Greetings in our Lord, The Nativity Season is upon us. It is a time of prayer, reflection, in the anticipation of receiving the new-born Christ in Bethlehem. I invite you to be part of the sacred services of our church. December 24, 2020 7:30 AM Orthros for the Nativity 8:30 AM Great and Royal Hours for the Nativity 10:00AM Great Vesperal Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great* 7:30 PM Orthros for the Nativity 8:30 PM Divine Liturgy for the Nativity of our Lord* In accordance with contact tracing, you will need to register for the services. Kindly follow this link to register – https://forms.gle/afXhi4vdD59XKkGHA God bless, Father Dean
Greetings in the Name of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, “When God is thanked, He gives us still further blessings, while we, by receiving His gifts, love Him all the more and through this love attain that divine wisdom whose beginning is the fear of God” (Prov. 1:7). As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, let us be more mindful of the things for which we are thankful. I humbly ask that you pray for peace in the world and in particular, for the military personnel serving our country here and abroad; pray for our civil authorities that they may govern in wisdom and truth; pray for those suffering under such adverse conditions; pray for those suffering in the Name of Christ; pray for your families and friends. I would also like to remind you to pray for departed relatives and friends. Give thanks to God for the love and memories you treasure in your heart. Living in this great nation we recognize that although this holiday commemorates an important historical day, it is a reminder that we not take things for granted. The pilgrims understood this as they, having endured great struggles, gave thanks. We, too often, overlook the day to day blessings we receive from God and in doing this, become neglectful in giving Him due thanks. Is there anything worse than one who is ungrateful? The Church Fathers encourage us to be attentive to the blessings in our life and to give thanks to God for all things. We sometimes take for granted and overlook the many blessing we enjoy as a Parish. The tremendous support and participation of the stewards of our Parish is truly admirable and has enabled us to succeed in all our endeavors. Together, we comprise the Body of Christ and many parishioners sacrifice their Time, Talents and Treasure to build up our Church. Times become difficult, but through everything, the Love for Christ continues to guide us in all things. During these times where we are limited in what we can do, we are called to do even more. We bow our heads in prayer and rejoice in all conditions. While now we are limited in what we can do during this day, we are unlimited in how we thank God. While our tables may not be surrounded by all of our loved ones, we are surrounded by the love of Christ. May God give us strength in everything we do. I rejoice in the Lord for each of you. Please know that I pray for you each and every day and I thank all of you that have been so willing to express your faith in cooperation with me, your parish priest. I thank God for the challenges, in knowing that it is only Christ who is guiding us. I thank God for all things. As you gather for your Thanksgiving Day celebration, I pray that it be a day of transformation, a day of change, so that each of us may become thankful to God, to His Church, to our family and friends for all we have in our lives. ...I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens... (President Abraham Lincoln). May this Thanksgiving Day and each day of your lives be filled with the peace that comes from being thankful to God for everything you experience by living your Christian Orthodox Faith. With blessings, Father Dean
Greetings in our Lord - I pray this finds you well.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople issued a communique today regarding three items and His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos.
You may follow this link for the entire message - https://www.goarch.org/-/ecumenical-patriarchate-communiqu--october-2020
Beginning today, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew appointed as Patriarchal Vicar, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America as locum tenens, which means he now holds the place of our hierarch.
As additional developments are released, you will be notified.
In Christ, Father Dean
Greetings, As we continue with following guidelines for contact tracing, you are kindly asked to register for services this Sunday, September 27, 2020. We also have services on Wed., Sept 23 (Conception of the John the Baptist), Fri., Sept. 25 and Sat., Sept 26 (Dormition of St. John the Evangelist). To register for these services, go to www.annunciationbaltimore/calendar and click on the day for the link. In accordance with Baltimore City regarding COVID limitations, the Cathedral is at 50% capacity, which would be at 400 people. Today, September 20 was the first time using the adapted format for Sunday school. The packet for Sunday school is attached in this mailing. For more information, contact Trevor. We sincerely thank those who have been joining us for services and look forward to seeing you. God bless, Father Dean
Greetings in our Lord, I pray this finds you to be in the best of health. With great joy, the local authorities have allowed capacity to reach 50% in the Cathedral and Cemetery Chapel. We must continue to follow guidelines such as wearing face masks covering our nose and mouth, along with physical distancing.
God bless, Father Dean
The Very Reverend and Reverend Clergy Esteemed Members of the Metropolitan Council, Esteemed Members of the Parish Councils, Philoptochos Sisterhood, Faculty and Students of the Catechetical and Greek Afternoon Schools, Directors and Participants of all Youth Organizations, and all devout Orthodox Christians of the Communities of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey
My Beloved in the Lord,
The Turkish government, after having illegally and unjustly claiming the Great Cathedral of Agia Sophia as their own for use as a mosque, has sought to continue their lawless and unconscionable actions by converting the Church of the Holy Savior in Chora to a mosque. Though it was readily apparent even before this most recent affront that the Turkish government will stop at nothing to advance their carefully crafted plans of religious and cultural genocide against Orthodox Christians and Greek culture, this latest abhorrent action proves to be nothing short of a vile assault against not just against all Christians, but all people who treasure the principles of justice, peace, and religious freedom.
The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey strongly and unreservedly condemns the actions of the Turkish government and calls upon the international community to raise its voice against this most recent effort to appropriate and alter religious and cultural history by converting the Church of the Holy Savior at Chora to a mosque.
Turkey’s history of discriminatory actions against the ethnically Greek population of Turkey is both profoundly disturbing and well-documented. Their blatant intent to subjugate religious and cultural minorities – their own citizens – is their enduring legacy. It is obvious that the only goal Turkey aims to accomplish is to completely eradicate Orthodox Christianity and exterminate any reference to the native population which gave birth to the City of Cities, Constantinople.
Thus, it falls to us to bring this evil injustice to light so that people throughout the world know of the wickedness which emanates from actions of the Turkish government. Therefore, as Orthodox Christians, as descendants of the Byzantine cultural heritage, and as people who love that which is good and just, I encourage you to raise your voices. Raise your voices for our churches and monasteries. Raise your voices for religious freedom. Raise your voices against the inequalities and cruelties perpetrated by the Turkish government, namely Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Most importantly, raise your voices in support of our Mother Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, by which we are lovingly and spiritually sustained and forever connected to the heart and apex of Orthodoxy.
My beloved in the Lord, we must not allow these malicious and dark forces to perpetrate their hatred without speaking the truth and shedding light on this most important issue. The desecration of Orthodox Churches and the continued persecution of our Mother Church and Orthodox Christians throughout Turkey cannot and must not be tolerated. Let us always keep in our most fervent prayers our beloved Mother Church, our spiritual Father, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the Church of the Holy Savior at Chora so that it will return to its original status, a Church. Praying that the Theotokos, the Protectress of the Queen City of Constantinople, blesses and is with you always, I remain
With Paternal Love and Blessings,
† EVANGELOS Metropolitan of New Jersey Statement Concerning the Church of the Holy Savior at Chora.pdf
To the Very Reverend and Reverend Clergy Esteemed Members of the Metropolitan Council, Esteemed Members of the Parish Councils, Philoptochos Sisterhood, Faculty and Students of the Catechetical and Greek Afternoon Schools, Directors and Participants of all Youth Organizations, and all devout Orthodox Christians of the Communities of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey
As we remember the tragic and unjust invasion of Cyprus by the Turkish government on July 20, 1974, we are once again reminded of the brutality that was displayed, the savagery that was exhibited, and the barbarity which was shown towards the people of Cyprus. These terrible injustices which were directed towards our Cypriot brothers and sisters has left a deep wound which has never healed and never could be healed until justice is delivered and Cyprus is once again united.
The events that took place forty-six years ago witnessed families being torn apart, Greek Cypriots being forced from their homes, civilians being murdered, churches being destroyed, and the Hellenic heritage being eviscerated by a government which does not care for peace and harmony, but which seeks to advance its own agenda at whatever cost to human life. It is lamentable that these actions have become commonplace for the Turkish government as their policy of hatred, antagonization, violence, and radicalization has become more prevalent especially recently with their decision to convert the Great Church of Agia Sophia to a mosque.
The “ethnic cleansing” perpetrated by the Turkish authorities against the Greek Cypriots is one of the many despicable actions committed by Turkey in its history of violence and subjugation. This history of suppression and viciousness extends back hundreds of years to the Ottoman occupation and has been unrelenting even to the present day. Turkey’s desire to exterminate the Orthodox faith, the Hellenic culture, the Greek language, and Hellenic history has been ceaseless. In the last 100 years alone, the Turkish government has committed genocide, forcibly closed the Halki Theological School, and continued the religious persecution of our Mother Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Nevertheless, in the face of these adversities, we must continue to stand strong against all forces of evil, division, and injustice. We must always be an unwavering voice for our Orthodox faith, our Hellenic identity, religious freedom, and justice for all. We must also speak out against the terrible atrocities committed against the Cypriot people whose homeland was taken from them and who suffered losses of life and property through the illegal actions of Turkey. Let us not speak of these events as a part of past history, but let us continue to actively advocate for the victims, realizing that this chapter of history is still not complete.
Finally, I ask as we remember this solemn anniversary of our fallen mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, friends and neighbors, that we pray for the repose of their souls and for their entrance into God’s Eternal Kingdom. May we continually reflect on the events of July 1974, prayerfully remembering those who lost their lives in the struggle for liberty and their struggle for justice in Cyprus. Praying that our loving Lord grants eternal rest to those who lost their lives as a result of the Cypriot Invasion and praying that He guards and protects all of His people, I remain
† EVANGELOS Metropolitan of New Jersey Encyclical - Commemoration of the Invasion of Cyprus.pdf
We are all graced with an abundance of gifts from God which are too manifold to enumerate and too precious to fathom. These gifts encompass each and every aspect of our lives and include every person we meet, every sight we behold, and every breath we breathe. Yet none of these can compare to one particular gift which God has given to humanity, and to humanity alone – freedom.
“Freedom” is an exceptionally substantial term and it is truly impossible to describe its vast meaning for us Orthodox Christians. In contemporary society it amounts to an individualistic expression of self-determination and autonomy. We often speak of a freedom from something. Yet, in Orthodoxy it has a deeper meaning since we envision it as a freedom towards something. Freedom in the Orthodox context does not entail doing whatever we desire, but in receiving this gift from God, it must then reflect the manner in which we received it. Thus, we must use our freedom in love. God gave us this gift not out of compulsion, but willingly out of His own love for us. So too are we called to exercise our freedom in love because we are a reflection of our Creator and, as such, our individuality is not entirely our own. Therefore, it is evident that this gift of freedom is not a freedom from another, but a freedom towards love especially as we hear in Scripture, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love” (Gal. 5:13).
It is with this understanding of freedom – Christian freedom – that we should reflect on its meaning as we celebrate our nation’s 242nd anniversary of its independence. We often hear countless politicians, media personalities, and fellow citizens who reference the word “freedom” as a rallying cry, sometimes as a means to remind us of the sacrifices that were made to “form a more perfect union.” Other times, however, it is lamentably used as an empty declaration the means of which are to further a particular point of view. This application of the term “freedom” often reduces it down to a mantra to be broadcast rather than elevating it as a principle to be upheld. Furthermore, it becomes far too easy to lose sight of the essence of this gift which God has made us beneficiaries.
In exercising our freedom in love, we are enabled to right wrongs when we see injustices, to heal pain when we encounter suffering, and to bring tranquility to a world in chaos. It encourages us to lift up the dejected, to comfort the marginalized, and to give voice to those too frail to be heard. It opens our eyes to the plight of our neighbor regardless of race, gender, age, socio-economic status, or nationality because every person bears the unmistakable and distinct image of Christ within them and is entitled to their God-given dignity of personhood. Freedom in love motivates us to advocate for those whose freedoms are oppressed such as our Mother Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the nation of Cyprus, the Syrian and Armenian peoples, and countless others who have endured untold horrors and atrocities within the past century.
If, however, we choose to use our freedom in another way – in a manner that promotes exclusion, apathy, or that seeks to set a chasm between us and the other – then we create for ourselves an unbridgeable divide which not only separates us from our neighbor, but also eternally separates us from God. This would denigrate the very gift of freedom given by God and entrusted to us to safeguard. Squandering this gift would evoke the fear of one of our founding fathers, John Adams, when he said, “Oh posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it.”
Let the celebration of our nation’s independence inspire us to seek this freedom in love continually within our hearts and minds so that it may permeate our very being and so that we may be encouraged to become ambassadors of freedom everywhere and for every person seeking justice throughout the world. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15).
With Paternal Love and Blessings, † EVANGELOS Metropolitan of New Jersey Encyclical on Independence Day 2020.pdf
To the Devout Orthodox Christians of the Parish Communities of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey
Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη! Christ is Risen!
I pray this letter finds you all well and in good health as our Holy Orthodox Church, our Metropolis, our Ecclesiastical Communities, and our nation continue to confront the challenging effects of COVID-19 (Coronavirus).
The past couple months have been particularly challenging for all people as the devastating effects of the Coronavirus have permeated all facets of society. Nevertheless, there have been noticeable improvements to the present situation which has made it possible for some states and communities to recommence in-person gatherings, albeit, in a limited capacity. As such, the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey has been developing a Parish Reopening Strategy so that Parishes and parishioners alike may adequately prepare once the Parishes are permitted to once again open their doors to the devout faithful. A critical element of this strategy centers around the parishioners of each community complying with a series of requirements which conform to State and Local regulations, CDC guidance, and additional Metropolis of New Jersey directives/requirements. A list of these requirements are as follows:
These measures will help to ensure that all of our Clergy and devout faithful remain as safe as possible during these turbulent times as we start to reopen our Ecclesiastical Communities for the Divine Services. It is my sincerest prayer that as we move forward, we do so safely and with thoughtfulness for our own health and for the health and safety of those around us. Praying that our loving Lord, who is the Physician of our souls and bodies, continues to guard and guide each of you and your families, I remain,
With Paternal Love and Blessings in the Risen Lord,
† EVANGELOS Metropolitan of New Jersey
Encyclical To Faithful Regarding Reopening Requirements.pdf
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