October 6, 2019

THOMAS THE APOSTLE

Saint The name Thomas means, "twin." He was one of the Twelve, a
Sophia Galilean by birth. Sophroneus (not the famous Patriarch of Jeru-
salem [7th Century, celebrated March 11], but a friend of Je-
Cathedral rome's), quoted also by Jerome, says that Saint Thomas
preached to the Parthians, Pesians, Medes, Hyrcanians, Bactri-
Miami, ans, and neighbouring na-
Florida tions. According to Her-
acleon, the Apostle died a
October 6th natural death; according to
2019 other accounts, he was mar-
tyred at Meliapur His tomb
Telephone: was known by Saint John
305- 854- Chrysostom to be at
Edessa in Syria, to which
2922 city his holy relics may have
Fax: been translated from India
in the fourth century.
305-858-1854

Website:
stsophiami-

ami.org

Address:
2401 S.W.
3rd Avenue

MEMORIAL

40 Day-Mary Venable

Remembered by Family and Friends

40 Day-Steve Poulos

Remembered by his wife, Dorane, his two daughters,
Alexandra and Elizabeth, Family & Friends

Liturgical Guide

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Grave Mode

Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον,

By means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished death. * To the robber You
opened Paradise. * The lamentation of the myrrhbearing women You transformed, *
and You gave Your Apostles the order to proclaim to all * that You had risen, O

Christ our God, * and granted the world Your great mercy.

Apolytikion for the Holy Apostle Thomas

Απόστολε Άγιε Θωμά,

O Holy Apostle Thomas, intercede with the merciful God that He grant unto our
souls forgiveness of offences.

Apolytikion for St. Sophia Tone 3

Χαίρει ἔχουσα ἡ Ἐκκλησία,

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 pre-
cious relics of your children; Oh Glorious Martyrs: Sophia, Faith, Hope and Love,

intercede to Christ our God to save our souls.

Kontakion in Tone 4

Προστασία τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀκαταίσχυντε,

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator
most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O
good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to int, them that

honor thee.

Epistle Reading:

The Reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:1-10

Brethren, working together with him, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God
in vain. For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you
on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day
of salvation. We put no obstacle in any one's way, so that no fault may be found with
our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through
great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tu-
mults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Ho-
ly Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of
righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute
and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet
well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful,
yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet pos-
sessing everything.

Gospel Reading:

The Reading is from the Gospel According to Luke 7:11-16

At that time, Jesus went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd
went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died
was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large
crowd from the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on
her and said to her, "Do not weep." And he came and touched the bier, and the
bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." And the dead man
sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all; and
they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has
visited his people!"

Sunday School Announcements:

Christmas Pageant

Christmas is around the corner and
our students will begin rehearsals

for our annual pageant.

Sun. October 20

Rehearsals will
begin

Please see Nancy
Poulos if you have

any questions.

Oratorical Festival 2020

Introduced in 1983, the St. John Chrysostom
Oratorical Festival provides Greek Orthodox
teenagers the opportunity to write and talk
about their faith. The Oratorical Festival Pro-
gram begins at the parish level and is divided
into three divisions:

Elementary Division (local festival only) for
students in grades 4–6- Junior Division for
students in grades 7–9, Senior Division for student in grades 10–12
The top speakers in the Junior and Senior Divisions advance to the district level.
Two finalists in each district division represent the district at the Metropolis
Oratorical Festival. The top speaker in each metropolis division is then selected to
participate in the Archdiocese Finals, which is hosted by a different metropolis
each year.
All eighteen finalists at the Archdiocese Finals participate in a weekend of activi-
ties, the highlight of which is the delivery of their speeches on Saturday morning.
The Oratorical Festival Scholarship Fund provides college scholarships to the top
speakers. Currently, the top three speakers of each division receive college schol-
arships of $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000. This year, each Honorable Mention
speaker was awarded $500.

Junior Division (Grades 7–9)

1. The Orthodox Church honors the Virgin Mary as the Theotokos. Discuss the
role she plays in the Church and as a role model for all Christians.

2. Christ and many Church Fathers often criticized the wealthy. Do Christians
need to live a life of poverty? Is it a sin to live a comfortable life?

3. “Lord have mercy” is the most repeated phrase in the Divine Liturgy. What
does it mean to truly have mercy?

4. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the
mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3). Discuss the importance of
reading Scripture in your life.

5. The theme of the upcoming 2020 Clergy–Laity Congress is “the greatest of
these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Discuss the way St. Paul defines love in
this important chapter of the Bible.

Senior Division (Grades 10–12)

1. Discuss how the separation of church and state benefits us as Orthodox Chris-
tians in the United States.

2. In his enthronement address, Archbishop Elpidophoros said, “We are all dea-
cons.” Discuss the importance of being a deacon – a servant – in the Church.

3. Discuss the significance of Constantinople in Church history and the struggles
Orthodox Christians in Constantinople face today.

4. How have modern-day saints from the past 100 years, from St. Nektarios to St.
Paisios and others, helped Orthodox Christians live their lives today?

5. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have enter-
tained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2). How might Orthodox Christians put
this command into practice?

Kalokairi Workshop and Glendi

A special thank you to the volunteers and chairs that made last weekends Kalokairi
Workshop and Glendi a success: - Father Spiro, Jose Godur, Sheila Callesis, Chris-
tina Callesis, Gaby Rodriguez, Elizabeth Stoyanov, Athena Guillen, Irene Kos,
Lucero Dimitropoulos, Flavia Tsialas, Nadia Tantilova, Katie Petros, Vicki Har-
alambides, Alexandra Wensley, Nancy Martini, Eleni Monas, Annie Godur, Em-
manuela Prevolis, Angelo Marsellos, John Kiskinis, and Evan Scurtis. Also a thank
you to our sponsors and donors listed above.

BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS

Join us October 12th @ 10 AM
along with our Neighbors and Friends
for our 4th annual blessing of the Animals,

What better way to show our gratitude for
these faithful members of our families than to

ask for God’s blessing for them in return.

Coffee & Donuts are on Us!

STEWARDSHIP GOYA MEETING

On Behalf of the community of Saint The Goyans will meet in the Fellowship house
Sophia I want to thank the 165 families immediately following the coffee hour for their
who have pledge to the Cathedral thus
far. Your gift to the Cathedral is greatly monthly meeting.
appreciated. For those who have yet to
The Saint Sophia GOYA
give, there is still time. is getting into the holiday
Our 2020 Campaign will begin in just
spirit early with their
under 2 months. annual Holiday Wreath

If you have not yet taken care of our Fundraiser.
2019 stewardship . Please prayerfully Join in and catch the spirit
and sacrificially consider doing so in the by purchasing a wreath for
this year’s Holiday Season.
near future.

UPCOMING EVENTS

October 6th, Sunday -3rd Sunday of Luke - Matins: 9:00 AM
- Liturgy: 10:00 AM

October 13th, Sunday of he 7th Ecumenical Council - Matins: 9:00 AM

- Liturgy: 10:00 AM

Christmas Pageant Rehearsal will begin Oct. 20th—if you are interested in having your young

ones participate in this year’s Christmas pageant please see Nancy Poulos for more info..

There will be a Pageant rehearsal Sunday October 20th

National Church Music Sunday

Each year, on the first Sunday in
October parishes across the Archdio-
cese of America celebrate NATIONAL
CHURCH MUSIC SUNDAY. This com-
memoration was inaugurated by His
Eminence, Archbishop Iakovos of
North and South America in 1982, and
has been re-affirmed by His Emi-
nence, Archbishop Demetrios of
America.

NATIONAL CHURCH MUSIC SUNDAY

is a day we set aside particularly to
honor the contributions of local choir
members, psaltai, and music
educators who serve their churches
through the hymnology of our Ortho-
dox Church. In addition, it is a day
when we recognize the work of the
diocesan choir federations as well as
the National Forum of Greek Ortho-
dox Church Musicians, who through
their music ministry, strive to enhance
the development of church choirs,
church musicians, and liturgical music
at diocesan and archdiocesan levels.