The 2010 Holy Metropolis Youth Conference will be held Columbus Day Weekend (Friday, October 8—Monday, October 11) at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in St. Clair Shores (Detroit), Michigan. Register now at http://saint-spyridon.com/youth.htm and for more information, see this flier (REVISED).
We look forward to seeing everyone there!
The Holy Metropolis of the Genuine Greek Orthodox Church (GOC) of America was founded by Metropolitan Petros (Astyfides) in 1954. Its current hierarch is Metropolitan Pavlos, who is a member of the Holy Synod of the GOC of Greece, under the Presidency of His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II. We follow the Patristic (Julian) Calendar and resist the heresy of ecumenism.
Friday, August 21 / September 03, 2010
Apostle Thaddaios
Martyr Bassa and her sons Theognios
[Abba Moses said:] 'Fasts and vigils, the study of Scripture, renouncing possessions and everything wordly are not in themselves perfection, as we have said; they are its tools. For perfection is not to be found in them; it is acquired through them. It is useless, therefore, to boast of our fasting, vigils, poverty, and reading of Scripture when we have not achieved the love of God and our fellow man. Whoever has achieved love has God within himself and his intellect is always with God.'
—St. John Cassian, On the Holy Fathers of Sketis.
One of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church is the Dormition of the Theotokos which is celebrated on August 15/28. From August 1/14 until August 14/27 we observe a fast. This period is known as the “Fifteen days of August” or Δεκαπενταύγουστο.
During this fast we abstain from meat, dairy products, fish, wine, and oil during the weekdays and we eat wine and oil on the weekends. On the feast of the Transfiguration of Christ, August 6/19, we eat fish because it is a feast of the Master, Christ.
We chant the Small and Great Supplicatory Canons alternately at Vespers save Saturday night and the Eves of Transfiguration and Dormition.
This is one of the strictest fasts of the Orthodox Church comparable to the Great Fast. This is due to the greatness of the feast of the Dormition which is sometimes called the “Summer Pascha” because of its resurrectional nature. The severity of this fast is compensated by its brevity on the one hand and the joyous nature of the daily Supplicatory Canons on the other, which is something the faithful anticipate with spiritual longing.
This is the way with which the Church, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, seeks to prepare us for the upcoming Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos: through prayer and fasting.
December 5/18, 2002
ENCYCLICAL
To the Holy Clergy and Pious People of the Holy Metropolis of the Genuine Greek Orthodox Old Calendar Church of America
Beloved Fathers and Brethren:
“May the blessings of God always be with you.”
1.The beloved Disciple of our Lord, the Evangelist St. John, writes in his First General Epistle: “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard the antichrist shall come, even now there are many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” (I John 2:18-19).
“Trust ye not in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.”
(Psalm 145:3)
We mustn’t have absolute trust in human beings for our salvation, no matter what dignity they have.
Maria never thought she would start a Church. However, God creates circumstances which cause people to do things they never planned to do.
Q. Can you please explain the significance of the forty day memorial service? An Evangelical family asked one of our relatives that question. We said that it’s best to ask a clergy member. Thank you in advance for your response. (We will forward it to them as soon as possible).
-P. & M. G.