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Ἱερός Ναός Ἀναλήψεως τοῦ Σωτῆρος, Ὀρθόδοξη Ἀδελφότητα «Χριστιανική Ἐλπίς», περιοχή Φιλύρου Θεσ/νίκης 

Σάββατο 7 Ἰουνίου (Ψυχοσάββατο)

7.15 π.μ. Ὄρθρος, Θ. Λειτουργία, Μνημόσυνο

Κυριακή 8 Ἰουνίου (Πεντηκοστή)

7.15 π.μ. Ὄρθρος, Θεία Λειτουργία

7.00 μ.μ. Ἑσπερινός Ἁγίου Πνεύματος (Γονυκλισίας)

Δευτέρα 9 Ἰουνίου

7.15 π.μ. Ὄρθρος, Θ. Λειτουργία

Ἱκεσία γιά τό κατασκηνωτικό ἔργο

Translation from the Book

Ὁ Θεός στήν ἱστορία τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, Βοήθημα Κατωτέρου Κατηχητικοῦ Γ΄,

ἐκδ. «Χριστιανική Ἐλπίς» Ὀρθόδοξη Ἀδελφότητα, Θεσσαλονίκη 2016, σσ. 146-152

   In underground labyrinths, with maze-like corridors dimly lit by oil lamps, the early Christians buried their martyrs during the first years of persecution. Many of these places, known as catacombs, survive to this day—mainly in Italy, but also in North Africa, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and even in Greece (Milos, Chalkida, Cyprus). In the Catacomb of Saint Callistus in Rome, on the tomb of a young boy, the following inscription was found:
   “Whoever you are, visitor, know that the martyr Tarcisius, who is buried here, was carrying the Sacraments of Christ. And when someone tried to desecrate them, he chose to die rather than hand over the Holy Mysteries to the enemies.”
   Behind this inscription, children, lies a deeply moving story of a martyr who was about your age. This happened in Rome, the capital of the mighty Roman Empire, in the middle of the 3rd century—a harsh time for Christians. They were persecuted for their faith, imprisoned, tortured and martyred.
   Let’s visit some of those imprisoned Christians today. Tomorrow, they will be taken to the Colosseum, the enormous stadium of Rome, to be handed over to the starving and wild beasts. It was through such gruesome spectacles that the pagan Romans entertained themselves.
   Aren’t the Christians terrified, knowing they will soon become food for the beasts? Let us draw near them. What a wonder! We hear them praying, singing hymns to God, and thanking Him for deeming them worthy to suffer martyrdom for His love! They have only one concern: they want to receive Holy Communion, to take our Lord Jesus Christ into themselves! Then they will be invincible—no torture will be able to break them.
   It is the eve of the martyrdom. The faithful Christians of Rome wish to stand by their imprisoned brothers. They pray. All are gathered at the Divine Liturgy being celebrated in secret in a catacomb. At the end, the priest turns to the faithful: “My brothers,” he says with deep emotion and concern, “someone must take Holy Communion to our imprisoned brethren. We need someone who is trustworthy, brave, and unlikely to arouse the guards’ suspicion. But who will that be?”
   The priest’s eyes search the crowd, looking for the most suitable person for this secret and dangerous mission.
   “Holy Father, allow me to take Holy Communion to our imprisoned brothers,” pleads Tarcisius.
   The priest hesitates. To entrust the Holy Gifts to a child? But he knows Tarcisius well. Many times, the boy had served at the altar, holding the candle or the censer. He stood out for his reverence and modesty.
   “This is a sacred but dangerous mission, Tarcisius,” the priest tells him. “You may be in danger. What will happen then, my child? Under no circumstances must the Holy Gifts fall into the hands of the pagans.”
   “By God’s grace, I will guard them as the most precious treasure,” Tarcisius replies. “I will not stop until I complete my mission. I am just a boy—that’s why the soldiers will not suspect me. Give me your blessing, Father!”
   The boy’s fervent plea and courage convince the priest. He hands the small, consecrated container with the Holy Communion to the young boy. Tarcisius kisses it reverently and carefully hides it beneath his tunic. His heart beats strongly—for resting upon it is Christ Himself!
   “I would rather die than let anyone take this holy treasure from me,” says Tarcisius with emotion. He makes the sign of the cross and sets off. Nothing else matters to him along the way. His mind is fixed on the Holy Gifts and the imprisoned brothers who longingly await them. As he walks, he comes to a place where many children are gathered and playing. They see him and recognize him.
   “Tarcisius!” they call out. “Come play with us! We need one more for our game.”
   “I can’t, my friends,” he replies politely. “I have something important I must do.”
   “Come on, Tarcisius,” they insist. “What important thing could you possibly have to do? Come on, we need you.”
   “I’m sorry, but I’m in a hurry today. I’ll come play with you another day.”
   But the children don’t give up. They grow stubborn. Yet Tarcisius is determined. He presses the Holy Gifts close to his heart and continues on his way. He had promised not to stop anywhere and to guard his treasure. Then one of the older boys shouts:
   Tarcisius is hiding something. Tarcisius, what are you hiding under your tunic?"
   “Tarcisius is a Christian,” shouts another child. “Maybe he’s carrying the Christians’ secrets!”
   “Show us what you’ve got, Tarcisius! Show us—or we’ll take it by force!” some of them threatened. 
   The children had grown wild. Why won’t Tarcisius give in? Their curiosity was burning. Since he wouldn’t listen to words, they gave each other a signal and reached out to grab what he was hiding. Tarcisius refused. He resisted. And then they started to beat him mercilessly.
   “Lord Jesus Christ,” Tarcisius prayed silently, “help me! Don’t let Your Holy Gifts fall into the hands of idol worshippers!”
   The cruel blows knocked him to the ground. Still, he held tightly to his holy treasure. No matter how hard the angry boys tried to pry his hands open, they couldn’t do it. Their fury clouded their minds. Mad with rage, they began to stone him with any rocks they could find nearby. Tarcisius now lay on the ground, badly wounded, bleeding. But not even for a moment did he loosen his grip. Blow after blow, his breath began to fade.
   At that very moment, a Christian officer named Quadratus was passing by. The noise caught his attention. As he got closer, he saw a boy lying in a pool of blood. The attackers, realizing someone had seen them, ran off in fear. Tarcisius looked up with relief when he saw him. Quadratus knelt beside him.
   “Quadratus…” the boy managed to whisper, “I have the Holy Gifts. I kept our treasure safe. Please… make sure it reaches our imprisoned brothers.”
   He could barely speak. Touched, Quadratus gently lifted him in his arms. He knew he now held not one, but two treasures: the Body and Blood of Christ and the bloodied body of a young martyr. Tarcisius let his head fall limp. He had just handed over his treasure—and now, he handed over his soul to the Christ he so loved.

“With the fear of God, faith, and love, draw near!” 

   It’s good to remember the story of Saint Tarcisius every time we go to receive Holy Communion. Let us approach with the same reverence and love. Think how much awe he felt when he received and carried the Holy Gifts! Let us do the same as we go up for Holy Communion—just as the priest invites us during the Divine Liturgy, when he comes out from the Beautiful Gate holding the Holy Chalice. Do you remember his words? “With the fear of God, faith, and love, draw near!” And how is he calling us to approach?
   a) With “the fear of God”:
   That means with respect and holiness, knowing we are about to receive God Himself into our hearts! In that sacred moment, we don’t speak, we don’t play, we don’t laugh with our friends, or push to go first. Our minds and hearts are focused on Christ.  We walk up quietly, and when it’s our turn, we take the red cloth that the priest is holding and place it carefully under our chin. Then we tilt our head back slightly and open our mouth wide, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ from the spoon. Afterwards, we eat the antidoron (the blessed bread), and we are especially careful not to spill any part of the Holy Communion.

   b) With faith:    
   We believe that we are truly receiving Christ Himself. Every Divine Liturgy is a miracle: The bread and wine on the Holy Altar are changed by the Holy Spirit into the Body and Blood of Christ! Each time we receive Communion, we take Christ into our very hearts and become one with Him!

   c) With love:
   How can we receive God, who is love (see 1 John 4:8, 16), if our heart is holding hatred? In one Sunday School class, two children had gotten into a fight. Just before Communion, one of them asked the catechist: “Do we have to be at peace with everyone before we receive Communion?” “Yes,” the catechist answered. The child then quietly went to the other boy and whispered: “I’m sorry.” The two stood up and went to receive Communion—together. What a beautiful moment! Yes, children—before we receive Communion, we must try, as far as we can, to be at peace with everyone: to ask forgiveness and to forgive.
   This is how we should approach Holy Communion: “With the fear of God, faith, and love,” just as the Church calls us to—just as the martyrs did. And every time we receive Holy Communion, let us think of Saint Tarcisius. How tenderly he held the Holy Gifts! With the same longing, let us welcome Christ into our hearts. Let us thank Him for the honor of visiting us, and try—with our words and actions—not to sadden Him.

Each time I receive Communion,
I welcome Christ into my heart.
Like Saint Tarcisius, I too
with faith and reverence
hold deep within me
the holy treasure.

Translation from the Book

Ὁ Θεός στήν ἱστορία τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, Βοήθημα Κατωτέρου Κατηχητικοῦ Γ΄,

ἐκδ. «Χριστιανική Ἐλπίς» Ὀρθόδοξη Ἀδελφότητα, Θεσσαλονίκη 2016, σσ. 136-140

   During March, the month we are in, we celebrate a bright and glorious double feast: the 25th of March! We rejoice over two joyful events, both for our faith and our homeland: the Annunciation of the Theotokos and the Greek War of Independence in 1821.
Today, we will see a different kind of revolution — one that took place even before the Revolution of 1821. It has been called a “revolution of love”. The leader of this revolution was a woman — Saint Philothei, also known as “the Lady of Athens”.
   In 1522 AD, in Ottoman-occupied Athens, a little girl named Regoula was born into the noble Benizelos family. Her wealthy and devout parents, Angelos Benizelos, a leading figure in the city, and Syriga Palaiologou, took special care in raising their beloved and only daughter with a strong Christian upbringing and education. Even from a young age, Regoula stood out for her intelligence and kindness.
   When she was still very young, her parents arranged her marriage to one of the noblemen of Athens. However, just three years after the wedding, her husband passed away. Regoula was left a widow but chose not to marry again. Deep in her heart, she held a strong desire: to give all her wealth and her whole life to Christ, whom she deeply loved, and to the suffering people of her homeland.
   She truly did this — in the heart of the city of Athens, she founded a unique kind of monastery. Inside this monastery, she established:
   ✓ A school where Greek children, living under Ottoman rule, could learn to read and write
   ✓ A workshop where young girls were taught sewing and weaving skills
   ✓ A shelter where Greek women could find refuge from the dangers they faced under Turkish oppression.
   The monastery of this noble Athenian lady became like a great open embrace. Who ever left there with empty hands? Who left still hungry? What elder, orphan, or person in pain didn’t find comfort? Regoula herself, now the abbess with the name Philothei, along with the other nuns, generously offered their love. They gave all their property and all their lives to this great purpose: to love God and to spread His love all around them. Tirelessly, they worked all day and prayed fervently late into the night. In enslaved Athens, their monastery shone like a lit candle, offering hope and light to the poor slaves.
   But the Turkish conquerors could not tolerate this light. They wanted to extinguish it by force. The Ottoman authorities ordered that Philothei be arrested. She was thrown into prison and cruelly tortured. Fortunately, the leading citizens of Athens intervened and managed to secure Philothei’s release from prison.
What did Philothei do next? Did she stop her work? Of course not! This is what she lived for — to love God and to care for all those in pain. Her love flowed everywhere like a rushing stream!
   But soon, another order was given for her arrest. It was the night of October 2nd, 1588. The next day was the feast of Saint Dionysios the Areopagites, the patron saint of Athens. In one of the monastery’s chapels, an all-night vigil was being held. Philothei was there, praying, when suddenly a group of Turks rushed into the church. They dragged her outside violently and began to whip her savagely. Her body was covered in wounds. Yet they did not stop beating her until they left her nearly dead. She was so badly injured that, despite the loving care of those around her, she could not recover. A few months later, on February 19th, 1589, she passed away.
   Each year on this day, our Church honors her memory. Her holy relic is kept in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. Some areas of Athens are named after her: Filothei, Kalogreza, and Psychiko. The area called Psychiko got its name from a kind deed — a “psychiko” — that the kind-hearted Saint Philothei once did there. She paid to have a well built in that spot. She knew many people would pass by on their way into the city from nearby villages, and she wanted to quench their thirst! How many wonderful things can be imagined and achieved by a soul that truly loves God!

A Sacrifice for Christ and the Homeland

   During the difficult years of the Ottoman occupation in our homeland, many people, like Saint Philothei, chose to sacrifice their lives rather than deny their faith. They are called Neomartyrs because they were martyred in the more recent centuries of our history. The Neomartyrs are like blooming flowers in the middle of a harsh winter, like bright candles glowing in the deep darkness of slavery! They kept the flame of love for Christ and for their homeland burning strong in their hearts. If they had not existed, perhaps we would not be living today in a free and Orthodox Greece.
   And it is true: whoever loves Christ also cares deeply for their homeland. Whoever belongs to Christ is ready to make sacrifices for others. Saint Philothei gave up everything — both her wealth and her life. The love of Christ gave her so much strength and courage!
   Would you like to be like Saint Philothei — to have her bravery and her love? Even though you are still young, still in primary school, if you start now to love Christ and your country, if you begin today to make small sacrifices for others, then we can hope that, in the years to come, our history will again be able to show us great heroes — and they will come from you! And then, no matter how many trials it faces, our beloved Greece will never be lost!

   Τήν Κυριακή τῶν Μυροφόρων (4 Μαΐου) θά τελεσθεῖ τό Μνημόσυνο τοῦ μακαριστοῦ διδασκάλου τῆς Ἀδελφότητός μας ΣΤΕΡΓΙΟΥ ΣΑΚΚΟΥ στόν Ἱερό Ναό τῆς Ἀναλήψεως τοῦ Σωτῆρος, στό ἱεραποστολικό κέντρο τῆς Ἀδελφότητος «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ», στό Φίλυρο Θεσσαλονίκης.

   Τήν ἴδια μέρα τό ἀπόγευμα καί ὥρα 6:30 θά πραγματοποιηθεῖ ΕΚΔΗΛΩΣΗ ΜΝΗΜΗΣ στήν αἴθουσα «ΑΠΟΛΥΤΡΩΣΙΣ», Πέλοπος 7, Θεσσαλονίκη.

Ἱερός Ναός Ἀναλήψεως τοῦ Σωτῆρος, στήν Ὀρθόδοξη Ἀδελφότητα «Χριστιανική Ἐλπίς», στήν περιοχή Φιλύρου Θεσ/νίκης.

Δεῖτε ἐδῶ τό Πρόγραμμα τῶν Ἀκολουθιῶν κατά τήν Μ. Ἑβδομάδα καί τήν Διακαινήσιμο.

ΔΕΛΤΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ

  Τά Χριστιανικά Σωματεῖα τῆς Θεσσαλονίκης ἐκδηλώνουν τήν ἀγανάκτησή τους γιά τήν προσβολή τῶν Ἱερῶν Προσώπων τῆς Πίστεώς μας μέ τή φιλοξενία στήν Ἐθνική Πινακοθήκη κατ' εὐφημισμόν "ἔργων τέχνης", μέ τά ὁποῖα κατά γενική ὁμολογία βεβηλώνονται τά ἱερά καί ὅσια τῆς φυλῆς μας.
  Τά συγκεκριμένα ἔργα πού ἀσχημονοῦν πάνω στά Ἱερά Πρόσωπα, θά ἔπρεπε νά εἶναι παράδειγμα πρός ἀποφυγή καί ὄχι πρός προβολή σέ ὁποιονδήποτε χῶρο, ἰδιαιτέρως ὅμως σέ ἕνα δημόσια κτήριο, πού τό ἐπισκέπτονται μεταξύ ἄλλων καί μαθητές ἐκπαιδευτικῶν ἱδρυμάτων, γιά νά ἐντρυφήσουν, ὑποτίθεται, στήν τέχνη, ἡ ὁποία πρέπει νά λειτουργεῖ ὡς ἀγωγή ψυχῆς καί προτροπή πρός τό κάλλος, μέ τήν ἔννοια πού ἔδιναν οἱ ἀρχαῖοι πρόγονοί μας.
  Ἀναρωτιόμαστε μέ θλίψη γιατί δέν βρέθηκε ἕνας ἁρμόδιος νά ἀνταποκριθεῖ στίς συνεχόμενες διαμαρτυρίες φορέων καί ἐπίσημων προσώπων, πού ἐπί μέρες μεταχειρίζονταν κάθε νόμιμο μέσο, γιά νά φέρουν τούς ὑπεύθυνους πρό τῶν εὐθυνῶν τους, ἔτσι ὥστε αὐτά τά κατά γενική ὁμολογία ἐκτρώματα νά μήν ἐκτίθενται στόν τόσο εὐαίσθητο καί ἱστορικό χῶρο τῆς Ἐθνικῆς Πινακοθήκης.
  Καλοῦμε τούς ὑπεύθυνους νά κατεβάσουν τά βλάσφημα αὐτά ἔργα καί ἀπό ἐδῶ καί στό ἑξῆς νά εἶναι στό ἔπακρο εὐαίσθητοι σέ ὅ,τι ἀφορᾶ στήν προστασία τῶν ἱερῶν συμβόλων τῆς Πίστεώς μας, τή στιγμή μάλιστα πού ἡ Ὀρθοδοξία ἀποτελεῖ τήν ἐπικρατοῦσα θρησκεία στήν Πατρίδα μας καί προστατεύεται ἰδιαιτέρως ἀπό ἰσχῦον Σύνταγμα. Ἡ σαφής εὐαγγελική θέση περί ἀποφυγῆς χρήσης βίας ἀπό τούς πιστούς, δέν σημαίνει σέ καμία περίπτωση ὅτι θά ἀποδεχόμαστε ἀπαθεῖς τήν βλασφημία καί τήν προσβολή τῶν Ἱερῶν Προσώπων τῆς Πίστεώς μας στήν Ὀρθόδοξη χώρα μας, τῆς ὁποίας τό χῶμα εἶναι ποτισμένο μέ τό αἷμα χιλιάδων μαρτύρων καί ἡρώων, πού πέθαναν ὑπερασπιζόμενοι τήν Ὀρθόδοξη παράδοση καί ταυτότητά της.

Τά Ὀρθόδοξα Χριστιανικά Σωματεῖα Θεσσαλονίκης:

ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΣ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΥ ΕΞΩΤΕΡΙΚΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΗΣ
ΓΟΝΕΩΝ ΕΝΩΣΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΑΓΩΓΗ (Γ.Ε.Χ.Α.)
ΕΛΛΗΝΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ «ΟΙ ΠΑΝΑΓΙΟΦΙΛΟΙ»
«ΕΝΩΜΕΝΗ ΡΩΜΗΟΣΥΝΗ»
ΙΕΡΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΙΚΟΣ ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ «ΑΓΙΟΣ ΚΟΣΜΑΣ Ο ΑΙΤΩΛΟΣ»
ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΣ «ΑΓΑΠΗ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ»
ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΣ «ΑΓΙΑ ΦΟΙΒΗ»
ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΣ «ΑΠΟΛΥΤΡΩΣΙΣ»
ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΣ «ΟΣΙΑ ΞΕΝΗ»
Ο.Χ.Α. «ΑΓΙΑ ΤΑΒΙΘΑ»
ΠΑΓΚΟΣΜΙΑ ΑΚΑΔΗΜΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΡΩΜΙΟΣΥΝΗΣ: ΙΕΡΟΣ ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ (Π.Α.Τ.Ρ.Ι.Σ.)
ΠΑΝΕΛΛΗΝΙΟΣ ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ ΒΟΡΕΙΟΗΠΕΙΡΩΤΙΚΟΥ ΑΓΩΝΑ (ΠΑ.ΣΥ.Β.Α.)
ΠΑΡΑΚΑΤΑΘΗΚΗ (ΠΑΝΕΛΛΗΝΙΟΣ ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΠΑΡΑΔΟΣΗ)
ΠΡΩΤΟΒΟΥΛΙΑ ΓΟΝΕΩΝ ΒΟΡΕΙΟΥ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ
ΠΡΩΤΟΒΟΥΛΙΑ ΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΙΚΗ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΑ
ΣΥΛΛΟΓΟΣ «Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ ΠΑΥΛΟΣ»
ΣΥΛΛΟΓΟΣ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΥ ΙΕΡΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΙΚΗΣ ΔΡΑΣΕΩΣ «Ο ΜΕΓΑΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΣ»
ΣΥΛΛΟΓΟΣ ΠΟΛΥΤΕΚΝΩΝ ΝΟΜΟΥ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗΣ «ΑΓΙΟΙ ΠΑΝΤΕΣ»
ΣΥΛΛΟΓΟΣ ΦΙΛΩΝ Ι.Μ. ΠΑΝΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΜΕΛΙΣΣΟΧΩΡΙΟΥ «ΑΓ. ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΣ Ο ΠΑΛΑΜΑΣ»
ΣΥΝΤΟΝΙΣΤΙΚΗ ΦΟΙΤΗΤΙΚΗ ΕΝΩΣΗ ΒΟΡΕΙΟΗΠΕΙΡΩΤΙΚΟΥ ΑΓΩΝΑ (Σ.Φ.Ε.Β.Α.)
ΦΙΛΑΝΘΡΩΠΙΚΟ ΣΩΜΑΤΕΙΟ «ΜΕΡΙΜΝΑ ΠΤΩΧΩΝ»
ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΣ «ΛΥΔΙΑ»
«ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ
ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΝΩΣΗ ΓΟΝΕΩΝ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗΣ