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SAINT NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL 1607 West Union Boulevard Bethlehem, PA 18018 ORTHODOX Witness VOLUME 28 ISSUE 305 MAY 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS Church Information 2 Encyclical of Archbishop for Holy Pascha 3 Τhe legacy of Constantine the Great 4 Greek School Corner 10 Calendar 11 PARISH COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES 12 THE TRUE GLORY OF CHRIST 14 Parish News 16

A ST. NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL PUBLICATION 1607 WEST UNION BOULEVARD – BETHLEHEM, PA 18018 PHONE: 610-867-1327, FAX: 610-867-9487, KITCHEN: 610-867-5459

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Under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, His Eminence Demetrios Archbishop of the Greek

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Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for Holy Pascha 2016 Apr 27, 2016

He is not here; for He is risen as He said!

Matthew 28:6

To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and

Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical

Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic

Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Χριστός Ἀνέστη! Christ is Risen!

On this glorious and holy Feast of our Lord’s Resurrection, we shine in the brilliant light and exhilarating joy of His

presence and grace. We sing hymns of praise to the One who gives us new life. We proclaim the defeat of death and

triumph over the tomb, as Christ is risen, resplendent and victorious.

In our worship on this Feast of feasts and highest holy day of the year, we hear in our hymns the story of those who

went to the tomb: “The myrrh-bearing women at deep dawn drew nigh to the tomb of the Giver of Life.” (Hymn of

Matins) In the Gospel of Luke we read how they found the stone rolled away but did not find a body. While they were

perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the

ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how He told you…that the Son of man

must be crucified and on the third day rise.” (Luke 24:4-7)

One focal point in this passage and as it is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark is on remembering the voice

of Christ. He is risen as He said (Matthew28:6); there you will see Him, as He told you (Mark 16:7); and remember how He

told you (Luke 24:6). The angels called the women and the disciples to remember His voice and His words; to reflect

on all that had happened and to recognize that the promises of the Lord had been fulfilled, death and the tomb could

not hold the Son of God, and just as He said, He is the resurrection and the life!

For the disciples the voice of Christ was a very real experience. They were present for all of the miraculous events

and His teaching. Following His Resurrection and Ascension, they could not but speak of all the things they had

seen and heard for those full years being with Him. (Acts 4:20)

In receiving the Gospel by faith, we affirm and proclaim the power and truth of His Passion and Resurrection as

well. Through our worship and His power and presence in our midst, we hear His voice, we affirm the fulfillment of

His promises, and we proclaim to the world the salvation and abundant life found in Jesus Christ, our risen

Lord. We see and hear, and we become the voice of Christ!

Today, in our festival of joy, light and life, we proclaim to the world a sacred Pascha. We sing of a new and holy

Pascha, a Pascha that has opened unto us the gates of Paradise. We see a new dawn as the bridegroom comes forth

from the tomb, abolishing the power of death, lifting us up from corruption, ransoming us from sorrow, so that we

chant joyously the hymns of salvation and life everlasting. We see the glorious Resurrection of our Lord. And as the

angels said to the women who marveled at the empty tomb, we hear Him say, “Go quickly and proclaim to the world

that the Lord is risen!” Christ is risen indeed!

With paternal love in the Risen Lord,

†DEMETRIOS

Archbishop of America

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Today’s Hellenism and the legacy of Constantine the Great By Protopresbyter Theodore Zisis

It has been now been proven from historic Byzantinological research that the depreciation of

Byzantium, which some of our intellectual people and scholars uncritically adopted, and are adopting, is

due to confessional and ethnic prejudices of chronographers and historians of the Middle Ages and the

ideological enlisting of atheist Enlighteners of the 18th century. Without the call from God to Constantine

the Great to found and establish the new Christian Empire with New Rome as the seat, Constantinople,

without the Romanity of Byzantium, the civilization of mankind would be much poorer1.

Byzantium for over a thousand years was a bastion of the West against the Asian hordes, so Europe

undistracted after the prevailing of the Franks - Germans over the other barbarian peoples who disturbed

and overthrew the Western Roman Empire, could work for its organization and progress2. Byzantium

preserved the Roman legislation with Justinian documenting and applying it, he preserved and studied the

ancient Hellenic Education, and with the harmonious cooperation between Church and State he imbued all

the aspects of public and private life with the principles and values of the Gospel. All the experts agree that

Constantine the Great founded a new state composed of three elements, three factors of a huge time period.

Roman law, Greek culture and the Christian faith.

This composition is also the secret key for us to interpret the great cultural influence on East and

West, especially towards the Slavic north, but also its historically unique long duration. Until 1821,

Hellenism continued holding these three structural elements united, as seen in texts and declarations of the

fighters, but also in the official constitutional decisions of the first National Assemblies, where even as a law

of the modern Greek state it was decided that the laws of our ever memorable kings, namely the Byzantine

Emperors be applied.

What did Modern Hellenism inherit and what is it keeping from this successful timeless proven

synthesis of Roman law, Greek education and the Christian faith? After Kapodistrias, the new Frankish

Occupation of the Bavarian occupation, which in various forms continued timelessly existing, manages

essentially without political and ecclesiastical resistance, due to our political and economic weakening, as

also occurred with Byzantium also, to Frankishize us culturally and to impose on us, even our union with

the Pope, furthermore even the separation of church and state, the last vestiges of the true Constantinian

Donation and not of the Pseudo-Constantinian Donation of the pope, which has been characterized as the

biggest fraud in history.

This Constantinian Donation we will showcase now briefly referring 1) to Constantine the Great

convening the 1st Ecumenical Council in Nicea, which both theoretically and in action, removes any sense

and pursuit of ecclesiastical primacy, establishing the Ecumenical Synod as the supreme administrating

instrument in the whole Church 2) the form and manner of cooperation between Church and State,

established by Constantine the Great, which still survives in Greece, on the one hand, but is however under

abolition and constant controversy and dispute, without a vigorous response from the official Church,

c) The ambitious plan to rebuild churches in Constantinople and in other areas, particularly in

Jerusalem, which emerged as the Holy Land, a worldwide pilgrimage, while today’s Hellenism did not

even manage to build, one church in honor of Christ the Savior, it is funding however the construction of

Islamic Mosques, while the Holy Lands, this great gift of Constantine the Great and his mother St. Helen to

Hellenism, it leaves in a continuously descending decline and d) some legislative measures implementing

the teaching of the Gospel in the life of the Empire's subjects, such as the Sunday holiday, the

criminalization of adultery, tax-free churches and others, that the dechristianised Europe, and the formerly

Christian and saint-producing dechristianised Greece, since the early 1980s, has already repealed.

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h) The first Ecumenical Synod in Nicaea and its importance for Hellenism and Orthodoxy. We will

first refer to the fact that the Council of Nicaea confirmed in everything, the dominant presence of

Hellenism, because as St. Nektarios says in his work on the Ecumenical Synods, everything in the synod

was in Greek. This dithyrambic analysis of the Saint is very extensive. We will confine ourselves to a small

excerpt: "In this Synod the trophy of Hellenism stood. In this, Hellenism like another Athena arose from the

head of the Roman state, to direct men’s consciences with her wisdom and to advise the excellent things.

Nicaea, this very Hellenic city, was the triumph of Athens against Rome, it was its fall and the

restoration of Constantinople, the new capital city of Hellenism. In this, its strength showed forth, the state

shone brightly and the pride of its spirit shone brilliantly. Behold in it, everything was Greek, the Synod

members, the language, the discussions, the records, the ordinances and in general everything that

characterized a Greek Senate."3 The Synodal institution of course was not unknown to the Church, which

is conciliar in its nature.

Already during the apostolic age we have the apostolic synod of Jerusalem, in which all the Apostles

equally took part, however without being chaired by the Apostle Peter, as the Pope and the old and

contemporary pope-minded people would like. Subsequently up to Constantine the Great’s time, many

local synods met, to troubleshoot problems that arose, without, of course, seeking the approval of the

Church of Rome. A general synod, in any case, in which the whole Church, the Catholic Church, would be

represented, had not yet been convened.

Constantine the Great offered this great gift to the Church who convened the 1st Ecumenical Council

in Nicaea, of the 318 Holy Fathers, which was the model for thereafter Ecumenical Councils, with many

diverse dimensions and consequences for the life of the Church , which here we cannot develop4. We will

mention only a few, that show that today's church leaders, with few exceptions, reject the legacy of

Constantine the Great.

This one event of the Ecumenical Council, as the highest organ expressing the church authority,

crushes the monarchical claims of the Papacy concerning the infallibility and primacy of the Pope, which

the West raised through the popes, having departed from the tradition of the One Holy Catholic and

Apostolic church. The tradition of the Ecumenical Councils inaugurated from the 1st Ecumenical Council

not only does not allow any exercising of authority and power above the council, but expressly limits the

pastoral responsibility of bishops, metropolitans, patriarchs and bishops of Rome, within the limits of the

local Church, as does the 1st Synod in Nicaea with its 6th canon, and other synods subsequently validate this

also.

Since up to now one of the main reasons for the secession of the Papacy from the Church is the

Pope’s demand to exercise administrative powers, the primacy of authority, beyond the boundaries of the

local Church of Rome, over all the local Churches of the world, while the decisions of the synods, even

ecumenical ones, to apply provided they are approved and ratified by Pope, one realizes the significance

and importance of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea for the ongoing theological dialogue concerning

the primacy. But we Orthodox should not hope for positive developments on this, since in our era, the 2nd

Vatican Council (1963-1965), despite the efforts to strengthen the synodical institution, left the primacy of

the pope intact, having torpedoed from the outset, the theological dialogue that was about to begin.

The sad thing for the Orthodox heritage and tradition is that there are our own theologians, clergy

and laity, who instead of presenting, clearly, with a few words, the unacceptable theology and

antisynodical claim concerning the primacy, try with theological sophistry to justify it. What will the

papists and papal-minded Orthodox celebrate during the celebration of 50 years from the convening of the

Second Vatican Council, which is taking place in our country during this time? The inability of the

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schismatic and heretical Papists to perceive their heresy and their error and the slippage of a few of our

own ones into the heresy and innovations of the Papacy?

One of the reasons why the Papacy, especially from the 9th century onwards, not only does not

honor, but also slanders and puts down the Holy and Equal to the Apostles, Constantine the Great and it

presents or enhances unsubstantiated accusations against him is the huge block of the decisions of the 1st

Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, which it cannot put aside. While secondly and equally important is the

reduction it suffered through the transfer of the capital from the Old to the New Rome, Constantinople,

whose Church quickly acquired with Synodic decisions equal rank of honor to the Church of Rome and

essentially supplanted it.

Precisely in order to address these adverse historical and ecclesiological developments, Rome

constructed the Pseudo-Constantinian Donation, a false document embedded in the Pseudo-Isidorian

Regulations, about which the known ecclesiastical historian and university teacher Archimandrite Vassilios

Stefanidis wrote that "no other fraud in worldwide history was performed with so much skill and no other

had such huge results." The purpose of the regulations, according to the same author, was to support the

theocratic ideas of the popes against the emperors and the independence of the local Churches. They

maintain that above the political powers is the priesthood, while the peak of the Priesthood is the Pope, so

the Pope is "head of the whole ecumene» (caput totius orbis).

According to the Pseudo-Constantinian donation, Constantine the Great departing from the West

gave all these privileges, civil and ecclesiastical, to Pope Silvester. The document was made during the

second half of the 8th century, but its falseness was revealed in the mid-15th century by Laurentius Valla,

after in the meantime for seven centuries it decisively determined the development of the Papacy as

regards its political and ecclesiastical aspirations5. Another important aspect of the decisions of the 1st

Ecumenical Council in Nicaea shows how Constantine the Great and the Fathers of the Synod understand

the unity of Church and Empire by extension, was the sensitivity they showed in dealing with the heresy of

Arius, generally then and thereafter in dealing with heresies and schisms.

Deviation from the teaching of the Church, large or small, was immediately dealt with. The model of

multiculturalism, which today breaks up Christian communities and the ecumenistic theory for unity in

diversity which, as diversity heresies are meant, by a misinterpretation of Photios the Great’s position,

create an interreligious syncretism and an interconfessional confusion, to which Constantine the Great and

the subsequent tradition of the Orthodox Church terminated. Yet today they are returning again in the

spotlight supported unfortunately by supposedly Orthodox clergy and theologians.

The requirement of absolute unity of faith led to the drafting of the Symbol of faith, the dogmatic

terms of the Ecumenical Councils, to the unanimity of the Fathers and the condemnation of heretics. Today

in the erstwhile Christian Greece, the legacy of Constantine the Great and the Ecumenical Councils, those of

the "New Age" interreligious and inter-Christian syncretism and Postpatristic Theology are glorified and

honored while those who support the legacy of Constantine the Great and the Holy Fathers of the Church

are denigrated, persecuted, and slandered.

b) Relations between Church and State. It is known that the form of relations between Church and

State from the Age of Constantine the Great is neither the prevailing in West Papoceasarism, the

sovereignty namely of the Church, of the pope, over the political rulers, nor Caesaropapism the domination

of the political rulers over the Church, as the papists and other Western researchers think that apply

supposedly in Romanity, where the emperor was the chief, the master, of both the State and the Church,

which supposedly the Pope liberated from the shackles of the State. He put on her, in contrast, the double

bond, of his civil and ecclesiastical authority.

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There were, of course in the East, ceasaropapal actions against the Church and overshooting of the

boundaries on the part of some emperors. But this was not the rule and the institutionalized tradition. It

was the exception, which the pastoring Church did not fail to label and criticize those emperors who

attempted to intervene in the internal matters of the Church. The examples are many. The institutionalized

and maintained rule was the harmonious cooperation between Church and State, with the limits of their

powers distinct, the form of interactiveness, as it prevailed being called in the theological and canonical

terminology6.

In the Romanity of Byzantium since the time of Constantine the Great there wasn’t, with very few

exceptions, rivalry, and hostility between the two institutions. So for this reason, there never was posed an

issue of separation of Church and State. The issue does not refer to our own cultural and historical

tradition. It is a transporting in the area of Orthodoxy, of a foreign reflection which emerged in the West,

due to the monarchical authoritarian behavior of the Papacy against the political rulers, who justifiably

requested the separation of Church and State.

In our own political and ecclesiastical tradition the state protects and facilitates the work of the

Church even in finances, and the Church also, aside from the fact that with her teaching she formulates

peaceful citizens who respect the principles and the authorities, she dulls the social contradictions, and with

the ideal of holiness that she presents, she refines and elevates the morals of citizens by particularly

combating the materialistic spirit of the rich and the oppression of the poor, and organizes philanthropic

institutions to comfort the indigent. Besides these things, she further helps the state, even financially when

an urgent and imperative need arises, by selling precious dedications, and offering church property.

[...] So if in the Orthodox East, the form of interaction generally worked well, what reason is there

for us to remove it and adopt a system brought from abroad, that was necessary in the absolutist papal

Europe and in the church fighting attitude of the Enlightenment? Our responsibility is to resist foreign

influences and the foreign forms which offend our history and villainize our culture, in a Europe

furthermore that hypocritically boasts of being a Europe of peoples and cultures. Otherwise we allow the

church fighters of all shades, political and ideological, to freely sacrifice and abolish tested spiritual

creations.

c) The grand church building program of Constantine the Great. There is no doubt that the church of

Saint Sophia of Justinian in Constantinople is the masterpiece and great creation of Byzantine art, which

subsequently produced high projects in all the periods of Romanity.

Everyone, however, knows that this explosive long lasting flourishing Constantine the Great

inaugurated and imposed, by employing in this field, his mother St. Helen also. Constantine the Great’s

attempt to brighten the new Christian state with resplendent churches, which were designated in his honor

as royal, was not confined to Constantinople, where we have great and famous churches, that in their first

forms were built by Constantine the Great, such as St. Sophia, St. Irene, the church of the Holy Apostles and

others, but it extended to other areas, even in Rome, where there is the basilica Constantine (basilica

Constantiniana) in the Lateran, with the Baptistery, the Fons Konstantini.

But mostly he turned towards the cradle and birthplace of Christianity, towards Jerusalem, which,

after the two terrible disasters during Titus, in 70 AD, and Hadrian, in 135, had become an unimportant

Roman township titled Eilean Capitoline, which its bishop bore. For three centuries a systematic effort had

been done for all the places and sites to be buried and lost that were linked to the glorious passion and the

Resurrection of Christ.

Constantine the Great dramatically reversed this situation with his mother St. Helen’s cooperation,

which made Jerusalem the spiritual center of the Christian world, a worldwide place of pilgrimage. The

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Precious Cross that appeared in a vision to Constantine the Great, appeared and was revealed in actuality

before the hoes of the workers of Saint Helen, who was granted to find the precious and life-giving wood,

the most valuable discovery that an archaeological shovel ever pulled7. Ten years of intensive work to

build the many faceted complex of three churches, of the Holy Sepulchre, Golgotha and of the discovery of

the Precious Cross from 326 to 336, with the two-year presence of St. Helen who reposed in 328, culminated

in the brilliant service, on September 13, 326, of the concecration of the church of the Resurrection, as the

harmonious complex of very beautiful churches was named.

All this building orgasm, in Constantinople firstly under the supervision of the emperor himself,

which resulted in the celebration of the consecration of Constantinople on May 11, 330, and in Jerusalem,

with the initial oversight of St. Helen, granted the Empire two glorious centers, which in a short while also,

took the appropriate ecclesiastical position in the organization and administration of the Church.

Constantinople, that previously as an unimportant diocese of Byzantium fell under the metropolis of

Heraklion will rise to the second rank of the series of patriarchs after Rome and to equal rank of honor. And

Jerusalem, that as the diocese of Eilea was subordinate to the metropolitan of Caesarea of Palestine, will be

elevated to the rank of a Patriarchate, in the fifth position of the institution of the pentarchy of the

Patriarchs. Besides the complex of the three churches of the Resurrection, Saint Helen also built the first

basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, as also the Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives. The

tradition attributes 28 more churches as her own works in Palestine.

The most common saint name one hears, when visiting Jerusalem is the name of Saint Helen. It is

also noteworthy that the patriarchal Church of the Holy Sepulcher Brotherhood, the katholicon as we

would say of the monastic patriarchal complex, is dedicated to Saints Constantine and Helen. I have often

thought that, if any other nation had inherited the shrines of the Holy Land, it would have disposed its best

powers, material and spiritual, for their promotion and protection. Everyone for centuries is trying to grab

something from this legacy, even through military conquest, like the pope, or with other unlawful means.

Are we worthy, I wonder, of this great Constantinian heritage or "will it be taken from us and given to

another nation"?

The already cited indifference for the vow of the Nation, the church of the Savior Christ to be built,

as a thanksgiving act for our liberation from the Turks, and the contrary keen interest to build Moslem

mosques reveals how on our own, we send away the treasures Romanity. d) The adjustment of legislation

to the teaching of the Gospel. The list of legislative regulations of Constantine the Great which aimed at

adjusting legislation to the principles and values of the Gospel of Christ, and the list of new legislative

regulations of the Europe of the Enlightenment and the across the Atlantic extension of the Western world,

which aims at dechristianising the world and in the prevalence of dark forces and plans which only do not

serve unity and peace.

The new Greece, dechristianized, does not resist nor is struggling sufficiently to prevent their

implementation, on the contrary on a level of political leadership it agrees and implements these

antievangelical and anti-Christian measures. The investigators of the life and work of Constantine the Great

have identified these measures, which scattered here and there are now concentrated in the wonderful

monograph about Constantine the Great of the beloved Mr. Demetrius Apostolidi8. From this long list of

legislative regulatations we will mention some characteristic ones: - The introduction of the Sunday

holiday. - The criminalization of adultery9. –The establishment of Christian symbols in the imperial

costume and on the military decores (flags, banners, coins). - Financial support of the Church and the

recognition of the right for her to have property tax free, to freely receive gifts, and for the clergy to be

exempt from public burdens, to carry on their work undisturbed. – The rendering to the Church of all the

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estate assets that was confiscated by the state during the period of persecutions.- The prohibition of

concubinage and the gladiator fights. – He took an interest in the fate of Christians in Persia and India,

where they were being persecuted. – He strove for the spreading of the Gospel to the Armenians.

-He recognized the right to the bishops, as long as the parties wish, to settle civil cases provided that

the decision that would be issued would be final 10 and many others. Summarizing what we said about the

legacy of Constantine the Great and his world wide historical work, we believe that today's Hellenism after

a systematic and planned attempt of foreign centers and currents, coming from the West, is not showing for

this great personality, who altered the course of history for the benefit of Christianity and Hellenism, an

analogous interest and the appropriate honor.

Furthermore some modern Greeks uncritically accept and propagate unfounded and hateful

accusations made by pagan historians, such as Zosimus, papal historians and writers, as well as atheist

church fighters of the European Enlightenment. They have their reasons to slander Constantine the Great

because he transferred the center of gravity of the world, politically and ecclesiastically, from the Latin

West to the Greek East and strengthened Christianity, as much as the Holy Apostles.

g1. Related to antibyzantinism and its sources see more in Protopresbyter Theodore Zisis, Following the divine Fathers,

op cit., Pp. 98-100. About hostility towards Byzantium among other things Judith Cherin writes, in her book What is Byzantium,

Oceanis, Athens 2008, pp. 616-617. 2. About this great offering of Byzantium in Europe Written by N. H. Baynes, in N. H. Baynes

- H. St. L.B. Moss, Byzantium. Introduction to Byzantine culture. 3. Saint Nektarios Metropolitan of Pentapolis' The Ecumenical

Synods of the Church of Christ. Second Study About the Holy Icons, Vas. Rigopoulou Publ., Thessaloniki 1972, p. 95. 4. About

the importance of the 1st Ecumenical Council in Nicaea see. Saint Nectarios, ibid, p. 93 e. Protopresbyter Theodore Zisis, The

Icons in the Orthodox Church, Thessaloniki 20122, pp. 79 e. 5. See. Archimandrite. Basil K. Stefanidis, Ecclesiastical History. From

the beginning until today, Athens 1959 2 “Astir” Publishing House, pp. 299-300, 524, 580. 6. On the issue of Church and State

relations see among many others Protopresbyter Theodore Zissis, Church and State. Separation or interaction, Thessaloniki 2006.

7. More see in Protopresbyter Theodore Zissis, "The equal to the Apostles, Saint Helen and her work" Byzantine things 18 (1995-

1996) 135-146. 8. Dimitris Apostolidis brought, The Equal to the Apostles, Constantine the Great, Holy Metropolis of Philippi,

Neapolis and Thasos Kavala ed. 2012 2, p. 292 e. The positive measures taken by the Constantine the Great on behalf of

Christianity see. Also Vlasios Jn. Feidas, Church History, 1 ', Athens 1992, pp. 332- 333. 9. W. Treadgold, in the work of

Byzantium. Compendium of History, Secular Publications, Thessaloniki 2007, p. 38, writes that, since Constantine the Great was

rid of the last pagan emperor Licinius, "he introduced measures, such as the prohibition of the gladiator duels, he narrowed the

legal possibilities for divorce and criminalized adultery and rape. He had already turned Sunday into a public holiday." 10. See.

Arnold Jones, Constantine and the Christianization of Europe, Galaxia Publ., Athens 1962, p. 111. An Essay for the Workshop

held by the Sacred Metropolis of Piraeus, on November 7, 2013, on "The Edict of Milan (313 AD). From Christian to

dechristianized Europe. "

(Translated from Peiraike Ecclesia Magazine, May 2014, Vol. 259, pp. 32-37).

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May 2016 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESD

AY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 PASCHA 12:30 PM Agape

Vespers

28 ΑMOrthros Liturgy (St. George the Trophybearer) 4:45 PM Greek School

7:00 PM Sts. Nicholas,

Raphael & Irene

Vespers at Chapel of

Fr. Kossis

3 9:00 AM Orthros &

Liturgy for Sts.

Nicholas, Raphael &

Irene at Chapel of Fr.

Kossis

4 6 PM Vespers 7 PM Orthodox Study

5 8ΑM

Orthros/Liturgy (St. Irene)

6 8 ΑM Orthros/Liturgy (Lifegiving Spring

7 3 PM Philoptochos

7:00 PM Great Vespers

8 Thomas Sunday 7:15 AM Orthros 8:30 AM D. Liturgy 9:45 AM Sun. School 10:15 AM D. Liturgy

9 12:00 PM Senior

Citizens 4:45 PM Greek School

7 PM Bible Study

10 7 PM Parish Council

11 6 PM Paraclesis 7 PM Orthodox Study

12 5 PM Acad. Exec. 6:00 PM Acad. PTO

13 7:00 PM Vespers

14 8 ΑM

Orthros/Liturgy

(St. Isidore of Chios)

7:00 PM Great Vespers

15 Myrrh Bearers 7:15 AM Orthros 8:30 AM D. Liturgy 9:45 AM Sun. School 10:15 AM D. Liturgy

16 4:45 PM Greek School

7 PM Bible Study

17 Greek Dance:

PeeWee – 5-5:30pm

Jr Olym. 5:30-6pm

18 6 PM Paraclesis 7 PM Orthodox Study

19 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM SPRING FESTIVAL

20 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

SPRING FESTIVAL

21 8 ΑM Orthros/

Liturgy (Sts.

Constantine & Helen) 7:00 PM Great Vespers

11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

SPRING FESTIVAL 22 Paralytic

7:15 AM Orthros 8:30 AM D. Liturgy 9:45 AM Sun. School 10:15 AM D. Liturgy

23 4:45 PM Greek School

7 PM Bible Study

24 Greek Dance:

PeeWee – 5-5:30pm

Jr Olym. 5:30-6pm

25 8 ΑM Orthros/

Liturgy

(MidPentecost) 6 PM Paraclesis 7 PM Orthodox Study

26 7 PM Vespers

27 8 ΑM

Orthros/Liturgy

(St. John the Russian)

28 3:00 PM Baptism

7:00 PM Great Vespers

29 Samaritan 7:15 AM Orthros 8:30 AM D. Liturgy 9:45 AM Sun. School 10:15 AM D. Liturgy 3:00 PM Baptism 5:30 PM JOY Synaxis

30 9:00 AM -11:00 AM

Memorials at Cedar Hill

Cemetery

31 Academy

Graduation (2-3s) Greek Dance:

PeeWee – 5-5:30pm

Jr Olym. 5:30-6pm

12

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2016 MEETING MINUTES

OPENING PRAYER & SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

- Father Nicholas Palis opened the meeting with a prayer, and shared the story of the 40 Martyrs of Sebastia

REPORT OF PRIESTS

- Greek school is getting ready for the Greek Independence Day Program.

- The following update on the youth was provided:

- Father Alexandros provides a video highlight of the GOYA dodgeball tournament.

- Camp Nazareth registration has opened on February 22. This year up to $3,000 was approved and Father was

happy to report that 31 campers from St. Nicholas are signed up to go to camp this year. Last year just under 30

youth participated.

- JOY regional Lenten retreat will be held in Bethlehem on March 26th.

- Regional GOYA basketball tournaments has been on the decline and Father would like to look into the group

joining a local recreational league.

- MOMs even will be held on April 1st.

ROLL CALL & ACTIONS ON EXCUSES FOR ABSENCE

Absent: Manny Tatalias.

Present: Father Nicholas Palis, Father Alexandros Petrides, George Mouhlas, Valante Fliakos, Athanasios Gentis,

William Argeros, Manny Economedes, George Lioudis, Kosta Hristofas, Peter Dectis, Stanley M. Vasiliadis,

Dimitri Economou, Ellen Tatalias, Joel Garcia, Nicholas Kapsalis, John Zannakis.

MEETING MINUTES AND COMMUNICATIONS

Athanasios Gentis reports that there is no new communications for the month of February to report.

MEETING MINUTES

The Minutes for the February Council Meeting were presented by Athanasios Gentis. Manny Economedes made a

motion to accept the minutes as resented, seconded by Nicholas Kapsalis. The motion passed unanimously

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE

Kosta Hristofas reports that 13% of budgeted stewardship contributions have been satisfied for 2016.

Manny Economedes provides an update from the stewardship committee’s efforts for the parish.

TREASURER’S REPORT

Kostas Hristofas reports that the total income for the time period between February 1, 2016 and

February 29, 2016 totaled: $31,781.57. Additionally, Kosta reported that the expenses for the same time

period totaled: $68,250.81. Net Income totaled: -$36,469.24.

George Lioudis made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s report as presented. The motion was seconded

by William Argeros. The motion passed unanimously.

SPECIAL REPORTS / STANDING COMMITTEES / OLD BUSINESS

Special Projects i.Walk Through History: no new updates for the Walk through History.

ii.Photo Directory: a preliminary design was passed out by Manny Economedes and described the process that will

take place to complete the directory.

iii.Centennial Celebration: Manny Economedes describes the layout of the commemorative booklet that will be

distributed. The Taverna night will be $50 per ticket, and the Grand Banquet will be at the Blue and will cost $80

per ticket.

Building Committee:

iv.Dome Update: Peter Dectis reports that there is no new update on the engineering study report.

13

Scholarships

v.Peter Dectis makes a motion to reallocate 10% of banner funds generated from festival banners to scholarships,

40% for building funds and 50% towards general operating funds. Stanley M. Vasiliades seconds the motion and

the motion passes unanimously.

Trust Document (Special Assembly):

vi.George Vasiliades joined the council to explain to council the terms of the new agreement and to address councils

concerns about the new Trust. He went over each and every concern as presented by council members. Main

issues discussed is the disbursement of funds, and the removing of the Scholarship provision.

vii.Clarifications will be made to paragraph 3.06 (Distribution Procedure) subparagraph (3) that sates 2/3 of the

ballots cast and not 2/3 of the entire membership.

viii.Stanley M. Vasiliades makes a motion to amend the changes to the trust mentioned above and on that condition

that trustees provide a letter detailing the loan agreement for the repair of the dome. The motion is seconded by

Dimitri Economou and is passed unanimously.

ix.Valante Fliakos makes a motion to hold one liturgy and a special assembly on April 17th (Saint Mary of Egypt).

The motion is seconded by Nicholas Kapsalis and passes unanimously.

Sound System (Church Hall, Easter)

x.William Argeros provided an update on the outdoor sound system for purchase. Manny Economedes makes a

motion to allocate $1,700 for the purchase of an outdoor sound system. The motion is seconded by Nicholas

Kapsalis. Mr. Argeros will find two additional bids.

xi.William Argeros reports two options for the sanctuary speakers and presented two proposals. William will

provide a third quote.

A/C for Basement Classrooms: The building committee will meet with the academy and a HVAC specialist to

repair the malfunctioning AC unit in the basement.

St. Photios Awards Banquet – Saturday, May 7, 2016. Father Nicholas Palis presented council with two awardees.

Katina Columbus and Manny Tatalias.

NEW BUSINESS

Church Bells

William Argeros informs council that the bell system has stopped working and suggests that in the

interim the physical bell be re strung until a new bell system can be purchased. Me. Argeros will also

look into troubleshooting the system to see if it can be repaired. Upcoming Church Services for Lent (Saturday of Souls, Salutations)Greek School Independence Day Program –

Sunday, March 20, 2016 (Sunday of Orthodoxy)

Sunday of Orthodoxy (setup & meal) – Sunday, March 20, 2016 (Sunday of Orthodoxy) at 4:00pm.

2016 Spring Festival – May 19-22, 2016. George Lioudis provided an update on discussions from the festival

planning meetings.

43rd Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress – July 3-8, 2016 in Nashville, TN

Next Council Meeting will be held Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 7:00 pm.

Motion to Adjourn by William Argeros. Seconded by Valante Fliakos. Motion passed

unanimously. Father Alexandros Petrides gave the closing prayer.

Respectfully Submitted:

Rev. Nicholas Palis Athanasios Gentis George Mouhlas

Dean Secretary President

Rev. Nicholas Palis Athanasios Gentis George Mouhlas

14

THE TRUE GLORY OF CHRIST

The glory of the Resurrection By Basil Skiadas Theologian

There however, where His divine glory shone even more was His Resurrection. It was then when the tomb

opened from beneath the pressure of divine life, and Christ returned triumphant from the dead. If the Transfiguration

is numbered among the main feasts of the Lord, the Resurrection is that which fills the entire life of the Orthodox

Church. It is not correct, what is said, that the Eastern Church turns more to the resurrected Christ, whereas the West

to the crucified Lord. It would be more precise, if we said that the East and West see the crucifiction from a different

optical corner. The West tends to consider the crucifiction as an isolated event, separated from the Resurrection. On the

contrary, in the East, when we Orthodox observe the crucified Christ, we don’t remain only in the passion and the

trials of the Savior, but we distinguish more manifestly Christ as victor and king, who reigns “in glory from the height

of the Cross” according to a patristic expression. Christ, in the Orthodox Church, is projected as a victor King, who

triumphed after His crucifiction. “For this reason I call him King, because I see him crucified”, the sacred

Chrysostom observes.

THE SUPERCELESTIAL DIVINE GLORY OF THE RESURRECTED CHRIST

According to Orthodox theology, the Father God partakes in the event of the incarnation of the Son with His

condescension, whereas the Holy Spirit communes in this philanthropic good pleasure of the Father and is constantly

supporting the world-saving work of the Son. As a result. the entire saving work of Christ was performed “through

the good pleasure of the Father, the work itself of the Son and the cooperation of the Holy Spirit.” So the main work

of man’s salvation was undertaken and realized by the work itself of the Son. So for this reason, to the Son belongs

mainly the supercelestial and eternal glory, for the work He performed on the earth with the divine incarnation, the

passion, the Resurrection and His Ascension. St Gregory the Theologian, in a thanksgiving hymn, “thanks God for

the crucifiction, the burial and the resurrection of Christ, which in this way, granted immortality to the mortal race

of men”. After the Lord completed His earthly mission, He asked from His heavenly Father to glorify “His

dishonored and crucified” human nature and to surround it with heavenly glory. He asked, as a mediator between

God and man, that He be glorified with the same glory which He had with the Father and the Holy Spirit, before

coming to the world. This glory however. did not concern Himself, since in another case he had clearly declared it: “I

do not seek my glory” (John 8:50). With this he wanted to say, that he was not seeking worldly and vainglory, but He

was seeking for every person to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit, so as to believe Him as God and man with two

natures of divinity and humanity indivisibly and unconfusably united. He was seeking, as St. Symeon the New

Theologian writes, for every person “to be united spiritually and physically with Him to become by grace a God

with body and soul and Holy Spirit”. This would comprise the true glory of Christ.

THE GLORY OF THE RESURRECTION ONE MORE DIMENSION

The glory of the godhead which shone in the Savior Christ during the Transfiguration, shines now in the

resurrected Lord. “The glory which naturally proceeds from the godhead, made it also show to the body through the

unity of the hypostasis” writes Saint Gregory Palamas. In other words, the glory of the godhead is imparted also to the

human nature of the Savior Christ through His one indivisible hypostasis. While the Resurrection and the Ascension

which occurred with the “graspable” body, that the Lord showed to His Disciples, reveals also His corresponding

coming at the Second Coming. The Resurrection of Christ, from the tomb from which he came out “beautiful”, reveals

also man’s restoration to the ancient beauty through the Resurrection. This is declared also in the resurrectional canon

of Pascha with the troparion “as a one year old lamb… from the tomb, beautiful, the sun of righteousness shone unto

us.” So in reality, death does not exist as a permanent condition, since together with the sacred hymnographer we

proclaim “we are celebrating the deadening of death, the abolition of Hades, the eternal first fruits of another lifestyle”.

THE ABOLITION OF DEATH

The temporal character of the ugliness of death, shows also with the honor the Church renders to holy relics.

The Church’s reference to the natural condition of death, concludes in the conviction, that Christ “coresurrected all the

race of Adam, having resurrected from the tomb.” So for this reason, she invites us to the new life “in Christ”, the life

which comprises the only presupposition for the transfiguration and transmutation of the unglory of man to glory, of

his non existence to existence and of his ugliness to beauty.

(Translated from Peiraike Ecclesia Magazine, May 2006, Vol. 171, pp. 10-11)

15

PARISH NEWS / UPCOMING EVENTS THE PRIESTS AND THE PARISH COUNCIL WISH YOU A BLESSED PASCHA.

CHRIST IS RISEN-TRULY HE IS RISEN

MANY THANKS TO PRIESTS AND CHANTERS for their work at the entire Lent period. Also we thank all the donors

anonymous and non, who offered for decoration of icons, the Epitaphion, the Church, for the lambs, eggs, as

well as those who offered their work, parishioners and council members, and generally speaking all that needed

in order to have a wonderful Lent period and a blessed Pascha..

THERE IS NO KNEELING TILL THE SUNDAY OF PENTECOST WHEN WE HAVE THE KNEELING SERVICE

THANKS. We thank all those donors who offered donations for decoration of the icons, the Epitaphion, the

Church, for the lambs, eggs as well as those who offered their work, so that we could have a beautiful Lenten

period and blessed Pascha. Donation in Memory Sixty Dozen Eggs for the Resurrection was donated by Christ

and Valerie Karfakis in loving Memory of their son Stefan T. Karfakis. May his memory be eternal.

THANKS to Zumas family for their generosity every year, who donated a whole Lamb so that we could make

mageiritsa for the Resurrection dinner. God bless you.

Stewardship is like oxygen for our church! Stewardship is the most important financial source we have to

sustain our church, and our church needs loving and heartfelt support! Our fixed monthly costs at St. Nicholas

are aroun $48,000.00. This means that the treasurer (rain, snow, or sunshine) must find $48,000.00 to pay the

obligations of the church each month. Currently, one third of our parish‘s income is derived from the

stewardship pledges. This means that we depend on other, external, sources to sustain 70% of our church

needs. If this is OUR community, why should we expect someone else to pay for it?! We thank you for your

continued stewardship effort, by giving of your time, talent and treasure as God has provided you the ability

to.

ICONOGRAPHY: God-willing, we will soon be completing one of the last major phases of the iconography for the

Church. The scenes and saints on the right side of the Nave have been donated. Many thanks to all those who have

donated. God willing, our Iconographer Kosta Theodorou will be coming at the beginning of June. Please see Fr.

Palis, Steve Kandianis or Niko Tatalias with questions if you are interested in donating in honor of your family

(Large scenes): The Publican and the Pharisee, The Prodigal Son, The Rich Man and Lazarus, the Parable of the Ten

Virgins, and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross) (Full-body): -Ss. Sophia, and her daughters Faith, Hope and Love,

St. Euphemia the Great Martyr, St. Macrina, St. Olympiada the Deaconess, St. Theodora the Empress, St. Kyranna

the New Martyr, St. Chryse the New Martyr, St. Xenia of St. Petersburg, St. Matrona of Moscow or a female saint

of your choice (See one of the committee members mentioned above).

PARISH NEWS

ST. NICHOLAS ACADEMY IS LOOKING FOR A FULL-TIME PRESCHOOL EDUCATOR for the upcoming school year. Applicants must have: PA Certified in Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education, Previous experience working

with children, Current background checks and clearances. Please send resume and cover letter with current references to: St.

Nicholas Academy, 1607 W. Union Blvd. Bethlehem, PA 18018, ATTN: Deb Hrousis.

OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY of Mr. & Mrs. Tino & Jane Koutroubis for the repose of Jane’s mother, Shirley

Kerr. May God rest her soul.!

OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO Mr. & Mrs Spiro and Karen Zumas & family for the repose of Karen's mother, Evangeline

Kiminas. May God rest her soul.

Our Sincere Condolences to the family of George Gabriel who reposed to the Lord recently. May God rest his soul and

grant comfort to his family. May his memory be eternal

OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES to the families of Georgia Petropoulos and Stavros Marmaros for their father Nikolaos

Marmaros who reposed to the Lord recently. May God rest his soul and grant comfort to his family. May his memory be

eternal.

ST. PHOTIUS BANQUET HONOREES: We congratulate Mrs. Katina Columbus, and Emmanuel Tatalias for receiving the St.

Photius Award recently from our Metropolis on May 7, 2015 in Pittsburgh, for their many years of dedicated service to our

Church.