Weekly Bulletin

His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas

120 W. Seneca St. Ithaca, NY 14850 http://www.stcatherine.ny.goarch.org

TEL. 607-273-2767 e-mail: stcatherinegoc@gmail.com

Fr. Zenoviy Zharsky /607/ 245-9988

 

Sunday, November 16, 2025

 

Welcome all visitors, please come again.

 

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"By changing ourselves in Christ, we are able to change the world around us"

 

Please let Father know who is in need of visiting and prayers. 

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Daily reading of the holy scripture, Saints for the day, liturgical schedule, news from the parish life, announcements and more, please read the Sunday Bulletin on the parish websitewww.stcatherine.ny.goarch.org 

Please submit to the parish priest all announcements for the church bulletin website before Thursday evening. Thank you.

Follow us on Facebook: St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church of Ithaca, NY.

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Scripture Reading: Matins: Gospel Reading: Matthew 28:16-20 Divine Liturgy Epistle: Romans 10:11-21; 11:1-2. Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13.

When you write your will, won't you please remember St. Catherine's Church? Such a gift will live forever as our church minister to our spiritual needs and others it's an investment in the Gospel of our Lord and life eternal 

We pray for those who celebrate their birthday. Хρόνια πολλά & ευλογημενα! November 14 Zachary Teeter, 18 Robert Basil King.

Announcement: If you didn't give names and date of your birthdays and your families birthdays please provide them. Also please give the names and dates of your family members who fell asleep in the Lord. We will pray for them. The list of the names located near the Sundays Bulletins. Thank you.

Sunday, December 7 - St. Nicholas will visit our church and give out presents for all of our children.

Sunday, December 7 - All children and parents following the Divine Liturgy are welcome to join Christmas crafts with Presbytera. 

Today: Philoptochos will pass a tray for the Salvation Army Adopt a Family. Thank you for your support.

Please mark your calendar. December 19 and 20 Philoptochos Bake Sale. 

Memory Eternal! Αιώνια η μνήμη του! November - 14 Ioanis Constantinoe, 15 Dino Neferis, 18 James Neferis, 19 Richard Usak.

Wisdom of the Saints.  "As humans, we change easily. We say to ourselves, Now I am going to make a new beginning; I am going to repent. I am going to do this and correct that. I am not going to make that mistake again tomorrow. I am not going to say that again. I will do whatever I can for the love of Christ. But our human nature defeats us, and we fall."

"We must also be very careful not to spread things we hear. Many times, from one person to the next, words change. We say something, and someone hears it one way. Someone else hears it another way, and each one presents it differently. Which way is correct? An adverse word condemns again and again. Words can hang a man or acquit him."

"God has not changed. He was God then, and He is God now. If we had perfect obedience to God we would be able to follow the higher path, but our weaknesses and passions control us. We cannot go without talking or laughing, and we cannot abstain from certain things. We say that we are living in the end times and that we cannot achieve what they achieved in older times but we can! We lack good intention! Through good intentions, a person becomes an ascetic."

"Let us pursue prayer. It will become a precious treasure in our soul. We will acquire heavenly experiences. We will be able to see Paradise everywhere. Others will mock us, and we will not speak. May God make us worthy to be found in this state at the hour of our death. Let us beseech our angels, our saints, and our Panagia. Whoever does not struggle in prayer does not have God inside him and is unstable."  /Saint Paisios/

November 21, 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy. Entrance of Theotokos into the Jerusalem Temple.  The Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God happened, according to the preserved accounts of Holy Tradition, in the following manner. The parents of the Virgin Mary, Righteous Joakim and Anna, in praying for a solution to their childlessness, gave a vow that if a child were born to them, they would dedicate it to the service of God. When the Most Holy Virgin reached three years of age, the holy parents decided to fulfill their vow. Having gathered together their kinsfolk and acquaintances, and having dressed the All-Pure Mary in Her finest clothes, and with the singing of sacred songs and with lighted candles in their hands they carried Her to the Jerusalem Temple. There the high-priest with a throng of priests met the maiden of God. In the Temple, the stairway led up fifteen high steps. The Child Mary, so it seemed, could not Herself make it up this stairway. But just as they placed Her on the first step, strengthened by the power of God, She quickly made it up over the remaining steps and ascended to the highest. Then the high-priest, through an inspiration from above, led the Most Holy Virgin into the Holy of Holies, and herein of all people it was only the high-priest that entered one time a year with a purifying sacrifice of blood. Therefore all those present in the Temple were astonished at this most unusual occurrence. Righteous Joakim and Anna, having entrusted their Child to the will of the Heavenly Father, returned home. The Most Blessed Mary remained in the domicile for girls, situated near the Temple. Round about the Temple, through the testimony of Holy Scripture (Exodus 38; 1 Kings 1: 28; Lk. 2: 37), and also the historian Josephus Flavius, there were many living quarters, in which dwelt those dedicated to the service of God. The earthly life of the Most Holy Mother of God from the time of Her infancy to the time of Her ascent to Heaven is shrouded in deep mystery. Her life at the Jerusalem Temple was also a secret. "If anyone were to ask me, said Blessed Jerome, how the Most Holy Virgin spent the time of Her youth, I would answer: that is known to God Himself and the Archangel Gabriel, Her constant guardian". In the Church tradition there were preserved accounts, that during the time of the stay of the All-Pure Virgin at the Jerusalem Temple, She grew up in a community of pious virgins, read diligently the Holy Scripture, occupied Herself with handcrafts, prayed constantly and grew in love for God. In remembrance of the Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Jerusalem Temple, Holy Church from ancient times established a solemn feast day. The decretals for the making of the feast in the first centuries of Christianity are found in the traditions of Palestinian Christians, where mention is made that the holy Empress Helen built a church in honour of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God. The feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God foretells the blessing of God for the human race, the preaching of salvation, the promise of the coming of Christ. 

21 Νοεμβρίου, Τω αυτώ μηνί ΚΑ', η εν τω Ναώ Είσοδος της Υπεραγίας Δεσποίνης ημών Θεοτόκου και Αειπαρθένου Μαρίας.  Η εις τον νομικόν Ναόν της κυρίας Θεοτόκου Είσοδος, επροξένησεν εις τους ορθοδόξους Χριστιανούς εορτήν θαυμαστήν και παγκόσμιον. Επειδή και έγινεν αύτη με παράδοξον τρόπον, και είναι ένα προοίμιον του μεγίστου και φρικτού μυστηρίου της ενανθρωπήσεως του Θεού Λόγου. Το οποίον δια μέσου της Θεοτόκου έμελλε να γένη εις τον κόσμον. Έλαβε δε την αφορμήν η εορτή των Εισοδίων δια την υπόθεσιν ταύτην. Η παναοίδιμος Άννα, επειδή όλην σχεδόν την ζωήν της επέρασε στείρα χωρίς να γεννήση παιδίον, τούτου χάριν παρεκάλει τον Δεσπότην της φύσεως ομού με τον άνδρα της Ιωακείμ, να χαρίση εις αυτούς τέκνον. Και αν επιτύχουν του ποθουμένου, ευθύς να αφιερώσουν εις τον Θεόν το γεννηθέν παιδίον. Και λοιπόν εγέννησε παραδόξως την πρόξενον γενομένην της σωτηρίας του γένους των ανθρώπων, την καταλλαγήν και φιλίωσιν του Θεού μετά των ανθρώπων, την αιτίαν της αναπλάσεως του πεσόντος Αδάμ, και της τούτου εγέρσεως και θεώσεως. Αυτήν λέγω την Υπεραγίαν και Δέσποιναν Θεοτόκον Μαρίαν. Όθεν όταν αύτη έγινε τριών χρόνων, επήραν αυτήν οι γονείς της, και επρόσφεραν κατά την σημερινήν ημέραν εις τον Ναόν. Και πληρούντες τας υποσχέσεις οπού έκαμαν, αφιέρωσαν την θυγατέρα αυτών εις τον χαρισάμενον ταύτην Θεόν. Και παραδίδουσιν αυτήν εις τους ιερείς, και μάλιστα εις τον τότε Αρχιερέα Ζαχαρίαν. Ο οποίος ταύτην παραλαβών, έμβασε μέσα εις το ενδότατον του Ναού, όπου μόνος ο Αρχιερεύς μίαν φοράν τον χρόνον εισήρχετο. Και τούτο εποίησε κατά βούλησιν Θεού, όστις έμελλε μετά ολίγον να γεννηθή εξ αυτής, δια την διόρθωσιν και σωτηρίαν του κόσμου. Εκεί λοιπόν η Παρθένος διέμεινε χρόνους δώδεκα, τρεφομένη μεν ξενοπρεπώς από τον Αρχάγγελον Γαβριήλ με τροφήν ουράνιον. Αξιουμένη δε της του Θεού εμφανείας, έως ότου επλησίασεν ο καιρός του θείου Ευαγγελισμού, και των ουρανίων και υπερφυσικών εκείνων μηνυμάτων. Τα οποία εμήνυον, ότι ο Θεός ευδόκησε να σαρκωθή από αυτήν φιλανθρώπως, δια να αναπλάση τον φθαρέντα κόσμον υπό της αμαρτίας. Τότε γαρ η Θεοτόκος εξελθούσα από τα Άγια των Αγίων, παρεδόθη εις τον μνήστορα Ιωσήφ, ίνα εκείνος υπάρχη φύλαξ και μάρτυς της παρθενίας αυτής. Και ίνα υπηρετήση, τόσον εις τον άσπορον τόκον της, όσον και εις την φυγήν την εις Αίγυπτον, και εις την απ' εκείνης επάνοδον εις γην Ισραήλ. 

Saturday, November 15 Nativity Fast Begins. We keep fast till December 24.

Liturgical Schedule:  Daily 3:00 PM. Let's pray Jesus Prayer for 10 minutes straight saying,"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner."  

Monday, November 17 - 3:00 PM. JesusPrayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner" Day of Fasting. 

Tuesday, November 18 - 3:00 PM. Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner" Day of Fasting. 

Wednesday, November 19 - 3:00 PM. Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner" Day of Fasting.  Every Wednesday we remember when Judas betrayed Christ. 6:00 PM. Prayers near Miraculous Icon Mother of God "The Tender Heart" St. George's Orthodox Church in Taylor, PA. 

Thursday, November 20 - 3:00 PM. Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner" Day of Fasting. 

Friday, November 21 - 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy. Entrance of Theotokos into the Jerusalem Temple. 3:00 PM. Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." Every Friday we commemorate Christ's Crucifixion. Day of Fasting.

Saturday, November 22 - Day of Fasting. 3:00 PM. Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner" 6:00 PM. Great Vespers/Confession. Reading the life of the Saints. Catechism classes following the Vespers. 

Sunday, November 23 - 8:45 AMOrthros/Confession. 10:00 AM. Divine Liturgy. Every Sunday we commemorate Christ's resurrection. Day of Fasting.

Sunday School: Children please go to class after Holy Communion. Please see Emeline Mandeville for more information.

 

60th Anniversary Celebration. You are invited! 

Sunday, November 23. 8:45 AM Orthros. Artoklasia - For the health and blessings of all the parishioners, families and benefactors of our holy church. 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy. Trisagion - In memory of all the founders and all the parishioners of our church. Presentation of Mayoral Proclamation. Veneration of the holy relic from the Holy Sepulcher of Our Lord. Special Coffee Hour.

Monday, November 24 6:00 PM Festive Vespers. Guest speaker Fr. Deacon Nicholas Mahshie from St. Eliah Antiochian Orthodox church in Syracuse, NY. 

Tuesday, November 25 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy. Great Martyr Catherine, patron Saint of our church.

 

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Methods of Giving:

Cash and checks can be brought to the church and put in the donation baskets.

 

Checks made out to Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox Church can also be mailed to:

St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church

120 W. Seneca St Ithaca, NY 14850

 

When you write your will, won't you please remember St. Catherine's Church? Such a gift will live forever as our church minister to our spiritual needs and others. It's an investment in the Gospel of our Lord and life eternal.

 

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