Dear members of the Saint Demetrios family,
This week was marked with the celebration of significant Saints (and the name-days of many Parishioners and family members). On Sunday, we had the feast of Saint Andreas, the Protector and Patron Saint of our Mother Church, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and Patron of Patras, Cyprus, Ukraine and Scotland (along with Great Britain). He was the first called Apostle and his martyrdom was by crucifixion; out of humility he requested that his cross is placed sideways, so that he is not crucified like Jesus. This explains the X shape in the British flag (in honor of Saint Andrew) superimposed by the Cross in honor of Saint George.
On Thursday, we celebrated Saint Barbara the great martyr. She is a miraculous Saint and she is also a protector for abused children and for people suffering from pandemics and contagious diseases. She is also the Patron Saint of the Greek military forces, το πυροβολικό. Every year, in my sermon on the feast of Saint Barbara, I make special reference to the sacred duty we all have to protect the innocent and angelic children. They are surrounded by corruption and evil, that invades their lives through atheism, moral deception, corrupt social media and public persecution. As the protector of our Philoptochos, she inspires our sisterhood to defend the defenseless, to protect the unprotected and to aid the helpless. Yesterday, the Philoptochos Christmas celebration was wonderful and all our ladies shared exciting fellowship while assisting a worthy cause. And one of the most worthy causes is to protect our innocent children.
Often times, children are pressured to deny their Christian identity and values, especially in School and College. The sanctity of their life is not respected before and not even after birth. International traffickers and exploiters use and abuse innocent lives and especially children from suffering countries and broken families. Recent arrests of such abusers are only the tip of the iceberg, data shows that thousands are abused daily and such crimes are not punished as they should. Movies and series on famous networks and platforms romanticize abuse; directors and film producers, although with guilty verdicts against them, roam free and with punishments much lesser considering the gravity of the crimes against children. The newest initiative of the Archdiocese is to protect the innocent, and the new office to support victims of human trafficking was been blessed by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and has supported so many ailing souls.
On December 6th we celebrate the memory of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor. Saint Nicholas is an example of charity, philanthropy and care for the meek. He lived an ascetic lifestyle and he maintained no personal belongings; he was a monk and a Bishop that should inspire all Christians that happiness in the simple things of life. Saint Nicholas was very discrete when helping someone; he did not want his good deeds to be known, unlike some people who advertise their philanthropy. He helped especially the orphans, the widows, the lame, the sick and the elderly. He gave smile in the faces that were sprinkled by tears. He gave joy to the hearts that were broken by sorrow. He was the example of faith and piety, as his hymn (Apolytikion) indicates. He is an example to be followed and imitated by more and more Christians. Such an example inspired the faithful to announce at his ordination that his is “worthy;” and at his funeral to exclaim that he is “HOLY!”
On Tuesday, we celebrate Saint Anna, who is also the Protector of expecting mothers and couples who wish to have children; We ask for the Saint’s intercessions as she unceasingly prays for the families; the grandmother of our Lord, who miraculously brought us the blessed Theotokos, by the divine will. Our children are the greatest gift of God in our lives. In Church, we nourish them spiritually, we educate them and edify them in faith, we prepare them for life, and we instill in them the values and moral principles of our Christian ethos.
The Saints the we celebrate these days, have one thing in common. Saint Nicholas was instrumental in giving gifts for the families and children who were needy (which also became the legend of Santa Nicholaus, Santa Claus, in the West). Saint Barbara protects the innocent victims of abuse. Saint Anna blesses the unborn, the newly conceived and all pure infants. Saint Andrew, the founder of the Mother Church, gave me personally the gift of Apostolic Succession, along with thousands of other priests, so that we may baptize, offer the sacraments and minister to the children. The Church loves our children; this is the best place for them to make life-long friends and cultivate their ethos. This is where they belong, where we all belong!
+Protopresbyter Nikiforos Fakinos
This Christmas, we can give a gift to our own children in the Parish, by donating much needed supplies for their education and our Schools. Please, click on the link below and select which gift you would like to offer to support our youth: