Sunday of the Holy Fathers
Celebration of Saints Constantine and Helen
The Ascension of the Lord
The 7th Sunday after Pascha is dedicated to the commemoration of the 318 Holy Fathers who convened in Nicaea for the First Ecumenical Council. On May 21st, we celebrate Saints Constantine and Helen the Great God-Crowned Royals and Equal to the Apostles. It was Saint Constantine who called the Council of Nica, an initiative that aimed to put an end to heresies and Christian divisions, first among them Arianism. An imperial directive resulted in the formation of the Nicene Creed, the summary of the dogmas of our faith. We are Orthodox thanks in great part to the Nicene Fathers, as well as Saints such as Saint Constantine the Great and his mother, Saint Helen, the first Christian royalties and leaders.
Saint Helen organized the first archaeological excavation in history to recover the Precious Cross of Jesus Christ. She also commissioned the erection of many Churches, and the architectural motif, “σταυροειδής ναός μετά τρούλου,” Cross-shaped nave with a dome, is also the inspiration of our own Saint Demetrios Church in Merrick. Their initiatives put an end to Christian persecutions by the Roman State and allowed Christianity to be celebrated and observed with complete freedom. The edict of Milan was the prelude to the American constitutional right of freedom of religion, credited entirely to Saint Constantine.
Roman law changed to gradually eliminate slavery, allow women to select their husbands, own and run businesses, inherit properties and even hold public office. The examples of great empresses, such as Irene of Athens, Pulcheria, Theodora and so many Byzantine women of the era were inspired by the Christian belief that all people are children of God, equal, and granted the freedom to live and lead with respect and honor.
We celebrated the Apodosis of Pascha, 40 days after the feast of the Lord’s Resurrection, and the day after (this year May 21st) the Ascension of the Lord. Christ taught for 40 days after His Resurrection, appearing to hundreds of people and directing His disciples how to administer the sacraments and preach the Gospel of the Truth. He also promised that He will send the Paraklete, the Holy Spirit, which is the next great feast, Pentecost, coming up the following Sunday (the day before is the Saturday of the Souls of Holy Pentecost). And then, the Monday of the Holy Spirit. Great celebrations of the faith, replenishing His blessings to all of us.
Protopresbyter Nikiforos Fakinos
The Blind Man Who Saw the Light
For centuries, medical science attempts to find a cure for blindness. A blind person is limited to experience only a fragment of the beauty of creation; furthermore, blindness compromises the professional abilities and other talents that sight enhances. The pain of a blind man was felt and empathized by Christ. The Lord miraculously healed the blind man by placing clay on his face, where his eyes were supposed to be. When the blind man washed off his face, his sight was restored. Some of his acquaintances could not even identify him, since he now received a new expression, a new “look.” His parents recognized the miracle performed in him. And the ex-blind man accepted Christ as a prophet, but, more importantly, Jesus revealed His divinity to him. This is the second Sunday on a row (after the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman), that Christ reveals His Divinity to a mere human being. The blind man could now see, not only with his eyes, but also with the eyes of his soul. He sees the Θεάνθρωπος, Perfect God and Perfect Human, the Word of God, the Son of God, Christ!
God used clay to create human beings. Now clay is implemented again to re-create eyes and to restore the fallen nature of a human being; after the fall of Adam and Eve, corruptibility, illness and death entered the realm of human existence. Christ restores our brokenness; He pays off our debt and He offers His eternal blessings abundantly to us. Christ signifies and reveals with this miracle that He is the One who also created us and made the world. He is the One who turned lifeless clay into life, containing His sacred breath our soul, which is eternal. Science validates that the elements of the earth (soil and water=clay) are the ingredients of our human body. But our compilation of all these elements, from the microscopic cells all the way to the spectacular organs and the way they work together is harmony and great wisdom, are guided by the one undefined element, our soul. We are unique in the Universe of this reason, we are cells that we can contemplate about our cells. No other creature or organism can accomplish that. We can contemplate the meaning of our existence, not just the instincts to stay alive, but why, and how and with whom; even unto eternity!
God is the Creator and Maker of the Universe. Christ reveals His Divinity to the blind man to indicate that he is not just a prophet or teacher as people thought him to be. He cures blindness and, most significantly, spiritual blindness from the darkness of sin and corruption. The Lord reveals the Resurrectional light of faith that radiates the virtues of hope and salvation. Clay can break and deteriorate. The immortal and heavenly God, though, renews the clay of our nature so that it may live forever. We are baptized in the fountain of incorruptibility, as the blind man was baptized in the fountain of Siloam (which means, the One who is sent).
There are many people who have the gift of vision. However, we should ask ourselves: do we see with the eyes of our souls as well as the Blind man of the Gospel? Do we see God in our lives? Before we do, say, or think something, do we try to see what is God’s will? There are still persons in the world who suffer from blindness. But the worst illness is spiritual blindness, because it may cause eternal death… The symptom of spiritual blindness is when we see nothing but ourselves and we fail to see God’s will and the needs for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Spiritual blindness makes people egoistical and arrogant; they often times think they are right, even when they commit mistakes. Reading the Gospel narrative of the Sunday of the Blind Man inspires us to open the eyes of our souls and to try and find the will of God in our lives. This is what a blind man teaches us, a blind man who could see!
+Protopresbyter Nikiforos Fakinos
Ο ΤΥΦΛΟΣ ΠΟΥ ΕΙΔΕ ΤΟ ΦΩΣ
Για εκατοντάδες χρόνια η επιστήμη προσπαθεί να βρει ίαση για την τύφλωση. Είναι δύσμοιρος ο άνθρωπος που δεν μπορεί να δει εκείνους που αγαπά, το μεγαλείο της κτίσεως, τα επιτεύγματα της τέχνης, την ομορφιά του κόσμου. Ένας τυφλός, παρά τα επιτεύγματα της επιστήμης και της κοινωνίας, δυσκολεύεται να λειτουργήσει και να απολαύσει σε πληρότητα ό,τι ο κόσμος προσφέρει. Τον πόνο ενός τυφλού, πριν από 2000 χρόνια, αφουγκράζεται ο Κύριος. Και απαλύνει τον πόνο του θαυματουργικώς. Δεν είχε καν μάτια στο πρόσωπό του ο τυφλός του σημερινού αναγνώσματος. Και ο Κτίστης και Δημιουργός μας, έπλασε πηλό και έφτιαξε οφθαλμούς. Ο Κύριος αποκαλύπτει την Θεανθρωπότητά Του, διότι μόνο Εκείνος δύναται να μετασχηματίσει στο άχαρο και άψυχο πηλό σε κάτι τόσο όμορφο και πλασμένο εν σοφία, στον άνθρωπο. Και η επιστήμη συνηγορεί στο ότι τα συστατικά που συναποτελούν το σώμα μας προέρχονται από την γη μαζί με νερό, είναι δηλαδή τα συστατικά του πηλού. Από τον μορϊακό μικρόκοσμο, έως και το μεγαλείο του Σύμπαντος, ο Θεός εποίησε τα πάντα εν σοφία. Και εμείς, οι άνθρωποι, είμαστε μοναδικοί από όλα τα δημιουργήματα της πλάσεως στο να αναγνωρίζουμε ότι είμαστε μόρια, όργανα, νους, σκέψη, ζωή. Έχουμε πνευματικές αναζητήσεις, είμαστε σκεπτόμενα, φιλοσοφούμενα και πνευματοκινούμενα μόρια. Αναζητούμε το «γιατί» και το «πως» και με το «ποιους», όχι απλά την επιβιώση όπως τα ζώα της πλάσεως. Ενέχεται στον πήλινο κορμό μας η Θεία Πνοή, η αθάνατη ψυχή, η κινητήριος δύναμη της αθανασίας του «είναι» μας.
Ο τυφλός «είδε» τον Χριστό, και επίστεψε σε αυτόν, χωρίς να έχει μάτια. Είδε με τα μάτια της ψυχής αυτό που πολλοί, ακόμη και η θρησκευτική ελίτ της εποχής του, δεν μπόρεσαν, ή δεν ήθελαν, να διακρίνουν. Αποπλένοντας το πρόσωπο στην πηγή του Σιλωάμ, ο τυφλός ανέβλεψε. Ούτε να τον γνωρίζουν δεν μπορούσαν, αφού το πρόσωπό του πήρε νέα μορφή, έκφραση και όψη. Και οι γονείς του αποδέχτηκαν τον θαύμα και εκείνος ανεγνώρισε τη Θεότητα του Κυρίου, όχι μόνο με τα πήλινα μάτια του, αλλά και με τα μάτια της ψυχής του.
Ο Θεός, που με πηλό έπλασε ολόκληρο το σώμα του ανθρώπου, πλάθει τους οφθαλμούς για να αναπληρώσει την πεπτωκύια φύση του μετά τον Αδάμ παιδιού του. Ο Ιησούς αποδεικνύει και αποκαλύπτει ότι είναι Κτίστης και Θεός με το συγκεκριμένο θαύμα. Δεν είναι απλώς διδάσκαλος και προφήτης, όπως νόμιζαν οι ακόλουθοί Του, αλλά Θεάνθρωπος. Αποκαθιστά την τύφλωση του ανθρώπου και ιδιαιτέρως την πνευματική τύφλωση από το σκότος της αμαρτίας. Αποκαλύπτει το Αναστάσιμο φως της πίστεως, το ελπιδοφόρο και λαμπαδηφόρο μήνυμα της αιωνιότητος και της αφθαρσίας. Ο πηλός σπάζει, λιώνει και αλλιώνεται. Ο Θεός, όμως, διά της Αναστάσεως ανανεώνει και ανακαινουργεί την φύση μας. Την βαπτίζει στη πηγή της αφθαρσίας, όπως ο τυφλός βάπτισε το πρόσωπό του στη πηγή του Σιλωάμ, που ερμηνεύεται «απεσταλμένος».
Πολλοί από εμάς έχουμε το χάρισμα της οράσεως. Πρέπει όμως να αναρωτηθούμε: βλέπουμε τον Χριστό στη ζωή μας ως Σωτήρα; Έχουμε την πίστη και την ελπίδα ότι θα μας γεμίσει με τη Χάρη Του σε κάθε μας δυσκολία ή απελπιζόμαστε; Βλέπουμε με τα μάτια της ψυχής μας το θέλημά Του ή τα κρατάμε κλειστά; Υπάρχουν πολλοί τυφλοί σε αυτόν τον κόσμο. Η χειρότερη αρρώστεια, όμως, είναι η πνευματική τύφλωση. Όταν ο άνθρωπος βλέπει μόνο τον εαυτό του και δεν γνωρίζει τον Θεό του ούτε τον συνάνθρωπο. Η πνευματική τύφλωση κάνει τους ανθρώπους εγωϊστές, τους οδηγεί σε εγκλήματα και παραστρατήματα. Διαβάζοντας την ευαγγελική περικοπή της Κυριακής του Τυφλού, διδασκόμαστε από έναν τυφλό να έχουμε τα μάτια μας ανοικτά και να βλέπουμε. Να βλέπουμε το θέλημα του Θεού στη ζωή μας και να το πράττουμε με πίστη και χαρά.
+Πρωτοπρεσβύτερος Νικηφόρος Φακίνος
Mother’s Day
Χριστός Ανέστη! Christ Is Risen!
Sunday is Mother’s Day, one of the most loved and respected days of celebration in the year. We honor our mother, who brought us to life, who gave us life, who taught us about life. This year, Mother’s Day finds me without a mother. My beloved mom passed away exactly six months ago, and the only gift that I can offer is a Memorial and my humble but fervent prayers.
I would not be writing these lines if it were not for my mother. She filled the house with religious and theological books. The Bible in my house that I read since I was a child is a gift of my mom. The lives of Saints were introduced when she talked about them and gave me their icons and their books as presents. Philokalia, Gerontiko, patristic documents, ecclesiastical periodicals, Church Bulletins and icons were my mom’s most treasured gifts.
She also used to buy me a matchbox car every time we went to the market, which explains my love for cars. How formative is the influence of a loving mother! My dad was as influenced by my mom as I was. She was the neck that turns the head any way she decides. She was the inspiration for much laughter, for serious talks, for delicious food and for great times with our family and our friends.
My friends used to beg me: “let’s go to your house, your mom will say amazing jokes and cook for us.” I never carried a key for my home. The door was always unlocked, people came in to chat, to ask for advice, to find a listening ear, to laugh and to feel a loving presence. Her friends called her the “εξομολόγο” – “the confessor.” She always made time for whoever needed assistance and support. Yes, my mom did all that and also found the time to keep the house pristine, the yard with the best flowers, and the dining room filled with delicacies that rival the best restaurants.
I have a memory as a baby, coming back from Church with my parents; my dad was carrying me on his back, walking fast to get home first, ahead of my mom. Once he reached the yard, he pulled the water hose and started a water fight of titanic proportions; my mom, wearing her Sunday best, drenched, trying to find refuge, and the neighbors laughing: «Aμαλία, στην έφερε ο Γιώργος!» - “Amalia, Yiorgos got you good!” We laughed so hard and dad made my mom coffee, he always made coffee on Sundays, it was his way to make up for the next prank that was coming.
When I wrote a novel, a poem, or an article in a magazine or a newspaper, my dad used to parade it around and ask my mom to read it to his friends: “Amalia, you have a good reading voice, let me hear you read.” They would read my novels over and over, with the same enthusiasm as the first time. In the evening, by the fire, they read together and the TV was always off when my sister and I were studying. That was an unbreakable rule! Mom would go to the bookstore and get more books and notebooks, because we all loved to read and write; my sister is a phenomenal writer and poet, very much thanks to my parents’ influence.
The day I left Greece to come to the United States, they were both filled with pride and joy. Mom was expressive, very expressive, a loud kisser, the first one to start crying when a dog died, and also the first one to start singing when our favorite song was playing on the radio. My sister told me later in life that when I got on the plane, they were crying, many tears of joy and also tears of sadness that we would not be sharing precious moments together for the years to come.
My only advice to all of you, who have your moms in this life, cherish the beautiful moments. Give loud kisses, sing and cry if you must, do not hold back. Mother’s Day is not just on Sunday, it is every day. Until the day that for many of us, Mother’s Day is no longer a celebration, but a Memorial.
Αληθώς Ανέστη ο Κύριος!
WHY DO WE PARTICIPATE IN THE SERVICES?
Χριστός Ανέστη! Christ Is Risen!
Why do we participate in the services of the Church? This is a simple question that would probably receive a variety of answers. A quick and honest answer to the question would be: “We participate in the services of the Church to save our souls. We desire to experience the eternal joy of Heaven and we also wish that our loved ones will be saved as well. For this reason, we pray for them, both living and departed ones.” However, there are other reasons why we come to Church; some of those reasons are social, cultural and educational. Especially for Greek Americans, being active with the Church also serves the need to preserve our cultural identity, our language and our history. In addition to that, in our Communities we share the Christian Orthodox fellowship and the social activities of our organizations. In conclusion, we also want to provide our children with the upbringing of our faith, and to cultivate them within the Orthodox spiritual cultivation and the Hellenic cultural education.
The Church is the home of our extended family. In joys and in sorrows, when we want to assist and when we need assistance, our Community is a spiritual home of hope, faith and love. Christ Himself started His ministry at a wedding, where He gave the people wine; He also ate with the people, and addressed their needs and their questions in an interpersonal way. The Lord comforted human pain for the ones who believed and requested His assistance.
Today, which is Sunday of the Paralytic, we commemorate the miraculous healing of a person who suffered in his life and who was in no position to help himself. Christ provides us with an example to help others in time of need and for the Church to be a vehicle of salvation and redemption for the bodies and the souls of the people. The paralytic’s prayer was answered. The Bible confirms that when we ask something with faith, it will be granted. There was a Greek villager who was asked why he prays every day. He did not understand the language; neither was he educated enough to follow the hymns, the sermon and the readings. He answered: “I come to Church to pray and to be with God. He looks at me, I look at Him, and we are both happy!”
The Church is the home of our Heavenly Father and thus, our own spiritual household of faith. We wish to witness growth and progress in the ministries of the Community. Therefore, it is of imperative significance to labor for our spiritual home, the place where we prosper in Grace, where we receive eternal life and where we enjoy divine protection. Our love is always the measure of our labor and our endeavors to make our Communities vehicles of Grace, philanthropy and evangelism. I am moved that so many people attend services regularly, receive the sacraments and the blessings of God. These blessings are evident in our lives; we invite God in our lives and we are never alone, never weak, never fearful, never without support. We are always with the Lord, we see Him, He sees us, and that makes us both happy!
Truly the Lord Is Risen!
+Protopresbyter Nikiforos Fakinos
ΓΙΑΤΙ ΣΥΜΜΕΤΕΧΟΥΜΕ ΣΤΙΣ ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΙΕΣ;
Γιατί συμμετέχουμε στις ιερές ακολουθίες της Εκκλησίας; Μία απλή ερώτηση, που ίσως λάβει διαφορετική απάντηση από τον κάθε Χριστιανό. Η σύντομη και απλή απάντηση είναι: συμμετέχουμε στις ιερές ακολουθίες για να σωθεί η ψυχή μας. Επιθυμούμε να ζήσουμε αιώνια στην Ουράνια Βασιλεία του Θεού. Αποζητούμε σωτηρία και για τους ανθρώπους που αγαπούμε, για το λόγο αυτό, προσευχόμαστε και για τους άλλους, τους εν ζωή και τους κεκοιμημένους. Αλλά σίγουρα υπάρχουν και άλλοι λόγοι να εκκλησιαστούμε. Λόγοι κοινωνικοί, εκπαιδευτικοί και εθνικοί. Ιδίως για εμάς, τους Έλληνες της Διασποράς, η Κοινότητα έχει ταυτιστεί με τη μάθηση της Ελληνικής γλώσσας, ιστορίας και παραδόσεως. Επίσης, στο χώρο της Κοινότητος συγκεντρώνονται οι Έλληνες για να μοιραστούν τα στοιχεία της εθνικής τους ταυτότητας, αλλά και για να προσδώσουν στη νέα γενιά την περηφάνεια της καταγωγής τους. Τέλος, οι γονείς επιθυμούν τα παιδιά τους να λάβουν καλή αγωγή και ανατροφή, και η Ορθόδοξη πίστη βοηθάει τα μέγιστα σε αυτό το σκοπό.
Επιθυμούμε να βλέπουμε την Κοινότητα να προοδεύει και να γίνεται αγωγός Χάριτος και φιλαγαθίας. Και εμείς, ως μέλη της Εκκλησίας, ως αποδέχτες των δωρεών της και των χαρισμάτων της, εργαζόμαστε με αγάπη. Κανένας δεν θέλει να γκρεμίζεται το σπίτι του, ο χώρος στον οποίο τρέφεται, ζει και προστατεύεται. Η αγάπη των πιστών προάγει το έργο της Εκκλησίας, ένα έργο ευαγγελισμού των εθνών και λυτρώσεως των ανθρώπων. Ένα έργο που ο Κύριος ξεκίνησε και η Χάρις του συντηρεί μέσω της Εκκλησίας.
Στις χαρές και στις λύπες, στην ανάγκη, αλλά και στην επιθυμία για προσφορά, η Εκκλησία είναι πάντοτε το σπίτι της ευρύτερης οικογένειας, της Κοινότητος. Υπάρχουν περιπτώσεις ανθρώπων που δεν επιθυμούν να υπάρχει κοινωνική διάσταση στις δραστηριότητες της Εκκλησίας. Θα πρέπει να θυμούνται, όμως, ότι ο Κύριος Ιησούς ξεκίνησε την δημόσια δραστηριότητά του σε γάμο, έδωσε στους προσκεκλημένους κρασί, συνέφαγε με τους μαθητές Του και απάλυνε τον ανθρώπινο πόνο σε προσωπικό επίπεδο.
Την Κυριακή του Παραλύτου, ενθυμούμεθα την θαυματουργική ίαση ενός ταλαιπωρημένου και ανήμπορου ανθρώπου. Ο Χριστός μάς δίνει το παράδειγμα για την δράση της Εκκλησίας ως θεσμού, και την απόδραση του ανθρώπου από τα δεσμά της αμαρτίας, της φθοράς και του θανάτου. Ο Ίδιος νίκησε τον θάνατο, ως Αρχηγός της Ζωής. Μας καλεί στη σωτηρία και στην αφθαρσία δια της πίστεως και της Εκκλησίας. Για το λόγο αυτό συμμετέχουμε στις ιερές ακολουθίες. Για να σωθούμε. Αλλά, επίσης, για πολλούς επιπλέον λόγους που μας στηρίζουν ως ανθρώπους. Για λόγους φιλανθρωπικούς, κοινωνικούς, εκπαιδευτικούς και παιδαγωγικούς. Μην ξεχνάμε όμως το κεντρικό πυρήνα του εκκλησιασμού: την προσευχή.
Η προσευχή και η ικεσία του παραλύτου εισακούστηκε. Το Ευαγγέλιο μας επιβεβαιώνει ότι κάθε προσευχή μας εισακούεται, αρκεί να την εκφράζουμε με ειλικρινή πίστη. Κάποτε, ρώτησαν έναν χωρικό γιατί πηγαίνει τόσο συχνά στην Εκκλησία. Δεν είχε πάει ποτέ σχολείο και δεν κατανοούσε τους ύμνους, τα κηρύγματα και τα αναγνώσματα. Ο χωρικός απάντησε: «πάω στην Εκκλησία και προσεύχομαι γιατί εκεί βρίσκομαι με τον Θεό. Με κοιτάζει, Τον κοιτάζω και είμαστε και οι δύο ευτυχισμένοι!»
Ο ναός είναι το σπίτι του Ουράνιου Πατέρα Θεού, άρα και δικό μας σπίτι. Και ιδίως αυτές τις ημέρες, μάς λείπει ο ναός μας, το σπίτι του Πατρός μας. Συγκινούμαι όταν σας βλέπω να συμμετέχετε στις ιερές ακολουθίες και στη μυστηριακή ζωή της Εκκλησίας. Έχουμε ανάγκη την Εκκλησία μας. Έχουμε ανάγκη τον Θεό μας. Τον υποδεχόμαστε στη ζωή μας και δεν είμαστε ποτέ μόνοι. Μάς κοιτάζει, τον κοιτάζουμε κι είμαστε ευτυχισμένοι! Αληθώς Ανέστη ο Κύριος!
+Πρωτοπρεσβύτερος Νικηφόρος Φακίνος
THE MULTIPLE ROLES OF CHRISTIAN WOMEN
Χριστός Ανέστη! Christ Is Risen! The Myrrh Bearers are the first followers of the Lord who were evangelized with the good news of Christ’s Resurrection. While the eleven disciples were hiding –as the Bible states- the Myrrh Bearers came to the tomb, early in the morning, to anoint the sacred Body of their Lord and Savior. They served Jesus throughout His life and even after His death with dedication and courage. They are an inspiring example of bravery, devotion and faith; for these reasons, they were selected by Christ to be the first to spread the good message of salvation and eternal life. They pioneered the apostolic and the missionary work that every Christian is called to undertake. They are called “equal to the Apostles”, and their mission was not small: to save the world! And to preach to the world the good news of redemption, salvation and Life everlasting. The Myrrh Bearers are bearers of the joyous message of the Resurrection, in a society that would not accept them as equals back then; but Jesus promoted their role to be a leading role, for them to be the first and the best, because of their courage and dedication. They are Saints of the Church and we owe them a great debt for their perseverance and faith.
Contemporary women are called by the Lord to follow the example of the Myrrh Bearers. In our Community, we are blessed to know many ladies who are laboring for the common good, contributing great effort and love in the ministries of the Parish. Thanks to the devoted endeavors of our blessed ladies in the Office, in the Greek and the Sunday School, the Parish Council, the Philoptochos sisterhood, Pins for Pauly, the Junior Choir, the Youth organizations, the Golden Years and the various Church Committees and Organizations our Community has developed the potential to prosper and to progress in every Program and ministry. Furthermore, in our functions, dances, festivals, divine services and parish events, our ladies have always shown their support with their presence, their prayers and their assistance.
The aforementioned roles of our Christian ladies in the Community of Saint Demetrios are complimented by the sacred institution of a role that is exclusively attributed to women: the role of motherhood. Motherhood is a God-given opportunity for a human being to become a co-creator of life along with the Creator of Life. Our mothers brought us to life, gave us life and taught us how to live. The first word we pronounced is “mom.” Such a small noun, such a huge concept… Every day, not just once a year, we should honor and express our gratitude to our mother, the first person we see when we come into this world, and the best person to show us the world, to prepare and nourish us physically and spiritually for life.
History has been empowered by the inspiring example of the women Saints, the scientists, the pioneers, the inventors, the leaders, the doctors, the authors, teachers, artists, professors and so many more to whom we owe eternal debt, our respect and our prayers. Above all, our mother, our grandmother, our Godmother, the women in our families and the ladies our lives. Let us also show our appreciation to the contemporary Myrrh Bearers, the ladies of the Community, who contribute their blessed efforts for the benefit of all. They evangelize the good news of salvation by working for Christ’s Church. They are our very own Myrrh Bearers!
+Protopresbyter Nikiforos Fakinos
Ο ΡΟΛΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΗΣ ΓΥΝΑΙΚΑΣ
Χριστός Ανέστη! Αυτήν την Κυριακή των Μυροφόρων έχουμε ιερό χρέος να αγωνιστούμε όλοι για να αναδείξουμε και να τιμήσουμε τον ζωοδόχο σκοπό της γυναίκας στην κοινωνία, στην Εκκλησία και στη ζωή μας. Ο Κύριος επέλεξε να Ευαγγελίσει πρώτα αυτές τις σεπτές μορφές της πίστεως, της Μυροφόρες Γυναίκες, και να διαμηνύσει δι’ αυτών το καλό άγγελμα της Αναστάσεως και της σωτηρίας. Τις επέλεξε να γίνουν ισαπόστολοι και η ιερή αποστολή τους να μεταλαμπαδεύσει την Χάρη του Ευαγγελίου της πίστεως εις πάντα τα έθνη.
Οι Ορθόδοξες γυναίκες μπορούν να εμπνευστούν από τον Αναστημένο Ιησού, που έδωσε το φως της σωτηρίας σε όλους τους ανθρώπους, να είναι λαμπρές από αρετή και να εργάζονται αόκνως για τη σωτηρία της οικογενείας τους. Να διδάσκουν με το παράδειγμα, τα έργα και την παρουσία τους την πίστη του Αναστημένου Ιησού. Πιά θρησκεία, κοσμοθεωρία, ιδεολογία μπορεί να υπερβεί τον λόγο του Θεού; Η πίστη ξεδιψά κάθε πνευματική μας ανάγκη!
Έτσι και οι σύγχρονες γυναίκες μπορούν να γίνουν «ιεραπόστολοι». Η ιερή απόστολή τους είναι να φέρουν την πίστη του Χριστού στο σπίτι, στην οικογένεια και στην κοινωνία τους. Να ξεδιψάσουν τον κόσμο με το ύδωρ το αθάνατο. Μια μητέρα, μια γιαγιά, αλλά και δασκάλες, μια εμπνευσμένες επιστήμονες, μια Οσίες και Αγίες της Εκκλησίας, συγγραφείς, κορυφαίες μορφές της ανθρωπότητος, μάς κάνουν να τους οφείλουμε πολλά, τον σεβασμό μας, την αγάπη μας, την προσευχή μας.
Αληθώς Ανέστη ο Κύριος!
+Πρωτοπρεσβύτερος Νικηφόρος Φακίνος
Χριστός Ανέστη! Christ Is Risen!
First and foremost, I would like to express heartfelt gratitude to all the volunteers and benefactors, whose love and contributions have made this Pascha so blessed, festive and unforgettable. A modern car is made up of thousands of components, working in perfect harmony to perform so well and efficiently. Our Community is blessed with so much talent, love and dedicated stewardship, that makes every service, every event and every activity phenomenal.
For months, we have been witnessing admirable acts of love and faith, philanthropy and kindness. The prosforo that becomes Holy Communion and antidoron, the flowers on the icons, the Crucifix, and the Epitaphios, the clean Nave, the gorgeous Church, the delicious food and pastries, the chanting, the reading, the dresses on the Myrofores, the dedication of the altar servers, the prayers of the faithful, the candles in the Narthex, the Paschal lambades, the trees and landscaping in the yard, the new facilities, the preparations for the Festival, the organizing of events, the upcoming playoffs and Olympics, the lessons for Church School, Merrick Angels, Greek School and Little Angels, the HOPE, the JOY, the Jr. GOYA, the GOYA, the YAL, the Philoptochos, the P4P, the Golden Years, the Elaine Cassimatis Kafeneio activities, the services, the blessings, the events, the fundraisers, the oil in the kandilaki, the clean classrooms, the beautiful athletic facilities, the new lights, the sparklers for Pascha and so much more: all of these miracles have been touched by us, offered by us, and given back to us, a spiritual bequest of love and faith.
It has been an unforgettable Lenten season, and we are traversing the Bright Week, leading to the remainder of the 40-day Paschal season. We are blessed. Our Community is our family. Our Church is our home. Our faith is our inheritance. Our culture is our treasure. And Christ is at the center of it all, Risen, Glorious, Victorious and Merciful. “Christ is Risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs bestowing life!”
Αληθώς Ανέστη ο Κύριος!
Paschal Greetings
By the Rev. Protopresbyter Nikiforos Fakinos
Χριστός Ανέστη!
Τί χαρμόσυνος χαιρετισμός! Άγγελμα σωτηρίας και ζωής, η Ανάσταση του Κυρίου μάς φέρνει ελπίδα, φως και ευλογίες. Κάθε Πάσχα, συγκινούμαι όταν σάς βλέπω με τις λαμπάδες να φωτίζουν τα πρόσωπά σας, να ψάλλουμε μαζί τον ύμνο της Αναστάσεως, και να γιορτάζουμε την εορτή των εορτών, την πανήγυρη των πανηγύρεων, το σημαντικότερο γεγονός στην ιστορίας την ανθρωπότητας.
Και φέτος γράφεται ιστορία. Θα θυμόμαστε την φετινή Μεγάλη Εβδομάδα για όλη μας την ζωή. Πως πέρασε ο Επιτάφιος δίπλα από το Κοινοτικό Κέντρο «Κωνσταντίνος και Κυριακή Κασσιμάτη» για πρώτη φορά στην ιστορία της Κοινότητας.
Χωρίς πίστη, η ζωή μας είναι ακυβέρνητο καράβι, δίχως πυξίδα, δίχως προορισμό. Ο Χριστός μάς δίνει πίστη, ελπίδα και αγάπη, νόημα στην ύπαρξή μας, και σκοπό στις πράξεις μας. Σάς εύχομαι χαρούμενο, υγιέστατο, λαμπρό Πάσχα, με την Χάρη του Χριστού μας να φωτίζει την ζωή σας.
Αληθώς Ανέστη ο Κύριος!
Christ Is Risen!
What a joyful greeting! A message of salvation and life, the Resurrection of the Lord gives us hope, light and blessings. Every Pascha, I am filled with joy and contrition as I see you, with your candles illuminating you, illuminating your lives with the light of the Resurrection. As we chant together the hymn of the Resurrection, as we celebrate the feast of feasts, we honor the most significant event in the history of the world.
History is being written this year as well. We will remember for the rest of our lives this year’s Holy Week, and the procession of the Epitaphios by the Constantine and Carol Cassis Center for the first time in the history of the Community. It is the year we pray to open its doors so that our families may enter to celebrate our faith and our heritage.
Without faith, life is like a vessel without a rudder, without a compass, navigating an existence devoid of purpose, meaning and hope. Christ gives us faith, hope and love, inspiring our existence with true purpose and meaning. I wish you a happy, healthy and blessed Pascha, filled with the Grace of our Lord and Savior.
Truly the Lord Is Risen!
Χριστός Ανέστη! Christ Is Risen!
What a great way to greet each other for the entire Paschal season (40 days after Easter). What a great Pascha we had!!! Seeing you in person, praying together, tasting the Holy Communion, smelling the incense, chiming the bells, chanting the hymns, anointed with Holy Unction and being blessed by the Risen Lord. This is Pascha!!!
Each time we see each other, first and foremost, we exchange the Paschal salutation, to proclaim the Lord’s Resurrection. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most central event in our spiritual lives and in the history of the world. It transcends history, time and space, it gives us the dynamic to Live Forever!
One of our Parishioners, who was recently baptized as an adult, was sharing with us that “this was my favorite service” during Palm Sunday. Then, during the services of the Nymphios – Christ the Bridegroom, he said “now, this is my favorite service.” Then Holy Unction, the same. Holy Thursday: “this is by far my favorite service!” On Good Friday he said “wait, I didn’t expect this, but today was my favorite service.” Needless to say what he stated on Holy Saturday morning and Pascha Sunday evening… How can we not love our faith? How can we not be inspired by each hymn, each reading, each blessing and sacrament? As your priest for more than 2 decades, I am in the same predicament. Each one is my favorite service; until the next. And each Holy Week is my favorite; until the next!
I would like to thank you all for making Holy Week memorable and spiritually uplifting. Our volunteers worked tirelessly to decorate, cook, clean, donate and prepare our beautiful Church for the amazing events in the Life of the Lord. From the Rising of Lazarus and the entry in Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), with the preparation of the Palms, the delicious bakaliaro, and the Philoptochos Bake Sale, all the way to Pascha Sunday, painting the eggs, decorating the Church, cleaning and celebrating the glorious midnight service, as well as the Agape Service, followed by the Easter Egg Hunt, and everything in between, we worked together to make those days spiritually enriching.
The Gospel of the Agape was read by many lay readers in several languages: Greek, English, Latin, French, Japanese, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Slavonic, Russian, German, Italian, Georgian, Chinese and Spanish. We also proclaimed the good news of the Resurrection at the midnight service in all the above languages plus Albanian, Arabic, Romanian, Coptic, Armenian, Turkish and Portuguese.
We loved each one service. Last year, at the Agape service, our beloved Father Panagiotis was elevated by His Eminence, and by Patriarchal decree, to the rank of the Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne! What an honor! We congratulate him on the Anniversary and wish him many years of blessed ministry. AXIOS! What a blessing for a clergyman who has dedicated his entire life in the service of the Lord and for the Great Church of Christ! We are thankful to our exceptional Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Panagiotis Papanikolaou for every single service, his pastoral love and his spiritual guidance.
In addition, the pious and prayerful daily services throughout Great Lent and Holy Week were augmented by our chanters, our altar servers, the Myrofores, the Schools, our Parish Council, the Philoptochos and all Parish organizations and volunteers. They are all amazing! Holy Week was truly phenomenal!
We held our lambades – Easter candles up high and the dark sky was illumined. We held our candles with the Epitaphios next to our brand-new classrooms, offices and athletic facilities. And then, our Paschal lamdades, the Easter candles, will illumine the new edifice with renewed conviction that our faith is alive, our Lord is the Lord of Life and Salvation! Christ Is Risen! Hope is risen. Love is risen. Faith is risen. Life is risen. Light is risen. Truly He Is Risen!
Αληθώς Ανέστη ο Κύριος!
From Golgotha to the Empty Tomb
Christ is about to walk on the path of Golgotha, carrying the very Cross on which He will be Crucified. Tonight (6:30 pm), the service of the Sacred Passion, His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzus presiding, manifests the Lord’s sacrificial love for us. He is offering the ultimate example of humility, patience and love, as He is bleeding for the very people who are piercing His sacred flesh, mocking, spitting, ridiculing, beating and crucifying Him. His only possession, His clothing, will be played on a game of dice. His crown of thorns will inflict pain and suffering, not glory and praise. But, maybe we should consider what is glory and what is praise.
We will bend the knees tonight, in tears, asking for His mercy and receiving His blessing. His pain is the glory of the Church. We all wear a Cross since our baptism, not as the instrument of death and execution, but as the paradigm of love and compassion. On the Cross He is forgiving. On the Cross He loves. On the Cross He saves.
Tomorrow is the Holy and Good Friday, with services all day, from the Hours (11 am), to the Apokathelosis (3:30 pm), a favorite for all children, and the Epitaphios – Lamentations at 7:30 pm. The procession will be different this year, encompassing the very north side of the Community parking lot. A longer procession, beautified by our chanting, as we express our lamentation for the entombment of the Lord.
On Holy Saturday, we come to Church early, at 9 am to declare that the underworld cannot contain the uncontainable, the eternal, the Almighty God. The earthquake will shake up the planet, as we chant “Rise, O Lord, judge the earth!” Ἀνάστα ὁ Θεός κρίνων τὴν γῆν. And in the evening (11 pm), the service of the Holy Light.
Pascha is fast approaching. It will be more special this year, your will see at midnight how special and unforgettable. Come and see, for the Lord is Good. Stay for the midnight Diving Liturgy, receive His Precious Gifts, and then rejoice with the magiritsa soup.
Pascha Sunday, April 12, we will have the Agape Vespers (12 noon) and the Easter Egg Hunt for the children. This is the Holy Pascha, the most sacred time of the year. Rejoice and be glad, for our reward is great in Heaven. «Χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.»
+Protopresbyter Nikiforos Fakinos
Σήμερον κρεμᾶται ἐπὶ ξύλου ὁ ἐν ὕδασι τὴν γῆν κρεμάσας.
Στέφανον ἐξ ἀκανθῶν περιτίθεται ὁ τῶν ἀγγέλων Βασιλεύς.
Ψευδῆ πορφύραν περιβάλλεται ὁ περιβάλλων τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐν Νεφέλαις.
Ράπισμα κατεδέξατο ὁ ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ ἐλευθερώσας τὸν Ἀδάμ.
Ἥλοις προσηλώθη ὁ Νυμφίος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας.
Λόγχῃ ἐκεντήθη ὁ Υἱὸς τῆς Παρθένου.
Προσκυνοῦμεν σου τὰ πάθη, Χριστέ.
Δεῖξον ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν ἔνδοξόν σου ἀνάστασιν.
Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross.
He who is King of the angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns.
He who wraps the heaven in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery.
He who in Jordan set Adam free receives blows upon his face.
The Bridegroom of the Church is affixed to the cross with nails.
The Son of the Virgin is pierced by a spear
We venerate Thy Passion, O Christ.
Show us also Thy glorious Resurrection.
HOLY WEEK
Dear friends and supporters of our beautiful Church,
The feast of feasts is fast approaching. Pascha is at the center of our faith and our worshipping experience. A few months ago, we opened the doors of our Church extension, which is filled with our faithful of all ages; from the Church and the athletic facilities, to the classrooms and the social halls, every square inch of our Saint Demetrios Parish is filled with blessings, smiles, education, spirituality, culture and faith. Our projects are mostly completed, replete with the splendor of Byzantine art, Hellenic heritage and American values. We experienced our own Pascha, the passage to a new beginning, filled with so many blessings. We feel even more grateful for God’s bequests and for the good faithful people, who motivate the progress of the Parish. We will observe the Holy Week services in a solemn and prayerful manner.
We will worship the Bridegroom of the Church every evening at the serene and spiritually uplifting services. We will chant the melodious stanzas of the hymn of the nun Kassiane. We will accept the healing grace of the Holy Unction on Holy Wednesday. We will share the Last Supper with our Lord and Teacher, who offers us the everlasting nutrition of His sacraments. We will walk together on the path of Golgotha, following the King Who is enthroned on a Cross. We will weep for His sacrifice at the lamentations of Good Friday. We will pre-taste the hope of the Resurrection on Holy Saturday morning, as we are shaken by the earthquake that devastated the belly of the underworld that could not swallow Life, Christ our God. And we will worship and celebrate the RESURRECTION that illumines us all with the light of Life and Hope.
A priest in our New York area was serving the Paschal service and looked with amazement to the crowd gathered in front of the Church. Before he chanted “Christ Is Risen,” he wished everyone “Merry Christmas!” He had not mixed up the feasts, but he knew that he would not see some of these people for several months… Worshipping God regularly is a sign of genuine faith and love for the Lord. I look forward to seeing you all during these most sacred days, to worship Him together as ONE CHURCH in Christ Jesus. One would not spend two days of the year with a spouse and claim that there is love in this relationship. True love for Christ presupposes works of faith, as He also sacrificed everything for our salvation. His Crucifixion, though, led to His Holy Resurrection and the defeat of death and evil.