THE LIGHT SUMMER EDITION 2013 Volume 3 Issue 27

The Nativity of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church 12326 Spotswood Furnace Road Fredericksburg, VA 22407 540-548-2665 www.nativity.va.goarch.org Office Email - nativityofthetheotokos@verizon.net

FROM THE DESK OF FATHER JOHN

This guide is meant for personal reflection, not as a means of

judging others. Keep in mind that there are different traditions

even among the Orthodox faithful. We come to church to pray

and worship God above all else, and that should be our only

focus.

Church Etiquette

The Holy Orthodox Church is perhaps one of the last social

institutions where dignity, protocol, respect, and reverence are

maintained. This is primarily because when we come to the

church and its services we are entering the Kingdom of God

on earth, His habitation, and we choose to honor this sacred

place by our attentiveness to what is proper and ordered. We

have the opportunity to reflect the image of Christ within us by

our actions. “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,

a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9).

Entering the Church

The Orthodox Divine Liturgy begins when the priest intones,

“Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the

Holy Spirit.” We need to arrive early enough to receive this

blessing. Arriving later causes a distraction for others who

are praying. If an occasional problem occurs and you have

to come in late, enter the church reverently and quietly. The

times in which you must stay in the back of the church, or

the narthex, before entering include: when the Little or Great

Entrance is taking place, when the priest is censing the icons

and congregation or giving the homily, and when the Epistle or

Gospel is being read. If you are unsure when is the best time to

enter the church, ask one of the ushers for guidance.

We come to the church on time, as if to a great banquet,

and with reverence, because we are partaking of the very Body

and Blood of Christ, our Savior. Coming to Orthros or Matins

before the Divine Liturgy will ensure that you will be settled in

plenty of time to pray without distraction.

Standing in Church

It is the custom of some Orthodox Christians to stand

throughout the Divine Liturgy, as well as during other services.

If you choose to stand in a church that has pews, please do so

near the back or sides so that the view of the altar is not blocked

for those who are seated. If you are accustomed to sitting during

the Divine Liturgy, remember to stand at these times: when

the Liturgy begins and the priest gives the blessing; during the

Little and Great Entrances; when the priest is censing the icons

and congregation; during the Gospel reading;

at the anaphora, for Holy Communion; and at the final Bless-

ing. Whenever a hierarch is visiting the parish, out of respect

follow his example and stand and sit when he does.

Lighting of Candles

It is a pious Orthodox tradition to light candles for personal

petitions and intercessions when entering the church. Most

parishes have designated candle stands or holders for these

candles.

It is not proper to light candles at certain times during the

service—generally the same times when you should not enter

the church, such as during the Little and Great Entrances,

when the priest is censing the icons and congregation or giv-

ing the homily, or during the reading of the Epistle or Gospel.

The candles should be allowed to burn all the way down

without being extinguished early, since the burning candle

symbolizes our prayers rising to heaven and the light of

Christ in our midst. Please do not allow young children to

light candles alone, for safety reasons. It is customary to make

a donation for each candle.

Venerating Icons

The Orthodox Church teaches that it is proper to venerate, not

worship, icons. The acceptable way to do this is to kiss either

the hands or feet of the saint depicted in the icon, or the scroll,

the Gospel book, or the hand cross a saint is holding, Please

do not wear lipstick when kissing the icons since the residue

will ruin them.

Additional Pious Customs

• Crossing oneself—It is always appropriate to cross

oneself at the mention of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and

Holy Spirit; whenever entering or leaving the church; at the

beginning of the Liturgy; when passing in front of the altar;

when venerating an icon, the Gospel, or the cross; and at

times or personal petitions.

It is not necessary to cross oneself when the priest is giving

a blessing or censing the congregation. Instead, one should

bow to receive the blessing.

• Bowing—Orthodox Christians bow when the Theotokos

and Christ are petitioned. They also bow to the priest at

his blessing, and when he asks forgiveness before the Great

Entrance and again before Holy Communion.

See Father, page 7

P a g e 2 T h e L i g h t

Father John C. Katsoulis, Parish Priest 540-645-1427 fr.john_katsoulis@verizon.net FATHER’S OFFICE HOURS—TUESDAY—FRIDAY 9 A.M.—3 P.M. OTHER HOURS BY APPOINTMENT

ADMINISTRATIVE: nativityofthetheotokos@verizon.net TREASURER: pctreasure@verizon.net WEBSITE: www.nativity.va.goarch.org FACEBOOK: NTGOC Friends

PARISH COUNCIL PHILOPTOCHOS AHEPA Carl Fulmore, President Maria Yiasemides, President John Manolis, President Dr. Bill Kaltsounis, Vice President Dr. Paul Fallon, Secretary SUNDAY SCHOOL GOYA Jim Malamas, Treasurer Yvonne Rigopoulos, Director Christine Fulmore, Advisor Maxine Calamos, Assistant Treasurer Anthony Hatzis FUND RAISING COMMITTEE DANCE Dennis Makrinos Judy Marrs, Chair Danny Kartoudi, Judy Marrs Kiki Georges Chrysoula Brickey STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE BUILDING/MAINTENANCE CHOIR Michael Euripides, Chair Harry Yiasemides, Chair Mary Moody

SACRAMENTS IN MAY

MEMORIALS Anna, beloved mother of Nitsa Kakavoyannis

Athanasios and Athanasia Kalomatis, beloved parents of Jane Kalomatis Moore

PASTORAL GUIDELINES

WEDDING Marriages are not performed on fast days, during fasting seasons, or on the feasts of the church,

specifically September 14 (Exaltation of the Holy Cross), December 13-25 (Nativity), January 5 & 6

(Theophany), Great Lent and Holy Week, Pascha (Easter), Pentecost, August 1-15 (Dormition Fast and

Feast), and August 29 ( Beheading of St. John the Baptist) Exceptions can only be made with the permission

of the respective hierarch.

BAPTISM A person who wishes to sponsor a candidate for Baptism or Christmation must be an Orthodox

Christian in good standing and a supporting member of an Orthodox parish. A person may not serve as a god-

parent if the Church has not blessed his or her marriage, or, if civilly divorced, he or she has not been granted

an ecclesiastical divorce, or for any other reason he or she is not in communion with the Orthodox Church.

Baptisms may not be performed from Christmas Day through the Feast of Theophany (December 25-January

6), during Holy Week, or any of the Great feast days of the Lord.

FUNERAL Funeral services are permitted on any day of the year, except for Sundays, and Holy Friday, un-

less permission is granted by the Archbishop or Metropolitan. MEMORIAL Memorial services may not be chanted from the Saturday of Lazarus through the Sunday of

Thomas, or any Feast days of the Lord or the Theotokos.

THE LIGHT PAGE 3

JUNE/JULY/AUGUST CALENDAR

SUMMER HOURS BEGIN JUNE 9TH

Sunday Orthos will begin at 8:30 A.M. Liturgy will begin at approximately 9:30A.M.

SCHEDULE OF WEEK DAY DIVINE SERVICES FOR SUMMER 2013

June 13 9 A.M. Divine Liturgy for the Holy Ascension June 22 10 A.M. Divine Liturgy for the Saturday of the Souls July 20 10 A.M. Divine Liturgy for the Prophet Elias July 27 10 A.M. Divine Liturgy for St. Panteleimon August 1 7 P.M. Great Paraclesis August 2 7 P.M. Small Paraclesis August 6 9 A.M. Divine Liturgy for Holy Transfiguration August 7 7 P.M. Small Paraclesis August 8 7 P.M. Great Paraclesis August 9 7 P.M. Small Paraclesis August 12 7 P.M. Small Paraclesis August 13 7 P.M. Great Paraclesis August 14 TBA Great Vespers in Winchester, VA August 15 9 A.M. Divine Liturgy for the Dormition of the Theotokos August 29 9 A.M. Divine Liturgy for the Beheading of St. John the Baptist

Sunday, September 1, return to normal Sunday hours.

ADMINISTRATIVE CALENDAR

June 8 All Day Fencers June 13 7 P.M. An Evening with Nia Vardalos June 15 10 A.M. Ironwood Auctions June 17 7 P.M. PC Mtg. July 7–13 JOY week at Camp Good Shepherd July 12 & 13 Hall Rental July 14—20 GOYA week at Camp Good Shepherd/Father out of office July 21-27 GOYA week 2 at Camp Good Shepherd August 8 7 P.M. FRC Mtg. August 24 Noon Crab Feast

NOTE: The parish bookstore will be open immediately following Divine Liturgy each

Sunday. Please stop by to see the new Icons available for order.

A N E V E N I N G WI T H

N I A V A R D A L O S

$20 Adults $10 Children under 12

Www.nativity.va.goarch.org paypal JUNE 13 AT 7 P.M. BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE NOT INCLUDED IN TICKET PRICE

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B O O K S I G N I N G A U T H O R O F

I N S T A N T M O M W R I T E R & S T A R M Y B I G F A T

G R E E K W E D D I N G

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THE LIGHT PAGE 5

STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE CARD

HONOR ROLL

Shown below is a list of families & individuals who

are participating in The Nativity of the Theotokos

Stewardship Program as of May 28, 2013. We would

like to thank all of these families and individuals for

responding to the needs of our parish.

If you have turned in a stewardship card, and

your name does not appear below,

please see Jim Malamas or

Maxine Calamos.

Fr. John & Pres. Stacy Katsoulis

Ladies Philoptochos Society

Kyriacos & Yiannoulla Adamou

Richard & Angela Beamer

Michael & Orneila Bizhuti

Mary Booth

Nancy Costas Breckenridge

Kevin & Chrysoula Brickey

Maxine N. Calamos

Mike & Angelina Campbell

Costas & Sophia Constantine

Markella Countouroudas

Leonard Cowherd

Victoria Dobrescu

Michael & Evanthia Euripides

Paul & Hannah Fallon

Helen Frazier

Carl & Christine Fulmore

Kiki Georges

Julia Getsos

Jimmy & Katherine Giannopoulos

Theofilos Giannopoulos

Pauline Gorton

Thomas Harris

Anthony & Kai Hatzis

Phillip & Monica Hicks

Bill & Stella Kaltsounis

George & Georgia Kapataidakis

Voula Kapataidakis

Kosta & Chryse Kartoudi

Helen Katsarelis

George & Chrissy Katsourakis

Michael Kavros

Maria Kipreos

Dennis & Anthoula Makrinos

James & Koula Malamas

John & Maria Manolis

Peter & Jennifer Margaros

Judy & Brad Marrs

Cynthia & Daniel Miller

David & Mary Moody

Phil & Jane Moore

Robert & Barbara Morrison

Basil & Dorothy Nosal

Elena ODonaghue

Aslanis Pappas

George & Sarah Parent

Georgia Pournaras

Emanuel & Sophia Psaras

Mitchell & Georgia Raftellis

Chris & Yvonne Rigopoulos

Nicholas & Melissa Roman

Steve Salagaras

Gamal & Verilee Salama

Halina Schreckinger

Demetrios Serakos

Wayne & Liz Skinner

James & Christine Smith

Alin & Andrea Son

Mary Stram

Carrie K. Swann

Stefan & Nikki Theodore

Georgia Liakakis Tidler

Vassilios & Eleni Troupos

Bill & Sandy Winkler

John & Ellen Xydias

Harry & Maria Yiasemides

Paul & Martha Ziegenfuss

Hristos & Lambrini Zourzoukis

CONGRATULATIONS

TO OUR GRADUATES!

Alexis Blais Yanni Karellas

Despina Giannopoulos

Thomas Lozier

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PAGE 7 THE LIGHT

From Father, page 1

It is traditional for the Orthodox faithful to bow and cross them-

selves when they enter and leave the church, and when they

pray before the icons.

• Kneeling—In some Orthodox traditions there are times

when kneeling is a pious practice in the Liturgy, the most

notable being at the Consecration of the Holy Gifts. However,

kneeling is prohibited during the Paschal season, from Pascha

to Pentecost, in honor of the Resurrection.

• Touching the priest’s vestments—It is a tradition in some

parishes to touch the hem of the priest’s vestment or phelonion

as he passes by in the Great Entrance with the Holy Gifts. This

custom imitates the woman who was healed by touching the

hem of Christ’s robe. When touching the hem of the priest’s

phelonion, one should be careful not to step in front of the

procession, to pull or tug on the garment, or to push anyone

away.

Special Considerations During Liturgy

• Refrain from socializing during the Liturgy. Save your

greetings and conversations for the fellowship hall. We are in

the Liturgy to greet God with our prayers and worship, not to

distract others.

• Cell phones and texting are never allowed in the

church. If you have a professional reason to carry a phone for

emergencies, keep it on mute, not vibrate, and sit near the exit

so that leaving for an emergency will not be a distraction to

others. Otherwise, turn off your phone before entering the

sanctuary.

• Refrain from reserving seats. Allow others to sit as they

come into the church, and especially make room for visitors so

they will feel welcome.

• Lipstick—Do not wear lipstick while taking Holy

Communion, or when kissing the cross, an icon, the priest’s or

bishop’s hand, or any sacred object. It is best not to wear it at

all in the church, because of the damage it causes.

• Leg crossing—One should not be too casual in the Divine

Liturgy. People from some cultures are offended by the cross-

ing of legs or by arms thrown back over the pew. Keeping your

feet on the ground also enables you to remain attentive and to

stand when necessary.

Receiving the Antidoron, Holy Bread

When receiving the antidoron after Holy Communion or

after venerating the cross at the end of Divine Liturgy, do not

allow the crumbs to drop, since this is blessed bread. Children

will need assistance so that they do not take too many pieces,

and so they are not careless in handling the bread. After

returning to your seat, you may eat the holy bread as you say

the prayers after Holy Communion silently while others are

communing.

Children in Church

Christ said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not

forbid them; for such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew

19:14 ). It is possible for young children to remain in church

throughout a service if they are taught to be quiet and

respectful. Many parishes have cry rooms or nurseries for

those who are too small to be quiet throughout the whole

Liturgy. Please be respectful to those around you if your

child becomes fussy or out of control, and remove him from

the nave of the church quickly. If a very young child needs

a snack, please clear away any leftover pieces. However, the

child should not have anything in his mouth when he comes

to Holy Communion. It is not acceptable at any time to chew

gum in church. It is never appropriate to allow a child to run

down the aisles, play loudly, or carry toys that make noise.

Eventually, children will be able to spend longer times in the

Liturgy. That is where they should be, but remember the reason

for coming to church is to pray and worship. Plan to have your

children use the restroom and get a drink before church begins,

and don’t allow them to come and go continually.

Consider bringing your children into the church at a time

when the Liturgy is finished to “practice” church behavior.

Teach them that they are visiting God’s very special house, and

they will need to have very special manners there.

Leaving Church

The respectful protocol is to leave the church only after the

final blessing, and after kissing or venerating the cross held by

the priest at the end of the Divine Liturgy. It is not acceptable

to be in the church hall, kitchen, or an administrative office

during Liturgy. Some parishes have church school at the end

of the Liturgy. This is the only exception allowed. Those who

leave early deprive themselves of a blessing. After walking to

the back of the nave of the church, it is customary to face the

altar, bow, and make the sign of the cross.

Greeting the Priest and Bishop

In our modern culture, we greet one another with a handshake.

The exception to this is when we greet a member of the clergy.

We do not shake a bishop’s or priest’s hand; we kiss it with

reverence and ask for a blessing. The proper way to do this is

to approach the hierarch or priest with right hand over left,

palms facing up, and then bow while saying, “Master, bless” to

the hierarch, or “Father, bless” to the priest. If either places his

hand in yours while blessing you, this is an appropriate time to

kiss his hand. We kiss his hand because we are honoring Christ,

whom he represents.

Church Clothing

Whenever we are preparing to come to church, we should

remember that we will be entering the House of God. This

requires that we dress modestly and with reverence. Generally

this will mean that we want to wear our best clothing. At

any age it is not appropriate to wear shorts, pants that are

too casual, short skirts, tight-fitting or transparent garments,

garments with low necklines, or strapless tops. Some Orthodox

traditions require women to wear dresses or skirts with covered

shoulders and backs. Although men are not required to wear

a suit and tie, they will want to make an effort to dress as if

they were going to an important event. Clothing with logos or

printed material distracts others from praying. Some women

have the pious tradition of covering their heads. Men and boys

must remove their hats when entering the church.

What could be a more important meeting than that with

God Himself? The purpose in choosing our clothing wisely is

that we model what is important to us by how we dress.

Above all: “In all things give glory to God.”

From A Guide to Parish Etiquette, by Department Director Khouria Maggie Hock