The Orthodox Vision May 2024 Vol. 34 No. 3

MAY 2024

Weekday, Saturday, & Memorial Services and Parish Event Schedule Saturday and Sunday Hours: Orthros: 8:30 – Liturgy: 9:30 am

COMING IN JUNE 2024

THINGS TO DO AROUND TOWN

 Colorblends House and Spring Garden Show

All of May at 10:00 4:00 893 Clinton Ave., Bpt

 CT Seaport Car Club Crusin' 2024 at Nutmeg Bowl Thursday, May 2, 5:00pm-8:00pm , 802 Villa Avenue Fairfield, CT

 Exhibition - Suzanne Chamlin: Studies in Color Thursday, May 2, 2024 from 11:00am to 8:00pm Fairfield University Art Museum (more dates available)

 Connecticut Audubon's Migration Magic Festival Bird Banding Demonstration at Birdcraft Saturday, May 11, 2024 from 8:00am to 10:00am

Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary Fairfield, CT

 Dogwood Festival Saturday, May 11 & 12 from 10:00am to 5:00pm

Greenfield Hill Congregational Church Fairfield, CT

 Milford Artisan Market Comes to Milford Green on May 11-12, 2024

 Monroe Street Rodder’s Cruise Nights (CT) May 18, 4:00– 9:00pm Drive-Up Bill's Drive

In | Monroe

Strict Fast: Refrain from meat, fish, oil, wine, dairy, and eggs. (Red), Wine & Oil: Wine and oil are allowed. Refrain from meat, fish, dairy, and eggs. (Purple) , Fish, oil and wine are allowed: Refrain from meat, dairy and eggs. (Blue) ,

Dairy Allowed: Dairy, eggs, fish, oil and wine are allowed. Refrain from meat. (Orange)

Pastoral Perspective

The Surprise of Pascha

by Father Georgios Livaditis

Although Jesus Christ foretold His

ples did not fully understand or believe. When they laid Him in the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, they were surprised to find His body not there upon their return. In fact, you will remember, on the way to the tomb the women discussed the epic task of rolling away the stone from the door. Knowing the end of the story, it is hard for us to realistically estimate the real surprise of Pascha.

But the surprise of Pascha has not ended. With the coming of each Paschal season, we are reminded again of some significant surprises.

Some people are surprised that love can overcome hate. These people live their lives in such a state of hate, mal-

“This is the

Some people are surprised that suffering can be redemp-

Η Εκπληξη του Πάσχα!

Α

ν και ο Ιησούς Χριστός προείπε τον θανάτο Του και τη Ανάσταση, οι μαθητές δεν καταλαβαίνουν πλήρως ή πιστεύουν το τι έχει γίνει. Όταν αυτοί που απέ-

Μερικοί άνθρωποι είναι έκπληκτοι, ότι η αγάπη μπορεί να ξεπεράσει το μίσος. Αυτοί οι άνθρωποι ζουν τη ζωή τους σε μια τέτοια κατάσταση από μίσος, κακίας, κακής θέλησης, και σύγχυσης, που είναι πραγματικά έκπληκτοι, ότι η αγάπη μπορεί να ξεπεράσει το μίσος. Το μίσος δεν είναι η τελευταία λέξη και το Πάσχα το αποδεικνύει!

Μερικοί άνθρωποι είναι έκπληκτοι ότι τα δεινά (βάσανα) τους μπορεί να είναι λυτρωτικά. Η ταλαιπωρία για πολλούς για τόσο πολλές φορές ήταν πικρή, σκληρή , και περιορισμένη. Αλλά το Πάσχα μας δείχνει ότι τα Πάθη του Χριστού ήταν η τιμή της λύτρωσή μας.

Μερικοί άνθρωποι είναι έκπληκτοι ότι η ζωή μπορεί να ξεπεράσει το θάνατο. Με μια απαισιόδοξη άποψη πέρα από τη ζωή και την ανθρώπινη φύση, πολλοί φαίνονται πεπεισμένοι ότι ο θάνατος είναι το τέλος. Το Πάσχα μας διαβεβαιώνει ότι η ζωή είναι ισχυρότερη από

Αυτή είναι η έκπληξη του Πάσχα. Και αυτή είναι η εκπλήρωση του Πάσχα: Πίστη στον

Π.Γεώργιος

A Word from our President

by Chris Papachristos Parish Council President

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Iam so proud of our Parish, and especially our youth from our Greek and Sunday Schools, for participating and marching in the Annual Greek Independence Parade in New

of Connecticut that participated and marched in the Parade in NY. I am looking forward to next year.

At this writing, we are looking forward to praying together as a Parish with our families, friends, and guests on Palm Sunday as well as all of Holy Week and Holy Pascha. In preparation, our church is being cleaned, and beautifully decorated by all of our tireless volunteers and organizations. We thank you all for your generous donations and contributions throughout this Lenten period and for Holy Week.

As we get closer to our upcoming Olympiad Greek Festival, which will be held on May 31st, June 1st , 2nd , 2024, you will see more com-

the pastries for our festival. Please set aside some of free time to come and help them out. We are looking for more volunteers and more sponsors for our Olympiad Festival, please contact me or the church office if you are interested in volunteering. This is our single, and most important, fundraising event, and we appreciate and thank you for your patronage so that we may continue to share our faith and God's bountiful blessings of good food, great company, and memorable times. All this would not be possible without the dedication of our hard working volunteers, which consist of parishioners of various ages.

Yours Truly,

Chris Papachristos

Philoptochos News

by Maria Cook, Philoptochos President

Our Philoptochos would like to remind you of some of the services that we provide for our parishioners. These services (or items) and the associated costs include:

Kolyva trays for memorials / Δισκος κολυβα για μνημοσυνο $125

Memorial Kolyva with coffee / Μνημοσυνο με καφε $175 (includes 2 tables for the family, $25 per additional table/ συμπεριλαμβανει 2 τραπεζια για την οικογενεια, $25 για καθε εξτρα τραπεζι)

Artoklasia / Αρτοκλασια 5 breads/ 5 αρτοι, $100

Psychosavata koliva/ κολυβα για ψυχοσαββατα $10

filet of sole, Greek style string beans, rice pilaf, bread rolls, coffee, koulourakia and pound cake.

Μακαρια $30 το ατομo. Το γευμα περιλαμβανει παξιμαδια, κρασι, Ελληνικη σαλατα, φιλετο ψαρι, φασολακια φρεσκα με σαλτσα ντοματας, πιλαφι, ψωμακια, καφε, κουλουρακια και κεικ.

Κατα την διαρκεια του χρονου, εαν χρειαζεστε γλυκα η’ φαγητα για το σπιτι, το γραφειο, την δεξιωση του γαμου η’ βαφτισης η’ οποιαδηποτε αλλη γιορτη, ειδοποιηστε μας. Θα κανουμε το καλυτερο να σας εξυπηρετησουμε.

If anyone is interested in helping at the dessert tent during the Festival, please contact me at 203-218-0747. Any time you can give us will be greatly appreciated.

Happy Easter to you and your families!

Καλη Ανασταση σε σας και τις οικογενειες σας.

$30 per person. Meal includes: Paximadia, wine, Greek salad,

During the year, if you need baked goods or cooked food for your house or office party, christening, or wedding reception, please let me know.

Under the Bridge John Street

Notes from the Choir Loft

by Helen Yeotsas

“S

inging in a choir is an absolutely unique experience. It is one of the most important things in the world. Where else do you have everyone doing the same thing at the same time without the use of special equipment and for a greater purpose, and no one is sitting on the bench?"

Ian Loeppky

Kali Anastasi! As we prepare for Easter, we pray, we fast, and we sing! The beautiful hymns of Easter are inspiring, symbolic, meaningful, and are tools the Church gives us to help us find our way closer to God. One such hymn, the hymn of The Kassiani, is sung by the choir on Holy Tuesday.

Kassiani was a nun and one of the world’s most renowned Byzantine poets at a time when women were discouraged from singing or writing in the church. She wrote about a sinful woman who seeks the Lord and painfully reveals her heavy heart to Him. She comes to Christ weeping, lamenting her sins, pleading to be forgiven. Kassiani’s words and dramatic music reflect both the depths of the woman’s plea and the unconditional love of Christ, the Lord.

The Hymn of Kassiani

“O Lord, the woman who had fallen into many sins, perceiving Thy Divinity, fulfilled the part of a myrrh-bearer; and with lamentations she brought sweet-smelling oil of myrrh to Thee before Thy burial. 'Woe is me,' she said, 'for night surrounds me, dark and moonless, and stings my lustful passion with the love of sin. Accept the fountain of my tears, O Thou Who drawest down from the clouds the waters of the sea. Incline to the groanings of my heart, O Thou Who in Thine inef-

fable self-emptying hast bowed down the heavens. I shall kiss Thy Most Pure feet and wipe them with the hairs of my head, those feet whose sound Eve heard at dusk in Paradise and hid herself for fear. Who can search out the multitude of my sins and the abyss of Thy judgments, O Savior of my soul? Despise me not, Thine handmaiden, for Thou hast mercy without measure."

ῖς ἁμαρτίαις περιπεσοῦσα γυνή, ν σὴν αἰσθομένη θεότητα, μυροφόρου ἀναλαβοῦσα ξιν, δυρομένη, μύρα σοι, πρὸ ἐνταφιασμοῦ κομίζει. μοι! λέγουσα, ὅτι νύξ μοι ὑπάρχει, οἶστρος ἀκολασίας, ζοφώδης τε καὶ ἀσέληνος ἔρως τῆς ἁμαρτίας.

Δέξαι μου τὰς πηγὰς τῶν δακρύων, ὁ νεφέλαις διεξάγων τῆς

θαλάσσης τὸ ὕδωρ·

κάμφθητί μοι πρὸς τοὺς στεναγμοὺς τῆς καρδίας, ὁ κλίνας τοὺς οὐρανοὺς τῇ

ἀφάτῳ σου κενώσει.

“There is no friendship, no love, like that of the mother for the child.” - H. Beecher

We want to thank everyone again who attended our joint concert with the choir of Saint Barbara Church in Orange. To listen to the concert please visit their YouTube page @stbarbaragoc and search for “Let My Prayer Arise: Songs and Hymns for the Lenten Journey.

We hope you enjoy the special Easter hymns we sing this time of year in anticipation of the Resurrection, and we invite you to sing or follow along with us during the services.

As always, we invite anyone who enjoys singing, or being an active participant in our church service, to come join us in the loft. Our choir family would be happy to have you join us! There is no need to read Greek, as our music is written in phonetics, and you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll

pick it up! You can come up to the loft any Sunday and join us! Rehearsals are on Tuesdays at 6:00 pm.

Also, we would like to invite any children/youth of our community, in 4th grade or higher, to come up to the choir loft at the beginning of the service, and stay with us until communion. (As a reminder, the Liturgy

starts at 9:30 am). This would be a great opportunity for a young person to learn a little bit about the service and hymns and join us in participating in the service. Reach out directly to Joanna or simply come on up to the loft.

Junior Choir meets on Sundays directly after services in the Choir room. (High schoolers are welcome to reach out to Joanna to inquire about community service hours, too.)

For any questions about Choir, please feel free to ask a choir member or you can email our Director, Joanna Bogardus, at djbogardus@att.net or call or text her at 203-6504204.

We are stronger when we sing together! Together let’s #filltheloft!

Greek School

by Eleni Limberis, Greek School Director

Our Greek School would like to wish you all Kalo Pascha!

Thank you to Kiriaki Karayiannis and George Karayiannis for participating and reading in the The Service of the Salutations on Friday evenings.

Congratulations to Kiriaki who competed in the annual Connecticut Colt Poetry Contest in March. Kiriaki came in first place after reciting Sappho , Fragment three.

PTO News

by Shay Venetis, PTO President

Hello Holy Trinity families!

SOn Monday June 24, 2024, Kiriaki Karayiannis, Vasilis Foundoukis, and Maria Kourounis will take the Comprehensive Examination in Modern Greek examination

pring is in the air, and it was felt by many of our families at the Annual Greek Independence Day Parade in NYC! PTO provided breakfast, snacks, drinks, and tickets for the children to participate in this wonderful event. Many memories were made by all who attended.

PTO is selling Lambathes, handmade by Anamnisis in Astoria, through Palm Sunday (if they don't sell out first). The cost is $20 each! Don't wait to purchase since we are selling fast! Please see a PTO Board member Sundays after church!

PTO's big fundraiser this year is the Designer Bag

“Good luck!”

Our graduation this year will take place on Sunday, June 9, 2024. More details will follow. Το ελληνικό μας σχολείο εύχεται σε όλους ΚΑΛΟ ΠΑΣΧΑ! Οι εξετάσεις του σχολείου θα γίνουν την Κυριακή 9 Ιουνίου 2024. Θα σταλούν περισσότερες πληροφορίες. Ευχαριστούμε όλους σας για

την συνεχή βοήθεια, αγάπη και συμπαράσταση και

Raffle. All proceeds from the raffle tickets benefit the children in our Greek School and Sunday School. The funds also support events for the Holy Trinity families. Tickets are still available! The drawing will be on May 9th! Contact a PTO board member, or find us after church.

Please join us for a light breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt after church services on Saturday of Lazarus, April 27th.

We are planning our Annual Picnic this year at Quassy in Middlebury. Save the date August 24th. This will be an all day, all-inclusive event with heavily discounted tickets! More info will be provided soon!

Best, Shay Venetis

Happy Easter to all!

DDaughters of Penelope

aughters of Penelope continues to work hard with our philanthropy. We are currently conducting a toiletry drive collecting shampoo, individually wrapped soap bars, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. These items were the most needed at the Under the Bridge distribution. This drive is going on through the month of April, and items will be handed out soon after to needy citizens. A donation box is placed in the back entrance of the church.

Our Mother’s Day raffle is underway! You have the opportunity to win one of 10 beautiful planters by purchasing a $10 raffle. Look for us after church when we will be selling them. Drawing will be on Mother’s Day, May 12. This event is part of our

scholarship fundraising. We offer a scholarship to a student entering college who is preferably connected to the DOP/AHEPA family. We encourage students to apply!

At our last DOP meeting, we hosted the District Governor, District liaison, and two fellow officers. We discussed our chapter, and they filled us in on district news and upcoming events. They also awarded us the “chapter with the most reinstated membership award” in 2022! It was a wonderful, informative evening, and we enjoyed their joining us.

One of our most gratifying events is gathering as a group to assemble food baskets for a very Happy Easter for 14 local families. By the generosity of our members and friends of our chapter, we include all sorts of Easter goodies, pantry staples

and baked items. This gathering will take place before Easter.

Knitting group has started meeting in person on Wednesday evenings at 6:45. It’s a fun time for all. Knitted items are given out to local, needy organizations, plus beautifully created baby blankets are given during 40 day blessings to babies in our parish. Knitting is open to all. Please reach out if you are interested.

Please think about joining DOP and being a part of these great bunch of ladies. Thank you to all who contribute to our causes throughout the year.

Follow us on Instagram @dopchapter41, or on Facebook @ Daughters of Penelope“Hermes” Chapter 41, District 7, or tfatibene@gmail.com.

In theta pi, Theodora Fatibene

News from our Golden Agers

HT’s Senior Citizens’ Group by Linda Bellas Elf

Our Seniors meet on the second and last Wednesdays of the month at 1:00 p.m. We encourage all Seniors of our Holy Trinity Church community to come and enjoy spending time together, enjoy a nice luncheon, and play Bingo.

We are moving ahead towards our journey into Pascha. There are a few dates that have to be remembered this month for our Seniors.

On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, the Seniors will be meeting to assemble the Palm Crosses for the Church Community that will be offered to parishioners on April 28, 2024, Palm Sunday. We are Blessed to be able to assist in small part to celebrate this beautiful service of Palm Sunday when Christ entered into Jerusalem. Senior Members are encouraged to come and help on April 24th at 11:00 a.m. Your assistance is

entire Community.

On Wednesday, May 1st, Seniors will assist the Ladies Philoptochos in the wrapping and tying of the Red Easter Eggs. We look forward to seeing our Senior Members come and help with this important task to our Church community.

We wish to extend Happy Birthday Wishes (Χρόνια πολλά!) to all of our Senior Members who have a Birthday in May. In particular, Socrates Vlantis, Χρόνια πολλά! May you enjoy a Happy Birthday Day!

All of our Seniors wish to thank Maria Koutikas for her generous $100.00 donation to our Holy Trinity Seniors. It is greatly appreciated. Eυχαριστώ πολύ Μαρια!

Please consider our group if you are a Senior and are interested, please contact Linda Bellas at 203-731-1382 or Miranda Baker at 203-3650028 to let us know you are interested in attending.

(The service is Matins and Divine Liturgy of Sunday morning sung Saturday midnight. With this serv ice the Pentecostarion starts.)

Ο

n Easter Sunday, (Saturday Midnight) the life-giving Resurrection of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated." Before the beginning of the service (before 12:00 midnight) the Odes of Lamentation of the previous day are repeated. The Matins of the Resurrection begins when all the lights are out, and in complete darkness. The Priest takes light from the vigil light and gives it to the faithful, who are holding candles. The Priest sings, "Come ye and Receive Light from the unwaning light, and glorify Christ, who arose from the dead," and all the people join him in singing this same hymn again. From this moment every Christian holds the Easter candle lit as a symbol of his vivid, warm faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as Savior. In the midst of this illumination, the Priest holds the Icon of the Resurrection of Christ and with the people sings the song of exaltation: "The angels in Heaven praise Thy Resurrection, O Christ, our Savior; make us on earth worthy with pure hearts to glorify Thee." In many Churches the Priest leads the people outside the Church where he reads the Gospel (Mark 16, 1-8) which refers to the Angel's statement, "He is Risen; He is not here."

by death tramping upon Death, and has bestowed life upon those in the tombs." From this moment the entire service takes on a joyous Easter atmosphere. The hymns of the Odes and Praises of Resurrection are of a superb meaning and expression. The people confess, "It is the Day of Resurrection, let us be glorious, let us embrace one another and speak to those that hate us; let us forgive all things and so let us cry, Christ has arisen from the dead." By this hymn they admit that love of one's fellow man is the solid foundation of the faith in the Resurrection of Christ.

"C HRIST HATH RISEN FROM THE DEAD ..."

THE DIVINE Liturgy of Chrysostom is officiated; the reading of the Gospel is from Acts 1,1-8, where the Resurrected Jesus Christ exhorts His disciples, saying, "Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." The Gospel is from St. John 1,1-17, "In the beginning was the LOGOS (Word) and the LOGOS was with God, and the LOGOS was God," which continues as a fathomless depth of meaning of the Incarnation in connection with the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Ever Lasting LOGOS, the Son of God.

At this time, a breathless moment prevails among the people waiting for the Priest to start the hymn of Resurrection and to join him in singing, repeatedly "Christ has Risen from the dead,

At the end of the Liturgy a part of the marvelous festival sermon of St. John Chrysostom is read, which calls upon the people to, "Take part in this fair and radiant festival. Let no one be fearful of death," he continues, "for the death of the Savior has set us free." "O Death," be challenges, "where is thy sting? O Hades, where is Thy victory? Christ is Risen and Thou are overthrown. To Him be glory and power from all ages to all ages."

Kids’ Corner

Fast Foods

Lenten and Fast Day Recipes

Black eyed peas and spinach

Black-eyed peas and spinach, a classic vegan meal popular in the Peloponnese region of Greece. Submitted by Vicky Andriotis. Author: Mia Kouppa Source: https://miakouppa.com/

Holy Trinity is proud to announce several ways for you to advertise your business or organization at our annual festival this year. We hope that you take advantage of our offers.

This year, in lieu of the plain menu, we will have an ad book with menus and information . You will be able to advertise your business in one, or all three of the following ways:

 T- Shirt Sponsor – WITH YOUR LOGO The cost to have your business or organization on our T- shirt is $500 limited to 12 sponsors only, 1st come, 1st serve. Lead sponsor: top of shirt $3950 the cost of the shirts.

 Place mat The cost to advertise your business with a business card on our place mat is $150, limited to 18 sponsors.

 Tent Sponsor – The cost to advertise your business or organization in one of our tents is $150. We are also offering a discounted price of $275 to advertise for tent and place mat.

Please fill out this form and return it to the church office to the attention of Faye Demestihas before May 1st. Unfortunately, this deadline can not be extended. All ads and information submitted after this date will not be honored, and checks will be returned.

As always, your support is greatly appreciated.

Platinum Sponsor

T-shirt, ad book and large 5*2 Banner. $4000 (only 12 sponsors on shirts)

Tent Sponsor

Main Tent: Buy Out Sponsor of Whole Tent $5000 or $150 Per sign ( )

Bar Tent: Buy Out Sponsor of Whole Tent $2500 or $150 Per sign ( )

Dining Room: Buy Out Sponsor of dining room $2500 or $150 Per sign (

Pastry Tent: Buy Out Sponsor of Whole Tent $2500 or $150 Per sign ( )

Place mat (limited to 18 spots) $150 ( )

Tent sign: $150 ( ) To be placed in requested tent only if the tent is not bought out by a Single sponsor. Otherwise, placed in tent that is not bought out.

Tent and ad book combo $275 ( )

Sponsor’s Name

With the blessing of His Eminence, Archbishop Elpidophoros, we are excited to share with you a special DISCOUNT for weeks 4 & 5. Beginning immediately, if you register a camper for either week 4 or 5, you will receive a 25% discount.

CHAMPIONS!