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Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of America I thank my God whenever I think of
you, and every time I pray for all of you, I pray with joy, remembering how you have helped to spread the Good News...(Philippians
1:3-6) GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106 Tel: (212)
570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0237 Web: http:// www.goarch.org - Email: communications@goarch.org Protocol Number 01/11
January 1, 2011
Feast
of Saint Basil and New Year
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things
are passed away; behold, all things are become new.II Corinthians 5:17 To the Most Reverend Hierarchs,
the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox
Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos
Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America Beloved Brothers
and Sisters in Christ, The conclusion of one calendar year and the beginning of another is a time filled with reflection
and anticipation. It is a time when we look back over the past year and consider our challenges and joys, our highlights
and struggles, and our accomplishments as well as the tasks that are not completed. It is also a time when we look ahead
to a new year with a sense of anticipation, contemplating what may come, planning our activities, and hoping for health and
happiness. All of this reflection and anticipation is encouraged by a culture around us that celebrates the passing
of the year and of time without a deep spiritual connection to the events and commemorations that reflect genuine hope and
assurance. As Orthodox Christians we are blessed at this time of year to celebrate two beautiful and holy feasts of
the Church which are filled with both reflection and anticipation. Only a few days have passed since our celebration
of the Feast of our Lord’s Nativity, a commemoration of the light of truth dispelling the darkness of sin and death
and a feast of joy in anticipation of God’s blessings. In a few days we will celebrate the Feast of Theophany,
another great occasion filled with light and grace. We will commemorate the baptism of Jesus by John in the Jordan and
the revelation of the Holy Trinity as Christ inaugurated His earthly ministry. On this day we will reflect on the spiritual
significance of this miraculous event, and we will anticipate our continuous transformation in the journey of faith unto salvation.
Both of these feasts help us to put the passing of time and the beginning of the new year into a proper and spiritual
context. This is not simply a non-religious event marking the changing of a number or turning of the calendar.
When joined with our festal commemorations as Orthodox Christians, this beginning of a new year, this time of reflection and
anticipation is focused on our spiritual lives and on our ministry of prayer and service. In the Feast of the Nativity
we are presented with the One who became man for our salvation, and in the Feast of Theophany we are enlightened by the witness
of the One who sanctifies our lives with His presence. In His holy birth we receive the gift that should be offered
and proclaimed throughout the world, and in His baptism we see the power of the Holy Spirit who also anoints us to share grace
and truth through our lives. Thus, we begin a new year with our hearts and minds filled with these celebrations
and with the grace and calling we share as the children of God. We begin a new year with opportunities for worship and
service as we deepen our communion with God and strengthen our witness to others. We begin a new year in the Lord with
a commitment to live each moment in the presence of Christ and to use each day to bring Him honor and glory. We begin
a new year reflecting on the revelation of God’s love, on His forgiveness, on our journey, and we anticipate the blessings
of His power and grace in days to come. It is also our tradition on this Feast of St. Basil and the inception of
the New Year to honor a faithful and beautiful ministry of our Holy Archdiocese, Saint Basil Academy. During this first
month of the year we are led by our Ladies Philoptochos Society in collecting offerings to assist in the witness and service
of the staff and directors of Saint Basils as they nurture and guide young lives with compassion and faith. This is
a ministry of reflection and anticipation. It is a reflection on over sixty-five years of dedicated service and on the
numerous lives that have found hope, love, and support at Saint Basils. It is also a ministry of anticipation.
All children who come and reside at Saint Basil Academy have a need for an environment that will give them guidance and encouragement
and develop their potential. For all of us, we can only anticipate the great and wondrous things that will be accomplished
in and through the lives of the children and youth who are blessed by this ministry. On this New Year’s Day
and the Feast of our Father and Teacher, Saint Basil the Great, I encourage you to give generously to the work of Saint Basil
Academy, and to offer your prayers for those who work diligently and faithfully in the service of our youth and of God.
May we also share in the joy of this season of light and life, expecting the great and abundant blessings of God in the coming
year as we offer our worship and prayers and as we serve one another and all people in the grace and power of Jesus Christ
our Lord. With paternal love in Christ, †DEMETRIOS Archbishop of
America
TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE LIST:
Protocol Number 146/10
December 25, 2010
The Nativity of Christ
Come, O faithful, and let us see where Christ
is born!
(Orthros Hymn of the Feast)
To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons,
the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished
Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the
Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
On this glorious Feast of the Nativity of Christ we celebrate a truly wondrous event in which God, in His infinite
and marvelous grace, became man bringing us enduring hope, newness of life, and eternal salvation. The holy birth in
Bethlehem of our Savior occurred at a specific time, but His Incarnation and its significance for our redemption are timeless.
The Son of God, the Lord of Glory and King of kings who upholds the universe by His word of power, became man so that we human
beings might be redeemed, renewed, united with Him, and become fellow citizens with the Saints and members of God’s
household.
The magnitude and the depth of the event of the Nativity of Christ are impossible to grasp, but yet
its message is clear and true. It is a message of grace, hope, and salvation to all humanity and all of the created
order. It is a message which we both celebrate and share on this sacred day, an invitation to “come and see”
what our loving Creator and God has done for us.
On the night of the Nativity, the angels appeared in the glory
of God and announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds. In response they said, “Let us go…and see
this thing that has happened.” Accepting the invitation to participate in this glorious event, they came
and saw the newborn Christ, and becoming amazed by what God had done for our salvation, went away glorifying and praising
Him for all that they had seen and heard (Luke 2:8-20).
Following the Nativity, wise men in the East saw a
mysterious star and following it came seeking the King who was born in Judea. Upon learning of the place of the birth
of the Lord, they came and saw the Christ child, offered Him gifts, and worshipped Him. Responding to the invitation
presented to them in the sign of the star, they came and encountered the One who would be a great ruler of His people as foretold
by the prophets (Matthew 2:1-12).
As the shepherds and wise men received the invitation to “come
and see” the superb miracle of the Incarnation of God, so too we are invited on this great feast to come and encounter
Christ, and to see the great and marvelous work He has done for us and our salvation. On this day we come and see the
brilliant light of truth and life shining through the darkness and despair of our world. We hear a message of hope and
grace that causes us to cease all other thoughts and activities and direct our hearts and minds to the One who has come to
bring us peace and assurance. We come to Christ and see justice, holiness, and love and realize the necessity of these
for true and abundant life.
We are also called to share our joy in Christ and to offer this invitation to everyone.
We are the bearers of the good news of what God has done for us in defeating sin and death. We are the messengers shouting
to the world as did the angels, “Glory to God in the highest!” We are, as the star of the East
did to the Magi, to lead all who are searching to come and see Christ, to come and see the One who brings life and hope, peace
and joy into every heart that receives Him. We are the people who are called to gather all God’s people to His
home, to an encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ.
On this blessed Christmas Feast of joy and love, I offer to you
and your families my wishes for a beautiful day of worship and fellowship filled with peace and the presence of God.
May we offer together our gratitude to our Lord for what He has done for us through His glorious Incarnation. May we
also offer an invitation to all to come and see the glory of the Lord.
With paternal
love in Christ,
†DEMETRIOS
Archbishop of America
Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As a Church, our faith in God and our presence and labors in this world is needed
to address the challenges of contemporary life and to bring healing, meaning, and direction to those around us. The
women of Philoptochos of the direct Archdiocesan District offer the first fruits of thier resources for the benefit of others.
Their life in Christ is made manifest by the light of their good works and inspired commitment to charity and philanthropy. This
website will provide you with an overview of the ways the Philoptochos Chapters of the Direct Archdiocesan District serve
as carriers of the life giving Gospel message. I hope that it will further promote philanthrpy and clarity so
that as the great Apostile said, our love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment (Philippians 1:9). I
am most grateful to the Almight God for the far reaching efforts of those dedicated women. I pray that they will continue
to serve as beacons of God's love and compassion. With my best wishes for their sacred and inspired philanthropic
ministry, I remain,
With paternal love in Christ,
+Demetrios
Archbishop of America
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