Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Newburyport

09/01/2026

🌻🍁🌻HAPPY SEPTEMBER 🌻🍁🌻

KALI MERA = HAVE A GOOD DAY
KALO MINA = HAVE A GOOD MONTH

AND September 1 is also the Ecclesiastical New Year, so
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND XRONIA POLLA!

And to all those who are celebrate on this Feastday ( and there are many), Happy Nameday!!!

08/31/2026

It is with deep sadness that we announce the loss of our brother in Christ and longtime member of our parish, Peter Davis. Peter will always be remembered for his dedication, faith and love of the Church, and his family. We deeply mourn his passing and send our condolences to his family. May God grant them strength through this difficult time.

+May his memory be eternal+

+++Peter Spiro Davis+++
March 22, 1934 — August 25, 2026 (Age 92)
Marblehead, Massachusetts

Peter Spiro Davis, 92, of Newburyport Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on August 25,2026. He was a cherished husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. His presence will be deeply missed. Peter was born in 1934 in Brookline, Massachusetts and married Dorothy (Sideris) Davis, also of Brookline, in 1961. He graduated from Northeastern University as a mechanical engineer, served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Reserves, and had many technical manufacturing jobs. He finished his working career running his own business as a residential home builder. He was very active as a member of both St Luke’s Greek Orthodox Church in East Longmeadow and the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Newburyport. He served many years as a board member and leader in numerous food festivals and other fundraising events. In his leisure time, Peter loved power boats, classic cars, gardening, and being around family and friends.

Peter is survived by his wife, Dorothy; his son Spiro Davis, his wife Lorelei and daughter Anastasia; his daughter Amalia Davis Lombara, her husband John Lombara, their children Lexi, Peter John, and Taylor; his son Jim Davis, his wife Melanie, and their children Demi, Anthia, and Lexin; his 3 brothers and their families; many cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 4, 2026, at 11:00 AM, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of New England, 514 Parker St., Boston, Mass. Visitation will be held in church prior to the funeral services from 10:00- 11:00 AM. Donations can be made to the charity of your choice. Late Veteran US Army, Korean War.

Burial at Walnut Hill Cemetery, Brookline, Massachusetts.

08/24/2026

It is with deep sadness that we announce the loss of our sister in Christ and longtime member of our parish, Stella Andriotakis. Stella will always be remembered for her dedication, faith and love to her Church, her family and to the greater community of Newburyport. We deeply mourn her passing and send our condolences to her family. May God grant them strength through this difficult time.

+May her memory be eternal+

+++Stella Andriotakis+++
Jun 6, 1941 — Aug 22, 2026 (Age 85)
Newburyport, Massachusetts

Stella (Demetroulis) Andriotakis, age 85, a devoted mother, cherished grandmother and woman guided by her strong faith, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Stella gave her heart and time to her family, church, and community throughout her lifetime.

Born June 6, 1941, on the Greek island of Lesvos, Stella was the fourth of six children born to Konstantinos and Aspasia (Mistegrates) Demetroulis. In 1959, Stella made the journey from Greece to America and trained at Beth Israel Hospital as an X-ray technician. While living in Boston, Stella met the love of her life, Louis. Following their marriage in 1961, they settled in Louie’s hometown of Newburyport. Together, they dedicated more than six decades to running D.L. Lynch Pharmacy, working side by side to care for the community they loved.

Beyond her work in the pharmacy, Stella carried her lifelong passion for helping others into extensive community service. She volunteered with the Anna Jaques Aid Association, remained an active member of the Greek Ladies Aid Society, and taught Sunday school at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, where she also joyfully lent her voice to the choir. Stella’s faith was the foundation of everything: her marriage, her family, and the generosity for which she was known. Stella welcomed everyone to her table and into her home, where no one ever left hungry.

Stella was the heart of her family. She joins her devoted husband Louie, who preceded her in death on January 9, 2026. In addition to her husband, Stella was predeceased by her brother Nicholas Demetroulis and sister Xanthippe Drouias. Her legacy lives on through her two children, Maria (Andriotakis) Connor and her husband Kevin of Newburyport, and Dr. James Andriotakis and his wife Lisa of Boxford. Stella was the endlessly proud grandmother to her six greatest joys: Elias, Christopher, and Demetri Connor, and Nicholas, Gregory, and Sara Andriotakis (her only granddaughter). In addition, Stella leaves behind her three loving sisters: Taxiarhoula “Tina” Klidaras of Newburyport, alongside Asanoula (Christopher) Kourtellis and Maria (Peter) Hatzidarellis of Athens, Greece. Her memory will also be treasured by her many nieces, nephews, extended family, and lifelong friends.

Family and friends are invited to gather on August 26, 2026 at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 7 Harris Street, Newburyport, for a visitation from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., immediately followed by a funeral service at the church and graveside service at Oak Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in memory of Stella Andriotakis to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 7 Harris Street, Newburyport, MA 01950.

08/14/2026

The Snakes have Returned!

KEFALONIA, GREECE — The small snakes traditionally known as the “holy snakes of the Virgin Mary” have appeared again at the Church of Panagia Lagouvarda near Markopoulo on the Greek island of Kefalonia. According to local Orthodox tradition, the snakes appear annually around the Feast of the Transfiguration on Aug. 6 and remain until the Feast of the Dormition on Aug. 15.

LINK: https://uoj.news/news/miracle-snakes-return-to-kefalonia-churches-ahead-of-dormition/

08/06/2026

The Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated each year on August 6. The feast commemorates the transfiguration or metamorphosis of Christ on Mount Tabor, when our Lord appeared in His divine glory before the Apostles Peter, James, and John.

Happy Nameday and Xronia Polla to all those who celebrate their Namedays today: Sotirios, Sotiria, Evmorfia, Morfoula, Emmy.

08/01/2026

Kalimera! Kalo Savatokyriako! Kalo Mina! Have a good day, a good weekend and a good month!!!

August is also the month of the Most Holy Theotokos. The commemoration of the Dormition of the Theotokos and the preparation for the Feast begin on August 1.

May the Most Holy Theotokos watch over and bless us all 🙏🙏🙏

07/22/2026

Join us for our Annual Greek Food Festival!
🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷

07/20/2026

On this Feastday of the Prophet Elias we want to wish all Elias, Ilias, Iliana, and Liana a Happy Nameday and Xronia Polla!

07/10/2026

“Christians are a body of believers…”– Reflections From Today’s Reading – Romans 12:6-14
Fr. George Parsenios

In an age of “Internet Orthodoxy,” many people try to live the Christian life without joining an actual Church community. In today’s epistle reading, however, St. Paul teaches that the Christian life requires us to join a fellowship of believers. We see this in three different ways.

First, no single person possesses every Christian virtue. Today’s reading opens by explaining that each one of us receives a different gift in proportion to God’s grace. Some people excel at serving their neighbors humbly, while others serve as leaders with gifts for exhortation and encouragement. One person may “be constant in prayer,” while another person has the gift of teaching. No single person has all these gifts. If we follow Christ by ourselves, then we follow him incompletely.

Second, even if a single person were blessed and skilled enough to accomplish everything necessary, how would he have the time? In the Long Rules #7, St. Basil the Great recognizes that devotion to one task invariably means neglect of others. If a person is fully devoted to teaching, how can he at the same time be available to show hospitality? How can one person be constant in prayer while also exhorting others or giving aid to those in need? Each day has only so many hours. If we are to accomplish all that is required, then we must work collectively, not individually.

Finally, many Christian virtues require a neighbor to practice them. How can we show hospitality if we never encounter other people? How can we forgive our neighbor if there is no one around us to cause offense? Even monasteries base individual effort in collective striving. Monks and nuns each have different gifts, and like the rest of us they must exercise those gifts in community, not in isolation.

“Fr. George Parsenios is Professor of New Testament at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. www.hchc.edu”