herald - saint sophia · paschalidou, ms. dorothea sarris, mr. michael & preventza, mrs. polly...

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V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas Dean Fr. Christopher Kolentsas Assistant Priest Tel. 323-737-2424 www.stsophia.org Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral December 4 th Barbara the Great Martyr December 6 th St. Nicholas the Wonderworker December 12 th Spyridon the Wonderworker December 24 th Christmas Eve Vesperal Liturgy 6:00 pm December 25 th The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ December 27 th Stephen, Archdeacon & First Martyr HERALD DECEMBER 2018 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Deans Message 2 Presidents Message 3 Stewardship 4 Parish Council Message 4 Ministries List 6 Sacraments/Memorials 7 Philoptochos News 8 Philoptochos VIP 9 Feast Day Article 9,10 Orthodox Calendar 11 12th Century Angel Mosaic, Uncovered in 2016 Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, West Bank

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Page 1: HERALD - Saint Sophia · Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION Please join us after Divine

December 2018 Page

V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas

Dean

Fr. Christopher Kolentsas

Assistant Priest

Tel. 323-737-2424

www.stsophia.org

Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral

December 4th

Barbara the Great Martyr

December 6th

St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

December 12th

Spyridon the

Wonderworker

December 24th

Christmas Eve Vesperal Liturgy

6:00 pm

December 25th

The Nativity of Our Lord and

Savior, Jesus Christ

December 27th

Stephen,

Archdeacon & First Martyr

HERALD DECEMBER 2018

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

Dean’s Message 2

President’s

Message 3

Stewardship 4

Parish Council Message 4

Ministries List 6

Sacraments/Memorials 7

Philoptochos News 8

Philoptochos VIP 9

Feast Day Article 9,10

Orthodox Calendar 11

12th Century Angel Mosaic, Uncovered in 2016

Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, West Bank

Page 2: HERALD - Saint Sophia · Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION Please join us after Divine

December 2018 Page 2

THE DEAN’S MESSAGE

A CHRISTMAS GIFT OF TIME

A very successful and highly respected local businessman

tells about the greatest Christmas gift he ever received. He

was a youngster when, one Christmas, he discovered a box

under the Christmas tree with his name on it. The box was

from his dad. “It was so light” he said about the weight of the

box itself, and I couldn’t imagine what might be on the inside.

At first I thought what might be on the inside. Then I thought it

might be some money, but I knew better, because we were

very poor at that time and didn’t have any money to share. I

could hardly wait, “he said” until Christmas Day when I could

open up the gift from my dad and see what it was. Finally

Christmas Day came. Inside the box he found a note, just a

simple note, that’s all. But what that note said meant

everything in the world to him.

This is what the note said, “Dear son: This year I will give you

three hundred and sixty five hours of my time and my

undivided attention, one hour every single day right after

dinner. It’s yours! We’ll talk about what you want to talk

about. We’ll go where you want to go. Or, if you wish, we’ll

play what you want to play. But it will be your hour and my

hour together and it’s what I want to give you for Christmas

this year”. “My dad not only kept that promise” the

businessman said, “but he renewed it every year. It’s the

greatest Christmas gift I ever received and now that he’s dead

and gone, it’s more precious to me than ever”.

Dear brethren in the Lord. As you begin to think about the

bundle of gifts you will place under your Christmas tree this

year, think about the most precious gift you can give to your

family and most especially to your children and grandchildren.

That most life-changing and soul-enhancing gift is your gift of

time. In our day and age, time is indeed more precious than

gold, more elusive than a dream. It is a gift everyone can

give. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gave us the gift of His

time by entering time as a babe in Bethlehem. The gift of His

time allows us to have our personal moments with Him in

prayer and fellowship. It gives us spiritual intimacy and

strength.

I pray that under your Christmas tree you will place a large

wrapped box of time certificates. Shower your family with

these gifts and make Christmas a reality every day of the

coming year.

Merry Christmas

In Christ,

V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas, Dean

Page 3: HERALD - Saint Sophia · Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION Please join us after Divine

December 2018 Page 3

PARISH COUNCIL MESSAGE

CHRISTMAS

The twelfth month of the year. As we all know, this is the time

when we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a

time when our hearts tend to be a little softer, a little more

open, a little more generous, a little more forgiving, a little

more peaceful. Would it not be wonderful to hold onto these

feelings throughout the year? One of my favorite sayings is

from Charles Dickens, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and

try to keep it all the year.” To me, its sentiment is timeless,

universal, and always fitting.

In this holiday message, I thought it would be nice to share

other words of Christmas inspiration that you can take into the

coming year.

“Christmas is joy, religious joy, an inner joy of light and

peace,” Pope Francis.

“It is Christmas every time you let God love others through

you…yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother

and offer him your hand,” Mother Teresa.

“Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone,”

Charles M. Schultz.

“Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love,

every time we give, it’s Christmas, Dale Evans Rogers.

“A good conscience is a continual Christmas,” Benjamin

Franklin.

“Christmas is a state of mind. It is found throughout the year

whenever faith overcomes doubt, hope conquers despair and

love triumphs over hate. It is present when men of any creed

bring love and understanding to the hearts of their fellow

man,” Ronald Reagan.

“That’s really what Christmas is all about. Each of us is

incredibly blessed in so many ways. But those blessings

aren’t just meant to be enjoyed – they’re meant to be used

and shared with those who have less. The Christian faith

teaches us that on this day a child was born so that we might

have eternal life. And at the heart of many of the world’s great

religions is the idea that we’re all better off when we treat our

brothers and sisters with the same love and compassion that

we want for ourselves,” Barack Obama.

“And Know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time,”

Jesus Christ.

Wishing a blessed Christmas to one and all.

Yours in Christ,

Maria Baltazzi, Parish Council President

Page 4: HERALD - Saint Sophia · Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION Please join us after Divine

December 2018 Page 4

STEWARDSHIP FAMILIES NOVEMBER 2018

Believe and Belong through Christian Stewardship

$2,000 To $3,999

Anonymous (1)

Gilman, Mr. & Mrs. Brian

$1,000 To $1,999

Anonymous (1)

Helm, Michael & Sophia

$650 To $999

Billis, Mr. and Mrs. Stephan

Georgeson, Mr. Michael & Mrs. Helen

Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea

Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly

Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael

CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION

Please join us after Divine Liturgy on December 25 for a Champagne Celebration

Hosted by Jim Demetriou and Mary-Kay Demetriou. Hope to see you there.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Dear Stewards of Saint Sophia Cathedral,

We will be having our General Assembly on December 2, 2018* after services. Members in good standing are encouraged to

attend.

Thank you, Parish Council

2019 PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Dear Saint Sophia Parishoners,

Giving back to our community can be very rewarding. If you would like to serve our community by joining the Parish Council,

please submit your name, email and phone number to Jack Stumpus at [email protected]. You must be a member in good

standing and let us know by Sunday December 2nd.

Elections will take place Sunday, December 9th

.

FR. BAKAS TO BE HONORED

His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian has announced that our own Fr. John Bakas will be honored for his ministry and

general outreach to the community on Tuesday, December 4th at 7:00pm at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, 3325 N. Glenoaks

Blvd., Burbank, CA 91504. Our Saint Sophia choir will be singing a number of our Greek Orthodox hymns, joined by the St. Leo

Armenian choir. Please attend this unique event, as we celebrate common traditions with our Armenian brothers and sisters. As

we say here in our Byzantine Latino Quarter, “We are each angels with one wing and we can only fly embracing each another.”

Page 5: HERALD - Saint Sophia · Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION Please join us after Divine

December 2018 Page 5

Page 6: HERALD - Saint Sophia · Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION Please join us after Divine

December 2018 Page 6

MINISTRIES

Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Very Reverend Father John S. Bakas, Dean Chris Kolentsas, Assistant Priest

Jim Kollias, Choir Director Mario Lazaridis , Protopsaltis Michael Kontaxis, Assistant Psaltis

Christopher Yokas, Organist James Karatsikis, Sexton

ADMINISTRATIVE AND CUSTODIAL STAFF

John Kopatsis, Executive Director

Jessica Benitez, Admin. Assist. , Angela Kim, Accountant

Oscar Castro, Erick Mendez, Mauricio Mira, Devin Smith,

Alejandra Villasenor, Staff

PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY

Executive Officers

Judith Christopoulos, President

Christina Peratsakis, 1st VP

Maria Toczek 2nd VP

Virginia Noyes, Recording Secretary

Mary Tassop, Corresponding Secretary

Mary Gallanis, Treasurer

Connie Cooper, Assistant Treasurer

Members

Dorothea Ales, Anna Aronis, Mary-Kay Demetriou,

Dina Demetrius, Alexia Itzigsohn, Olga Jordan,

Constance Manders, Sophie Mastor, Marianna

Politis, Jayne Poullos, Patricia Skeriotis, Allison

Stavaridis

FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Executive Officers

George E. Preonas, President.

Gig Kyriacou, Vice President

Constantine M. Boukidis, Secretary

Tina Callas, Treasurer

Members

V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas, Maria Baltazzi, Timi Loomos

Freshman, Steve Hanna, Diane Sakellaris Lapa, Tony

Natsis, John Peterson, Jean Paul Wardy, Jim Zaferis

Presidential Appointments

Nicholas Manolelis, Associate

Trustees Emeritus

Nicholas Bissias, Andrew Evangelatos, John T.

Pappas, Alek Haidos, Dr. James A. Demetriou

PARISH COUNCIL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Executive Officers

Maria Baltazzi, President

Glenn Lianos, 1st Vice President

Peter Cosfol, 2nd Vice President

Angela Ananias, Treasurer

Dinah Wellington, Recording Secretary

Bertha Angels, Corresponding Secretary

Members

Bill Striglos; Costa Bargeliotes; Daniel Settelmayer;

Dean Peratsakis, Jeanine Hanna; Paris Yatskar;

Tonifaye Palomares

Anna Yallourakis, Associate Member

Auditing Committee

James Boltinghouse, Anthony Demetriou,

Phillip Ruhl, Pete J. Cazacus

ALTAR BOYS

Chris Halekakis

BASKETBALL

Gig Kyriacou & Paul Cooper

BIBLE STUDY

Very Rev. Father John Bakas

BOOK STORE

William Striglos

CHILD CARE

Kathy & Marsha Zagorianos

CHOIR

Jim Kollias

COFFEE HOUR

Ann Pappas

Georgia Vasila

DOCENTS

Angela Ananias

EASTER PICNIC

Ted Pappas

GREEK DANCE GROUPS

Barbara Kappos

Eleni Constantine Manolelis

Demitra Koutsos

HELLENIC ENTERTAINMENT

COOPERATIVE

Dina Demetrius

HELLENIC ACADEMY

Anna Aronis

John Kopatsis

HOSPITALITY

Niki Korbakis

Maria Pelargos

L.A. GREEK FEST

Parish Council

Executive Board

MR. & MRS. CLUB

Dean & Christine Peratsakis

PHILOPTOHOS V.I.P.

Angela Ananias, President

SAINT SOPHIA CAMP

Melanie O’Regan

Kathleen Kyriacou

Stephanie Lubian

(Co-Chair Golf Event)

Nick Ananias

(Co-Chair Golf Event)

Tony Mastor (Tennis Event)

Mary-Kay Demetriou

(Tennis Event)

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Eleni Yokas

YOUTH

V. Rev. Father John S. Bakas

Page 7: HERALD - Saint Sophia · Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION Please join us after Divine

December 2018 Page 7

MEMORIALS

EPISTLE READERS

BAPTISMS

December 8 Zoe Barnett daughter of Sterling Barnett and

Amalia Paliobeis

Sponsors: Alexandra Georgiou and

Vasilios Petrou

Leonidas Sala son of Nestor Sala and

Vasiliki Sala

Sponsors: Christos Papakostas and Hasmig

Lisa Nalbandian

Michael Mack Zax son of Paris Zax and

Christina Mack

Sponsors: Dorothea Paschalidou

Dion Anastasios Dionisopoulos son of

Emmanuel Dionisopoulos and

Rebecca Simonsson

Sponsors: Christoffer Tsantikos

December 2 Kenyatta Smith

December 9 Louis Anastas

December 16 Eleni Romm

December 23 John Kopatsis

December 30 John Holloway

December 2

December 23

Angela Daskalieros

George Daskalieros

Stavros Daskalopoulos

Marina Koukis

Lea Sackas

James Spears

John Tsioutsias

Nekoletta Tsioutsias

George Williams

Sophoula Dagres Palomares

(7 years)

Jose

Demetrios

Christos

Fani

Demetrios

Ekaterini

Nikos

Costas

Yianni

Presvytera Ana

Ramon

Lucia

Angela

Josephina

Michael Divris

Dora Divris

Fotios Aronis

Kostas Divris

Sophia Sotiriu

Vasilios Tzavellas

Steve Cosfol (27 years)

Pauline Tassop

John Tassop (20 years)

Ernie Tassop

Nicholas Tassop

Lola Gialketsis

George Gialketsis

Ernie J. Tassop

December 16

December 9

Stavroula Kouvaritakis

(5 years)

Panagos Kouvaritakis

(47 years)

John (59 years)

Eftychios Psaltiras (2 years)

Basile Aronis

Mary Aronis

Melina Margaret Aronis

Ray Rasmussen

Stacy Rasmussen

Gus Constance

Margaret Constance

Spiro Constance

WEDDINGS

December 8 Shereen Rabadi and Amir Farzin

Koumbaros: Nicholas Haddad

Louis Loukaris (21 years)

Lucas Loukaris

Efstratios

Despina

Stavros

Hariklia

Efstratios

Myrsini

Fotios

Hariklia

Myltiadis

Marika

Gina

Litsa

Symeon (Sam) Zagorianos

Panayiotis Korbakis

Georgia Korbakis

Helen Phinos

Andreas Phinos

December 30

Theophanis Sirus

Steve Halekakis (40 days)

MEMORIALS

Theodora Naoumovitch (1 year)

Katherine Pentogenis

(6 months)

Steve Skoutaris

Amilia Skoutaris

Lulu Kappas

Michael Pentogenis

Christina Kappas

Peter Markos

Anna Markos

George Markos

Gust Kappas

Fotini

Paula Roussos (2 years)

Nick Stathes (40 days)

Petroula Arvanitis

Fotini Chiampas

James S. Drulias

Penelope Caiopoulos

Batanides

Andrew Kyriaco

Elias Chimarios (40 days)

Bill Anast

Catina Anast

Ernest N. Anast

Chris Daly

Virginia Daly

Nikos Daskalelis

Spiros Daskalelis

Aristidis Daskaleros

December 9

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December 2018 Page 8

ANGEL TREE

This year we will be collecting gifts for children ages 1 year -15 years old. Tags will be put on our tree with each child’s

Christmas gift wish. The Angel tree will be located at the Philoptochos Table during Coffee Hour. You can also choose to make a

donation to Philoptochos (for a Target Card). Please write: Angel Tree (on the memo line). For more info:

[email protected]

PLEASE NOTE UPCOMING EVENTS: January 6, 2019 – Holy Theophany and Vasilopita Celebration

January 20, 2019 — Debutante Presentation Ball

PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS

Page 9: HERALD - Saint Sophia · Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION Please join us after Divine

December 2018 Page 9

has been expanded, and today it covers approximately

130,000 square feet, comprising three different monasteries:

one Greek Orthodox, one Armenian Apostolic, and one

Catholic.

In its interior, the church has preserved all the architectural

elements from the 6th century. The floor of the original 4th

century church was completely paved over in mosaic. During

the Byzantine period, due to the variations in the floor level

within the church, the floor was re-done using white-veined

marble. Through trapdoors opening in the pavement it is still

possible to enjoy a view of the ancient mosaics. Their

workmanship is truly detailed and refined, above all those in

the nave. Their density of tesserae (small squares of stone or

glass) is twice that of ordinary mosaics. This factor by itself

allows one to understand why these decorations are so highly

valued, as their higher density permitted the representation of

more refined images and the reproduction of more shades of

color, like the effect of higher pixilation in digital pictures. The

result was decorative mosaics that are extremely detailed,

reflecting the importance of this Holy Place.

The particularly dark appearance of the nave is due to the

By John Kopatsis

Passing along Star Street in Bethlehem in the West Bank

towards the Holy Place of Jesus’ Nativity, as did the Magi

from the East and, later, countless pilgrims, in the distance,

and before arriving to the square in front of the current church,

the visitor is struck by the enchantment of a place that for

centuries has called millions of pilgrims from throughout the

world to adore it. Arriving at the paved square, the Church of

the Nativity comes into view. At first sight it is not easy to

understand the architectural structure of the church complex,

which over the centuries has undergone numerous

transformations. It was originally commissioned in 327 by

Constantine the Great and his mother Helena, Saints

Constantine and Helen, on the site that was the birthplace of

Jesus. That original church was destroyed by fire during the

Samaritan revolts of the 6th century, and a new church was

built in 565 by Byzantine Emperor Justinian, who restored the

architectural tone of the original. The Church of the Nativity,

while remaining basically unchanged since the Justinian

reconstruction, has seen numerous repairs and additions,

especially from the Crusader period, including wall mosaics

and paintings. Over the centuries, the surrounding compound

THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY

continued to page 14

PHILOPTOCHOS VIP

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving with friends and family. Now comes the Christmas season and I would like to wish you

all a Merry Christmas. Kala Xristougena. We are inviting you all to join us for the last and festive event of the year.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 is the Christmas Luncheon. Donation is $25.00. Chair person is Irene Mitropetros and co-chair is

Anne Dres. To make your reservations, please call Mary Morrison at 818-500-0904 or mail your reservations to her at 1325

Valley View Rd, #201 Glendale, CA 91202. Please make your reservations as soon as possible. There will be a delicious

luncheon, favors, singing and a visit from a special person from the North.

In His service,

Angela Ananias, President

21st Annual Christmas Musicfest under the Byzantine Dome, Sunday December 2, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.

Featuring; the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral Choir and soloists directed by Jim Kollias, the POYAC - Pan-Orthodox Young Adult Choir directed by Jonny Braun; and the Western Diocese of the

Armenian Church Khachaturian Choir directed by Deacon Stephan Gozumian. They all are presenting Orthodox Christmas hymns and chants, plus several selections from the English Christmas Carol repertoire and traditional

sing-along carols of the holiday season. Freewill offering. Reception immediately following concert. It is a wonderful and joyous way to begin the Christmas holiday season.

Christmas concert

Page 10: HERALD - Saint Sophia · Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION Please join us after Divine

December 2018 Page 10

past decade, and the three churches were able to come

together under the auspices of a special committee formed by

the Palestinian National Authority. Through joint discussions

they reached a working agreement permitting the much

needed restorations on the Church of the Nativity to begin.

The Church of the Nativity was placed on the 2008 Watch List

of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments

Fund. The mosaic restoration is part of the first known

overhaul of the revered church since 1479, and it came just in

the nick of time. A Palestinian official warned in 2011 that

churchgoers faced a dangerous “risk of collapsing beams,”

and the United Nations declared the church an endangered

World Heritage site in 2012. The initial phase of the

restoration work was completed in early 2016. New windows

have been installed, structural repairs on the roof have been

completed and art works and mosaics have been cleaned and

restored. Palestinians consider the Church of the Nativity a

national treasure and one of their most visited tourist sites.

During the work, a restoration technician was slowly passing a thermographic camera over the smooth plaster walls, when she spotted an intriguing shape. As she and her colleagues began painstakingly scraping away the plaster, a radiant face emerged, illuminated by mother-of-pearl. According to

Giammarco Piacenti, CEO of the Piacenti Restoration Center in charge of the church restoration, when the team saw the first golden tiles of a shimmering halo, it was a very emotional moment. Beneath the plaster stood an eight-foot-tall angel, lost for centuries but now rediscovered and reunited with six other angels that watch over pilgrims in one of the oldest churches in Christendom. The seventh angel was an unexpected reward of an arduous, multi-year effort to rescue the 1,700-year-old church from centuries of neglect. The angels' arms gently direct pilgrims toward the Grotto of the Nativity, the site where Theotokos gave birth to Jesus. During the Ottoman Empire, the angels' faces were disfigured with gunshots to the nose and so here the missing pieces have been replaced, said Piacenti. "They were shot in the nose to destroy, to kill them," Piacenti said. Restoration gave them "a second life." Both Islam and Judaism prohibit graven human images.

inadequate maintenance which over the years has led to a

deterioration in the condition of the Church. The lack of

maintenance left the church’s priceless mosaics obscured

under layers of dust and soot or destroyed by rain water that

seeped in from the leaky roof. Yet the surviving mosaics have

emerged with such luster that it’s difficult to believe they were

created nearly 1,000 years ago. Commissioned in the 12th

century by the Crusader king Almaric I and Byzantine

Emperor Manuel Komnenos, the mosaics with their gold and

silver leaf pressed under clear glass, inlaid mother-of-pearl

and local stones which at one point completely covered the

walls of the church, retain their fascinating effect. The

tesserae were positioned tilted downwards in order to

enhance the beauty of the mosaic when observed from a

position several meters below. In this manner a strong visual

impact is received by the pilgrim upon entering the church,

despite the poor state of preservation. Only 1,400 square feet

of mosaics remain from the original 21,528 square feet that

adorned the wall. The remaining mosaics portray different

scenes in the life of Jesus and the church, Joseph and a

dolorous Mother Mary, Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem on a

donkey and the Assumption. The 12 apostles are depicted,

including “doubting Thomas” with Jesus pulling his hand to his

crucifixion wound. There are glimmering saints and patriarchs,

even a baby camel. The mosaics are reminiscent of Byzantine

mosaics of Sicily, Florence, and Ravenna. Art historians

commented that the Bethlehem mosaics employ plant and

animal designs that are also strikingly similar to Byzantine era

mosaics in Jerusalem at the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa

Mosque.

The Grotto of the Nativity, the place where Jesus was born, is

an underground space which forms the crypt of the Church of

the Nativity. It is the oldest site continuously venerated in

Christianity. It is situated underneath its main altar, and it is

normally accessed by two staircases on either side of the

altar. The Grotto is part of a network of caves, which are

accessed from the adjacent Catholic Church of Saint

Catherine's. The exact spot where Jesus was born is marked

beneath this altar by a 14-pointed silver star with the Latin

inscription Hic De Virgine Maria Jesus Christus Natus (Here

Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary.) The star is set into

the marble floor and surrounded by 15 silver lamps

representing the three Christian communities: six belong to

the Greek Orthodox, four to the Catholics, and five to the

Armenian Apostolic.

The Church of the Nativity is shared by the Greek Orthodox,

the Catholic and the Armenian Orthodox churches. It is

governed by the traditional Status Quo, the 1852 agreement

that preserves the division of ownership and responsibilities of

various Christian holy sites. In years past, the denominations

have been known to jealously guard over their sections of the

church, to the extent of fist fights breaking out over who could

clean which part of the stone floor. Relations among the

churches have become progressively more cordial over the

continued from page 13

The spot of Jesus’ Birth

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December 2018 Page 11

DECEMBER 2018

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2

14th Sunday of

St. Luke

8:30 am Orthros

9:45 am Memorials

10:00 Divine Liturgy

3 4

Barbra the Great

Martyr

8:45 am Orthros

9:30 am Divine Liturgy

Bible Studies Class w/

Fr. John

11 am

5

6

St. Nicholas the

Wonderworker

8:45 am Orthros

9:30 am Divine Liturgy

7 8

9

10th Sunday of

St. Luke

8:30 am Orthros

9:45 am Memorials

10:00 Divine Liturgy

10

11

Bible Studies Class

w/ Fr. John

11 am

12 Spyridon the

Wonderworker

8:45 am Orthros

9:30 am Divine Liturgy

Young Adult Bible

Studies Class w/

Fr. Chris

13

14

15

16

11th Sunday of

St. Luke

8:30 am Orthros

9:45 am Memorials

10:00 Divine Liturgy

17 18

19

Young Adult Bible

Studies Class w/

Fr. Chris

7:30 pm

20

21 22

23

Sunday before

Nativity

8:30 am Orthros

9:45 am Memorials

10:00 Divine Liturgy

24

Christmas Eve

Vesperal Liturgy

6 pm

25

The Nativity of Our

Lord and Savior, Jesus

Christ

8:45 am Orthros

9:30 am Divine Liturgy

OFFICE CLOSED

26

27

Stephen, Archdeacon

and First Martyr

8:45 am Orthros

9:30 am Divine Liturgy

28 29

30

Sunday after

Nativity

8:30 am Orthros

9:45 am Memorials

10:00 Divine Liturgy

31 Strict Fast Fish Allowed Wine and Oil

Allowed

Dairy, Eggs,

and Fish

Allowed

Fast Free

Page 12: HERALD - Saint Sophia · Paschalidou, Ms. Dorothea Sarris, Mr. Michael & Preventza, Mrs. Polly Zax, Mr. & Mrs. Michael CHRISTMAS CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATION Please join us after Divine

December 2018 Page 12

Saint Sophia Greek Cathedral

Greek Orthodox Community

1324 South Normandie Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90006

Phone

323 737 2424

E-mail

[email protected]

We’re on the Web!

www.stsophia.org

Place address label here

“Religion and science are fighting a

joint battle in an incessant, never

relaxing crusade against skepticism

and against dogmatism, against

unbelief and superstition... [and

therefore] 'On to God!”

Max Planck, April 23,1858 – October 4, 1947)

was a German theoretical physicist whose

discovery of energy quanta won him the Nobel

Prize in Physics in 1918