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, February 8, 2026

 

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: Mark 16:1-8. Divine Liturgy Epistle: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. Gospel: Luke 15:11-32. 

We pray for those who celebrate their birthday. Хρόνια πολλά & ευλογημενα! February - 8 Joseph Syegh, 10 Bia Stravapoulos, 12 Damien Vogtman, 13 Anna Lee Murray, 14 Kayvon Archin, 15 Peter Constantine.  

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.  

If you know someone who would like to rent church apartment please see Ike Nestopoulos or Fr. Zenoviy. Thank you.

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 Sunday Bulletins. Thank you. 

Philoptochos: Please mark your calendar: our next Philoptochos meeting will be held on Sunday, March 1st following Divine Liturgy.
Reminder: Time to renew your Philoptochos membership or join for the first time. Dues remain at a minimum amount of $25 to cover our chapter's membership to the Metropolis and Archdiocese Philoptochos.                                                                  

A new coffee hour calendar has been posted. Please take a look and sign up alone or with a friend(s) so we can continue this warm, wonderful tradition.                                                               

Today, February 8 remember to wear something RED. This small effort is encouraged by our National Philoptochos in support of American Heart Month, a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health. This specific initiative called Go Red For Women is to help raise awareness for the #1 cause of death for women: cardiovascular disease.  

Memory Eternal! Αιώνια η μνήμη του! February: 10 Nilolas Nikolakis, 10 Marianthi Nikolakis, 11 Mykolai, 15 Bill Giallourakis.

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, February 9 - 3:00 PM. JesusPrayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." 

Tuesday, February 10 - 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy. Hieromartyr Haralambos. 3:00 PM Jesus Prayer "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner."  

Wednesday, February 11 - 3:00 PM. Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner" Day of Fasting. 6:00 PM.Prayers near Miraculous Icon Mother of God "The Tender Heart" St. George's Orthodox Church in Taylor, PA.  Every Wednesday we remember when Judas betrayed Christ. 

Thursday, February 12 - 3:00 PM. Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." 6:00 PM. Akaphist to the Theotokos. Following the service you will be anointed with the holy oil from Kardiotissa miracle icon. 

Friday, February 13 - 3:00 PM. Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner." Day of Fasting. Every Friday we commemorate Christ's Crucifixion. 

Saturday, February 14 - 10:00 Divine Liturgy. Saturday of Souls.  3:00 PM. Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on mea sinner" NO VESPERS. 

Sunday, February 15 - 8:45 AM Orthros/Confession. 10:00 AM.Divine Liturgy. Every Sunday we commemorate Christ's resurrection.   

This Tuesday, February 10 Divine Liturgy.  We will commemorate Priest Martyr Haralambos, Bishop of Magnezia, the Martyrs Porphyry and Baptos and the Three Martyresses suffered in the year 202. Saint Haralambos, bishop of the Thessalonian city of Magnezia (northwest region of Greece), successfully spread faith in Christ the Saviour. News about his preaching reached the governor of the district Lucian and the military-commander Lucius. The saint was arrested and brought to trial, where he firmly confessed his faith in Christ and refused to offer sacrifice to idols. Despite the decrepit age of the bishop (he was already 113 years of age), they subjected him to monstrous tortures. During this the saint turned to his tormentors: "I bless you, brethren, ye have restored my spirit!"
Having seen the endurance of the elder and his complete lack of malice, two soldiers Porphyry and Baptos openly confessed Christ, for which they were immediately beheaded with a sword. Being present at the sufferings of bishop Haralambos were likewise three women who began to glorify Christ and were quickly martyred. The enraged Lucius himself seized hold of the instruments of torture and began to tear at the priest-martyr, but suddenly his hand was cut off as though by a sword. Also arriving at the place of execution the governor spat in the face of the saint, and immediately he bent backwards. Then Lucius began to beseech the saint for forgiveness, and through his prayer both torturers at once received healing. During this a multitude of witnesses came to believe in Christ. Among them also was Lucius, who fell at the feet of the holy elder, begging forgiveness. Lucian reported about the occurrence to the emperor Septimus Severus (193-211), situated at this time at Pisidian Antioch. The emperor gave orders to bring Saint Haralambos to him, and this was done with a stupid ferocity: they dragged the priest-martyr, having tied a rope to his beard. The emperor then gave orders to torture the bishop more intensely, and they began to burn at him with fire. But he Power of God aided to the saint, and he remained unharmed. Besides this, miracles were done through his prayer: he healed a demoniac tormented by devils for 35 years, so that the people in a multitude began to believe in Christ the Saviour. Even Halyna the daughter of the emperor began to believe in Christ, and twice smashed idols in a pagan temple. By order of the emperor they beat the saint. Full of wickedness, Septimus Severus and his dignitary Crispus hurled blasphemy at the Lord, mockingly summoning Him to come down to the earth, and bragging of their own power and might. In wrath the Lord quaked the earth, great fear fell upon all, both the impious ones were suspended in mid-air held by invisible bounds, and only by the prayer of the saint were they put down. The dazed emperor was shaken in his former impiety, but again quickly fell into error and gave orders to torture the saint. And finally, he sentenced him to beheading with a sword. During the time of his final prayer, the saint was vouchsafed to behold the Saviour Himself and besought Him to grant that place where his remains would repose, in peace, would be fruitful for people, bringing forgiveness of sins and salvation. The Lord promised to fulfill the request and ascended to heaven, bearing with Him the soul of the priestmartyr Haralambos who through the mercy of God accepted a peaceful death before execution. The daughter of the emperor, blessed Halyna, buried the body of the martyr with great honour.                                       

Φεβρουαρίου 10:Ἀπολυτίκιον Χαραλάμπους Ιερομάρτυρος:  Ως στύλος ακλόνητος, τής Εκκλησίας Χριστού, καί λύχνος αείφωτος τής οικουμένης σοφέ, εδείχθης Χαράλαμπες, έλαμψας εν τώ κόσμω, διά τού μαρτυρίου, έλυσας τών ειδώλων, τήν σκοτόμαιναν μάκαρ, διό εν παρρησία Χριστώ, πρέσβευε σωθήναι ημας. 

Forgiveness Sunday and the Casting Out of Adam: Entering Great Lent In her pastoral wisdom and love for humanity, the Holy Church does not lead us into Great Lent suddenly but gently prepares us through several weeks of spiritual reflection. These preparatory Sundays guide us step by step toward repentance, humility, and reconciliation with God and one another, with the focus on forgiveness. The journey begins with the Sunday of Zacchaeus, whose eagerness to see Christ led him to repentance and the restoration of what he had unjustly taken. Next comes the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, where we learn that humble repentance "God, be merciful to me, a sinner" is more pleasing to God than proud religious achievement. The Sunday of the Last Judgment reminds us that our love and mercy toward others will be the measure by which we ourselves are judged. Finally, we arrive at Forgiveness Sunday, when the Church recalls the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise. At the heart of this commemoration lies both the tragedy of humanity's fall and the hope of restoration through repentance and forgiveness. If Adam and Eve had approached God and asked for forgiveness rather than running away, hiding and blaming each other, they would have been forgiven and reinstated to their former glory.

Adam's Fall and Our Own. The Church remembers that Adam and Eve were created in communion with God, clothed not in earthly garments but in divine grace. After their disobedience, they experienced shame and separation, attempting to hide from God and blaming one another rather than seeking forgiveness. The Scriptures tell us that, upon their exile from Paradise, they were clothed in garments of skin a sign of the mortal and corruptible condition humanity now bears. The fall involved not only disobedience but also the breaking of the fast given by God. By eating of the forbidden tree, Adam and Eve chose their own will over God's command. In contrast, the Church now calls us to enter the healing fast of Great Lent, not as punishment, but as medicine for the soul. Having inherited a fallen nature and adding our own sins to it, we are invited to return through repentance, prayer, fasting, and forgiveness.                                

Forgiveness at the Center of Spiritual Life: Forgiveness stands at the heart of Christian life. Without forgiveness both asking for it and granting it spiritual growth is impossible. Our Lord teaches, "With the measure you use, it will be measured back to you" (Matthew 7:2). The mercy we extend to others becomes the mercy we ourselves receive. Great Lent offers us a sacred opportunity to practice forgiveness in concrete ways.It calls us to examine our hearts and release resentment, anger, and grudges that weigh down our souls. Often our refusal to forgive is rooted in pride. We may feel justified in holding onto grievances, but when we appeal only to justice, we forget that all stand in need of mercy. When we choose mercy for others, we open our hearts to receive God's mercy ourselves.                                              

Humility: The Path to Freedom. If pride binds the heart, humility frees it. Saint Anthony the Great once reflected on the many snares laid for humanity and asked how anyone could escape them. The answer he received was simple: humility. Forgiveness begins when we accept our own weakness. To forgive is not to deny wrongdoing but to see others with compassion, remembering that each person is in need of healing.                                          

Reconciliation Before Offering Our Gift: The Lord gives us a clear command in the Gospel: If we approach the altar while remembering that someone has something against us, we must first seek reconciliation. Only then can we offer our gift to God with a pure heart (Matthew 5:23-24). As we prepare to offer our Lenten effort our fasting, prayer, and repentance we must first reconcile with one another. Otherwise, our spiritual labors risk becoming empty or hypocritical. Forgiveness Sunday therefore culminates in the beautiful service of mutual forgiveness, where clergy and faithful alike ask and offer forgiveness face to face. In this moment, we acknowledge our shared weakness and entrust one another to God's mercy.                                     

Entering the Fast in Peace: As Great Lent begins, the Church calls us to lay aside resentment, repair broken relationships, and seek peace wherever possible. Through repentance and mutual forgiveness, we receive peace of heart, strength for the Fast, and renewal of soul. May the Lord guide and strengthen us as we enter this holy season, granting us humility, reconciliation, and the joy of His saving mercy. 

 

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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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