Panagia Greek Orthodox Church of Hamilton

09/14/2026

The Sign of the Cross

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Elevation of the Precious Cross, let us examine the deep meaning of the sign of the cross which Orthodox Christians make on their bodies as they pray.

The two index fingers and the thumb of the right hand are joined together to show that we believe in God the Father Who loves us, God the Son Who saves us, and God the Holy Spirit Who lives in us. The three fingers are joined together to show that we believe not in three Gods but in one. The remaining two fingers stand for the two natures of Christ, i.e., that He is both God and man at the same time. These two fingers are brought down into the palm of the hand to show that Jesus "came down from heaven" for our salvation.

The act of crossing ourselves reminds us not only of the price Jesus paid to save us from sin, but is also an expression of the greatest Christian commandment, i.e., "You shall love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart, soul and strength." When touching our head, we are saying in effect, "I love You, Lord, with all my mind." When touching our shoulders, we are saying, "I love You, Lord, with all my strength." When touching our chest, we are saying, "I love you, Lord, with all my heart and soul."

When we pray, we pray to God with our mind and heart. But when we cross ourselves, we are praying to God with our body. Thus, the whole person, body, mind and heart, prays to God.

Other words we use when we cross ourselves are: "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." The Orthodox Christian always prays in the name of the Trinity.

09/14/2026

EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
( 09/14/2026)

ORTHROS 9:00 AM

https://dcs.goarch.org/goa/dcs/p/s/2026/09/14/ma/gr-en/se.m09.d14.ma.pdf

DIV. LITURGY 10:00 AM

https://dcs.goarch.org/goa/dcs/p/s/2026/09/14/li/gr-en/se.m09.d14.li.pdf

SPECIAL PROCESSION

https://dcs.goarch.org/goa/dcs/p/s/2026/09/14/h92/gr-en/se.m09.d14.h92.pdf

09/13/2026

09/10/2026

https://logan-evans.ca/tribute/details/4115/Presbytera-Dionysia-Diane-Chelonis/obituary.html

It is with profound sadness that we announce that Presbytera Diane Chelonis, in her 88th year, passed away unexpectedly on September 9th, 2026, after a brief illness, with her loving family by her side. Presbytera Diane was born July 5th, 1939, in Gastouni, Greece. She immigrated to Canada in 1953 a...

09/10/2026

MEMORIALS - 09//13/2026

“Blessed ever be the way on which you walk this day for there is prepared for you a place of everlasting rest”

May their memory be eternal !!

09/08/2026

A PRAYER FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O Lord our God, the Source of all wisdom and knowledge,
we thank You for the blessing of a new school year and for the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to discover the gifts You have given to each one of us.

Bless, O Lord, all students as they return to their classrooms. Grant them wisdom to understand, diligence to study, courage to face challenges, and humility to ask for help when they need it. Keep them from anxiety, discouragement, and fear, and fill their hearts with peace, confidence, and joy.

Guide their minds so that they may seek truth, their hearts so that they may show kindness, and their words so that they may encourage rather than hurt others. Help them to be good friends, respectful classmates, and examples of Christian love.

Bless also their teachers, administrators, and all who serve in our schools. Grant them patience, compassion, strength, and wisdom, that they may inspire and guide those entrusted to their care.

Bless the parents and families of our students. Give them understanding and patience as they support their children, and strengthen their homes with love, peace, and faith.

O Christ our God, remind us that true education is not only the gaining of knowledge, but also the formation of a good and loving heart. May everything we learn lead us toward truth, goodness, beauty, and ultimately toward You, the Wisdom of God and the Light of the world.

Protect our children and young people wherever they go. Keep them safe from every danger, from harmful influences, from bullying and loneliness, and from anything that may lead them away from You. Surround them with good friends and people who will encourage them to become the persons You have called them to be.

As we begin this school year, help us to remember the words of Holy Scripture:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10)

May Your Holy Spirit enlighten our minds, strengthen our hearts, guide our decisions, and bless our efforts.

For You are the giver of wisdom, knowledge, and every good gift, and to You we give glory, together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.

Amen.

09/08/2026

The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary: The Most Holy Virgin Mary was born at a time when people had reached such a degree of moral decay that it seemed altogether impossible to restore them. People often said that God must come into the world to restore faith and not permit the ruin of mankind.

The Son of God chose to take on human nature for the salvation of mankind, and chose as His Mother the All-Pure Virgin Mary, who alone was worthy to give birth to the Source of purity and holiness.

The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary is celebrated by the Church as a day of universal joy. Within the context of the Old and the New Testaments, the Most Blessed Virgin Mary was born on this radiant day, having been chosen before the ages by Divine Providence to bring about the Mystery of the Incarnation of the Word of God. She is revealed as the Mother of the Savior of the World, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Most Holy Virgin Mary was born in the small city of Galilee, Nazareth. Her parents were Righteous Joachim of the tribe of the Prophet-King David, and Anna from the tribe of the First Priest Aaron. The couple was without child, since Saint Anna was barren.

Having reached old age, Joachim and Anna did not lose hope in God’s mercy. They had strong faith that for God everything is possible, and that He would be able to overcome the barrenness of Anna even in her old age, as He had once overcame the barrenness of Sarah, spouse of the Patriarch Abraham. Saints Joachim and Anna vowed to dedicate the child which the Lord might give them, to the service of God in the Temple.

Childlessness was considered among the Hebrew nation as a Divine punishment for sin, and therefore the righteous Saints Joachim and Anna had to endure abuse from their own countrymen. On one of the feastdays at the Temple in Jerusalem the elderly Joachim brought his sacrifice to offer to God, but the High Priest would not accept it, considering him to be unworthy since he was childless.

Saint Joachim in deep grief went into the wilderness, and there he prayed with tears to the Lord for a child. Saint Anna wept bitterly when she learned what had happened at the Jerusalem Temple. Never once did she complain against the Lord, but rather she prayed to ask God’s mercy on her family.

The Lord fulfilled her petitions when the pious couple had attained to extreme old age and prepared themselves by virtuous life for a sublime calling: to be the parents of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, the future Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Archangel Gabriel brought Joachim and Anna the joyous message that their prayers were heard by God, and of them would be born a most blessed daughter Mary, through Whom would come the Salvation of all the World.

The Most Holy Virgin Mary surpassed in purity and virtue not only all mankind, but also the angels. She was manifest as the living Temple of God, so the Church sings in its festal hymns: “the East Gate... bringing Christ into the world for the salvation of our souls” (2nd Stikhera on “Lord, I Have Cried”, Tone 6).

The Nativity of the Theotokos marks the change of the times when the great and comforting promises of God for the salvation of the human race from slavery to the devil are about to be fulfilled. This event has brought to earth the grace of the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom of Truth, piety, virtue and everlasting life. The Theotokos is revealed to all of us by grace as a merciful Intercessor and Mother, to Whom we have recourse with filial devotion.

Troparion — Tone 4

Your Nativity, O Virgin, / has proclaimed joy to the whole universe! / The Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, / has shone from You, O Theotokos! / By annulling the curse, / He bestowed a blessing. / By destroying death, He has granted us eternal Life.

Kontakion — Tone 4

By Your Nativity, O Most Pure Virgin, / Joachim and Anna are freed from barrenness; / Adam and Eve, from the corruption of death. / And we, your people, freed from the guilt of sin, celebrate and sing to you: / The barren woman gives birth to the Theotokos, the nourisher of our life!

Saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/09/08

Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/nativity-of-the-theotokos

Read sermon: https://www.oca.org/fs/sermons/sermon-on-the-nativity-of-the-theotokos