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SAINT NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL 1607 West Union Boulevard Bethlehem, PA 18018 ORTHODOX Witness VOLUME 29 ISSUE 314 MARCH 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS Church Informatio 2 Father Nick’s Notes 3 Parallel Lives Of Saints 4 PARISH COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES 6 The Wonderful Hero of the Revolution 8 calendar 10 GREEK SCHOOL NEWS 14 The Night of Gethsemane 16

Community news 19

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

Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and His Eminence Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh. The mission of St. Nicholas

Greek Orthodox Church is to keep and proclaim, pure and undefiled, the Orthodox Christian Faith and traditions in

conformity with the doctrine, canons, worship, discipline, and customs of the Church.

Fr. Nicholas Palis, Protopresbyter (Proistamenos ) Dean 610-440-0995

Fr. Nicholas Kossis Protopresbyter 610-694-0948 Fr. Alexander Petrides, Presbyter 610-867-1327 Mrs. Despina Kotsatos, Secretary 610-867-1327

OFFICE HOURS: Monday-Friday 9:00 πμ – 12:00 μμ

1:00 μμ -5:00 μμ SUNDAY SERVICES Orthros 7:15 AM

Divine Liturgy 1 Greek 8:30 AM

Divine Liturgy 2 English 10:15 AM

WEEKDAY SERVICES Orthros 8:00 AM

Divine Liturgy 9:00 am

THURSDAY Paraclesis 6:00 PM

SATURDAY Great Vespers 7:00 PM Please see the calendar in the web page for weekday services

CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS BUILDING ENDOWMENT TRUST George Vasiliadis

John Diacogiannis

George Glaros

Alex Alex

Nikolaos Varvarelis

ACADEMY ST. NICHOLAS Debbie Hrousis

CHOIR

Director Dr. James Chiadis

Organist Nicos Elias :

GREEK SCHOOL : Theodore Evangelou

MOMS & TOTS: Presvytera Stephanie Petrides

GOYA/YAL Fr. Alexandros Petrides

MISSIONS

Coordinator : Nitsa Vasiliadis

Secretary: Eleni Pippis

PHILOPTOCHOS : Debbie Mouhlas

SENIOR CITIZENS: Mary Moukoulis

SUNDAY SCHOOL Thalia Schmidt, Stratoniki Hahalis

WEBSITE: www.stnicholas.org

EMAIL: secretary@stnicholas.org

Name of Publication: Orthodox Witness

PARISH COUNCIL 2016 Argeros William

Dectis Peter

Economedes Emmanuel,

Economou Dimitri

Fliakos Valante, Vice President

Garcia Joel,

Giambilis Demetrios,

Hristofas Kostas, Treasurer

Hrousis Costas

Kapsalis Nick Secretary

Lioudis George

Mouhlas George, President

Tatalias Helen

Tatalias V. Emmanuel

Zannakis John

DEADLINE FOR PUBLICATIONS

WEEKLY BULLETIN – PLEASE SUBMIT

ANNOUNCEMENTS

to church office by Thursday.

MONTHLY BOOKLET–

Please submit announcements to church

office by the 15th of the prior month.

Please Note – All articles are subjected to

approval and editing.

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March 2017

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

We have now begun Great Lent. Our Church helps us intensify our prayer by offering services

every evening. As I have asked in the past I would ask you to attend as many of these beautiful services

as you can, and that you at the very least experience at least one of each of the different services offered,

Great Compline, Presanctified Liturgies, Salutation Services, and Compunctionate Vesper Services.

Great Lent is also a time when, aside from the prayers and services, we also intensify our charity and

fasting. Charity gives wings to prayer and at the beginning of Lent we will be giving out Mission Boxes

to our parishioners. Please put your change in them and bring them back on Palm Sunday, as this greatly

helps our missionaries who endure many hardships and difficulties and sometimes even risk their lives

to spread the Orthodox Faith. Speaking of Missionaries, on Friday March 4th, we are having Missionary

Jesse Brandow speak at the Salutation Service briefly and then he will show a Power Point

Presentation in the Hall about the amazing conversion of thousands of people to Orthodoxy in

Guatemala.

Then on Sunday March 5th, we are having one Liturgy with the Procession of Icons. I ask that

you have your children bring their favorite icon to Church for the Procession. After the service we will

have a Missionary Luncheon in the Cambanes Hall.

On the same day the Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers on Sunday March 5th, at 4:00 PM will be at

St. Mary’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Allentown with Fr. Alex Goussetis who is newly appointed as

the Director of the Center for Family Care of our Archdiocese, as the speaker. It will be followed by a

reception which I hope many of you can attend!

Then on Sunday March 12th, at 5 PM Missionary Nathan Hoppe will be talking to both our JOY

children and all those who wish to come, about the Missionary Work being done in Albania. We are

asking our parishioners to come and bring a pot luck dish.

The articles in this bulletin are: “The Wonderful Hero of the Revolution Of 1821”

about Theodore Kolokotronis, by Archimandrite Anania Koustenis, and “The Night of Gethsemane” by

Alexander Kosmatopoulos, translated from the wonderful Peiraike Ecclesia Magazine.

I pray that these articles along with all the opportunities Great Lent affords us, will help us come

closer to God, and will benefit us greatly!

With much love,

In Christ,

Fr. Nicholas Palis

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PARALLEL LIVES OF SAINTS: SAINT SERAPHIM SAROV - SAINTPAISIOS THE HAGHIORITE by the Metropolitan of Nafpaktos. Sir Hierotheos

2. Unconditional Love to humans Both saints after a great ascesis they did, out of love for God, obtained very great love for people.

When one reads the life and state of Saint Seraphim of

Sarov, he sees that at first he avoided the world, but later,

at the age of about 56 years after a vision of the

Theotokos, he opened his cell of and received all the

people and thus he really became a staretz, a spiritual

leader of the people. Hundreds and thousands of people

were running to him, countless souls were going to find

in him comfort of soul and to hear words for their

salvation. Many people who could not visit him sent him

letters and asked for his help and blessing.

Those who met him changed conduct, they felt the grace

of God touching their souls at the time he prayed for

them, when he blessed them with the sign of the cross

and anointed their forehead with oil from the oil lamp of

the Virgin Mary, and when he gave them spiritual

counsels.

Saint Seraphim of Sarov loved people very much, he drew

them with his presence. And he would tell them: 'acquire

real peace and then thousands of people all around you

will find deliverance." And it is known that he greeted the

people he met with the words: "My joy, Christ is risen!"

So whoever approached Saint Seraphim of Sarov felt this

great joy and the great love that came from his internal transfigured being.

The same thing occurred also with Saint Paisios the Hagiorite, especially when he went to the Holy Mountain and

furthermore to the hut of the Precious Cross, near the Monastery of Stavronikita and later at the Hut of

Panagouda, near the Monastery of Koutloumousiou. His underling, the Hieromonk Isaac the Lebanese writes in

his book:

"The Elder all day long accepted them, he was treating them and sacrificing many hours with them to listen to

their problems, to carry their cross, to take their pain, to advise, to rebuke, to heal, and even to amuse them,

without at all considering, whether he himself was sleepless, hungry, thirsty, tired, or sick. But what cost him was

that he interrupted and lessened his undistracted prayer. He was literally aflame with the desire for silence and

unbroken communion with God. But his sensitive and loving heart did not allow him to leave those "toiling and

heavy laden" unconsoled.

So he tried and succeeded with discretion to combine excellently ministry to people and the hesychastic life ...

According to a witness, once when Fr. Paisios was very tired he persistently rang the bell. At the time he was

preparing to open saw his reposed Elder, Father Tikhon outside the wires pleased telling him: "I rejoiced that you

receive the people".

Fr. Paisios had very great love for people. And he himself said confessionally:

"I do not control myself, I have become the program of people. In olden times my mind would sink in the prayer.

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Now I live people's problems. Many times I jump up in my sleep." He perceived furthermore the necessity for

people also who would come to ask his opinion, his prayers, blessings, and counsel. And he would say: "Don’t

think that people come here to pass their time. They have big problems. And what makes me continue such a

situation is that some souls are helped. I, let’s suppose, started out for a monk to live in obscurity, but the people

will not let me. An Elder told me: "You, Elder Paisios, have a rule to accept the people and comfort them." Now

How God will judge me, I don’t know."

In the end, Saint Paisios loved people very much. Whoever approached him felt in the heart the greeting of Saint

Seraphim of Sarov "My joy, Christ is risen." There is furthermore also a witness according to which the Virgin

Mary appeared to him and told him, as also occurred to Saint Seraphim of Sarov: "My job is to guard your

frontiers and I do. So you too can accept the people regardless because they have need "... With his hesychastic

experience he made use of prayer at night and as many hours a day he managed to be alone. When he was alone

he mentioned in his prayer the requests of people to God and when he was with people, he preached

ChriSaintGod and hurting people now became the two axes around which his whole life revolved."

The element of complete and unconditional love connects Saint Seraphim of Sarov with Saint Paisios the

Hagiorite.

3. Ἡ ἐπικοινωνία μέ τήν ἄλογη δημιουργία

3. The communication with irrational creation

The life of Saint Paisios the Haghiorite was closely associated with the life of Saint Seraphim of Sarov in that both

had become reconciled both with irrational creation, and the wild animals saw in them the Grace that exuded

from them, the grace of Adam before the fall as Saint Isaac the Syrian says. Thus, once they became fraternal with

creation, all the wild animals respected them.

We read in the life of Saint Seraphim of Sarov that, when he lived in the wilderness and forest, he had a friendship

with the wild birds and animals and furthermore with a huge bear, which every day came to receive hospitality

near him and the Saint gave her food. He lived, that is, the state before the fall from paradise. And there is the

witness of a fellow who went to see Saint Seraphim of Sarov and before he approached him he saw from afar a

sight. He saw, namely, Saint Seraphim of Sarov feeding the bear and he felt very great fear, but simultaneously

admiration also.

This is exactly what one sees also in the life of Saint Paisios , again as is described in the book of Hieromonk Isaac

the Lebanese, that he had become fraternal with the animals. An incident is written from the time practiced

asceticism at the Monastery of Stomio in Konitsa.

"In the woods around the Monastery bears live. The Elder met a (Bear) in a narrow path, while he was going up to

the monastery with a loaded donkey. The bear gathered to the side for the Elder to pass. He again gestured with

his hand for her to pass first" And she" he narrated in a charming way, "stretched out her leg and grabbed my

hand, for me to pass." He told her: "Tomorrow Never don’t appear down here, because I’m expecting people.

Otherwise I will grab you by the ear and I will tie you in the stable."

Also in this book is written:

"A bear would often come, she had become familiarized with him and the Elder would feed her. On the days

when people would come to the Monastery the Elder forewarned her not to appear and cause fear in the people.

The bear sometimes transgressed the Elder’s command, would unexpectedly appear and whoever would see her

got frightened. Many had seen her; among them Katie Pattera, as she narrated. "I was climbing up one night to the

Monastery with a flashlight to attend the Divine Liturgy. I heard a noise, I threw the light and saw an animal

something like a big dog. She followed me and when I arrived, I asked Fr. Paisios , whether the dog is the

Monastery’s. He answered: "Is this a dog? Why look well. It’s a bear.'"

It seems clear that both saints had communication with animals and bears who respected them.

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PARISH COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017 MEETING MINUTES Dimitri Economou and John Zannakis swearing in to Parish council.

1. OPENING PRAYER & SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

-Fr. Alexandros Petrides gave the opening prayer.

-Fr. Nicholas Palis gives spiritual thoughts about the life of St. Athanasios.

2. REPORT OF THE PRIEST:

-Fr. Nicholas Palis reports: Fr Nicholas will not be attending this coming Sunday due to a family christening.

-We are sorry to hear the repose of Fotini “Frances” Dectis, may her memory be eternal.

Fr. Alexandros Petrides reports: Today we celebrate St. Anthony.

-Youth report:

-Tots starting a pilot book club for Dr. Philip Mamalakis’ new book on parenting.

-GOYA: GOYA board meeting this Sunday, Super Bowl party on Feb 5, GOYA basketball tournament in

Wilmington on Feb 18th, and the standard monthly GOYA night (outside speaker) and dinner discussion (Fr.

Alexandros).

-OCF: Resuming in February.

-Camp: New week format. Busses and scholarships from St. Nicholas remain.

-Altar Boy room: New cubbies for folded robes, and hook for prayer rope. Each altar boy has personalized cubby.

-Pan-Orthodox Activity: Blessing of the waters this Sunday, Jan 22, 3 pm.

-St. Tikon’s Seminary benefit concert Feb 19th, 6 pm.

Other:

-Weekend Update-new format gives statistics. We average about 50% open rate for the 400+ subscribers we have.

3. ROLL CALL AND ACTIONS ON EXCUSES FOR ABSENCE:

Present: Nick Kapsalis, Valante Fliakos, George Mouhlas, Kosta Hristofas, Ellen Tatalias, Manny Tatalias, Dimitri

Economou, Jimmy Giambilis, Bill Argeros, Manny Economedes, John Zannakis, George Lioudis, Fr. Nicholas

Palis, Fr. Alexandros Petrides, Joel Garcia, Kosta Hrousis

Absent: Pete Dectis

4. -PETITIONS & COMMUNICATION: No petitions and communications

5. -MINUTES: The minutes of the December meeting 12/13/16: George Lioudis made motion to accept, Manny

Economedes seconds, motion passed unanimously.

Minutes from Parish Council officer elections held on 1/15/17: Bill Argeros made a motion to accept,George

Lioudis seconds, motion passed unanimously.

6. STEWARDSHIP: Kosta Hristofas provided the steward report of 2016. Overall stewardship (As of December 31,

2016,) in the amount to $210,921 (95.87%) out of the budgeted $220,000. To achieve 2016 Stewardship budgeted

amount-$9,079.00 (4.12%)

7. TREASURES REPORT: Kosta Hristofas reported that the month of December, our incomeFor December 2016-

$80,974 and our expenses were 71,910.00. Thus, net income was 9,064.00.Motion by Manny Economedes to accept,

second by Ellen Tatalias. The motion passed unanimously.

8. OLD BUSINESS / SPECIAL REPORTS - STANDING COMMITTEES:

-Photo directory is about finished. Pictures are all done, as well as the captions. Fr. Alexandros will be sending

out an email and for those who do not have email to send a letter to the community to verify and approve.

Additional communication will be in the upcoming Sunday bulletin. Please talk to Fr. Alexandros Petrides for

details.

-Special Projects-Walk through history. The committee has grown and diverse, as such, there will be more input

and suggestions.

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-Centennial- Addendum is going to be about 100 pictures. Everyone who received the book will get the

addendum

-Mrs. Georgia Vasilopoulos spoke about a Greek School event in April to host a Greek traditional singer, Areti

Ketime to sing for the parish, community, and Greek School that will sponsor the event at St. Nicholas Greek

Orthodox Cathedral, Cabanes Hall. There will be 300 tickets available for the event. We have a contract in place

by the singer’s entertainment agency- $10,000 total expense to host the event. We have six people to cover the

expense if the event does not get sold out. Evening concert date: April 29, 2017. The date is clear of all church

events. Ticket pricing TBD.

-Bill Argeros motions to approve Mrs. Vasilopoulos with the understanding prior to signing

any contract will be deposited with the Parish treasurer, and to have council review the legal paperwork upon

executing the agreement second by Manny Economedes. The motion passed unanimously pending conditions.

-Three Hierarches is held on -Saturday April 29th, 2017

-Building and Grounds-Dome/Fab system/Doors update- Manny and Pete are meeting

with Butz to discuss the bids that were submitted.

-Doors and key fab system are being reviewed by three companies. Several doors

will be replaced throughout the church and hall and will be up to code.

-No keyed entry to the churches main doors and auxiliary doors to the hall and

front entrance doors will be modified. This will enhance the security of our Parish and Academy.

-See Manny Economedes for additional information.

-Sunday Pangari duty schedule: Issue is not enough people for second service

duty. We are looking for volunteers to ensure we have enough coverage.

-Security / Surveillance cameras / locks- Looking at security options to have

the narthex, sanctuary, and windows secured via alarm system as a long range

planning for the Parish.

-Growth-How do we better utilize the space we have including, but not limited to

the homes around our Parish. There is potential to expand the church's grounds

as long range for our future.

-Transition. Long range planning will be important to keep in mind for our

clergy. Retirement, promotions, etc, will be realized.

-Festival dates- 3 days in September- September 15, 16th, and 17th.

-New Year's Eve dance recap-It was a success over 200 people attended the event.

The event brought in $9,000 (gross), bringing in a marginal profit

Old Business: Credit cards. Joel Garcia spoke about the electronic credit

system to have a virtual terminal on church grounds, and to have a virtual set

up on-line to a one-time transaction which is not set up as of yet.

-Having the access to code our website to donate on the churches landing page.

9. -NEW BUSINESS: See long term planning. Churches locks are officially changed. New keys have been

distributed to designated council, clergy and staff.

Priests, Presidents, Treasurers meeting will be held in Pittsburgh PA on Saturday, January 21,2017.

-Next parish council meeting will be Monday February 13, 2017 at 7:00 PM.

Motion to Adjourn by Seconded by Valante Fliakos, second by Kosta Hristofas.. Motion passed unanimously.

Father Nicholas Palis gave the closing prayer.

Rev. Nicholas Palis Nicholas Kapsalis George Mouhlas

Dean Secretary President Rev. Nicholas Palis Nicholas Kapsalis George Mouhlas

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The Wonderful Hero of the Revolution of 1821 By Archimandrite Ananias Koustenis

We will speak today also, my venerable fathers and beloved brothers, about the wonderful hero of

the Revolution of 1821, Theodore Kolokotronis.

Once that brilliant secretary of his, Photakos, Photius Chrysanthopoulos, was speaking to him,

and told him that some other chieftains, and he mentioned them by name, are against him. And they are

saying that he did not offer anything, to this matter of the Revolution. And Theodore, guileless

Theodore, what did he answer? Why, my child, let them speak, pretend that you didn’t hear and that

you didn’t tell me anything. Because now that God willed for us to be freed, let them not ruin it for us”.

This is very wonderful and very didactic. Because to us also, people come and say about other

people. What they said about us, that they criticized us. And what is usually our own behavior? We

immediately become embittered, we get enraged and we want to seek the reason, if possible at that time,

and for us to supposedly put matters in their place. They say that Theodore also, could he have not put

them in their place with his bravery and his boldness and the strength that he had? And nevertheless, he

would leave them sometimes. Why should he sit now, to go seek account from the chieftains “why you,

why did you speak thus?” Then what would happen? They would become worse. “Leave them”, he

says, “now that God put His signature to liberate the homeland, let them not ruin it for us”. This is

magnanimity of soul, this is wisdom, and so for this reason, he was also named the Elder of the Morea.

The fathers of the desert were also called and are called Elders, the ascetics and whoever has spiritual

strength and much grace and wisdom and prudence. Leave them he says. Let them not ruin what we

began.

Because in Greece, what happens usually, my brethren? Whatever good thing the one makes, the

other one also ruins. Supposedly to make a better one, and we never see a better one. And this applies

much more so, for those governing, but also for all of us. Did the other one build something good, why

keep it, and upon this you also build even more. Let us proceed forward, to go better. To construct a

brighter future. And to also give the example.

So this, from our dear Theodore is very beneficial. Let us keep it in our soul, and as much as we

are able, let us implement it. Furthermore, we also recall the great Prophet David from the Old

Testament, when some officer went and told him: such and such a general is criticizing you. And what

did the wise great prophet answer? “Let him be criticizing me, my child. God put him to do it. So that

God could see how I, David, the wise and great will react”. And he closed the other person’s mouth and

he left.

Another time again, Theodore was speaking with Photakos about the newspapers. Today we also

have many newspapers and they write many and various things. Something occurs and you get the

newspapers and you go to be informed. And what exists? From the one end to the other, things are

mentioned. The one black, another white, another the one and another the other. And you say, now

where are we? Which is the truth? What should I hold onto, what should I take? What should I believe

and what should I not believe? So for this reason also, he writes to Photako: “if you expect to learn the

truth from the newspapers, you will never learn them” […]

Another time again, at the Second National Gathering that was taking place at Astros, Arcadia, a

very difficult moment came, there in the meetings and conferences that they were doing. And the people

became so enraged, that they wanted to kill the rulers. Things had reached the extremes. And Theodore

enters in, who had boldness and bravery, he was righteous, he really loved, and also loved Christ, he

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also loved the homeland, he also loved people and cared for them, so for this reason, his word had

validity. Today people don’t listen to us because we don’t care for them, we don’t love them. […] So he

sat in the middle and says: “why sit down, why lads, we set out the struggle for the freedom of the

homeland. If now we’re killing amongst each other and furthermore we are killing the rulers also, who,

they are people like us, what will the other nations say? That we started the Revolution in order to kill

each other? And we didn’t start the Revolution to free the homeland from the tyrant? So they will

criticize us. Do you want the others to be criticizing us? “No leader, No we don’t want that”. “Well, stay

behaved then”. The people were also right and many times the rulers bring us to the “amen”, and we

don’t know what to do. We don’t know how to behave.

Listen now with the taxation what a mill is going on. […] So for this reason Papadiamantis writes

in the Murderess, there in the prologue- how beautifully he says it! ”… The looting of the Turks was

succeeded by the taxation”. Papadiamantis was “the seer,” that wise “seer”, like that prophet in the Old

Testament, the Prophet Samuel. So, he was “the seer”. He saw everything and spoke with everything

and wouldn’t play favors to anyone. Not even to his own self. Of course “The looting of the Turks was

succeeded by the taxation, which does not have ears”. […] it is injustice! And injustice reaches up to

heaven, my brethren.

How Saint James, the brother of God says it, “the reward of the workers who harvested the fields,

and it was not given, cries before the Lord Almighty”. Behold the Gospel that says it all! And

furthermore the Epistle of James is a purely social Gospel. It says everything. The payment cries out

that was not given. And furthermore, the ancient regulations would say “did the other one work? Pay

him that same day as soon as the work finishes”. For him to work means that he does not have, that he

has need and he needs to eat, in order to make due. Give him to get a little bread, to take home, to take it

to his family. To go with his face held high, so the others can also get strength.

So that’s how Theodore Kolokotronis faced the people who were enraged against the rulers. Who

had, it should be noted, deep faith in Christ and in the Virgin Mary and in the saints. That’s why the folk

song also says “they threw coins to the Virgin Mary, coins also to the saints and to the Master Christ the

silver gun cases. On horseback they go to church, on horseback they worship, on horseback they take

the antidoron from the priest’s hand.” That was it, Theodore Kolokotronis had so much faith. And

when the Revolution began, the Revolution was made by two people. First the Patriarch, Gregory the

fifth, the hieromartyr and ethnomartyr, whose relics lie in the Metropolitan Church of Athens, and

whoever of us pass by there, let us enter in to venerate it honorably and to kiss it. And let us thank him

for what he did and ask him to intercede for our Race and for the universe-because he was also the

ecumenical patriarch.

So two people made the Revolution. First patriarch Gregory, who received the Mystical Company

from Rega Velestinli, Pherraios, Anthony Kyriaze, so that it would not be lost and he handed it to the

Friends. From there the Revolution began. Only he also put the Friends, because today in the schools

and the institutions, the higher and the highest ones these things are no longer said. There is grumbling,

political misery, now the children also have gotten tired of the politicians.

Fortunately however, there is the embrace of Christ and of Orthodoxy. And many, very many of

those students and university students and high school students come to the Church. So Theodore

Kolokotronis had this deep faith. And when the revolution began, and he went up to the mountains he

was almost alone. And he says “… I was alone in the mountains with God.” and he

made the first revolutionary flag. With two tree branches which he united crosswise. And this was his

banner. And he said, “the first place to the cross”. The first place to the cross”. The Cross is the trophy

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of victory. The Cross is the weapon against the devil. The Cross is the real sign of joy. The Cross is the

proof of God’s love for humanity. So for this reason, Theodore Kolokotronis would say “the first place

to the Cross”. And glory to those crucified unto the ages. And those crucified are glorified always. Our

forbears were crucified. They went through Holy Friday of the Race with the Turkish Occupation and

arrived at the sweetly dawning of 1821 which was the Sunday of Pascha for the enslaved race. So for this

reason also, when they would greet each other they would say “Christ is risen” and the others would

answer “Truly he is risen and Greece is risen” they would add. That’s where the enslaved Greek

Orthodox and the rest of the enslaved ones of the Balkans and of the rest of the state’s based themselves

on, who were Orthodox Christians. On the holy faith of Christ, so for this reason also, after the

liberation, Kolokotronis was speaking at Pnika to the students of high school and he told them among

other things: “when we took up the weapons we said first “for the sake of faith”, “homeland” didn’t

exist”. But also what had happened? The “faith” had also become “homeland”. And the Church had

become the ruler of the nation. This is very important. The holy Church took in her embrace the

enslaved Greek people. The educated ones, the rich ones and the powerful ones, what did they do?

Most left for the West. They imparted their civilization and they did well, but they left behind the

people, enslaved and alone. But the people then woke up, the people then were reborn because “in

affliction you widened me and in affliction we remembered you” says the Old Testament. And they

embraced the forgotten Christ. […]

And as the great general Makrygiannis says in his Memoirs “… In the age of the Turkish

Occupation many people became sanctified”, so for this reason also, every day, in the lives of the saints

we see neomartyrs.

And today we have a new Turkish Occupation, worse than that one, and more sly and more

dangerous, my beloved brethren. And we need new Kolokotronis’ and new Gregory the 5th’s and new

Regas Pherraious’ and new national poets, like Dionysius Solomos. […]

Once Kolokotronis was going in a village to church to be liturgized. And his secretary and some

others were with him. And outside the church they had posted to the door, we would say, an

accusation, a libel against Theodore Kolokotronis. The secretaries saw it, he himself did not know

letters, as is familiar, he would only put his signature, but he was so strong, and so effective and

important that he says: “why read it, lads, take it rather with you”. They went to church, the liturgy

finished, he asks the priest, he says: “have my secretary read that which we found outside”. He reads it

and his enemies were accusing him. And he says before the people: “you, my children, what do you

say? Are these things true, for which they are accusing me?” “No, general”. “Well then leave it, let it fall

on them”. And the older ones were saying, I also remember my reposed grandmother: “whoever we

criticize unjustly, we take his sins”. Just think about this a bit. We take his sins and we have them and

he does not have. How do you find this?

And once, another time again, he was speaking with the English Naval Admiral Hamilton, at

Anapli. And Hamilton was telling him: “go on find them, reconcile with each other”. The westerners

are now also telling us the same thing. That we should find it with the Turks, we should reconcile, we

should sit at the same table, to do those and those things that you are hearing and saying every day. The

same voice. And the same mindset. And what does Theodore say? “Listen for me to tell you, admiral.

We will never make a capitulation with the Turks ever. Our King Constantine Paleologos fell fighting

and he did not hand over Constantinople. The struggle is continuing”. What could the other one say

afterwards? He stopped. He closed his mouth. The struggle is continuing. And till today it is still

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where the Greeks lived and the rest of the peoples united and beloved. […] continuing. We will never

make a treaty with the Turks. Who took all those areas from our own sins,

Democracy, my brethren, needs virtue and daring. It needs majesty, it needs decisiveness. It

needs a person to be sacrificed, a person to offer and a person to grant an excellent example if he is a

ruler. An excellent example. Kolokotronis granted this example. So for this reason, he inspired people.

And when he and Karaiskakis were asking to gather an army they gathered it as fast as you could say

three. Why? Because they had trust, they had example, they had love, they had straightforwardness.

Their word had validity and it was a contract. And when Kolokotronis learned of the death of

Karaiskakis, of the glorious and brave Karaiskakis, he was crying, his Memoir writes, he was crying like

a widowed woman. He was crying like a widowed wife, because he loved George Karaiskakis very

much. Who, despite the weaknesses and imperfections that he had, was brave, was a patriot, he also

granted a good example. And when some battle was finishing and they offered him food to eat, he was

saying: “why, did all the others eat?” We don’t have, general, we have so little that it is enough only for

you and for 2-3 others yet”. “Well, then, I don’t want to eat. Give it to those who are not able to walk and

have become exhausted. I still endure”. Doesn’t this impress you, my brethren. From where were they

inspired? From the grace of Christ. Karaiskakis would ask the Virgin Mary to make him well for the

Race, the Virgin Mary Proussiotissa. To make him well for the Race and he also made her a vow. While

Kolokotronis loved the Virgin Mary and had her as his private friend. And so for this reason, he was

sitting in a church there at Chrysovitsi, at the ruins. The hordes of Turks, of the Turkish Albanians were

passing by and were not leaving anything standing and “I was crying, he says. And my song (while I

was sitting) was where I was crying for Greece”. Well, he didn’t know grammar «where I was crying for

Greece». Greece that he exceedingly loved, and for which he gave everything. And he was asking, in

another church again, of the Virgin Mary, my Virgin Mary, help us to liberate the Race and I will make

you a better church”. Because that church was in ruins, near Megalopolis. And another time he was

saying: “God placed His signature for the liberation of Greece and He will not take it back again”. And

in other critical battles, he was saying that he was seeing the Virgin Mary and she was inspiring him and

was telling him to advance and they would win and they did win.

Faith does miracles, faith moves mountains, faith makes the impossible possible. So for this

reason, they were able and they endured. Despite all their divisions and despite all the weaknesses,

despite all the difficulties, despite the pettinesses’, they managed the unachievable. And he writes in his

memoirs, at the Occurrences of the Greek tribe by dictation to Tertseti these things occurred- as he calls

them: “when we began the revolution they called us crazy. Where are you crazy people going, with two

hatchets, five pickaxes and two clubs and 10 canes? Where are you going, to go against the fully armed

Ottoman Empire, which is supported also by all the other powers, the Sacred Alliance etc.. Where are

you going and what are you doing, they called us crazy”. And Theodore adds: “but if we were not

crazy, we would not have done the Revolution. The Armenians and the others who played it logically,

are to this day enslaved, my brethren. Whereas our own people who rose up with this godly craziness,

with his heavenly rain, as Theodore writes again, managed the unachievable”. They liberated our

homeland, the glorious, most sweet Greece, the Orthodox country of Christ. They liberated it and we

have her today free. And we are able to breathe, and we are able to worship our God, and we are able to

say five words, and we are able to do so, so many things. Think if you have over you at every hour and

moment the barbarian conqueror, and you are not able to breathe, you are not able to do your cross,

you’re not able to have a family, you are not able to go to your job. For us here, for us they gave

everything.

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They could have capitulated to the Turks, as Hamilton said, to sell out and furthermore, the chieftains

and the rest to be having a good life and the people to be the servant and slave.

An unending slave, and for us to be suffering today. You will tell me that we are suffering today also.

However it is not the same thing, my brethren. Forgive me. It is not the same thing. […]

We are able to speak, we are able to worship the Lord, we are able to pray both for our rulers who

have their imperfections and weaknesses and difficulties. But, we have this privilege, during the Turkish

Occupation what did the people do, they were running to the mountains and the hills, they were hiding

in the caves and the holes of the earth, and they were forced to go out and to revolt, because they could

not endure and they were not able anymore and they offered for their own selves, but mainly for us who

would follow, their blood and their life. For this land to be liberated. So for this reason, if you wish, and

I will finish, let us not forget, my brethren, all the heroes of our homeland, all the benefactors of our land

and all the benefactors of humanity. The person who is a forgetful person who is ungrateful, a person

who forgets, should not be called a human. And as Anthony the Great says somewhere in the Philokalia,

“a human is called a human unsolicited when he is not a person of God”. Theodore Kolokotronis from

there where he is, sees us, he observes us, he hurts for this land and when one leaves from here for the

other life, he does not forget. He lives everything, you should know this, he remembers everything, he

sees everything, he feels everything and he observes everything. And when he sees us becoming better,

do you know what the Church says? He also becomes better. Do you understand this?

When we become more virtuous, more faithful, more good, more correct, more Christian, then we

also influence those who have reposed, because the human race has unity. And when man leaves from

this creation, he no longer has either, the free will, and he stops sinning anymore. So for this reason, the

older people would wish, that the time of death be good, that it be in repentance.

And our Church asks that the ends of our lives be “Christian, painless, blameless, peaceful” that

we have “a good defense” before the fearful judgment seat of Christ.

So on the day when the archgeneral of the Peloponnese, the great and important Kolokotronis

reposed, people froze when they learned of his death. It cost them, it hurt them, they missed him, their

souls and life became orphaned. So what does a man do when he has divine zeal? He’s able to correct

the whole municipality, the whole multitude, whole countries, the whole universe-let us not forget

Constantine the Great and Alexander the Great –and he produces results for centuries and for future

innumerable generations. So for this reason, we also, let us try to be grateful for the heroes and all our

benefactors, and especially, let us insist on imitating their excellent examples. Because “the honor of a

martyr, is the imitation of a martyr”. Thus the honor of a hero, is the imitation of a hero also.

Let us keep from Theodore, his revengeleassness and his magnanimity of soul, his deep faith and

his great humble-mindedness and his love for homeland. Theodore Kolokotronis was God-loving,

philanthropic and homeland-loving. And once when they were asking him what party he belongs to, to

the French, the Russian or the English, he said: “I’m neither a Francophile, or a Russophile, nor an

Anglophile, but I’m only a Godphile, a friend of God, I belong to the party of God, I belong to the

Church of Christ. I love my Orthodox and glorious homeland. And I give everything for her.” How

much a person is enheartened by these things, how much his soul fills and afterwards he goes out and he

also wants to hold a struggle. To love God, to love the homeland, to love people, to correct himself, to

become better and to fill with the grace of this love and of this majesty.

(Translated from the Peiraike Ecclesia magazine volume 279, March 2016 pp. 19-23).

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The Night of Gethsemane

By Alexander Kosmatopoulos

36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go

over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and

troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch[a] with

me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup

pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping.

And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into

temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and

prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them

sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying

the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later

on.[b] See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see,

my betrayer is at hand.”

After the mystical supper Jesus and his disciples go to the stream of Kedron with the red waters

from the sacrifices of the animals, and they, as they customarily did, to the place with the ancient olives

which was called Gethsemane, and in Hebrew it means olive press. So the time of the authority of

darkness was now approaching (Luke 22:53).

Jesus takes Peter, James and John and departs from the rest at a distance of a stone throw.

He begins being disturbed and impatient. “My soul is greatly saddened unto death. Remain here and

keep vigil with me”, he tells the three disciples. “And going a little far off he fell upon his face praying”. The

hour of this trial which expresses the condition of his soul th is a phrase from the psalms of David. Th

with this phrase it is as if he is being associated with the primordial pain of man. This deep sense is

expressed more clearly with something that is already been said in the scriptures and Jesus repeats,

precisely to give the depth of the sense of pain which overtakes him. It is not a thought of his own which

comes at that moment to his lips, a sigh only for the trial which he is undergoing, but a response from

the depths of the ages, kneaded with the conscience of a whole people: “why are you greatly saddened, O

soul, and why are you shaking me up?”* (Psalm 41:6).

In the unending night in Gethsemane the Son of man is called to take on his own the iniquity is of

the whole of humanity, and to reveal the love of God the Father. “My father, if it is possible that this cup

pass for me. Nevertheless not as I want, but as you do”. The saying which resounds the Psalm of David (39:7-

9) “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast

thou not required. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, O

my God”. If is the time when every mortal flesh is silent.

What else can God’s will be except the birth of love in the world? The “Thy will be done” refers to a

birth, and not to a forced obedience of a slave to a master. And this birth cannot but be the birth of love.

If we consider Jesus’ attitude as a behavior of an obedient son or of a sufferings servant, I’m afraid that

we are very far from the pain and the agony of Gethsemane. How can god, who is love, desire the death

of his Son as in a flowing of some sick tendency towards death? Jesus accepts to die. Not however from

some dark will of the Father, but in order to change the flow of life of humans, for man to come to know

the truth and to live. If he blindly obeyed some divine commandment, his death would come not from

humans but from God. However the saying of Isaiah (53:4) gives the answer: 4 “Surely he hath borne our

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griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted”. (He was loaded

with our sins and hurts for us, whereas we thought that it was wounds and hardships which found him

from God.)

Isaiah reveals that the death of Jesus is out of love the campaign for man. Christ obeying the will

of the Father essentially obeys the will of love, in order for true life to triumph. 14” We know that we have

passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in

death.15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him”

(1 Jn. 3:14-15). And in order for this to happen in all the fullness of its inconceivable depth, which no

human speech, no tongue is able to describe, the Son loves unto death, as perfect God, as the Father.

For one to not love his brother does not differ from murdering him. The rejection of the other

tends towards casting away and murder. Jesus gives his life for man to come out of the condition of

rejection and casting out his neighbor, and to come out of the vicious cycle which does not lead except to

murder and to death. In the garden of Gethsemane the gift of love which exceeds every knowledge is

completed. Love as a gift of the Father through Jesus Christ.

After the temptations in the wilderness Satan reappears on the Mount of Olives as a thought of

fain-heartedness. Jesus is called to face the temptation and furthermore before the cup of martyrdom. It

is the clash with the authorities and the rulers, with the powers of darkness in the heavens, who govern

this world. But it is not a clash as we would imagine it, a battle about who will prevail. It is the absolute

weakness before the absolute power of authority. And the rulers and authorities are defeated, there

where they were certain that with the Crucifixion of the Just One they would triumph and be delivered

from him. Secular power is defeated by him who abandons every earthly strength and authority.

Three times Jesus returns to the spot where his three disciples were waiting, and three times he

finds them sleeping. And he says to Peter: “thus were you not able 1 hour to keep vigil with me?” it is not just

the disciples are sleeping, the whole of humanity is sunk in sleep, and there is no Prophet to wake them

up. So for this reason also Christ agonizes in each one of us. No person would be able to indoor the

magnitude of the agony and his loneliness. “Keep vigil and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation. For

while the spirit is eager, the flesh is weak”. Outside the prayer and the vigilance each step is uncertain, each

moment insecure. Prayer, beyond all the shouts, beyond all the sounds, is in the facets of a silence which

people did not know between them. It is that deep breath where the last desire of man is contained to

unite with God the Word. It is the “let it be done according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).

“44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood

falling down to the ground.” From where does his ineffable agony set out from? It is as if all the evil which

governs the world is breaking out upon him. The beating, the slaps, the spitting, the crown of thorns,

and the whip, the crucifixion, the vinegar and the gall to the lips, the choking of breath, the stretching of

the body, the unbearable thirst, the pain of all the members. It is Christ in his most human moment,

where the magnitude of his humanity his agony itself counts it. Jesus at that time does not represent

humanity, but is humanity. The taste of pain of Christ in Gethsemane, which includes the pain of the

entire some enmity, rips apart the boundaries of the individualness.

The night of Gethsemane eight denotes the definitive victory over idolatry, men’s tendency to

worship idols, to sacrifice and to be sacrificed for them. Here love speaks. “No one has greater love, then

that he lay down his soul for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus died is for man to live. An attitude which turns

completely towards life and towards neighbor. The triumph of life which has no relationship with

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death. “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and

none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.13 And now come I to thee; and

these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” (When I was with them in

the world, I guarded them with the power of your name and none of them was lost except only the son

of perdition, so that the scriptures could be fulfilled. Now I am coming to you, and I’m saying these

things while I am still and the world so that they have my own joy in them in all its fullness), he says in

his last, before his handing over to the scribes and Pharisees, prayer (John 17:13). The fullness of Jesus’

joy, which he witnesses in the world and in history, is the passing over to the Father, which through his

own martyrdom is now possible.

(Translated from the Peiraike Ecclesia Magazine, Volume 278 February 2016 pp. 24-25)

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COMMUNITY NEWS / UPCOMING EVENTS

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 around $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: Many thanks to the generous supporters of this beautiful and important work for our

church to this point. The next stage will complete the remaining side areas of the nave. Please see Fr.

Palis, Steve Kandianis or Niko Tatalias if you have questions, or if you are interested in donating an icon

in honor of your family. Arches: Angels in Medallions, Holy Myrrhbearers on the left (Ss. Mary

Magdalene, Joanna, Salome, and Holy Unmercenaries on the right (Cyrus and John, and Tryphon the

Great Martyr) Side Saints: half and full-body saints of your choice (see the committee members listed

above). Also available: Ss. Mark of Ephesus, Photios the Great, Eleni of Sinope, Symeon and Daniel the

Stylites (half-body); Symeon the New Theologian (full body) Scenes: The Theotokos greeting Elizabeth

(with Christ and the Forerunner in the womb) (right).

COMMUNITY SOCIAL EVENTS

ST. NICHOLAS ACADEMY-registration is now open for the 2016-2017 school year. We have Preschool

2's & 3's, Pre-K 4's & 5's and full-day Kindergarten openings. Visit our website www.stnicholas-

academy.com or contact Mrs. Hrousis 610.867.1530 for a registration form. Spots fill up very quickly, so

be sure to register early. .

GREEK/ROMAIC SCHOOL NEWS

1. Make sure you get your tickets for ARETI's Ketime concert (April 29th). They are sold every Sunday

in the hall between the two Liturgies and in the church office every day. You can also email:

annoulamarmar@gmail.com or athanasiapappas@gmail.com. You can also email to these addresses if

you consider to donate and add your ad for your business.

2. The Greek Independence Day Program will be on Sunday, April 2nd (not March 26th).

3. The Greek School will participate in the Akathist service on Friday, March 17th.Greek School

Confession days for the students are Monday, March 13th and March 20th.

4. There will be no Greek School on April 10th and 17th (Holy Monday and Bright Monday).

5. Greek school parents, for Greek School text reminders, text @ellada to this number: 81010.

2017 GRADUATING SENIORS OF FREEDOM AND LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOLS: are invited to be considered for the

Bethlehem Daughters of Penelope "Good Citizenship Award." Submit your name and a list of your

activities and other contributions of good citizenship to Mary Moukoulis (via Church Office) before May

1st. Applicants must be children of Greek descendants, graduating F.H.S. or L.H.S. in June 2017

BIBLE STUDIES Bible Study on the Gospel of John on Monday nights at 7 PM with Fr. Nick and Mr.

Kosta Zalalas will continue his Bible Study on Wednesday nights on the 1st Epistle of John.

The Center for Orthodox Thought and Culture announces 2017 Summer Program for Young Orthodox

Scholars. July 7-15 at Eastern University in Radnor, PA