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Wishing the entire Greek american communi-

ty a happy and Blessed easter

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For centuries the Greek Orthodox Church has set aside the 40days prior to Holy Week for prayer, fasting, and philanthropy.

The intensity of this deeply spiritual period is manifested dailyduring the week before the celebration of the Resurrection ofChrist, and we get caught up in the remarkable services that com-memorate the Passion of Christ.

The 40 days, however, can be a time of reflection and rededi-cation. For Greek-Americans this year, the period of Lent comesduring a critical period in the history of our ancestral home. Ithas been a difficult time as we see almost daily images of struggleand suffering that evoke concern for the present and worry for

the future.For some, the same images may have prompted us to reflect

on our lives in America, and to appreciate how blessed we are,immigrants and their children and grandchildren, to be in theland of opportunity and plenty.

Perhaps Easter Dinner this Sunday will be a kind of secondThanksgiving meal for us. But it will also be a time to pray forour brothers and sisters in Greece, and maybe even to discuss

how we can help, immediately with regard to the humanitariancrisis, and longer term, to contribute to the building of a newGreece.

We hope that you enjoy our annual Pascha insert and the arti-cles submitted by clergy and laity alike, illuminating our Church'straditions and history.

Please support our loyal advertisers, purveyors of fine goodsand services to Greek-Americans and the community at large.

Kali anaStaSi FRom youR FRiendS at the national heRald.

By Father RobertStephanopoulos

NEW YORK – Pascha is theuniversal Feast of Feasts. It isthe Pascha of the faithful. It isour celebration of a new life, aspecial moment of entry intoeternity. It is a reminder of ouryouthful possibilities and the ev-idence of things heard and seenby faith and dramatic ritual.“This is the Day which the Lordhas made; let us exult and re-joice in it.”

It is a time for movingquickly and joyfully on the pathof renewal. Come, let us receivethe most out of a life of obedi-ence to God’s will during thefestival. Pascha is the spring-time of the soul and the green-ing of the earth. It is the victoryof light over darkness; the clar-ity of illumination over thegloom of uncertainly and con-fusion. It is the calmness ofpeace after the frenzy of agonyand defeat. God himself has vin-dicated His Risen Son by thepower of the Holy Spirit. Soshall we speak to all the peoplethe words of this life.

In this Paschal atmosphere offervor and victory, we would dowell to listen to our heart andthe inner stirrings of our soul asthe dramatic events unfold.Pascha reminds us of all thethings we truly need. It is Res-urrection, the resurrection ofthe Christ, who is “the bright-ness of God’s glory and the ex-press image of His person.”

The Risen Christ is the divineact of redemption and salvation.Let us come out to meet himand embrace him and sing hispraises. Let us glorify God theFather who has accomplishedthis in the Risen Christ by thepower of the Holy Spirit. Soshall we speak to all the peoplethe words of this new life.

Pascha is a time of reflectionand recollection. I remembervividly the Easter celebrationsat the Holy Trinity Cathedral;the solemnities of holy Weekand the Great and Holy Friday.They will always remain mem-orable and beautiful and mov-ing in my mind.

I remember especially Arch-bishop Iakovos of blessed mem-ory who presided with the im-mense dignity of the High Priestas he spoke the words of thisnew life to the people. It washis last Easter as Archbishop,thirty-seven in all, prior to hisretirement in 1996. He invitedeveryone out of the darkness to“Come receive the light from theunwaning light, and glorifyChrist Who is risen from thedead.” Oh, the angels sang ofHis Resurrection in heaven andwe all joined them here on earthto glorify him with purifiedhearts. With all of its impor-tance to our very being, we arenot at this moment merely aphysical existence. We arecaught up in the eternal, ap-proaching the transcendent. Inthis moment we recognize thatthe externals of life are not lifeitself.

Our glory is in an inwardfreedom. The freedom to beand to become. The freedom toleave the old behind and to be-come new creatures. We can beliberated. With lighted candleswe rejoice in the announcementThe words of this new life:“Christ is risen from the dead,trampling death by death, andbestowing life on those in thetombs,“ are repeated time aftertime. It is our victory song.

Pascha is the central miracleand the condition for all mira-cles. Newness and eternal lifeare raised to their ultimate po-tentiality. The grace of Godflows outwardly from the empty

tomb and makes vigorous whatwas tired. It makes strong whatwas weak. It makes healthywhat was infirm. It makes alivewhat was dead. It makes possi-ble what was impossible. Thewords of our new life are tri-umphant, a glorious message toall the people.

The Divine Liturgy movedquickly. Christ is out ahead ofus. He is among us, “as a Sonover his own house; whosehouse we are, if we hold fastthat confidence and the rejoic-ing with the hope firm unto theend.” (Hebrews 3.6). Those whoremained to the end are pre-pared to receive the Mystery ofHoly Communion. They cameforward with reverence andtook the sacrament from theArchbishop himself. He seemedto be tireless, administeringwith a firm and loving grace toall the people the whole Christ,Incarnate, Crucified, and Resur-rected in glory.

But the culminating momentis still to come. ArchbishopIakovos came to us, to theUnited States as a young deaconin 1939. His entire ministrythereafter was American.

He loved us, he loved Amer-ican Orthodoxy, he loved holyOrthodoxy, he loved his MotherChurch of Constantinople--above all, he loved Christ thegreat High Priest, after whomhe strove to model himself.

Like the Risen Lord whoalone passed into the heavens,Iakovos was touched with thefeeling of our infirmities andwas in all points tempted likeas we are. He led us with deter-mination and wisdom. And inthis final moment in the PaschalLiturgy he mustered all hisstrength to pronounce the eter-nal words of life.

These were left to us by theGolden Mouth, Saint John

Chrysostom, in his CatecheticalPaschal Homily. St. John’s wordsof life are the legacy of all be-lievers. Iakovos believed themand so he spoke to the peopleall the words of this life:

“If there are devout and God-loving people here let them en-joy this beautiful, radiant feast.If there are prudent servants,enter joyously into the Lord’sjoy… If any of you have arrivedonly at the eleventh hour, donot be dismayed for being late….“The Master is gracious. He ac-cepts the last even as the first;He gives rest to those of theeleventh as well as those whohave labored from the first…Rich and poor alike, celebratetogether. Sober or heedless,honor the day….

“No one need lamentpoverty, for the kingdom is seenas universal.

No one need grieve over sins;forgiveness has dawned fromthe tomb. No one need feardeath; the Savior’s death hasfreed us from it….Isaiah pro-claimed: ‘Hades,’ he said, ‘wasangered when he met You be-low.’ It was angered because itwas slain. It received a body andencountered God. It took earthand came face to face withheaven….

“Death where is your sting?Hades, where is your victory?Christ is risen and you are over-thrown…Christ is risen and liferules… For Christ, having risenfrom the dead, has become thefirst fruits of those that slept.

“To Him be the glory and thedominion, forever. Amen.”

Christ is Risen. Truly He isRisen. Iakovos the beloved.Iakovos the Constantinopolitan,Iakovos the American. Iakovosthe Archbishop, Memory eter-nal.

Καλή Ανάσταση

Speak to the People the Words of this Life

Continued on page 8


JOHN, MARGO, YIANNI CATSIMATIDISAND

CHRISTOPHER NIXON COX & ANDREA

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Best Wishes to all Greek-americans

for a Joyous and Blessed easter

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗΚΑΛΟ ΠΑΣΧΑ


2155 W. 80th Street, IL 60620, U.S.A.Tel: (773) 783 5555 • Fax: (773) 994�5037 - E-mail: [email protected]

Sponsored by tGS PetRoleum Co., inC

These days we celebrate the most significant and joyous celebration of Hellenism, as theweek of the Passion, will be followed by the brilliance of the Resurrection, the Victory of Life over Death which will nurture hope in our hearts during these difficult times for Hellenism.

The role model of the Crucified Human, Hero and God, is intertwined with Hellenismfrom antiquity. It is the sacrifice of the spirit descending into matter and purged throughthe sacrifice. It symbolizes the triumph of the soul over death, of spirit over matter, andthe elevation of man to higher spiritual levels.

So we have, these days, the opportunity for genuine self-knowledge, to overcome theephemeral and the material, and to receive redemption through offering and sacrifice forour fellow man. Also, it is the opportunity to be reminded that every difficulty in life comesthe eager expectation of great joy and Resurrection.

Let us commune once more in the profound and timeless meaning of the Resurrection and scale the imaginary Calvary with perseverance. Walking in the path of sacrifice andselflessness, of genuine love for our fellow man, together we will overcome the difficultiesand build a better tomorrow for future generations.

On behalf of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad, U.S.A. Region, I wish from the bottomof my heart, that we experience the joy of Easter, with hope and optimism, and that the Resurrection will lead us to a deeper self-awareness and awakening at the nationaland personal level.Καλή Ανάσταση και Ψυχική Ανάταση σε όλο τον Ελληνισμό!

Theodore G. SpyropoulosCoordinator World Council of Hellenes Abroad, U.S.A. Region

MESSAGE FROM THE US REGIONAL COORDINATOR

OF THE WORLD COUNCIL OF HELLENES ABROAD ON THE OCCASION OF THE FEAST OF EASTER

Resurrection Hope

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Best wishesfor a Blessed

and Joyful Pascha

From a Friend


By Very Rev. archim.Vasilios Bassakyros

neW yoRK - For forty daysChristians throughout the worldhave been in a mode of reflec-tion, prayer, fasting, and philan-thropy in hopes of becomingbetter and more authentic Chris-tians. It is during this edifyingperiod of Great Lent that youcan experience, if you allowyourself too, the wealth that de-tachment from the mundaneand worldly things can offer.There you have the grace to en-ter a wasteland where you cangrow not only spiritually, butalso physically. How can thisbe, you ask, since your worldduring Great Lent becomes aplace of denial and where youthink little or nothing can growas if in the desert?

Great Lent is like entering adesert environment where youlearn to see through, and castoff, all that you have accumu-lated, and accomplished in yourlifetime. What value can thesethings be for you in the desert?All the possessions and honorsyou acquired throughout yourlife weigh heavily upon you, andas a result, they act upon youas a curtain over the true eye ofyour soul. On the other hand,in the desert you are stripped ofthe fortress you have builtaround yourself in order to sur-vive any attack or hardship thatconfronts you in the world. Asa result, in the desert you arenaked to the physical elements,and become more vulnerable,both emotionally and spiritually.Only then can you feel the criesand the longing that springs upwithin your soul for God. Justas your stomach groans witheach passing day of Great Lentfrom the lack of familiar foodto which it has become so ac-customed, so too has your soulbegun to feel again, and longfor what it was created to feedupon, and savor, the Lord Him-self. This period of detachmentcan be very beneficial to bothsoul and body if you allow it tochange your way of thinkingabout what you truly need tosurvive in the world.

You do not have to leave thecity to experience what mostpeople have found beneficial in

the desert. You can search yourentire life and never find the giftthat is hidden and awaits foryou from within. Searching for“the thing” that you think willmake you happy is truly only atemporary fix. As a result, whenyou find it you think all will bewell. On the contrary, it isthrough the emptiness and des-olate landscape of the desertthat you begin to find yourselfand there you become what Godhas created you to be in the be-ginning. As the Psalmist de-clares, “I said, You are gods, Andyou are all sons of the MostHigh” (81).

This is our true and high call-ing, and through His Son canyou pursue it with an end insight, “the Eternal City.” It isnot some theoretical nirvanawhich you know nothing about,but a true reality that permeatesyour whole being, both bodyand soul, even in this temporalworld. Great Lent is a time tomove toward the goal of unitywith our Creator. Theosis is aprocess that does not happenwith only one journey to thedesert, but with many. Eachtime you have the opportunityto travel there you become spir-itually stronger than before.

This growth also begins to flowand manifest itself physicallywithin you. Even though manyof the saints were in a state ofdeprivation, they all experi-enced His love that gave themthe strength they needed to sur-vive or to go through suchpainful deaths in ecstasy. Thenthe adage “less is more,” be-comes a visible reality that eachof us can follow with love andappreciation.

Once you become free fromthe driving and devastatingforce of this world which is ma-terialism, what emerges is athirst for His abiding love within

you. Unlike the compulsive oraddictive person who strives forsomething that will in the enddestroy him/her, the thirst forHim becomes such a motivatingforce that life itself is worthnothing without it.

It is for this reason that dur-ing every service during theforty days of Great Lent, we cel-ebrate a reality that goes beyondthe logic and reason of thisfallen world. Once the soultastes the food of eternity it willnever again be satisfied with thecommon and mundane food ofthis world. St. Marcarius ofEgypt says that “the soul is

‘made prisoner’ of things sub-lime and unutterable.” You eatto sustain the body, but not tonourish the soul. This can onlybe satisfied with the Body andBlood of His Son who has nobeginning or end.

At the culmination of Moses’forty year journey through theSinai desert he finally deliveredthe Israelites to the PromisedLand. Your promised land is notfar from you - you only need toenter the desert of Great Lentto realize what is awaiting you.This is the miraculous event thatour Lord and God has bestowedupon humanity through His en-trance into our God-given worldas one of us. Through His Life,Crucifixion, Death upon theCross, and finally His Resurrec-tion, humanity is freed from thecurse of death that plagued hu-manity throughout the ages.

Finally, He gave His life sothat you can be granted eternallife in Him. So when you de-clare with great joy on that Tri-umphant Day, “Christos Anesti,Alithos Anesti,” do not let itdrive away from you what youhave learned about yourself dur-ing the past forty days that youspent in the spiritual desertcalled Great Lent.

(Archbishop Iakovos ofNorth and South America for-mally retired on July 29, 1996.Seven years later and after abrief illness he reposed in theLord on April 10, 2005. His fu-neral was held at the Archdioce-san Cathedral of the Holy Trinityon April14 and he was buriedon the holy hill of the HolyCross, Brookline, MA)

Father Robert Stephanopoulosis dean emeritus of the arch-diocesan Cathedral of the holytrinity

Lent: The Journey Through the Spiritual Dessert that Leads to the Promised Land

moses’ forty year journey through the Sinai desert took him to the site of the renowned monastery of St. Catherine. modernChristians get a taste of that experience during lent.

Speak theWords ofthis LifeContinued from page 4

“Just as Christ was risen from the deadthrough the glory of the Father,

even so we also should walk in newness of life.”ROMANS: 6:4

We wish you much joy as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Happy Pascha

dr. John and helen Collis and family

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Happy Easter to all!

Καλό ΠάσχαΧριστός Ανέστη

The Behrakis Foundation

By archimandrite Fr.nathanael Symeonides

This chosen and holy day isthe first of Sabbaths, it is theQueen and Lady, the Feast ofFeasts and the Festival of Festi-vals on which we bless Christ toall the ages (8th Ode of Pascha).

neW yoRK - With the introduc-tion of the mobile smartphoneand tablet computers, we canliterally say that we have a graspon our calendars. With just afew hand gestures, we are ableto view everything that we haveplanned for the day, the week,the month, or the year! Suchtechnology has enhanced ourlives on many different levels.Think about how easy it is forus to organize our thoughts andprepare for upcoming meetingssimply because we can view ourcalendar on a device the size ofour palm. Even more remark-able is our ability to send calen-dar invitations to multiple peo-ple across vast distances aroundthe world, making it possible forso many people to instantly syn-chronize their lives around par-ticular events!

Although electronic calen-dars are still fairly new, espe-cially when compared to ancientmethods of keeping track oftime, Orthodox Christians havebeen able to synchronize theirlives for centuries, long beforethe advent of the personal com-puter. Achieving a commonframe of mind or ethos, andworking toward a common goalis of utmost importance for theChurch. However, that which isimportant for us as OrthodoxChristians is not the platformthat allows for such synchronic-ity, but rather, the vehicle thatultimately mobilizes our com-mon thought and action.

We have all come across thatspecial person who, whenasked, “What day is it today,”will often answer us with thename of the Saint whose mem-ory we celebrate that day. Theywill often say something like, “Itis the feast of St. Mark the Evan-gelist,” or “It is the Feastday ofthe Entrance of the Mother ofGod into the Temple.” Such in-dividuals have establishedmodes of thinking and ways ofliving life that are uniformacross the global spectrum of

Orthodoxy. Perhaps withoutknowing, these individuals havedecided to live their lives ac-cording to the annual liturgicalcycle of the Church, and theyhave refused to allow the pres-sures of society to dictate thesignificance of any given day orof a particular season.

For the past forty days, Or-thodox Christians all over theworld have celebrated Holy andGreat Lent. We have entered acommon mode of preparation.Each—with careful guidanceand spiritual consul—has had achance for personal reflection,and we have received the op-portunity to rearrange our pri-orities in life. Each of us hashad the opportunity to redis-

cover our authentic identity andcalling, thereby becoming morereceptive to the joy of the Lord’sHoly Resurrection.

During Holy Week, our peo-ple will come together to expe-rience the Lord’s passion, death,and resurrection. Our experi-ence, however, must not be thatof a spectator, but rather, of aparticipant. Each of us will risefrom the dead along withLazarus; along with the holy dis-ciples, we will walk tri-umphantly into Jerusalem withJesus Christ on Palm Sunday.Our Lord will wash our feet,along with the feet of His disci-

ples on Holy Wednesday. Wewill stand at the foot of theCross together with the VirginMary and John the Evangelist;however, we will also be cruci-fied with our Lord, and we willdie with Him. We will experi-ence the engulfing darkness ofthe tomb. And right when allhope seems lost, we will marvelat the deafening sound of theempty sepulcher. After the thirdday, we will be liberated fromthe shackles of sin, and from thesting of death. With Christ, eachof us will rise! With the holydisciples and apostles, each ofus will rejoice when we see therisen Lord! And for those of uswho have doubts, like Thomas,we will be given the chance toplace our finger in the print ofthe nail and place our hand atthe side of our Lord. Havingdone so, we will proclaim to-gether with Thomas, “My Lordand my God!”

After our 40-day Lenten jour-ney, and the passion and joy ofHoly and Great Week, we willall, in one synchronized voice,proclaim to the world thatwhich is inherently present inour hearts, Christ is Risen! TrulyHe is Risen!

Fr. Symeonides is the pastor ofthe annunciation Greek ortho-dox Church in ny.

Holy Week and Pascha: A Transcendant Calendar Synchronizes our Hearts with our Voice

the lit candle on holy Saturday is the ultimate “app” for an orthodox Christian seeking to center himself spiritually.

After our 40-day Lentenjourney, and the passionand joy of Holy and GreatWeek, we will all...proclaim... Christ isRisen! Truly He is Risen!


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dr. ahmed mohiuddin, md, FaCCPresident and Ceo

Medical Center of Boston International, Inc.Contact information:

Medical Center of Boston International, Inc. 411 Waverly Oaks Road, Suite 333, Waltham, MA 02452

Tel.: (781) 894-8858 • Fax: (781) 894-8856

Best Wishes for a Very Blessed and Joyous Easter

to all our Greek-American friends


By Vivian R. Pagoulatos

RoSeland, nJ - Over theyears, I have come to a betterappreciation of both our GreekOrthodox faith and our beauti-ful traditions. My years in thePhiloptochos have enhanced myunderstanding of the impor-tance of outreach as well.

My grandmother, Paraskevi,would tell me stories of herchildhood in Plomari, Mytiline.One of her fondest memorieswas of Lazarus Saturday andlazarakia. However, she didn’tremember many details. Andthen, through the magic of theInternet, I found a number ofwonderful sources with infor-mation about how this day iscelebrated in Greece that Iwould like to share with you.

This year our chapter willprovide lazarakia cookies forour Lazarus Saturday Commu-nion/Lenten breakfast throughthe Greek Store in Kenilworth.Enjoy the recipe below, and theinformation about St. Lazarusand Church traditions that Ihave collected from varioussources.

From the Greek OrthodoxArchdiocese of America(www.goarch.org)

The solemnities of GreatWeek are preceded by a two-day festival commemorating theresurrection of Lazaros and thetriumphant entry of Christ intoJerusalem. These two eventspunctuate Christ's ministry in amost dramatic way (Jn 11. l-12,19)…. these same events

emphasize His divine authority.Through them Christ is revealedas the source of all life and thepromised Messiah. For this rea-son, the interlude which sepa-rates Great Week from the GreatFast is Paschal in character. It isthe harbinger of Christ's victoryover death and of the inrush ofHis kingdom into the life of theworld.

The Saturday of Lazaros iscounted among the major feastsof the Church. It is celebratedwith great reverence and joy.The event of the raising ofLazaros is recorded in theGospel of John (11. 1-45). Thehymnography of the feast inter-prets the theological signifi-cance of the event. Accordingly,the resurrection of Lazaros isviewed as a prophecy in action.It prefigures both the resurrec-tion of Christ, as well as the gen-eral resurrection of all the deadin the end times. The hymns ofthe feast also emphasize the bib-lical truth that the resurrectionas such, is more than an event.It is a person, Christ Himself,who bestows eternal life nowupon all who believe in Him,and not at some obscure futuretime (Jn 11.25-26).

GeneRal oBSeRVationSVestments - The Saturday of

Lazaros and Palm Sunday arejoyous festivals. Therefore, thepriest wears festive vestments(white, gold, or green). TheHoly Table is also adorned witha bright cover.

St lazarus day traditions inGreece (search the websitewww.orthodoxmom.com, Stlazarus traditions)

lazaRaKiaOne Saturday of Lazarus tra-

dition is the baking of Lazarakia.Lazarakia is a spice breadshaped like a man to rememberthe miracle of Jesus raisingLazarus from the dead. There isa mouth and cloves for eyes. Un-like Tsoureki, Lazarakia are notbrushed with egg or butter togive it a gloss finish (to notbreak the fast). "If you don'tmake a Lazaro, you won't haveyour fill of bread" (“Λάζαρο δενπλάσεις, ψωμί δεν θα χορτά-σεις”), is a saying among someGreeks. Lazarakia should looklike the Lazarus in the icon ofhis resurrection, bound like adead man with a shroud

Lazarakia RecipeIngredients:• 4 1/2 tsp. yeast • 12-14 cups unbleached all-purpose flour • 1 1/2 cups sugar • 3 tsp. salt • 2 1/2 to 3 cups lukewarmwater • 1/2 cup vegetable oil • 1 tsp. cinnamon • 1 tsp. aniseed or anise ex-tract• 1 tsp. mahlepi (Optional)• 1/2 tsp. masticha (Optional)

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 350 de-

grees. 2. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup

of the 2 1/2 - 3 cups lukewarmwater.

3. Add sugar and salt and stirwell.

4. Add remaining water, oilcinnamon and 6 cups flour andstir the mixture until creamy.

5. Slowly add enough of re-maining flour to make amedium dough.

6. Divide dough into how-ever many Lazarakia you'd likeand roll into logs. Cut slits forarms and legs. Cross arms acrosschest and pinch a head.

7. Place on slightly greasedcookie sheets, cover with toweland let rise for about an houror until almost doubled in size.

8. Bake loaves for 20-30 min-utes or until hollow whentapped on bottom.

Most holy St. Lazarus prayunto God for us!

maKinG youR oWntRaditionS

adVentuReS oF anoRthodox mom

(reproduced from the websitewww.orthodoxmom.com):

“While I make every effort toteach my children the how’s andwhy’s of our Faith, I take specialcare to express the importanceof traditions to them. St. Paultells us, "Therefore, brethren,stand fast, and hold the tradi-tions which you were taught,whether by word or our epistle."(2 Thessalonians 2:15). I thinkthat should apply not only toChurch life but to family life aswell. Many people think that iftheir grandmother or motherdidn’t hand something down,it’s not a tradition. Or if yourchildren are older, it’s too late.This simply isn’t true; anyonecan start a tradition and it isnever too late. Remember, a tra-dition doesn’t have to mean cre-ating something tangible. It canbe something as simple as read-ing the Bible as a family everynight or saying a special prayer

together.“We visited my grand-

mother’s house to bakeLazarakia, little loaves of breadthat look like St. Lazarus. My

great-grandmother read thestory of Lazarus from the Bible,being sure to point out at the

Greek Orthodox Pascha Traditions: Remembering St. Lazarus

the icon of St. lazarus reminds people of the resurrection ofChrist, but lazarus’ body did not change into a spiritualized bodylike that of the resurrected Christ. after rising from the dead St.lazarus went to Cyprus and became the first bishop on the island.

lazarakia are a spice breads shaped like a man to rememberthe miracle of Jesus raising lazarus from the dead. 201099/573

Happy Easter

2018

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Mr and Mrs Charles Cotrosexpress their warmest wishes

for a blessed and joyous Easter to all!

Καλό ΠάσχαΧριστός Ανέστη

Continued on page 22


By Jeff KlinkenbergThe Tampa Bay Times

taRPon SPRinGS — Nobodyknows what will happen whenorthodox Greeks celebrateEaster next Sunday. Perhaps theholiday will be joyous withloved ones gathered to glorifythe Resurrection with a feast oflamb. But perhaps, and this iswhat causes certain folks somesleepless nights, it might turnout to be another Greek-bombEaster.

When the clock tolls mid-night on Easter morning, home-made bombs sometimes explodealong the Dodecanese Boule-vard riverfront. Explosionsshake buildings and break win-dows on Athens Street. Back inthe neighborhoods, teenageboys toss bombs and run fromthe cops. It's a rite of passagethat happens to be a felony.

But really, nobody everknows what will happen until ithappens in Tarpon Springs, pop-ulation 25,000. This year, policehope, nothing louder than thecries of the yellow-crownednight herons will be heard downby the famous sponge docks.That will mean rambunctiousteenagers have heeded the an-nual request of Father MichaelEaccarino, the pastor of St.Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathe-dral, to light candles instead ofbomb fuses.

Bomb explosions duringEaster season have been part ofthe Tarpon soundtrack for gen-erations. It's a custom that goesback to where so many of thetown's 3,000 Greek-Americanresidents trace their roots: theislands of Kalymnos, Symi andHalki in the Aegean Sea. There,high-spirted Easter celebrantsfling dynamite from mountaincliffs and occasionally blowthemselves up in the process.

In Tarpon Springs an Easterbomb is typically made fromshredded newspaper, twine,duct tape and powder pur-chased in a gun shop. There'smore to it, of course. Just knowthe creation produces an im-pressive explosion. Even so, theear blast is never enough for themost competitive bombmakers.Cpl. Scott Brockew, a TarponSprings police detective andPinellas County's only bombtechnician, once confiscated ahomemade explosive about thesize of a watermelon.

"Somebody was drivingaround with it in the trunk ofhis car,'' he said recently. "It con-tained 12 pounds of black pow-der. We took it to a remote spotand exploded it. From 300 yardsaway you felt the concussion inyour chest. It left a 4-foot craterin the ground. Can you imagineif it went off in a crowd?''

Tarpon Springs, which be-came a Greek enclave in 1905,is one of Florida's great touristtowns. On Epiphany every Jan-uary, visitors head for the bayouto watch Greek youths dive fora cross thrown by the bishop.Visitors throughout the year fillbags with gift-shop sponges andeat spanakopita, dolmades andbaklava at lunch.

Some might argue thatEaster bombs are as much a partof Greek culture as bouzoukimusic. Others, mostly people inlaw enforcement, would saythat the occasional explosion inthe downtown shopping districtstopped being a quaint but noisycustom sometime after Sept. 11.

"It's a collision of folk cus-toms with the American legalsystem,'' says Tina Bucuvalas, aTarpon Springs folklorist whohas sometimes been awakenedby distant explosions earlyEaster morning. She never stopstrying to understand the tradi-tion of Easter bombs.

"Don't even call thembombs,'' an elderly Greek manexplained to her recently in acasual conversation on thesponge docks. "Bombs are whatal-Qaida makes in Afghanistanand Iraq. People here make theirown firecrackers. You shouldcall them firecrackers.''

He did not reveal his name,of course, another custom whenthe subject of Easter bombsarises.

"Americans celebrate theFourth of July with fireworks,''he went on. "In Tarpon Springs,we celebrate the fact that Christhas risen from the dead with ourown fireworks. It's the happiestday of the year.''

No kid, he grew up in Kalym-nos and remembered stealingdynamite and building bombswith the powder as a teen. Hecarried his bombs to the moun-taintop overlooking town,waited for midnight, ignited thefuse and heaved with all hisstrength. The explosion turnednight into day, shook the moun-tain, shook the town below.

"My father was in church atthe time,'' the retired gray-haired bomber told Bucuvalas."He later told me that my bombwas so loud it made the oldwomen weep.''

By tradition he passed on hisEaster bombmaking skills to hisAmerican-born son. The son,now married with his own chil-dren, tells people the customwill end with him.

Male Floridians with morethan a few wrinkles often thinkfondly about youthful adven-tures that may have includedfamily summer trips through theDeep South where dangerousfireworks were legally sold —even to 12-year-old boys.

Back in Florida, the boys ex-ploded their Cherry Bombs, M-80s and Ash Cans in back yardsand parking lots without killingthemselves, though everybodyclaimed to have heard of some-one who had lost a finger ortwo. In 1966, the federal gov-ernment outlawed the sale ofthe most dangerous explosives.

In Greece, Easter bombersaccidentally kill themselves orinnocent bystanders everyspring. It has yet to happen inTarpon, though not for lack of

trying.During the 1988 Easter sea-

son, a 20-year-old man waitedtoo long to throw a bomb onHope Street. The explosionbroke his arm.

In 1991, police arrested a 14-year-old boy in possession of a1-pound bomb.

In 1994, an 18-year-old wasarrested for having a bomb. Hewore a T-shirt showing a pictureof three dead police officerssprawled at the feet of a manwho was wearing a rat's head."Dirty Rats,'' said the caption onthe shirt. "Justice Is Served.''

Easter, 1996: A teenager wasstopped driving on DodecaneseBoulevard because his passen-ger, a small child, wasn't prop-erly restrained. The driver wasarrested after two bombs werediscovered inside his car. Laterthat night, police found a bagcontaining seven bombs on thesponge docks.

In 1997, a powerful bombrocked Athens Street and did$3,000 damage to the NationalBakery and the Greek CoffeeShop. The following Easter abomb went off in the alley be-hind the famous Zorba's GreekTaverna. The front window

shattered, whiskey bottles flewoff the shelves and a $1,500neon sign had to be replaced.

In 2000, after an enormousblast broke 13 windows alongAthens Street, police arrestedtwo 18-year-old boys. ThatEaster another bomb shatteredthe window at Paul's ShrimpHouse on Live Oak Street. OnAthens Street, a bomb blew thebumper off a parked car anddamaged the radiator.

In 2010, during the EasterEve church service at St.Nicholas Cathedral on PinellasAvenue, an illicit fireworksshow, triggered by a remotecontrol device, began on theroof of the 70-year-old structureand went on for 11 minutes.

Last Easter, fearing the worst,Tarpon Springs police Chief BobKochen requested helicopterhelp from the Pinellas CountySheriff's Office. Hovering overthe cathedral, the pilot saw asuspicious package on top of thechurch kindergarten. It turnedout to be a box containing a re-mote control device apparentlyintended to set off another fire-works show.

On the Greek orthodox reli-gion's holiest night, the police

chief ordered the church, filledwith about a thousand wor-shipers, evacuated. Then, to thechagrin of many in the congre-gation, the Tampa Bay RegionalBomb Squad filed through theempty church with speciallytrained dogs.

The dogs sniffed out nobombs and worshipers returnedto their pews. From the churchcourtyard, police heard the spo-radic explosions of Easter bombsin the distance.

Detective Scott Brockew wasborn on the Fourth of July. "Foryears,'' he tells people, "Ithought all those fireworks weremeant for me.''

He's 43 now and has donepolice work since he was 19.One hat he wears in TarponSprings is "bomb specialist.''"Nobody in law enforcement inother parts of the country canbelieve what we face here,'' hetells people.

Tarpon Springs has 49 policeofficers who know never to askfor a day off during GreekEaster. Every available patrol-man is on the street, on foot orin their vehicle, watching andlistening.

"It's a cat and mouse game,''Brockew said recently. Somemice build bombs with longfuses. When the bomb explodesand the cats arrive, the mice areblocks away. Other mice ignitecommercially purchased smokebombs, toss their powerfulGreek bombs and escape in themist.

"I hate to even talk aboutthis,'' Brockew said. "I don't liketo give them publicity.''

Officer Barbara Templetonspent her first Greek Easter 25years ago in a squad car. "Some-body rolled a bomb under me,''she said. "When it went off itwas so loud I thought I'd lostmy hearing.'' Her boss sent herto the emergency room.

"At the time I was one of thefew women on the force,'' saidTempleton, now a captain. "Myfirst Easter and I had to go tothe hospital. It was embarrass-ing.''

The police have their cus-toms, too. Every spring for atleast a half century, the policechief has written a letter to thepastor of St. Nicholas asking forhelp keeping the city quiet. OnMarch 15, Kochen sent his an-nual message to Father Michael

Easter in Tarpon Springs

the Greeks of tarpon Springs make a splash for the Feast of the epiphany and noise for Pascha.

Continued on page 17

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happy easter to allΚαλό Πάσχα

Χριστός Ανέστη

The BAPIS FAMILYNick and Elaine Bapis SLC, UTAH

Michael and Eleni Bapis Maria and Georgia

Manhasset, Long Island, NYAlethia and Chris Chatzis, Sophia, SLC, UTAH


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Join us in Celebrating our 90th Anniversary at the National Convention July 22-27, 2012 • Las Vegas, NV

90 Years of Service to the Community


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AHI Headquarters - Hellenic House1220 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Tel.: (202) 785-8430 - Fax: (202) 785-5178

www.ahiworld.com

THE AMERICAN HELLENIC INSTITUTE

& IT’S AFFILIATES:

The AHI FoundationThe AHI Business Network

The AHI Public Affairs Committee

wish the Readersof «The National Herald»

all our members and supporters

KALI ANASTASI

Κyriakos A. Kirou, MD, DSc, FACPAttending Rheumatologist and Clinical Co-director,

Mary Kirkland Center for Lupus Care, Hospital for Special Surgery.

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Best wishes to the entire Greek American Community

for a Happy, healthy Easter

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helleniC ameRiCanBanKeRS aSSoCiation

wishes all

a Blessed easter

www.haba.org

OrthodoxChristian

Laity - Ο.C.LChrist is Risen!We wish you a joyous Paschal Season!

We are excited about the programs and events we are preparing tocelebrate OCL’s 25th Anniversary.

Our mission has been to serve as a catalyst for Orthodox Renewaland Unity. We have developed a body of information includingbooks, Occasional Papers; DVD Series Remembering the Great Eventsin American Orthodoxy and our Internet Communication Ministry.We have traveled throughout the country and hosted 60 Open Fo-rums and 24 Annual Program Meetings.

Save the Date: We invite you to attend our 25th Annual ProgramMeeting Washington D.C. October 24-27,2012. Our Theme is “OurOrthodox Past Our Orthodox Lives Our Orthodox Future.” Checkweb site www.ocl.org for details.

Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL)PO Box 6954

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Come, on this auspicious day ofthe Resurrection,let us partake of the new fruit ofthe vine of divine gladness and of theKingdom of Christ, praising Him as God unto theages.

(Hymn of the Canon ofHoly Pascha)

To the Most Reverend Hier-archs, the Reverend Priests andDeacons, the Monks and Nuns,the Presidents and Members ofthe Parish Councils of the GreekOrthodox Communities, the Dis-

tinguished Archons of the Ecu-menical Patriarchate, the Day,Afternoon, and Church Schools,the Philoptochos Sisterhoods,the Youth, the Hellenic Organi-zations, and the entire GreekOrthodox Family in America:

Beloved Brothers and Sistersin Christ,

ΧΡΙΣΤόΣ �aΝeΣΤΗ! ChRiSt iS RiSen!

As we gather to celebrate thisgreat Feasts of Feasts, and to-gether we experience the joy

and promise of Holy Pascha, weoffer our praise to God for Hisabundant grace and for the tri-umph of our Savior Jesus Christover the power of sin and death.In a magnificent revelation ofHis invincible might, our RisenLord has defeated all that cor-rupts and destroys our humanexistence. Through His compas-sionate sacrifice and Holy Res-urrection, He has reconciled usto our Creator. By tramplingdown death by death and dis-pelling its darkness with thelight of true life, He leads us tosalvation and eternal commu-

nion with God.On this day and in the cele-

bration of Holy Pascha, we areblessed in so many ways. Weare called by the canon of thefeast to “partake of the new fruitof the vine of divine gladnessand of the Kingdom of Christ.”The Holy Resurrection of ourLord affirms that as the TrueVine, He is the source of life.He has made it possible andnow guides us in being con-nected to His presence and thepower of His Resurrectionthrough faith.

The Resurrection of Christhas also blessed us with the lightof the absolute truth. Thebondage to falsehood and errorhas been vanquished by thepower of the Gospel of truth.False ideologies, wrong philoso-phies, and evil machinationshave been discredited and dis-pelled by the brilliance of divinewisdom. The deceptions of thisworld of sin and corruptionhave been exposed by the illu-mination of our minds with thesacred, holy, and eternal truthrevealed by Christ.

These blessings, this fruit ofPascha that is produced in ourlives as the Risen Lord is in ourmidst, are not for us alone.They are a witness of the grace

and power of God through ourworship, and they are blessingswe are called to share with allof humanity. In the joy and lightof this day, our hearts are sofilled with gladness that we can-not but speak of things we haveseen and heard. Our attitudes,words, and actions, our re-sponse to the needs of othersreveals a source of strength,love, and peace. Our lives are awitness of Pascha, guiding allaround us to encounter a Risenand Redeeming Christ.

On this most sacred of days,this Feast of Great and HolyPascha, I wish you and yourfamilies the fullness of the joyand blessings that are offered tous by God through our RisenLord Jesus Christ. May this full-ness of joy fill your hearts andmay the light of grace and truthshine through your lives offeringto all a witness of the transform-ing power of Christ’s Resurrec-tion.

With paternal love in theRisen Lord,

†DEMETRIOSArchbishop of America


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ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL OF NEW ENGLAND

162 Goddard Ave., Brookline, MA 02445Tel. 617.731.6633

E-mail: [email protected]/bostoncathedral

www.bostoncathedral.org

His Eminence, Metropolitan Methodios of BostonV. Rev. Dr. Cleopas Strongylis, Dean

Constantine Kechris, Presidentthe Parish Council members and

the Annunciation Cathedral Communityextend their best wishes for a Paschal Season

filled with the blessings of our Risen Lord.

Join us on October 21, at 1:00 p.m., at the Cathedral Center, as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of Archbishop Iakovos’

assignment to the Cathedral as its Dean.

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Christ is Risen!ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ!

Καλό Πάσχα - Χριστός Ανέστη

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and the Parish Council. "In the interest of safety,'' the

police chief wrote, "I am respect-fully asking that the ParishCouncil partner with the policedepartment to openly denouncethe use of fireworks and home-made bombs..."

Devout Greek OrthodoxChristians in Tarpon Springsshun meat and alcohol duringLent. So determined are they tohonor their savior's sacrifice that

they avoid dairy products, cook-ing oil and even sex. FatherMichael, the pastor at St.Nicholas, is their leader. He's 62,tall, with gray hair. He was bornin New York and raised in Mi-ami. As a boy he threw a fire-cracker or two into a lake justto see what would happen.What happened was a big ex-plosion and dead fish.

After college he ran a bikeshop and still keeps his Bianchiat the rectory, though he neverseems to find time for a ride.He was ordained in 1991 andserved in South Florida, Wash-ington and Denver. In 2006 hecame to St. Nicholas, one ofFlorida's most beautifulchurches, and heard about theEaster-bomb tradition. He hadnever heard of such a thing, atleast in the United States.

At first he embraced the tra-dition. "Bang! It's a big celebra-tion. Christ has tramped downdeath," he says. "It's a wonderfulmoment.''

He had second thoughts afterhearing about midnight bombsthat left craters, blew off car

bumpers and broke arms. At achurch service three years agohe held a baby above the con-gregation and asked, "What arewe going to do if a bomb goesoff nearby and harms thischild?''

It turned out to be a rela-tively quiet Easter. But a year orso later an altar boy — an altarboy! — was arrested for havinga bomb. In 2010 there was thatunauthorized fireworks showthat originated on the roof of achurch building, which he didnot approve of. He's all foravoiding a repeat of last year'spolice search of the church.

"We intend to cooperate withthe police,'' Father Michael said."But we want to express our-selves according to the old cus-toms.''

Father Michael has a solutionthat he hopes will make every-one happy — the traditionalistsand the safety conscious, too.

The Easter Eve service willgo on as always. During theliturgy, all lights will be extin-guished in church, except forone, on the altar, a lit candle.

Bishop Nikitas Lulias, whogrew up in Tarpon Springs butnow lives in Turkey, will be offi-ciating with Father Michael's as-sistance. Bishop Nikitas will ap-proach the lit candle and lighthis own. With that candle hewill light the candle of someoneelse, who will light a candle ofstill another worshiper. Eventu-ally the church will be lit by athousand candles.

Then everyone and their can-dles will follow Bishop Nikitasand Father Michael outside tothe courtyard.

"Christos Anesti!'' the bishopwill proclaim. "Christ is risen!''

And everyone in the court-yard will answer "Alithos anesti!He is risen indeed!''

And then, if everythingworks out, if they can raise$5,000 and all the permits arein place, a 10-minute fireworksshow organized by the churchwill erupt. It will be a noisymanifestation of the congrega-tion's overwhelming joy. And noone will get hurt. And if the fire-works don't happen, well, it'llstill be Easter and on that holiestof nights, Father Michael will trynot to listen for explosions inthe distance.

Easter in Tarpon Springs

Continued from page 12

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† BARTHOLOMEWBy the Mercy of GodArchbishop of Constantinople-New Romeand Ecumenical PatriarchTo the Plenitude of the ChurchGrace, Peace and Mercy fromthe Savior Christ, Risen in Glory

* * *

He became the first-bornamong the dead.

(Easter Apolytikion, 3rd tone)

Beloved children in the Lord,If Christ’s Resurrection re-

ferred to Himself, then its sig-nificance for us would be negli-gible. The Church proclaims,however, that, the Lord did notarise alone. Together with Him-self, He also resurrected all peo-ple. This is how our predecessor,St. John Chrysostom, proclaimsthis great truth in thunderouslanguage: “Christ is risen, andnone are left dead in the grave;for in being raised from thedead, he became the first-fruitsof all who were asleep.” Thismeans that Christ became thefirst-fruits of the resurrection ofall who have fallen asleep andwho will fall asleep in the fu-ture, as well as of their transi-tion from death to life. The mes-sage is a joyful one for us allbecause, with His ResurrectionChrist abolished the power ofdeath. Those who believe in

Him await the resurrection ofthe dead and are accordinglybaptized in His death, rise withHim and live on in life eternal.

The world that is alienatedfrom Christ endeavors to amassmaterial goods because it basesits hopes for survival on them.It unwisely imagines that it willescape death through wealth.Deceived in this way to amasswealth, supposedly to extendtheir present life, human beingsdisperse death among others,too. They deny others the finan-cial possibility of survival, ofteneven violently depriving othersof life, in the hope of preservingtheir own life.

How tragic! What a huge de-ception. For life is only acquiredthrough faith in Christ and in-corporation in His body.

The experience of the Ortho-dox Church assures us thatthose united with Christ liveeven after death, coexist withthe living, are in dialogue withthem, can hear them and are of-ten even capable of miracu-lously fulfilling their requests.

This means that it is nolonger necessary to search forthe “fountain of immortality.”Immortality exists in Christ andis offered by Him to all.

There is no need for somenations to be destroyed in orderfor other nations to survive. Noris there any need to destroy de-fenseless human lives so thatother human beings may live ingreater comfort. Christ offerslife to all people, on earth as inheaven. He is risen, and allthose who so desire life may fol-low Him on the way of Resur-rection. By contrast, all thosewho bring about death, whetherindirectly or directly, believingthat in this way they are pro-longing or enhancing their ownlife, condemn themselves toeternal death.

Our Risen Lord Jesus Christcame into the world in orderthat all people “may have lifeand life in abundance” (John10:10). We deceive ourselves ifwe believe that prosperity in theworld can come from destroyingone another. Christ raises thedead and invalidates theirkilling. Christ has the power totranscend death. Moreover, thefact that he conquered deathconfirms His contempt of death.Christ leads to life; He re-be-stows life, which happens to beinterrupted, because He is “ourlife and our resurrection.” Thisis why we, the faithful, do notfear death. Our strength lies not

in the invulnerability of our ex-istence but in its possibility forresurrection.

ChRiSt iS RiSen! We, too, Shall aRiSe!Therefore, beloved brethren

and children in the Lord, let usfollow the Risen Christ in all Hisworks. Let us come to the assis-tance of those deprived of themeans for survival so that theirlife may be preserved. Let us pro-claim to all those who are igno-rant of Christ’s Resurrection that,through this, death was abol-ished and, as a result, they toomay share in His Resurrection bybelieving in Him and followingHis way. Our own resurrection isonly possible when it is offeredfor the resurrection of others, ofour brothers and sisters. Thenalone will the triumphant procla-mation that “Christ is Risen!” re-fer to the salvation for all of hu-manity. Let it be so!

Holy Pascha 2012† Bartholomew

of ConstantinopleYour fervent supplicant

for all

Grace, Peace and Mercyfrom the Savior Christ,

Risen in Glory


H A N A C, Inc.executive and administrative offices:49 West 45th Street 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036

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Our Best Wishes to the Community

for aHappy Easter

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A very Blessed Easter

Καλό και Eυλογημένο Πάσχα

Archie D Typaldis, Esq.(617) 243-9455

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Χριστός ΑνέστηBy Rev. alexanderPapagikos

“When they who were withMary came and found the stonerolled away from the sepulcher,they heard from the Angel: Whyseek ye among the dead, asthough He were mortal man,Him who abides in everlastinglight?”

(Hypakoe of Pascha).At our parish’s midnight

Paschal vigil we gather as onefamily seeking the dawning ofa new day. We gather as friendsand neighbors, men andwomen, children and adults. Inthe depths of the night we cometogether, as did the Myrrh-bear-ing women so many centuriesago. And like the holy Myrrh-bearers of old, we ask ourselvesthis question: “who will roll

away the stone for us?’The Lord Jesus Christ had no

need for the stone to be rolledaway from the tomb. He whocontrolled the wind and waves(Mark 4:37), He could enter theupper room of the disciplesthough the doors were shut(John 20:19), He who could notbe held even by the bonds ofdeath (Acts 2:24) – He surelyhad no need for the stone to beremoved. Rather, the tomb liesopen for our sake. The stonewas rolled away so that wecould enter the place where HisSpotless Body was laid out;where we could enter and be-hold the vacant crypt and foldedgrave clothes; so that we couldsee for ourselves the Truth ofthe Resurrection. Even today,though we live in a time andplace many miles and many cen-

turies removed from thatblessed Sunday morning so longago, we also desire to beholdthe evidence of our Savior’s tri-umph over death.

“Who will roll away the stonefor us?” We live in an age ofcynicism and despair, an age inwhich the sway of philosophicaland moral materialism hasspread across the globe. We livein a time of deep uncertaintyand insecurity, a time when thepower of mass destruction restsin the hands of so many aggres-sors. We live in an era of spiri-tual apathy, when the traditionalexpressions of faith and pietyare perceived as unhealthy andeven dangerous, “an era whenhumanity yearns to hear novelthings from self-appointedteachers of so-called wisdom”(II Tim. 4:3, I Tim. 6:20).

“Who will roll away the stonefor us?” Who will show us away to a higher life, the way toa transcendent mode of exis-tence? Who will show us thetriumph of love and life? Whowill lead us in the way of truejoy and lasting happiness? Whowill display for us the tokens ofthe Resurrection, the incontro-vertible proofs of the love ofGod, the unimpeachable evi-dence of eternal life, which willinspire us to traverse the pathof repentance, renunciation andself-sacrifice.

“Who will roll away the stonefor us?” It was the holy angels,the messengers of the Lord’sResurrection, who removed thestone on that glorious Paschamorning. We also have angelstoday, messengers of God whoremove from our hearts thestones of doubt, fear and ego-tism.

These angels, together withthe saints, open the way for ourminds, spirits and bodies, sothat we too may experience forourselves the power and gloryof the Resurrection.

Through their ministry to us,we enter into the place wherethe angels beckon. It is in theempty tomb where our fears areallayed, our doubts are van-quished, our faith is strength-ened and our joy is fulfilled.Christ is risen!

By Rev. alexander Papagikos,pastor of St. Constantine andhelen of Fayetteville, nC.the stone at Christ’s tomb was rolled away for us, not him.

A Meditation on the Resurrection, Trying Times, and the Angels of the Lord


Τhe Saint louisGreek american Community

wishes the omogeniaa blessed and joyous Easter

hellenic Cultural Foundationhellenic investment Grouphellenic Spirit FoundationKarakas associatesKarakas Family FoundationumSl Karakas Chair of Byzantine history and orthodox StudiesumSl Karakas Family Foundation for the advancement of hellenic Studies

Saint louis, missouri200953/122

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lynn: one andrew Street, lynn, ma 01901 • tel.: (781) 598-0820PeaBody: 32 Central Street, Peabody, ma 01960 • tel.: (978) 968-2222

online: www.myccu.org

wishes

Happy EasterTO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS

Dr. Nicholas Sarantopoulos, President /CEO

Serving the Greek-American community for over 85 years!

Aroma Coffee Co., Inc.7650 Industrial Drive, Forest Park, IL 60130

tel.: (708) 488-8340200605/195

Best Wishes for a

Happy Easterto our customers, friends and the Greek Community

GuSt and tom PaPaniCholaS

Εις μνήμην της Στέλλας Κράρα

The Kraras FamilyReading, PA

and Wildwood, NJ3028/315

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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox ChurchΕλληνική Ορθόδοξος Κοινότης Αγίας Τριάδας

10 Mill Road, New Rochelle, NY 10804 • Tel.: (914) 235-6100

~ ~ ~

The Clergymen,the Parish Council,the Philoptochos

and all Community Organizations

wishes you alla Blessed Easter

~ ~ ~200638/377

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State Senator Leonidas and Dr. Donna Raptakis Alexandra and Nicholas

wish you a HAPPY EASTER

SENATORLEONIDAS P. RAPTAKIS

Committee on Housing & Municipal GovernmentCommittee on Environment and Agriculture

Joint Committee on Highway Safety

District # 33 Res. 401-397-2720

2080 Nooseneck Hill Road Bus. 401-397-3344

Coventry, R.I. 02816 Fax. 401-397-6302

[email protected] State House 401-276-5567

www.raptakis.com 3571/436

Kostas alexakis and Family leon andris and Family

olympic investors llCPublic Sector Solutions, inc.

a b

201697/292

Wishing allour customers & friends

and the entire Greek-American

Community

Kalo Pascha

3746/533


From a friend

200414/566

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Χριστός Ανέστη!

Best wishes for a blessed easter


201062/473

Hellenic American Academy - Established 1906

Parish PriestReverend Father Nikolaos D. Pelekoudas

PresidentGeorge Christopoulos

The Hellenic

Orthodox Church

of Lowell

Holy TrinityEstablished 1900Designated a National Historic Place in 1977

ΚΑΛΗΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΗ

haPPyeaSteR

end that he went on to becomethe first bishop of Cyprus. As wefolded arms across his chest, cuttwo legs and put cloves in foreyes, we all sang: Lazarus was in the tomb fourdays,when Jesus came and to theFather prayed.‘Lazarus, come forth!’ he said,The Lord whom the five thou-sand fed.Then Lazarus arose and manywere in fear. Let everyone with ears nowhear.

“As an adult, there are manytraditions I’m just not willing topart with. Our Lazarus Saturdaytradition is one of them. So ev-ery year on the last Saturday be-fore Holy Week I gather my chil-dren and godson into thekitchen and we continue thattradition (except so far I’m theonly one singing). As they colorthe icon of the feast, I read thestory from the Bible and we talkabout things the people whowitnessed this miracle mighthave been thinking and what wemight have thought if we werethere. Then we put on ouraprons and bake the Lazarakia.While the children knead andshape their dough I sing thekalanta, remembering all thespring afternoons I spent jump-ing over the crooked sidewalksof my small hometown whilecelebrating this awesome mira-cle of Christ. I think about all ofthe girls I caroled with and praythat St. Lazarus blesses them onhis blessed feast.

Here are some new traditionsfor your family this Lenten sea-son:

• Bake Lazarus Bread andsing the kalanta. This is sure tobecome a favorite tradition inyour home. You will feel theblessing of St. Lazarus by hon-oring his memory on his feast!

• Decorate a Pascha basket.Some churches bless the basketsafter the Resurrection Liturgy,but if yours doesn’t, that’s ok.It’s still fun to decorate and fillwith eggs, cheeses, and breadsfor after church. Give each childa job (i.e. arrange items in bas-ket, help wrap them, etc).

• Read the Gospel lesson. Goto www.orthodoxchildrens-books.com or www.orthodoxon-line.com and print out the col-oring page for each Sundayduring Lent and let your childcolor while you read. Make itfun; bake some Lenten cookiesto enjoy while doing this.

• Make a Pascha candle. Youcan purchase a large candle anduse ribbons and puffy paint todecorate it. Some people cut outlittle paper icons and glue themto the candle. To help the iconstay on, add a puffy paint borderto it.

lazaRineSThe custom of "Lazarines" or

"Lazaritses" in Central Greece,Thessaly, Macedonia and Thraceis where female participants gofrom house to house with bas-kets of flowers and theirlazarakia and sing Lazarina asthey demonstrate their availabil-ity as potential brides.

the lazaRina CaRolSThough not as widespread as

in the past, Lazarina carols arestill sung in certain parts ofGreece. Children gather flowersto decorate their baskets and goout singing carols. In return forsinging carols, the children ei-ther receive as gifts eggs, moneyor other foods. In Rhodes andIalyssos, children go from doorto door singing the "Lazaro" andcollecting money and eggs forthe priests. In Crete and Epirus,these visits are accompanied bythe sound of large bells.

The children of Cyprus coverthemselves in yellow flowers onthis day, to the point where theirfaces are covered. When theother children would sing carolsfor listeners, a child dressed inflowers would lie down on theground as if dead and then riseup when the children yell"Lazarus, come forth".

Source: www.JohnSanidopou-los.com accessed 3/19/12.

(mystagogy: weblog)

CaRol 1 (PRoVided By VaSiliKi

FotiniS)

the ReSuRReCtion oF lazaRuS

Today Christ the heavenly Godis coming At the city of Bethany withbranches and palms Please come out so we can tellyou Το learn what happened todayin Palestine At the city of Bethany, Marthaand Mary are cryingLazarus their brother the sweetand hearty They mourn and say, theymourn and cryThree days they mourned andlamented On the fourth day Christ setforth to comeThen Mary went out ofBethanyShe kneeled in front of Himand kissed His feetIf you were here my Christ, mybrother wouldn’t dieBut even know I believe andknow very wellThat, if you want, you can res-urrect the deadHe said, believe Mary let us goto the monumentsThen, Christ tears and threat-ens HadesHades of underworld andDeath, I want to take LazarusbackCome out my Lazarus myfriend and dearAnd immediately from hades,as a divine signLazarus was delivered fromdeath, resurrected, and got upAlive, shrouded, and coveredwith waxAll the Disciples and Apostleswere then presentGlory to God, they shout, andexamine LazarusLazarus tell us what you sawwhen you went to HadesI saw terrors, I saw fears, I sawtroubles, and painsGive me some water to washout the poisonMy heart’s, my lips’ and don’task me anymoreNext year we’ll come again andmay we find you in goodhealthIn your homes joyfully to singall together. Many Years to come and NextYear.

CaRol 2With permission to say theword and to describe the GoodLazarus Hello, Good evening, Lazaruscame with the palms If you are sleeping, wake upand if you are sitting listen. You experienced a great mira-cle, where it became a demons’trauma.

Christ went to Bethany be-cause there was much infi-delity there. Those who learned of the ar-rival, all ran to his welcoming. All ran young, old, all Chris-tians, Jews and others He rode on a donkey’s back, soit was meant this time And the infants of the Hebrewsfor the procession of the Jews. Others cut branches andpalms, verifying the Holy scrip-tures.

Others were saying he isblessed the Comer andpreached. Then Christ moves forwardand the people follow him. Then ran Martha, Maria, be-cause there was great need. Where is Lazarus, where is mybrother, where is my friendand my cousin?

They say Lazarus is dead, andsince four days buried in theEarth. He says let’s go to see him andat his tomb to lament. On top of the plate steppedChrist. ”Come Lazarus, riseup. " And by miracle the Earthshook and Lazarus stood up.

Where were you Lazarus,where are you my brother,where were you my friend andmy acquaintanceGive me to drink a little water,because my mouth is bitter likemedicine. My lip is wilted and from theEarth embittered. Give me to drink to talk to youand the death to forget.

Deep in the Earth was I buriedand had met with the dead. It is the death that awaits ev-ery man in the World. Now, we wish for good health,good Resurrection and happi-ness. Many Years to come.

Source: www.JohnSanidopou-los.com accessed 3/19/12.(mystagogy: weblog)

Greek Orthodox PaschaTraditions: Remembering

St. Lazarus

200789/425

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May the grace, the love and the light of the Resurrected Christ

fill our hearts and our lives.

Christ is Risen

Peter & Cathy Pappasand Family

Continued from page 11


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the tom KouRKoumeliS Familywishes everyone

A Blessed and Happy Easter

32-14 30th Avenue, Suite 202, Astoria, NY 11102Tel.: (718) 728-3248Fax: (718) 545-5361

32-24 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102Tel.: (718) 932-9876


201613/577

Documents

National Herald · THE NATIONAL HERALD, APRIL 14, 2012 EASTER 2012 3 Drs. Spiro & Amalia Spireas and Sigmapharm Laboratories wish you Happy Easter Sigmapharm Laboratories, LLC 3375