My Beloved Friends in Christ,
I greet you with the most beautiful phrase, Most Holy Theotokos, save us! August is the month of the Panayia, which is the Greek word for “Most Holy” and Theotokos is the Greek word for “The Birth-giver of God.” Oh how I love it when our parishionerssay, Panayia, soson imas!” (Most Holy, save us!), referring to our Beloved Mother, Mary the Ever-Virgin One! I say the following out loud for all to hear: ANYONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE MARY AS OUR MOTHER, DOES NOT HAVE GOD AS OUR FATHER! ANYONE WHO DOES NOT ASK HER TO SAVE US, DOES NOT HAVE CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR! Contemplate this and learn that it is true!
This is the month of blue, because Mary is Platitera ton ouranon, which is Greek for “more spacious than the (blue) heavens!” Mary’s color is beautiful Greek blue because she contained in Her womb the One From Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ. And when the disciples opened Her tomb after Her three-day burial (koimisis tis Theotokou), She was not to be found for She is Risen! just like Her Son and Our God, Jesus Christ, by the power of the Spirit, Who now sits on the right hand of God the Father.
For this reason, our chairman of this year’s Grecian Festival, Sotiri (Sam) Anastas, decided to honor our Panayia at our festival. I hope we all will join in this celebration honoring Her, and in particular prepare for Her feast by fasting for two weeks, by worshipping at Her Paraklesis Services, and by coming to Divine Liturgy on August 15th!
May the beautiful blue love and comfort of the Panayia surround your heart with unspeakable joy throughout the whole month of August, with those wonderful prayer words constantly flowing from your hearts: Most Holy Theotokos, save us!
Your Pastor,
+Fr Dan
