SAINT SOPHIA CATHEDRAL MIAMI, FLORIDA Sunday, May 28th, 2023 Rev. Fr. Spiro D. Bobotas Telephone 305- 854-2922 Fax: 305-858-1854 Website: stsophiamiami.org 2401 S.W. 3rd Avenue, 33129 Mailing Address: 244 SW 24th Road Miami, Fl. 33129 Fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council Continued on back page The heresiarch Arius was a Libyan by race and a protopresbyter of the Church of Alexandria. In 315, he began to blaspheme against the Son and Word of God, saying that He is not true God, consubstantial with the Father, but is rather a work and creation, alien to the essence and glory of the Father, and that there was a time when He was not. This frightful blasphemy shook the faithful of Alexandria. Alexander, his Archbishop, after trying in vain to correct him through admonitions, cut him off from communion and finally in a local council deposed him in the year 321. Yet neither did the blasphemer wish to be corrected, nor did he cease sowing the deadly tares of his heretical teachings; but writing to the bishops of other cities, Arius and his followers requested that his doctrine be examined, and if it were unsound, that the correct teaching be declared to him. By this means, his heresy became universally known and won many supporters, so that the whole Church was soon in an uproar. Therefore, moved by divine zeal, the first
Liturgical Guide Resurrectional Apolytikion Tone Pl . 2 Aγγελικαὶ Δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμά σου, When the angelic powers appeared at your tomb and those who guarded You became as though dead, and standing by Your sepulchre was Mary seeking Your pure and sacred body. For You did vanquish Hades and uncorrupted by its touch You came unto the virgin woman, bestowing the gift of life O You who rose from the dead. Lord we give glory to You. Apolytikion of Ascension Ἀνελήφθης ἐν δόξῃ Χριστὲ O Christ our God, You ascended in Glory and gladdened Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Your blessing assured them that You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world Apolytikion of the Fathers Ὑπερδεδοξασμένος εἶ, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, You are greatly glorified, O Christ our God, who established our Fathers as luminaries upon the earth, and through them led us all to the true Faith. O Most compassionate, glory to You Apolytikion for St. Sophia Tone 3 Χαίρει ἔχουσα ἡ Ἐκ κλησία, . Having you and your three daughters, as a sacred boast the Church rejoices, and with gladness she praises you, You are to me my pride and joy, as are the most precious relics of your children; Oh Glorious Martyrs: Sophia, Faith, Hope and Love, intercede to Christ our God to save our souls. Kontakion Τήν ϋπέρ ήμών πληρώσας… The Church was strengthened into one faith through the preaching of the Apostles and the doctrines of the Fathers. The Church is robed in truth woven of the word of God from above. It teaches truth, and glorifies the great mystery of faith.
Scripture Readings Epistle Reading: Acts of the Apostles 20:16-18, 28-36 IN THOSE DAYS, Paul had decided to sail past Ephesos, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. And from Miletos he sent to Ephesos and called to him the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' " And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all. Gospel Reading: John 17:1-13 At that time, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work which you gave me to do; and now, Father, you glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made.
Christian Sovereign, Saint Constantine the Great, the equal to the Apostles, summoned the renowned First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, a city of Bithynia. It was there that the shepherds and teachers of the Church of Christ gathered from all regions in the year 325. All of them, with one mouth and one voice, declared that the Son and Word of God is one in essence with the Father, true God of true God, and they composed the holy Symbol of Faith up to the seventh article (since the remain- d e r , beginning with "And in the Holy Spirit," was completed by the Second Ecumenical Council). Thus they anathematized the impious Arius of evil belief and those of like mind with him, and cut them off as rotten members from the whole body of the faithful. Therefore, recognizing the divine Fathers as heralds of the Faith after the divine Apostles, the Church of Christ has appointed this present Sunday for their annual commemoration, in thanksgiving and unto the glory of God, unto their praise and honour, and unto the strengthening of the true Faith. Continued from page 1 What is Christian Stewardship? Christian Stewardship is… …learning how to be a responsible and concerned caretaker of Christ’s Church; it is learning how to enjoy Church life and be happy in Church work., for in Her dwells the fullness of the Spirit of God. …our active commitment to use all our time, talent and treasure for the benefit of humankind in grateful acknowledgment of Christ’s redeeming love. …caring for the needs of others. …offering one’s self to God as He offered Himself to us. …what a person does after saying “I believe…”, as proof of that belief. …devotion and service to God and His Church as persons, as families, as metropolis, as national Church and as Church universal.
STEWARDSHIP 2023 We thank the 171 Stewards who have already pledged for the year. We are half way through this year’s stewardship campaign and we ask that if you have yet to fill your stewardshop for 2023 to prayerfully consider it. • Karin Ajmani • Ms. Dimitra Alatzas • Dr. & Mrs. Plato Alexander • Mrs. Nikki Alexiou • Mr. & Mrs. David Alvarez • Ekaterini Alysandratos • Ms. Cleo Andros • Mrs. Mary Andersen • Mr. & Mrs. Gus Andy • Mrs. Marina Angleton & Mr. Jim Petkas • Anton, Dindio • Mrs. Paraskevi Arvaniti • Ms. Sarah E Arvanites • Mr. Panagiotis Arvanitis • Ms. Ceren Ballanco • Ms. Jane Baloras • Mr. Vasilios Birlidis • Fr. Spiro & Presv. Lisa Bobotas • Mr. & Mrs. Clinton Bouchillon -Kanelides • Ms. Angela Bousalis • Ms. Christina Callesis • Mrs. Sheila Callesis • Mr. & Mrs. Nick Callesis • Mr. & Mrs. Albert Castro • Mr. & Mrs. Mario Capece • Dr. Panagiota Caralis • Mr. Louis Cardenas • Ms. Dione Carlos • Mr. Thomas Carlos • Mr. & Mrs. George Cavalaris • Mrs. Jean Cavalaris • Ms. Georgia Cavalaris • Ms. Mary Cavalaris • Mr. & Mrs. George Charnota • Ms. Alice Christy • Ms. Lynn Christ • Ms. Catherine Christofis • Ms. Mary Cocores • Mr. George Cozonis • Mr. Ken Cook • Drs. Georgia & Thomas Copulos • Ms. Sarah Costello • Mr. Philip De Paola • Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Demos • Mr. & Mrs. Angelo Demos • Mr. Michael Demos • Mr. Peter T. Demos • Mr. & Mrs. Spiros Dimitropoulos • Mr. Alkibad Dodge • Mr. & Mrs. Allen Donelan • Dr. Christopher Economides • Mr. Gus Efthimiou • Mr. Nicholas Efthimiou • Mr. & Mrs. Christian Emmanuel • Mr. George Farazoulis • Barbara Georgiadis • Mr. & Mrs. Jose Godur • Dame Dr. Evangeline Gouletas • Mr. & Mrs. Ramon Guillen-Lantz • Mrs. Fran Hadjilogiou • Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Hados • Mr. Nick Hados • Ms. Penelope Halkos • Mr. & Mrs. John Hampilos • Mrs. Adis Haralambides • Mr. & Mrs. Alexandros Haralambides • Ms. Fani Hatzichristofis • Mr. Justin Martin & Stephanie Koutsodendris
• Ms. Lisa Jeffery • Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Kakouris • Mr. & Mrs. George Kakouris • Mrs. Maria Samoza Kakouris • Mr. & Mrs. Jesse Kalaveshi- Peletier • Mr. & Mrs. Vassiliq Kalaveshi • Mr. & Mrs. Nick Kallergis • Ms. Maria Kalogeropoulos • Ms. Olga Kalogeropoulos • Mr. John Kandara • Mr. & Mrs. John Karakadas • Mr. & Mrs. Alex Karakhanian • Ms. Esther Karamanlakis • Mr. & Mrs. Theo Karantsalis • Mr. & Mrs. George Karavetsos • Mr. & Mrs. James Karnegis • Mr. & Mrs. Charalambos Kasselakis • Mr. & Mrs. Stamatios Kasselakis • Mr. & Mrs. John Katsoulis • Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Kays • Mr. John Kiskinis • Mr. Andreas Konnafias • M. & Mrs. Achiles Kontoyiannis • Mr. & Mrs. Pierre Koussafis • Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Lailas • Ms. Betty Lantz • Ms. Irene Lirakis • Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Macricostas • Mr. Dimitrios Maltezos • Mr. Sotirios Markuly • Mr. & Mrs. Manuel Melo- Cocores • Ms. Bia Marsellos • Ms. Dimitra Marsellos • Ms. Maroula Marsellos • Ms. Nancy Martini • Mr. & Mrs. Cameron McDonough • Mr. & Mrs. Demeosthenes J. Mekras • Mr. & Mrs. John Mekras • Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Mekras • Mrs. Satira Mekras • Ms. Diane Mello • Mrs. Stavroula Mihalakea • Mr. & Mrs. James Mitchell • Ms. Eleni Monas • Mr. & Mrs. Sotirios Moulinos • Mr. Dimitrios Nares • Mrs. Kyriaki Nares • Mrs. Maria Nelersa • Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Nieves • Ms. Sandy Paarros • Ms. Marianna Page • Mrs. Barbara Panagakos • Mr. Savvas Pantelidies • Mr. Aris Papadopoulos • Mr. & Mrs. Nick Pappas • Mr. & Mrs. Harry Pasquier • Mr. & Mrs. William Petros • Mr. & Mrs. Nikolas Pitsilis • Mr. & Mrs. Antonio Pitsoulakis • Mr. Chris Poulos • Mr. & Mrs. Nick Poulos • Mrs. Anastasia Prevolis • Ms. Emmanuela Prevolis • Mrs. Evangelia Prevolis • Mr. & Mrs. John Priovolos • Mr. & Mrs. George Potter • Ms. Sophia Porras • Mr. Gregory Rigano • Mr. Dimitrios Roumeliotis • & Stephanie Karangelen • Mr. & Mrs. James Sanders • Mr. & Mrs. Christos Sarantopoulos- Tsavos • Mrs. Stephany Stathopoulos • Dr. & Mrs. Theodore Sarafoglu • Ms. Vanessa Savas • Ms. Mina Savvides • Mr. & Mrs. John Scurtis • Drs. Eleni & George Sfakianakis • Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Sima • Mr. Alan Sima • Mr. Aristidies Simpoulos • Ioannis Simopoulos & Jessica Rosario • Mr. Michael Sirven • Mr. & Mrs. Herschel Sparks • Mr. Symeon Stavrakas • Mr. & Mrs. Nick Stavros
• Mr. Isos Stamelos-Monroe • Ms. Daisy Tepper • Ms. Olga Tsaganis • Mr. & Mrs. Andreas Tsavos • Mrs. Anastasia Tsipilis • Mr. Christian Tsoubanos • Drs. Andreas & Pat Tzakis • Mr. Anthony Tzamtzis • Mr. & Mrs. Ioannis Vartholomaios • Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Vavoulis Join us Wednesday Evening at 7 PM via Zoom as we discuss Prayer. find the link on the website calendar or in this week’s email blast.
UPCOMING EVENTS May 28th Sunday of the Fathers Matins 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM May 29th Monday Woodlawn North Cemetery 8:00 AM June 3rd Saturday 0f Souls Matins 8:00 AM Divine Liturgy 9:00 AM June 4th, Pentecost Matins 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Memorial Day Fr. Spiro will be at the Woodlawn North Cemetery on Monday, May 29th @ 8AM a Memorial Service will be offered for the memory of the men and women who served this Country and for all who have fallen asleep in the Lord. The Memorial Service will take place at the St. Sophia Memorial on the east side of the cemetery.