FORGIVENESS But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that course you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you, and persecute you; that you may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven. For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust and the just. (Matthew 5:44-45) And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against another: that your Father, Who is in Heaven, also may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father Who is in Heaven forgive your trespasses. (Mark 11:25-26) For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (Matthew 6:14) Therefore, if your enemy hungers, feed him: if he thirsts, give him a drink. (Romans 12:20) But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again: and your rewards shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest : for He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. Be merciful therefore, as your father is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgive. (Luke 6:35-37) ST. ELIAS THE PROPHET GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH MARCH/ APRIL 2017 The glorious Elias, incarnate messenger of God, pillar of prophets, and second forerunner of the coming of Christ Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver The MOST Rev. Metropolitan Isaiah, Primate Reverend Fr. Dimitrios A. Pappas, Priest St. Elias the Prophet 46 Calle Electra Santa Fe, NM 87508 A WELCOME NOTE TO OUR GUESTS: We are glad to have you worshipping with us today. Please sign our Guest Register and introduce yourself to Father Dimitrios after the service. Please join us for lunch following the Divine Liturgy. sent grace from on high to Elisha that he might cleanse lepers and heal sickness for all those who honour him.
SERVICES AND INFORMATION Times of Services: Sundays: Orthros/Matins - 9:00am; Divine Liturgy - 10:00am Saturdays: Vespers - 5:00pm MARCH 1 March Wednesday Pre-sanctified Liturgy 3 March Friday 1st Xairetismoi 4 March Saturday and 10:00am Divine 5 March Sunday and 10:00am Divine 8 March Wednesday Pre-sanctified Liturgy 10 March Friday 2 st Xairetismoi 12 March Sunday and 10:00am Divine 15 March Wednesday Pre-sanctified Liturgy 17 March Friday 3 rd Xairetismoi 19 March Sunday and 10:00am Divine 22 March Wednesday Pre-sanctified Liturgy 24 March Friday Great 25 March Saturday Annuciation and 10:00am Divine Liturgy 26 March Sunday and 10:00am Divine Liturgy 29 March Wednesday Pre-sanctified Liturgy 31 March Friday Akathos Hymn APRIL 2 April Sunday and 10:00am Divine Liturgy CHECK HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE 08 April Saturday (Raising of Lazarus) 09 April (Palm Sunday) 10 April (Holy Monday) 11 April (Holy Tuesday) 12 April (Holy Wednesday) Holy Unction 13 April (Holy Thursday) 14 April (Holy Friday) 15 April (Holy Saturday morning and evening) 16 April (Pascha) Agape Service 23 April Sunday and 10:00am Divine Liturgy 30 April Sunday and 10:00am Divine Liturgy HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE 8 April Saturday of Lazaros and 10:00am Divine Liturgy 9 April (Palm Sunday) and 10:00am Divine Liturgy Bride Groom Service 10 April (Holy Monday) Bride Groom Service 11 April ( Holy Tuesday) Bride Groom Service 12 April(Holy Wednesday) Holy Unction Service 13 April (Holy Thursday) Vesperal The 12 Gospels and Nailing on the Holy Cross 14 April (Holy Friday) Great and Royal Hours 9:00am Docorating the Kouvoukleon 10:00am Apokathelosis 3:00pm Holy Lamentation 6 :00pm 15 April (Holy Saturday morning) 10:00am Vesperal Divine Liturgy Holy Saturday Evening Orthros 11:00pm with Mid-night Divine Liturgy and Anastasi Meal after the Divine Liturgy to break the fast. 16 April (Pascha) Agape Service 12:00pm with a Pascal celebration after the service
The yearly miracle of the Holy Light On Holy Saturday believers gather in great crowds in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. For on this day fire comes down from Heaven and puts fire on lamps in the Church." Thus one reads in one of the many Easter itineraries to the Holy Land. "The Miracle of the Holy Fire" by Christians from the Orthodox Churches is known as "The greatest of all Christian miracles". It takes place every single year, on the same time, in the same manner, and on the same spot. No other miracle is known to occur so regularly and for such an extensive period of time; one can read about it in sources as old as from the eighth Century AD. The miracle happens in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, to millions of believers the holiest place on earth. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre itself is an enigmatic place. Theologians, historians and archaeologists consider the church to contain both Golgatha, the little hill on which Jesus Christ was crucified, as well as the "new tomb" close to Golgatha that received his dead body, as one reads in the Gospels. It is on this same spot that Christians believe he rose from the dead. One can trace the miracle throughout the centuries in the many itineraries to the Holy Land. The Russian abbot Daniel, in his itinerary, written in the years 1106-07, in very detailed manners presents the "Miracle of the Holy Light" and the ceremonies that frame it. He recalls how the Patriarch goes into the Sepulchrechapel (the Anastasis) with two closed candles. The Patriarch kneels in front of the stone on which Christ was laid after his death and says certain prayers, upon which the miracle occurs. Light proceeds from the core of the stone a blue, indefinable light which after some time kindles closed oil lamps as well as the two candles of the Patriarch. This light is "The Holy Fire", and it spreads to all people pre- sent in the Church. The ceremony surrounding "The Miracle of the Holy Fire" may be the oldest unbroken Christian ceremony in the world. From the fourth century AD all the way up to our own time, sources recall the awe- awakening potent. From these sources it becomes clear that the miracle has been celebrated on the same spot, on the same feast day, and in the same liturgical frames throughout all these centuries. One can ask, if it would happen also in the year 1998. In order to find out, I travelled to Jerusalem to be present at the ceremony in which the Miracle of the Holy Fire occurs, and I can testify that it did not only happen in the ancient Church and throughout the Middle Ages but also on the 18th of April, 1998. The Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Diodorus I, is the man who every year enters the tomb to receive the Holy Fire. He has been the Patriarch of Jerusalem since 1982 and thereby is the key-witness to the miracle. Prior to the ceremony of this year the Patriarch received us in private audience, where I had the opportunity to speak with him about the miracle in order to know exactly what happens in the tomb and what the miracle means for him personally in his spiritual life. Furthermore I was through his intervention admitted to the balconies in the dome of the Holy Sepulchre Church, from where I had a fine view over the masses that had gathered around the tomb in anticipation of the "Great Miracle of the Holy Fire". The miracle occurs every year on the Orthodox Easter Saturday. There are many types of Orthodox Christians: Syrian, Armenian, Russian and Greek Orthodox as well as Copts. In the Holy Sepulchre Church alone there are 7 different Christian Denominations. The Orthodox Easter-date is fixed according to the Julian Calendar, and not the usual Western European Gregorian calendar, which means that their Easter normally falls on a different date than the Protestant and Catholic Easter. Since Constantine the Great built The Holy Sepulchre Church in the middle of the fourth century it has been destroyed many times. The Crusaders constructed the Church that we see today. Around Jesus tomb was erected a little chapel with two rooms, one little room in front of the tomb and the tomb itself, which holds no more than five people. This chapel is the centre of the miraculous events, and being present at the celebration fully justifies the term "event" for on no other day of the year is the Holy Sepulchre Church so packed than on Easter Saturday. If one wishes to enter it, one has to reckon with six hours of cueing. Each year hundreds of people are not able to enter due to the crowds. Pilgrims come from all over the world, the majority from Greece but in recent years increasing numbers from Russia and the former Eastern European Countries. In order to be as close to the tomb as possible, pilgrims camp around the tomb-chapel, waiting from Holy Friday afternoon in anticipation of the wonder on Holy Saturday. The miracle happens at 2:00 PM, but already around 11:00 AM the Church is a boiling pot. KALO PASCHA HAPPY EASTER Saint Elias the Prophet Greek Orthodox Church famous in Santa Fe for its delicious Greek pastries is offering its faithful customers delicious, homemade Spinach Pies (spanakopita) 12-piece pie $25. Cheese Pies (tiropita) 12-piece pie $25. Tremendous Success! Our Greco/New Mexican Green-Chile Cheese Pies (12-piece pie) $25. We sell them frozen. They'll keep frozen for weeks till you're ready to bake. Simple baking instructions with each pie. Our usual quality: easily prepared, scrumptious, meatless meal, or perfect accompaniment to meat, fish, poultry. To order: Fill out form below. Mail it to Saint Elias Greek Orthodox Church, 46 Calle Electra, Santa Fe, NM 87508 with a check for your total order, made out to the church. Deadline for orders: March 25 Name. Mailing address and zip code Telephone #...; email address:.. Spinach Pie ($25. ea.) how many?... total $.. Cheese Pie ($25. each) how many?... total $... Green Chile Cheese Pie ($25. ea) how many?------- total $... Grand total $.. PICKUP PLEASE SPECIFY: Sundays April 2 Saturday April 8 or Sunday April 9 (11:00a.m.-1:00p.m.) St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church 46 Calle Electra, Eldorado (I-25, north, exit 290; Rt. 285 south; right at light, Amistad Street, then first left "Dos Griegos." White church. Park in lot. Follow path from the parking lot to blue door.) Questions? April dellas 575 6840125 5054661340
MARCH 4 Mar. (3rd Saturday of Souls) prosforon April Dellas, no coffee hour 5 Mar. (Sunday of Orthodoxy) 2 prosfora & coffee hour April Dellas & Peter Grivas 12 Mar. (Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas) 2 prosfora Shirley Denko, coffee hour Helen Skinas & Judy Brophy 19 Mar. (Sunday of the Holy Cross) 2 prosfora & coffee hour Iggy Patsalis 26 Mar. (Sunday of St. John Climacus) 2 prosfora Nymphe Kefal, coffee hour Michael Shea Palm Sunday Meal April 9 th O Lord and Master of my life... The Prayer of St Ephrem explained The Prayer of St Ephrem is ubiquitous during Great Lent, and is used in all weekday services, and in prayers at home. This prayer is much like the Our Father, in the following way. When the disciples asked the Lord to teach them to pray, He told them to pray in this way, and then recited the Our Father, thus giving us a model for how to pray and a prayer which perfectly fulfilled these principles. So should we treat the prayer of St Ephrem. Its content is truly sublime, and teaches us the right way to approach God in prayer, how to think of ourselves, and what to ask for. It also is a perfect prayer fulfilling these principles. Everyone should say this prayer daily during the week in Great Lent. Because of the physical way in which we say this prayer (it is APRIL done with bows and prostrations), it has the remarkable ability to put 2 Apr. (Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt) prosforon & coffee hour Nymphe Kefal the soul in the right frame of mind. One might even go so far to say 8 Apr. (Lazarus Saturday) prosforon April Dellas, no coffee hour that if the Prayer of St Ephrem has been prayed with attention at least 9 Apr. (Palm Sunday) prosforon & coffee hour April Dellas once during the day, and nothing else has been done, the Christian 13 Apr. (Holy Thursday) prosforon Mac Ennis, no coffee hour has prayed well. 15 Apr. (Holy Saturday) 2 prosfora April Dellas, no coffee hour The reality of our scattered, busy, distracted and often lazy lives is 15 16 Apr. (Holy Saturday night Pascha) 11:00 p.m. Orthros, 12:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy. that we do not pray often enough, or with enough attention, or in the Prosphoron, April Dellas. Anastasi meal after service, sign-up sheet in coffee room. proper frame of mind. If a person is consistent in praying the prayer of 16 Apr. (Great and Holy Pascha) 12:00 p.m., Agape Service. Agape meal after service, sign-up St Ephrem, no matter how well he does in other prayer and spiritual sheet in coffee room. 23 Apr. (Thomas Sunday) prosforon & coffee hour Mac Ennis reading, he has a life line and is grounded in the most important 30 Apr. (Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women) prosforon April Dellas, coffee hour Kerry Traaspects of the way a Christian should conduct himself during Lent. montanas Of course, to just pray the prayer of St Ephrem is NOT enough for a Christian, but a pastor must prescribe baby steps for baby feet We all are in some measure babies, and all of us To change your day you must find and give sufficient notice to someone should pray this prayer, attentively, and carefully, without fail. The person who takes this advice to come and see to take your place.you're also responsible for coffee room clean up. will soon find the fruit of this practice. Rinse coffee urns, wipe down counters and tables, sweep floor, replace soiled table Like anything worth doing, the prayer of St Ephrem takes some practice before we can receive the full benefit. There cloths, place bag of garbage in green bin and wheel it down to the church mailbox. are bows AND prostrations during the prayer, and a certain number of repetitions. To someone who is accustomed to An important detail. Questions? Call April Dellas 575 6840125 5054661340 this prayer, the physical actions and specific repetitions free the mind and penetrate the soul. This can only be understood if it is done, else, a person will consider the prayer to be too complicated, or worse, an example of vain repetition, which the scripture forbids. Come and celebrate Pascha We are looking for volunteers to sing up for our annual Palm Sunday Meal. The sign up sheet is down stairs in our hall or you may contact April Dellas 575 6840125 Tsourekia Bake sale with us on April 16th We are looking for volunteers We will be selling our tradito sing up for our annual Anastional sweet bread for Pastasi Meal. The sign up sheet is cha this year after church on down stairs in our hall or you Sunday April 9 th 2015. Each may contact April Dellas 575 6840125 5054661340 tsoureki is $12.00 each. He who has ears to hear, and mouth to speak, arms to make the sign of the cross, and knees to bend, let him understand! The prayer of St Ephrem is said two different ways in church. The best way to say it at home is the longer way, twice a day, in morning and evening prayers. If a person is not organized or motivated enough to say formal morning of evening prayers, at least this prayer can be said. As my father used to say, Once or twice, but never nunce! O Lord and Master of my life, a spirit of idleness, despondency, ambition, and idle talking give me not. But rather a spirit of chastity, humble-mindedness, patience, and love bestow upon me Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my failings and not condemn my brother; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.
MARCH 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Thomas Sunday 5 8 Sunday Myrrh bearers Of Orthodoxy St. John the Theologian MOTHERS DAY 12 15 St. Paralytic Gregory Palamas Parish Council Meeting 19 22 The Samaritan veneration Women of the Holy Cross 29 Blind Man 26 St. John Climacas 2 3 1 4 2 5 3 6 4 7 Sat of souls 6 9 7 10 8 11 9 12 10 13 11 14 2nd Hairetismoi 13 16 14 17 15 18 Mid Pentecost Pre-Sanctified Liturgy Divine Liturgy 10:00am Wedding 4:30pm No Vespers 16 19 17 20 3rd Hairetismoi 18 21 Cheese St. Constantine Pie making and Helen 20 23 21 24 22 25 23 26 24 27 Great Vespers 6:00 pm 25 28 Evangelismos 30 31 27 28 29 MEMORIAL DAY 30 31 1st Hairetismoi Akathos Hymn Spinach making *SHADED AREAS ARE
APRIL 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Thomas Sunday 2 3 4 5 6 71 *SHADED AREAS ARE FASTING DAYS* 28 Myrrh St. Mary bearers of Egypt St. John the Theologian PARISH COUNCIL MOTHERS DAY 915 Palm Paralytic Sunday Divine Orthros Liturgy 9:00am 10:00am Bridegroom Service 22 16 Samaritan Pascha Day Women Divine AGAPI Liturgy SERVICE 10:00am / PICNIC 12:00pm 93 104 11 5 129 6 13 7 14 8 Saturday of Lazaros Cleaning Church Wedding 4:30pm No Vespers 16 10 HOLY AND GREAT 17 11HOLY AND GREAT 18 12 HOLY WEDNESDAY MONDAY TUESDAY Mid Pentecost Bridegroom Service Bridegroom Service Holy Unction 19 13 HOLY THURSDAY Vesper Liturgy 10am 12 Gospels Nailing on the 20 14 HOLY AND GREAT FRI- DAY Royal Hours 9 :00am Decorating the Kouvoukleon 10:00am Apokathelosis 3:00pm 215 St. HOLY Constantine AND GREAT and Helen SATURDAY Orthros Vesperal 9:00am Liturgy 10:00am Pascha Vigil and Anastasi Holy Cross Lamentations Vespers Meal 11:00pm 23 17 24 18 25 19 26 20 27 21 28 22 29 23 St Blind George Man 30 30 24 31 25 26 27 28 29 MEMORIAL DAY