Parish Pilgrimage to Northern Greece & Cyprus (Prayer Requests)

Join the V. Rev. Fr. Constantine Moralis, Dean of the Annunciation Cathedral in Baltimore, MD, Fr. Christopher Flesoras of our Parish and a group of stewards in prayer as they travel through Northern Greece and Cyprus.  Traditionally, names for the living and those asleep in the Lord are offered at sacred sites. In order to benefit our faithful as well as those that we call to mind, a form has been created through which you may submit names to be commemorated in prayer.  Simply follow this link and begin submitting names. You may use the form as many times as necessary, but please do not repeat any names. PLEASE follow the instructions on the form. It is imperative that you separate names with a comma.  Also, please do not submit names in any other way (i.e., written, email, text, etc.) so that they can all be kept in one place.  These names will be commemorated at various times throughout the 2016 Pilgrimage.  The link to the form is: https://goo.gl/forms/feRUsFrW0pANV1o42  

The Reverend Father Demetrius T. Dogias Seminarian Scholarship Fund

Join us on Sunday, September 11, 2016 for our Freewill Offering Luncheon in support of our Seminary and Theological Students

Honoring…Our Founding Priest and Pastor Emeritus, of blessed memory

Supporting…Our Parish Seminarians & Theological Students

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The Rev. Father Demetrius T. Dogias was born on March 9, 1939, in Elizabeth, NJ, and was raised in Poughkeepsie, NY.  He fell asleep in the Lord on Monday, February 4, 2013, the Third Day of the Presentation of our Lord to the Temple.

 In the fall of 1957, Father was accepted into the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School in Brookline, MA, from which he graduated in June 1963, ranking among the top three in his class.  While at Holy Cross, he served in the Choir as accompanist and student conductor under the famed choral conductor and composer Dr. Christos Vrionides.  He was a Librarian’s assistant, and served on several committees. During his final year at Holy Cross, he and the former Eleutheria Tsakiris from Itea, Greece, and Long Branch, NJ., were married in Asbury Park, NJ, on 3 February.  In 1970, having received the prestigious Taylor Scholarship by the Greek Archdiocese, Father Dogias would continue his graduate studies at Fordham University, where he pursued studies toward an MA in Medieval History, with emphasis on Byzantium.

Ordained into the Holy Priesthood of the Orthodox Church in Troy, NY, on 10 March 1963 by His Eminence Metropolitan Germanos Polyzoides, Father served in several Parishes: 1963-65 at St. Paul’s, Hempstead, NY (as assistant); 1965-68 at St. George, Oklahoma City, OK; 1968-71 at Assumption, Danbury, CT; 1971-74 at Sts. Constantine and Helen, Washington, DC (assistant); 1974-81 at St. George, Albuquerque, NM; and finally 1981-2006 at Annunciation of Sacramento.  Following his retirement he also served as interim Dean of the Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Honolulu, HI, 2007-2008. He also assisted in Stockton, Modesto, San Francisco, Castro Valley, Salinas, El Cajon, and San Diego, CA, Reno, NV, and Albuquerque, NM during his retirement.  In 1974 Father was granted the title of Father Confessor, and in 1975 that of Stavrofor Economos.  And in June 1988, marking his Silver Anniversary in the Holy Priesthood, he received the highest honor for a married Orthodox priest, that of “Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne of Constantinople.” 

In addition serving on several Diocesan Councils and Committees, Father Demetrius served for twenty years as Vicar of the Valley and was responsible for the parishes of northeastern California and northwestern Nevada. Father Demtrius served on the Archdiocesan Presbyters’ Council for three terms and was honored by his peers to serve one term as President of the Diocesan Council of Presbyters.  In addition, Father was co-founder of the Fellowship of Eastern Christian Clergy, one of the very first of its kind, whose purpose was better understanding and fellowship among those clergy and their parishes.  He had also served as a member of the Northern California Ecumenical Commission and had participated in its various ecumenical functions.

During his retirement years, Father compiled the Hagiologion: Lists of the Saints recognized by the various Orthodox Churches, universally and regionally.  He also wrote an unpublished factual survey, demonstrating that today’s royal and princely families of Europe all carry the blood of the Eastern Roman and Byzantine Emperors of the 10th to the 15th centuries and a historical fiction book, The Empire of Ellas, based on the premise that Alexander the Great had lived into his late 60’s, and how that had changed world history.  It was also in the midst of his retirement that our Parish dedicated her recently constructed main building to Father Demetrius and Presvytera Eleutheria, and to the Founders. 

On August 4, 2013, with joy-filled, yet humbled hearts, the Parish of St. Anna honored our founder and Pastor Emeritus of blessed memory by establishing the “Reverend Father Demetrius Dogias Seminarian Scholarship Fund”, to express our continued prayers and financial support of our Parish Seminarians and Theological Students. For 2016 we will use a portion of our scholarship funds, currently totaling $28,950.00, to assist the following students: Jason Ivey (Holy Cross), Peter Dogias (Holy Cross), Kevin Mellis (Holy Cross), Dane Johnson (Holy Cross) and Kyle Sterner (Hellenic College).  Since 2013, we have supported a total of nine students from or attached to our Parish!

We elevate the scholasticism as well as the faithful, distinguished, and humble service of our beloved Fr. Demetrius, hoping that his years in Seminary, his marriage, his family and his years of ordained ministry, most notably to our parish, will serve as an inspiration to each of our young men and women.  Eternal be his memory!

A Prayer for our Youth and Young Adults as They Begin the Academic Year

Let us pray to the Lord.  Lord, have mercy!

O God, our heavenly Father, who loves mankind and are a most merciful and compassionate God, have mercy upon our parish children and young adults for whom I humbly pray to You to care for and protect. O God, be their guide and guardian in all their studies and endeavors, lead them in the path of Your truth, and draw them nearer to You, so that they may lead a godly and righteous life in Your love as they do Your will in all things. Give them Your grace, and mercy so that they may be patient, hard working, tireless, devout and charitable. Defend them against the assaults of the enemy, and grant them wisdom and strength to resist all temptation and corruption, and direct them in the way of Salvation, through the goodness of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, and the prayers of His Holy Mother, of Ss. Joachim and Anna, and the Three Hierarchs, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, and all the blessed saints. Amen.

Service Schedule for the dORMiTION Fast

On August 1 we begin the Fast for the Falling Asleep of the Theotokos, commemorated by the Church on August 15.  During these days of the Fast, we will gather for the Supplication Service to the Virgin May, a beautiful prayer service for “mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, and forgiveness of sins...”  This Canon is sung in church alternately between the Great and Small Supplication Canons during the Dormition Fast (August 1-15), except when Great Vespers is offered for the Feast of the Transfiguration (August 6th) or the Dormition of the Theotokos (August 15th).  It may also be offered at almost any time of the year for the purpose of invoking divine help through the intercessions of the Mother of God.  

Our Service schedule for the Fast is as follows:

Monday, August 1          Supplicatory Canon, 6:30PM
Wednesday, August 3   Supplicatory Canon, 6:30PM
Friday, August 5            Great Vespers, 6:30PM
Saturday, August 6        Feast of the Transfiguration, 9AM Orthros & Liturgy
                                       Great Vespers, 5PM
Sunday, August 7          Orthros and Liturgy, 8:45AM
                                       Supplicatory Canon, 6:30PM
Monday, August 8         Supplicatory Canon, 6:30PM
Wednesday, August 10 Supplicatory Canon, 6:30PM
Saturday, August 13      Great Vespers, 5PM
Sunday, August 14        Orthros & Liturgy, 8:45AM
                                      Great Vespers, 6:30PM
Monday, August 15        Feast of the Dormition, Orthros & Liturgy, 9AM

Please complete the attached form by listing either the baptismal or chrismated names of those individuals for whom we will pray.  

Learn about the 2016 Clergy-Laity Congress, Nashville, TN

Nashville, TN is the site of the 2016 Archdiocese of America Clergy-Laity Congress.  This biannual gathering is an opportunity to learn of and to share in the greater ministry of our Archdiocese.  Thanks be to God, much has been accomplished in our Archdiocese from her inception, and there remains much work to be done.  

Ministry is ever changing, and often based upon our locale, that is, as we attempt to meet the needs of our respective flocks.  We minister then prayerfully, thankfully, obediently, thoughtfully, diligently, sacrificially, and joyfully all the while knowing that the Lord, Who is the Alpha and the Omega, remains constant, dynamic and saving.  

Learn more about the Congress and the ministry of our Archdiocese at https://www.clergylaity.org.