The Liturgical Guide and Bulletin for Sunday, January 4th, 2026
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Sunday, January 4, 2026
Synaxis of the 70 Holy Apostles
The Seventy Disciples and Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ are those Whom our Saviour chose in addition to the Twelve and sent forth unto the work of preaching. With the passage of time, others were added to their number by the Holy Apostles, who, with the accompaniment and assistance of the Seventy, were preaching the Gospel of Christ in various lands. Although their number eventually exceeded seventy, they were all nonetheless referred to as “of the Seventy” out of reverence for the number of Apostles which the Lord chose.
The divine Apostle and Evangelist Luke describes the calling and the sending forth of the Seventy as follows in his Holy Gospel (Luke 10:1-16): “After these things the Lord appointed another seventy disciples, and sent them two and two before His face into every city and place, whither He Himself would come. Therefore said He unto them, the harvest is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth labourers into His harvest. Go then: behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry neither purse, nor bag, nor sandals: and greet no man on the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter first say, Peace be on this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you; And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveeth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding know ye this, that the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be brought down to hades. He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me.”
After the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Lord, and after Pentecost, on which all the Apostles and men and women disciples of Christ, together with the Most Holy Theotokos (some 120 in number), were gathered in the upper chamber, they received the grace of the All-holy Spirit and went forth throughout the ends of the world, everywhere preaching and teaching the Gospel of Christ, and leading to the true Faith the peoples who were sunk in the darkness of impiety and idolatry.
Liturgical Guide
Τὸν συνάναρχον Λόγον Πατρὶ καὶ Πνεύματι…
Let us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him that with the Father and the Spirit is co-beginningless God, Who was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; for He was pleased to mount the Cross in the flesh that He assumed, accepting thus to endure death. And by His glorious rising, He also willed to resurrect the dead.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by Holy Transfiguration MonasteryApolytikion for Forefeast of Theophany in the Fourth Mode
Ἑτοιμάζου Ζαβουλῶν…
Be thou ready, Zabulon; prepare thyself, O Nephthalim. River Jordan, stay thy course and skip for gladness to receive the Sovereign Master, Who cometh now to be baptized. O Adam, be thou glad with our first mother, Eve; hide not as ye did of old in Paradise. Seeing you naked, He hath appeared now to clothe you in the first robe again. Christ hath appeared, for He truly willeth to renew all creation.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Apolytikion of St. Demetrios in the Third Mode
Μέγαν εύρατο εv τοίς κιvδύvοις …
Greatness has been found in danger. You are champion of the world. A victor who could turn the nations back. You boldly encouraged Nestor to defeat Lyaeus in the arena. Therefore, holy great martyr Demetrios, intercede with Christ our God, to grant us His great mercy.
Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode
Ἐν τοῖς ῥείθροις σήμερον τοῦ Ἰορδάνου…
In the running waters of the Jordan River, on this day the Lord of all crieth to John: Be not afraid and hesitate not to baptize Me, for I am come to save Adam, the first-formed man.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.
The reading is from St. Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy 4:5-8
TIMOTHY, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Gospel Reading
Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophets, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ John was baptizing in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Memorial Prayer
Vasilios Papadimitriou (3 years) is survived by his wife (Alexandra), his sister (Vasilki), 3 children: Amalia (son-in-law: Chris), Vasiliki (son-in-law: Alberto), and Dimitrios and three grandchildren: Alexandra, Marco and Christian and several nieces and nephews.
Trisagion Prayer
Savas Kalaitzidis (12 years) is survived by two sons (Nikos and Vasilios) and 3 grandchildren.
Vasiliki Kalaitzidis (23 years) is survived by one daughter (Alexandra) and 8 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.
Vasilios Kalaitzidis (29 years) is survived by one daughter (Alexandra) and 8 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.
Baby Blessing
Barbara and Kostantinos Kaiafas and big sister Lydia Agapi present Aris Haralambos for the 40 day baby and mother blessing.
Announcements
As of December 2025 St. Demetrios Church will offer to prepare and serve a Traditional Mercy Luncheon (Makaria) in the church hall for family members who request it. For detailed information please call Diane Paxinos 954-304-5913, or Kiki Sergiou in the Church Office 954-467-1515.
🇬🇷 FT. LAUDERDALE GREEK FESTIVAL Jan 29 – Feb 1, 2026
One of St. Demetrios’ best fellowship ministries & fundraisers —and YOU make it a success!
💙Where Tradition & Celebration Live 🇬🇷 Be Part of the Tradition – VOLUNTEER & CELEBRATE! 🇬🇷
Online Sign-Up is LIVE https://tinyurl.com/GREEKFESTIVALVOLUNTEER Festival Volunteers are in the Narthex and will assist you with the online sign up⛪
👩🍳 Volunteer Areas Include: Food Prep 🍲 • Festival Setup 🎪 • Cashiers 💵 • Yia Yia’s Greek Bakery 🍰 • Gyro Booth 🌯 • Greek Market 🛍️ • Loukoumades & Café ☕ • Greek Grill 🍢 • Hot Food Line 🍽️ • Admissions 🎟️ …and more! Let’s make this year’s Fort Lauderdale Greek Festival unforgettable!✨ Sign up – Be part of the fun! 🇬🇷 Meet friends, make new ones, and share our beautiful Greek Orthodox faith & culture ⛪
Calendar
Thursday 1/1 St. Basil the Great
New Year’s Day
9:00am/10:00am Orthros/Divine Liturgy
Sunday 1/4
8:45am/9:45am Orthros/Divine Liturgy
Vasilopita cutting for St. Basil’s Academy
After Liturgy GOYA meeting
After Liturgy Dance practice
Monday 1/5
4:45pm-6:00pm Greek School
Tuesday 1/6 Holy Theophany
9am/10am Orthros/Divine Liturgy/Cross Diving at Lauderdale by the Sea
7:00pm AHEPA Meeting
Sunday 1/11
8:45am/9:45am Orthros/Divine Liturgy
After Communion Sunday School
After Liturgy Dance practice
