays with Fr. Bill will be in recess. They will begin again on Tuesday, May 6th and Wednesday, May 7th. & USHERS Sunday, April 6 Sunday, April 13 HOLY WEEK FLOWERS READER:Demetri Camperos READER:Eleni Maglaris Donations are now accepted for all flowers for Holy Week and USHERS USHERS Easter. Please contact the office for specific floral arrange- Gene Chronopoulos Niki Korbakis ments and candles. General donations for Easter Lilies may be Alexandra Georgiou Fofo Panagakis made as donations as well. Christina Georgiou Maria Pelargos Rosemary Georgiou Alex Markos Lulu Kappos HOLY WEEK BOOKS Sunday, April 20 READER:Lili Maglaris Lenten Liturgy and Holy Week Books are now available for Lent and Holy Week. The supply is limited. Books may be USHERS purchased in the Narthex or in the Bookstore after Liturgy. Pete Pallas Dinah Wellington Shelmadine Wellington DANCE GROUP APRIL SACRAMENTS The St. Sophia Dance Group is now selling an instructional DVD/CD of your favorite Greek Dances. Ever wanted to be at BAPTISMS the front of the line leading at your friend’s Greek wedding or Saturday, April 12 at the LA Greek Fest? Here is your opportunity...the St. Sophia Rowan Flynn, son of Dance Program Directors have created a very “easy to follow” Melissa and Brendan Flynn DVD and accompanying CD with all the Greek dances you need Godparent: Nicholas Mendez to know to lead the lines. They will be on sale in the St. Sophia Book shop. Please help support our dance ministry. Thank you! PHILOPTOHOS PHILOPTOHOS V.I.P.