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

 

Sunday, April 19, 2026

 

SAINT CATHERINE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH. 

Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas 

120 W. Seneca St. Ithaca N.Y. 14850 

April 19, 2026 

/607/ 273-2767 Fr. Zenoviy Zharsky stcatherinegoc@gmail.com  

Welcome all visitors, please come again.  

“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. 

Saints for the day, liturgical schedule, news from the parish life, please read the Sunday Bulletin on the parish website: www.stcatherine.ny.goarch.org

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

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Scripture Reading: Matins: Gospel Reading: Mathew 28:16-20. Divine Liturgy Epistle: Acts 5:12-20. Gospel John 20:19-31.

We pray for those who celebrate their birthday. Хρόνια πολλά & ευλογημενα! April - 22 Robert King Sr. 26 George Fegaras. 

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.

Geronda Joseph, the abbot of St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Monastery in Roscoe, NY. reposed in the Lord on Bright Friday, which marks the feast of the Life-giving Spring. May Geronda Joseph's memory be eternal!               

Memory Eternal! Αιώνια η μνήμη του! April - 19 Barbara Kolning,  26 Christina Perialas

 

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, April 20 - 3:00PMJesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” 

Tuesday, April 21 - 3:00PM Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”

Wednesday, April 22 - 3:00 PM Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Day of Fasting.  Every Wednesday we commemorate when Judas betrayed Christs. 

Thursday, April 23 - 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy. Great Martyr George. 3:00 PM JesusPrayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” 

Friday, April 24 - 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 Crusifiction. 

Saturday, April 25 -3:00 PM Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on mea sinner.” 

Sunday, April 26 - 8:45 AM Orthros/Confession 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy Every Sunday we commemorate Christ's resurrection. 

Wisdom of the Saints:  “Everything that happens is in some way connected to the unfathomable Providence and will of the Lord.”

“Every sin not eradicated in time becomes strengthened by habit, becomes deeply rooted in a man’s heart, and sometimes troubles, torments, and wounds him until death, becoming, so to say, awakened and revived in him upon every occasion, reminding him of the sin formerly committed, and thus defiling his thoughts, feelings, and conscience. Streams of tears are necessary to wash away the inveterate filthiness of sin.”

“If we have made the chalice of our soul dirty, the pure Grace of God will not abide there, and we will be found without a wedding garment. Thus, although we have come to the feast, we will not be able to remain there. We will not be saved.”

“The more spiritual work one does during his youth, the easier it will be for him in all things later in life, no matter which path is chosen. The better equipped and prepared one is before battle, the better off he will be when bullets are flying and bombs are falling.”

“You can see this for yourself and learn from it. When our thoughts are quiet and kind, when we forgive every slander and insult, we have Divine peace, joy, and stillness! But when we become angry because of someone's unkind words, we are at once in hades!” /Saint Paisios of Mount Athos/ 

Thursday, April 23 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy in memory of St. George the Great Martyr and Triumphant.  George, this truly great and glorious Martyr of Christ, was born of a father from Cappadocia and a mother from Palestine. Being a military tribune, or chiliarch (that is, a commander of a thousand troops), he was illustrious in battle and highly honoured for his courage. When he learned that the Emperor Diocletian was preparing a persecution of the Christians, Saint George presented himself publicly before the Emperor and denounced him. When threats and promises could not move him from his steadfast confession, he was put to unheard-of tortures, which he endured with great bravery, overcoming them by his faith and love towards Christ. By the wondrous signs that took place in his contest, he guided many to the knowledge of the truth, including Queen Alexandra, wife of Diocletian, and was finally beheaded in 296 in Nicomedia.  His sacred remains were taken by his servant from Nicomedia to Palestine, to a town called Lydda, the homeland of his mother, and then were finally transferred to the church which was raised up in his name.The translation of the Saint's holy relics to the church in Lydda is commemorated on Nov. 3 Kontakion of Great Martyr George. Fourth Tone: Cultivated by God, you became manifest as an honorable tiller gathering for yourself the sheaves of virtue. For you sowed with tears but reaped with gladness; in the contest you competed with your blood and came away with Christ. By your intercessions, O Holy One, all are granted forgiveness of sins. 

Απριλίου 23. Γεώργιος Μεγαλομάρτυρυς.  Γεννήθηκε μεταξύ των ετών 280-285 μ.Χ., πιθανώς στην περιοχή της Αρμενίας, από τον Έλληνα Συγκλητικό, στρατηλάτη στο αξίωμα, κατά τους χρόνους του αυτοκράτορα Διοκλητιανού, Γερόντιο. Εκεί, σε ένα μοναστήρι της περιοχής, ο Άγιος δέχθηκε το Μυστήριο του Βαπτίσματος και έγινε μέλος της Εκκλησίας. Ο πατέρας του Αγίου, Γερόντιος, καταγόταν από πλούσια και επίσημη γενιά της Καππαδοκίας. Η σύζυγός του ονομαζόταν Πολυχρονία, ήταν χριστιανή και καταγόταν από το γνωστό Λύδδα (Διάσπολη) της Παλαιστίνης. Σε νεαρή ηλικία ο Γεώργιος κατατάχθηκε στο ρωμαϊκό στρατό. Διακρίθηκε για την τόλμη και τον ηρωισμό του και έλαβε το αξίωμα του Τριβούνου. Το 303 μ.Χ., όταν άρχισαν οι διωγμοί του Διοκλητιανού, ο Άγιος Γεώργιος δε δίστασε να ομολογήσει τη χριστιανική του πίστη, προκαλώντας το μένος του Διοκλητιανού, ο οποίος τον υπέβαλε σε σειρά βασανιστηρίων. Ο Διοκλητιανός δεν το περίμενε και έφριξε με τη στάση του Γεωργίου. Τότε άρχισε για τον Άγιο μια σειρά φρικτών βασανιστηρίων, αλλά και θαυμάτων, που έφεραν πολλούς ειδωλολάτρες στη χριστιανική πίστη. Ο Άγιος μαρτύρησε προσευχόμενος, απετμήθη την κεφαλήν, την Παρασκευή 23 Απριλίου του έτους 303 μ.Χ. Κατά δε τον υπολογισμό του ιστορικού Ευσεβίου, και σύμφωνα με το μακεδονικό ημερολόγιο, αντιστοιχούσε στην Παρασκευή της Διακαινησίμου του Πάσχα.  Ἀπολυτίκιον Γεωργίου Μεγαλομάρτυρος. Ως τών αιχμαλώτων ελευθερωτής, καί τών πτωχών υπερασπιστής, ασθενούντων ιατρός, βασιλέων υπέρμαχος, τροπαιοφόρε μεγαλομάρτυς Γεώργιε, πρέσβευε Χριστώ τώ Θεώ, σωθήναι τάς ψυχάς ημών. 

Saint Dumitru Staniloae - How Do We Recognize the Holy Spirit? Fr. Dumitru Staniloae was canonized by the Romanian Orthodox Church in 2024.                           Here are St. Dumitru Staniloae’s words: The question we face is how to recognize the Grace of the Holy Spirit and not confuse Him with some mere impulse, with a worldly inspiration, or with a movement of purely psychological or physical origin. The Spirit of the Father cannot inspire us with a thought or an action that would oppose His divine Son. That is why the inspiration of the Spirit of God is always fundamentally connected with prayer directed to Christ. The inspiration of the Spirit is closely bound to faith. Those who do not believe do not have this experience. The demons, too, have faith - but they do not have love, for they do not believe that in God there is love. The Holy Spirit strengthens my faith. He gives me the power of faith. I feel that this power does not come from me. It is a power that comes from someone else, and often I feel its absence. It is a power that comes from above. But why does it come only through prayer? Here lies the mystery of synergy - the cooperation between human freedom and the divine will. I must make efforts in order to believe, and these efforts - just like the power of prayer that comes to me - are the work of the Holy Spirit. At times, I strive to believe, but I fail; I see no results and remain with a wavering faith. “Lord Jesus Christ, You sent Your Holy Spirit upon Your disciples as they prayed. Remember us also, sinners. Kindle within us the burning desire for that same Spirit, give us the thirst for Your living water, so that when He comes in power, the Spirit may not find us indifferent or asleep.” When I truly believe, with warmth of heart, it is a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit. This cannot come from me. I cannot give this power to my faith. The Holy Spirit gives it to me.  

Elder Arsenie Papacioc on repentance and prayer. Question: Is repentance a gift from God? Elder Arsenie: First of all, to cry is a great thing, which we shouldn't ask God for. You need to be thankful for small gifts because if you are grateful for them, then they are not small, since our Great God knows them. And by being grateful that you have a small gift, you humble yourself the way God likes it, so that you don't compare yourself with others. And tears will come without us asking for them. Nobody can tell how tears come. They rush upon you all of a sudden! But there are also unseen tears. You don't necessarily need to cry so people can see you. Deep repentance - that is what unseen tears are! You are sorry, and tears also come to you! Because crying is an invisible process that escapes all explanations. Everyone has tears. It is a state of deep piety. There comes a moment when you say: "I have been such a sinner! How does God still have patience with me? And this crying cleanses us very much indeed. But, I repeat, there are also unseen tears. Question: We know it is very good to read the Psalter, but there are Psalms that we don't understand, we don't find ourselves in them. Is it good to still read them even if we don't understand them? Elder Arsenie: Yes! You don't need to understand them right away. You understand them in time. It is good to read them even if you don't find yourself in them or you don't understand them. Because it could be that they talk about the unseen enemy, the devil, and you interpret them. Keep reading them. And there will come a day when God, either through someone who might surprise you, or Personally, will explain the Psalms to you, because nothing remains unexplained from the Holy Scriptures. Question: What can you tell us about repentance done with joy, and repentance done with a certain sadness of the heart, with fear of God and death? Elder Arsenie: There is no reason for sadness when we have God as Savior. But, if there is repentance - that I have sinned and upset God’s goodness - then your repentance is pleasing to God. Because every person who has sinned repents. But not like “Ha, ha, ha!” but with tears. Sin needs repentance so that it can be made right. You repent, and you rejoice. You rejoice somewhere inside that God has given you the gift of repentance. We only have the hope that God will accept it. I am not sure of my salvation, but I have hope for it!

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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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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