THE FLAME. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Monthly Newsletter. Volume 3, Issue 2 February 2013 HOLY AND GLORIOUS HIEROMARTYR HARALAMBOS

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1 THE FLAME Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Monthly Newsletter Volume 3, Issue 2 February 2013 HOLY AND GLORIOUS HIEROMARTYR HARALAMBOS The holy, glorious Martyr Haralambos lived at the time of the Emperor Septimus Severus ( ) in the city of Magnesia on the Meander River near Ephesus. For many years he devotedly ministered as priest to the Christians of the city, instructing them in the way of truth and preaching Christ to all, regardless of the threats of the pagans. At age 107 he was denounced as a dangerous mischief-maker and was brought before the tribunal of Governor Lucian. Saint Haralamabos responded to the tribunal s threats in these terms, You little know what is for my good and well-being. Nothing could be more pleasing to me than to suffer for Christ. So do not hesitate to put my old body to the tortures you deem the worst, and you will learn that the power of my Christ cannot be overcome. The tormentors stripped his priestly robe and tore his flesh with iron claws. Still, they were unable to elicit a single cry of pain from him. On the contrary, he said, Thank you, brothers. In flaying my old body; you are renewing my soul and preparing it for everlasting blessedness. Upon witnessing the steadfastness of the old man, the Governor hurled himself in uncontrollable rage at Saint Haralambos, tearing at his skin with his bare hands. Then, by an act of God, his hands were suddenly severed and remained claw-like and lifeless on the Martyr s body. Moved to pity by the tyrant s cries and supplications, Saint Haralambos gave himself to prayer and obtained his healing. This astonishing miracle and demonstration of Christian love for one s enemies brought Lucian, as well as the tormentors Porphyrius and Baptus, to believe in Christ and to renounce idolatry. Three women onlookers also rushed forward and fearlessly proclaimed their faith. The grateful Governor was immediately baptized by the Saint, and a great many inhabitants of the Asian province were won for Christ. When the Emperor Severus learned that the inhabitants of Magnesia and the surrounding country were abandoning idolatry and being baptized by the old priest, he was extremely troubled. The prayers of Saint Haralambos were restoring sight to the blind and healing the crippled. Severus immediately sent 300 soldiers to Magnesia with orders to bring the Saint, nailed and chained, to Antioch in Pisidia, where he resided. While transporting the old man, the soldiers treated him very badly until the horse on which the Saint sat suddenly condemned the Emperor as an enemy of God and his soldiers as slaves of the Devil. The military was terrified and did not harm the Saint for the remainder of the journey. Continued on next page 1200 Robert E. Lee Boulevard New Orleans, Louisiana First Greek Orthodox Church in North and South America

2 Continued from previous page When the venerable old man was brought before him, the Emperor placed a long skewer through his chest and immediately threw him into a blazing furnace. To the Emperor s astonishment the fire went out as soon as it touched the Saint, who remained insensible to what he suffered. The tyrant asked what the secret of his invulnerability was. The power of Christ! replied the Saint. Severus then put this to the test and presented him with a man possessed by a demon for thirty-five years. The Saint drove out the unclean spirit with a single word. Severus next produced the corpse of a young man about to be buried. After addressing a fervent prayer to God, Saint Haralambos gave the youth his hand and, to the Emperor s amazement, raised him from the bier as though from sleep. Then the Prefect Crispus shouted, Your Majesty should put this sorcerer to death straight way! At this, the Emperor s hatred erupted again, and he commanded Saint Haralambos to sacrifice to the idols. On his refusal, he ordered them to break his jaw with stones and to set his beard on fire. But, God acted once again. The flames turned on the tormentors, and the place where they stood was shaken by an earthquake. Lifted up off his throne and suspended in the air, the Emperor was whipped for a good while by unseen angels. On learning of his predicament, his daughter Galinia confessed Christ as Almighty and came to implore the holy Martyr to release her father from chastisement. This he did; but, the Emperor s amazement at the power of God was short-lived, and he soon returned to his idolatrous madness. Despite the remonstrances of Galinia, who reminded him of the divine blessings that had lighted on him, he kept Saint Haralambos in custody and had him tortured anew. He also turned on Galinia and threatened her with death unless she sacrificed. She pretended to obey but on entering the temple threw the statues to the ground and broke them in pieces. Severus had new statues cast. But, she shattered these as well, and her father became a laughing-stock. Severus made a last attempt to break the instigator of his daughter s conversion. Still, Saint Haralambos withstood every device of his tormentors with adamantine fortitude, and all onlookers were dazzled by the brilliance of Grace. He welcomed the death sentence with joy and, upon reaching the place of execution, raised his hands and eyes to heaven. He thanked God for bringing him to the issue of his contest and asked Him to grant salvation of soul, health of body, and abundance of good things in the name of His Martyr. A voice from heaven was then heard. Come Haralambos, valiant in fight, to share in the joy and splendor of the Martyrs and holy priests! He was beheaded on February 10, and his body was buried by the blessed Galinia. The skull of Saint Haralambos is kept at the Monastery of St. Stephen at Meteora. The fragments of his holy relics, found in many places in Greece and elsewhere, accomplish frequent miracles, making Saint Haralambos, the most aged of all the holy Martyrs, especially dear to the people of Greece. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral 1200 Robert E. Lee Boulevard New Orleans, Louisiana Fax holytrinitycathedral.org Liturgical Services Sundays Orthros 8:45 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 2012 PARISH COUNCIL President: Nick Moustoukas, MD 1 st Vice President: Markos Kountouroudas 2 nd Vice President: Constandinos Vennis Treasurer: Christ Kanellakis Secretary: Vladimir Ammons Members: Gregory Andrews, Petros Christakis, Dr. Mike Kleamenakis, Panagiotis Patselikos, Steven E. Psarellis, Eleftherios Toras EDUCATION Greek School Sundays 12:00 noon ~ 2:00 pm Director: Chrisanthy Kalivitis Sunday School Following Holy Communion Director: Maria Michailakis ORGANIZATIONS Acolytes and Readers Coordinator: Vladimir Ammons AHEPA President: Spiro Latsis Daughters of Penelope President: Adrienne Dabbs Owen GOYA President: Connie Stokes Coordinating 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) Coordinating Advisor: Tony Pembo Advisors: Angeliki Frezoulis, Sina Lawrence, Donna Venturatos Philoptochos President: Connie Tiliakos PTA President: Vicki Mantikos McCallef St. Markella of Chios President: Maria Anastasiou Young Adults Coordinator: Tony Pembo Support: Secretary, Vickie Catsulis Maintenance: Darrell Blunt

3 The Divine Liturgy: Part XIV The Anaphora Part 2 A continuing series on the Divine Liturgy by Father Christos Mars, who serves Annunciation Cathedral in Atlanta, Georgia The Anaphora prayer that is read by the Priest (see Article XIII) continues with the petition, Especially for our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever virgin Mary. The people then chant the hymn, It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most pure, and mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Word. We magnify you, the true Theotokos. It is important to note that on major feast days, i.e. Christmas, Epiphany, Transfiguration, etc., there is a different hymn that is chanted here (see Articles III-VI). In most cases it is the ninth ode of the Katavasias from the Orthros service, as the ninth ode of all chanted canons deal with the theme of the Theotokos. Therefore, the hymn, though it may have different words, deals with the Theotokos as the petition of the Priest tells us to remember her. It is also important to note here that the hymn, It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, is a combination of human poetry and angelic poetry. Here is a very brief account of how this hymn came to be. The hymn was originally written in the year 720 AD by St. Cosmas, a great hymnographer of our Church. The hymn, however, began with the words Greater in Honor. It was well over one hundred years later that this hymn was added to the Divine Liturgy but with a different beginning that resulted from the following miraculous event. A group of monks were conducting an all-night vigil before the icon of the Theotokos. They suddenly noticed a monk standing to the right of the icon whom they did not recognize. He was unknown to the monks, and no one could explain his abrupt presence. This unidentified monk began to chant the hymn that was written by St. Cosmas but with another beginning. It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most pure, and mother of our God. The monk then explained to the others that he was the Archangel Gabriel and that these words should be added to the hymn. The Archangel then vanished from their sight, leaving the monks amazed at the power of God. Since the day this happened, which was on June 11, 980 AD, the additional words to the hymn of St. Cosmas have been sung by all Orthodox Christians around the world. During the chanting of the hymn by the people, It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, immediately following the petition, Especially for our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever virgin Mary. the Priest will receive the censor and cense the now consecrated Holy Gifts nine times. He will then give the censor to the Deacon, who will go behind the Altar Table and read the names of all those who have passed from this life into the next. While that is taking place the Priest continues the very long prayer, For Saint John the prophet, forerunner, and baptist; for the holy glorious and most honorable Apostles, for Saint(s) (Name(s)), whose memory we commemorate today; and for all Your saints, through whose supplications, O God, bless us. Remember also all who have fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection unto eternal life. (Here the Priest commemorates the names of the deceased, if there is no Deacon present.) And grant them rest, our God, where the light of Your countenance shines. Again, we ask You, Lord, remember all Orthodox bishops, who rightly teach the word of Your truth, all presbyters, all deacons in the service of Christ, and every one in holy orders. We also offer to You this spiritual worship for the whole world, for the holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, and for those living in Continued on next page

4 Continued from previous page purity and holiness. And for all those in public service; permit them, Lord, to serve and govern in peace that through the faithful conduct of their duties we may live peaceful and serene lives in all piety and holiness. At the conclusion of the prayer, the Andidoron, meaning instead of the gift i.e. the gift being the Body and Blood of Christ, is brought to the Priest, who raises it before the Holy Gifts that have just been consecrated and says, Great is the name of the Holy Trinity, always now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. At the conclusion of all those who we are commemorating, the Priest will commemorate his Hierarch with the petition, Above all, remember, Lord, our Archbishop Alexios. Grant that he may serve Your holy churches in peace. Keep him safe, honorable, and healthy for many years, rightly teaching the word of Your truth. It is important to note that if a Hierarch is serving, then he will commemorate the next person up from him. In the case of Metropolitan Alexios, he commemorates the Patriarch. Once the Hierarch has commemorated the next person up from him, the participating Priests will commemorate the serving Hierarch. It is also important to note that since the Patriarch, who is the head of the Church and the highest ecclesiastically ranked clergy, commemorates all the heads of the canonical Orthodox Churches. Following the commemoration of the Hierarch there is a call to all the faithful by the Deacon (or the Priest, if there is no Deacon), Remember also, Lord, those whom each of us calls to mind and all your people. And the people respond with And all your people. This call is for all the faithful to remember all of their loved ones, those for whom people have asked them to pray, and all the people of the whole world. It is an important time since we have been praying for many things throughout the course of the Divine Liturgy; it is now time for us to pray for all people! Following this petition the Priest reads the following prayer, Remember, Lord, the city in which we live, every city and country, and the faithful who dwell in them. Remember, Lord, the travelers, the sick, the suffering, and the captives, granting them protection and salvation. Remember, Lord, those who do charitable works, who serve in Your holy churches, and who care for the poor. And send Your mercy upon us all. This is a very important prayer, as it is directed towards everyone in every city and country, for our Lord to remember them in His Heavenly Kingdom. That is why the Deacon s call, Remember also, Lord, those whom each of us calls to mind and all your people is so important for us to also remember everyone we love. The prayer itself concludes with the following petition, And grant that with one voice and one heart we may glorify and praise Your most honored and majestic name, of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. to where the people respond with Amen. Following this the Priest says, And the mercies of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ be with all of you. As he says this petition he turns and blesses the people. The people sing the response, And with your spirit. We conclude with the second segment on the Anaphora. In the next issue Anaphora Part 3 will cover the litany, which was previously discussed in Article XI.

5 HOLY TRINITY ARCHIVES COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2013 Thank you!! For Memorial Gifts donated to support the work of the Archives Committee: Diane and Nicholas Chronis Vange and Bill Malachias Helen and Charles Malachias Elaine Nugent Despina Pappas Constantina and Dimitrios Vatranis Cathy Vial May their memory be eternal. To Mary and John Georgiafandis for family Christmas gifts given as donations to support conservation of the artifacts Beautiful Textile Icons in Our Collection This beautiful icon of Saints Peter and Paul (Άγιοι Πέτρος και Παύλος) was donated to the Holy Trinity Historic Collection by Stella Murutes Dabbs in memory of her mother Fotini Demetropoulos Murutes. The icon consists of velvet and silk fabric and threads, stones, sequins, and metal embellishments, as well as paint on canvas for the Saints faces, hands, and feet. Circa 1900 It is reminiscent of the St. George (Aγιος Γεώργιος) icon that we recently had conserved and archivally framed with a generous donation from Despina Pappas. Dr. Hal Erickson uses the latest photographic technology to shoot the first page of the 1882 Sacramental journal. The Committee expects to read the lost text after final processes in March. We have prioritized the following for conservation in Year 2013: Mid to late 19 th century Priest s Philonion (cape) Mid to late 19 th century wooden icons Early 20 th century large canvas wall icon of Jesus Christ and the parable of the Rich Man. Please call your Archives Committee if you have questions, wish to discuss a specific artifact, or wish to make a memorial gift. Fred Ammons, Karen and Terry Clark, Fay Kalergi, Maggie Maag, Helen Malachias, Father Maximos Pafilis, Nick Moustoukas, Elaine Nugent, Connie Tiliakos, Dina Vatranis, Cathy Vial, Virginia Pepis, and Ginny Zissis

6 ARCHBISHOP NICOLAE VISITS HOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL The community of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral welcomed His Eminence Nicolae Condrea, Archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas, on Sunday, January 13, His Eminence presided at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrated that day and was accompanied by Reverend Father Vasile Muresan and Very Reverend Archimandrite Maximos Pafilis. Besides Father Vasile, Chanter Adrian Mereuta was traveling with His Eminence. During his sermon Archbishop Nicolae thanked New Orleans for the opportunity to visit the historical community and to share in the liturgical service. He also emphasized the importance of understanding pan Orthodoxy. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Parish Council President Dr. Nick Moustoukas welcomed His Eminence to Holy Trinity, as did Leonard Spinu, who represented the Romanian parishioners of the Cathedral. The congregation then gathered in the Hellenic Cultural Center for a beautiful reception that was coordinated by Maria Popa and Leonard Spinu and hosted in part by the Romanian faithful. LEFT: Nick Moustoukas, MD; Father Maximos Pafilis, Archbishop Nicolae, and Father Vasile Muresan RIGHT: His Eminence Archbishop Nicolae and Leonard Spinu NICOLAE CONDREA PATH TO ENTHRONEMENT Born in Constanţa, Romania, on April 15, 1967, Nicolae Condrea felt a calling to service in the Orthodox Church at an early age. With the view of becoming a priest and entering the monastic life, he was admitted to the Andrei Saguna Faculty of Theology in Sibiu, Romania. After completing four years of course study, Nicolae successfully defended his thesis entitled "The Eucharistic Theology of Metropolitan John Zizioulas" and received his Licentiate in Theology. From 1992 to 1994, Nicolae was a professor of theology in Bucharest and continued his education during 1993 and 1994 in the doctoral program at the Andrei Saguna Faculty of Theology, concentrating his studies in the area of Moral Theology. In 1994, having received a scholarship to study at the Faculty of Theology, he entered the Marc Bloch University in Strasbourg, France, and received a diploma from the D.E.A. (intensive study) program. He completed his doctoral studies at the Marc Bloch University and received the degree of Doctor in Theology on November 10, While studying in Strasbourg, he combined the theory with practical experience, leading to his entry into the clergy. In the spring of 1997 he was ordained a deacon and then a priest by Metropolitan Serafim of Germany and Central Europe. With the Metropolitan's blessing he also founded and served the parish of the Lord's Nativity in Stuttgart, Germany. After receiving his doctorate, Father Nicolae returned to Romania. On December 18, 2001, he took his monastic vows at the Monastery of Radu Voda in Bucharest. Additionally, he held the position of Patriarchal Secretary. On March 9, 2002, Father Nicolae was elected by a special Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America and Canada to fill the vacant archiepiscopal throne of the Archdiocese. On March 13, 2002, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church unanimously confirmed his election. At the same time the Synod raised Father Nicolae to the rank of archimandrite. The consecration and installation of Archbishop Nicolae was held at St. John the Baptist Church in Montreal, Canada, on July 14, 2002.

7 DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE INITIATIONS Nestor Chapter #55 initiated two new members at its January 20, 2013, Membership Meeting and welcomes Anthoula Malachias and Maria Stokes to the Daughters of Penelope! Five more members will be initiated at the meeting on February 17. The Chapter is thrilled by the enthusiastic response to its recent Membership Drive! New Orleans will be the host city for the AHEPA Family Supreme Convention in the summer of 2014, so the Daughters will be busy preparing for that in the months ahead. The group is planning a visit to the World War II Museum on Saturday, March 16 to see the movie Beyond All Boundaries and to tour the museum. All members of the Daughters, AHEPA, and Philoptochos are invited to attend. More information will be forthcoming in weekly bulletins. LEFT to RIGHT: Denise Ammons, Adrienne Dabbs Owen, Anthoula Malachias, Maria Stokes, Anna Razza, and Sophie Theodoron after the initiation. ST. MAXIMOS THE CONFESSOR FEAST DAY CELEBRATED WITH HOLY VIGIL In commemoration of the Feast Day of St. Maximos the Confessor, celebrated on January 21, Father Maximos held services on January 23, The Holy Vigil included Ninth Hour, Great Vespers, Artoclasia, Orthros, and Divine Liturgy. The Holy Vigil was followed by a feast of various foods and sweets prepared and served by Cathedral parishioners. Father Maximos was moved by this display of generosity and wholeheartedly thanked all, who honored him at his name day service.

8 Seniors Enjoy Playing Bingo at Philoptochos Luncheon Cathy Vial and Debbie Funti ran the Bingo game. Jeanette Tsatalios won the first Bingo prize. Maria Mellis won a plant. Gela Pembo won a plant. Cathy Vial presented a plant to Bingo winner Angie Kringas. Debbie Funti presented Pauline Caridas her prize. Patrick Latour chose candy. Fotine Pavlou won a prize. Bill Malachias also won a prize. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Argyro Stratis. Many thanks to Cathy Vial for the Bingo prizes and decorations.

9 YOUTH MINISTRIES HOPE/JOY and GOYA DECEMBER RECAP HTC YOUTH SPREADS COMFORT AND JOY! On December 8, 2012, HOPE & JOY, along with GOYA, joined voices to bring cheer to our Holy Trinity elders. The group met for dinner at Italian Pie in Kenner before traveling to the different homes in the metropolitan area. Adults and youths shared a great time and enjoyed bringing joy and holiday spirit to the special audience that they entertained. CAKE WALK YIELDS SWEET REWARDS FOR ALL After church services on Sunday, December 9, 2012, GOYA held a special Cake Walk Fundraiser for the Hurricane Sandy Relief effort. With the help and generosity of the Daughters of Penelope and the members of Philoptochos, GOYA was able to offer over 25 different, delicious cakes to the event participants, who purchased tickets for the chance to win a confectionary delight. The fundraiser was so enjoyable that many asked when the next Cake Walk would take place. This TOTAL Community effort enabled GOYA to raise $ for Sandy Relief. Many thanks to all for the outstanding support!

10 YOUTH MINISTRIES DECEMBER RECAP CELEBRATION IN THE OAKS Holy Trinity youth braved the winter cold on Thursday, December 20, 2012, and enjoyed a fun, festive evening admiring City Park's beautiful Celebration in the Oaks. A HUGE thank you is extended to the Holy Trinity PTA for sponsoring the children's unlimited park rides wrist bands and to the Parish Council for providing the children's entrance fees. This annual event is one that is enjoyed by all who attend! YOUNG ADULTS GATHER FOR CHRISTMAS/FOOTBALL PARTY The Young Adults met at the Hellenic Cultural Center on Sunday, December 9, for a combination Christmas/Football Party. Watching the Saints play the Giants on the big screen was fun despite a disappointing outcome for the Saints. However, the delicious fasting meal prepared by talented chefs Terry Marathonitis and Elias Tsatalios helped offset the game results. GOYANS ATTEND WINTER YOUTH RALLY IN ATLANTA On Thursday, December 27, 2012, the GOYANS traveled to Atlanta for the Winter Youth Rally. The Cathedral youth participated in Boys Basketball, Co-Ed Volleyball, and Bible Bowl, and the rally culminated with a dinner dance on Saturday night. The annual event offered a great opportunity for the HTC young people to meet other young Orthodox Christians from the Atlanta Diocese. The New Orleans group even had a surprise visit from His Grace Bishop Gregory of Nyssa! The GOYANS sincerely thank the Cathedral Parish Council for providing the motor coach transportation and a meal, as well as Argeta and Lawrence Labatut for chaperoning the event. If you have questions regarding any youth activities, please ntact Youth Ministries Coordinator Tony Pembo at tonypembo@yahoo.com.

11 YOUTH MINISTRIES and HOLY TRINITY PTA PTA SPONSORS COMMUNION BREAKFAST AND PROSFORON WORKSHOP All Cathedral youth were invited to the Communion Breakfast that the Holy Trinity PTA sponsored after Divine Liturgy on Saturday, January 19, At the conclusion of the service Father Maximos explained the significance of the imprinted images affixed atop the prosforon. He later presented each child with a prosforon stamp to take home. Chairperson Angela Gervais coordinated the consecutive events, and Rania Mantikos and Popi Michailakis oversaw the prosforon workshop that followed. The group efforts yielded over twenty loaves of bread that will be used at upcoming services.

12 CATHEDRAL MONTESSORI SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE HELD IN JANUARY The Cathedral Montessori School hosted an Open House on January 26, 3013, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. The text below was inadvertently omitted from the previous issue of The Flame. The school will be happy to provide private tours for any interested parishioners. The Cathedral Montessori School invites all members of the community to its OPEN HOUSE in January. In preparation for this event, we include some pictures that reflect our goals and provide some questions with answers that may help to clarify our aspirations. Questions and Answers What is the relationship of the school to the church? Cathedral Montessori School began in 2010 with the support and commitment of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral and is founded on Orthodox Christian principles. The school rents space from the community and looks to the cathedral for spiritual guidance. Is religion presented to students at the school? CMS is open to students of all religious, cultural, and racial backgrounds and strives to create an atmosphere that fosters the love of God and the love of humanity. Its students are offered opportunities for formal worship in the Greek Orthodox tradition by a weekly visit to the church. Fr. Maximos has recently presented the students with chanting, the use of the incense, and stories of the icons. Orthodox students receive additional time with Father when they light their candles, venerate the icons, and do their cross. What exposure is there to Greek language and tradition? Each day there is a twenty minute Greek lesson in which students learn basics of the language (such as colors, numbers, greetings, etc.) in an environment that uses music and props to engage the attention of the young learners. Who are the students of the school? The school is coeducational and accepts qualified students 2 years 9 months (by September 1 st of the academic year) through 6 years of age regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin. We encourage parents to enroll students as early in the four-year current curriculum as possible to afford the greatest exposure to the Montessori method. We look forward to having more Orthodox children become part of the school community. What are the principles of the Montessori method? The goal of a Montessori education is to foster lifelong learners and problem solvers. The Montessori philosophy helps children to build confidence and to become self-motivated in the classroom and beyond. It is a program that was begun by Dr. Maria Montessori, who believed that education is a process that occurs naturally and spontaneously by the child. We invite you to visit the school to see how the school supports self-directed learning and to see the Montessori classrooms that provide a prepared environment, where children are free to respond to their own impulses to work. In this setting, Montessori children grow to become autonomous, responsible, and adaptive members of the broader community, who encounter the world with a joyful spirit. LEFT: Daily Greek School Lesson with teacher Koula Vennis; CENTER: Weekly chapel service with teacher Despina Dumoulins; RIGHT: Visit from the Greek Consul of Houston, Georgios Papanikolaou

13 Summer Travel Camp (Session 1) June 23 - July 12, 2013 Byzantine Venture (Session 2) July 20 - August 8, 2013 Registration now open! Brochures for the 2013 Ionian Village Summer Program are available in the Coffee Room. Athenee Importers invites you to celebrate the incredible wines and cuisine of Greece. Featuring over 20 Greek Wines Delectable Greek Fare Live Music in the Courtyard! When: Thursday, March 7, 2013 Where: Perestroika at Pravda, 1113 Decatur Street, New Orleans, LA Time: 6:00 pm 7:00 pm Sneak Preview - Meet and taste with the owners and winemakers before the party. 7:00 pm 10:00 pm General Admission Price: $60-all inclusive from 7:00 pm-10:00 pm $75- includes 1 hour Sneak Preview Call Liz Dowty at or liz@vino-wholesale.com to reserve your spot now! You can also Chris Badini at Athenee Importers with questions chris@atheneeimporters.com SUMMER SESSIONS ABROAD SPETSES, GREECE JUNE 16-30, 2013 Summer Legal Studies Program The Spetses program presents five courses (focusing on the legal and economic concerns of Greece and the world at large) over a two-week session. Participants will engage in a series of cultural tours and festivals in Spetses and beyond. Professor Kathryn Venturatos Lorio will serve as the Program Director. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Tori Luwisch, International Programs Coordinator, valuwisc@loyno.edu BAPTISMS January 14, 2013 Maximus Aust Son of Regina and Richard Aust High Wycombe, Marlow UK Godparents Vaughan and Sebastian Koga FUNERAL January 26, 2013 Samia Kordani Chaiban TRISAGION 9-DAYS January 20 Jionni Tsaharidis Norwalk, CT PARISH REGISTRY Celebrations, Milestones, Comfort, and Support MEMORIALS 5-YEARS MEMORIAL January 27, 2013 Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens 1-YEAR January 30, 2013 Ellie Maskas 34-YEARS January 30, 2013 Efstratios Maskas 40-DAYS MEMORIALS February 2, 2013 Spiros E. Pavlou Lambron Randis May their memories be eternal!

14 S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F I N T E R E S T GREEK CLASSES ADDED TO WEDNESDAY EVENING SCHEDULE If you are unaware of the recent schedule change, Father Maximos introduced a new Greek language course, which he instructs after Paraklesis and Bible study. The class is a practical application of the Greek language and is tuition free for all stewards of the church. Students 12 years or older are invited for intermediate/advanced level instruction every Wednesday evening; individuals with introductory level skills are also welcome to attend. Below is the revised Wednesday schedule. 5:30 pm to 6:15 pm Paraklesis Service 6:20 pm to 7:05 pm Bible Study in Coffee Room 7:10 pm to 8:00 pm Greek Language in Coffee Room GREEK FESTIVAL PHOTOS NEEDED Plans for the 40 th Anniversary Greek Festival Celebration include displaying photographs from past Greek Festivals. Please gather any old pictures that you may have and them to Stacy at festival@holytrinitycathedral.org or bring them into the office. GREEK FESTIVAL PRE-SALE TICKETS Several 2012 Festival pre-sale tickets remain outstanding. To properly prepare for the 2013 Festival, it is necessary to account for all of last year s tickets. The Festival Committee kindly asks that you return them to the Cathedral office as soon as possible. NORTHSHORE BIBLE STUDY AND CATECHISM The next Northshore Bible study and catechism session at the Louisiana Heart Hospital, First Floor Classroom, will be SATURDAY, February 16, 2013, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. ROAD CLOSURES DUE TO MARATHON The Rock N Roll New Orleans Marathon will be run on Sunday, February 24, Please keep in mind that several streets in the area will be closed for the race. Parishioners west of the Cathedral will be able to access the church grounds by using Interstate 610. SPRING CLEANING The Cathedral staff is extremely grateful to Ana Commagere, Olivia Commagere, and Suzanne Stratikis for cleaning and organizing the PTA storage areas in the Hellenic Cultural Center. Their efforts are a great assistance in the general upkeep of the center and in preparation for the upcoming Greek Festival since the space is shared by both groups. Many thanks are extended for their help.

15 Dear Members of Holy Trinity Cathedral, greek orthodox ladies PHILOPTOCHOS society of holy trinity cathedral With renewed enthusiasm toward the mission of Philoptochos, we begin our membership drive for the New Year Our ongoing goal is to involve all members of our community to share in our noble history of service to the underprivileged and needy. As you know, membership in this organization of Orthodox Christian women affords us opportunities to work together to support and achieve meaningful philanthropic goals. It is important to us to reach out to every woman in our church community to INVITE, EMBRACE and INVOLVE each one to become an active Philoptochos member. We also encourage gentlemen to become Gentlemen Sponsors to help us fulfill our mission. Even if you cannot attend all our meetings, your membership enables us to continue our efforts in helping those in need and contribute to the wonderful projects our National organization, as well as our local chapter, have undertaken. We invite you to become a proud member in our organization, attend our meetings, and join in helping us help others. In this, we are guided by the spiritual tenets of the Holy Orthodox Church, as we serve as her official philanthropic arm. A PHILOPTOCHOS STEWARDSHIP FORM is attached. Please remit your 2013 stewardship contribution. Help us fulfill our responsibilities to reach out to others and to serve our Holy Trinity Cathedral. Connie Tiliakos, President Cathy Catsulis Vial, Membership Chairperson ANNUAL STEWARDSHIP 2013 Greek orthodox ladies PHILOPTOCHOS Society of holy trinity cathedral NAME: ADDRESS: CITY/ STATE: ZIP CODE: PHONE: SUGGESTED DUES FOR 2013: $35.00 Mail to : Philoptochos Society, 1200 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70122

16 H O L Y T R I N I T Y C A T H E D R A L S T E W A R D S Thank you to all of our 2012 financial stewards and to everyone who has returned his/her 2013 Stewardship Commitment Card. As of February 7, the Cathedral office has received stewardship commitments of $58, from 125 of the roughly 270 families in our community. 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 Andersson, Billie and W. Paul Andrews, Bethlehem K. Andrews, Christy and Gregory Angelico, Robert and Kathy Conklin Angelus, Maria and George Apostolides, Marlene and Spyridon Athas, Nancy Bakamitsos, Marion and Georgios Barnett, Missy and Jac Bell, Victoria and Jon Benoit, Katherine and Chris Bilalis, Evangelia and Petros Bilalis, Markella Bilalis, Mathoula Bilalis, Michael Bozinis, Ena and Theodoros Cabali, Juanita Catinis, Ana and George Catsulis, Victoria Chancy, Dena and James Charalampidis, Panagiota and Dimitrios Christidis, Georgia and Stylianos Chronis, Diane and NIcholas Cotsoradis, Brille and Stephen Craver, Mariellen and Marshall Dabbs, Stella Dimitry, Victoria Dongieux, Pam and Glenn Gambos, Fortunate and Andrew Gattuso, Ioana and Roy Fotiades, Joan Fotiades, Julie Fyssas, Despina and George Georges, Anita Georges, Constantine Gioganis, Lazarus Grass, Kalliope and Matthew Halkias, Athanasios S. Halkias, Feroniki Howard, Jr., Homer Howard, Stela Howard, Stephan Ioannidis, Eleftherios Jeanfreau, Tricia and Troy Johnson, Helen Maskas and Ben Kambouris, Ermione and Antonios Kanellakis, Christ and Sophia Pappas Karmoukos, Stephanie and John Kiriazis, Stavros Kleamenakis, Evangelia Kleamenakis, John W. Kleamenakis, Jr., Michael Kleamenakis, Stephen A. Kleamenakis, Sue and Michael Klein, Maria and Gary Kloumassis, Niki Koga, Vaughan and Sebastian Konos, Marcella and Pete Kontaxis, Athena Kringas, Connie Kyame, Faith Kyriakides, Maria and Aris LaCour, Alexandra Lambousy, Katherine and Peter G. Latour, Patrick Levendis, Elen Leyva, Helen Lorio, Kathryn and Philip Maag, Maggie and Richard MacInnes, Deborah Madonia, Arlene and Jason Mailhes, Konstantina K. Malachias, Helen and Charles Mantis, Rosy and Thomas 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 Nicoladis, Kristen and Michael F. Nicopoulos, Sue and Constandinos Nugent, Elaine Owen, Adrienne and Greg Padasis, Stavros Padasis, Triantafillia and Nikolaos Papadopoulos, Denise and Dennis Patselikos, Despina and Panagiotis Pelias, Marilyn Pembo, Angela Pembo, Dayna and Tony Peters, Todd J. Petikas, Mary and Dimitrios Popa, Maria and Vasile Psarellis, Steve E. Psillias, Andrew Ricciardi, Chrysanthy Rico, Anastasia and Roger Sotiropoulos, Christine and Evangelos Stokes, Maria and Brian Strain, James R. Stratikis, Suzanne and George Stratis, Nicholas Stratis, Stavros Sutton, Katerina and Ashley Tadros, Katherine and Daniel Tiliakos, Connie and Alex Toras, Emily and Eleftherios Tsatalios, Jeanette and Elie Tsatalios, Peter Tsatsoulis, Angela and John Tzerefos, Panagiotis L. Vatakis, Evagelia and Dimitris Vennis, Koula and Costandinos Venturatos, Carol and Steve Venturatos, Donna and Gregory Venturatos, Evelyn and James S. Voulgarakis, Claudia and Vassilios Wisdom, Maria and Andrew Wolf, Barbara Stavis Zannis, Marie Zarganas, Glikeria and Aleandros

17 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Strick Fast Wine and Oil Allowed Strick Fast 3 Orthros 8:45 Divine Liturgy 10:00 am Philoptochos Go Red PTA Meeting 12:00 pm GOYA Meeting 4:30 pm GOYA Super Bowl Party 5:30 pm 10 Orthros 8:45 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am 17 Orthros 8:45 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am 40-Day Trisagion Jionni Tsaharidis Norwalk, CT Daughters Meeting 12:00 pm 4 SoccerTots 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm CMS Board Meeting 7:00 pm 11 NO SoccerTots 18 FEBRUARY 2013 ~ ΦΕΒΡΟΥΑΡΙΟΣ 2013 SoccerTots 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm Mardi Gras Cathedral Office Closed 19 Festival Workshop 9:30 am to 2:00 pm Parish Council Meeting 7:00 pm Paraklesis 5:30 pm Bible Study 6:20 pm Greek Class 7:10 pm 13 Paraklesis 5:30 pm Bible Study 6:20 pm Greek Class 7:10 pm 20 Festival Workshop 9:30 am to 2:00 pm Paraklesis 5:30 pm Bible Study 6:20 pm Greek Class 7:10 pm 7 CMS Visit 9:45 am 1 CMS Visit with Father 9:45 am Senior Citizens Luncheon 11:30 am GOYA Mardi Gras Parade 6:30 pm NO CMS Visit with Father 22 CMS Visit with Father 9:45 am HTC Youth Soccer 6:00 pm 2 Divine Liturgy 9:00 am Presentation of Our Lord 40-Day Memorials Spiros E. Pavlou Lambron Randis Philoptochos Meeting 10:30 am Vespers 6:00 pm/ Confessions 9 NO VESPERS 16 Northshore Ministry 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm NO VESPERS at Cathedral 23 Grass Baptism 11:00 am Philoptochos Ozanam Inn 2:00 pm Vespers 6:00 pm/ Confessions 24 Orthros 8:45 am Divine Liturgy 10:00 am Some Roads Closed for Marathon St. John Chrysostom Oratorical 1-Year Memorial Angelin Latour Family Day 1:00 pm 25 FAST FREE SoccerTots 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm 26 FAST FREE Festival Workshop 9:30 am to 2:00 pm 27 FAST FREE Festival Workshop 9:30 am to 2:00 pm Paraklesis 5:30 pm Bible Study 6:20 pm Greek Class 7:10 pm 28 FAST FREE