Great Lent 2014

March 23, 2014: 3rd Sunday of Great Lent - Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross at Holy Martyr St. Eleftherios Orthodox Church, Gubat, Sorsogon, Philippines.

Great Lent 2014

Marcxh 9, 2014: First Sunday of Great Lent - Sunday of Orthodoxy in the Holy Martyr Saint Eleftherios Orthodox Church, Gubat, Sorsogon, Philippines.

02/15/2014: HTOMC's NEW ALTAR TABLE

This Altar Table project was locally funded by the small and new community of the Holy Theophany Mission Church in Bacon District, Sorsogon City, Philippines.  The said Altar is made of Philippines best Narra hard wood. 

The mission community is under the care of the Holy Martyr St. Eleftherios Orthodox Church of Gubat, Sorsogon, Philippines. 

January 6, 2014: FEAST OF THE HOLY THEOPHANY

The Holy Theophany Orthodox  Mission celebrates their feast with the Divine Liturgy.

This small Orthodox community is under the care of Fr. Chrysostom,
one of the priests under the Metropolitanate of Hongkong,
which is also under the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
    This community is located at del Rosario, Bacon District, Sorsogon City, Philippines.

Before the Agape Meal, the priest distributes laminated wallet size icons
of the Holy Theophany (from Fr. Barnabas Chrysanthou of Larnaca, Cyprus),
and also school supplies, toys, candies, and chocolates (from Mrs. Ana Davis)
to all faithful and thankful members of the community. 

1/1/2014: The Feast of Circumcision of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Tradition of the Vasilopita

The Holy Martyr Saint Eleftherios parishioners commemorate the Feast of Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ
and also celebrate the Tradition of the Vasilopita.

On the eight day of His Nativity, our Lord Jesus Christ was circumcised in accordance with the Old
Testament Law.  All male infants underwent circumcision as a sign of God's Covenant
with the holy Forefather Abraham and his descendants. (Genesis 17:10-14, Leviticus  12:3)

The tradition of baking and cutting a special "pita" (which can mean a loaf, a cake, or even a pie)
each year in January 1 is observed in honor of our Holy Father Basil the Great,
archbishop of Caesarea, in Cappadocia. - hence its name is Vasilopita.
This tradition is observed in both parish churches and in the homes of the faithful.
(Reference: The Orthodox Church in the Philippines - Iglesia Ortodoxa sa Pilipinas.)

December 29, 2013: Sunday After the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ

The parishioners of the Holy Martyr St. Eleftherios Orthodox Church
in Gubat, Sorsogon, Philippines, especially the children,
receives gifts: candies, chocolates, school supplies, and toys
from Mrs. Ana Davis,
a faithful Orthodox in the United States of America,
who is also a friend of Fr. Chrysostom,

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The Feast of the Nativity of the Lord

The parishioners of the Holy Martyr St. Eleftherios Orthodox Church in Gubat, Sorsogon, Philippines
celebrates the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord with a Divine Liturgy,
 December 25, 2013.

After the Divine Liturgy, each family joyously receives home censers from
Fr. Barnabas Chrysanthou of Larnaca, Cyprus.
With a thankful heart, they prayed  to God to bless the one who blesses them.

Another highlights of the celebration is the merry-making
of the children, the youth, the adults, and the guests.