The Dove

  SPECIAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY FEBRUARY 11: The Parish Council has set the date for a special General Assembly to be held on Sunday, February 11 following services to discuss the Iconography Project .

 

As Jesus entered Jericho a crowd gathered to see him as passed through the town. The people of Jericho must have heard something about Him because the crowd that formed was large. So large in fact, that Zacchaios had to climb a tree just to see Jesus as he walked by. The act of climbing the tree proves to be very significant. In the tree, Jesus sees Zacchaios providing the opportunity for Him to call attention to this man who was despised by the community. Second is the fact that by climbing the tree, Zacchaios demonstrated not just his desire to see Jesus, but allows us to witness the condition of his heart which compelled him to act. We often use this Gospel reading to illustrate Jesus’ knowledge of the condition of the people’s hearts. He sees within Zacchaios, even from a distance, the opportunity and desire for a change of heart called repentance. The people who murmured among themselves about the ‘sinner’ Zacchaios did not understand the opportunity for change, as did Jesus....

Join us on February 2, 2024, at 8:45am for Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy at 10:00am as we celebrate one of the twelve major feasts of the Orthodox Church, The Presentation of Christ into the Temple. CLICK HERE to learn more about The Presentation of Christ into the Temple.

THREE HIERARCHS CELEBRATION: On Sunday, January 28, the Greek Schools of the Metropolis of Boston will celebrate the feast of the Three Hierarchs at the Cathedral Center in Brookline at 3:00pm. The schools will present Greek poems, in addition to special performances by the dancing groups - the “Metropolis Dance Group” and the “Sons and Daughters of Alexander the Great” which will dance traditional Greek dances from different regions of Greece. THIS EVENT WAS POSTPONED. CLICK HERE FOR THE UPDATED EVENT

On Sunday, January 14, our Annunciation Cathedral Community celebrated our annual Vasilopita hosted by our beloved Philoptochos. The first piece cut is dedicated to God, as the first of all things should be offered in thanks to God. This piece was given to Jim Tringas, our Parish Council President. The second piece is dedicated to St. Basil the Great, by whom this tradition was developed. This piece was given to the President of our Cathedral Philoptochos Society, Aglaia Georgountzos, who leads the Philoptochos in the philanthropic footsteps of St. Basil. The following piece is dedicated to His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and the Holy Eparchial Synod. This piece was given to our outgoing Parish Council President, Carol Travayiakis The next piece is dedicated to our spiritual Shepherd, His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston. This piece was given to Pano Coufos, Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministries for the Metropolis of Boston. The next pieces were given ...

 

Ten lepers stood off at a distance, as was customary for they were unclean, and called to Jesus as he entered a village, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” Those who were afflicted with leprosy were required to always stay at a distance. Their physical ailment caused them to be looked upon as ceremoniously unclean. If they came in contact, or even close to someone, that person would be considered ceremoniously unclean as well. To be ostracized like this was a heavy and lonesome burden. In addition to their physical ailments, their lives were burdened with despair and depression. So, they called to Jesus with hope. What is interesting to note here is that they called to him by name and accompanied it with a title of honor, ‘Master’. The sick knew within their hearts who he was and what he could do. With compassion, Jesus responded to them and gave them instructions as to what they needed to do to be healed, ‘go and show yourselves to the priests.’ As they went on their way, the...

Annually we gather as a community for Vasilopita Sunday in celebration of the feast of St. Basil. The Philoptochos Society on a national level has cultivated St. Basil Academy in Garrison, New York. This feast has been used for years to create awareness of St. Basil Academy and the ministry there. While the manner in which the St. Basil community cares for children in need has changed over the decades, the love for this place and ministry has not. The love for this ministry is what has really allowed for change. Faced with ever changing societal and social demands, the Academy has out of necessity pivoted from what we once knew as an orphanage and school to more of a residential community for youth facing challenges. Thus, St. Basils has created wonderful working relationships with the local community. Additionally, the grounds are used to house pertinent departments of the Archdiocese. On a local level, the Cathedral Philoptochos continues to support the ministry of St. Basils in...

 

We congratulate the newly elected Parish Officers . We pray that the Lord strengthens them and helps them in their new responsibilities.  President : Jim Tringas,  Vice President : Jim Karimbakas,  Treasurer : Nicholas Bouritsas,  Asst. Treasurer : Charlie Eliopoulos,  Secretary : Carol Travayiakis,  Asst. Secretary : Elaine Racheotes.  We also congratulate the members of the Parish Council : Eleni Asimacopoulos, Peter Davos, John Douros, Michael Kalambokis, Lula Kiflit, Peter Koshivos, Chuck Papaslis, Teddy Papaslis, and Dimitri Zaferacopoulos.  Πάντα Άξιοι!  

 

 

 Join us on January 17 in Davis Hall following Divine Liturgy as the Annunciation Cathedral's Philoptochos will be hosting our annual Vasilopita Sunday. We hope to see you all there!

  HOLY WATER AND HOME VISITATIONS: As we entered the New Year and celebrated the feast of Epiphany, we traditionally bless our homes. You are welcome to bring a holy water bottle you have at home to be filled or take one of the bottles already filled and use it to bless your home. If you would like Fr. Tom to visit and bless your home, please see him to make an appointment.

The Gospel of Matthew frequently references Old Testament prophesies in order to help the believers see and understand that the plan of God is being fulfilled. We find that the prophesies also have meaning for us today. “…By the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." (Mt 4:13) These words by Isaiah restated in the Gospel of Matthew pertaining to the baptism of Christ, help instruct us on the beginning of Christ’s ministry and speak to us as we navigate our lives. So often we feel as though we are in darkness; darkness in understanding, darkness in relationships, darkness in society, darkness in faith. This does not mean we exist in total darkness, but oftentimes we feel as though we live in the shadows, what Isaiah refers to as the ‘shadow of ...

Dear Fellow Cathedral Members, I would like to extend to all of you and to your family members, on behalf of the Parish Council Members, our warmest wishes for the Holiday Season and the New Year 2024! Health, Happiness and Prosperity Always! I send a heartfelt “Thank You” to all of you for your unconditional commitment and support. Your love, commitment and support have given us the confidence that we will achieve greater successes in the New Year for the benefit of our Cathedral Community. Let us continue our solidarity, as generations have done in the past. Then we may rest assured that our Beloved Cathedral will remain the Beacon and the Spiritual Center among the New England Hellenes, as it has been since its founding in 1905. Εκ μέρους όλων το μελών του Διοικητικού Συμβουλίου, σας στέλνω θερμούς χαιρετισμούς και ευχές με τον ερχομό του Καινούργιου Χρόνου, 2024! Υγεία, χαρά και ευτυχία και συνεχείς προόδους στον Ιερό μας, Καθεδρικό Ναό του Ευαγγελισμού Νέας Αγγλίας! Ο Νέος ...

In just a few hours we will welcome a new year. I am certain you will agree that it is hard to believe that 2024 is at hand. As this year comes to an end we find time to pause and reflect on what has happened we need to look to the new year for personal growth. Traditionally we are encouraged to make New Year’s resolutions. To help us do this, I would like to pose a few questions that we can use to look forward. I cannot answer them for you and I will not provide any solutions. You must look deeply into your own heart to answer them honestly and then seek guidance. I pose these questions (in no particular order) to encourage personal growth and through personal spiritual growth, growth, and attentiveness to the life of the Cathedral community. What did I do this past year to grow closer to Christ? What will I try to do in the year to come to foster growth in faith? How did I try to embody my love for Christ in the past year and what can I do better in the new year? How have I help...

 

 

 

Dear Cathedral Family, On the occasion of the upcoming Christmas Holiday, on Monday, December 25, together with the members of the Parish Council, I would like to extend to you and your family, our deepest and heartfelt wishes for a Joyous holiday season, filled with love, laughter and peace. Christmas Day, marks the anniversary celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, worshipped by Christians as the Messiah of God.   His Birthday is one of the most joyous ceremonies among Christians all over the world.   To this day, Christmas remains one of the most enjoyable and pleasant times of the year.   It is a time of warmth.   A time to realize that helping the poor is the noblest deed.   A time to be thankful and grateful for what one has. I am grateful and thankful for the support you have given me and to the members of the Parish Council the last twelve months.   It has meant a lot.   I am touched that much of this support has come from those of you, who ...

 

As we celebrate the Nativity of our Lord we look upon our lives, our families, our society, and the world differently. We do so with eyes of hope; hope that is inherently experienced when a child is born. I have felt so with the birth of my children and now with the birth of my grandson. Hope is a marvelous expression of life. With the birth of the Christ child, our Lord shares His love and hope for all his people. He does so by taking on flesh and providing humanity with the hope of salvation. The Incarnation is the moment in which we see Jesus as fully God and fully human. Through this divine act Jesus shows us that our human will, our gift and grace to freely choose our path, can be in harmony with the will of God. Even as a small infant we can see in Him the possibilities in our lives. With this hope, I extend to all in our community my prayers that all may celebrate the birth of Christ in joy and love; that our Lord will continue to bless you and your families in the coming N...

This past Sunday, December 17, 2023, our Cathedral youth participated in our annual Christmas Pageant. All of the children did wonderful sharing the story of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We would also like to thank our Cathedral Choir, who led the community in singing traditional Christmas songs and hymns. We would like to wish our community a very Merry Christmas, and hope that you will all be joining us for our Christmas Services which you can find on our calendar! bostoncathedral.org/calendar

Support our local houseless community this winter by donating new blankets that members of our Cathedral Philoptochos will personally deliver to those in need. Blankets can be dropped off in the lower narthex.

Thank you to all who made donations for this year's Giving Tree. Donations of coats, toys, scarves, gloves, clothing, and toiletries were delivered to The Dimock Center in Roxbury. The Dimock Center offers health care and support services to adults and families who are in need. Our community's generosity during this time of year is greatly appreciated by the individuals who will benefit from the donations. To learn more about The Dimock Center, visit this website: www.dimock.org .