this issue BOX & SPOON - January 2011 MONTHLY

Letter from Fr. Mark

January
2011
Newsletter for Stewards of Holy Anargyroi
Sts. Kosmas & Damianos Greek Orthodox Church Box & Spoon
Liturgical/Organization Calendar for January 2011

Philoxenia News

Youth Team

The Church is a Therapeutic Center - Part 1

Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis

Agiasmos Service / The Great Blessing of Water

Philoptochos News

Christmas Pageant

The Sermon on the Mount - Part 3

Rev. George Mastrantonis

Festival of Tables: Saturday, February 19th

Parish Council
“Brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant about those who have
The Feast of the Three Great Hierarchs: fallen asleep, so that you will not grieve like those who have no hope.”
St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian,
and St. John Chrysostom – 1 Thess. 4:13

For many of us the close of 2010 was met with a profound and inevitable sadness and loss as our
dear friend and brother Antoni succumbed to the insidious disease that he confronted and battled
so valiantly for months. My hands are literally trembling as I type; so raw, immediate, and over-
whelming are the emotions that we, and most especially Antoni‘s family, are experiencing. Our
lives have been transformed and beautifully morphed through the didactic presence of a young
man whose tenacity and love for life was only rivaled by his undying sense of humor and conta-
gious smile. A paradoxical paradigm of life imbued to the absolute fullest sense all the while
staring into the face of death. Antoni‘s memory will indeed be eternal and we who remain (for
the time being) must manage our profound sense of sorrow and grief using the therapeutic meth-
odology of Orthodoxy: authentic grief permeated by hope.

The quote cited above is taken from the epistle reading that is chanted at every Orthodox funeral
service and many of us are familiar with the message St. Paul delivered to the Church in Thessa-
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED loniki nearly 2,000 years ago. There are two crucial points that I would like to highlight and of-
fer for contemplation for all of us who are suffering the loss of Antoni, or any other friend or
holyanargyroi@gmail.com
relative. First and foremost, St. Paul does not say ―do not grieve‖; he is by no means condemn-
ing or undermining the natural and innate human response to the loss of a loved one. I remem-
http://www.holyanargyroi.org
(507) 282-1253 fax
(507) 282-1529 phone ber my great-grandmother, who buried all but two of her children, refusing to show any kind of
Permit No. 278
Rochester, MN 55902 public or private expression of grief. She was raised to be an impenetrable rock-of-a-woman; to
show grief was considered a sign of weakness and a frail disposition..
Rochester, MN
U.S. Postage Paid 703 West Center Street
Non-Profit Org. Greek Orthodox Church
Holy Anargyroi/Sts. Kosmas & Damianos <<continued on page 3>>
The Feast of the Holy Theophany of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ January 6th, 2011 Lord, when You were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest.

2011 Standing Committees

PARISH COUNCIL
Tim Kelly - President
Liturgical and Organizational Calendar Parish Council
Johnny Mangouras - Vice President
Andru Peters - Secretary January 2011 Dear Fellow Parishioners,
Dan Jerghiuțǎ - Treasurer A reminder of who were the members of your parish council for the 2010 year: Tim Kelly, President; Johnny Mangouras,
Diana Orbelo
Tia Maragos Monday January 3rd Philoxenia Meeting 5pm Vice President; Dan Jerghiuta, Treasurer; Andru Peters, Secretary; Ionel Dumitrascu; Nick Maragos; Diana Orbelo; Tia
Nick Maragos Maragos; and Halina Woroncow.
Halina Woroncow Monday January 3rd Adult Religious Education 6pm
Ionel Dumitrascu
Wednesday January 5th STRICT FAST DAY Ionel Dumitrascu has chosen not to run for re-election to the council for the next term. We thank him for his contributions to
STEWARDSHIP the business of the church and for his wisdom and love of the church over the past years of his service. Your new parish
John Maragos – Chair Wednesday January 5th Eve of Theophany: council members will be announced in January after approval by the Metropolis.
Ari Kolas Vesperal Liturgy with Blessing of the Waters 8:30am
Johnny Mangouras
Mark Smith (Megas Agiasmos) Thank you for your participation in the successful parish council elections in December. Please remember that if you volun-
teer for next year‘s election committee you are responsible as a group for the soliciting of potential candidates, the generation
OUTREACH Thursday January 6th Holy Theophany:
of the ballots, the generation of the ―members in good standing‖ register for the parish to sign on the day of the election, and
Diana Orbelo Orthros & Liturgy & Blessing of the Waters 8:30am the counting of the ballots on that same day.
Halina Woroncow (Megas Agiasmos)
ICONOGRAPHY Saturday January 8th Great Vespers 6pm The audit committee will begin their business in January this year. Please thank John Maragos, Mark Smith, and Aaron
Diana Orbelo – Chair Biederman for volunteer for this very important task, and for the efforts of Jackie Barbes and Dan Jerghiuta and other com-
Tia Maragos Monday January 10th Adult Religious Education 6pm
Andru Peters mittee treasurers who participate in this effort.
Fr. Mark Muñoz Monday January 10th Building Committee Meeting 7pm
Our stewardship of the church in 2010 has grown in many ways and I look forward to a wonderful 2011. We will have a
BUILDING Saturday January 15th Great Vespers 6pm
Dr. Nick Maragos – Chair
budget report available at our next parish assembly. Overall, with holding expenses down and growing the stewardship com-
Ari Kolas– Treasurer Sunday January 16th GOYA outing after Liturgy - see mailing mitments from our parish we are progressing towards less of a reliance on the Greek Festival to support our operating budget.
Our goal for 2011 is to commit 5% of the Greek Festival proceeds to another vital function of the church‘s needs.
BUDGET Monday January 17th Adult Religious Education 6pm
Dan Jerghiuțǎ – Chair
Johnny Mangouras Thank you,
Wednesday January 19th St. Mark of Ephesus Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:30am
Fr. Mark Muñoz Tim Kelly
Confessor & Pillar of Orthodoxy Parish Council President
AUDIT
Aaron Biedermann Wednesday January 19th Parish Council Meeting 7pm
Mark Smith
John Maragos Saturday January 22nd Great Vespers 6pm
ELECTION BOARD
Presbytera Michelle
Chris Brekke
Monday
Saturday
January 24th Adult Religious Education
January 29th Great Vespers
6pm
6pm
The Feast of the Three Great Hierarchs
Chamaidi Belanger Saint Basil the Great, Saint Gregory the Theologian, and Saint John Chrysostom
Monday January 31st Adult Religious Education 6pm
PHILOXENIA HOUSE

Respectful Worship January 30th

Chamaidi Belanger– Chair
Beth Lechner – Treasurer
GREEK FESTIVAL
Dan Jerghiuțǎ – Chair
Steve Kereakos – Treasurer
Lorenda Jerghiuțǎ – Silent auction
Joe Ferrer – Set-up/Teardown
Tim Kelly – Outdoor Cooks
Johnny Mangouras – Marketing
Ari Kolas – Marketing
Penny Kolas – Pastries
Maria Thomas – Pastries
Denise Mangouras – Pastries
Presbytera Michelle – Volunteers
Martha Voytovich – Market place
Andru Peters – Beverages
Mike Brekke – Beer Garden
Larissa Osfeld – Children Area
Mrs. Mangouras – Inside Kitchen
There are several parts of the service during which no one should be moving about. Wherev-
er a person happens to be at these moments, he or she should stop and stand reverently until
the proper time. These parts of the service are:
1. Procession of the Priest and Altar Boys with the Gospel;
2. The reading of the Gospel;
3. The Cherubic Hymn and the Great Procession of the Priest and Altar Boys with the Holy
Gifts;;
4. The recitation of the Nicene Creed (in which the entire congregation should participate);
5. The prayers of offering ―Take, eat...‖ and the prayers of the consecration of the Holy Gifts;
6. The Sermon;
7. Any special services (memorial services, processions).
One basic rule to follow is that, whenever the Priest is facing the people or outside of the al-
tar, either with the censer or giving the blessing, everyone should stand wherever they are.
The three Hierarchs—an earthly trinity as they are called in some of the wonder-
ful troparia of their service—have taught us in their writings and equally by their
lives, to worship and to glorify the Holy Trinity, the One God in three Persons.
These three luminaries of the Church have shed the light of the true Faith all
over the world, scorning dangers and persecutions, and they have left us, their
descendants, this sacred inheritance by which we too can attain to utmost bless-
edness and everlasting life in the presence of God and of all the Saints.
Apolytikion
The three most great luminaries of the Three-Sun Divinity have illumined all of
the world with the rays of doctrines divine and true; they are the sweetly-flowing
rivers of wisdom, who with godly knowledge have watered all creation in clear
and mighty streams: The great and sacred Basil, and the Theologian, wise Greg-
ory, together with the renowned John, the famed Chrysostom of golden speech.
Let us all who love their divinely-wise words come together, honoring them with
hymns; for ceaselessly they offer entreaty for us to the Trinity.
The Feast of the Holy Theophany of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ January 6th, 2011
Festival of Tables 2011
Saturday, February 19th
6pm social hour, 7pm dinner
75 dollars per person
Gourmet dinner prepared by our very own celebrity chef, Johnny Mangouras, that
highlights the five main ethnic groups of our parish: American, Ethiopian, Greek, Ro-
manian and Russian. Bar provided by Ari Kolas and Apollo Liquors. Our own
GOYANS, assisted by Mike Brekke, once again will be the enthusiastic wait staff.
It is a wonderful evening that is unforgettable and a fantastic way to celebrate our
community.
Proceeds to be divided between Hoppe Family Missions, and our own Philoxenia
Houses. Reservations are required.
To secure your reservation please contact Calli Kelly at callikelly@pitel or 356-2203.
Please also contact Calli regarding volunteering for this event or hosting a table.
Lord, when You were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest.
Letter from Fr. Mark
<<continued from page 1>>
Our faith, on the other hand, not only allows for the expression of grief but encour-
ages it! In revealing our pain and suffering we are simultaneously witnessing our
love and tenderness towards the person who has fallen asleep and it‘s a testimony
to their role in our life. Grief is a catalyst for spiritual and emotional healing; a pro-
cess through which we are able to assimilate and manage the new reality that faces
us. The Wisdom of Sirach (38:16, 18) instructs us, ―My child, shed tears over the
dead, lament for the dead to show your sorrow…and then be comforted in your
sorrow; for a grief-stricken heart loses all energy.” Without its manifestation de-
bilitating temptations and emotions can invade our persona, specifically denial and
hopelessness, which brings me to the second point.
St. Paul tempers his allowance for grief by wedding it inseparably to the
Christian virtue of hope. He does not espouse an expression of grief that
is utterly melodramatic in its misery, inconsolability, and despair. For
truly, ―mourning for the dead lasts seven days, for the foolish and un-
godly all the days of their lives” (Sirach 22:12); there exists a great dan-
ger in perpetuating a grief that is bereft of hope. As Christians we are
not ‗ignorant‘ of the reality of death and its ultimate and definitive de-
mise through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We believe and love the
One who ‗destroyed death by death‘ and precisely for this reason Pascha
is the Feast of Feasts and highlight of our liturgical calendar.
When confronted with death we must strive to maintain the middle path and not allow ourselves to be diverted to the
right or to the left. We should not deny ourselves the ‗right‘ to feel and experience emotions that are not only natural
but are actually a necessary component of the healing process. Yet, those emotions must always be built upon the
unshakable foundation of hope. Hope in what?...we might ask. Hope in the utter futility and transient nature of
death, hope in the loving embrace of God ―who shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more
death, neither sorrow, nor crying…‖ (Rev. 21:4), hope that not even the separation at death can dissolve the inde-
structible bonds of love, hope that one day ―we will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air
and remain with Him forever”(1 Thess. 4:17).
Grieve, beloved.
But do so with hope…one day we shall em-
brace one another again, never to be separated.
Ανηώνι μας, καλό ηαξίδι και θα ηα πούμε
ζύνηομα.
+Fr. Mark
The Feast of the Holy Theophany of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ January 6th, 2011
It is with great remorse and sadness that I relate, per family's request, Antoni's falling asleep in the Lord the day after
Christmas. Antoni and his family have been with us from Kalymnos, Greece for over 10 months as he battled a very
aggressive cancer. We grew to love him, and his family, and his loss is reverberating through our parish family.
Please offer prayers for the repose of Antoni's beautiful soul and for his family: George, Nomiki, and Ypapanti who
need our support.
In Christ,
+Fr Mark
I stood timidly at the Philoxenia house waiting for the door to open. When it did, I came face to face with a tall, hand-
some young man with piercing dark eyes full of wonder, intelligence and intensity. His kindness, and smile disarmed
me. In the months that followed undergoing treatments at the Mayo Clinic, Antonis showed patience, perseverance,
faith in God's love and mercy, and hope. Knowing Antonis has enriched our lives here in this small community. He
was a true levendis, a brave young man who faced his illness with dignity and courage. A young man not only with
physical beauty, but also with an emotional and spiritual beauty.
Love, in the shape of a star rolled down from the heavens to earth, illuminated everyone and everything it touched, and
then it was gone.
Chamaidi Belanger
Philoxenia House President
Lord, when You were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest.
The Sermon On The Mount
PART 3: continued
Rev. George Mastrantonis
SALT AND LIGHT, 5:13-16
" e are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be
Y
trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel,
but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let you light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify
your Father which is in heaven."
Four terms are used to illustrate the Christian character: salt, light, lamp, and lamp-stand. Salt was used by the Jewish people to
sprinkle on oil to give brightness to the lamps. Salt also was used to purify and preserve food. Jesus Christ used these illustra-
tions to show the function of the Christian character, to give brightness to life and to preserve society from the forces of decay.
The lamp and lamp-stand were used as an illustration for everyday life of the Jewish people. The significance is that the disci-
ples of Christ and all Christians are obliged to present the light of the Gospel to the world. Jesus named Himself the Light to
illuminate the Apostles and disciples as they present the Light of the Gospel to the world, shining before man to show God's
good works and to guide man in glorifying the True God.
THE FULFILLMENT OF THE ANCIENT LAW, 5:17-48
The Attitude of Jesus Toward the Law, 5:17-20
" hink not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass,
T
one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall
teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom
of heaven. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the
kingdom of heaven."
The law of the Old Testament was inspired by God through the prophets in order to guide the people to accomplish the Will of
God. Jesus Christ was not to abolish the old law, but to fulfill it and to give it the right interpretation. The fulfillment of the law
was attained not only through the new interpretation of the intention of the believers, but especially through the Person of Jesus
Christ as Savior in all ages. The old law - the Old Testament in general - is the "custodian" to Christ. What the Old Testament
needs is a new interpretation in the light of the teaching of the New Testament and in the function of Jesus for the attainment of
salvation. The disciples of Christ should teach the law and practice it in order to be worthy of their mission. It is necessary to
add the Christian view to the righteousness of scribes and pharisees, showing that they should sacrifice much of their pleasures
and riches in order to win believers in Christ. The new interpretation of the Law is "destined to set Christianity free from Juda-
ism" (F. C. Grant).
The Law On Murder, 5:21-22
" e have heard that it was said by them of old time, 'Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement.' But I say unto you
Y
that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement; and whosoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca', shall be in
danger of the council; but whosoever shall say, 'Thou fool', shall be in danger of hell-fire."
The new interpretation of the law is not merely to correct the wrongdoer, but more to prevent him even from thinking of doing
wrong. It is the evil thought and intention which is sin, and which needs cure. It is not only the killer who violates the law, but
the person who intends to kill, or who is angry with his brother also violates the new meaning given the law by Jesus Christ.
Even words which insult another person are considered a violation of the new interpretation of the Gospel (see the examples of
Jesus' revision and reinterpretation of the Law).
Reconciliation With Friends, 5:23-24 and Enemies, 5:25-26
" herefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother halt aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy
T
way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him, lest at any
time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no
means come out thence, till thou has paid the uttermost farthing."
Throughout the New Testament, the right relation of one man to another is stressed and guided not only in its external function
but especially from within the heart and mind of the Christian. Any degree of hostility, any hidden thought of envy would be
the great separator between the believer and God. The Christian should learn that with the grace of God he should build more
bridges of communication with his neighbor, rather than construct fences of protection. A Christian is not expected to be a
saint without mar of sin, but he is one who is struggling with himself to avoid the violations of God's Will and striving to over-
flow with the quality of Christian love which is attainable by sacrifice of pleasures, pride and riches. The Christian has no ene-
mies; does not seek revenge; does not stop praying for people whose hearts are not yet cultivated and watered by the grace of
God. Continued in the February Edition
The Feast of the Holy Theophany of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ January 6th, 2011 Lord, when You were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest.

Philoptochos News
Happy New Year!

On January 2nd, we will be passing a tray to collect donations for St Basil‘s Academy. St Basil‘s is an orphanage that Philoptochos Our Sunday School families were "Santa's Helpers" again this year and collected and sent off 2 large boxes of shirts, toys,
has been a big part of for many years. and electronics for the children of St. Innocent Orphanage to start our month. Their generosity and readiness to help with
the drive was amazing! The boys at the orphanage will open these gifts with wide-eyed excitement and appreciation.
Our next meeting is to be determined. Unfortunately, Sundays have too many activities. GOYA ventured up to the Mall Of America to take in the holiday color and do some Christmas shopping early in Decem-
I will let everyone know when we will have the opportunity to meet again. ber.
MALL OF AMERICA
Denise Mangouras
Philoptochos President

Christmas Pageant
JOY and GOYA once again led a group of carolers from Holy Anargyroi to sing for patients at St. Mary's Hospital and
for the residents of Shorewood Senior Center. The Christmas cheer was evident as we brought smiles to the faces of the
nurses and patients and folks joined in the singing. We finished up with our traditional gift exchange and pizza at Godfa-
thers.
CAROLING

We wish everyone a most blessed Feast of the Nativity and a bright New Year!
The Feast of the Holy Theophany of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ January 6th, 2011
The Church is a Therapeutic Center
by Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis
=
The Church is a Hospital
Orthodox people view the Church as a spiritual hospital, a clinic, a hospice, a therapeutic center, and a fitness center—all com-
bined in one! The aim of the treatment is to provide spiritual cure, maintain wellness for its patients (faithful members) and lead
them to eternal life!
The cure we obtain in the Church is not for the benefit of our souls alone—it does not pertain only to the future life. It includes
our bodies and our life here on earth. In fact it is the most complete program, addressing all our needs—spiritual, emotional, mate-
rial and intellectual.
The Church takes a broken human life and restores it in all its dimensions, renews it, transforms it, sanctifies it and enriches its
interpersonal relationships, bringing the human being to a fuller communion with society and nature, and ultimately unites it with
God.
The main task of the Church and her ministers (bishops, priests, elders) is to make us well (make us like Christ). Unfortunately,
the great majority of the people are not even aware of this truth, and therefore are not taking advantage of the spiritual treatment
provided by the Church. The result is that we do not get well and we die in our sin (cf. John 8:21-24).
Christ is the Physician
The Lord taught us this teaching in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:25-37). Man, through the devil's deception, made
the wrong choice and fell among thieves, that is, the devil and the hostile powers, and left half dead. Christ found the human being
lying down infirm, wounded by his passions and by the deceit of the devil, He picked him up, restored him with His Holy Spirit
and the holy sacraments, and carried him to the inn (His holy Church), to be fully healed through the care of the innkeeper (priest)
(This analysis is provided by St. John Chrysostom, P.G. 62, 755-57; cf. I. Vlahos, Orthodox Psychotherapy, 25-26).
Christ referred to Himself as a physician, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick" (Mt. 9:12)–
the sick being the sinners. The Church refers to Christ as "the Physician of our souls and bodies." And in the prayer to the Holy
Trinity we say, "Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities."
Theology is the knowledge we acquire on how to get well. We get to know what it means to be well, what are the various illness-
es, how cure is achieved, what diet we are to follow, what exercises to do, etc. Obviously theology does not make us well. Putting
into practice what we learn will make us well.
The Patient
Basically there are two categories of Christians: "Those who are well", and "those who are sick". Those who are well are the
saints. Among the sick there are those who are cognizant of their sickness and undergo therapy, and those who are unaware of
their sickness or choose not to undergo therapy. So the Church's work is therapeutic in nature. Christianity (i.e. the Church)
should be viewed more as a medical science--closer to psychiatry--than as a religion (Fr. Ioannis Romanidis, quoted by I. Vlahos,
o.c., p. 27).
As with our physical illness so it is with our spiritual illness: the first step toward wellness is to have a thorough checkup. We
should educate ourselves about the various illnesses and how a cure is achieved, what diet we are to follow, what exercises to do,
etc.
Before we seek cure we must know that we are sick. Sometimes a sickness is obvious, but other times it is not. That is why regu-
lar check ups are recommended in order to discover any problems early and address them with a greater chance of success. Unlike
our physical health, which may be good at birth and continue to be good for many years, our spiritual life is infected at conception
with the disease of our progenitors, Adam and Eve.
Continued in the February Edition
Lord, when You were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest.
Agiasmos Service
The Great Blessing of Water is held on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany and on the day itself, following the Divine
Liturgy. The Blessing not only remembers the event of Our Lord's baptism and the revelation of the Holy Trinity but
also expresses Orthodoxy's belief that creation is sanctified through Christ. The Blessing affirms that humanity and the
created world, of which we are a part, were created to be filled with the sanctifying presence of God. After the solemn
blessing, the Holy Water is distributed to the faithful and is used to bless homes during the Epiphany season. When the
faithful drink the "Epiphany Water," we are reminded of our own baptism. When the Church blesses an individual, or
object, or event with the water, we are affirming that those baptized, their surroundings, and their responsibilities are
sanctified through Christ and brought into the Kingdom of the Father through the Spirit. In addition to the Great Bless-
ing of Water, there is a Lesser Blessing of Water service which can take place at anytime. Usually, it is celebrated
when a home is blessed, on the first day of the month, the beginning of the school year, and beginning of new respon-
sibilities.
Getting Ready
Christ, by entering the Jordan, sanctified it, and with it all creation. Mate-
rial creation once again became "very good" as it was in the beginning.
The central sign of God's sanctification of all things through the feast of
Theophany is the act of blessing the homes of faithful Christians. The
priest visits all members of the Church to pray with them in the place
where they live, and to bless their surroundings with Holy Water. He asks
God to have mercy on the house, to rid it of every evil and to fill it with
every blessing. Thus the house itself, together with the living persons of
the family, is "filled with all the fullness of God". To prepare for the
priest's visit to bless your home:
÷ Make a list of the first names of those family members you wish to pray
for when the priest arrives, with the living and the deceased in separate
columns.
÷ On your dining room table or family altar, place a lighted candle, a The-
ophany icon or icon of Christ, a wide bowl (to hold the holy water the
priest will bring) and a sprig of Basil. Be sure your prayer list is there,
too!
÷ Turn off all TVs, stereos, and computers.
÷ Turn on a light in each room, so the priest can see where he is going.
÷ Secure any pets that might jump up on the priest or family, or "get underfoot" as you move from room to room. (Pets
may be blessed, too!)
Everyone in the house when the priest arrives should gather around the table/family alter and join in the singing of the
litany responses and Troparion. The children may lead the priest around the house with a lit candle, if he permits.
Troparion (tone 1): ―When You, O Lord were baptized in the Jordan; The worship of the Trinity was made manifest; For the
voice of the Father bore witness to You; And called You His beloved Son. And the Spirit, in the form of a dove; Confirmed the
truthfulness of His word. O Christ, our God, You have revealed Yourself; And have enlightened the world, glory to You!‖