ST. BARBARA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS 7 OCTOBER 2012 SAINT BARBARA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH www.stbarbarachurchnc.org/ WORSHIP HOURS Matins 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m. St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church The Very Reverend Archimandrite Father D. Stavroforos Mamaies fatherstavroforos2012@gmail.com Cell Phone Number: 919-491-2565 8306 NC Highway 751 Durham, NC 27713 (919) 484-1600 Father Stavroforos Office Hours Tuesday - Friday, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Worship We are a Greek (Eastern) Orthodox parish, part of the oldest Christian tradition, dating to 33 A.D., the Day of Pentecost. We trace our roots back to the Apostles and their teachings. We hold fast to the moral, theological and liturgical traditions of the Early Christian Church. We are pleased that you have chosen to experience the worship of Early Christianity in a modern setting.
TODAY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2012 THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LUKE Christ Raises the Widow of Nain s Son Raising the Widow of Nain s Son, Annunciation Cathedral of the Melkite Patriarch of Jerusalem NATIONAL CHURCH MUSIC SUNDAY Today, Sunday, October 7, 2012 Each year, on the first Sunday in October (or after the Feast of St. Romanos the Melodist, the patron saint of church musicians), parishes across the Archdiocese of America celebrate National Church Music Sunday. This commemoration was inaugurated by His Eminence, Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America in 1982, and has been re-affirmed by His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios of America. National Church Music Sunday is a day we set aside particularly to honor the contributions of local choir members, psaltai, and music educators who serve their churches through the hymnology of our Orthodox Church. In addition, it is a day when we recognize the work of the diocesan choir federations as well as the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians, who through their music ministry, strive to enhance the development of church choirs, church musicians, and liturgical music at diocesan and archdiocesan levels. ST. BARBARA CHOIR The St. Barbara Choir is looking for more members to join them in singing the Sunday Divine Liturgy. We want everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy the services in this way by contributing to the music we hear in Church. For more information contact any one of our choir members and let him or her know that you want to join our group. George Cocolas LOST BROOCH About two weeks ago, a black brooch was left at St. Barbara. Please contact Hope Odzak for more information.
THIS WEEK HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY! Monday, October 8, 2012 PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS Tuesday, October 9 - Philoptochos Board Meeting- 6:30 PM at Church Sunday, October 21 - Philoptochos meeting and assembly of IOCC School Kits following the dismissal of Sunday School Pastry Preparations: Monday, October 8-11:30 AM - Squeezing Spinach Tuesday, October 9-10:30 AM - Assembly of Spanakopita Wednesday, October 10-11:30 AM - Squeezing Spinach Thursday, October 11-10:30 AM Assembly of Spanakopita Monday, October 22-11:30 AM Squeezing Spinach Tuesday, October 23-10:30 AM - Assembly of Spanakopita Please contact Evelyn Panos at mamapan@aol.com or 919-960-2886 with the dates you can volunteer. The Greek Orthodox Ladies' Philoptochos Society is the right arm of the church. The Society's main mission is philanthropy and community outreach. All Orthodox women 18 years of age or older who are members of the parish are invited to join our Philoptochos Chapter. Evelyn Zehia, St. Barbara Philoptochos Chapter President NEXT WEEK NEXT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2012 THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF LUKE The Sunday of the Seventh Ecumenical Council The Parable of the Sower \ COFFEE HOUR LUNCHEON Next Sunday, October 14, 2012 Michael and Melissa (Glyptis) Simpson will host a luncheon for our parish after the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, October 14, 2012, in honor of the Baptism of their daughter, Constantina, which will take place after the luncheon at 1:30 p.m. CONSTANTINA SIMPSON'S BAPTISM Michael and Melissa (Glyptis) Simpson of Hillsborough, North Carolina, will celebrate the baptism of their daughter, Constantina, next Sunday, October 14, 2012, at 1:30 p.m., at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church. Constantina s Godparents are Constance Barlamas and Georgia Barlamas of Holy Trinity in Ambridge, Pennsylvania. Please join them after the luncheon as they share the joy of Constantina s entrance into the Orthodox Faith.
COMING SOON CELEBRATION FOR FATHER STAVROFOROS Sunday, October 21, 2012 Please join the St. Barbara parish on Sunday, October 21, 2012, as we celebrate our beloved Priest, Father Stavroforos 26th year in the Priesthood. The Parish Council will host the Coffee Hour in Father s honor. ST. DEMETRIOS THE MYRRHBEARER Vespers Thursday evening, October 25, 2012 7:00 p.m. "A TASTE OF GREECE" Friday & Saturday, October 26 & 27, 2012 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Please join us at St. Barbara on October 26 and 27, from 11:00 a.m. to 8 p.m., for "A Taste of Greece". We will feature a menu of fabulous Greek food & deserts, a pastry booth, a souvenir booth and guided tours of our sanctuary. AHEPA NEWS Last Monday evening, October 1, a number of our parishioners, including Father Stavroforos, attended the informative session, "Get to know your new defibrillator", conducted by Duke Heart Center s Nursing Educator, Cory Miller, and Associate Chief Nursing Officer, Wanda Bride. The AHEPA organizers thank everyone for attending - you never know when you might save a life! And, a big thanks to friends of AHEPA who helped provide the light supper and refreshments. SAVE THE DATES: October, 26-27 - just about all AHEPA members and friends will be helping at the "Taste of Greece" - a two-day event that will take place in and around our St. Barbara fellowship hall and grounds. Also, please save Saturday, November 10, to attend the traditional fall dinner dance sponsored by our AHEPA - an evening of delicious food and exciting music. More details soon - but do SAVE THIS DATE! BASILE CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT Saturday, December 1, 2012 Enjoy Greek-American comedy at its finest from none other than BASILE, performing Saturday, December 1, in the social hall of Holy Trinity Church in Raleigh. Buy your tickets now for an evening of good food and entertainment. Check out the BASILE table in the social hall opposite the coat closets. Ticket proceeds will benefit the building fund of Saint Barbara. For more information, contact Helen Paliouras, 919-942-4229, elenipali@att.net. OXI DAY Sunday, October 28, 2012
A NEW THEORY CLARIFYING THE IDENTITY OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: A BYZANTINE PRINCE FROM CHIOS, GREECE In a book, A New Theory Clarifying the Identity of Christopher Columbus: A Byzantine Prince from Chios, Greece, Ruth G. Durlacher-Wolper, the founder and the director of the New World Museum and the New World Foundation in San Salvador, Bahamas, where Columbus ships first landed in 1492, postulates that Columbus was a Greek from Chios. There has been more written about Christopher Columbus than almost any other person, and yet we actually know very little about him. The common tale is that he came from Genoa, a city in Italy and sailed for Isabella and Ferdinand, the king and queen of Spain, after many years of trying to convince them that the world was round, a belief that was uncommon despite the fact that Aristotle had said it over a thousand years before. But, most of what we know about Columbus is conjecture and much of his history was written by people who never knew him or had reasons of their own for presenting as truth something that was just a theory. The evidence of his being the son of a woolworker from Genoa for example is that there was someone named Columbus from Genoa who was a wool worker. According to the book, Columbus and his kinsman, Colon-the-Younger, were princes of the Paleologos dynasty of Byzantine emperors. They came to France with the Paleologi and mixed with the royalty of the period, which would make sense. Why would the King and Queen of Spain give him three ships and a lot of money if he was the son of a Genovese woolworker? Columbus said he was from the Republic of Genoa, something much different than the city of Genoa. The island of Chios was part of the Republic of Genoa. The name Columbus is carved above many doors in the villages of Pirgi and Cimbori and a priest with that last name traces his ancestry on the island back over 600 years. There are also many Genovese families who trace their ancestry back to Chios. Evidence to support Columbus was a Greek: Columbus signature "Xro-Ferens" or Christophoros is Greek. Columbus spelled Chios with a Greek X. Columbus named Cape Maysi in Cuba using Greek words, Alpha and Omega. Columbus never asked Italy for ships or aid for food and shelter when he needed help. Nor does he ever mention the Columbo family of Genoa to whom history says he was related. He neither spoke nor read Italian. Yet in his favorite book, Imago Mundi, by Cardinal Pierre d Ailly, he wrote in the margins in Greek. Columbus was called Genovese because he dressed in Genovese fashion from Chios. He signed his name, "Columbus de terra Rubra", which means of the red earth. The Mastic areas of Chios was known for the red color of the earth. He banked at St. George in Genoa, which took care of the colonies like Chios. Columbus kept two logs on his journey, one real and one false. The true log used the measurements in Greek leagues and the false log in Roman. The author used the real logs and measurements to reconstruct Columbus discovery of the island of San Salvador and cleared up many discrepancies in the geography of the area. The Colombo family of Genoa were illiterate and the Genovese Christophoro was a woolweaver. For this person to acquire the learning, experience and spirituality that Columbus had that could convince a foreign king and queen to entrust a small navy and a fortune to him doesn t seem probable. Maybe in twentieth century America a poor son of a garment worker can grow up to become president, but in the Europe of the 15th century it is unlikely he could make Captain, much less Admiral in command of a fleet. It is more likely that for Columbus to have received an audience with a king and queen he would have to be royal himself or have some pretty good connections. Columbus son Ferdinand wrote that his ancestors have always followed the sea. Unless the Columbo family of Genoa had a long history of being ships tailors or official shearers of sea-sheep, they were not related. In fact even though they were living in Genoa at the time that Ferdinand was writing about his father, they are not mentioned. Nor are they mentioned in Columbus will. Columbus was not a woolworker struck by God like Joan of Arc and instantly filled with the knowledge of navigation, philosophy, astronomy, psychology, languages and the power to convince kings to give him whatever he wanted. This was a man with a lifetime of education, culture, experience and inspiration, who had a sense of his own destiny and the drive to fulfill it. In the book we discover that not only was Columbus connected with the Paleologos family but many of his friends were Greek too. Perhaps this is the most convincing argument for me. Anyone knowing Greeks in exile is aware that they are a tight group that trust each other and spend their time together, bound by that thread of Hellenism. As convincing as all the other arguments, (and there are many in this small book), the fact that his parea was Greek, (in other words his group of friends and associates), proved to me that Christopher Columbus was not the son of an itinerant Genovese woolworker, but a Byzantine prince from Chios who came from a life of enlightened education and spiritual aspirations, and, as an islander, had combined it with a love of the sea. The islanders from Chios are known for their skill on the sea and for the number of sea captains and ship owners from there. If Columbus were Greek then Chios is the most likely island he would be from. With it s Genovese architecture and sea-faring history, the heroic exploits of its people, and the evidence that Chios was the birth place of Homer, where else would he be from? Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta, Bulletin for October 3, 2012
Alec & Frances Alexiades Angelica Anastos Alexander & Laurel Arapoglou William & Donna Athas Nicholas & Eugenia Balafas Rita Balaban Lance & Maria (Marinos) Barton Rev. Fr. James & Anne Berends Pamela Goodwin Beruk Barbara Bonfiglio Nick Bourbous Stan J. Bukowski Andrew & Connie Bush Spyridoula Capetanos George & Sophie Carr Andrew & Cheryl Christakos Art Christakos Lia Christakos George & Ellen Christon George & Erie Cocolas Catherine Constantinou John Constantinou Lou Constantinou Marie Council Betty Dorton Frances Eliadis John Eliadis Laurice Ferris Christ & Maria Frangakis Stephan Frangakis Nick Galifianakis Socratis & Aliki Gerondelis Jim & Evy Glekas Christopher Goodwin Leonard & Elaine Goodwin James Grinias Ezana Hailu & Hirut Hailemeskel Craig & Alexandra Henriquez Danny & Isabel Kalmanides ST. BARBARA STEWARDS 2012 As of September 23, 2012, the 111 parish families listed below have completed and turned in GOARCH a Pledge Card for 2012. Rali Makros Kalfas Antonios & Claire Karamalegos Tom & Zoe Kash Wendy & Chris Katsiagianis Burt & Glenna Keener Jim & Christi Kleoudis Gus & Karen Kolias Dr. & Mrs. Christopher Kontos Kenneth & Karen Korach Helen Koutouzakis Lee & Pauline Kuyper Tom & Liz Leech Helen V. Leontis Elizabeth Livanos George Livanos Sophie Livas Paul & Melanie Lockett Mr. & Mrs. John C. Manuel Alex Mariakakis Johnny & Catherine Mariakakis Pete & Joan Marinos Tyler McElligott John & Mary Jon McWhirter Matthew & Tina Megaro Martha Melts Curtis & Alexis Mitchell Aurel Motioc Florin & Livia Motioc Stella Mousmoules Alina & Liviu Nicoara Joanne Nikides Hope & Larry Odzak Cindy Paliouras James & Helen C. Paliouras Nicholas Paliouras John & Dena Paliouras Peter & Evelyn Panos Yuri Panov & Elena Eliseeva Costas & Kristina Pantermakis Ioannis Papanikas Kleanthis & Angelika Papanikas Sam & Patricia Papnikas Matina Papazoglou Michael & Dena Papazoglou Ted and Theky Pappas George Pashales Joseph & Pauline Podgurski Budd & Viki Radovich Stephanie & Christopher Rook Charles and Helen Roupas Al & Christine Safarikas Ross Sauve Brannon & Melissa Glyptis Simpson Alexandra Allison Soule Mr. & Mrs. Matt Stavrakakis Eleni Christakos & Rick Steadman Vicky & Epiphany Stephens Bill & Joanne Sunas Ernest & Marian Sunas Donna Trohanis Mary Trohanis Lou & Marilyn Tsipis Thelma & Lewis Voultos James & Frances Vurnakes Demetra Vlachos & Alexa Waters Michael D. Waters Jacques & Christine Watters Catherine & Preston Wilson Tracy Nikki Wilson Robert & Robbie Wippich Eleftherios & Kathryn Xixis Tony & Evelyn Zehia Christina Zehia Total Dollars Pledged $206,421.00 ST. BARBARA MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT AUGUST 2012 Treasurer s Report Income Expenses +/- 2012 Budget (12 Months) $425,488.00 $425,488.00 $ 0.00 August Actual $ 27,663.00 $ 36,288.00 ($ 8,625.00) YTD Actual (8 months) $250,619.00 $288,644.00 ($38,025.00) Stewardship THE PRESIDENT S CORNER UPDATED CELL TOWER MEETING INFORMATION: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 The Cell Tower Appeal meeting between our neighbors and the city of Durham scheduled for September 25 was postponed due to scheduling conflicts with the City and Neighborhood lawyers. The meeting has been rescheduled in Durham City Hall, 101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, on Tuesday, October 23, at 8:30 a.m. Again, it will be in the Committee Room, which is on the second floor. The meeting will start promptly at 8:30 a.m. and it is open to the public. Alec Alexiades, Parish Council President Icon: Good and Faithful Servant, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Wilmington, NC Yvonne Ayoub, St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, Orange, CT Budget YTD Pledged YTD Collected $269,204.00 $206,271.00 $153,906.00