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NATIVITY OF CHRIST DECE 25 / JAN 7 ST. ELIAS THE PROPHET

“What, then, O, brethren, is required of us in order that we might avail ourselves of all the grace brought unto us from GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH on high by the coming to earth of the Son of God? What is neces- NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2015

sary, first of all, is faith in the Son of God, in the Gospel as the sal-

vation-bestowing heavenly teach- ing; a true repentance of sins and The glorious Elias, incarnate messenger of God, the correction of life and of heart; communion in prayer and in the pillar of prophets, mysteries [sacraments]; the knowledge and fulfillment of and second forerunner of the coming of Christ Christ’s commandments. Also necessary are the virtues: Chris- tian humility, alms-giving, conti- nence, purity and chastity, sim- plicity and goodness of heart.

Let us, then, O brothers and sis- ters, bring these virtues as a gift to the One Who was born for the sake of our salvation – let us bring them in place of the gold, frankincense and myrrh which the Magi brought Him, as to One Who is King, God, and Man, come to die for us. This, from us, shall be the most-pleasing form of sacrifice to God and to the Infant Christ.” St. John of Kronstadt, Sermon on the Christ

Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver

The MOST Rev. Metropolitan Isaiah, Primate Reverend Fr. Dimitrios A. Pappas, Priest St. Elias the Prophet 46 Calle Electra Santa Fe, NM 87508 (505) 466-0015 office (505) 204-4655 cell [email protected] www.stelias.nm.goarch.org

sent grace from on high A WELCOME NOTE TO OUR GUESTS: to Elisha that he might cleanse lepers We are glad to have you worshipping with us today. and heal sickness Please sign our Guest Register and introduce yourself to Father Dimitrios after the service. Please join us for lunch following the Divine Liturgy.

SERVICES AND INFORMATION

Times of Services: Sundays: Orthros/Matins - 9:00am; Divine Liturgy - 10:00am in In Romania, Christmas and mid-winter celebrations last from 20th December to 7th January. The 20th is when people celebrate St. Ignatius's Day. It is traditional that if the family keep pigs, one is killed on this day. The SERVICES FOR NOVEMBER meat from the pig is used in the Christmas meals.The Sunday, 1 NOVEMBER Christmas celebrations really begin on , Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am 24th, when it's time to deco- rate the . This is done in the evening of Christmas Eve. In Roma- Sunday, 8 NOVEMBER FALL ASEMBLY nian, Christmas Eve is called 'Ajunul Craciunului'. Carol Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am singing (known as 'Colindatul') is also a very popular part of . On Christmas Eve, children go Sunday, 16 NOVEMBER out carol singing from house to house performing to the Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am adults in the houses. They normally dance as well. Saturday, 21 NOVEMBER The children get sweets, fruit, traditional called 'cozonaci' and sometimes money for singing well. Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Adults go carol singing on Christmas Day evening Sunday, 22 NOVEMBER and night. A traditional Roma- nian Carol is the 'Star Carol'. The star, made of col- ored paper and often deco- Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am rated with , silver foil and sometimes bells, is put on Sunday, 29 NOVEMBER a pole. In the middle of the star is a picture of baby Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Jesus or a . Carol singers take the star with them when they go carol singing. The words of the Star Carol are: "The star has appeared on high, Like a big secret in the sky, SERVICES FOR DECEMBER The star is bright, May all your wishes turn out right."Other popular carols to sing include 'Oh, What Wondrous Tidings' ('O, ce veste minunata') and 'Three Wise Men coming from the East' ('Trei Crai de la rasarit'). In many parts of Ro- Sunday, 6 DECEMBER mania, it's also traditional that someone dresses up as a goat, with a multicolored mask, and goes round with the carol singers. The goat is known as the 'Capra' and it jumps and dances around getting up to lots of mis- Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am chief! Christmas Eve tradition is a drumming band or 'dubasi'. This is normally made up of un-married men. A Sunday, 13 DECEMBER band can have up to 50 or 60 men in it! As well as the drums there's often a saxophone and violin. The band will practice for about a month before Christmas so they are really good. The go round the streets and are Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am given presents. In Romanian, Merry Christmas is 'Crặciun Fericit'. In Romania is known as 'Moş Sunday, 20 DECEMBER Crăciun' (Old Man Christmas), 'Moş Nicolae' (Old Man Nicholas) & 'Moş Gerilă' (Old Man Frost). Traditional Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Romanian Christmas foods include Roast Gammon and Chops (made from the killed pig!), 'Ciorba de perisoare' which is a slightly sour vegetable soup made with fermented bran and pork meatballs; 'Sarmale' Friday, 25 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS cabbage leaves stuffed with ground pork and served with polenta; '' a rich fruit bread; Romanian DAY Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am doughnuts called 'gogosi' and . 's Eve is also an important celebration in Romania. It's sometimes called . Traditionally a small, decorated plough called a 'Plugusorul' is paraded Sunday, 27 DECEMBER through the streets on New Year's Eve. It is meant to help people have good crops during the following year. Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am On New Year's Day, children wish people a Happy New Year while carrying around a special bouquet called a 'Sorcova'. Traditionally, the Sorcova was made of twigs from one or more fruit trees like apple, pear, cherry or . They're put into water in a warm place on 30th November, so they hopefully come into leaf and blossom on New Year's Eve! Nowadays often a single twig of an apple or pear tree is used and it's decorated with flow- ers made from colored paper. Stewardship 2014 November 1 November (Sunday) prosforon and coffee hour Mike & April Dellas We have collected so far $63,500 in stewardship this [Featuring Mike’s New Mexico-Style CHILI-FEST. A FUN-FUND-raiser!] 8 November (Sunday) prosforon Mary Santikos, coffee hour Judy Brophy & year . Our budget for the year is $135,000. If you have Helen Skinas not yet signed your Stewardship card . Please do so. 15 November (Sunday) prosforon Diane Tintor, coffee hour Nia Parry 21 November (Saturday) Presentation of the in the Temple pros- Every Steward is very important to us, If you need a foron Mary Santikos 22 November (Sunday) prosforon Leslie Cook, coffee hour Bonnie Hard- card, you may pick one up at the church or please call wick 29 November (Sunday) prosforon and coffee hour Mac Ennis Alexiou, Gay Lynn Josephakis, John & Evange

Alexis, Dean & Cynthia Dianne Proestos, Paul & Susan December Angelos, Antonio & Mary Kalangis, Alex & Svenja Robeson, Steven & Besty 6 December (Sunday) prosforon Iggy Patsalis, coffee hour Nymphe Argos, Potitsa Karalis, Pano Razatos, Leonardo Kefal 13 December (Sunday) prosforon Leslie Cook, coffee hour Michelle Ballas, Peter Kassicieh, Samir Round, Raphal and Juliana Armijo Barlow, Richard Kassisieh Qustandi Round, Russell (Ignatios) 20 December (Sunday) prosforon and coffee hour Anna Pat- Boone-Van Zandt, Kefal, Nymphe Sander, Vicki salis 25 December (Friday) CHRISTMAS DAY prosforon Fr. Dimitri Pappas Dennis & Tonya Kitsos, Vasilios &Christina Sakona, Evelyn 27 December (Sunday) prosforon and coffee hour April Dellas Brophy, Judith Komis, Lemonia & Peter Santikos, Mary Carl, Melissa Kurtz, Eva Santikos , Violeta Prosfora must be at the church by 9:00 a.m. To change your day you must find and give sufficient notice to someone to take Chronis, Christopher Manos, Peter Shea Michael and Gael your place.You're also responsible for coffee room clean up. Chronis, Tasso Margo, Carol Levings Rinse coffee urns, wipe down counters and tables, sweep floor, replace soiled table cloths, place bag of garbage in green bin and wheel it down to the church mail- Constantaras, Dr. Alex & Martinez , Matt and Emily Skinas, Hellen Niki Michas, Christopher & Steven, Joe and Anastasia Constantaras, Alexia Sophia Tintor, Diane Cook, Bess & Leslie Nicholson, DJ & Margaret Topakas, George & Lurani Please order your for Counelis, Spiro & Marina Ntellas, Michael & April Tramontanas, Kerry the Christmas holiday. Daskalos, Chris & Milly O’Brien, Mary Tramontanas, Tracey Each poinsettias for $15 Denko John & Shirley Pappas, Alex & Rena Vasilion, Evan Honor your love ones. Denko Katherine Pappas, George A. Vasilion-Dixon Steve & Please include names of your love Denko Mark Pappas, Dean & Jennifer Rebecca ones that you would like to Eddings Scott & Lena Parry, Eugenia Vaupen, Burt & Frederika Commemorate. Ennis, Mac Patsalis, Ignatios & Anna Zaffer, Constantinos & Deadline December 14, 2014 Grivas, Peter Pavlakos, Costa Arismia Hardwick, Bonnie Pavlakos, Niko & Marina Zrilic, Djuro Pavlakos, Vasilios &

Christmas in and Montenegro

In Serbia and Montenegro, the main Church is the Orthodox Church and they still use the old 'Julian' Calendar, November 4, 2015

which means that Christmas Eve is on 6th January and Christmas Day is on the 7th January! in the Or- thodox Church starts on 28th November and last for six weeks. During Advent, some people fast and they don't eat food that comes from animals (meat, , eggs, etc.). On Christmas Eve, families gather and many people Dear Friends in Christ, fast and don't eat food that comes from animals. It is the

last day of the Christmas fast. Christmas is a very religious In the spirit of thankfulness for the parish of St. Elias here in Santa Fe, I am writing to all our Church members because I have messages of concern and importance to each of us. holiday and most people go to the Christmas Services.There are a lot of old Serbian traditions associated with the countryside, which have now lost their mean- ing because more people live in First, I am asking you to attend our twice-yearly General Assembly meeting on November towns and cities. On the morn- ing of Christmas Eve, the father 8th after liturgy and dinner in the Coffee Room. We will consider matters of great impor- of the family used to go to the forest to cut a young called tance. Will you plan on being with us? the '' (Christmas Eve tree) but today people just buy

one. Under the table there should also be some straw as a Secondly, I appeal to you for a more-consistent attendance at our Sunday services. Visu- symbol of the stable/cave where Jesus was born.At Christmas a ally, especially the Sunday of October 25th, our numbers are shrinking to the point where

special kind of bread is eaten. It's called 'cesnica' and each it has been asked of me “Father, do we want to member of the family gets a piece (and the house does too). have a viable Church com- munity here in our There is a coin hidden in it and whoever gets the coin will be beautiful Christian sur- roundings, or not?” We particularly fortunate in the next year!In Serbian Happy/Merry must remember that each of us was “new” here at Christmas is Hristos se rodi (Христос се роди) - Christ is born Vaistinu se rodi (Ваистину се роди) - truly born (.People in one time or an- other. Strong num- Serbia and Montenegro also celebrate St. Nicholas' Day, but bers of us on Sunday morn- ings, each doing his or on the 19th December. During the time when Serbia and Montenegro was under communist control (after World her part to reach out and welcome newcomers, War II until about 20 years ago), the communist government didn't like St. Nicholas or Santa Claus, so they had might help us to expand our membership. their own version called Grandfather Frost (Дедa Мрaз / Deda Mraz) or Christmas Brother (Божић Бата / Božić Bata), who came on New Year's Eve.Traditional Serbian customs have also mixed with western customs. For I think that thinning num- bers are not what our example people also have Christmas Trees but they are decorated on New Year's Eve, not at Christmas! founding members envi- sioned when their vig- orous plans and generous funds were put into motion to build our lovely Church in the early 90’s. Of the original founders of St. Elias, sadly—through the years—we have lost some of On Christmas Day children sing little songs, at the beginning of which Christmas is said to knock or tread loudly. This may be understood as a theophany: by the sound, Young God makes his arrival known to people. The following are the lyrics of them, but some (very active) joyful members remain with us almost each Sunday of the two of such songs: year. Let us be an encouragement to each one of them, to one another, and to me as your caring Priest. Божић штапом бата, Christmas knocks with a носи сува злата stick, he carries solid gold Lastly, besides various other parish business on November 8th, we will be presented with од врата до врата. from a door to a door. news specifically about our plans and a timeline for a Social Hall … and we need to consider На чија ће врата Upon whose door will he if we should indeed go forward with building it! дат' благослов, злата? give his blessing and

На наша ће врата gold? Upon our door he My belief is that such an expansion of St. Elias will bring us many blessings and benefits…an просут' шаку злата. willspill a handful of gold. opportunity to coalesce and grow with increased enthusiasm as we celebrate our faith and brotherhood in this lovely piece of God’s creation here in New Mexico. Божић, Божић бата, Christmas, Christmas I am very happy to be here among you, and I encourage everyone to think about our spiri- носи киту злата treads loud, tual community and to contact me with any suggestions of any sort that may occur to you да позлати врата, carries a clump of gold . in the days ahead. I believe that together we can work toward our Christian goals and и од боја до боја, to make golden the door, forge a stronger and more-purposeful St. Elias family. и сву кућу до крова! and also, from floor to floor, Yours in Christ’s service, all the house to the roof- top! Father Dimitrios Pappas

NOVEMBER 2015

SunSun MonMon TueTue WedWedWed ThuThuThu FriFri Fri SatSatSat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Thomas Sunday 2 SHADED AREAS ARE 3 4 5 6 1 7 SS. KOSMAS AND 1 SS. KOSMAS AND DAMION 2 3 4 5 6 7 Orthros 9:00am FASTING SHADED DAYS* AREAS ARE DAMION 1 SS. KOSMAS AND

Divine Liturgy 10:00am FASTING DAYS* DAMION Parish Council Meeting Orthros 9:00 am FALL DAY LIGHT SAV- INGSVespersFALL DAY 6:00pm LIGHT SAV- Divine Liturgy 10:00 am INGS 8 Myrrh bearers 9 10 11 12 13 14 St.2 FALL John ASSEMBLYthe Theologian 3 4 5 6 7 ARCHANGEL MICHEAL 8 8 ARCHANGEL2 FALL ASSEMBLY MICHEAL AND GAB- 3 9 ST. NEKTARIOS 4 10 5 11 St. Menas 6 12 7 ARCHANGEL13 St. John Chrysostom MICHEAL 8 14 St. Philip the Apostle Orthros9:00am Orthros 9:00 am AND GABRIEAL RIEAL Orthros 9:00 am AND GABRIEAL Divine Liturgy 10:00am 10:00 am GREAT 5:00pm. OrthrosDivine 9:00Liturgy am 10:00 am GREAT VESPERS 5:00pm. MOTHERS DAY Wedding 4:30pm Divine Liturgy 10:00 am No Vespers

FALL ASSEMBLY 15 Paralytic 16 17 18 19 20 21 St. Constantine and Orthros9:00am915 ST. NEKTARIOS 10 St.16 Menas 11 St.17 Menas 12Mid –18 Pentecost 13 St. 19 John Chrysostom 14 St.20 Philip the Apostle 15Helen 21 Presataton the Theotokos 9 ST. NEKTARIOS 10 St. Menas 11 St. Menas 12 13 St. John Chrysostom 14 St. Philip the Apostle GREAT15 VESPERS 5:00pm. Divine Liturgy 10:00am Orthros GREATto the 9:00am Temple.VESPERS 5:00pm. Parish Council Meeting Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Parish Council Meeting Divine Liturgy 10:00am Orthros 9:00 am Vespers Orthros 6:00pm 9:00 am Divine Orthros Liturgy 9:00 10:00 am am Divine22Divine Samaritan Liturgy Liturgy Women 10:00 10:00 am am 23 24 25 26 27 28 Divine Liturgy 10:00 am 16 17 18 19 20 ENTRANCE OF THE 21 22 Orthros2216 9:00am 17 23 1824 1925 St. Aikaterini 2026 ENTRANCE St. Stylianos OF THE 2127 2228 Divine Liturgy 10:00am THEOTOKOS GREAT VESPERS 5:00pm. Orthros 9:00 am THEOTOKOS GREAT VESPERS 5:00pm. Orthros Orthros 9:00 9:00 am am THANKSGIVING DAY Divine Liturgy 10:00 am Orthros 9:00 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am DivineOrthros Liturgy 9:00 10:00am am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am Vespers 6:00pm

29 Blind Man 30 31 Orthros 9:00am MEMORIAL DAY Orthros 2329 9:00am 24St.MEMORIAL30 Aikaterini St Andrew DAY 25 St. Stylianos 26 27 THANKSGIVING DAY 28 29 *SHADED AREAS ARE Divine 23 Liturgy 10:00am 24St. Aikaterini 25 St. Stylianos 26 27 THANKSGIVING DAY 28 29 *SHADED AREAS ARE OrthrosDivine Liturgy 9:00 am 10:00am FASTING DAYS* DivineOrthros Liturgy 9:00 10:00am am FASTING DAYS* DivineDivine Liturgy Liturgy 10:00 10:00 am am 30 Orthros30 9:00 am DivineOrthros Liturgy 9:00 10:00am am DECEMBER 2015

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 St Baraba 5 1 Thomas Sunday 2 3 4 5 6 7 Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am

Vespers 6:00pm 6 St Nicholas 7 8 9Conception Of the Theoto- 10 11 ST. SYPRIDON 12 St. Herman of Alaska Orthros 8 Myrrh 9:00am bearers 9 10 kos 11 12 13 14 DivineSt. John Liturgy the Theologian 10:00am Orthros9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am MOTHERS DAY Wedding 4:30pm No Vespers 13 St. Herman of Alaska 14 15 ST. ELEUTERIOS 16 17 ST. DIONYSIOS 18 19 15 Paralytic 16 17 18 19 20 21 St. Constantine and Orthros9:00am Mid– Pentecost Helen DivineOrthros Liturgy 9:00am 10:00am Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am 20 ST. IGANATIOS 21 St. Juliana 22 23 24 ST. EUGENIA 25 CHRISTMAS DAY 26ST. STEPHANOSVespers 6:00pm 22 Samaritan Women 23 24 25 26 27 28 Orthros 9:00am Orthros 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am

Vespers 6:00pm

27 28 29 30 31 NEW YEARS EVE Orthros 29 Blind 9:00am Man 30 31 DivineOrthros Liturgy 9:00am 10:00am MEMORIAL DAY Divine Liturgy 10:00am