This Saturday, the Philoptochos Easter Market opened! If you missed it, be sure to stop by tomorrow (Palm Sunday) after Liturgy. Pre-ordered items will be available for pick-up.
Payment can be made be cash or check only.
Holy Week Highlights: Saturday of Lazarus
Saturday of Lazarus
After Liturgy, the community gathered for a Lenten breakfast and festive activities. Together we learned how to bake Lazarakia and how to fold palm crosses in preparation for Palm Sunday.
Significance of this Service
Source: goarch.org
"In Remembrance of a Pledge of Resurrection"
(Saturday before Palm Sunday; the service consists of Matins [Morning Prayers] and the Divine Liturgy.)
On this day, the rising from the dead of St. Lazarus, the righteous friend of Christ, is celebrated. Holy Week begins with the phrase: "Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany..." (John 12:1) His arrival coincided with the Jewish Passover. It started on the 15th of the month of Nissan in commemoration of the freeing of the Hebrew people, under the leadership of Moses, from the slavery of the Egyptians by the miraculous act of God. The Church relates preparation and redemption to the events of this week.
Six days before the Passover, a feast was given for Christ in Bethany of Judea, where Christ had stopped on His way to Jerusalem. Lazarus, His friend, and his sisters were present. A short time earlier, Christ had raised Lazarus from the dead, thereby gaining the respect and faith of the people, but also the hatred of the fanatics. The Church names this day the "Saturday of Lazarus" in remembrance of the resurrection of Lazarus and its promise of universal resurrection for all men. The Church connects this celebration, by anticipation, with the Entrance of Christ into Jerusalem: "We carry the Symbols of victory and cry Hosanna in the highest."
The readings are Hebrews 12:28-13:8 and John 11:1-45.
Philoptochos Prepares for the Easter Market
The Philoptochos has prepared many delicious items for Holy Week and Pascha.
Please visit their Easter Market after church on Palm Sunday.
Cooking For Hope Update
During the Lenten season, God asks us to give a little more of ourselves.
Our last session was Thursday, April 6. Our numbers were few due to inclement weather, however we were still able to accomplish the task at hand! Sign up now to join us for our next session on Thursday, May 11 at 6:00pm.
Soup Run Update - March 31
By Despina Kartson
During last night's soup run in Manhattan, the rain stopped, a coach bus moved out of the way and made room for us, the NYPD stood by and said they'd be there if we needed them - people working together to feed our guests on the street. We arrived next to Madison Square Garden where a large crowd was waiting for us. We could hardly set up shop fast enough before we were giving out meals of homemade macaroni & cheese, vegetables and peach cobbler - all still warm and delicious. Hundreds of socks, underwear, hoodies, jackets and toiletry kits were distributed within an hour. More than 100 meals were offered and just as we served the last one, a few more hungry souls arrived and all we could offer was a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. There never seems to be enough for the homeless in New York City.
As always, our guests were thankful for what we provided - food, compassion, laughs and respect. A gentleman took our meal, walked away to eat it, returned for coffee and said he was going to sit at a nearby table and drink it imagining he was in Paris! One of our volunteers was talking with an elderly woman who takes the A train from Far Rockaway to Manhattan for food and clothing. She lives on a fixed income and doesn't have enough money to pay rent and buy food so she does the best she can through the kindness of strangers. Her fingers were swollen, stiff and in pain due to a medical problem so one of our volunteers took off her own gloves and helped put them on the woman. When the woman saw that the gloves had a few sparkles on them, she smiled and said they were nice enough for her to wear them to church!
A young man, wearing only pants and a light jacket, was happy to be given a pair of sweat pants and a sweatshirt. He put them on right in front of us and said even though the size was a bit small, anything warm was better than nothing. Toward the end of the evening, a man brought back a jacket we had given him earlier. He said it didn't fit him so he was returning it so that someone else could wear it. Within a minute, we found that someone else.
We always find that someone else, the one more person who is in need and we offer them all that we have. We went home with empty bins last night - as we should - all items given away. Through the generosity of our Holy Trinity parish community, the Philoptochos, this month's sponsor Kathy Tzortzidis, Minos Samoladas, Manny Louros' great cooking and the many volunteers who offer their time and talents, we try to make a difference once a month to the hungry and homeless. Please help us continue to make a difference and join us next month on April 27th. Donations of socks and new men's and women's underwear are always welcome.
Philoptochos Lenten supper and retreat
Following the Pre-sanctified Divine Liturgy, dedicated to our Ladies Philoptochos Society, a Lenten supper and retreat was held in the social hall with the topic "Iconography and the Role of Women Saints'" in the Orthodox Church.
Sunday Highlights: Saint John the Ladder
Youth sermon on Saint John the Ladder, on the fourth Sunday of Great Lent.
GOYA visits Saint Michael's
Members of our GOYA, together with Fr. Patrick, visited with residents of Saint Michael's Home on Saturday, March 24th.
