THE FLAME HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL. Monthly Newsletter. Volume 3, Issue 8 August 2013

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1 THE FLAME HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL Monthly Newsletter Volume 3, Issue 8 August 2013 METROPOLITAN ALEXIOS ADDRESSES CLERGY-LAITY ASSEMBLY Below is the keynote address of His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios, presented in June at the 2013 Metropolis of Atlanta Clergy-Laity Assembly and Philoptochos Conference in Boca Raton, Florida. It is an insightful piece, filled with information on numerous activities and programs within the Metropolis that directly impact our New Orleans Holy Trinity Cathedral community. Please take time to read it. It is my honor and privilege to welcome you to this wonderful city of Boca Raton in the southern part of the United States in our Holy and God-protected Metropolis of Atlanta. At this time, I want to express my gratitude and appreciation to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios for taking the time to be with us and bless us later on today and to stay and celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Sunday. Also, I convey the blessings of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, our spiritual father, who is constantly thinking about us and praying for us, along with all the members of the Patriarchal Synod. Although we may not realize it, I believe that we here in America are the largest and most productive eparchy. As we begin this evening the Metropolis of Atlanta Clergy-Laity Assembly, the gathering of representatives from all the communities in our Holy Metropolis of Atlanta, I give thanks and praise to Almighty God for all His Abundant blessings. Among them is this special opportunity to gather as the people of God, because we know that where two or three are gathered together there Christ is also, to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, which we have just celebrated on Pentecost, and to discuss our common concerns, sharing our ideas, hopes, and dreams for the future of our Metropolis of Atlanta and, especially, for our young people. Last Sunday we celebrated Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit that the Lord promised would guide and protect the church for ages to come. But, the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles for much more than just preaching or evangelism the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles so that they would be inspired and strengthened to continue the work of our Lord in the world. All of us have also experienced our own Pentecost at our Chrismation, we received the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is by the Holy Spirit that we are spiritually awakened and understand that we now have a commission from Christ Himself. So, like the Apostles, we too receive the Holy Spirit and are sent out into the world to be witnesses to the Good News of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is this same spirit that the Ecumenical Patriarchate, our Mother Church, has nurtured and cultivated through the centuries. Even today under cruel persecution and oppression, our Mother Church maintains the faithful witness to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as it did in the glorious days of Byzantium. Here, in the United States, our Greek Orthodox Archdiocese holds high the torch of Truth, and it is up to us to protect this light, making it a beacon that will enlighten us, inspire us, and spread the light of Christ into all the world as His light shines in the darkness. My brothers and sisters, this is our Orthodox understanding of the divine mission that we have been called to deliver this message to the nations, beginning with our own brothers, sisters, spouses, children, families, and friends; in our own communities; in our Holy and God-protected Metropolis of Atlanta; and the entire Archdiocese of America. We have received the great treasure of Orthodox 1200 ROBERT E. LEE BOULEVARD NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA First Greek Orthodox Church in North and South America

2 Continued from previous page Christianity, and we are not to hide our treasure but rather share it with others. That s why we have chosen our theme for this gathering: In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success. (Proverbs 3:6) in order to better understand our mission. In a simple way, our theme gives us the advice that in whatever we undertake we are to do it with love and with all our heart and mind, with commitment, and then let God do the job. Having said that, we need to examine ourselves both personally and as a group in the communities we serve. Some people may say that they trust God, but do we trust Him with our whole heart? When things are good in our lives, do we trust Him? If bad things happen in our lives, do we still trust Him? Or, do we trust Him only in certain areas of our life but ignore Him in others so that we can do whatever we want to do? In other words, are we here to do His will, or are we expecting Him to do what is our will? Indeed, have not we seen many times that the real answer is that we live our lives according to our understanding without ever seeking His will. We should trust God in every part of our lives and also submit to Him in His decisions for us. Trusting God means that we put our faith in Him even when we have doubts or fears. Putting God first means that every decision we make, every second of everyday, needs to be for the glory of God. It means that we should not be afraid to do things that seem difficult or uncomfortable. Trusting God and putting Him first means we may have to step outside of our comfort zone in faith. When we do, He will accomplish His purposes because by putting God first we will make wise decisions. God has blessed us with many different gifts and talents, and if we let Him, He will surely use us to accomplish His will. So, really, my brothers and sisters, the real question we should be asking ourselves is not what we want from God but what He wants from us. And, certainly, the answer is Not my will, but Thy will be done. Of course, here today, I am not speaking to individuals who I must work to convince to join me in delivering God s message of love, but rather I am surrounded by my family of faith, faithful servants of our Lord and His Holy Church, both clergy and laity, who believe in our common mission and are willing to devote their time, talent, knowledge, energy, and resources in order to support it. After all, our clergy spends years of study to prepare themselves to dedicate their lives to the task of leading people on the path to salvation. Our lay leaders willingly offer themselves and their abilities to implement policies and programs that will help others. Therefore, we are the chosen ones, the blessed ones, according to our Lord, who reminds us that with men, it is impossible, but not with God; for with God, all things are possible. (Mark 10:27) Our God has chosen us, whom we serve in our Holy Orthodox Church. So, having now spoken a little about the purpose of this gathering, where all the clergy and laity come together as members of one body, the holy, catholic, and apostolic church, where we were all baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, I would like to share with you some of the wonderful things that have been accomplished in the life of our Metropolis with the assistance and involvement of all of you and many others, who are not present since our last Clergy-Laity Assembly two years ago in New Orleans in My beloved ones, since our last meeting at the Clergy-Laity Assembly, many wonderful things have happened in our Metropolis and our local parish communities. New programs have been developed and implemented at the 2 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral 1200 Robert E. Lee Boulevard New Orleans, Louisiana Fax holytrinitycathedral.org Liturgical Services Sundays Orthros 8:45 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am Weekdays (when scheduled) 9:00 am Cathedral Clergy Very Reverend Father Maximos Pafilis FrMaximos@holytrinitycathedral.org Chanters: Petros Demarinis, Demetrios Pappas Choir Director: Alex Tiliakos 2013 PARISH COUNCIL President: Nick Moustoukas, MD 1 st Vice President: Mike Kleamenakis, OD 2 nd Vice President: Constandinos Vennis Treasurer: Christ Kanellakis Secretary: Vladimir Ammons Members: Evangelia Bilalis, Panagiotis Patselikos, Steven E. Psarellis, Eleftherios Toras, Socrates Toras, and Elias Tsatalios EDUCATION Greek School Instructors: Father Maximos Pafilis and Fay Kalergi Sunday School Following Holy Communion Director: Maria Michailakis ORGANIZATIONS Acolytes and Readers Coordinator: Vladimir Ammons AHEPA President: Spiro Latsis Daughters of Penelope President: Barbara Stavis Wolf Education, Culture, and Youth Ministries Chairman: Steven E. Psarellis GOYA Coordinators: Maria Michailakis and Maria Patselikos President: Sophia Marathonitis Advisors: Maria Stokes, Argeta Labatut, Despina Patselikos, Lenna Korominas Hellenic Dancers Coordinator: Vivi Demarinis Holy Trinity Soccer Director: Katerina Tsatsoulis Sutton HOPE/JOY (age 11 and under) Coordinator: Vicki Mantikos McCallef Advisors: Angeliki Frezoulis, Sina Lawrence, Donna Venturatos Philoptochos President: Connie Tiliakos PTA President: Vicki Mantikos McCallef St. Markella of Chios President: Maria Anastasiou Support: Secretary, Vickie Catsulis Maintenance: Darrell Blunt

3 Metropolis and local level, and, along with that, existing programs have been improved. So that all in all, we should be very pleased at the progress that is taking place in our Metropolis not only in material ways but more importantly in spiritual ways. We have regular gatherings of the clergy at our Diakonia Retreat Center, organized by the chancellor and Clergy Syndesmos President Rev. Fr. Panayiotis Papageorgiou with the assistance of the Diakonia Retreat Center Director Rev. Fr. Vasile Bitere, to spiritually uplift and educate our clergy. I am proud to report that most of our clergy attend twice a year. Last year we were honored and privileged to welcome president of St. Basil s Academy Fr. Constantine Sitaras and professor of Pastoral Theology at Holy Cross School of Theology Dr. Phillip Mamalakis at the Diakonia Retreat Center, and later on psychologist and author Dr. Stephen Muse led us in discussions, which will help us to understand our personal, family, and parish life. This year at our Lenten retreat our Ierokyrix, Fr. Chistodoulos Papadeas, spoke to us about confession and about how as priests we need to confess, if we are to have harmony in our lives and in our families. For I have noticed that if there is disharmony and trouble, it is because we have lost our focus on what is really important. When we examine ourselves in confession, we not only discover wrong doing but also find power from God through prayer to apologize. Confession enables us to reconcile ourselves with our Creator and each other. That is why for years we have had the ministry of the Ierokyrix, or traveling preacher and confessor, here in our Metropolis of Atlanta. For five years, Very Rev. Fr. Grigorios Tatsis, now His Grace Bishop Gregory, served as our Ierokyrix before his elevation as Bishop of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese. However, God sent us Very Rev. Fr. Christodoulos Papadeas to replace him as Ierokyrix, and Fr. Christodoulas has continued to travel around our Metropolis, visiting different communities and offering the Sacrament of Confession, celebrating the Divine Liturgy, giving homilies and inspirational talks. I am very pleased to report that all our priests and the faithful have been most enthusiastic and welcoming so that a great number of the faithful have been moved to seek the Sacrament of Confession, receiving forgiveness and reconciliation with God. We are so blessed that our Metropolis has the largest number of students at Hellenic College/Holy Cross, both male and female. It was a pleasure for me to ordain Rev. Fr. Michael Marcantoni as a Deacon and as a Priest; Rev. Fr. John Codis, who serves as ephemerios at St. Demetrios in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Rev. Fr. John Wallace, who serves as ephemerios at St. Nektarios in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Rev. Fr. Micah Hirschy, who serves as ephemerios at Holy Trinity/Holy Cross Cathedral in Birmingham, Alabama. Deacon Steven Klund was ordained this year and will be ordained to the Holy Priesthood on Sunday. We have also ordained five permanent Deacons Deacon George Malanos, who serves Holy Trinity in Charleston, South Carolina; Deacon Tikhon Cobb, who serves Holy Trinity/Holy Cross Cathedral in Birmingham, Alabama; Deacon John Patelis, who serves St. Stefanos in St. Petersburg, Florida; and Deacon Athanasios Kartsonis and Deacon Michael Koloniotis, who serve St. John the Divine in Jacksonville, Florida. Sadly, in this past year His Grace Bishop John of Amorion passed away, as did Rev. Fr. William Gaines and Rev. Fr. John Liadis. May their memories be eternal! Our Metropolitan Council, composed of both clergy and lay members, meets faithfully twice a year to discuss issues and make decisions about the everyday life of the Metropolis. While there are many things to consider and discuss, the financial situation of our Archdiocese, our Metropolis, and our communities is always an important topic. I want to take a moment at this point to share with you that, although we know that the financial situation is still difficult in our country, we have not stopped building up programs and facilities. Rather, we are constantly finding ways to ease the burden on the parish communities. For example, we have asked the communities to contribute a portion of the proceeds from Greek Festivals that are designated for charities to our Diakonia Retreat Center. In this way, communities are not asked to add this item to their budget. I am proud to report that almost all of our communities have either supported the Retreat Center in this way this year or are planning to contribute next year. Some communities do not designate any of the proceeds from their Greek Festival to charity, and I encourage them to begin thinking about this. I should also mention that your brothers and sisters on the Metropolitan Council and the Diakonia Retreat Center Board, including myself, are not merely preaching, but offering our share to support the ministry of the Center. (NOTE: Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Orleans donated $5,000 to the Diakonia Retreat Center from its 2013 Greek Festival.) Of course, one of our primary goals in our Holy Metropolis of Atlanta is to always strive to better serve our priests, parish councils, and the faithful of our communities. Therefore, the position of Ambassador of the Metropolis of Atlanta was instituted. Ambassadors are dedicated and committed laypeople, who assist the Vicars and our Metropolis in facilitating effective communication and understanding between the priests, communities, and the Metropolis. So, I wanted to recognize and thank our Ambassadors: Dr. George Mavros, George Psetas, Dr. Ted Vlahos, Harry Demas, Michael Forest, Polly Hillier, Evvie White, Jimmy Stevens, John Scurtis, Electra Spillis, Panayiotis Zotos, Dr. Tom Copoulos, Robert Buchanan, Christ Kanellakis, James Mohamed, Dr. Nick Moustoukas, Les George, Dr. Michael Missios, and Tommy Yearout. Speaking of charitable endeavors, our Philoptochos chapters, led by Metropolis Philoptochos Board President Laura Nixon and 3

4 with the support of our priests, parish councils, and the faithful, have been very active and productive, taking the responsibility to assist the Metropolis, specifically the regional Agape Luncheons, to raise money for the purpose of clergy education and for educational programs. The Metropolis Philoptochos Clergy Education Fund contributes financially to the seminary and also makes it possible for us to sponsor educational and inspirational programs for our clergy and seminarians. In 2012 successful luncheons were held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina. Our Atlanta Philoptochos also hosted an elegant luncheon benefiting the National Philoptochos Open the Doors Campaign for the Philoptochos Center of Philanthropy in New York. The Metropolis chapters are always very supportive of national Philoptochos missions, as the largest contributor to St. Basil s Academy, from Vasilopita donations. Several chapters have a Parish Nurse Program, prison ministries, and support programs for children, seniors, the homeless, and autism. Several chapters have active Medical Ministry programs, assisting the critically ill and their families, helping with translation, accommodations, medications, and transportation, among other needs. Their website continues to help improve communication between chapters and the Metropolis Philoptochos Board. The annual Metropolis Philoptochos Retreat at the Diakonia Retreat Center is such a wonderful weekend of fellowship and spiritual renewal that I suggest it be held twice a year in the spring and in the fall. Under the able leadership of Regional Archon Commander Dr. Manuel Tissura, the Archons are well-organized with regular meetings, special programs, retreats, and speakers and are constantly seeking to raise awareness of the plight of our Mother Church and assist the Metropolis in its efforts to minister to the faithful. Last year the prominent columnist and radio personality Jay Sekulow was the keynote speaker at the Religious Freedom Initiative Dinner hosted by our Metropolis of Atlanta Archons. This year s event featured author Dr. Niki Karavasilis, a noted authority on the Smyrna catastrophe. A retreat was held in September in St. Augustine with the special theme of our St. Photios Shrine. In the Metropolis of Atlanta, we consider marriage and family and youth ministry a priority because in today s society our young people and our families are under great stress. The world is pulling them further and further from the truth of our faith. I believe that we cannot allow the world and its values to define our lives rather than our Orthodox Christian faith. This is why it is so important to make every effort to assist our youth and families in nurturing and supporting their spiritual lives. So, we are constantly thinking about programs and the means by which we can support our youth and our families. Through our St. Stephen s Summer Youth Camp, Winter Youth Rally, HDF, and other youth activities and retreats, and the Family Life Ministry, there are many opportunities to learn how to act with love and respect towards ourselves and each other and to nurture a personal, vital, and living faith. The Metropolis of Atlanta Education, Hellenic Culture, and Youth Diakonia department, under the leadership of the Youth Coordinator Presbytera Mari Mars and more recently Stephanie Reid, is constantly looking for and developing opportunities for improvement. The Metropolis of Atlanta Family Life Ministry, led by chairman Fr. Gregory Georgiou and Paul Marchman, has been a great success. In the past year, a Family Ministry website and blog with many resources was created, and several Marriage Enrichment and parenting seminars and presentations were held. The Winter Youth Rally is an annual event in December where hundreds of young people (GOYANS grades 7-12) gather in Atlanta for athletic competitions, Bible Bowl, spiritual workshops, fun, fellowship, and worship. This year attendance was over 600 youth, youth workers, and volunteers. The 2012 Hellenic Dance Festival, under the leadership of Gerry Clonaris and hosted by the parish community of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was again a tremendous success with 500 dancers and 1,000 attendees, a Choral Festival, and workshops. From a dance festival this event has evolved into a full celebration of our faith and culture, where entire families come and participate in many programs related to our Orthodox spiritual life and Hellenic culture. St. Stephen s Summer Camp is as always the highlight of our youth programs. At St. Stephen s, Metropolis of Atlanta youth participate in an organized and balanced schedule of activities, which offers them a well rounded experience of Orthodox worship, learning, and fellowship. Co-Executive Directors Fr. Matthew Carter and Fr. Athanasios Haros and Presbytera Mari Mars directed five successful sessions of camp. Almost 500 campers participated last year with over 60 volunteers, including seminarians, priests, deacons, doctors, and nurses. Although I give thanks for the teenagers that attended camp, I am concerned for the thousands of children in our Metropolis, who have never attended, and I wonder why. The situation is even more crucial when our young people leave their homes to attend college. We know the statistic that 60% of our young people will leave the Church during their college years, never to return. Our Bishops Assembly has taken this issue seriously so that they have appointed a national OCF coordinator with regional coordinators to better organize our important ministry to college students. Thanks be to God, with the assistance of our parish communities, through innovative programs such as the parish adopt-a-student, and Work Daze retreats at the Diakonia Center, Rev. Fr. Anthony Salzman continues his diligent work as OCF Chairman to foster growth in OCF ministries on the parish level. 4

5 The Metropolis of Atlanta 2012 Oratorical Festival took place at Holy Transfiguration in Marietta, Georgia. We are grateful to Festival Co-Chairs Fr. James Berends and JoAnne Lindholm for making this event a memorable one. It was such a pleasure to attend the 2013 Oratorical Festival held at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Tarpon Springs, Florida, and chaired by Fr. Joseph Samaan and Dr. Maria Angeliadis. It was a beautiful and inspirational event, but I could not help but notice that very few communities participated. I often hear parents complain about their children yet, we do not take advantage of all the wholesome and Christian programs and activities offered by our Metropolis and our parish communities. There always seems to be time for basketball or soccer, but never time for such things as the Oratorical Festival. I remember asking a mother where her husband and son were, and she replied that they were at the soccer game rather than in church. At this, I bowed my head and prayed for her and her family. Our clergy should make a special effort to promote such activities and programs, and the parents should ensure that their children participate. Why would we choose to let our children live in darkness, according to the values of a society that is increasingly anti-christian? There are other programs and gatherings initiated in previous years, which have become cherished traditions. One of these is the Archangel Michael Feast Day and Honors. Every year on the weekend closest to the Feast of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel (November 8), we gather not only to celebrate our patron saint but also to honor and recognize one adult and one youth member from each Metropolis parish community at an Honors Banquet and an Archieratical Liturgy at the Annunciation Cathedral. Those chosen for the Archangel Michael Honors exemplify in their lives the loving spirit and generous commitment of a Christ-centered life. Thus, this special occasion celebrates and gives thanks for all our devout, faithful stewards in our Metropolis family, who unselfishly offer their time, talents, energy, and resources to the glory of God and in His Holy Name. We have many blessings and many special occasions to rejoice and give thanks to God. Anniversaries: 50 th St. Stefanos in St. Petersburg, Florida; 50 th Transfiguration in Florence, South Carolina; 50 th Holy Mother of God in Tallahassee, Florida; 60 th St. Demetrios in Daytona Beach, Florida; and 75 th Holy Trinity in Columbia, South Carolina Consecrations: St. Katherine in Naples, Florida; St. Athanasios in Gulf Shores, Alabama; Holy Transfiguration in Marietta, Georgia; Annunciation in Mobile, Alabama; St. John the Theologian in Panama City, Florida; Holy Trinity in Orlando, Florida; and St. John the Baptist in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Thyranoixia: St. John Chrysostom in Hobe Sound, Florida; Holy Trinity in Columbia, South Carolina; Greek Orthodox Mission in Ocala, Florida; St. Katherine in Melbourne, Florida (Educational Building); and St. Andrew in Miami, Florida (Educational Building) Ground Blessing: St. John the Divine in Jacksonville, Florida Naturally, this in only a summary of the everyday life, along with some of the highlights, of our Holy and God-protected Metropolis of Atlanta. We give glory to God by our actions and thank Him for all the wonderful opportunities given us by our Holy Church to work in His Vineyard. Truly, we thank God for all His abundant blessings for all these ministries would not be possible without the assistance and involvement of all the clergy, parish council presidents and members, the Philoptochos, and all the faithful. All these resources, talent, and energy are assisted and enhanced by the staff and volunteers of our Metropolis. I would be remiss if I did not mention the wonderful work being done by our Executive Committee, not only in our Metropolis but across the entire country, starting with Dr. Larry Gess and George Matthews and continuing with Bill Marianes. They have traveled at their own expense to share their knowledge and expertise with parishes across the US. Now, we also have Dr. Michael Missios, offering ways to better organize and operate our parishes on a day-to-day basis. In closing I want to share with you some inspiring and exciting things that are happening in our global Church, both here in the United States and abroad. A few years ago there was a gathering in Switzerland of all the Patriarchal and autocephalous Orthodox Churches under the leadership of His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew. At that meeting, the decision was made to better organize local Orthodox Churches in the same territories. Naturally, this is happening here also. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, advised by His All-Holiness, has organized gatherings and meetings of all the canonical Orthodox Bishops in the United States. I myself have participated in all these meetings, and I wanted to share with you the spirit of cooperation, respect, understand, and, most of all, love that pervades these meetings. Although all of us are united in the Eucharist, the unity in which we believe, we are not united administratively. Of course, this is something that has to be corrected. Under the leadership of our Archbishop, exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, we have cultivated a spirit of brotherly love and unity during our dialog. Now, we need your prayers, your understanding, and your support so that this spirit will continue, and one day we shall all be part of one Orthodox Church in the United States, always with the respect and guidance of our Mother Church. Thank you and God bless you. 5

6 The Divine Liturgy: Part XX The Artoclasia A continuing series on the Divine Liturgy by Father Christos Mars, who serves Annunciation Cathedral in Atlanta, Georgia 6 The Artoclasia, or Blessing of the Loaves, is a service full of meaning and symbolism that derives from the Gospel of St. Matthew and the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. This service can be held at the end of the Vespers service, at the end of Orthros, or even at the end of the Divine Liturgy. It is traditional to have the Artoclasia service at the Vespers service rather than the other two; however, the Church, in its infinite wisdom, allows it to follow the others so that the faithful may experience this great and wonderful service. As a sign of devotion faithful individuals offer five round loaves of bread for personal or family anniversaries such as name days and other occasions, bearing close connection with the experience of the Orthodox faith. It is also offered by organizations for the same reasons. The Artoclasia should NEVER be offered in memory of someone or on the occasion or commemoration of the death of someone or a group of people. For this our faith has the Memorial Service (see Part XIX). The five loaves are reminiscent of the five loaves and two fishes that Jesus Christ blessed in the desert and by which five thousand men were fed. (By men I mean males as in the ancient days women and children were not counted. When it says five thousand men, it means five thousand men not including women and children.) The Artoclasia also symbolizes and brings into practice the Agape meals for the very early Christian communities. In the early church, after the faithful received the Body and Blood of Christ, they would gather in a common meal, thus signifying the brotherly association established between them by their common faith and by their receiving the same sacramental Lord. This meal was known as the Agape Meal. Later, the Agape Meals served a charitable purpose by providing meals to the poorer among them. It was soon after that the Agape Meal was removed from the Sacrament of Holy Communion as the sacrament itself migrated to the morning rather than the evening. The significance behind the Artoclasia service includes also the fact that among the Orthodox bread continues to be highly valued not only as a basic food but also as the supreme symbol of the Body of Christ for it is the bread, which consecrated through the Holy Spirit in the Divine Liturgy, becomes the Body of Christ. Christ has been repeatedly designated as the Bread of Life and also as the Bread which came from heaven. Bread also symbolizes the Church of Christ, which has spread all over as the wheat on the mountains and which was gathered by Christ into one body. Thus, bread has been given a mystical meaning according to which it constitutes the essence of the spiritual life of the Christian. From ancient times the blessed bread of the Artoclasia service has been considered to effect personal sanctification and to help the individual against bodily infirmities and illness if taken with faith. The Greek term Artoclasia derives from the very words used by the Evangelists in describing the Mystical (Last) Supper at which Christ broke bread and offered it to His disciples as His own Body. Also, bread is broken in the Artoclasia service, signifying not only the identity in term but also a far more significant affinity between the Lord s and His Church s breaking of bread. The service begins with petitions for whom the Artoclasia service is being held. I shall focus on the prayers as the petitions put us in the correct mindset to pray. The first prayer reads as follows, Most merciful Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God, through the intercession of our most pure Lady, the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary; the power of the precious life-giving Cross; the protection of the

7 honorable heavenly bodiless powers; the supplications of the honorable, glorious, prophet and forerunner John the Baptist; the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy apostles; our fathers among the saints, the great hierarchs and ecumenical teachers Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom; Athanasios, Cyril, and John the Merciful, patriarchs of Alexandria; Nicholas, bishop of Myra in Lycia; Spyridon, bishop of Trimythous, the wonderworker; the holy, glorious, great martyrs George the victorious, Demetrios the myrobletes, Theodore Teron, and Theodore Stratelates; Menas the wonderworker; Charalambos and Eleutherios, the hieromartyrs; our venerable and God-bearing fathers; the holy and righteous ancestors Joachim and Anna; (the saint of the day) whose memory we commemorate today; and all your saints accept our prayer; grant us forgiveness of our transgressions; protect us under the shelter of your wings; drive away from us every enemy and adversary; grant peace to our life; Lord, have mercy on us and on your world; and save our souls as a good and loving God. This prayer asks us to bring to mind Christ through the help and intercessions of various saints. We are asking Christ to grant us our prayers, to forgive us, to protect us, to drive away from us enemies, to grant peace to our life and to all the world, and, finally, to save our souls. These are all things that each of us would like throughout our lives and is a great way to focus our minds on what is taking place. Following this a wonderful hymn is chanted, usually by the clergy as they cense the loaves. The hymn reads, Hail, most blessed, Mary, Virgin Theotokos, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb for you have given birth to the Savior of our souls. The hymn comes from scripture at the account of where the Archangel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will bear Christ the Annunciation. What follows next is the prayer for the actual blessing of the five loaves, which is taken from the scripture account in the Gospel of St. Matthew Chapter 14. The prayer reads Lord, Jesus Christ our God, You blessed the five loaves in the wilderness and from them five thousand men were filled. Bless now these loaves, the wheat, the wine, and oil and multiply them in this holy church, this city, in the homes of those who celebrate today, and in your whole world. And, sanctify Your faithful servants, who partake of them. The prayer concludes with an exclamation, For You are He Who blesses and sanctifies all things, Christ our God, and to You we give glory together with Your eternal Father and Your holy, good, and life giving Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. The people respond with Amen. Following the blessing of the loaves, the priest, chanters, and choir sing the following verse from Psalm 33, Wealthy people have become impoverished and have hungered, but they, who seek the Lord, shall not lack any good thing. This shows the continuity between the Old Testament and New Testament in terms of Christ and His ministry. The Artoclasia is then taken away, cut, and distributed to the people so they, too, can be filled with the Love of Christ. With this explanation of the Artoclasia, we conclude our series on the Divine Liturgy. I pray that it has been enlightening to all, who have read these articles, and that we have a better understanding of one of the most important sacraments of our Orthodox Faith. +Fr. Christos P. Mars 7

8 DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE DISTRICT CONVENTION The Daughters of Penelope congratulate the new Chapter Officers that were elected and installed in June and express sincere appreciation for all of the work, dedication, and effort of the outgoing officers. On June 21-23, 2013, the Delta District #16 Convention was held in San Antonio, Texas. Barbara Stavis Wolf from the Daughters of Penelope and George Psilos from AHEPA were the New Orleans representatives. In addition to attending meetings, there was a Welcome Night with lots of food and friendship, the Grand Banquet with great food and Greek dancing, a dinner cruise on the San Antonio River, and visits to the Alamo. George Psilos was elected AHEPA District Warden, and Barbara Stavis Wolf was elected SKEPSOU District Newsletter Co-Editor. Mary Ellen Grace won a $50 Visa Card, the Daughters Membership Award, for helping to bring in the most new members to a Chapter in the District. The Chapter also won $100 in the District Scholarship Raffle, thereby recouping the investment of purchasing tickets. The Scholarship Raffle finances the District Scholarships that are awarded each June to students in the District. Save the Dates: The Chapter is looking forward to the upcoming Past President's Tea to honor outgoing President Adrienne Dabbs Owen. It will be held on Saturday, September 14, 2013, at 1:00 pm at the New Orleans Ritz Carlton. Our September meeting is on Sunday September 8 after Church Services. LEFT George Psilos and Barbara Wolf at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas RIGHT George Psilos, center, with Joan and Nicholas Lambron at the San Antonio District Convention Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos The Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos is celebrated on August 15 each year and commemorates the repose (dormition and in Greek kimisis) or "falling-asleep" of the Mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Feast also commemorates the translation, or assumption into heaven, of the body of the Theotokos. The Holy Scriptures tell us that when our Lord was dying on the Cross, He saw His mother and His disciple John and said to the Virgin Mary, "Woman, behold your son!" and to John, "Behold your mother!" (John 19:25-27) From that hour, the Apostle took care of the Theotokos in his own home. Along with the Biblical reference in Acts 1:14 that confirms that the Virgin Mary was with the Holy Apostles on the day of Pentecost, the tradition of the Church holds that she remained in the home of the Apostle John in Jerusalem, continuing a ministry in word and deed. At the time of her death, the disciples of our Lord, who were preaching throughout the world, returned to Jerusalem to see the Theotokos. Except for the Apostle Thomas, all of them were gathered together at her bedside. At the moment of her death, Jesus Christ Himself descended and carried her soul into heaven. Following her repose, the body of the Theotokos was taken in procession and laid in a tomb near the Garden of Gethsemane. When the Apostle Thomas arrived three days after her repose and desired to see her body, the tomb was found to be empty. The bodily assumption of the Theotokos was confirmed by the message of an angel and by her appearance to the Apostles. 8

9 METROPOLIS OF ATLANTA CLERGY-LAITY ASSEMBLY IN BOCA RATON by Barbara Stavis Wolf During the Philoptochos Luncheon several members from the area were recognized for their 50 years membership in the organization. A complete report will be submitted to the Church Board. The Conference was very informative and provided an opportunity to learn more about the workings of our Church and Metropolis. The 50 Years Philoptochos Members with Metropolitan Alexios It was my pleasure to represent Holy Trinity Cathedral as a delegate at the 2013 Clergy-Laity Assembly in Boca Raton, Florida, on June 27-June 30. Many people that I met were still very complimentary of the enjoyable time they had at the 2011 Clergy-Laity in New Orleans. The meetings this year were interesting and well attended. Seminars were presented on improving education in our church communities, and discussion was held about finances, budgeting, and stewardship. Programs of the Metropolis and Archdiocese were discussed, and Metropolitan Alexios and Archbishop Demetrios were available to talk about concerns of the Clergy and the Laity. CATHEDRAL ROOF UPDATE Work on the Cathedral roof is underway and will continue for an estimated 90 days. It will be followed by waterproofing both buildings, painting, and repairs. During this time you are asked to refrain from parking directly behind the altar. The daily work schedule is 7:00 am to 5:00 pm including weekends, if needed for rain delays. Work will stop, if needed, for scheduled weekly services. Such delays, however, will prolong the job. The roofer is greatly concerned about activity around the church while his crew is working. Tiles can fall from the roof, as well as nails and construction debris. There will be workmen, trucks, lifts, etc. moving constantly around the entire premises throughout the day. His opinion for safety reasons is to limit access to the facilities while they are working. We shall follow this request until all the scheduled repairs are completed. VACATION CHURCH SCHOOL Vacation Church School is here! Please check the schedule below for the allotted times. Parents interested in registering their child/children for VCS must contact the Cathedral office immediately. Thursday, August 8 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Friday, August 9 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Saturday, August 10 9:00 am to 12:00 pm SUNDAY SCHOOL and GREEK SCHOOL Classes begin Sunday, September 8, 2013 Register your child/children now! 9

10 S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F I N T E R E S T COMPREHENSIVE REGISTRATION FORMS DUE AUGUST 25 The new comprehensive registration form, enclosed in the July issue of The Flame, is due Sunday, AUGUST 25, Specifically created by the Education, Culture, and Youth Ministries Committee, the form encompasses all aspects of youth related activities in the Holy Trinity Cathedral community, as well as the adult Greek School classes. In an effort to simplify and consolidate the annual registration process, each family will complete only one form, and, in turn, the information will be shared among the various directors. Your cooperation is essential to ensure proper account of participants and the correct ordering of materials when applicable. Please submit your completed form to the Cathedral office on or before the aforementioned deadline. REPEATED APPEAL FOR AUDIT COMMITTEE RECRUITS At this time there is only one member of the Audit Committee. The parish bylaws, as well as the Uniform Parish Regulations, state that three members are needed to conduct an audit. Parish Council members are prohibited from serving in this capacity. The Parish Council has made inquiries but has been unsuccessful in recruiting additional members to serve on this committee. If you are interested and "qualified" to serve, please submit your name to the Parish Council for consideration. LOOKING FOR CAREGIVER Diana and Brian Peterson are looking for an experienced daytime caregiver from 2-3 days a week for their twin one year old daughters. If interested, please contact Diana dnmpeterson@gmail.com or UPDATE ON TABLESCAPE DINNER Plans for the Philoptochos Come and See Dinner, scheduled for Saturday, November 2, 2013, in the Hellenic Cultural Center, are underway. The dinner, which will feature beautiful tablescapes and a silent auction, is one of two annual fundraisers that sustain the worthy philanthropic projects of Philoptochos. A planning meeting to discuss details and responsibilities of tablescape hosts and hostesses will be slated within the month. If you wish to host a tablescape, please contact Vickie Catsulis at or Anthoula Malachias at COME AND SEE DINNER SILENT AUCTION Silent Auction Chairperson Helen Malachias welcomes items for the Silent Auction and asks that you give your solicitations to her or Viki Moustoukas. Additional solicitation letters are available in the Narthex and the Cathedral office. All solicited gifts must be submitted to Philoptochos by October 1, Your support will be deeply appreciated.

11 AUGUST 2013 ~ ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤOΣ 2013 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Strick Fast Wine and Oil Allowed Fish Allowed Dormition Fast Begins GRAY BAPTISM 12:00 pm Vespers 6:00 pm 4 6 th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 8:45 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am Daughters Meeting 12:00 pm 11 7 th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 8:45 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am 18 8 th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 8:45 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am PTA Meeting and Elections 12:00 pm 25 9th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 8:45 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am HTC Family Day-Birthday Celebration 12:00 pm REGISTRATION FORMS DUE! 5 Vespers 5:00 pm 12 6 Holy Transfiguration Divine Liturgy 9:00 am Parish Council Meeting 7:00 pm Education/Culture Meeting 7:00 pm 7 14 Vespers and Artoclasia 6:00 pm 8 V A C A T I O N 9:00 am to 12:00 pm 15 Dormition of the Theotokos Orthros 9:00 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am 9 C H U R C H 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Beheading of John the Baptist Hall Rental Set Up 9:00 am Divine Liturgy 9:00 am 10 S C H O O L 9:00 am to 12:00 pm MARTIROSOV BAPTISM 12:00 pm Vespers 6:00 pm 17 Indian Association Hall Rental Access Hall 10:00 am Event 5:00 pm to 12:00 am Vespers 6:00 pm Philoptochos Ozanam Inn 2:00 pm Young Adults BBQ in the Bayou 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm Vespers 6:00 pm Philoptochos Let s Get Started Brunch 10:30 am Philoptochos Board Meeting 11:30 am to 1:00 pm BAER BAPTISM 1:30 pm Vespers 6:00 pm

12 2013 HOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL STEWARDS Thank you to everyone who has returned his/her 2013 Stewardship Commitment Card. As of July 26, the Cathedral office has received stewardship commitments of $96, from 250 of the roughly 270 families in our community. Of this amount $77, was paid with the average pledge being $ per family/individual. If you have not done so yet, please consider your 2013 financial stewardship commitment. We continue to collect the 2013 forms. For your convenience additional copies are available in the Cathedral Narthex or the office. Thank you for your support. Ammons, Denise and Fred Anastasiou, Maria and Kosta Andersson, Billie and W. Paul Andres, Christine P. Andrews, Bethlehem K. Andrews, Christy and Gregory Angelico, Jean Angelico, Robert and Kathy Conklin Angelus, Maria and George Apostol, Tudor Apostolides, Marlene and Spyridon Athas, Nancy Baer, Elisabeth and Jason Bakamitsos, Marion and Georgios Baldrachi, Peggy Tsatsoulis Barnett, Missy and Jac Barry III, Nicholas Taylor Bell, Victoria and Jon Benoit, Katherine and Chris Beraki, Yergalem H. Bilalis, Evangelia and Petros Bilalis, Markella Bilalis, Mathoula Bilalis, Michael Bouzon, Nicholas Bouzon, Sandy and Spiron Bozinis, Ena and Theodoros Bratsas, Dorothy Cabali, Juanita Caridas, Pauline Catinis, Ana and George Catsulis, Victoria Chancy, Dena and James Charalampidis, Panagiota and Dimitrios Christakis, Ares Christakis, Joann S. Christakis, Loukia and Michael Christakis, Maria T. Christakis, Nektarios Christidis, Georgia and Stylianos Chronis, Diane and Nicholas Commagere, Anastacia Kanellos Cotsoradis, Brille and Stephen Craver, Mariellen and Marshall Dabbs, Stella Demarinis, Eleftheria and Petros DiGiorgio, Catherine DiGiorgio, Olga Dimitry, Victoria Dongieux, Pam and Glenn Doussa, Sandra Dytyuk, Ivan Fotiades, Joan Fotiades, Julie Fouquet Callie Funti, Deborah Ann and Vasili Fyssas, Despina and George Gambos, Fortunate and Andrew Gamvrogianis, Erin and Dimitris Gamvrogianis, Roula and Stamatis Gattuso, Ioana and Roy Gemisis, Georgios Georges, Anita Georges, Constantine Gervais, Angela and Derrick Giannopulos, Mary Gioganis, Lazarus Grass, Kalliope and Matthew Haddad, Vilam Halkias, Athanasios S. Halkias, Feroniki Hansel, Stephen A. Hansel, Tonya and Andrew Howard, Jr., Homer Howard, Stela Howard, Stephan Ioannidis, Eleftherios Ioannidis, Emmanuel Jeanfreau, Tricia and Troy Johnson, Helen Maskas and Ben Kambouris, Ermione and Antonios Kanellakis, Christ and Sophia Pappas Kapesis, Nataliya Kardoulias, Despina and Nicholas Kardoulias, Rhonda and Emanuel Karmoukos, Antonia and Nicholas Karmoukos, James Karmoukos, Stephanie and John Katsaros, Afroditi and Elias Kiriazis, Stavros Kleamenakis, Argie and Nick Kleamenakis, Evangelia Kleamenakis, John W. Kleamenakis, Jr., Michael Kleamenakis, Jr., Nicholas A. Kleamenakis, Stephen A. Kleamenakis, Sue and Michael Klein, Maria and Gary Kloumassis, Niki Koga, Vaughan and Sebastian Koniditsiotis, Cornelia and John Konos, Marcella and Pete Kontaxis, Athena Kontos, Mary and Chris Kontoudis, Despina Kouloubis, Frank Kouloubis, Mary and John Kountouroudas, Chrisovalantis Kountouroudas, Kalliopi and Markos Kringas, Angie Kringas, Connie Ktistakis, Maria Regina and Stephanos Kyame, Faith Kyriakides, Maria and Aris Kyriakos, Kali M. Labatut, Argeta and Lawrence Labatut, Michael LaCour, Alexandra Lambousy, Katherine and Peter G. Latour, Patrick Latsis, Katherine and Spiro Latsis, Kathy and George Lear, Angela and Darrin Levendis, Eleni Levendis, John D. Levendis, Nicki M. Levidis, Ermioni and Theodosis Leyva, Helen Lorio, Kathryn and Philip Lupu, Luminita and Viorel Maag, Diana Sophia Maag, Maggie and Richard MacInnes, Deborah Madonia, Arlene and Jason Mailhes, Tina K. Makridakis, Nick M. Malachias, Anna Malachias, Anthoula and Paris Malachias, Helen and Charles Malachias, Ilya Malachias, Vange and Bill Manoussaridis, Stavros Mantikos, Rania Mantikos, Vasili and Miranda Webb Mantis, Rosy and Thomas Marathonitis, Maria and Eleftherios McCallef, Vicki and Anthony Miaoulis, Anita and Chris Michailakis, Pam and Gus Michailakis, Petroula and Pete Moustacas, Maria and Constantinos Moustaka, Dimitra Moustoukas, Despina Moustoukas, Viki and Nick Munch, Andrea and Joseph Naquin, Georgia and Lee Neofotistos, Alexandre Nicoladis, Kristen and Michael F. Nicoladis, Maria Nicoladis, Peggy and Frank Nicopoulos, Sue and Constandinos Nugent, Elaine Michalos Owen, Adrienne and Greg Padasis, Stavros Padasis, Triantafillia and Nikolaos Pantazis, Poli and Angelo Pantiushenko, Inna Papadopoulos, Denise and Dennis Papadopoulos, Laura and Kyriakos Papazis, Irene Pappas, Christina and Nicholas Pappas, Despina K. Patselikos, Despina and Panagiotis Patselikos, Maria Pavlou, Fotine Payavla, Callie Pelias, Magda Pelias, Marilyn Pembo, Angela Pembo, Dayna and Tony Peters, Todd J. Peterson, Diana M. and Brian Petikas, Mary and Dimitrios Petratos, Angelina and Demetrios Ponder, Helene and Casey Popa, Maria and Vasile Prekas, Maria Pricope, Aliona and Ovidiu Psarellis, Michael Psarellis, Steve E. Psillias, Andrew Psilos, Gail and Tony Putnam, Andrea and John Ramirez, Anna and Jesus Ramirez, Maria and Ramon Razza, Anna B. Ricciardi, Chrysanthy Rico, Anastasia and Roger Salles-Tsatsoulis, Kathy and John Salman, Samira Anne Skoufalos, Ofeliamanda and Dimos Sotiropoulos, Christine and Evangelos Spanolios, Dimitrios Spanolios, Maria and Emanuel Spetsiotis, Demetrios N. Spetsiotis, Nicholas, D. Spinu, Cristina and Leonard Stefanias, Maria and Adonios Stokes, Maria and Brian Strain, Martha and James R. Stratikis, Suzanne and George Stratis, Argyro A. Stratis, Nicholas Stratis, Stavros Sutton, Katerina and Ashley Tadros, Katherine and Daniel Theodoron, Sophie Thornton, Maria Tiliakos, Connie and Alex Toras, Eleni and Nikolas Toras, Emily and Eleftherios Toras, Laura and Socrates Tsaoussidis, Haris Tsatalios, Jeanette and Elie Tsatalios, Peter Tsatsoulis, Angela and John Tsimboukis, Suzanne and Efthimios Tzavellas, Fotini and George Tzerefos, Panagiotis L. Vatakis, Evagelia and Dimitris Vatranis, Constantina and Demetrios Veltsos, Carla and Dimitri Vennis, Koula and Constandinos Venturatos, Carol and Steve Venturatos, Donna and Gregory Venturatos, Evelyn and James S. Venturatos, Stephanie Vloutis, Frank Voulgarakis, Claudia and Vassilios Williams, Despina and George Wisdom, Maria and Andrew Wolf, Barbara Stavis Wolf, William Yiannopoulos, A. N. Zannis, Marie Zarganas, Glikeria and Alexandros Zetzmann, III, Robert E. Zetzmann, Kaler Zetzmann, Kathy and Robert Zouboukos, Carol and Nick