Holy, Glorious Demetrius the Myrrh-flowing of Thessalonica October 26th, 2018 - Monthly OCTOBER2018 - St. Paul's Greek ...
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Monthly OCTOBER 2018 Volume 10
Holy, Glorious Demetrius the Myrrh-
flowing of Thessalonica
October 26th, 2018
OCTOBER PASTORAL MESSAGE
On the unity of faith and action
By Fr. Vasile Mihai
Unity is strength. That is the main thought on our minds when are living in time of confusion and affliction; though,
we know that is not first or last time when we experience such tribulation, but as people of faith, our worries are
soothed by the examples of Christ, of the Holy Apostles and of the Fathers. If we consider the two great Apostles,
Sts. Peter and Paul, we realize that in the beginning of their ministries they did not work well together. St. Peter
was called directly by Jesus and given “the keys of the kingdom” (Matthew 16:16-18). He is portrayed in icons car-
rying the keys. St. Paul, on the other hand, probably never met Jesus face to face, and even worse, he was a
zealous Jew and notorious persecutor of the Christians. St. Paul’s conversion came about through a vision on the
road to Damascus. His inspiration and his style of presenting the gospel came from visions and charismatic expe-
riences. He is portrayed in icons carrying either a sword or a book. St. Peter and St. Paul different enough differ-
ent in their approach to the ministry on the emerging Christian Church that they were called Apostle of the Jews
and respectively, Apostle of the Gentiles. Paul once had a public disagreement with Peter on whether Jewish
Christians could eat together with Gentile Christians. (Galatians 2).
Among their disagreements were some related to the Jewish wisdom and customs. Initially, those disagreements
led them believe that a Gentile have to convert first to Judaism and after that to Christianity (St. Peter), while the
other believed that a Gentile should become a Christian directly (St. Paul). This major disagreement was opened
to discussion at the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem (50 AD), where the two leaders consulted with other Bishops
there, and came to the unity of action: a pagan can become a Christian without converting first to Judaism. The
winning position of St. Paul was strengthened by the noble admonition that the Gentile should respect the Jewish
customs (works of the law: i.e., circumcision, dietary laws and purity laws, Rom. 3:20b). St. Paul went so far in re-
specting Jewish customs, that he actually took a Nazarite vow in support of few young men of his company ( Acts
18:18).
Sts. Peter and Paul did not agree in everything in their lives, but they did agree in death. Both suffered the same
kind of death, martyrdom, in the same city, Rome, at about the same time, 64-67 AD. The early church recognized
Sts. Peter and Paul as the two pillars of the church of Christ. This is depicted in an ancient icon with Peter and
Paul, together, each extending a hand with which they bear up the church. By placing the two of them together in
one icon, united in lifting up the church, is sending a message to all her children, that they all likewise should be
united, in spite of individual and local differences, in building up the one Church of God.
In the Early Church there was a tendency to splinter into various factions, each one claiming to follow the leader-
ship of one of the chief apostles or missionaries. This was one of the reasons why Paul wrote his letters to the Co-
rinthians. The Corinthians were breaking up into followers of St. Paul, followers of St. Peter, and followers of Apol-
los. Paul reminds them strongly that these human leaders are all equally servants of the one Christ. Therefore,
Christ should be their focus and not the human leaders: “So let no one boast of men. For all things are yours,
whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you
are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.” (1 Cor. 3:21-23)
If division among believers was a problem in the days of St. Paul, it is even more so today. Like the Christians of
Corinth, Christians today are divided. Disunity of Christians is a scandal that weakens the Christian witness to the
world. How can Christian churches preach love and unity, forgiveness and reconciliation to the world when they
themselves are living in disunity, unable to forgive and reconcile themselves?
We the Orthodox we praise ourselves as keepers of Christ’s teachings and of millenary traditions springing from
the Early Church; though, here in our country we are administratively split in 15 jurisdictions. Ample efforts were
made to return to the faith and practice of the Early Church as basis of unity, though the actions simply palliative
betraying the purpose.
Even within the walls of our church there are visible cracks of disunity. Today, the faithful are quick to label them-
selves as true Christians, but their behavior is far from what is traditionally seen as Christian expectations. In our
run for acceptance and gratification, we are ready to give up the calling for the Kingdom, forgetting that a sign of
unity is that common pursuit of the Kingdom/salvation.
IT’S GREEK TIME, IT’S FUN TIME…
68th Annual Greek Festival
(October 11th, 12th and 13th, 2018)
Wow! We are at the 63rd edition of our Greek
Festival. The hard work of the devoted
members of our parish combined with the ex-
perience of successful past festivals make us
to believe that this edition will be one of the
best! The Greek Festival is very important for
us, not only as our main fundraiser, but also
because is giving us the chance to witness
through faith and action to the larger communi-
ty of Savannah and surroundings.
We would like to be known not only by
the baklava baking, gyro and bouzouki, but
also by our deep-rooted faith, by our spirituality
and culture, by our balanced views on life and
world, by our beautiful and meaningful icono-
graphy and hymnology in the church. More
and more people from the city of Savannah
and surroundings are visiting our church; according to the Great Commandment we have a duty to share
with them what we appreciate most, a faith anchored in Bible, a founder who is Christ Himself, a bestowing
of the Spirit through liturgical and sacramental life, a tradition which preserved the teachings of the Fathers,
a lifestyle in godliness, and not last the joy of life under God’s protection.
Our Greek Festival was, it is, and will be a family oriented event. In our programs, the entire family
will enjoy relaxed and instructive time. Parents and children alike will enjoy activities geared toward their spe-
cific needs. Like in other years, our children troops and the adult dancers will perform in the front of the par-
ticipants and encourage them to join in.
The Agora (Market) will offer you and our visitors the
chance to see and buy books, art, clothes, jewelry, music
and many other articles reflecting Greek lifestyle, Orthodox
traditions, and everyday products on which beauty meets
utility.
In the Gym and in the Courtyard, a variety of foods, drinks
and products will satisfy the needs of the participants. Visi-
tors will be exposed to traditional home-made foods and
deserts, prepared with love and dedication by a large num-
ber of devoted members of this parish.
For those who want to know more about the roots of Christi-
anity and about the Orthodox faith, church tours will be of-
fered all three days of the Greek Festival. Fr. Vasile Mihai,
helped by Chuck Watson and Eddie Lambros will guide the
tours and offer ample explanations about the history of this
church and of the community and about the place of Orthodoxy in the Christian world.
The preparations for the Greek Festival started already and some of the foods and desserts are al-
ready prepared. Many more tasks await us and surely, is not to late to get involved and to volunteer your
time in the preparation, setting up and serving people during the three days of the Festival.
Please come and spend the time of your life at our Greek Festival and lend your hands wherever is
needed. Let’s make this 63rd Annual Greek Festival one to be remembered!
See you there!
Fr. Vasile Mihai
St. Thomas
(October 6)
Thomas the Apostle, also called Doubting Thomas or Didymus (meaning " Twin”) was one of the Twelve
Apostles of Jesus. He is best known for disbelieving Jesus' resurrection when first told of it, then proclaiming "My
Lord and my God" on seeing Jesus in John 20:28. He was perhaps the only Apostle who went outside the Ro-
man Empire to preach the Gospel. He is also believed to have crossed the largest area, which includes the Par-
thian Empire and India.
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio,
1603, Sansouci Museum, Potsdam, Germany
Thomas speaks in the Gospel of St. John. In John 11:16, when
Lazarus has just died, the apostles don't want to go back to Judea,
where Jesus' fellow Jews had attempted to stone him to death.
Thomas says bravely: "Let us also go, that we may die with him").
In Thomas' best known appearance in the New Testament (John
20:24-29) he doubts the resurrection in flesh of Jesus Christ and
demands to touch Jesus’ wounds before being convinced. A famous painting of the Italian master Caravaggio,
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, depicts this scene. This story is the origin of the term Doubting Thomas. After
seeing Jesus alive, Thomas exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!".
The holy and Glorious Apostle Thomas was born in the Galileian city of Pansada and was a fisherman. Hearing
the good tidings of Jesus Christ, he left all and followed Him. The Apostle Thomas is included in the number of
the holy Twelve Apostles of the Savior.
According to Holy Scripture, the holy Apostle Thomas did not believe the reports of the other disciples about the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ: "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of
the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe" (John 20:25).
On the eighth day after the Resurrection, the Lord appeared to the Apostle Thomas and showed him His
wounds. "My Lord and my God," the Apostle cried out (John 20:28). "Thomas, being once weaker in faith than
the other apostles," says St John Chrysostom, "toiled through the grace of God more bravely, more zealously
and tirelessly than them all, so that he went preaching over nearly all the earth, not fearing to proclaim the Word
of God to savage nations."
Some icons depicting this event are inscribed "The Doubting Thomas." This is incorrect. In Greek, the in-
scription reads, "The Touching of Thomas." In Slavonic, it says, "The Belief of Thomas." When St Thomas
touched the Life-giving side of the Lord, he no longer had any doubts.
According to Church Tradition, the holy Apostle Thomas founded Christian churches in Palestine, Mesopo-
tamia, Parthia, Ethiopia and India. Preaching the Gospel earned him a martyr's death. For having converted
the wife and son of the prefect of the Indian city of Meliapur [Melipur], the holy apostle was locked up in
prison, suffered torture, and finally, pierced with five spears, he departed to the Lord. Part of the relics of
the holy Apostle Thomas are in India, in Hungary and on Mt. Athos.
Near Chennai (formerly Madras) in India stands a small hillock called St. Thomas Mount, where the Apostle
is said to have been killed in AD 72 (exact year not established). Also to be found in Chennai is the Diocese
of Saint Thamas of Mylapore and the San Thome Cathedral, where his mortal remains were transferred. A
piece of bone and the lancehead that used to kill the saint, excavated from the tomb, is kept in a mon-
strance in the museum.
First time the tomb was opened to take some earth to cure the son of ruling king Mahadevan. The sand
from the tomb is believed to have miraculous healing powers. Between A.D. 220 and 232 a merchant
called Khabin removed greater portion of the relics to Edessa, Mesopotamia, on which occasion his Syriac
Acts were written.
Eventually, the relics of St. Thomas were transferred from Edessa to the Greek island of Chios. After a
short stay in the Greek island of Chios, on September 6, 1258, the relics were “transported” to the West,
and now rest in the city of Ortona, Italy. Southern India had maritime trade with the West since ancient
times.
The website of the Italian Cathedral of St. Thomas in Ortona clear-
ly states that the relics were stolen from Chios by Leone Acciaiuoli,
who commanded three galleys in the fleet of Prince Manfredi. Be-
sides the relics they brought to Ortona the Mesopotamian sarcoph-
agus in which the relics were kept in Edessa and in Chios. Today
the sarcophagus and the relics are kept under the Altar of the
Chapel of the Sacrament (see at the right).
View of the top of St. Thomas’ sarcophagus The Chapel of the Sacrament, Ortona, Italy
In 1985-1986 students from the University of Chieti and specialists from the Department of the Antiquities
studied the relics of St. Thomas and they found the following: the bones belong to a man of age between
50 and 70, with a height of 5 feet 3 inches plus/minus 4 inches, affected by a rheumatic condition called
today, Ankylosing Spondylitis or Strumpell-Marie disease (a degenerative inflammatory disease character-
ized by back pain caused by fusion of the spinal column bones), and with a cheekbone wound made by a
sharp object.
St. Thomas is commemorated in the Orthodox Church on October 6. He is also commemorated in common
with all of the other apostles on June 30, in a feast called the Synaxis of the Holy Apostles. He is also asso-
ciated with the "Arabian" (or "Arapet") icon of the Theotokos (Mother of God), which is commemorated on
September 6.
Compiled by Fr. Vasile from various sources
St. Luke, Apostle and Evangelist
(October 18)
Almost all that we know about St. Luke comes from the New Testament. He was a physician (Col 4:14), a
companion of St. Paul on some of his missionary journeys (Acts 16:10ff; 20:5ff; 27-28). Material found in
his Gospel and not elsewhere includes much of the account of Our Lord's birth and infancy and boyhood,
some of the most moving parables, such as that of the Good Samaritan and that of the Prodigal Son, and
three of the sayings of Christ on the Cross: "Father, forgive them," "Thou shalt be with me in Paradise,"
and "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."
In St. Luke's account of the Gospel, we find an emphasis on the human love of Christ, on His compassion
for sinners and for suffering and unhappy persons, for outcasts such as the Samaritans, tax collectors
(not a respected profession), lepers, shepherds, and for the
poor. The role of women in Christ's ministry is more empha-
sized in St. Luke than in the other Gospel writings.
In the book of Acts, we find the early Christian community
poised from the start to carry out its commission, confident and
aware of Divine guidance. We see how the early Christians at
first preached only to Jews, then to Samaritans (a borderline
case), then to outright Gentiles like Cornelius, and finally explic-
itly recognized that Gentiles and Jews are called on equal
terms to the service and fellowship of Christ.
St. Luke makes many casual references throughout his writings
(especially in Acts) to local customs and practices, often with
demonstrable and noteworthy precision. To mention just one
example, he refers to two centurions by name, Cornelius in
Acts 10 and Julius in Acts 27, and he calls them both by nomen
only, rather than by nomen and cognomen (Sergius Paulus in
Acts 13;7) or cognomen only (Gallio in Acts 18:12), as he does
when speaking of civilian officials. It is a distinction that would
have been routine at the time that St. Luke is writing about, but
one that had largely died out by, say, 70 AD. His preserving it
shows either that, (1) he wrote fairly close to the events he de-
scribed, or (2) he was describing persons and events on which
he had good information, or (3) he was an expert historical novelist, with an ear for the authentic-
sounding detail.
St. Paul speaks of St. Luke as the “beloved physician.” (Colossians 4:14) That he was taught the science
of medicine does not support the inference that he was of high birth or fortune since the practice and sci-
ence of medicine in St. Luke’s day was often managed by slaves who were educated and trained in its
mysteries. Great personages had their slaves instructed in medicine; hence some have conceived that St.
Luke was of humble birth, and that possibly he had lived with some noble family in the capacity of physi-
cian until he obtained his freedom. We have evidence of his medical knowledge by his correct use of
medical terms, and because he describes diseases as only a physician would, e.g., when mentioning in
his Gospel the woman having an issue of blood (Luke 8:43), and in the Acts of the Apostles the cure of
the father of Publius at Melita (Acts 28:8).
The language employed in the latter example is distinctly descriptive, if not technical. St. Jerome tells us
that St. Luke was very skilled in his profession as a physician. Eminence is not to be obtained in a day;
thus, it may have been that St. Luke followed his calling all his life, exercising it in whatever place he may
have happened to be at the time. A curious and interesting coincidence is that when St. Luke is first men-
tioned as being in company with St. Paul, it is immediately after a sojourn of the latter in Galatia (Acts
16:6,10), due to severe bodily sickness (Galatians 4:13). Indeed, this illness of St. Paul
may have necessitated the calling in or medical skill, and may thus have been
the cause of their first meeting.
It has also been surmised that St. Luke was a medical attendant on
board one of the ancient vessels; they were not rapid in their move-
ments, and some, not infrequently, were very large, thus requiring a
considerable staff, and, as a consequence, probably “carrying a sur-
geon,” as we now say. The ship “of Alexandria,” in which the journey to
Rome was made, is supposed to have been some 1200 tons capacity.
St. Luke certainly displays, in the Acts of the Apostles, considerable
knowledge of nautical matters, and it may have been acquired in cir-
cumstances such as we have hinted. His familiarity with nautical phra-
seology and idioms is specially shown in his descriptions of St. Paul’s
shipwreck and voyage to Rome (Acts 17). He gives, as it were, the log-
book: “We sailed under Cyprus because the winds were contrary.” As it
was then autumn, and violent northwest windows prevailing in the Ar-
chipelago, this course was obligatory; they could not take the open
sea, outside the island, as the vessel having St. Paul on board was
able to do in the voyage from Miletus to Tyre. St. Luke describes the
coast and its dangers: the soft “south wind”; what was done to preserve
the ship; the soundings that were repeatedly made, and so on. All this
affords irresistible proof of his cognizance of navigation.
St. Luke is commonly thought to be the only non-Jewish New Testament writ-
er. His writings place the life of Christ and the development of the early Church in the larger context of the Ro-
man Empire and society. On the other hand, his writings are focused on Jerusalem and on the Temple. His
Gospel begins and ends in the Temple, and chapters nine through nineteen portray Jesus as journeying from
Galilee to Jerusalem. Similarly, the Book of Acts describes the Church in Jerusalem (and worshipping in the
Temple) and then describes the missionary journeys of St. Paul as excursions from and returns to Jerusalem.
St. Luke did not forsake his master, St. Paul, after he was released from his confinement. That apostle in his
last imprisonment at Rome writes that the rest had all left him, and that St. Luke alone was with him. St. Epipha-
nius says that after the martyrdom of St. Paul, St. Luke preached in Italy, Gaul, Dalmatia, and Macedon. Ni-
cephorus says he died at Thebes in Boeotia, and that his tomb was shown near that place in his time; but
seems to confound the evangelist with St. Luke Stiriote, a hermit of that country. St. Hippolytus of Rome says
St. Luke was crucified at Elaea in Peloponnesus near Achaia. The modern Greeks tell us he was crucified on an
olive tree.
St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Paulinus, and St. Gaudentius of Brescia assure us that he went to God by martyr-
dom, while Bede, Ado, Usuard, and Baronius in their Martyrologies only say he suffered much for the faith, and
died very old in Bithynia. That he crossed the straits to preach in Bithynia is most probable, but then he returned
and finished his course in Achaia, under which name Peloponnesus was then comprised.
The relics of St. Luke were translated from Patras in Achaia in 357 by order of the Emperor Constantius, and
deposited in the Church of the Apostles at Constantinople, together with those of St. Andrew and St. Timothy.
The magnificent Church of the Apostles at Constantinople was built by Constantine the Great, whose body was
deposited in the porch in a chest of gold, the twelve apostles standing round his tomb. When this church was
repaired by an order of Justinian, the masons found three wooden chests or coffins in which, as the inscriptions
proved, the bodies of St. Luke, St. Andrew, and St. Timothy were interred. Baronius mentions that the head of
St. Luke was brought by St. Gregory from Constantinople to Rome, and laid in the church of his monastery of
St. Andrew. A relic of St. Luke, a hand mounted in silver, is kept in the Megistou Lavra of Mount Athos, Greece.
Fr. Vasile Mihai
St. James, Brother of the Lord
(October 23)
St. James, brother of the Lord ()
along with his brothers Joseph, Simon and Jude and two sis-
ters, were children of Joseph from his previous marriage. This
was the view of St. Epiphanios and that is the understanding
of the Church.
The difficulty in establishing a clear family relationship is due
to the fact that they are mentioned under the category
‘brethren’ which at that time could mean both ‘brothers’ or
‘cousins’. St. Jerome stated that the ‘Lord’s brethren’ were in
fact sons of Mary, wife of Cleopas and sister of the Virgin
Mary. Another opinion is that they were sons of Mary (not a
sister of the Virgin Mary) and mother of James and Joseph.
In the New Testament three persons bear this name, which
appears forty-one times! Nineteen of them refer to James, the
brother of John and the son of Zebedee. Four times the name
refers to James the son of Alphaeus, five others refer to a son
of Mary, and eight times to an unspecified James, a pillar of
the Church of Jerusalem.
James, the “Lord’s brother” (Gal. 1:19), a “pillar” of the Jeru-
salem Church (Gal. 2:9), a participant of the Council of the
Apostles in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1-10, Acts 15:1-20), experienced the risen Lord (1 Cor. 15:7). He is mentioned
many times by St. Paul and St. Luke and is considered to be the author of the Epistle of St. James and the
author of the Liturgy.
The reference of Gal. 1:19 to James, the Lord’s brother, is of special interest, for some would understand that
here he is designated as an apostle. Even that he was not mentioned in previous lists of the apostles, it ap-
pears that he had an eminence calling for recognition as apostle. After St. Peter’s escape from prison, he
asked that the good news should be passed to James: “Tell this to James and to the brethren” (Acts 12:17).
St. James was not known as one of the twelve disciples of Christ; it is possible that the post resurrection ap-
pearance of the Lord produced in St. James the conversion to discipleship, a conversion similar to that experi-
enced by St. Paul himself. St. Paul refers to him, along with St. Peter (Cephas) and St. John (Zebedee) as
“pillars” of the Jerusalem church (Gal. 2:9).
At the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem, James gave the deciding argument concerning the relationships be-
tween Jews and Gentiles. Also at his return from his third missionary journey (A. D. 58), St. Paul presents
himself to James. It is the same St. James who warns St. Paul of the strong feelings against him coming from
the Jews in Jerusalem who were offended that St. Paul was teaching the Jews in Diaspora to abandon cir-
cumcision and other customs (Acts15:1-29). As a compromise, St. James and the elders advised St. Paul to
prove his respect for the law by taking part in a temple vow ceremony (Acts 21:18-24).
St. James devotion for the law was underscored in later tradition. According to Hegesippus (writing ca 180 A.
D. and quoted by Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., II.23.4-18) James was called the Just, or Oblias, that in Greek is
‘Rampart of the people and righteousness’. According to the same source, James was martyred at the hands
of Scribes and Pharisees in Jerusalem by being cast down from a pinnacle of the Temple and then stoned
and clubbed to death.
Fr. Vasile Mihai
Liturgy of St. James
( O n O c t o b e r 2 3 rd, 2 0 1 8 )
With the blessing and the encouragement of His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta we will cele-
brate the Liturgy of St. James on his name day, October 23rd, 2018. On Tuesday, October 23rd, we will
have Orthros (Matins) at 9:00am and the Divine Liturgy of St. James at 10:00am.
This is an ancient Liturgy of the Orthodox Church and was preserved in both Greek and Syriac form. The
Liturgy is ascribed to James, the Lord’s brother, first Bishop of Jerusalem. The Liturgy of St. James re-
flects the fourth century liturgical practices of the Christian Church if not earlier. The fact that the Liturgy
was used by the Syrian Jacobites, who separated themselves from the Church in 451 as well as by the
Orthodox, proves that the Liturgy cannot have been composed later than the middle of the fifth century.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem in his famous Catechetical Sermons described movements from this Liturgy, which
shows that this was the Liturgy used at the time. St. John Chrysostom (349-407) mentions in his ninth
treatise On Repentance the phrase “let them lift up their minds and hearts to God”. St Jerome (347-420)
also used some phrases from the Liturgy of St. James in his Refutation of the Pelagians work.
Canon 32 of the Sixth Ecumenical Council (in Trullo, 691) talks about the Liturgy of the carnal brother of
the Lord (St. James), “who handed down to us in writing the mystical hierurgy”, wine has to be mixed with
water in the preparation of the holy communion and nut just water alone as the followers of the heretic
Aquarians did.
The texts which we have today, both in Greek and Syriac, differ one from another because of the addi-
tions made to them through the course of the time. However, the fundamental part of this liturgy, namely
the Eucharist Prayer, is undoubtedly of Aramaic origin, for the Church of Jerusalem recited this prayer in
Aramaic and not in Greek.
What makes the Liturgy of St. James quite interesting is that besides its Eucharistic prayer, it contains
many other prayers which are identical with the prayers in the liturgy used in the Church of Alexandria,
whose founder was St. Mark. Some theologians believe that the Liturgy of St. James was the source for
the Liturgy of Alexandria.
The Syriac version of the Liturgy of St. James has survived in many manuscripts; the oldest manuscript
contains fragments of the liturgy and dates from the 8th and 9th
centuries (MS 14523, British Museum).
The general scholarly consensus is that this liturgy originated in
Jerusalem during the fourth century. It quickly became the pri-
mary liturgy in Jerusalem and Antioch. Although it was later su-
perseded in Jerusalem and Antioch by the Liturgy of St. Basil
and the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, it was already spread
on other areas of the Church. The oldest manuscript traditions
are in Greek and Syriac, and there are also extant manuscripts
in Armenian, Ethiopic, Georgian, and Old Slavonic.
But around 13th to 14th century, the use of the Liturgy of St.
James faded away in favor of the Byzantine rite that included
the other three Liturgies, Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Liturgy
of St. Basil and the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy.
The Liturgy of St. James is the oldest and longest of the Divine
Liturgies used in the Church. This liturgy is much different than
the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, which we celebrate on regu-
lar Sundays; another interesting difference is that the Liturgy of
St. James is celebrated in three different areas of the church,
part in the Narthex, part on the Solea and part in the Altar.
The celebration of the liturgy is usually preceded by private prayers which the priest recites silently, particularly
the prayer for the breaking of the sacrificial bread. A part of the liturgy includes prayers recited by the serving
deacon, while the priest is blessing (that is why in the celebration we need a priest and a deacon).
Unlike other Eastern liturgies, the liturgy of St. James did not have litanies; instead of them, the Dyptichs were
read after the kiss of peace. The Dyptichs are usually two tablets, one containing the names of the heads of
churches, kings and names of charitable believers, the other included references to the life of the Lord from the
annunciation until his resurrection, the Pentecost and the Apostles’ preaching of the Gospel. The reading of the
Dyptichs has ceased from the 11th century, although copies of them survived in some manuscripts.
Over the years, to the liturgy has been added a “communion” hymn, chanted during the breaking of the sacrificial
bread, a prayer for the sick and the afflicted, recited shortly before the end of the service, and a recessional
(dismissal) hymn.
One leading theory today is that of John Fenwick, who argues that the similarities between this liturgy and that of
St. Basil demonstrate their respective developments from a common source, now lost, but which is best pre-
served in the Egyptian recension of the Liturgy of St. Basil. Fenwick suggests that the Liturgy of St. James was
composed by St. Cyril of Jerusalem around 370 AD. Today it is the principal liturgy of the Churches of the West
Syrian tradition: the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Syrian Catholic Church, the Indian Orthodox Church, the Syro-
Malankara Catholic Church, and the Mar Thoma Church.
St. Paul’s is one of the very few parishes in the country which celebrates this liturgy; if you never attend the litur-
gy, this may be your great occasion to be part of it and to receive the holy communion as faithful received in the
Early Church and as the priests receives in the Altar. This means that the faithful receive the Body in their hands
and then the Blood directly from the Chalice.
Please prepare for this Holy Day through pray
er and fasting and please attend the Orthros
and the Divine Liturgy of St. James.
Looking forward to see you on Tuesday, October
23rd at the Liturgy of S. James,
Fr. Vasile MihaiThe Life of Saint Demetrios
(October 26)
Saint Demetrios was born in Thessalonike, Greece in 270 AD. He
came from a wealthy family and because he was athletic in appear-
ance and heroic in spirit, he became a high-ranking officer in the Ro-
man Army at a very young age. (This is why he is depicted in Byzan-
tine icons in military dress, either standing or riding a horse.) He con-
sidered himself a soldier of Christ first, and a military soldier second.
He spent most of his time as a devout missionary, preaching the
Gospel at secret meetings and converting pagans to the Christian
faith.
At one of these meetings, he was captured and placed in front of the
Emperor Maximian, who wanted to learn the truth about the conver-
sions. Saint Demetrios proclaimed his faith by saying: "...only in
Christ do I believe." With that proclamation, Maximian ordered that
Saint Demetrios be sent to prison and subjected to the cruelest tor-
tures.
Even though Saint Demetrios was imprisoned, he did not stop
preaching the gospel to those who came to see him. In jail, he was
visited by his follower, Nestor. Nestor was a man of small stature
and had come to ask for his beloved teacher's blessing to fight in the
upcoming gladiator games. The emperor had decided to use the
games as a duel between Christianity and paganism by challenging any Christian to a fight against the ath-
letic giant, Leo.
With the blessing of Saint Demetrios, Nestor fought
and killed Leo. Enraged at the loss of his favorite glad-
iator, the emperor commanded that Nestor be be-
headed on the spot. Recognizing that Saint Demetrios
was the inspiring power behind Nestor, the emperor
ordered that Saint Demetrios be executed by spear on
October 26, 306 AD Christians buried the body of
Saint Demetrios at the place of his execution and be-
cause of the beautiful scent that emanated from his
tomb, he was named Mirovlitis or "The Myrrh Gusher
or Myrrh Flowing".
The most ancient icons of Saint Demetrios may be
found in his temple in Thessalonike where he is the
patron saint. This is not just because he was born and
died there, but because the people believe it was his
intervention that saved the city during many attacks by
Slavic nations, the Bulgarians, Arabs, Saracens and
others. Even the liberation of Thessalonike during the
Balkan wars of 1912 coincide with the feast day of
Saint Demetrios on October 26th.
Martyrdom of St. Demetrios, Megisti Lavra, Mount Athos
In ancient times, the life of Saint Demetrios was commemorated with celebrations that lasted for months.
These celebrations where accompanied by many events such as the famous market named "Demetria".
Traders and business people from Europe, Egypt, Arabia and Libya came to deal and trade. The festivities
were also attended by philosophers, learned men of the time and artists. To this day, Thessalonike hosts
Greece's largest international trade exhibition each year.
Fr. Vasile MihaiRelics of St. Demetrios of Thessalonica
At the Church of Aghios Demetrios in
Thessalonica—also spelled Thessalonike,
the holy relics of St. Demetrios are up-
stairs in the main Church. The Church of
St. Demetrios is a five-aisled basilica, with
a narthex and a transept. Under the sanc-
tuary and the transept there is the crypt. A
chapel of Saint Euthymios is attached to
the South-East corner of the church. Very
few fragments of the sculptural and pictori-
al (mosaics, wall paintings) decoration of
the church, survived the disastrous fire of
1917 but they are representative of the
successive phases of the church’s history.
The first church was a small orator, built
shortly after 313 A.D. on the ruins of a Ro-
man bath. In the 5th century A.D., the ep-
arch Leontios founded on the same site a
large, three-aisled basilica which was burn down in 626-634. Shortly thereafter, the five-aisled basilica was
erected. It was converted into a mosque in 1493, it was restored to Christian worship in 1912 but it was
again destroyed in the great fire of 1917. It was rebuilt and started to function again in 1949.
During the restoration of the monument after the fire of 1917, several trenches were opened in the nave
and the crypt. Systematic excavations were carried out in 1946-49.
Restoration of the church was undertaken immediately after the catastrophe of 1917. Work was stopped in
1938 and was again resumed in 1946. The church complex was rebuilt and started to function again as a
church in 1949.
In the crypt of Aghios Demetrios, an exhibition is on display to the public. It includes the items that survived
the fire of 1917 and those that were brought to light by the recent excavations in the historical monument.
The Church of St. Demetrios in Thessalonica was built over the site of
his holy martyrdom—the Roman bath in which he was imprisoned.
This bath is preserved to this day in a crypt under the holy sanctuary
of the Church. As I pointed out already a great fire broke out in 1917,
which destroyed most the city, and this was the cause for the discover
of the bath— the floor of the sanctuary having fallen through.
Among other things there was discovered the first chapel built over the
place of Aghios Demetrios martyrdom (martyrium) with an earthen
vessel planted in the Holy Table, containing earth with human blood—
evidently of the holy Martyr. A great marble basin was also discovered
which was used to gather the holy myrrh from the grave of the holy
Saint of our Lord God.
Aghios Demetrios is known in the holy Orthodox Church as the "myrrh
-bearer". St. Demetrios of Thessalonica is one of the very few saints
from whose relics, by the grace of God, a fragrant and healing myrrh
flowed. Among other great myrrh-bearers we count, St. Nicholas, St.
Symeon of Serbia, and St. Nil of Mt. Athos.
Compiled by Fr. Nektarios Serfes, Sts. Constantine & Helen
Greek Orthodox Church, Boise, ID.
The holy Relics of St. Demetrios at the
Church of St. Demetrios in Thessaloni-
ca, GreeceNecessity of Forgiveness What happened in the parable Jesus taught about the king who wanted to settle accounts with his serv- ants? This story is found in Matthew 18:21-35. It is a powerful story about the necessity of forgiveness. It clearly tells us that forgiveness is not an option if we want to be included in His kingdom. The story is about a king (Jesus) who wants to settle up with his servants (us). One of his servants owed him a large amount (sinful living). Remember what the king told him because he was not able to repay his debt? Matthew writes, "his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had and that payment be made." Doesn't this seem a bit harsh? Why would Jesus say something like this? Isn't He saying that if we cannot pay for our sinfulness then, beware, we will face the worst penalty? This response from the king elicits fear in the servant seeing how powerful the king is and realizing the horrible consequences. He throws himself down on his face in front of the king and begs forgiveness saying he will do his best in the future to pay it all. And the king (Jesus) forgives him. This is what we are doing in Holy Confession. We know our God is most merciful if we do with humility seek forgiveness. And if we realize how severe the consequences are failing to do so, we will with haste seek it. The story continues. This servant who received forgiveness goes about his business and one of his servants approaches him with a much smaller debt. The master threatens him with violence and the man falls on his face and asks for forgiveness. But unlike the action of the king, he denies any forgiveness and throws the debtor into prison. Here we have as a parallel, someone who has gone to Confession and sought forgiveness from God and received it, but when he goes about his life afterwards, he fails to offer the same forgiveness to others. What is the consequence of this? The rest of the story. When the king heard about his unwillingness to forgive, he says, "You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?." His master was angry and then delivered him to the torturers. Jesus then says in conclusion, "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart does not forgive his brother." So our failure to act like Him will result in torture! That torture in Orthodox understanding would be eternal separation from God and His grace. But how often are we to forgive someone who continually offends us? When Peter asked the question of Jesus, "How often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?" Jesus answered him, "I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." In other words an infinite number of times. Just like there is no limit to how many time Jesus will forgive us we too have no limits in forgiving others. For- giveness is not an option if we want to be united with Christ in His kingdom. No matter how often we are trespassed we are expected forgive just As He will forgive us in His unlimited mercy when we sincerely seek forgiveness and His help to change our ways. We routinely recite in the Lord's Prayer, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Remember this story that Jesus told each time you recite this prayer. This is not an easy commandment. We all have buried in our subconsciousness feelings of remorse, of having been wronged, or resentment about certain actions of others even though the other person sought our forgiveness. Too often we have buried these incidents deep in our minds. To be united with God all these must be cleansed from our consciousness through a deep confession and true forgiveness. No matter how terrible is the offense we must be able to see the goodness in the other person as we are all made in God's image. We need to realize that we all suffer from temptations to do harm to others, that there is an evil force, demons, the devil, who cause us to do that which we do not really want to do. We condemn the evil and not the person. Forgiveness is a requirement to be accepted into heaven. We must strive to become like Him in all ways. This is not an easy task and one we can only do with His grace. This is why it is so important to regularly participate in the sacraments of the Church, especially Holy Communion. Only in this way can we gain the strength of His grace.
On Returning to the Sources
"If you examine the history of the Church at the time when the direct Apostles of Christ were active, you
will see that it was built not on bells or bell towers, not on icons, not on glorious temples, not on elaborate
altars, not on shining vestments and not on brilliant theology. It was built on the fellowship of people -- in
faith, prayer and mutual aid. 'Why do we have to constantly return to the sources of the Church?' In a way
each person is purified when he returns to the origins of his spiritual birth, birth, childhood, or spiritual in-
fancy, the time when he took his first steps in the spiritual life. We're always oriented by this, it is how we
always correct our path, our Christian path, our churchly path. We correct it through the gospel.
"Church history is a somewhat melancholy study because essentially its is a description of people's sins.
The facts of Church history essentially tell us about the falling away of people from Christ, their betrayal of
Him in words and deeds. Often the history of the Church is the history of its art, culture, philosophy, wars,
conflicts, the persecution of non-believers, and so on. But to find within Christian history the deeper Histo-
ry of the Church with a capital "H," is quite a difficult art. We can compare Church History to a large river
which after a flood or some catastrophe carries debris, corpses, logs. Where is the clean water? We have
to direct our attention to the early evangelical apostolic Christianity. This is what the Fathers of the Church
taught us. The Fathers of the Church are its founders. They are responsible for the Church's foundation as
a structure and they had two criteria: first, they always referred to the Apostles; second, they were always
open to the world."
Alexander Men, About Christ and the Church
Spiritual Counsels of Saint Seraphim
He who loves himself cannot love God. But he who, for love of God, does not love himself, loves God… A
man who has taken upon himself to travel the path of internal mindfulness must have above all the fear of
God, which is the beginning of wisdom. Upon his mind there must always be engraved these words of the
prophet: Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling (Ps. 2:11)…Those who have truly de-
cided to serve the Lord God should practice the remembrance of God and uninterrupted prayer to Jesus
Christ, mentally saying: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, by the prayers of the Mother of God, have mercy
on me a sinner; or one may have recourse directly to the Most Holy Mother of God, praying: Most Holy
Mother of God, save us; or one may repeat the angelic greeting: Rejoice, Mother of God, Virgin... By such
exercises in preserving oneself from dispersion and keeping peace of conscience one may draw near to
God and be united to Him. For in the words of St. Isaac the Syrian: “Without uninterrupted prayer we can-
not draw near to God" (Homily 69).
St. Seraphim of Sarov
The Worshipping Church
In the Eucharist those who are separated and estranged from each other by human frailty are brought to-
gether into the perfect and intimate unity of the One Body in Christ. Human exclusiveness and the mutual
impenetrability of men are overcome. The faithful are “co-members” of each other through Christ in the
Church, or even “con-corporeal” with each other and with Christ in His Body. To use the phrase of St. Cyril
of Alexandria, in the Eucharist the essential unity of Christians finds its perfect expression. This unity is
not restricted or confined to those who are taking actual part in a particular celebration on a particular day.
Each celebration is in reality universal, and the Eucharist is ever one. Christ is never divided. Every Litur-
gy is celebrated in communion with the whole Church, Catholic and Universal. It is celebrated in the
name, and by the authority of the whole Church. Spiritually, in every celebration the whole Church, “the
whole company of heaven”, takes an invisible, yet real, part.
This unity extends not only to all places but also to all times. It includes all generations and all ages. The
living and the departed are to be “commemorated” at every celebration of the Divine Liturgy. It is not only
a remembrance, in a narrow and psychological sense of the word, not only a witness of our human sym-
pathy and concern, but rather an insight into the universal fellowship of all believers, living and departed,
in Christ, the common Risen Lord. In this sense, the Eucharist is a manifestation of the mystery of the
Church, or rather of the mystery of the Whole Christ. As has been already stated, every celebration is
identical with the last Supper.
Fr. Georges FlorovskyGIVE US (FIVE MINUTES OF) YOUR TIME
In the last years more and more people are visiting with us; some of them are coming here in vacation, they
may be your relatives or not, some of them may be interested in seeing our church and our faith in action.
They may join our church or not, but anyway we have a duty to show them hospitality.
Concerning hospitality, I saw quite a few communities in action: some of them excelled in this endeavor and
some of them not. Let’s learn from this experience and try to adopt at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church what
I call the five-minute rule.
After the Church Service please look around and invite people in the Hellenic Center for fellowship; then, plan
to stay at least five minutes and mingle with the people. If you see someone who seems to be lost or you do
not recognize, go up to him and say something like, “Hi, I’m…..and I don’t think we have met before.” This
may not offend a churchgoer whom you did not meet yet and neither a visitor. It cannot be a more embar-
rassing situation than that of a visitor being greeted by another visitor while our parishioners are busy talking
among themselves!
If in those five minutes you don’t find someone new to greet, talk to those whom already you know. However,
if you made a connection, stay and talk as long it takes to get to know the person. If he or she has questions
you cannot answer, introduce them to someone who can. You may mention that Fr. Vasile, as soon as he will
consume the communion and take off his vestments, will be in the Hellenic Center.
In the next few Sundays you may want to look for the newcomer whom you welcomed. This may be a good
occasion to learn about the impression made on him and to catch up with how he is doing.
Remember that you were once a visitor looking to meet others; if you did not have the best experience, now
you may make a difference by showing warmth and love. Basically, you may want to welcome them as you
wished someone had welcomed you.
We do not want to ignore the newcomers, but neither to mob them with attention. If someone else is already
speaking to a new person or family, probably is not the best idea to jump in. We don’t want to be nuisance for
our visitors.
Hospitality with no genuine concern for people and their problems is just a gimmick; we take time and interest
in our visitors because this is a Christian mandate and we have a responsibility to fulfill it; besides that, in the
process we may meet some very interesting people with whom we may establish lifelong friendship.
Fr. VasileDeemed a ‘perfect tray’ by our fearless
leader and chef, Leah!
MaryAnn Welsh
trying her hands
at other things
beside baklava
prep...and maybe,
just maybe, next
time Pete Simon
will listen the first
time!Baklava, a crowd favorite item, takes many volunteers to prepare. As we are blessed to sell out every year, extra trays were prepared this year, with hopes that everyone will leave the Festival in a very sweet mood and return next year for more! Pictures courtesy of Leah Stoupenos
St. Paul’s wishes to thank Jerry Walsh and Billy Norse for their
work with the recent Sunday School room renovations. The
Sunday School staff wish to welcome any and all parish children
to the new brightened class.
Shown here are the
Sunday School classes
which popped into their
new year!
Photos courtesy of
Christina DanosTrisagion of the founders and caretakers
of St. George’s Chapel
A Memorial Service for the found-
ers, Gerasimos and Efthalia Van Dora,
was chanted on September 6, 2018, after
Services, despite an upcoming rain-
storm.
May their memory be eternal! May
our gratitude for their faith and dedica-
tion last for years to come!
Fr. Vasile
St. John the Divine Greek Orthodox
Church in Jacksonville, FL cele-
brated on Saturday, September 22,
2018, their 50th Anniversary at their
present address, and the 25th An-
niversary of Fr. Milton Magos’ ordi-
nation to the priesthood.ST. PAUL’S NEWS AND NOTES
To all of the ladies and gentle- Philoptochos News (Cont’d)
men of the parish who helped so
far with the making and packag- Mark your calendar
ing of the pastries. It is a huge General Meeting Dates, more details as the dates ap-
task to coordinate and have more proach
to do. PLEASE VOLUNTEER 4 November 2018, Sunday: Afternoon Tea, 3-5 pm
NOW as we prepare for our grand event.
8 December 2018, Saturday: Christmas Ornament Ex-
change, 11am
Bookstore News
We are all working on preparations for our Festival. If 13 January 2019, Sunday: Vasilopita Luncheon, after lit-
there is something special you were looking for and did urgy
not find in the Bookstore, check out the Agora. The
23 February 2019, Saturday: Food and Wine Tasting, 3-
Festival Marketplace will have a wonderful assortment 6pm
of t-shirts, gifts, books, jewelry, religious items, Greek
items, and more. See you at St.Paul's Greek Festival. Board Meeting Dates
5–6 October 2018, Friday to Saturday: Stay over at Gabri-
Philoptochos News elle Franklin’s Beach House
We are at a start of a new ecclesiastical year. So many feasts
and celebrations to plan and look forward to coming. 9 January 2019, Wednesday: Hellenic Center, 630p
At the 2018 September board meeting Gabriella Fisch-
er w as sw or n in. She br ings year s of exper ience Upcoming Memorials
and fresh ideas of ways to serve the community. She is To Be Announced
a welcome addition to the board members!
We are proud to announce that our chapter of St. Bar- Current Board Members
bara’s Philoptochos Society received awards of excel- Bonnie Danos: President, Sia Chokos: Vice President, Ga-
lence for 2017 and 2018. brielle Franklin: Treasurer, Laura Sherman: Recording
We want to remind our parish families that have chil- Secretary, Lynn Blenkhorn, Bess Chappas, Christina Da-
dren attending college away from home that there is a nos, Mary Rose Davis, Gabriella Fischer, Stamata
program that will help your children being in another Karfakis and Jamie Newman.
city. Ask us about it.
Thank you to all that donated to the Greece Fire fund.
We were able to send $520 to help those in need.
Bess Chappas visits our par ish ioner s th at h ave
a hard time getting to church. She welcomes anyone
that might want to join her. Please ask her about it if
you have an interest to be a part. Thanks goes out to
Michelle Miltiades for h er cr och et hear ts given
to be included in gift bags Bess puts together.
St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church 14 West Anderson St. Savannah, GA 31401 Phone: 912-236-8256 Fax: 912-236-7321Families who turned in a 2018 Pledge Form Helen Alexov Mark & Jan Mamalakis, Jr. Jennifer Zhybaj Irene Andris Paul & Debra Mamalakis Jimmy & Ursula Anestos Nick Mastopoulos Effie Antonopolo Dr. Peter Mastopoulos Peter Antonopolo Yvonne J. Michaels Cathy Berry Fr. Vasile & Pres. Mihai Richard & Sandra Bollig Alex Miltiades Mark & Donna Brown Lear & Michelle Miltiades Fr John and Pres Caparisos Ted Miltiades Niko & Kate Caparisos Vic & Vanessa Miltiades Chad & Ellen Catrett Despina Monas Bess Chappas Tony Morris Helen Petras-Chiotellis Greg & Sage Muse James & Susie Chirbas Jamie Newman James & Sia Chokos Clarice Nichols Helen Christopher Nick & Gini Nichols Nick & Barbara Costalas Billy & Sia Norse Richard & Tina Coyle Tina Novit Dean & Bonnie Danos Erik & Olga Nordenhaug Tommy & Marie Danos Connie Pahno Christina Darden Elaine Papain Mary Rose Davis Bill & Elaine Pappas Gordon & Athena Dawes Dr.Nicholas Pappas, Jr. Adam & Sue Deleanides Constantinos Papaconstantinou Drew Deleanides Andrew & Dimitra Pashales George & Alexis Donkar George & Julie Peters Stephen & Olga Elfrink Alan & Leslye Phillips John & Crystal Farmakis Alexia Pittas Steven & Gabriella Fischer Peggy Pittas Gabrielle Franklin George & Mercie Polites Patricia George James and Connie Preston Cezar & Anca Georgescu Jerry & Katherine Pullium Fay Goodson Anthony & Irene Purdy Tia Halatas Edwin & Tia Ramsey Emil & Alina Iacob Irene Roach Vanessa Jo nes Michael & Krista Roach Daniel & Maria Justus Chris & Janice Ronson Irene Karakolidis Bill Rovolis Effie Karatassos Justin & Teresa Sarver Elaine Karatassos Nicholas & Christie Savas Elsie Karatassos Marika M. Siavelis Kostas & Stamata Karfakis Tom & Magdaline Sideris Vassilis & Charlotte Kartsonas Dr. Charles Sevastos Alexander Kelly Brad & Laura Sherman Kikki Kelly Pete Simon Pam Kline William Sires Kim & Faye Kolgaklis Stathy & Penny Stathopoulos Ted & Becky Kolgaklis Emil & Judith Stavriotis Alex & Lynn Koukoulas Jimmy & Deena Stevens Svjetlana Kuljanin Marion & Leah Stoupenos Andy & Lindsey Kyriakides Eve Valdez Daniel & Margaret Kyvelos Vasilis & Betsy Varlagas Georgia Lamas Peter & Janice Vatistas Nick & Heather Lambros George & Peggy Vaveris Gary Lempesis Joe & Darlene Waters Stratton & Mary Leopold Jerry & Mary Anne Welsh Alyce Loesch Patrick & Jennifer Welsh William Light-Kekinakis Mary Wetherholt Kay Litchfield Sean &Gabriella Woods Anna Mamalakis Stanley & Helen Xenakis Basil & Cynthia Mamalakis
October 7th October 21st
Ushers:Tony Mor r is, Gabr ielle Fr anklin, J immy Ushers: Pete Simon, Peggy Pittas, Leah Stoupenos,
Anestos, Peter Vatistas, Billy Norse, Michael Roach , Tom Sideris, Lear Miltiades, Jerry Welsh, Sr & Pete
Alex Koukoulas © & Pete Liakakis Liakakis
Acolytes: St. Paul: Atha Stathopoulos, Camer on Vatistas,
Acolytes: St. Paul: Atha Stathopoulos, Camer on Vatis- Eugene Mihai, Niko Nichols & Isaac Morris.
tas, Eugene Mihai, Niko Nichols & Isaac Morris.
Nursery: Open w/parental supervision
Nursery: Open w/parental supervision Bookstore: Deena Stevens
Bookstore: Helen Xenakis
October 14th October 28th
Ushers: Tommy Danos, Geor ge Polites, Geor ge Ushers:Tony Mor r is, Gabr ielle Fr anklin, J immy
Donkar (C), Sean Woods, Peter Mastopoulos(A), Mark Anestos, Peter Vatistas, Billy Norse, Michael Roach ,
Brown, George Vaveris, & Pete Liakakis Alex Koukoulas © & Pete Liakakis
Acolytes: St. Peter: Tr evor Usher , Zach Sher man, Acolytes: St. Peter: Tr evor Usher , Zach Sher man, Vangeli
Vangeli Tsiaras & Luke Lambros. Tsiaras & Luke Lambros.
Nursery: Open w/parental supervision Nursery: Open w/parental supervision
Bookstore: Closed Bookstore: Mar ie DanosSt. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church
Non-Profit
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Savannah, Georgia 31401 Paid
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Savannah, GA.
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