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Washington Young Adults Prepare for National Conference – July 10-13, 2008
April 16, 2008
Young adults from the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan area are working diligently to prepare for the 2008 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America National Young Adult Conference, July 10-13, 2008 in Washington DC. This year’s conference will be held in conjunction with the 39th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. “Doers of the Word” will be the theme for the weekend, with Rev. Dn. John Chryssavgis, noted author and theologian, as the featured keynote speaker.
Throughout the weekend, young adults will have the opportunity to grow in their faith through fellowship, worship, workshops, and service. A “hands-on” outreach project at the L.B. Johnson Memorial Grove National Park on Saturday will give participants a chance to actively become “Doers of the Word.” Workshops will be offered by noted Orthodox theologians and clergy from throughout our Archdiocese and will include the following titles: Your Role in the Church as a Young Adult: How To Be Doers of the Word; Bringing the Millennial Generation On-Line: Technology as a Tool in the Church; Ecology and the Parish: A YAL Ministry?
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios will lead an open forum with young adults on Friday, as well as a Memorial Service on Saturday for our fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery. On Sunday afternoon, participants will also have the opportunity to sightsee in the culturally and historically rich city of Washington DC. Evening activities include a Chesapeake Bay Crab feast, a social night in exciting Northwest D.C., and a semi-formal Greek night, concluding with a Sunday night farewell cruise on the Potomac River.
Online registration, conference schedule, and additional information will be available soon at www.yal2008.org, or by contacting the Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at 646-519-6180. Register by May 11, 2008 to take advantage of the $99 Early Bird Rate which includes admission to all weekend events. See you in Washington DC for an unforgettable weekend in our Nation’s capital! The Young Adult League is a ministry for young adults in our church ages 18 to 35.
Holy Week Schedule of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America April 19-27, 2008April 16, 2008
MEDIA ADVISORY
Saturday of Lazarus
April 19, 9:00 a.m.
Archangel Michael Church, Roslyn, NY
Palm Sunday
April 20, 9:00 a.m.
Zoodohos Peghe Church, Bronx, NY
Holy Monday - Service of the Bridegroom
April 21, 7:00 p.m.
St. Demetrios Church, Merrick, NY
Holy Tuesday - Service of the Bridegroom
April 22, 6:45 p.m.
Kimisis Tis Theotokou Church, Brooklyn, NY
Holy Wednesday - Nymphios
April 23, 7:00 p.m.
St. Demetrios Cathedral, Astoria, NY
Holy Thursday - Vesperal Divine Liturgy
April 24, 8:30 a.m.
St. Paul Chapel, Archdiocese
Holy Thursday Evening - Holy Passion
April 24, 6:45 p.m.
St. Nicholas Church, Flushing, NY
Good Friday - Apokathelosis Vespers
April 25, 1:00 p.m.
St. Michael’s Home, Yonkers, NY
Good Friday Evening – Epitaphios Service
April 25, 8:00 p.m.
Holy Trinity Cathedral, New York City
Holy Saturday – Vesperal Divine Liturgy
April 26, 10:00 a.m.
St. Paraskevi Church, Greenlawn, NY
Holy Saturday Evening - ANASTASIS (Resurrection)
April 26, 11:00 p.m.
Holy Trinity Cathedral, New York City
Sunday of PASCHA – AGAPE Vespers
April 27, 11 a.m.
St. Paul Cathedral, Hempstead, NY
Contact: Nikki Stephanopoulos
Tel. 212-570-3530
communications@goarch.org
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios of America for Holy Pascha 2008April 16, 2008
Protocol 35/08
April 27, 2008
Holy Pascha
The Feast of Feasts
For since death came through a human being, The resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; For as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. (I Corinthians 15:21-22)
To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Christ is Risen!
It is with love, joy, and gratitude to God that we greet one another in these days. With the triumphant hymn, “Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs bestowing life” (Troparion of the Feast of Pascha), we declare the definitive victory over sin and death. As Orthodox Christians, we celebrate the Feast of Pascha each year with the belief and the knowledge that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ remains the most important event that has ever taken place in human history. Appropriately, our Orthodox Church refers to this event as the “Feast of Feasts.”
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ presents us with an awesome and wondrous demonstration of the great power and eternal love of God for humankind. It is simultaneously an historic event that unfolded once in a specific time and location, yet its ramifications exceed the boundaries of time and continue to hold far-reaching, indeed cosmic levels of significance. By His death on the Cross for our salvation, His descent into Hades, and His resurrection, Jesus Christ has freed all of humanity from the bonds of sin and death, providing us all with a foretaste of eternal life in Him.
In his First Epistle to the Corinthians, Saint Paul, having detected some wrong ideas about the resurrection among the Corinthians, wrote specifically to underscore the centrality of the resurrection of Christ to the Christian faith. Saint Paul observed that some in the community of Corinth who were calling themselves Christians did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. He told them that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ too did not rise from the dead. Then, he reminded them in a strong use of language that "if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain…if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins" (I Corinthians 15:14-17).
In many ways, our contemporary society resembles the society in which the Corinthians lived. It offers a wide array of religious teachings, theories, and alternative understandings to the question of life after death. Because God has given to the people the freedom of conscience, we do not cast judgment on the teachings of other religions nor upon those people who hold them. We do insist, however, that on this day of Holy Pascha we are invited to come to a closer understanding of the centrality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the Christian faith and its fundamental meaning for our lives as Orthodox Christians.
My beloved faithful,
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a miraculous event of the triumph of love, and it stands at the very center of our faith. It is at once an unrepeatable even For the rest of this News Release, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website
Archpastoral Reflections - April 2008
April 15, 2008
As we continue our series of reflections on the topic of renewal, we encounter a specific area that is in certain need of constant renewal. This is the area of our everyday life, of the manner by which we lead our lives. Practically, this is the issue of what is called “lifestyle.” In this case a pertinent, two-fold question arises, “What is our lifestyle, and how can it be renewed?”
Today, we are presented with many choices that we can make in terms of how we may lead our lives and define our lifestyle. In many respects, we are engulfed by social influences and socially constructed value systems that pressure us. For example, there are lifestyles centered around and determined by the desire to acquire, by all means, as much money and property as is possible, or even impossible. Here, greed is the dominant motivation behind this lifestyle.
There are lifestyles characterized by the pursuit of personal power. Here, we concern ourselves with anything in terms of social position, physical condition, the usage of force and even violence, or any other element that contributes to the increase of power and dominion over others. These are the basic characteristics of lifestyles focused on acquiring control by force and power.
There are also lifestyles oriented towards pleasure as the basic principle and supreme value for human beings. This lifestyle frequently involves acts of corruption, immorality, and, ultimately, a slavery to one’s senses and to their immediate and absolute satisfaction.
In view of the above mentioned lifestyles, where do we stand? Is our lifestyle a mixture, to a certain degree, of lifestyles based on greed, power, and pleasure; with the addition of some Christian elements that, when all is considered, cannot constitute determining values that guide our lives? This is a question worth serious consideration.
In addressing this and other related questions pertaining to lifestyle, it is essential to stress that the model lifestyle for us to emulate as Orthodox Christians is offered by Jesus Christ, the Apostles, the Saints, and the Martyrs. Upon closer examination, the Christian lifestyle is characterized by three central characteristics.
The first of these characteristics is a deep and genuine love for God. This is manifested by freely submitting to following the will of God. It is also exhibited through the genuine worship of God. The second of these characteristics is a profound love for our fellow human beings. This is demonstrated by the rendering of assistance to those who are in need and by recognizing the importance of promoting peaceful relationships among others. A third characteristic of the Christian lifestyle is the projection of the Truth of God. This is done through a genuine witness to the Holy Gospel through the vocal proclamation of God’s Word, and through the inclusion of the message of the Gospel in everyday conversations with others.
The adoption of the Christian lifestyle is by no means an easy task, due to the various societal influences and pressures previously mentioned. As difficult as it may be to live an authentic Christian lifestyle, however, we may take great comfort in knowing that we are always assisted by the grace of God, by the sacraments of the Church, and by the fellowship of the Holy Spirit as we strive to be more and more like Christ, His Apostles, the Saints, and the Martyrs.
Finally, the development of a truly Orthodox Christian lifestyle is never a task that is complete; rather, it is an ongoing metamorphosis of mind that requires our state of being in constant renewal. Here, the words of Saint Paul to the Romans continue to speak with striking relevance to the realities of our contemporary society, and they artfully serve as a fitting conclusion to the core intent of this brief reflection: "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and accep For the rest of this News Release, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website
Schedule of Events for Archbishop Demetrios of America for April 16 – 20, 2008
April 15, 2008
MEDIA ALERT
April 16-17 Washington, DC
April 16
10:30 a.m.
President Bush will welcome Pope Benedict XVI and invited religious leaders and dignitaries to the White House.
April 17
10:00 a.m. Archbishop Demetrios will attend the Papal Mass at Nationals Park.
April 18
6:00 p.m.
Archbishop Demetrios will attend a gathering for an Ecumenical Prayer Service with Pope Benedict XVI at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, 404 E. 87th St., NYC
April 19
9:00 a.m.
Archangel Michael Church, Roslyn, NY
Lazarus Saturday Liturgy
April 20
9:00 a.m.
Zoodochos Peghe Church, Bronx, NY
Palm Sunday Liturgy
2:00 p.m.
Yankee Stadium, NYC
Papal Mass
Contact: Nikki Stephanopoulos
Tel :(212) 570-3530 Fax; (212) 774-0215
Mobile: 917-903-1255
ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS TO OBSERVE EASTER (PASCHA) APRIL 27 - HOLY WEEK BEGINS ON PALM SUNDAY APRIL 20April 15, 2008
Easter (Pascha) will be celebrated on April 27th this year by over 250 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. Holy Week will commence on Palm Sunday, April 20.
“In his First Epistle to the Corinthians, Saint Paul, having detected some wrong ideas about the resurrection among the Corinthians, wrote specifically to underscore the centrality of the resurrection of Christ to the Christian faith,” says Archbishop Demetrios, spiritual leader of 1.5 million Greek Orthodox Christians in America and Chairman of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, in his Easter Encyclical. “Saint Paul observed that some in the community of Corinth who were calling themselves Christians did not believe in the resurrection of the dead....”
“In many ways,” Archbishop Demetrios continues, “our contemporary society resembles the society in which the Corinthians lived. It offers a wide array of religious teachings, theories, and alternative understandings to the question of life after death. Because God has given to people freedom of conscience, we do not cast judgment on the teachings of other religions nor upon those people who hold them. We do insist, however, that on this day of Holy Pascha we are invited to come to a closer understanding of the centrality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the Christian faith and its fundamental meaning for our lives as Orthodox Christians."
Archbishop Demetrios will officiate at Holy Week services in Greek Orthodox parishes in the metropolitan area including Good Friday Lamentations and Resurrection services Saturday at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (319 East 74th St. New York City). Good Friday services will begin at 8:00 p.m. and Resurrection Services Saturday evening at 11:00 p.m.
Centuries-old religious services which recall the Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ are conducted each morning and evening throughout Holy Week in Orthodox Christian Churches including: Greek, Russian, Romanian, Antiochian, Bulgarian, Carpatho-Russian, Albanian, Serbian and Ukrainian, which serve some 6 million faithful in the Americas.
On PALM SUNDAY during the Divine Liturgy, palms are blessed and distributed to the faithful commemorating Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem.
On HOLY WEDNESDAY, the faithful are anointed with the Sacrament of Holy Unction, blessed oil, which cleanses, renews and strengthens both spiritually and physically.
On HOLY THURSDAY evening, the Service of Holy Passion takes place, during which the Twelve Lessons of the Gospel are read. After the Fifth Gospel a solemn litany begins. A large crucifix is carried in a procession led by the clergy as the mournful hymn of Crucifixion is sung.
On GOOD FRIDAY AFTERNOON, the Vespers of the Descent from the Cross are offered. The Body of Christ is taken down from the Cross, wrapped in white linen and is prepared for burial.
On GOOD FRIDAY evening, the Lamentations are sung during the Epitaphios Service, which symbolizes the burial of Christ.
On HOLY SATURDAY evening, the Pascha Resurrection Service begins with Matins at 11 p.m. At midnight, the Church is completely darkened and the faithful wait in joyous expectation for the Bishop or priest to come forth carrying a white candle, chanting, "Come, Receive the Light, the Light of the Resurrection." The light is passed to the congregation until the Church is ablaze with the glow of candlelight. A procession of altar boys, choir, chanters and clergy joined by the people move outdoors where the Gospel proclaiming the Resurrection of Christ is read. The triumphant hymn, Christos Anesti (Christ is Risen) is joyously sung by the faithful. At the conclusion of the Resurrection Liturgy, red For the rest of this News Release, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website
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