March 2021 Page

Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral

HERALD MARCH 2021

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

Assistant Priest Message 2

President’s Message 3

Stewardship 4

Ministries List 5

Philoptochos News 6

Memorials 6

Lenten Schedule 8

Ministries News 9

Orthodox Calendar 11

V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas,

Dean

Fr. Anthony Cornett

Assistant Priest

323-737-2424

www.saintsophia.org

March 6 - 1st

Saturday of Souls

March 13 - 2nd

Saturday of Souls

March 15 - First Monday of Lent - Kathara Dephtera

March 17– Presanctified Liturgy

March 19 - Presanctified Liturgy

Salutations to the Theotokos

March 20 – 3rd

Saturday of Souls

March 21 – Sunday of Orthodoxy

March 24 - Great Vespers

March 25 – Feast of the Annunciation

March 26 - Presanctified Liturgy

Salutations to the Theotokos

March 28 – Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas

Icon of the Sunday of Orthodoxy, Late 14th Century

Egg Tempera on Gold Leaf, 37.8 cm x 31.4 cm

National Icon Collection 18, British Museum

March 2021 Page 2

ASSISTANT PRIEST MESSAGE

PRAYERFUL PREPARATION FOR A JOYOUS RESURRECTION

As we enter into the Great Forty Days of the Lenten Fast, we have the esteemed privilege of knowing how this all ends: Christ’s glorious Resurrection on the third day, as celebrated in Great and Holy Pascha, on May 2nd of this year. However, before we receive and celebrate this reward of eternal life that has been extended to all of the Lord’s faithful flock, we are first called to a period of preparation.

Throughout Scripture, we find various examples of the preparation of God’s people in order to receive a great reward. In the Old Testament, the Jewish people journeyed for 40 years in the desert in order to receive and enter into the gift of the Promised Land. In the New Testament, we are given countless examples through the Parables of our Lord to teach us the importance of preparing for the Great Banquet with the Master. The 9th Chapter of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew enlightens us to this fact with the following gems:

14 Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”

15 Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made.

17 Neither do people put new wine into old wine skins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved.”

As we prepare to receive our Bridegroom, my brothers and sisters, we prepare not only with abstaining from certain foods (chiefly meat and dairy, as our bodies allow), but first and foremost by abstaining from every passion, as so beautifully noted in our Vespers Service on the Sunday of Forgiveness:

Let us observe a fast acceptable and pleasing to the Lord.

True Fasting is to put away all evil,

To control the tongue, to forbear from anger,

To abstain from lust, slander, falsehood and perjury.

If we renounce these things, then is our fasting true and acceptable to God.

Let us keep the Fast not only by refraining from food,

But by becoming strangers to all the bodily passions.

Saturday of the Souls & the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

With the blessing of increased liturgical services, and other opportunities to unite as the Body of Christ during this Lenten season, one of the most-treasured moments is the Saturday of the Souls (Ψυχοσάββατον). On this day, we offer both kollyva (boiled wheat) as well as prayers on behalf of our loved ones who have gone on before us.

“What,” you might ask, “makes the Saturday of the Souls different from any other memorial?”

Some of you might be acquainted with the wonderful monument in the Arlington National Cemetery, which is dedicated to the “Unknown Soldier”. This monument is guarded at all times by a dedicated serviceperson, rain or shine. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands for the soldiers whose lives were lost in battle, but remains have yet to be identified. These persons are honored with dignity and respect, even though we may not be able to identify them by name.

This is the primary reason we gather on Saturday of the Souls—to honor those who have gone before us, yet have not been given proper memorials by their given name. Our website for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese offers the following instructive words for this day,

“Since many throughout the ages, because of an untimely death in a faraway place, or other adverse circumstances, have died without being deemed worthy of the appointed memorial services, the divine Fathers, being so moved in their love for man, have decreed that a common memorial be made this day for all pious Orthodox Christians who have reposed from all ages past, so that those who did not have particular memorial services may be included in this common one for all.”

Of course many of us also bring a list of names for our beloved family and friends to be commemorated, alongside our own ‘unknown soldiers in Christ’. When we unite again, either online or in person, for the next Saturday of Souls, let us also bring to mind our own ‘unknown soldiers’, whose names our loving God surely knows.

In Christ,

Fr. Anthony Cornett, Assistant Priest

March 2021 Page 3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

HAPPY MARCH

Dearest Saint Sophia Parishioners,

Happy March!!!

I feel we are so blessed here in Los Angeles to wake up every

morning to blue skies and beautiful sunshine. As the rest of

the country suffered such brutal and frigid temperatures this

past month, I am so thankful for the warmth and tender spring

air that has come our way.

We also experienced special warmth, beauty and grace this

past month in our Blessed Saint Sophia. Our Lay Assistant

Anthony is now ordained as Father Anthony Cornett. AXIOS +

With the Blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos,

His Grace Bishop Ioannis of Phocaea, and our Very Reverend

Father John Bakas we all came together to witness Father

Anthony’s Ordination to the Deaconate, and to the Priesthood

the weekend of February 13-14, 2021. Truly, what a special

gift of God’s grace for us all to witness this most sacred

sacrament.

February continued to abound in warmth and grace. On

February 21, our Parish Council came together for our first

meeting. We came together to first evaluate our Stewardship

for 2020. Under the direction of Father John, we, the Parish

Council, thank our Blessed Panagia, and all of you for your

incredible gift of love to Our Lord and Our Blessed Saint

Sophia!!!

Amidst all the uncertainty of 2020, your unfailing love and

financial commitment helped support the work of our

cathedral in such intricate ways. Our Stewardship total this

past year nearly matched that of 2018. This only shows that

our potential is so great as Christ guides our every way. Our

Stewardship team has grown beautifully, and we look forward

to calling you, connecting with you and sharing our love

together.

We also have the grace filled blessing from Father John to

begin a community wide clothing drive for the homeless. We

are asking our entire Saint Sophia community to give to our

community tithe. We will be collecting adult male white T-

shirts, male and female white undergarments, white socks,

toothbrushes and toothpaste. Please look for our

announcement as to drop off details in our Herald and

Axiologa.

Our love together is ever flowing. We look forward to more

projects through out the year. And as our LA County begins to

open, we look forward to bringing our Ministries together and

growing as one.

I look forward to seeing you all in our Blessed Beautiful Saint

Sophia Cathedral.

We all, from Parish Council, send our love,

All my Love in Christ,

Dr. Anna Yallourakis

March 2021 Page 4

Believe, Belong and Be Loved through Christian Stewardship

PLEDGED STEWARDSHIP FAMILIES FEBRUARY 2021 $8,000 To $9,999

Gallanis, Mr. and Mrs. Mary

$6,000 To $7,999

Haidos, Mr. and Mrs. Alek

$4,000 To $5,999

Anonymous

Boltinghouse, Mr. and Mrs. James

Kyriacou, Mr. and Mrs. Kathleen

Yallourakis, Dr. and Dr. Stephen

$2,000 To $3,999

Anonymous 3

Defterios, Mrs. Georgia

Edgerton, Mr. James and Moschonas, Mrs. Loula

Itzigsohn, Mr. and Mrs. Mark

Kollias, Mr. and Mrs. Jim

Manopoulos, Mr. and Mrs. Peter

Nakata, Dr. and Dr. Mary

Lapa, Mr. and Mrs. Donald

O’Donnell, Mr. and Mrs. Jim

Siafaris, Mr. and Mrs. George

Vasila, Mrs. Georgia

Webster, Mr. Dante

Wellington, Ms. Dinah

$1,000 To $1,999

Andrews, Mrs. Cleo

Bouras, Mr. and Mrs. Sotirios

Defterios, Mr. and Mrs. Christo

Eliopulos, Mrs. Georgia

Flokas, Ms. Dena

Jordan, Ms. Olga

Klapsis, Mr. and Mrs. Christos

Manolelis, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas

Lolonis, Mr. and Mrs. Anastasios

Papanikolaou, Mr. and Mrs. Antonios

Pappas, Mrs. Angeliki

Pappas, Mrs. Ann

Pappas Bailes, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard

Sakabinos, Ms. Estelle

Travlos, Mr. and Mrs. Sam

Webster, Mr. and Mrs. John P.

$650 To $999

Anonymous

Abramson, Mr. Joe and Abramson, Ms. Elena

Aronis, Mr. and Mrs. Athan

Blackman, Mr. and Mrs. Kerry

Deryiades, Mrs. Vickie

Klima, Mr. and Mrs. Laszlo

Kourafas, Mr. and Mrs. Christopher

Kyrillou, Ms. Christiana

Kyriacou, Mr. Michael John

Mantas, Mr. and Mrs. Speros

Miserlis, Mr. George

Morrison, Mrs. Mary

Nahmoulis, Ms. Vida

Papachristos, Mr. and Mrs. Ioannis

Pappas, Mr. Milton

Pappas, Mr. Louis

Pieptea, Ms. Laura

Psaltiras, Mrs. Demetra

Rhoads, Mr. and Mrs. Carl

Rizopoulos, Mr. and Mrs. John

Smith, Mrs. Sophie

Stamatis, Mrs. Chrys

Stavaridis, Chris and Stavaridis, Allison

Stumpus, Mrs. Elizabeth

Szekely, Mr. and Mrs. Florina

Tassop, Ms. Mary

Woloschinowisch, Mrs. Mary

Zarras, Dr. and Mrs. Peter

OTHER

Athans, Mr. and Mrs. Alex

Panayi, Ms. Helen

Panayi, Mrs. Rena

Veracka, Mrs. Virginia

When making out your will, please include our Saint Sophia Cathedral in you estate and financial planning

March 2021 Page 5

MINISTRIES

Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Very Reverend Father John S. Bakas, Dean Fr. Anthony Cornett, Assistant Priest

Jim Kollias, Choir Director Mario Lazaridis , Protopsaltis Vasili Tomaras, Assistant Psaltis

Christopher Yokas, Organist Julian Hanberg, Sexton

FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Executive Officers

Constantine M. Boukidis, President

Gig Kyriacou, 1st Vice-President

Jim Zaferis, 2nd Vice-President

Diane Sakellaris Lapa, Secretary

Tina Callas, Treasurer

Members

V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas, Timi Loomos Freshman,

Steve Hanna, Nicholas Manolelis, Tony Natsis, John

Peterson, Anna Yallourakis, Jean Paul Wardy,

George E. Preonas, Jack Stumpus

Presidential Appointments

Andrew J. Demetriou, General Counsel,

Melanie O’Regan

Trustees Emeritus

Andrew Evangelatos, Alek Haidos, John T. Pappas

PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY

Executive Officers

Virginia Noyes, President

Christina Peratsakis, 1st VP

Mary-Kay Demetriou 2nd VP

Alexia Itzigsohn, Recording Secretary

Dina Demetrius, Corresponding Secretary

Constance Manders, Treasurer

Maria Toczek, Assistant Treasurer

Judith Christopoulos, Advisor

Members

Katrina Beers, Diane Bissias, Elaine Bissias, Loula

Moschonas Edgerton, Elizabeth Hagianakes, Olga

Jordan, Sophie Mastor, Jayne Poullos, Simona

Rebiga, Heidi Sandstrom, Patricia Skeriotis, Allison

Stavaridis, Mary Tassop

ALTAR BOYS

Kenyatta Wellington Smith

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

Karen Pappas Bosten

Michelle Panagiota Olivar

DOCENTS

Julian Hanberg

EASTER PICNIC

Ted Pappas

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Stephanie Lubian

PARISH COUNCIL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Executive Officers

Anna Yallourakis, President

Greg Beers, Vice President

Bill Striglos, Treasurer

Kathleen Kyriacou, Asst. Treasurer

Tonifaye Palomares, Recording Secretary

Members

Andrew Powell; Bertha Angels, Daniel Settelmayer;

Dean Peratsakis, Dinah Wellington; Jeanine Hanna;

Julian Rebiga; Theodore Spears, Vickie Deryiades,

Vasili Tomaras; Associate Memebers; Demetra

Jodie Litchfield, Loula Moschonas

Auditing Committee

James Boltinghouse, Nicholas Manolelis

Michelle Panayiota Olivar

GREEK DANCE GROUPS

Eleni Constantine Manolelis

HELLENIC ACADEMY

John Kopatsis

Alexandros Oxyzolou

HOSPITALITY

Niki Korbakis

Maria Pelargos

L.A. GREEK FEST

John Kopatsis

PHILOPTOHOS V.I.P.

Mary Morrison, President

SAINT SOPHIA CAMP

Melanie O’Regan

Kathleen Kyriacou

Perry Skaggs

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Eleni Yokas

YOUTH

V. Rev. Father John S. Bakas

ADMINISTRATIVE AND CUSTODIAL STAFF

John Kopatsis, Executive Director

Jessica Benitez, Admin. Assist. , Susan Kang, Accountant, Mauricio Mira, Josefina Jijon,

Rosalba Villasenor

Staff

March 2021 Page 6

PHILOPTOCHOS

ELECTION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: This is an ELECTION year for the Board of Directors. Please see the notice in

the bulletin should you wish to run! We will be sending ballots out in the mail to eligible members. A return envelope will be

enclosed so you may easily return the ballot. We will be mailing out the ballots on May 1. Stay tuned for further details as this

process continues to be worked out.

Anyone wishing to run for the Board of Directors needs to send a note to Virginia no later than April 12 in order to be placed on

the ballot! Use email: Ginoyes@aol.com to state your intent to run for the Board. If you do not let us know by April 12 you

will not be on the ballot.

MOTHER’S DAY: Our Mother’s Day plans are going to move to Orange County because we cannot be sure the City of Los

Angeles will let us have our event without cancelling it. We will be honoring JUDITH CHRISTOPOULOS, our Mother of the

Year. The details are currently being worked out. We are planning a lovely event and will let you know as soon as plans are

finalized. Hopefully by summer many people will have received a Covid vaccine and things will start to improve! Please join us

and have some fun outside as we honor Judie! More details will be coming next month.

DEBUTANTE BALL 2021: The Debutante Ball has been rescheduled to Friday, September 3, 2021 at the Beverly Wilshire

Hotel. Chairman Patricia Mentas has been working to plan the dates for spring and summer events. This will be a wonderful

event. Save the date and please join us as we present these lovely young ladies.

MEMBERSHIP 2021: Our membership drive as started! The mailings are out from our membership chairman Maria Toczek.

Membership is important not only to our chapter but also to the Metropolis and National Boards. Maybe you would like to join

one of the committees for an upcoming event. PLEASE join us and bring some new ideas to Philoptochos. We’d love to meet

you.

Virginia Noyes and the Board of Directors

MEMORIALS

March 7

Ted Maniatakos (40 days)

Sally Dussin (40 days)

Martha Tavoularis Callas (1 year)

Mary Poloynis (40 days)

John Mouzakis

March 14

Ted Pastras (8 years)

Francie Doumakes Scofield (6 years)

Effie Doumakes (8 years)

Katherine Drulias Roumeliotis (14 years)

Dean Roumeliotis (22 years)

John Doumakes (29 years)

March 21

James Karatsikis

March 2021 Page 7

March 2021 Page 8

LENTEN SCHEDULE LENTEN SCHEDULE

March 2021 Page 9

Saint Sophia Cathedral Community Service Project

‘Homeless Clothing Drive’

With the blessing of Father John, beginning March 1, 2021 we are reaching out to our Saint Sophia Parishioners to

support our neighboring homeless of Los Angeles.

Items of Collections:

Male White Cotton T-shirts – Sizes Large and Extra Large

Male and Female White Cotton Undergarments – Sizes Lage and Extra Large

Adult White Cotton Socks

Toothbrushes

Toothpaste

Drop Off Details:

Please drop off all items at the Saint Sophia Main entrance gate and give to the security officer or representative on patrol.

Once received they will forward the items to John Kopatsis.

Thank you to everyone for your incredible gift of love!!!

CLOTHING DRIVE

Saint Sophia Cathedral Speaks:

Come Receive The Light

We can “elect” to join Fr. John Bakas for a 15-minute study of New Testament Scripture every Tuesday at 7 pm. Stay tune on Saint Sophia's Facebook and YouTube page.

https://www.facebook.com/StSophiaLA https://www.youtube.com/c/StsophiaOrg

Looking for the audio podcast for your daily drive. Come Receive the Light?

Find it here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1399909

March 2021 Page 10

March 2021 Page 11

March 2021

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2

3

4 5 6 1st Saturday of

Souls 9:00 am Orthros

10:00 Divine Liturgy

7

Judgment Sunday

8:30 am Orthros

9:45 am Memorials

10:00 am Divine

Liturgy

8

9

Bible Studies Class

11 am

10 11 12 13

2nd Saturday of Souls

9:00 am Orthros

10:00 Divine Liturgy

14

Forgiveness

Sunday 8:30 am Orthros 9:45 am Memorials 10:00 am Divine Liturgy

15

Clean Monday

10:00 am

Compline Service

16

Bible Studies Class

11 am

17

Presanctified Liturgy

7 pm

18

19

Presanctified

Liturgy 9:00 am

Salutations of the

Theotokos

7 pm

20

3rd Saturday of

Souls 9:00 am Orthros

10:00 Divine Liturgy

21

Sunday of Orthodox

8:30 am Orthros 9:45 am Memorials 10:00 am Divine Liturgy

22 23

Bible Studies Class

11 am

24

Great Vespers for the Annunciation

7 pm

25

Feast of the

Annunciation

9 am Orthros

10 am Divine

Liturgy

26

Presanctified Liturgy

9 am

Salutations to the Theotokos

7 pm

27

28

Sunday of St. Gregory

Palamas 8:30 am Orthros 9:45 am Memorials 10:00 am Divine Liturgy Studies

29

30

Bible Studies Class

11 am

31

Presanctified Liturgy

9 am

Strict Fast Fish Allowed Wine and Oil

Allowed

Dairy, Eggs,

and Fish

Allowed

Fast Free

March 2021 Page 12

Saint Sophia Greek Cathedral

Greek Orthodox Community

1324 South Normandie Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90006

Phone

323 737 2424

E-mail

office@saintsophia.org

We’re on the Web!

www.saintsophia.org

Place address label here