ASSUMPTION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

601 South Central Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60644

Main: 773-626-3114

Email: office@assumptionchicago.org

Website: assumptionchicago.org

Father Apostolos N. Georgiafentis - Protopresbyter

Mr. George Demas - Pastoral Assistant

SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2024

5th Sunday of Matthew

To view or print services please click here

READINGS OF THE DAY

Epistle Reading of the Day

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 6:18-23

Brethren, having been set free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.

When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Απόστολος της Ημέρας

Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 6:18-23 τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα

Ἀδελφοί, ἐλευθερωθέντες δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἐδουλώθητε τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ. Ἀνθρώπινον λέγω διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν· ὥσπερ γὰρ παρεστήσατε τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν δοῦλα τῇ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ καὶ τῇ ἀνομίᾳ εἰς τὴν ἀνομίαν, οὕτως νῦν παραστήσατε τὰ μέλη ὑμῶν δοῦλα τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ εἰς ἁγιασμόν. Ὅτε γὰρ δοῦλοι ἦτε τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἐλεύθεροι ἦτε τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ. Τίνα οὖν καρπὸν εἴχετε τότε ἐφʼ οἷς νῦν ἐπαισχύνεσθε; Τὸ γὰρ τέλος ἐκείνων θάνατος. Νυνὶ δὲ ἐλευθερωθέντες ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, δουλωθέντες δὲ τῷ θεῷ, ἔχετε τὸν καρπὸν ὑμῶν εἰς ἁγιασμόν, τὸ δὲ τέλος ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Τὰ γὰρ ὀψώνια τῆς ἁμαρτίας θάνατος, τὸ δὲ χάρισμα τοῦ θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιος ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.

Gospel Reading for the Day

The Gospel According to Matthew 8:5-13

At that time, as Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Ευαγγέλιον της Ήμέρας

Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 8:5-13 Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, εἰσελθόντι δὲ αὐτῷ εἰς Καπερναοὺμ προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἑκατόνταρχος παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων· Κύριε, ὁ παῖς μου βέβληται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ παραλυτικός, δεινῶς βασανιζόμενος. καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· ἐγὼ ἐλθὼν θεραπεύσω αὐτόν. καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἑκατόνταρχος ἔφη· Κύριε, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς ἵνα μου ὑπὸ τὴν στέγην εἰσέλθῃς· ἀλλὰ μόνον εἰπὲ λόγῳ, καὶ ἰαθήσεται ὁ παῖς μου. καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν, ἔχων ὑπ᾿ ἐμαυτὸν στρατιώτας, καὶ λέγω τούτῳ, πορεύθητι, καὶ πορεύεται, καὶ ἄλλῳ, ἔρχου, καὶ ἔρχεται, καὶ τῷ δούλῳ μου, ποίησον τοῦτο, καὶ ποιεῖ. ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐθαύμασε καὶ εἶπε τοῖς ἀκολουθοῦσιν· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ τοσαύτην πίστιν εὗρον. λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν ἥξουσι καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται μετὰ ᾿Αβραὰμ καὶ ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ ᾿Ιακὼβ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν, οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἐκβληθήσονται εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον· ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς τῷ ἑκατοντάρχῳ· ὕπαγε, καὶ ὡς ἐπίστευσας γενηθήτω σοι. καὶ ἰάθη ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.

READINGS OF OUR ORTHODOX SAINTS

SAINT MARKELLA, THE VIRGIN-MARTYR OF CHIOS JULY 22

Saint Markella was born in the 14^th century on the island of Chios and was the daughter of the mayor of her town. She was raised in the Christian faith by pious parents, but lost her mother at a young age. This was especially difficult for her father who fell into depression. The young Markella was devoted to Christ and strove to preserve her virginity, fighting off numerous temptations from the Devil. Seeing he could make no progress with Markella, the Evil One turned his attention to her father, and enflamed within him an unnatural lust for his daughter.

One day he declared his desire for her at which she ran away in tears and fear. Arriving at the edge of the water and with nowhere to run, a rock opened up for Markella to enter so that her lower half could be enclosed within the rock. When her father arrived in pursuit of her, he was furious to have been deprived of his desire and beheaded his daughter there. The miraculous rock remains on Chios in the church dedicated to Saint Markella the Virgin-Martyr and is said to spring healing waters.

Η ΚΟΙΜΗΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΑΓΙΑΣ ΑΝΝΗΣ -Μητέρας της Υπεραγίας Θεοτόκου - (25 Ιουλίου): Η Αγία Άννα, η μητέρα της Υπεραγίας Θεοτόκου, καταγόταν από τη φυλή του Λευΐ. Ο πατέρας της, που ήταν ιερέας, ονομαζόταν Ματθάν και η μητέρα της Μαρία. Η Άννα είχε και δύο αδελφές, την ομώνυμη με τη μητέρα της Μαρία και τη Σοβήν. Και η μεν Μαρία είχε κόρη τη Σαλώμη, η δε Σοβή την Ελισάβετ. Και η Άννα την Παρθένο Μαρία. Η Αγία Άννα αξιώθηκε να έχει τη μεγάλη τιμή και ευτυχία να αποκτήσει μοναδική κόρη, τη μητέρα του Σωτήρα του κόσμου. Αφού η Άγια Άννα απογαλάκτισε τη Θεοτόκο και την αφιέρωσε στο Θεό, αυτή πέρασε την υπόλοιπη ζωή της με νηστείες, προσευχές και ελεημοσύνες προς τους φτωχούς. Τέλος, ειρηνικά παρέδωσε στο Θεό τη δίκαια ψυχή της, κληρονομώντας τα αιώνια αγαθά. Διότι ο ίδιος ο Κύριος διαβεβαίωσε ότι "οι δίκαιοι εις ζωήν αιώνιο άπελεύσονται"1. Οι δίκαιοι, δηλαδή, θα μεταβούν για να απολαύσουν ζωή αιώνια.

Η ΑΓΙΑ ΠΑΡΑΣΚΕΥΗ, η Οσιομάρτυς (26 Ιουλίου): Η Αγία Παρασκευή γεννήθηκε στη Ρώμη, όταν αυτοκράτορας ήταν ο Άντωνίνος (138-160 μ. Χ.). Ήταν κόρη του Αγάθωνα και της Πολιτείας. Χριστιανοί και οι δύο ανέθρεψαν την κόρη τους εν παιδεία και νουθεσία Κυρίου, διότι δεν είχαν παιδί και ευχήθηκαν, αν αποκτήσουν, να το αφιερώσουν στο Θεό. Πράγματι, ο Θεός τους χάρισε παιδί και γεννήθηκε ήμερα Παρασκευή. Και επειδή ήταν κόρη, έδωσαν το όνομα της ημέρας αυτής. Μετά το θάνατο των γονέων της, η Παρασκευή μοίρασε τα υπάρχοντά της στους φτωχούς, και αυτή, εμπνεόμενη από θερμή αγάπη προς το Χριστό, γύριζε τη Ρώμη και τα χωριά, κηρύττοντας το Ευαγγέλιο. Η δράση της, όμως, προκάλεσε τον ειδωλολάτρη βασιλιά Αντωνίνο, ο όποιος, αφού τη συνέλαβε, της υποσχέθηκε ότι θα έχει πολλά επίγεια αγαθά και απολαύσεις, αν θυσιάσει στους θεούς. Τότε η Αγία, ορθά-κοφτά απάντησε με τα λόγια του προφήτη Ιερεμία: "Θεοί οι τον ούρανόν και την γην ουκ εποίησαν, απολέσθωσαν εκ της γης"1. Δηλαδή, θεοί που δε δημιούργησαν τον ουρανό και τη γη, ας χαθούν από το πρόσωπο της γης! Τότε ο Αντωνΐνος διέταξε και την έβαλαν σε ένα λέβητα με καυτό λάδι και πίσσα. Επειδή όμως είδε την Αγία άθικτη, ράντισε το πρόσωπό του με το υγρό αυτό, για να δοκιμάσει αν πράγματι είναι καυτό, και αμέσως τυφλώθηκε. Αλλά η Αγία με προσευχή έδωσε στον Αντωνίνο το φως του, με αποτέλεσμα να πιστέψει στον Χριστό. Αργότερα, η Αγία Παρασκευή αξιώθηκε μαρτυρικού θανάτου με αποκεφαλισμό.

Ο ΑΓΙΟΣ ΠΑΝΤΕΛΕΗΜΩΝ, ο Μεγαλομάρτυς και Ιαματικός (27 IΟΥΛΙΟΥ): Έζησε στα χρόνια του αυτοκράτορα Διοκλητιανού και καταγόταν από τη Νικομήδεια. Τον πατέρα του έλεγαν Ευστόργιο και τη μητέρα του, που ήταν ευσεβέστατη χριστιανή, Ευβούλη. Ο Παντελεήμων γρήγορα στερήθηκε τις φροντίδες της μητέρας του, διότι πέθανε πρόωρα. Αλλά ο Θεός τον αξίωσε να διδαχθεί τη χριστιανική πίστη από ένα διακεκριμένο λειτουργό της Εκκλησίας, τον Ιερέα Ερμόλαο. Τότε, ο Παντελεήμων είχε τελειώσει τις ιατρικές του σπουδές, κοντά στο φημισμένο γιατρό Ευφρόσυνο. Την επιστήμη του χρησιμοποίησε ιδιαίτερα για τους απόρους ασθενείς και έτρεχε με μοναδική προθυμία στις καλύβες τους, βοηθώντας τους όχι μόνο ιατρικά, αλλά και χρηματικά. Σε κάθε σπίτι που έμπαινε δίδασκε το Ευαγγέλιο και έφερνε σ' αυτό πολλές ψυχές. Ήταν ευσπλαχνικός σε ακρότατο βαθμό για όλους τους πάσχοντες, γι' αυτό και ο Θεός του δώρισε το χάρισμα να θεραπεύει ασθενείς μόνο με την προσευχή του. Έτσι θεράπευσε πολλούς, μεταξύ αυτών και ένα τυφλό, που έγινε αφορμή να συλλάβει ο Διοκλητιανός και τον Άγιο. Τον τυφλό τον θανάτωσε, διότι πίστεψε στον Χριστό και τον Παντελεήμονα υπέβαλε σε φρικτά βασανιστήρια, ώσπου στο τέλος τον αποκεφάλισε. Ο Παντελεήμων, όμως, ανήκει σ' αυτούς για τους οποίους ο Κύριος είπε: "μακάριοι οι ελεήμονες, ότι αυτοί έλεηθήσονται"1. Μακάριοι, δηλαδή, είναι οι ευσπλαχνικοί που συμπονούν στη δυστυχία του πλησίον, διότι αυτοί θα ελεηθούν από το Θεό την ήμερα της Κρίσεως.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

GIFT OF LIGHT

This week’s Gift of Light is given in loving memory of Dionysios Papafotopoulos

COFFEE HOUR

Please join us for coffee hour following the Divine Liturgy in Plato Hall.

Saint Euphrosynos Kitchen

12:00 p.m.- Meal Preparation and Delivery

Outreach

This month Austin Community meal was generously underwritten by the Sellas Family in loving memory of Dean and Stella Sellas. May their memory be eternal!

THE ARCHIVE COMMITTEE

Dear Parishioners,

As we walk toward our centennial year of 2025, we are collecting photos, artifacts, and stories that contribute to the history of our beloved Panagia, and we ask for your input and help.

We need parishioners who can identify people in our photos, beginning from the wooden church and Sunday school.

In addition, the committee is asking for artifacts and memorabilia from your family history to be copied and recorded. Volunteers are needed to help with sorting and other archival tasks.

Please get in touch with us at archives@assumptionchicago.org

JULY / AUGUST - SCHEDULE OF WEEKDAY SERVICES

Monday, July 22- 9:00 a.m., Orthros and Divine Liturgy

Saints Mary Magdelene, Myrrhbearer and Markella of Chios

Friday, July 26 - 9:00 a.m., Orthros and Divine Liturgy

+Saint Paraskevi of Rome

Saturday, July 27 - 9:00 a.m., Orthros and Divine Liturgy

+Saint Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Healer

July 28, 2024 - After Sunday Divine Liturgy in Church - Bring your Apples for the St. Irene Chrysovalantou Blessing!

August 1, 2924 - 10:30am - Agiasmos

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES FOR THE DORMITION OF THE HOLY THEOTOKOS

Thursday, August 1 - 10:30 a.m., Agiasmos (Blessing of the water)

6:30 p.m., Small Paraklesis Service

Friday, August 2 - 10:30 a.m., Great Paraklesis Service

Monday, August 5 - 6:00 p.m., Great Vespers for the Holy Transfiguration of our Lord will take place at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Monastery in Harvard, Illinois

Tuesday, August 6 - 9:00 a.m. Orthros and Divine Liturgy

Holy Transfiguration of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ

Tuesday, August 6- 5:00 p.m., Great Paraklesis Service

Wednesday, August 7 - 6:30 p.m., Small Paraklesis Service

Thursday, August 8 - 10:30 a.m., Great Paraklesis Service

Friday, August 9 - 6:30 p.m., Small Paraklesis Service

Wednesday, August 14 - 7:00 p.m., Great Vespers Dormition of the Theotokos

10:30 p.m. - Small Paraklesis Service

Thursday, August 15 - 12:00 a.m., Akathist Hymn to the Holy Theotokos

2:00 a.m., Sacrament of Holy Unction

4:00 a.m., Orthros - Dormition of the Holy Theotokos

5:00 a.m., 1^st Divine Liturgy - Dormition of the Holy Theotokos

9:30 a.m., 2^nd Divine Liturgy - Dormition of the Holy Theotokos

Friday, August 23 - 9:00 a.m., Apodosis of the Dormition of the Holy Theotokos

Tuesday, August 27 - 9:00 a.m, Orthros and Divine Liturgy

Saint Phanourios the Great-Martyr

Thursday, August 29 - 9:00 a.m., Orthros and Divine Liturgy

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

SPONSORS NEEDED FOR COFFEE HOUR

Please contact the Church office at: 773.626.3114 or email at: office@assumptionchicago.org if you would like to sponsor a coffee hour in memory of a loved one, a special occasion or just because.

Available dates for the month of August: August 4,11,18,25

The fast of the Dormition begins on August 1 through August 15. Please only Lenten items during this time.

For later dates available dates, please contact the church office.

Thank you to our beloved parishioners and friends of Assumption Panagia for your continued love and support!

GIFT OF LIGHT

Please give the “Gift of Light” to Assumption Panagia’s Church. We need a family or an individual to sponsor, per week, the lighting of our vigil lamps and candles in both of our holy Altars of Panagia and Saint Catherine. This includes the daily lighting of both of our Holy Altars throughout the week. Suggested donation for this ministry is $100.00. Through our Church’s Website, sign up can be made through our Tithe.ly platform. simply click on the big green GIVE button, request your week and make your donation.

Please contact the church office to sponsor a week for the health and well-being of your family or in loving memory of a loved one.

2024 STEWARDSHIP

Thank you to all who have submitted their 2024 Stewardship Pledge Cards. If you have not yet submitted your stewardship card, members of the Parish Council will be handing out stewardship packets today.

Please fill out the pledge card (it is important that you enter a pledge amount) and the information card completely and return it in the enclosed envelope. Thank you for supporting our beautiful parish of Panagia!

ASSUMPTION PANAGIA BOOKSTORE

Please visit our Religious Bookstore! Not only do we have beautiful Icons for your home and to give as gifts, we also have books for all ages, baby’s bibs for baptisms and much more! Our bookstore is open following the Divine Liturgy on Sundays in Plato Hall.

ARTOKLASIA – THE BLESSING OF BREAD

The Blessing of Five Loaves of Bread is a brief service of thanksgiving through which we express our gratitude for all the blessings of life. Oil, wine, wheat, and the loaves of bread which are used in the service, are viewed as the most basic elements necessary for life. The Blessing reminds us of the miracle of the multiplication of the bread and fish by which Christ fed the multitude. This Blessing is usually offered during Vespers or after the Divine Liturgy on Feast days and other special occasions. After the Service, the bread is cut and distributed to the congregation. If you would like to offer an Artoklasia, please contact the church office at: 773.626.3114 or email: office@assumptionchicago.org to reserve a date.

A WORD ABOUT CREMATION

Orthodox Christians should reject cremation, in accordance with the Church’s teachings about the sanctity of the human body and its role in our salvation. Orthodox Christians believe that in the General Resurrection, our bodies and souls will be restored to each other. Cremation is the deliberate desecration and destruction of what God has made and is viewed as the denial of the Resurrection. Cremation treats the body violently, without the respect due to it as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Those who voluntarily request cremation upon death will not receive an Orthodox funeral, either in the church, or the funeral home or any other place. Memorial services with kolyva are not allowed since the connection of the “kernel of wheat” as a sign of the Resurrection has been intentionally destroyed. It is an honor for Orthodox Christians to have a church funeral - our salvation and the state of our souls and bodies should always be at the forefront in our lives and for the lives of our loved ones.

COMMUNITY PRAYER LIST

Prayers for: Charlie, John, Nicoletta, Sarah, Nathan, Dino

Lord our God, Who by word alone did heal all diseases, Who cured the mother in law of Peter, You Who chastise with pity and heal according to Your goodness; grant aid to these Your servants (Names) and heal them of every sickness of which they are grieved; lift them up from their pain, and send down upon them Your great mercy. For to you we send up Glory: to Father, and to Son, and to Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayers for the living will be retained on the list for 40 days. Contact the church office to add names at office@assumptionchicago.org or call: 773.626.3114.

UPCOMING EVENTS

**Flyers located in the Narthex.

July 23 - 7:00 p.m., Chicago Cubs vs Milwaukee Brewers -Less than 5 tickets available!

August 4, 2024 -YAL Kafeneio

August 24 - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Family Summer Retreat at Saint Iakovos Center

A BLESSED WEEK TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES!!!

Assumption Panagia Greek Orthodox Church of Chicago

Email us: office@assumptionchicago.org

Learn more: assumptionchicago.org