The Spiritual Watch

Below, please find the latest issue of The Spiritual Watch, the official publication of the Metropolis of America, published with the blessings of His Eminence, Metropolitan Demetrius of America. In The Spiritual Watch, you will find news and information regarding our Holy Metropolis, as well as spiritual writings.

The Spiritual Watch, Vol VII (New: February 24/March 8, 2024)

Quote From the Fathers

[Abba Moses said:] 'Fasts and vigils, the study of Scripture, renouncing possessions and everything wordly are not in themselves perfection, as we have said; they are its tools. For perfection is not to be found in them; it is acquired through them. It is useless, therefore, to boast of our fasting, vigils, poverty, and reading of Scripture when we have not achieved the love of God and our fellow man. Whoever has achieved love has God within himself and his intellect is always with God.'
—St. John Cassian, On the Holy Fathers of Sketis.

About the Season

The Pentecostarion is the period of the ecclesiastical year from Pascha to Pentecost.

Having just been prepared through the Triodion, the Great Fast and Holy Week we celebrate the Feast of feasts and Festival of festivals, the Resurrection of Christ. It is through the church services that we noetically relive the events in the Gospel and the life of Christ becomes our own life, for it is not we who live but Christ who lives in us.

Continuing the spirit of Holy Week, where the ecclesiastical commemoration of the events surrounding the Passion of Christ followed in chronological order, the Church celebrates the Apostle Thomas's touching the Resurrected Body of Christ on the eighth day of Pascha, on the fortieth day of Pascha we celebrate His Ascension into the Heavens and on the fiftieth day we celebrate Pentecost.

From Pascha till Pentecost we read from the Gospel according to St. John the Theologian. This telling of the Gospel differs from the other three synoptic Gospels in that it focuses on Christ’s Divinity. The synoptic Gospels were used during catechism and the Gospel according to St. John was reserved for the enlightened after baptism. Great and Holy Saturday was the day on which the catechumens were baptized so it is on Pascha that we begin to read from the Gospel according to St. John.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth weeks of Pascha emphasize Christ's divinity though His unprecedented preaching to the Jews and the healings performed in the Temple of Solomon during the Jewish feasts, and His revelation to St. Photeine, the Samaritan woman that He is the Messiah.

The Sunday in-between the Ascension and Pentecost is dedicated to the Fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council in Nicaea. When speaking of His Ascension, Christ promised not to leave us orphans but that He would be with us, even until the end of time. It is through His Church (against which the gates of Hades shall not prevail) through the mystery of Apostolic Succession that He is with us.

At a bishop's ordination the hymns of Pentecost are chanted because the bishops are successors of the Apostles and the same Holy Spirit Who descended upon the Apostles also descends upon the ordinand. After the Leave-taking of Pentecost is the 1st Sunday of Matthew and having completed the Acts of the Apostles we continue with St. Paul's epistle to the Romans.

Although the Pentecostarion comes to an end and the ecclesiastical year continues, a connection is made between Pentecost and the continuing life of the Church. This connection is expressed in the commemoration All Saints from all ages and in all places, Prophets, Apostles, Hierarchs, Martyrs & Righteous. All of whom worship the Triadic God in Orthodox manner.

Truly their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world for Christ is with us always even unto the end of time.

Youth Conference 2008: My Joy and My Sorrow

Details
Created on Thursday, 16 October 2008 16:35

I cannot say how pleased I am with the 2008 Youth Conference that took place at the two parishes in Illinois this past weekend. The level of spiritual nourishment we all received, the level of Christian fellowship that we all received, and the sheer joy I experienced in being a part of the conference exceeded my expectations. I conveyed my thoughts to Geronda and a great smile came across his face, and he asked me to tell him everything! He wanted to experience through my words. I did my best but how could I possibly express it in words? Those of you who were there know what I mean!

The host parishes (The Holy Forerunner John and the Holy Unmercenaries), and all the organizers of the conference did a magnificent job in making the conference a success IN EVERY WAY.

I would like to particularly thank the following: Fr. Christos Pittos and family, Fr. Steven Allen, Fr. Theodore Giannakopoulos, Fr. Komninos Hatzileris, Fr. Anastasios Hudson, Leonidas Pittos, Alexandra Evangelou, Eliana Pittos, the Ladies' Philoptochos of the Holy Forerunner John the Baptist Parish, and Despina Avgoustis. I have not included every name that assisted in this great success but they are as blessed as the above mentioned.

My Joy

The single most moving experience for me happened on Friday evening/Saturday morning. Never in my 18 years as a monastic/clergyman have I seen such a phenomenon. More than 50 young people ranging in age from 4 to 25 years of age had prepared ahead of time, then came for confession on Friday, and then received Holy Communion on Saturday morning! Fr. Steven, Fr. Christos, and I spent Friday evening confessing one young person after another. They came from Oklahoma, from Florida, Illinois, New York, from Hellas, from Michigan, and places in between, and they did so with compunction and enthusiasm. I was truly moved. May God bless them all.

The second most moving experience for me was seeing the bonding that took place between our youth from the far flung parts of our country. I heard phrases such as, "I have made a new sister from different parents!", and "Why can't we do this every weekend? OK. Well, then why can't we do this every month then at least?" and "I never knew there were so many kids who are like me out there!", and "I think I met my future husband!" It was truly a joy to see and hear these words. I think maybe the Jonas Brothers were forgotten for a few days.

My Sorrow

My sorrow came on the day when the conference ended and the young (and the decrepit) had to say their "farewells" to each other. The tears flowed like rain. There were several cases were new friends and old friends alike had to be physically separated in order to catch flights from Midway. I am guessing the wireless companies, no I am not GUESSING, I certainly KNOW that the wireless companies are making a small fortune from the text messaging and calls that are being made by all who made new friends and saw old friends at the conference. I suggest that all parents out there get unlimited text, data, and minutes plans for anybody who attended the conference asap!

The sorrow was sweet sorrow. I just hope that we can get our summer camp functioning by this summer so that we can continue having our youth (and old) gather in Christian Agape. If you would like to volunteer to be an organizer/counselor at our summer camp please contact me.

I have put together a video of the conference. It is available for viewing at

www.Youtube.com/GreekOrthodoxTV

If you have not signed up as a subscriber to our TV channel there, do so now.

I am missing everybody!

Christ be with you,
+Despota

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About the Church

The Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians (GOC) of America is The Traditionalist Orthodox Church serving the faithful of North and South America following the old (Julian) calendar. Having its roots in the Diocese of Astoria, founded by Metropolitan Petros (Astyfides) in 1954, it presently consists of two Metropolises (America and Toronto) and two dioceses (Etna and Portland, and Boston), shepherded by five hierarchs, under the Presidency of His Eminence, Metropolitan Demetrius of America.

The Church of the GOC of America is an autonomous Eparchy whose Mother Church is The Holy Synod of the Church of the GOC of Greece, under the Presidency of His Beatitude Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens and All Greece. The bishops belonging to the Eparchial Synod are also members of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece. We resist the heresy of Ecumenism.

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