Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral HERALD

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1 Page Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral HERALD DECEMBER 2018 V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas Dean Fr. Christopher Kolentsas Assistant Priest Tel INSIDE THIS ISSUE Dean s Message 2 President s Message 3 Stewardship 4 Parish Council Message 4 Ministries List 6 Sacraments/Memorials 7 Philoptochos News 8 Philoptochos VIP 9 Feast Day Article 9,10 Orthodox Calendar 11 December 4th Barbara the Great Martyr December 6th St. Nicholas the Wonderworker December 12th Spyridon the Wonderworker December 24th Christmas Eve Vesperal Liturgy 6:00 pm December 25th The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ December 27th Stephen, Archdeacon & First Martyr 12th Century Angel Mosaic, Uncovered in 2016 Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, West Bank

2 Page 2 THE DEAN S MESSAGE A CHRISTMAS GIFT OF TIME A very successful and highly respected local businessman tells about the greatest Christmas gift he ever received. He was a youngster when, one Christmas, he discovered a box under the Christmas tree with his name on it. The box was from his dad. It was so light he said about the weight of the box itself, and I couldn t imagine what might be on the inside. At first I thought what might be on the inside. Then I thought it might be some money, but I knew better, because we were very poor at that time and didn t have any money to share. I could hardly wait, he said until Christmas Day when I could open up the gift from my dad and see what it was. Finally Christmas Day came. Inside the box he found a note, just a simple note, that s all. But what that note said meant everything in the world to him. I pray that under your Christmas tree you will place a large wrapped box of time certificates. Shower your family with these gifts and make Christmas a reality every day of the coming year. Merry Christmas In Christ, V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas, Dean This is what the note said, Dear son: This year I will give you three hundred and sixty five hours of my time and my undivided attention, one hour every single day right after dinner. It s yours! We ll talk about what you want to talk about. We ll go where you want to go. Or, if you wish, we ll play what you want to play. But it will be your hour and my hour together and it s what I want to give you for Christmas this year. My dad not only kept that promise the businessman said, but he renewed it every year. It s the greatest Christmas gift I ever received and now that he s dead and gone, it s more precious to me than ever. Dear brethren in the Lord. As you begin to think about the bundle of gifts you will place under your Christmas tree this year, think about the most precious gift you can give to your family and most especially to your children and grandchildren. That most life-changing and soul-enhancing gift is your gift of time. In our day and age, time is indeed more precious than gold, more elusive than a dream. It is a gift everyone can give. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gave us the gift of His time by entering time as a babe in Bethlehem. The gift of His time allows us to have our personal moments with Him in prayer and fellowship. It gives us spiritual intimacy and strength.

3 Page 3 PARISH COUNCIL MESSAGE CHRISTMAS The twelfth month of the year. As we all know, this is the time when we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time when our hearts tend to be a little softer, a little more open, a little more generous, a little more forgiving, a little more peaceful. Would it not be wonderful to hold onto these feelings throughout the year? One of my favorite sayings is from Charles Dickens, I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. To me, its sentiment is timeless, universal, and always fitting. That s really what Christmas is all about. Each of us is incredibly blessed in so many ways. But those blessings aren t just meant to be enjoyed they re meant to be used and shared with those who have less. The Christian faith teaches us that on this day a child was born so that we might have eternal life. And at the heart of many of the world s great religions is the idea that we re all better off when we treat our brothers and sisters with the same love and compassion that we want for ourselves, Barack Obama. In this holiday message, I thought it would be nice to share other words of Christmas inspiration that you can take into the coming year. Christmas is joy, religious joy, an inner joy of light and peace, Pope Francis. It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand, Mother Teresa. And Know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time, Jesus Christ. Wishing a blessed Christmas to one and all. Yours in Christ, Maria Baltazzi, Parish Council President Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone, Charles M. Schultz. Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it s Christmas, Dale Evans Rogers. A good conscience is a continual Christmas, Benjamin Franklin. Christmas is a state of mind. It is found throughout the year whenever faith overcomes doubt, hope conquers despair and love triumphs over hate. It is present when men of any creed bring love and understanding to the hearts of their fellow man, Ronald Reagan.

4 Page 4 Believe and Belong through Christian Stewardship STEWARDSHIP FAMILIES NOVEMBER 2018 $2,000 To $3,999 $650 To $999 Anonymous (1) Billis, Mr. and Mrs. Stephan Gilman, Mr. & Mrs. Brian Georgeson, Mr. Michael & Mrs. Helen $1,000 To $1,999 Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Anonymous (1) Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael Helm, Michael & Sophia CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION Please join us after Divine Liturgy on December 25 for a Champagne Celebration Hosted by Jim Demetriou and Mary-Kay Demetriou. Hope to see you there. Dear Stewards of Saint Sophia Cathedral, GENERAL ASSEMBLY We will be having our General Assembly on December 2, 2018* after services. Members in good standing are encouraged to attend. Thank you, Parish Council Dear Saint Sophia Parishoners, 2019 PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS Giving back to our community can be very rewarding. If you would like to serve our community by joining the Parish Council, please submit your name, and phone number to Jack Stumpus at jwstumpus@aol.com. You must be a member in good standing and let us know by Sunday December 2nd. Elections will take place Sunday, December 9 th. FR. BAKAS TO BE HONORED His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian has announced that our own Fr. John Bakas will be honored for his ministry and general outreach to the community on Tuesday, December 4th at 7:00pm at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, 3325 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank, CA Our Saint Sophia choir will be singing a number of our Greek Orthodox hymns, joined by the St. Leo Armenian choir. Please attend this unique event, as we celebrate common traditions with our Armenian brothers and sisters. As we say here in our Byzantine Latino Quarter, We are each angels with one wing and we can only fly embracing each another.

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6 Page 6 MINISTRIES Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral Very Reverend Father John S. Bakas, Dean Chris Kolentsas, Assistant Priest Jim Kollias, Choir Director Mario Lazaridis, Protopsaltis Michael Kontaxis, Assistant Psaltis Christopher Yokas, Organist James Karatsikis, Sexton FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES Executive Officers George E. Preonas, President. Gig Kyriacou, Vice President Constantine M. Boukidis, Secretary Tina Callas, Treasurer Members V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas, Maria Baltazzi, Timi Loomos Freshman, Steve Hanna, Diane Sakellaris Lapa, Tony Natsis, John Peterson, Jean Paul Wardy, Jim Zaferis Presidential Appointments Nicholas Manolelis, Associate Trustees Emeritus Nicholas Bissias, Andrew Evangelatos, John T. Pappas, Alek Haidos, Dr. James A. Demetriou PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY Executive Officers Judith Christopoulos, President Christina Peratsakis, 1 st VP Maria Toczek 2 nd VP Virginia Noyes, Recording Secretary Mary Tassop, Corresponding Secretary Mary Gallanis, Treasurer Connie Cooper, Assistant Treasurer Members Dorothea Ales, Anna Aronis, Mary-Kay Demetriou, Dina Demetrius, Alexia Itzigsohn, Olga Jordan, Constance Manders, Sophie Mastor, Marianna Politis, Jayne Poullos, Patricia Skeriotis, Allison Stavaridis ADMINISTRATIVE AND CUSTODIAL STAFF John Kopatsis, Executive Director Jessica Benitez, Admin. Assist., Angela Kim, Accountant Oscar Castro, Erick Mendez, Mauricio Mira, Devin Smith, Alejandra Villasenor, Staff PARISH COUNCIL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Executive Officers Maria Baltazzi, President Glenn Lianos, 1 st Vice President Peter Cosfol, 2 nd Vice President Angela Ananias, Treasurer Dinah Wellington, Recording Secretary Bertha Angels, Corresponding Secretary Members Bill Striglos; Costa Bargeliotes; Daniel Settelmayer; Dean Peratsakis, Jeanine Hanna; Paris Yatskar; Tonifaye Palomares Anna Yallourakis, Associate Member Auditing Committee James Boltinghouse, Anthony Demetriou, Phillip Ruhl, Pete J. Cazacus ALTAR BOYS Chris Halekakis BASKETBALL Gig Kyriacou & Paul Cooper BIBLE STUDY Very Rev. Father John Bakas BOOK STORE William Striglos CHILD CARE Kathy & Marsha Zagorianos CHOIR Jim Kollias COFFEE HOUR Ann Pappas Georgia Vasila DOCENTS Angela Ananias EASTER PICNIC Ted Pappas GREEK DANCE GROUPS Barbara Kappos Eleni Constantine Manolelis Demitra Koutsos HELLENIC ENTERTAINMENT COOPERATIVE Dina Demetrius HELLENIC ACADEMY Anna Aronis John Kopatsis HOSPITALITY Niki Korbakis Maria Pelargos L.A. GREEK FEST Parish Council Executive Board MR. & MRS. CLUB Dean & Christine Peratsakis PHILOPTOHOS V.I.P. Angela Ananias, President SAINT SOPHIA CAMP Melanie O Regan Kathleen Kyriacou Stephanie Lubian (Co-Chair Golf Event) Nick Ananias (Co-Chair Golf Event) Tony Mastor (Tennis Event) Mary-Kay Demetriou (Tennis Event) SUNDAY SCHOOL Eleni Yokas YOUTH V. Rev. Father John S. Bakas

7 Page 7 BAPTISMS December 8 Zoe Barnett daughter of Sterling Barnett and Amalia Paliobeis Sponsors: Alexandra Georgiou and Vasilios Petrou Leonidas Sala son of Nestor Sala and Vasiliki Sala Sponsors: Christos Papakostas and Hasmig Lisa Nalbandian Michael Mack Zax son of Paris Zax and Christina Mack Sponsors: Dorothea Paschalidou Dion Anastasios Dionisopoulos son of Emmanuel Dionisopoulos and Rebecca Simonsson December 2 Kenyatta Smith December 9 Louis Anastas December 16 Eleni Romm December 23 John Kopatsis December 30 John Holloway Sponsors: Christoffer Tsantikos EPISTLE READERS December 2 WEDDINGS December 8 Shereen Rabadi and Amir Farzin Koumbaros: Nicholas Haddad MEMORIALS Theodora Naoumovitch (1 year) Katherine Pentogenis (6 months) Steve Skoutaris Amilia Skoutaris Lulu Kappas Michael Pentogenis Christina Kappas Peter Markos Anna Markos George Markos Gust Kappas Fotini Paula Roussos (2 years) Nick Stathes (40 days) December 9 Petroula Arvanitis Fotini Chiampas James S. Drulias Penelope Caiopoulos Batanides Andrew Kyriaco Elias Chimarios (40 days) Bill Anast Catina Anast Ernest N. Anast Chris Daly Virginia Daly Nikos Daskalelis Spiros Daskalelis Aristidis Daskaleros Angela Daskalieros George Daskalieros Stavros Daskalopoulos Marina Koukis Lea Sackas James Spears John Tsioutsias Nekoletta Tsioutsias George Williams Sophoula Dagres Palomares (7 years) Jose Demetrios Christos Fani Demetrios Ekaterini Nikos Costas Yianni Presvytera Ana Ramon Lucia Angela Josephina Michael Divris Dora Divris Fotios Aronis Kostas Divris Sophia Sotiriu Vasilios Tzavellas Steve Cosfol (27 years) Pauline Tassop John Tassop (20 years) Ernie Tassop Nicholas Tassop Lola Gialketsis George Gialketsis Ernie J. Tassop December 9 MEMORIALS December 16 Stavroula Kouvaritakis (5 years) Panagos Kouvaritakis (47 years) John (59 years) Eftychios Psaltiras (2 years) Basile Aronis Mary Aronis Melina Margaret Aronis Ray Rasmussen Stacy Rasmussen Gus Constance Margaret Constance Spiro Constance December 23 Louis Loukaris (21 years) Lucas Loukaris Efstratios Despina Stavros Hariklia Efstratios Myrsini Fotios Hariklia Myltiadis Marika Gina Litsa Symeon (Sam) Zagorianos Panayiotis Korbakis Georgia Korbakis Helen Phinos Andreas Phinos December 30 Theophanis Sirus Steve Halekakis (40 days)

8 Page 8 PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS ANGEL TREE This year we will be collecting gifts for children ages 1 year -15 years old. Tags will be put on our tree with each child s Christmas gift wish. The Angel tree will be located at the Philoptochos Table during Coffee Hour. You can also choose to make a donation to Philoptochos (for a Target Card). Please write: Angel Tree (on the memo line). For more info: cperatsakis@yahoo.com PLEASE NOTE UPCOMING EVENTS: January 6, 2019 Holy Theophany and Vasilopita Celebration January 20, 2019 Debutante Presentation Ball

9 Page 9 PHILOPTOCHOS VIP I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving with friends and family. Now comes the Christmas season and I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas. Kala Xristougena. We are inviting you all to join us for the last and festive event of the year. Thursday, December 13, 2018 is the Christmas Luncheon. Donation is $ Chair person is Irene Mitropetros and co-chair is Anne Dres. To make your reservations, please call Mary Morrison at or mail your reservations to her at 1325 Valley View Rd, #201 Glendale, CA Please make your reservations as soon as possible. There will be a delicious luncheon, favors, singing and a visit from a special person from the North. In His service, Angela Ananias, President Christmas concert 21 st Annual Christmas Musicfest under the Byzantine Dome, Sunday December 2, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. Featuring; the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral Choir and soloists directed by Jim Kollias, the POYAC - Pan-Orthodox Young Adult Choir directed by Jonny Braun; and the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church Khachaturian Choir directed by Deacon Stephan Gozumian. They all are presenting Orthodox Christmas hymns and chants, plus several selections from the English Christmas Carol repertoire and traditional sing-along carols of the holiday season. Freewill offering. Reception immediately following concert. It is a wonderful and joyous way to begin the Christmas holiday season. THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY By John Kopatsis Passing along Star Street in Bethlehem in the West Bank towards the Holy Place of Jesus Nativity, as did the Magi from the East and, later, countless pilgrims, in the distance, and before arriving to the square in front of the current church, the visitor is struck by the enchantment of a place that for centuries has called millions of pilgrims from throughout the world to adore it. Arriving at the paved square, the Church of the Nativity comes into view. At first sight it is not easy to understand the architectural structure of the church complex, which over the centuries has undergone numerous transformations. It was originally commissioned in 327 by Constantine the Great and his mother Helena, Saints Constantine and Helen, on the site that was the birthplace of Jesus. That original church was destroyed by fire during the Samaritan revolts of the 6th century, and a new church was built in 565 by Byzantine Emperor Justinian, who restored the architectural tone of the original. The Church of the Nativity, while remaining basically unchanged since the Justinian reconstruction, has seen numerous repairs and additions, especially from the Crusader period, including wall mosaics and paintings. Over the centuries, the surrounding compound has been expanded, and today it covers approximately 130,000 square feet, comprising three different monasteries: one Greek Orthodox, one Armenian Apostolic, and one Catholic. In its interior, the church has preserved all the architectural elements from the 6th century. The floor of the original 4th century church was completely paved over in mosaic. During the Byzantine period, due to the variations in the floor level within the church, the floor was re-done using white-veined marble. Through trapdoors opening in the pavement it is still possible to enjoy a view of the ancient mosaics. Their workmanship is truly detailed and refined, above all those in the nave. Their density of tesserae (small squares of stone or glass) is twice that of ordinary mosaics. This factor by itself allows one to understand why these decorations are so highly valued, as their higher density permitted the representation of more refined images and the reproduction of more shades of color, like the effect of higher pixilation in digital pictures. The result was decorative mosaics that are extremely detailed, reflecting the importance of this Holy Place. The particularly dark appearance of the nave is due to the continued to page 14

10 Page 10 continued from page 13 inadequate maintenance which over the years has led to a deterioration in the condition of the Church. The lack of maintenance left the church s priceless mosaics obscured under layers of dust and soot or destroyed by rain water that seeped in from the leaky roof. Yet the surviving mosaics have emerged with such luster that it s difficult to believe they were created nearly 1,000 years ago. Commissioned in the 12th century by the Crusader king Almaric I and Byzantine Emperor Manuel Komnenos, the mosaics with their gold and silver leaf pressed under clear glass, inlaid mother-of-pearl and local stones which at one point completely covered the walls of the church, retain their fascinating effect. The tesserae were positioned tilted downwards in order to enhance the beauty of the mosaic when observed from a position several meters below. In this manner a strong visual impact is received by the pilgrim upon entering the church, despite the poor state of preservation. Only 1,400 square feet of mosaics remain from the original 21,528 square feet that adorned the wall. The remaining mosaics portray different scenes in the life of Jesus and the church, Joseph and a dolorous Mother Mary, Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey and the Assumption. The 12 apostles are depicted, including doubting Thomas with Jesus pulling his hand to his crucifixion wound. There are glimmering saints and patriarchs, even a baby camel. The mosaics are reminiscent of Byzantine mosaics of Sicily, Florence, and Ravenna. Art historians commented that the Bethlehem mosaics employ plant and animal designs that are also strikingly similar to Byzantine era mosaics in Jerusalem at the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque. The Grotto of the Nativity, the place where Jesus was born, is an underground space which forms the crypt of the Church of the Nativity. It is the oldest site continuously venerated in Christianity. It is situated underneath its main altar, and it is normally accessed by two staircases on either side of the altar. The Grotto is part of a network of caves, which are accessed from the adjacent Catholic Church of Saint Catherine's. The exact spot where Jesus was born is marked beneath this altar by a 14-pointed silver star with the Latin inscription Hic De Virgine Maria Jesus Christus Natus (Here Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary.) The star is set into the marble floor and surrounded by 15 silver lamps representing the three Christian communities: six belong to the Greek Orthodox, four to the Catholics, and five to the Armenian Apostolic. The Church of the Nativity is shared by the Greek Orthodox, the Catholic and the Armenian Orthodox churches. It is governed by the traditional Status Quo, the 1852 agreement that preserves the division of ownership and responsibilities of various Christian holy sites. In years past, the denominations have been known to jealously guard over their sections of the church, to the extent of fist fights breaking out over who could clean which part of the stone floor. Relations among the churches have become progressively more cordial over the past decade, and the three churches were able to come together under the auspices of a special committee formed by the Palestinian National Authority. Through joint discussions they reached a working agreement permitting the much needed restorations on the Church of the Nativity to begin. The Church of the Nativity was placed on the 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund. The mosaic restoration is part of the first known overhaul of the revered church since 1479, and it came just in the nick of time. A Palestinian official warned in 2011 that churchgoers faced a dangerous risk of collapsing beams, The spot of Jesus Birth and the United Nations declared the church an endangered World Heritage site in The initial phase of the restoration work was completed in early New windows have been installed, structural repairs on the roof have been completed and art works and mosaics have been cleaned and restored. Palestinians consider the Church of the Nativity a national treasure and one of their most visited tourist sites. During the work, a restoration technician was slowly passing a thermographic camera over the smooth plaster walls, when she spotted an intriguing shape. As she and her colleagues began painstakingly scraping away the plaster, a radiant face emerged, illuminated by mother-of-pearl. According to Giammarco Piacenti, CEO of the Piacenti Restoration Center in charge of the church restoration, when the team saw the first golden tiles of a shimmering halo, it was a very emotional moment. Beneath the plaster stood an eight-foot-tall angel, lost for centuries but now rediscovered and reunited with six other angels that watch over pilgrims in one of the oldest churches in Christendom. The seventh angel was an unexpected reward of an arduous, multi-year effort to rescue the 1,700-year-old church from centuries of neglect. The angels' arms gently direct pilgrims toward the Grotto of the Nativity, the site where Theotokos gave birth to Jesus. During the Ottoman Empire, the angels' faces were disfigured with gunshots to the nose and so here the missing pieces have been replaced, said Piacenti. "They were shot in the nose to destroy, to kill them," Piacenti said. Restoration gave them "a second life." Both Islam and Judaism prohibit graven human images.

11 Page 11 DECEMBER 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat th Sunday of St. Luke 8:30 am Orthros 9:45 am Memorials 10:00 Divine Liturgy Barbra the Great Martyr 8:45 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Bible Studies Class w/ Fr. John 11 am St. Nicholas the Wonderworker 8:45 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy 9 10th Sunday of St. Luke 8:30 am Orthros 9:45 am Memorials 10:00 Divine Liturgy 16 11th Sunday of St. Luke 8:30 am Orthros 9:45 am Memorials 10:00 Divine Liturgy Bible Studies Class w/ Fr. John 11 am 12 Spyridon the Wonderworker 8:45 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Young Adult Bible Studies Class w/ Fr. Chris Young Adult Bible Studies Class w/ Fr. Chris 7:30 pm Sunday before Nativity 8:30 am Orthros 9:45 am Memorials 10:00 Divine Liturgy 24 Christmas Eve Vesperal Liturgy 6 pm 25 The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ 8:45 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy Stephen, Archdeacon and First Martyr 8:45 am Orthros 9:30 am Divine Liturgy OFFICE CLOSED 30 Sunday after Nativity 8:30 am Orthros 9:45 am Memorials 10:00 Divine Liturgy 31 Strict Fast Fish Allowed Wine and Oil Allowed Dairy, Eggs, and Fish Allowed Fast Free

12 Page 12 Saint Sophia Greek Cathedral Greek Orthodox Community 1324 South Normandie Avenue Los Angeles, California Place address label here Phone We re on the Web! Religion and science are fighting a joint battle in an incessant, never relaxing crusade against skepticism and against dogmatism, against unbelief and superstition... [and therefore] 'On to God! Max Planck, April 23,1858 October 4, 1947) was a German theoretical physicist whose discovery of energy quanta won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918