This was a great success and every participant enjoyed every part of it. Many thanks to Therese Lahlouh who arranged, sold and raised over a thousand dollars for the church. An event to repeat.
Our Yearly Hafleh on the 10th of November
Calendar and Events
This hafleh was a great success by all accounts. Eighty seven people attended the Fall Dinner Party at Sinbad’s Restaurant last Saturday, and everyone had a great time. The company, the food, and the music were all superb .
Many thanks to George and Marlene Haddad for recommending the Sinbads Restaurant and the DJ. Many thanks also to Mouna Fares and Therese Lahlouh for their great efforts along with the Haddads for promoting and selling all those tickets and more.
Thanks to all parishioners who supported and participated in this event.
Special thanks to the Sinbad's Grill and Restaurant for their great food, generosity and kindness to have us.
Special thanks to Rami Amiri, the wonderful DJ who made every one happy and made every one dance to his or her favorite music and song.
2008
January 2008
1Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord; St Basil the Great
6Great Feast of Theophany (Blessing of Water)
9Lecture: Ecumenism. Fr George
131st Sunday of the Triodion: The Pharisee and the Publican
17St Anthony the Great of Egypt
202nd Sunday of the Triodion: The Prodigal Son; St Euthymios
23 Alum Rock Neighborhood Churches Ecumenical Service of Prayer for Christian Unity, at St Elias Church
25St Gregory the Theologian
273rd Sunday of the Triodion: Meatfare
28St Ephrem the Syrian
30Three Holy Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom
February 2008
2Feast of the Meeting of the Lord: Hypapanty; Saturday of the Dead
34th Sunday of the Triodion: Cheesefare; Forgiveness Vespers
4Clean Monday—First Day of Great Lent; Great Compline
6Arrival of Archbishop Cyril
7Day of Reflection with Archbishop Cyril; Lecture on Great Lent
81st Akathist; Lenten Dinner with Archbishop Cyril
9Departure of Abp Cyril
101st Sunday of Great Lent: the Triumph of Orthodoxy
112nd Monday of Great Lent: Great Compline
152nd Akathist
172nd Sunday of Great Lent: Holy Relics, St Gregory Palamas
183rd Monday of Great Lent: Great Compline
223rd Akathist
243rd Sunday of Great Lent: The Holy Cross; Discovery of the Head of John the Baptist
254th Monday of Great Lent: Great Compline
294th Akathist
March 2008
24th Sunday of Great Lent: St John Climakos
35th Monday of Great Lent: Great Compline
75th Akathist
95th Sunday of Great Lent: St Mary of Egypt; 40 Martyrs of Sebastea
106th Monday of Great Lent: Great Compline
14Final Akathist
15Lazarus Saturday
16Palm Sunday (Bake Sale)
19Great Wednesday (Holy Oil & Confession Service)
20Great Thursday (Crucifixion Service)
21Great Friday (Descent from the Cross, Burial of Christ)
22Great Saturday (Hajmeh, Orthros, Liturgy)
23GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA
25Feast of the Annunciation to the Mother of God
30Sunday of St Thomas
April 2008
2Lecture: Saints and Sainthood in the Eastern Tradition. Fr James
62nd Sunday after Easter: the Myrrh-Bearing Women
133rd Sunday after Easter: the Paralyzed Man
16Feast of Mid-Pentecost
204th Sunday after Easter: the Samaritan Woman
23St George the Great-Martyr
275th Sunday after Easter: the Man Born Blind
31Feast of the Ascension of the Lord
May 2008
46th Sunday after Easter: Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council
7Lecture: Icons & Iconography. Fr Mark Melone
10Saturday of the Dead
11HOLY AND GLORIOUS PENTECOST SUNDAY; Kneeling Prayers. Mother’s Day
181st Sunday after Pentecost: All Saints
19Apostles’ Fast begins
21SS Constantine and Helen
252nd Sunday after Pentecost; 3rd Finding of the Head of John the Baptist
June 2008
13rd Sunday after Pentecost; St Justin the Martyr
84th Sunday after Pentecost
9St Cyril of Alexandria
14Holy Prophet Elisha
155th Sunday after Pentecost. Father’s Day
226th Sunday after Pentecost
24Nativity of John the Baptist
297th Sunday after Pentecost; Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter & Paul
July 2008
68th Sunday after Pentecost
139th Sunday after Pentecost; the Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils
2010th Sunday after Pentecost; HOLY PROPHET ELIAS
22St Mary Magdalene
25Dormition of ST ANN
2711th Sunday after Pentecost; Great-Martyr Panteleimon
August 2008
1Beginning of the Dormition Fast
312th Sunday after Pentecost
6TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD
1013th Sunday after Pentecost; St Lawrence the Martyr
15THE DORMITION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD
1714TH Sunday after Pentecost
2415th Sunday after Pentecost
29Beheading of John the Baptist
3116th Sunday after Pentecost
September 2008
1Beginning of the Church Year
7Sunday before the Holy Cross
8NATIVITY OF THE MOTHER OF GOD
14EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
21Sunday after the Holy Cross
23Conception of John the Baptist
281st Sunday of the Holy Cross
October 2008
52nd Sunday of the Holy Cross
12Sunday of the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council (4th Sunday of the Cross)
193rd Sunday of the Holy Cross
23Holy Hieromartyr & Apostle James, Brother of the Lord
266th Sunday of the Holy Cross; Holy Great-Martyr Demetrios
November 2008
25th Sunday of the Holy Cross
8Feast of SS Michael, Gabriel, and all the Angels
97th Sunday of the Holy Cross
13St John Chrysostom
15Beginning of Traditional Christmas Fast
168th Sunday of the Holy Cross
21Entrance of the Mother of God into the Temple
239th Sunday of the Holy Cross
27Thanksgiving Day
3013th Sunday of the Holy Cross; Holy Apostle Andrew
December 2008
4St Barbara & St John of Damascus
6St Nicholas
710th Sunday of the Holy Cross
9Feast of the Conception of the Mother of God
10Beginning of Modified Christmas Fast
1411th Sunday of the Holy Cross: Ancestors of Christ
21Sunday before the Nativity: Genealogy of Christ
28Sunday after the Nativity & before Theophany
2008
Events News
The Church 2009 Calendar Year
January 2009
4Sunday before Theophany
6THEOPHANY (Blessing of Water)
11Sunday after Theophany
1812th Sunday of the Holy Cross
2515th Sunday of the Holy Cross
30Feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs. Vespers w/Abp Cyril at St Joseph Cathedral; 25th Anniversary Banquet?
February 2009
11st Sunday of the Triodion. Archbishop Cyril here for 25th Anniversary?
2Feast of the Meeting of the Lord: Hypapanty
82nd Sunday of the Triodion
14Saturday of the Dead
15Meatfare Sunday
22Cheesefare Sunday
23Clean Monday—First Day of Great Lent
March 2009
1First Sunday of Great Lent
8Second Sunday of Great Lent
15Third Sunday of Great Lent
22Fourth Sunday of Great Lent
25Annunciation
29Fifth Sunday of Great Lent
April 2009
4Lazarus Saturday
5Palm Sunday
8Great Wednesday
9Great Thursday
10Great Friday
11Great Saturday
12Pascha
19Sunday after Easter: St Thomas
262nd Sunday after Easter: Holy Myrrh-bearing Women
2009
The Church 2008 Calendar Year
Children’s Nativity Play Was a Wonderful Success
Last Sunday the children presented a Nativity Play after the Liturgy. Many thanks to Mouna Faris for organizing and directing this activity, and to everyone else who made it very special. More than 80 people were in church to enjoy the play and the children’s singing as well as a delicious lunch and a visit from Santa.
Many thanks to Elie Touma and sister Rima for all the pictures they took for this event and that are available for viewing at : www.toumainc.com/steliasplay
Melkite Catholic Archbishop Visit to San Jose
Archbishop Cyril Salim Bustros, Eparch of Newton for the Melkites in the USA, visited St Elias parish from 6 February until 9 February. He arrived in San Jose after celebrating the 25th anniversary of St John of the Desert parish in Phoenix, Arizona, ordaining Deacon Jacob Pesta at St Philip Mission in San Bernardino, and visiting Holy Cross parish in Placentia (Orange County), Virgin Mary mis-sion in Temecula, and St Jacob parish in San Diego. From San Jose he traveled to Seattle to visit St Joseph mission, and next week he will visit St Anne parish in North Hollywood and St Andrew/St Paul parish in El Segundo to conclude his pastoral tour of California. From Southern California he will fly to Birmingham, Alabama, Augusta, Georgia, and Miami, Florida, before returning to Boston in time to celebrate Holy Week and Pascha.
Father James took Archbishop Cyril to Santa Cruz on Ash Wednesday to par-ticipate in an ecumenical service at the University of California that was attended by more than 100 students. On Thursday, about 12 people attended the Lenten Day of Reflection with the Archbishop at St Elias Church. The Parish Advisory Council met with Archbishop Cyril on Thursday afternoon to review the state of the parish. He is very pleased with our growth, our progress in paying down our mortgage, and our focus on Christian living.
On Thursday evening, he spoke to about 30 people at St John Vianney church about the Byzantine understanding and observance of Great Lent. Bishop Patrick McGrath of San Jose hosted Archbishop Cyril, Father James, and Father Jose Antonio Rubio, the Ecumenical Officer of the Diocese of San Jose, at lunch on Friday. The bishops discussed many topics, including the 25th Anniversary celebration of St Elias Church in January 2009. On Friday evening, Archbishop Cyril presided at this year’s first celebration of the Akathist Hymn in praise of the Mother of God and enjoyed a fasting supper with the community of St Elias.
Keep watching this page for future events. St. Elias's 25th Anniversary is around the corner
Youth Convention June29-July3 at Univ. of San Diego
The annual NAMY convention, for youth 13 to 19 years old and not in college, will be held June 29 to July 3 at the University of San Diego, immediately before the National Melkite Convention. Anyone wishing to attend the Youth Convention must be a member of NAMY—see Fr James for membership information.
Other details in our bulletin.
Archbishop of Galilee Brings Message of Arab-Israeli Peace
The Most Reverend Elias Chacour, Melkite-Greek Catholic Archbishop of Akka, Haifa, and All Galilee, will visit St Elias the Prophet Melkite-Greek Catholic Church, 4411 Hyland Avenue, San Jose, at 10:30 am on Tuesday 24 June 2008.
Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord; St Basil the Great