Category: Pastoral Letters

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I’d like to call your attention to an article that recently ran in the Sandy City Journal. I invite you to read it and become keenly aware of the impact our “Blue Bin” has had on our local community, and our parish. Please let this piece stand as an inspiration and a reminder to all of us, how important it is keeping that bin full and bringing food items to church each time we enter our building. The nutritional needs of our local community are not diminishing, but rather increasing. May we never be aloof or indifferent to the sufferings just outside of our doors. And by the way, thank you, THANK YOU, for your generosity and sustained participation in our food support ministry. I am grateful that St. Anna’s is gaining the reputation of a solid, civic partner.

https://www.sandyjournal.com/2023/08/11/446167/local-church-helps-sustain-meals-for-diamond-ridge-and-entrada-schools

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For the past couple weeks, we have enjoyed lovely Paraklesis services out on our south patio. It has become a lovely tradition at St. Anna’s to lift up the Mother of God in these sacred days of the Dormition Fast on the grounds of the church. And as we’ve been sharing for the past few weeks, we will celebrate the Feast of the Dormition on Tuesday morning outside in the same area. Orthros will begin at 8:00 am followed by the Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am. We’ll find the shady spots out in the garden area so as not to interrupt construction efforts in any way.

The feast of the Dormition or Falling-asleep of the Theotokos is celebrated on the fifteenth of August, preceded by the aforementioned two-week fast. This feast, which is also sometimes called the Assumption, commemorates the death, resurrection and glorification of Christ’s mother. It proclaims that Mary has been “assumed” by God into the heavenly kingdom of Christ in the fullness of her spiritual and bodily existence. (Great Vespers will be celebrated at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Price, Utah on Monday, August 14th at 6:00 pm).

As with the nativity of the Virgin and the feast of her entrance to the temple, there are no biblical or historical sources for this feast. The Tradition of the Church is that Mary died as all people die, not “voluntarily” as her Son, but by the necessity of her mortal human nature which is indivisibly bound up with the corruption of this world.

The Orthodox Church teaches that Mary is without personal sins. In the Gospel of the feast, however, in the liturgical services and in the Dormition icon, the Church proclaims as well that Mary truly needed to be saved by Christ as all human persons are saved from the trials, sufferings and death of this world; and that having truly died, she was raised up by her Son as the Mother of Life and participates already in the eternal life of paradise which is prepared and promised to all who “hear the word of God and keep it” (Lk11.27–28)

In giving birth, you preserved your virginity. In falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos. You were translated to life, O Mother of Life, and by your prayers, you deliver our souls from death.

Troparion

Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos, who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. For being the Mother of Life, she was translated to life, by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb.

Kontakion

The services of the feast repeat the main theme, that the Mother of Life has “passed over into the heavenly joy, into the divine gladness and unending delight” of the Kingdom of her Son (Vesperal hymn). The Old Testament readings, as well as the gospel readings for the Vigil and the Divine Liturgy, are exactly the same as those for the feast of the Virgin’s nativity and her entrance into the Temple. Thus, at the Vigil we again hear Mary say: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour” (Lk 1.47). At the Divine Liturgy we hear the letter to the Philippians where Saint Paul speaks of the self-emptying of Christ who condescends to human servitude and ignoble death in order to be “highly exalted by God his Father” (Phil 2.5–11). And once again we hear in the Gospel that Mary’s blessedness belongs to all who “hear the word of God and keep it” (Lk 11.27–28).

Thus, the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos is the celebration of the fact that all men are “highly exalted” in the blessedness of the victorious Christ, and that this high exaltation has already been accomplished in Mary the Theotokos. The feast of the Dormition is the sign, the guarantee, and the celebration that Mary’s fate is, the destiny of all those of “low estate” whose souls magnify the Lord, whose spirits rejoice in God the Saviour, whose lives are totally dedicated to hearing and keeping the Word of God which is given to men in Mary’s child, the Saviour and Redeemer of the world.

Finally, it must be stressed that, in all of the feasts of the Virgin Mother of God in the Church, the Orthodox Christians celebrate facts of their own lives in Christ and the Holy Spirit. What happens to Mary happens to all who imitate her holy life of humility, obedience, and love. With her all people will be “blessed” to be “more honorable than the cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim” if they follow her example. All will have Christ born in them by the Holy Spirit. All will become temples of the living God. All will share in the eternal life of His Kingdom who live the life that Mary lived.In this sense everything that is praised and glorified in Mary is a sign of what is offered to all persons in the life of the Church. It is for this reason that Mary, with the divine child Jesus within her, is called in the Orthodox Tradition the Image of the Church. For the assembly of the saved is those in whom Christ dwells. (OCA)

With Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony Savas

Protopresbyter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Good Evening.

Tomorrow is the Great Feast of the Transfiguration on Christ. 

Please enjoy this Discourse on the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ of Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica

For an explanation of the present Feast and understanding of its truth, it is necessary for us to turn to the very start of today’s reading from the Gospel: “Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, and led them up onto a high mountain by themselves” (Mt.17:1).

First of all we must ask, from whence does the Evangelist Matthew begin to reckon with six days? From what sort of day is it? What does the preceding turn of speech indicate, where the Savior, in teaching His disciples, said to them: “For the Son of Man shall come with his angels in the glory of His Father,” and further: “Amen I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death, until they have seen the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom” (Mt.16:27-28)? That is to say, it is the Light of His own forthcoming Transfiguration which He terms the Glory of His Father and of His Kingdom.

The Evangelist Luke points this out and reveals this more clearly saying: “Now it came to pass about eight days after these words, that He took Peter and John and James, and went up the mountain to pray. And as He prayed, His countenance was altered, and His raiment became a radiant white” (Luke 9:28-29). But how can the two be reconciled, when one of them speaks definitively about the interval of time as being eight days between the sayings and the manifestation, whereas the other (says): “after six days?”

There were eight on the mountain, but only six were visible. Three, Peter, James and John, had come up with Jesus, and they saw Moses and Elias standing there and conversing with Him, so altogether there were six of them. However, the Father and the Holy Spirit were invisibly with the Lord: the Father, with His Voice testifying that this was His Beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit shining forth with Him in the radiant cloud. Thus, the six are actually eight, and there is no contradiction regarding the eight. Similarly, there is no contradiction with the Evangelists when one says “after six days,” and the other says “eight days after these words.”

But these twofold sayings as it were present is a certain format set in mystery, and together with it that of those actually present upon the Mount. It stands to reason, and everyone rationally studying in accordance with Scripture knows that the Evangelists are in agreement one with another. Luke spoke of eight days without contradicting Matthew, who declared “after six days.” There is not another day added on to represent the day on which these sayings were uttered, nor is the day on which the Lord was transfigured added on (which a rational person might reasonably imagine to be added to the days of Matthew).

The Evangelist Luke does not say “after eight days” (like the Evangelist Matthew says “after six days”), but rather “it came to pass eight days after these words.” But where the Evangelists seem to contradict one another, they actually point out to us something great and mysterious. In actual fact, why did the one say “after six days,” but the other, in ignoring the seventh day, have in mind the eighth day? It is because the great vision of the Light of the Transfiguration of the Lord is the mystery of the Eighth Day, i.e., of the future age, coming to be revealed after the passing away of the world created in six days.

About the power of the Divine Spirit, through Whom the Kingdom of God is to be revealed, the Lord predicted: “There are some standing here who shall not taste death, until they have seen the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom” (Mt.16:28). Everywhere and in every way the King will be present, and everywhere will be His Kingdom, since the advent of His Kingdom does not signify the passing over from one place to another, but rather the revelation of its power of the Divine Spirit. That is why it is said: “come in power.” And this power is not manifest to simply ordinary people, but to those standing with the Lord, that is to say, those who have affirmed their faith in Him like Peter, James and John, and especially those who are free of our natural abasement. Therefore, and precisely because of this, God manifests Himself upon the Mount, on the one hand coming down from His heights, and on the other, raising us up from the depths of abasement, since the Transcendent One takes on mortal nature. Certainly, such a manifest appearance by far transcends the utmost limits of the mind’s grasp, as effectualized by the power of the Divine Spirit.

Thus, the Light of the Transfiguration of the Lord is not something that comes to be and then vanishes, nor is it subject to the sensory faculties, although it was contemplated by corporeal eyes for a short while upon an inconsequential mountaintop. But the initiates of the Mystery, (the disciples) of the Lord at this time passed beyond mere flesh into spirit through a transformation of their senses, effectualized within them by the Spirit, and in such a way that they beheld what, and to what extent, the Divine Spirit had wrought blessedness in them to behold the Ineffable Light.

Those not grasping this point have conjectured that the chosen from among the Apostles beheld the Light of the Transfiguration of the Lord by a sensual and creaturely faculty, and through this they attempt to reduce to a creaturely level (i.e., as something “created”) not only this Light, the Kingdom and the Glory of God, but also the Power of the Divine Spirit, through Whom it is meet for Divine Mysteries to be revealed. In all likelihood, such persons have not heeded the words of the Apostle Paul: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love Him. But to us God has revealed them through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God” (1 Cor.2:9-10).

So, with the onset of the Eighth Day, the Lord, taking Peter, James and John, went up on the Mount to pray. He always prayed alone, withdrawing from everyone, even from the Apostles themselves, as for example when with five loaves and two fish He fed the five thousand men, besides women and children (Mt.14:19-23). Or, taking with Him those who excelled others, as at the approach of His Saving Passion, when He said to the other disciples: “Sit here while I go over there and pray” (Mt.26:36). Then He took with Him Peter, James and John. But in our instance right here and now, having taken only these same three, the Lord led them up onto a high mountain by themselves and was transfigured before them, that is to say, before their very eyes.

“What does it mean to say: He was transfigured?” asks the Golden-Mouthed Theologian (Chrysostom). He answers this by saying: “It revealed something of His Divinity to them, as much and insofar as they were able to apprehend it, and it showed the indwelling of God within Him.” The Evangelist Luke says: “And as He prayed, His countenance was altered” (Luke 9:29); and from the Evangelist Matthew we read: “And His face shone as the sun” (Mt.17:2). But the Evangelist said this, not in the context that this Light be thought of as subsistent for the senses (let us put aside the blindness of mind of those who can conceive of nothing higher than what is known through the senses). Rather, it is to show that Christ God, for those living and contemplating by the Spirit, is the same as the sun is for those living in the flesh and contemplating by the senses. Therefore, some other Light for the knowing the Divinity is not necessary for those who are enriched by Divine gifts.

That same Inscrutable Light shone and was mysteriously manifest to the Apostles and the foremost of the Prophets at that moment, when (the Lord) was praying. This shows that what brought forth this blessed sight was prayer, and that the radiance occured and was manifest by uniting the mind with God, and that it is granted to all who, with constant exercise in efforts of virtue and prayer, strive with their mind towards God. True beauty, essentially, can be contemplated only with a purified mind. To gaze upon its luminance assumes a sort of participation in it, as though some bright ray etches itself upon the face.

Even the face of Moses was illumined by his association with God. Do you not know that Moses was transfigured when he went up the mountain, and there beheld the Glory of God? But he (Moses) did not effect this, but rather he underwent a transfiguration. However, our Lord Jesus Christ possessed that Light Himself. In this regard, actually, He did not need prayer for His flesh to radiate with the Divine Light; it was but to show from whence that Light descends upon the saints of God, and how to contemplate it. For it is written that even the saints “will shine forth like the sun” (Mt.13:43), which is to say, entirely permeated by Divine Light as they gaze upon Christ, divinely and inexpressibly shining forth His Radiance, issuing from His Divine Nature. On Mount Tabor it was manifest also in His Flesh, by reason of the Hypostatic Union (i.e., the union of the two perfect natures, divine and human, within the divine Person [Hypostasis] of Christ, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity). The Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon defined this Hypostatic union of Christ’s two natures, divine and human, as “without mingling, without change, without division, without separation.”

We believe that at the Transfiguration He manifested not some other sort of light, but only that which was concealed beneath His fleshly exterior. This Light was the Light of the Divine Nature, and as such, it was Uncreated and Divine. So also, in the teachings of the Fathers, Jesus Christ was transfigured on the Mount, not taking upon Himself something new nor being changed into something new, nor something which formerly He did not possess. Rather, it was to show His disciples that which He already was, opening their eyes and bringing them from blindness to sight. For do you not see that eyes that can perceive natural things would be blind to this Light?

Thus, this Light is not a light of the senses, and those contemplating it do not simply see with sensual eyes, but rather they are changed by the power of the Divine Spirit. They were transformed, and only in this way did they see the transformation taking place amidst the very assumption of our perishability, with the deification through union with the Word of God in place of this.

So also she who miraculously conceived and gave birth recognized that the One born of her is God Incarnate. So it was also for Simeon, who only received this Infant into his arms, and the aged Anna, coming out [from the Jerusalem Temple] for the Meeting, since the Divine Power illumined, as through a glass windowpane, giving light for those having pure eyes of heart.

And why did the Lord, before the beginning of the Transfiguration, choose the foremost of the Apostles and lead them up onto the Mount with Him? Certainly, it was to show them something great and mysterious. What is particularly great or mysterious in showing a sensory light, which not only the foremost, but all the other Apostles already abundantly possessed? Why would they need a transforming of their eyes by the power of the Holy Spirit for a contemplation of this Light, if it were merely sensory and created? How could the Glory and the Kingdom of the Father and the Holy Spirit project forth in some sort of sensory light? Indeed, in what sort of Glory and Kingdom would Christ the Lord come at the end of the ages, when there would not be necessary anything in the air, nor in expanse, nor anything similar, but when, in the words of the Apostle, “God will be all in all” (1 Cor.15: 28)? That is to say, will He alter everything for all? If so, then it follows that light is included.

Hence it is clear that the Light of Tabor was a Divine Light. And the Evangelist John, inspired by Divine Revelation, says clearly that the future eternal and enduring city “has no need of the sun or moon to shine upon it. For the Glory of God lights it up, and the Lamb will be its lamp” (Rev 21:23). Is it not clear, that he points out here that this [Lamb] is Jesus, Who is divinely transfigured now upon Tabor, and the flesh of Whom shines, is the lamp manifesting the Glory of divinity for those ascending the mountain with Him?

John the Theologian also says about the inhabitants of this city: “they will not need light from lamps, nor the light of the sun, for the Lord God will shed light upon them, and night shall be no more” (Rev 22:5). But how, we might ask, is there this other light, in which “there is no change, nor shadow of alteration” (Jas 1:17)? What light is there that is constant and unsetting, unless it be the Light of God? Moreover, could Moses and Elias (and particularly the former, who clearly was present only in spirit, and not in flesh [Elias having ascended bodily to Heaven on the fiery chariot]) be shining with any sort of sensory light, and be seen and known? Especially since it was written of them: “they appeared in glory, and spoke of his death, which he was about to fulfill at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:30-31). And how otherwise could the Apostles recognize those whom they had never seen before, unless through the mysterious power of the Divine Light, opening their mental eyes?

But let us not tire our attention with the furthermost interpretations of the words of the Gospel. We shall believe thus, as those same ones have taught us, who themselves were enlightened by the Lord Himself, insofar as they alone know this well: the Mysteries of God, in the words of a prophet, are known to God alone and His perpetual proximity. Let us, considering the Mystery of the Transfiguration of the Lord in accord with their teaching, strive to be illumined by this Light ourselves and encourage in ourselves love and striving towards the Unfading Glory and Beauty, purifying our spiritual eyes of worldly thoughts and refraining from perishable and quickly passing delights and beauty which darken the garb of the soul and lead to the fire of Gehenna and everlasting darkness. Let us be freed from these by the illumination and knowledge of the incorporeal and ever-existing Light of our Savior transfigured on Tabor, in His Glory, and of His Father from all eternity, and His Life-Creating Spirit, Whom are One Radiance, One Godhead, and Glory, and Kingdom, and Power now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

With Much Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

During the Month of July, especially toward the end, we have so many opportunities for spiritual blessings. Paramount among them, of course, is the Feast of St. Anna. Our Parish Name Day and the commemoration of her Falling Asleep in the Lord. Also, a great blessing to us is the Feast of St. Elias (in Greek), known as St. Elijah in the Old Testament on July 20th. The Holy Prophet Elijah is one of the greatest of the prophets. He was born in Tishba of Gilead into the Levite tribe 900 years before the Incarnation of the Word of God. And of course, it is the Name Day of our own, Fr. Elias Koucos, and our sister parish of Prophet Elias in Holladay, UT.

Saint Epiphanios of Cyprus gives the following account about the birth of the Prophet Elijah: “When Elijah was born, his father Sobach saw in a vision angels of God around him. They swaddled him with fire and fed him with flames.” The name Elijah (the Lord’s strength) given to the infant defined his whole life. From the years of his youth he dedicated himself to the One God, settled in the wilderness and spent his whole life in strict fasting, meditation and prayer. Called to prophetic service, which put him in conflict with the Israelite king Ahab, the prophet became a fiery zealot of true faith and piety.

During this time the Israelite nation had fallen away from the faith of their Fathers, they abandoned the One God and worshipped pagan idols, the worship of which was introduced by the impious king Jereboam. Jezebel, the wife of king Ahab, was devoted to idol worship. She persuaded her husband to build a temple to the pagan god Baal, which led many Israelites away from the worship of the true God. Beholding the ruin of his nation, the Prophet Elijah began to denounce King Ahab for impiety, and exhorted him to repent and turn to the God of Israel. The king would not listen to him. The Prophet Elijah then declared to him, that as punishment there would be neither rain nor dew upon the ground, and the drought would cease only by his prayer. Indeed, the word of Elijah was a torch (Eccles. 48: 1). The heavens were closed for three and a half years, and there was drought and famine throughout all the land.

During this time of tribulation, the Lord sent him to a cave beyond the Jordan. There he was miraculously fed by ravens. When the stream Horath dried up, the Lord sent the Prophet Elijah to Sarephta to a poor widow, a Sidonian Gentile who suffered together with her children, awaiting death by starvation. At the request of the prophet, she prepared him a bread with the last measure of flour and the remainder of the oil. Through the prayer of the Prophet Elijah, flour and oil were not depleted in the home of the widow for the duration of the famine. By the power of his prayer the prophet also performed another miracle: he raised the dead son of the widow.

After the end of three years of drought the Merciful Lord sent the prophet to appear before King Ahab, and promised to send rain upon the earth. The Prophet Elijah told the king to order all of Israel to gather upon Mount Carmel, and also the priests of Baal. When the nation had gathered, the Prophet Elijah proposed that two sacrificial altars be built: one for the priests of Baal, and the other for the Prophet Elijah who served the True God.

The Prophet Elijah told them to call on their gods to consume the sacrificial animals with fire, and he would call on his. Whichever was first to send fire on the sacrifice would be acknowledged as the true God. The prophets of Baal called out to their idol from morning till evening, but the heavens were silent. Towards evening the holy Prophet Elijah built his sacrificial altar from twelve stones, the number of the tribes of Israel. He placed the sacrifice upon the wood, gave orders to dig a ditch around the altar and commanded that the sacrifice and the wood be soaked with water. When the ditch had filled with water, the prophet turned to God in prayer. Through the prayer of the prophet fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, and even the water. The people fell down to the ground, crying out: “Truly, the Lord is God!” Then the Prophet Elijah had all the pagan-priests of Baal put to death, and he began to pray for rain. Through his prayer the heavens opened and an abundant rain fell, soaking the parched earth.

King Ahab acknowledged his error and repented of his sins, but his wife Jezebel threatened to kill the prophet of God. The Prophet Elijah fled into the Kingdom of Judea and, grieving over his failure to eradicate idol worship, he asked God to let him die. An angel of the Lord came before him, strengthened him with food and commanded him to go upon a long journey. The Prophet Elijah traveled for forty days and nights and, having arrived at Mount Horeb, he settled in a cave.

The Lord told him that the next day Elijah would stand in His presence. There was a strong wind that crushed the rocks of the mountain, then an earthquake, and a fire, but the Lord was not in them. The Lord was in “a gentle breeze” (3 Kings 19: 12). He revealed to the prophet, that He would preserve seven thousand faithful servants who had not worshipped Baal.

Later, the Lord commanded Elijah to anoint Elisha into prophetic service. Because of his fiery zeal for the Glory of God the Prophet Elijah was taken up alive into Heaven in a fiery chariot. The Prophet Elisha received Elijah’s mantle, and a double portion of his prophetic spirit.

According to the Tradition of Holy Church, the Prophet Elijah will be the Forerunner of the Dread Second Coming of Christ. He will proclaim the truth of Christ, urge all to repentance, and will be slain by the Antichrist. This will be a sign of the end of the world.

The life of the holy Prophet Elijah is recorded in the Old Testament books (3 Kings; 4 Kings; Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 48: 1-15; 1 Maccabees 2: 58). At the time of the Transfiguration, the Prophet Elijah conversed with the Savior upon Mount Tabor (Mt. 17: 3; Mark 9: 4; Luke. 9: 30).

Orthodox Christians of all times, and in all places, have venerated the Prophet Elijah for centuries. 

In iconography the Prophet Elijah is depicted ascending to Heaven in a fiery chariot, surrounded with flames, and harnessed to four winged horses. We pray to him for deliverance from drought, and to ask for seasonable weather.

With Love in XC,

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter

That with an iron stylus and lead, They were engraved in the rock forever.

Job 19:24

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Last week, a man was caught on video carving his and his fiancé’s initials into a wall of the Roman Coliseum. And let’s be totally honest, you who saw this in the news: we all breathed a collective sigh of relief, finding out that he is not American. He’s from England, BTW.

Wow, talk about the ugly tourist – marking up an ancient treasure for his immature and immediate enjoyment. The Italian government did not take such an offense lightly, and they plan on prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law. In his letter of apology, he claimed that he didn’t know The Coliseum was of a historical importance and was embarrassed, after the fact, to learn of its significance. Not a very strong defense, if you ask me. 

“Ivan+Hayley 23” is now there forever. And in a couple thousand years, perhaps it will also be of a historical significance.

I have wonderful news for the good people of the St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church who, like young Ivan, have the desire to write love notes on sacred structures. Except in our case, we won’t call the police, and I’ll even supply the markers!

Starting this Sunday, following the Divine Liturgy, head out to the north parking lot of the church building and sign one of the buttress beams that are going up in the new Sanctuary. These angled beams will support the weight of the building after we remove the front and center post that would be blocking the front of the solea. They will be attached to a new beam in the center of the ceiling and stretch across the nave, connecting to the existing posts in what will be our side aisles. 

Please feel free to write your names, scroll a little prayer, offer your grateful message to our loving God. There is plenty of room on these structures for everyone to share their sentiments. Even though these beams will be covered and finished as part of the church interior, you will always be able to look up and know that your heart-felt message to God is part of the permanent structure of our worship space. 

We will make the beams available to be signed right up until they are ready to be installed; in about ten days or so. Please don’t be disappointed if you are unavailable this weekend. You’ll have ample opportunity to take part in this joyful (and legal) act of graffiti. 

As a reminder, please be aware that we will be hosting our Annual Parish Name Day Picnic a few days early this year, coinciding with the archepastoral visit of His Grace Bishop Constantine of Sassima, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Metropolis of Denver. We will celebrate Saturday Evening Great Vespers on July 22nd at 5:00 pm followed by a fantastic pulled pork BBQ picnic, hosted by Elaine Peterson and her Name Day Picnic Committee. The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will take place the following day, Sunday the 23rd.

We will STILL celebrate our Name Day Great Vespers on Monday, July 24th at 5:00 pm WITHOUT a picnic and we will STILL celebrate the Dormition of St. Anna Orthros and Divine Liturgy on Tuesday, July 25th. 

Once again, please take the opportunity to write your prayerful message or just sign your name on a structural beam. Make your mark on the forever-history of our church. However, please know that anyone who writes “Ivan+Hayley 23” will be reported to the Sandy Police Department.

With Much Love in XC,

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I’d like to announce that a new worship space has been created at St. Anna’s. Well, sort of.

Our monthly Paraklesis to the Holy Ancestor of Christ, our Matron St. Anna was held yesterday morning. Anyone who has been around the church the past week has seen that there’s been a sharp escalation in construction activity. While Phase II of construction is complete, minus finishing details, the entire east wall of the building has been demolished and removed. And the north wall of the church (or the south wall of the Sunday School Hallway) has already been erected. I could not believe the progress that was made in five short days. 

But when we went into the church to pray the Paraklesis, a couple things were also at play. Once again, major dust was kicked up into the sanctuary due to all of the dismantled walls. And the electrician was drilling through an exterior wall to install new fire protection strobes. This young man had a job to do, and I did not want to send him away while we prayed. This project is “on the clock” with some very specific deadlines at this point. So we were blessed with an opportunity to be creative. 

Forever in our parish history, we will record the first prayer service in new space was in the Bookstore! Even though there were only four of us in attendance, it was so special and intimately powerful. The small group sang out, chanting the service. The sounds of construction equipment, saws, blaring Latin music (always upbeat and fun), and the flurry of activity outside the windows, accompanied us in our prayer. They were not distractions, but background accompaniment in celebration of the moment. We honored our Matron Saint for her unique ministry in history, her unique relationship with the Christ, and her unique role in our lives. All in a setting that was actively engaged in furthering her name and influence within our broader community. 

It was just such a blessing to have a clean, enclosed and dignified space in the midst of chaos. 

Changes are happening at a rapid pace at this point, but our mission of prayer and service will continue through the dust, debris, noise and confusion. 

Please be aware that beginning tomorrow, post-Liturgy fellowship will take place out on our new, north patio – just steps out of the building. You will be surprised at how perfectly everything has been set up for the purpose of us being together. Never underestimate our ability to wire and plum a commercial coffee maker to the exterior of a building. It can be done!

Please be aware of a couple more milestones on the near horizon:

Next week, the footings for the new steel in sanctuary will be prepared. We are basically engineering a fortified cage in the middle of the building to accommodate the church design. Included in this new structure, will be a ceiling beam that will travers the length of the new worship space from east to west. In the next couple of Sundays, we will make it available to be signed by the parishioners of St. Anna’s before it is raised up. Your personal prayer, message or simple signature will part of our permanent structure.

I initially wanted to have the beam brought into the church for a grand and prayerful spectacle. I got my way with bells and crosses…but I suppose a huge beam was a bit too large of an ask.

So, we’ll go outside, Sharpies in hand, and enjoy a moment in the sun. More details to follow when we have the day secured. 

Lastly, and though this is a month away, I want to announce from now that on the occasion of our Parish Feast Day, His Grace Bishop Constantine of Sassima will be with us on the evening of Saturday, July 22nd, and for the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday, July 23rd. Our Annual Name Day Picnic will take place on that Saturday in celebration of His Grace’s visit. Again, more details to follow, but please make plans to be with us the weekend before the Feast of St. Anna. 

With Much Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Tomorrow, the Sunday following Pentecost, we celebrate the feast of All Saints who shone forth throughout the entire world. The Gospel reading is from Matthew and consists of two passages – Matthew 10: 32-38 and Matthew 19: 27-30. 

The Holy Church chose to dedicate the first Sunday after Pentecost to all the saints as commemoration and recognition of the Holy Spirit, who spilled out over the church on the day of Pentecost, and is the maker of the saints. The Holy Spirit is the one who sanctifies believers and gives them holiness. In the Resurrectional hymns of Matins, we chant: “Through the Holy Spirit is every soul quickened and exalted in purity, and made resplendent by the Triune Unity in mystic holiness,” and also “in the Holy Spirit you witness all holiness and wisdom.” 

On this feast day, the Church honors all saints, not only those who have been consecrated, or officially had their holiness proclaimed by the church, those whose names are present in the church calendar and their biographies read from the Synaxarion (the life of Saints), but also the unknown ones, as there are many unknown saints to us, but are known before God. 

It is said, “No one was born a saint, but everyone is called to holiness.” This is the teaching of the Church and the Holy Bible. In the Old Testament, we read in the book of Leviticus: “For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44). 

is synonymous with perfection, according to Jesus’ words: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Making holiness a goal as a Christian may seem difficult, or perhaps almost impossible. Some believe it a vocation exclusive to those who are in the priesthood or monasteries, but through the experience and the teaching of the Church, the opposite is true, that this vocation is the supreme goal of every Christian person, and that the invitation to achieve perfection is from God to all; it belongs to everyone. 

St. Paul the Apostle explains that God has chosen us “in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love,” (Ephesians 1: 4). And in his letter to the Thessalonians he suggests “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13). 

As for the Apostle Peter, he exhorts his spiritual children, saying: “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). 

In the Acts of the Apostles and in Paul’s letters it is clear to us that the word “saints” was used to denote the brothers who believed in the Lord Jesus (Philippians 4: 21-22) and was used before the disciples were called “Christians” in Antioch (Acts 11:26). In the Acts of the Apostle, the Apostle Ananias addresses the Lord in the vision, speaking of Saul (later Apostle Paul) saying: “Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem” (Acts 9:13). In the same spirit, the Apostle Paul calls the believers, that is the children of the Churches that he visited with “saints. “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1). See also (Romans 1: 7, 1Cor 1: 2 and 2Cor 1: 1, Ephesians 1:1 and Philippians 1: 1, Colossians: 1: 1 and 1Tess. 5:37 And Hebrews 1: 3). 

In tomorrow’s Gospel, the Lord Jesus reveals to His disciples how a disciple can seek holiness through several commandments that must be followed. 

The first condition: It is the confession of Jesus “before men”. This is a clear and explicit confession of faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world. This confession is not only expressed verbally, but also in deeds. The Apostle Paul says: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved,” (Romans 9:10). 

The second condition is love: “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Here, the Lord Jesus sets the scale of love. He asks that He be at the height of our priority. He does not exclude family and relatives from this love, as He does not say love me and hate your father or mother (or your son or daughter), but says: “Whoever loves a father or mother (son or daughter) more than me, he does not deserve me.” The Lord Jesus seeks to possess the full love of the disciple. 

And the third condition: “He takes his cross and follows me.” Here, He exhorts followers to bear witness even unto martyrdom. That is, the confession of Him and love for Him will lead to a type of martyrdom. 

After this, we continue reading the second part of the evangelical passage from chapter 19 of Matthew, which was added to the first part of the evangelical reading because of the close spiritual link between the two. This section is taken from Jesus’ dialogue with the rich young man who asked Him saying: “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied to him with: “If you want to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give the poor.” Peter’s question to the Lord Jesus, “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?” (19:27) comes after seeing the distraught rich young man. The Apostle Peter, as well as some of the other Apostles, was a fisherman, and some may question the relevance of what he meant when he said to the Lord, “we have forsaken all, and followed thee” as his only possessions were a net and a boat?! 

St. John Chrysostom says in his interpretation of this passage “although the Apostle Peter was poor and did not possess much, he left all that he possessed. So, this shows that the invitation is addressed to both the rich and the poor and not only to the rich who have much. Even the poor, those who do not have much, are also called to leave even a little, which is everything, and to follow the Lord”. 

The Lord had promised His disciples who followed Him to the end and who had seen his crucifixion, glorious Resurrection and the descending of the Holy Spirit, that they would “condemn the twelve tribes of Israel”. 

So that no one would think that what was said applied only to the disciples, Christ broadened the promise to include everyone who does likewise. He says, “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” The Lord Jesus promised His disciples and everyone who follow Him also that if they left everything for His name, they would receive in this life a hundredfold, and then he would inherit eternal life. 

In this life, the saints have received the hundredfold as being honored by all faithful, being asked for their intercessions, and building churches in their name. For two millennia, the Holy Church and the faithful honor the holy Apostles and Saints and take their intercessors for them. In this way, the saints have received their reward and honor in this life, and in the other life have received heavenly rewards. 

On the Feast of All Saints, as we honor this “cloud of witnesses” we are called to commemorate the lives of the saints, imitating their examples and realizing that the goal of our lives is not only to be righteous with some good attributes, but rather our goal is “deification- Theosis”, that is, to become “Partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 4: 1) and “Partakers of the heavenly calling” (Hebrews 1: 3). Our life and our path are not complete in this earthly life, but rather “our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,” (Philippians 3:20). In a conversation with one of his spiritual sons, St. Seraphim Sarov reveals that “the true aim of our Christian life consists in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit,” that is, holiness. 

Holiness is the act and work of the Holy Spirit, but the human effort is indispensable in this process towards holiness. This is what the Holy Fathers call “Synergy” between human effort and divine grace. We have all received the grace of the Holy Spirit on the day of Baptism and the sacred mystery of Chrism, as well as every time we partake in the holy sacraments, but as for human effort, we present it through works of asceticism and love. 

“Come, ye believers, let us today stand in rank and celebrate with true worship; let us exalt with glorifications the memorial of all-honored, all-revered saints, shouting, Rejoice, O glorious Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs and Bishops! Rejoice, O company of the righteous and just! Rejoice, O rank of honored women! Supplicate ye Christ to grant the king victory over the Barbarians, and our souls the Great Mercy.” (Doxasticon for all Saints in Tone six). Amen. 

Written by Metropolitan Basilios of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia 

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter

O Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who has revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit: through them You did draw the world into Your net. O Lover of Man, Glory to You.

The Troparion Hymn of Pentecost

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This Sunday, June 4th is the Feast of Pentecost in the Orthodox Church. This literally means we will have reached the 50th Day following the Resurrection. Before offering an explanation of the Feast for your consideration, I’d like to firstly share some practical information.

Tomorrow, the day before Pentecost we will celebrate the Saturday of the Souls services. The Orthros will begin at 8:00 am followed by the Divine Liturgy and Universal Memorial at 9:00 am. If you are able, please prepare a Koliva (Memorial Wheat) in honor of your departed loved ones. 

This weekend will be the first time we begin an hour earlier. It seems we will be able to keep one or two of our swamp coolers online for a few weeks after we demolish the back wall of the building, but those two blowers will not sufficiently and safely cool our expansive space. Please, I pray that this time adjustment does not diminish your willingness or ability to worship with us during the Sundays of the Summer. Historically, St. Anna parishioners have continued through the summer months with very little drop off in participation. Let’s maintain, and even build upon this most blessed trend!

Directly after the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, we will celebrate an abridged Vespers of Pentecost, that will include the Kneeling Prayers in anticipation and in commemoration of the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Recall – we have not knelt in the church since the evening of the Resurrection. This is a gesture of awe and respect for the presence of the 

The following day, June 5th is the Monday of the Holy Spirit – the day after Pentecost. Please join Fr. Elias and me at the Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church for the Name Day of our Holy Trinity Cathedral. There, Orthros will begin at 9:00 am followed by the Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am.

I also want to remind you that once the new sanctuary is built the icon of Pentecost (similar to the one above) will be written on the south ceiling of the altar, next to the icon of the Nativity. It will be prominent and beautiful!

So with all that said, please properly prepare for this most important celebration by reading the following:

In the Old Testament Pentecost was the feast which occurred fifty days after Passover. As the Passover feast celebrated the exodus of the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt, so Pentecost celebrated God’s gift of the ten commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai.

In the new covenant of the Messiah, the Passover event takes on its new meaning as the celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection, the “exodus” of men from this sinful world to the Kingdom of God. And in the New Testament as well, the pentecostal feast is fulfilled and made new by the coming of the “new law,” the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ.

When the day of Pentecost had come they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed as resting upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit . . .

Acts 2.1–4

The Holy Spirit that Christ had promised to his disciples came on the day of Pentecost (Jn 14.26, 15.26; Lk 24.49; Acts 1.5). The apostles received “the power from on high,” and they began to preach and bear witness to Jesus as the risen Christ, the King and the Lord. This moment has traditionally been called the birthday of the Church.

In the liturgical services of the feast of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit is celebrated together with the full revelation of the divine Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The fullness of the Godhead is manifested with the Spirit’s coming to man, and the Church hymns celebrate this manifestation as the final act of God’s self-disclosure and self-donation to the world of His creation. For this reason Pentecost Sunday is also called Trinity Day in the Orthodox tradition. Often on this day the icon of the Holy Trinity—particularly that of the three angelic figures who appeared to Abraham, the forefather of the Christian faith—is placed in the center of the church. This icon is used with the traditional pentecostal icon which shows the tongues of fire hovering over Mary and the Twelve Apostles, the original prototype of the Church, who are themselves sitting in unity surrounding a symbolic image of “cosmos,” the world.

On Pentecost we have the final fulfillment of the mission of Jesus Christ and the first beginning of the messianic age of the Kingdom of God mystically present in this world in the Church of the Messiah. For this reason the fiftieth day stands as the beginning of the era which is beyond the limitations of this world, fifty being that number which stands for eternal and heavenly fulfillment in Jewish and Christian mystical piety: seven times seven, plus one.

Thus, Pentecost is called an apocalyptic day, which means the day of final revelation. It is also called an eschatological day, which means the day of the final and perfect end (in Greek eschaton means the end). For when the Messiah comes and the Lord’s Day is at hand, the “last days” are inaugurated in which “God declares: . . . I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.”; This is the ancient prophecy to which the Apostle Peter refers in the first sermon of the Christian Church which was preached on the first Sunday of Pentecost (Acts 2: 1 7; Joel 2: 28–32).

Once again it must be noted that the feast of Pentecost is not simply the celebration of an event which took place centuries ago. It is the celebration of what must happen and does happen to us in the Church today. We all have died and risen with the Messiah-King, and we all have received his Most Holy Spirit. We are the “temples of the Holy Spirit.” God’s Spirit dwells in us (Rom 8; 1 Cor 2–3, 12; 2 Cor 3; Gal 5; Eph 2–3). We, by our own membership in the Church, have received “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” in the sacrament of chrismation. Pentecost has happened to us.

The Divine Liturgy of Pentecost recalls our baptism into Christ with the verse from Galatians again replacing the Thrice-Holy Hymn. Special verses from the psalms also replace the usual antiphonal psalms of the liturgy. The epistle and gospel readings tell of the Spirit’s coming to men. The kontakion sings of the reversal of Babel as God unites the nations into the unity of his Spirit. The troparion proclaims the gathering of the whole universe into God’s net through the work of the inspired apostles. The hymns “O Heavenly King” and “We have seen the True Light” are sung for the first time since Easter, calling the

Holy Spirit to “come and abide in us,” and proclaiming that “we have received the heavenly Spirit.” The church building is decorated with flowers and the green leaves of the summer to show that God’s divine Breath comes to renew all creation as the “life-creating Spirit.” In Hebrew the word for Spirit, breath and wind is the same word, ruah.

The Great Vespers of Pentecost evening features three long prayers at which the faithful kneel for the first time since Easter. The Monday after Pentecost is the feast of the Holy Spirit in the Orthodox Church, and the Sunday after Pentecost is the feast of All Saints. This is the logical liturgical sequence since the coming of the Holy Spirit is fulfilled in men by their becoming saints, and this is the very purpose of the creation and salvation of the world. “Thus says the Lord: Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I your God am holy” (Lev 11.44–45, 1 Pet 1.15–16). (From the OCA)

With Much Love in XC,

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Christ is Risen!
Christos Anesti!

I pray you are enjoying a blessed evening and are looking forward to a fantastic weekend.

I would like to congratulate and wish inspired blessings upon Lena Mau and Nicholas Simos as they are participating in the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, representing our St. Anna Parish.

Lena is competing in the Senior Division, and Nicholas in the Junior. They worked extremely hard, wrote exceptional speeches, and deliver them with confidence and clarity. Please pray that all of the young people who are competing tomorrow will enjoy their experience and find joy in the fellowship of other Greek Orthodox Youth. Get some rest, Lena and Nicholas. You have a busy day tomorrow! We are proud of you!

With Love in our Risen Lord,

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Christ is Risen!

Truly He is Risen!

Greeting you in the season of the Resurrection is such a blessing. We have traveled spiritually, a great distance from the time the Triodion Gospels were first proclaimed. Even in the midst of construction messes and displacements, you were diligent, engaged, and prayerful. Thank you to all who made our services, lectures, retreats, and fellowship uniquely special. Christ has been greatly glorified in His Third Day Rising!!! 

But speaking of construction messes and displacements, I need to share some information with you, concerning the current state of the church’s interior. Starting this weekend:

Sunday School will resume, but the pre-school class will now enter the exterior storage building from the north door, not the west door, as in the past. The interior of that space has been reallocated with the installation of the racking system. Thank you to Ron Steele for quickly setting up a new Sunday School classroom in the building. 

Phase II of the project has reached a new milestone. The new narthex, exo-narthex (foyer), hallways, office, bookstore, bathrooms, and three classrooms are taped and ready for the painting contractors to begin their work. Therefore, there will be no access through that space until further notice, other than coming in the front door and going directly into the church. For practical reasons, we decided not to divert everyone through the single door on the north side of the building. But when you come into the building, pretend your mom is there telling you, “Don’t touch anything!”  

The current narthex is set up just inside the sanctuary, and access to restrooms and fellowship will be through the sliding barn doors at the back of the church. This will be slightly distracting for a couple weeks, but of course, the results of these slight inconveniences will be well worth it!

I should also give you an update on the finishing touches to the exterior of the building. The decorative grills for the bell tower windows have arrived. They will be installed in the coming weeks. The exterior lighting has begun its transformation. New, wall mounted floodlights, that are brighter, more efficient, and with a more attractive profile have been added to the north face of the building and have replaced the older units on the western face of the building. The accent lights have been installed and are operational in front of the exterior mosaic. The image of St. Anna and her daughter, the Theotokos, walking in their garden is now beautifully lit at nighttime. The accent lighting on the faces, and levels of the bell tower are currently being installed, and I believe all rain gutters are finished on the bell tower, as well. 

New handicap parking spaces will be permanently designated in the entire front of the building. The new spaces have been redrawn to comply with code and will be painted to reflect these changes. Thank you to all, who observed our temporary designation of the space during Holy Week and Paschal services. Thank you to Chuck Karpakis who made the temporary signs. When the exterior details of the building are complete, the current handicap signs will be removed from the side of the building, along with the backlit welcome sign. All touch up exterior painting will take place at that time.

Please know that the next phase of the project, the sanctuary, last two classrooms, utility space and kitchen are still scheduled to begin in May. All said and done, please pray that we will be in our new church in December. And my Beloved in the Lord, December is NOT that far off. Remember how quickly Pascha emerged. 

Architect James Derby, General Contractor Bill Souvall, and President Steve Simos are keeping everything on track, on budget and on target. God bless them!

Lastly, I would like to express my appreciation to the St. Anna Philoptochos for providing the red eggs for Paschal Services, and for cleaning the church before Holy Week, and for really, really cleaning the church during Bright Week. Thank you to the Men’s Ministry Team for keeping us safe and clutter free. Thank you to the church musicians, myrrh bearers, altar boys, fellow clergy, and ushers who made services so lovely.  That is allot of effort on the part of many people. And to the parish council, together with Gerard and Klea Gallegos, thank you and your crew for hosting a spectacular Anastasi Dinner following the Resurrection Service and Divine Liturgy. 

God Bless you in these days of Resurrection. Find hope in the empty Tomb. Find life in the power of God. Find joy in His self-emptying sacrifice. Find Him in everything!

With Much Love in our Triumphant Lord,

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter