VN . 322 TABLE of CONTENTS Venerating 100 Years of History
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O CTOBER 2017 - V OLUME N O . 322. Venerating 100 years of history TABLE OF CONTENTS Father’s Article ....................... 1, 2 The blessed day of our 100th Anniversary celebration has arrived. Over St. Spyridon’s Relics ............. 3, 4 the past ten years we have been slowly preparing for this milestone cele- Sunday School News ................ 4 bration. In our annual anniversary dances since the 90th, we honored our 100th Anniversary ...................... 5 Parish Council, our Philoptochos, our Parent and Teacher Association, Philoptochos ............................... 7 our schools and youth ministries, veterans and public servants, young Cherubs /HOPE .......................... 8 and old parishioners representing the various facets of our parish life. Parish News ................................ 9 The anniversary year began with the blessing of our icons by Metropoli- Archangels ................................ 10 tan Iakovos of blessed memory. We had the opportunity to honor the Back to School .......................... 11 Stewardship .............................. 12 consecration godparents and those who worked during the Bingo years. Sunday School /PTA ............... 13 We interviewed and recorded some of our long-standing parishioners Dance Festival .......................... 14 who shared stories of the parish life in Roseland as well as of the transi- Liturgical Schedule ................. 15 tion to our current home. We held reunions and other social events to October Calendar ..................... 16 bring together old friends and to create new friendships. We placed the Metropolis Events .................... 17 hand signatures of our Sunday School kids, recipes, and precious me- ST. SPYRIDON mentos in our time capsule to be opened fifty years from now. We have HELLENIC ORTHODOX been collecting the stories of our faithful, dedications of our families’ his- CHURCH tories which will adorn our 100th anniversary album. 12307 S. RIDGELAND AVE. All these efforts have been made possible through the dedication of all PALOS HEIGHTS, IL 60463 our volunteers who, especially for the last two years, have been working diligently to mark the centennial celebration. Countless meetings, plan- WWW. SAINT-SPYRIDON.ORG 100TH ANNIVERSARY GALA—OCTOBER 15TH, 2017 The Voice - H ΦΩNH ning and preparations are now coming to a culmination with our 100th th Official Monthly Anniversary Gala on October 15 . Having honored all those who have Community Publication of come before us, it is our turn to come together as family, to celebrate in St. Spyridon fellowship and love, just as forefathers did for the first time on Christmas Hellenic Orthodox Church Day, 1917. They came together to form a new parish and set the founda- 12307 S. Ridgeland Avenue tion of our community. We come together to thank them, to honor their Palos Heights, IL 60463 legacy, and to forge ahead for a new century of worship to the glory of REV. FR. TILEMAHOS God and service to our fellow man. ALIKAKOS It is clear from looking at our parish history, that our patron Saint has PROTOPRESBYTER had his hand in all our undertakings. In my thirteen years at Saint Spyri- don, I have witnessed how our patron Saint has bestowed much more Church Office Hours: ................. Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. than his name to our beloved parish. He is involved; his blessings are Phone: ...................... 708-385-2311, 2313 or 0787 evident and one can clearly see his handprints in the fact that as a parish Fax: ................................................. 708-385-0166 E-mail: [email protected] we have overcome so many numerous obstacles in a most humble and Web: www.Saint-Spyridon.org peaceful manner. Parish Council Officers Appropriately, reflecting the presence of our patron Saint throughout our James Korbakes .................................. President Konstantine Labraκis ................ Vice-President parish history, the Right Hand relic of Saint Spyridon will be accompa- George Papadopoulos ............... Vice President nied by Metropolitan Nektarios of Kerkyra to our parish. In a way, Saint Frank Kopanis .................................... Secretary James Xeros ........................ Assistant Secretary Spyridon has always been with us. It is important, however, that our Gus Kolyvas ........................................ Treasurer children remember this fact. In venerating the Right Hand of Saint Spyri- Nicholas Chibucos ............ Assistant Treasurer don, we will have the opportunity to thank him for blessing us with our Auxiliary Officers beautiful parish home. As for our children, having seen with their own Angelo Angelos .................................... Chanter Toula Georgiopoulos ................... Philoptochos eyes, the relics of our 1700 year old saint, they will forever remember this Tessie Jones ................................................ P.T.A. celebration. They will remember that no matter how difficult it might Kiki Kazazakis ......................................... Kentro Lambrini Stavrou ..... Plutarchos Greek School become to remain an Orthodox Christian in the next century, to honor Jan Prible ....................... Archangels Academy and keep alive the legacy of our faith and of our parish for centennials to Zoe Kopanis ................ Sunday School Director Nicky Glikis ................................ Choir Director come, our patron Saint will always come to them. He will always be with Fr. Tilemahos .............. G.O.Y.A. & Jr. G.O.Y.A. Debbie Petrakos .................................... Cherubs them, and He will always encourage and protect them against all odds, Demetria Papadopoulos ......................... HOPE just as He did for the generations of faith and tradition before them. Fr. Tilemahos .......................... Byzantine Music Panagiotis Mihalopoulos ............. Iconography Our patron Saint Spyridon has honored us and blessed us. As we cele- Fr. Tilemahos ................................... Bible Study th Tammy Stamus .......................... Handmaidens brate our 100 anniversary, let us thank Him for the beautiful souls who Nick Chibucos & Labros Malfas .... Altar Boys have adorned our parish over the years. Let us celebrate His presence John Farsatis & Zachary Bousies ........ Athletics among us which has always been felt in every aspect of our parish life. Let us provide a good start and a great legacy for the generations which will take up the torch of our parish’s next centennial. Through the pray- ers of Saint Spyridon, may the good Lord have mercy on us and guide us unto every good work for the glory of His Name. Amen. Fr. Tilemahos 100th Anniversary Gala October 15th, 2017 “And what does the Lord require of Reservations are now Open!!! you? To act justly and to love mercy Donation: Adults - $85 & Children - $25 and to walk humbly with your God.” Reservations accompanied by payment may be made be made at the church office or on Eventbrite. Reserve your table today! 2 The Voice St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 3 VENERATION OF THE RIGHT HAND OF SAINT SPYRIDON In celebration of the 100th year anniversary of Saint Spyridon The sacred relic of Saint Spyridon was said to have been Hellenic Orthodox Church, His Eminence Metropolitan brought to Kerkyra in 1456. Once on the island, the relic was Nektarios of Kerkyra, with his delegation, has accompanied entrusted to the Priest George Kalohairetis. Father George’s the sacred Right Hand of Saint Spyridon for all our faithful to son, Luke then was bequeathed the relic, which he passed on venerate and receive His blessing. to his niece, Asemine. It was given to her as part of her dow- Saint Spyridon lived in the end of the 3rd and beginning of ry when she married Stamatios Voulgaris. the 4th centuries on the Isle of Cyprus. Under Emperor Con- Stamatios Voulgaris, two years after his marriage (1527), re- stantine the Great, he was made Bishop of the city of ceived permission from Nicholas Vragadino, an official, to Trimythous. In 325, at the First Ecumenical Council, where build his own church to Saint Spyridon, near the Church of the question of the unity of the Divine Essence was dis- Saint Lazarus. After long judicial wrangling, the relics were cussed, Saint Spyridon performed a miracle which persua- transferred to the new church. In 1537, upon attack of Sultan sively interpreted the image of the Holy Trinity. Taking a Suleyman, the relics were temporarily moved to the Chapel brick into his right hand, he squeezed it, and as a result, wa- of Saints Kosmans and Damian in the old fort, where the ter flowed underneath, flames shot up from the brick and his Voulgaris family fled. In 1557, Artemios and Nicholas Voul- hand was left with a lump of clay. For this reason, he is de- garis were compelled to bring the relics and the vessels of the picted in icons with a brick in his hand. Church of Saint Spyridon to the Church of Saint Nicholas in Saint Spyridon reposed in the Lord in the year 348 in his na- the suburb of Garitse, since the Venetians were leveling the tive Cyprus. It was observed soon after that his revered rel- area in order to fortify the city. In connection with this ex- ics remained incorrupt and became the source of many mira- change, another church was raised up, consecrated in 1589, cles, to the glory of God. They maintain the temperature of a and completed in 1594, at which time the relics were deposit- living body and the flesh is supple. The phenomenon of the ed therein, and they remain there until today. condition of the