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Parish Community Letter -Novemeber 2025

11/01/2025

Dear Saint Sophia Parishioners, On behalf of Father Steve and Father Gabriel, and with their blessings, the Parish Council would like to provide the SSC Community with an update. Liturgical Calendar – every Sunday 8:30 Orthros and 10:00 Divine Liturgy – please see the website, website calendar, bulletins, and emails for other services. SSC Ministries – Weekly and Monthly Reoccurring Events – please see the website, website calendar, bulletins, and emails for updates. Father Steve’s

The Unmercenary Physicians of Asia Minor

11/01/2025

~ By John Athanasatos There are three sets of Saints named Cosmas and Damian. One pair is from Rome (celebrated July 1st), another Arabia (October 17th) and the one celebrated on November 1st is from Asia Minor. All three pairs are brothers and unmercenary physicians. They each lived at different periods as well. The pair from Rome and Arabia were martyrs. Many Orthodox Churches throughout the world are named after the Holy Unmercenaries (Οί Άγιοι

The Christianization of a Pagan Holiday Myth

10/31/2025

There is also the myth that Christians condemned the pagan festivities of October 31 by replacing it with All Hallows Eve, the day before the Feast of All Saints in the West. It is often recorded that in 601 AD Pope Gregory I issued a now famous edict to his missionaries concerning the native beliefs and customs of the peoples he hoped to convert. Rather than try to obliterate native peoples’ customs and beliefs, the

CATHEDRAL CONNECTION ISSUE 3

10/30/2025

The Inconstancy of Our Inner State

10/30/2025

~Saint Theophan the Recluse You complain about the volatility of your inner state- sometimes it’s good, at others it’s bad. It can’t be otherwise. ‘I’ve undergone unpleasant spiritual states in a variety of forms and continue to do so’. All we can do is bear them with patience and fortitude, without relaxing our spiritual struggle and without neglecting our observance of God’s commandments, which is exactly what you’re doing. A good spiritual state arrives. It

The Light Shines in the Darkness

10/29/2025

~Sermon Preached by Fr. Antony Hughes on Sunday, January 14, 2007 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Glory to Jesus Christ! Galilee has an interesting history. The name comes from the Aramaic word “gal” which means “to take captive.” In the year 721 BC the Assyrians took over the Northern kingdom of Israel comprised of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel. The

The Feast of the Holy Protection “Agia Skepi.” OHI Day and the People of Greece

10/28/2025

While Most of the Orthodox Christian world celebrates the Holy Protection, or Agia Skepi, of the Theotokos on October 1st according to ancient custom, Greeks celebrate the Holy Protection on October 28th as a special holiday in order to invite the secular government of Greece to honor the Theotokos for her special protection over the Greek people during World War 2. The celebration of Holy Protection dates back to 626 A.D., when the miraculous intervention

Frodo’s Last Lesson

10/27/2025

~By Father Stephen Freeman, August 1, 2023 Frodo failed. If you’re a reader of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings (or just a movie-goer), then you know that the central, heroic character, the young Mr. Frodo, ring-bearer, fails to throw the Ring into the fires of Mt. Doom at the end of his arduous journey. Everything he loved, his home, his friends, every scrap of goodness, depended on the Ring being tossed into those fires, and,

50 Years of Service

10/26/2025

SAINT SOPHIA ELECTION COMMITTEE

10/25/2025

Dear Saint Sophia Parishioners, We are working diligently to ensure successful elections this year. The elections process will begin on Sunday, November 9 at the Parish Assembly meeting. On this day, you will be able to nominate Parish Council members. Elections will then be held on Sunday, December 7, immediately following Divine Liturgy, starting at approximately 12:00 Noon and ending at 2:00 p.m. The elections process will be conducted by the Board of Elections. The

In the News

Parish Community Letter -Novemeber 2025

The Unmercenary Physicians of Asia Minor

The Christianization of a Pagan Holiday Myth

CATHEDRAL CONNECTION ISSUE 3

The Inconstancy of Our Inner State

The Light Shines in the Darkness

The Feast of the Holy Protection “Agia Skepi.” OHI Day and the People of Greece

Frodo’s Last Lesson

50 Years of Service

SAINT SOPHIA ELECTION COMMITTEE

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