GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRANSFIGURATION - COVENTRY

Matins Sundays 10.00am Divine liturgy Sundays 11.00am CONTACTS:- PARISH PRIEST:- FR. THEODOROS POLYVIOU 07792 447443 frtheodorospolyviou@gmail.com COMMITTEE MEMBERS:- PRESIDENT COSTAS MAIROUDHIOU 07855 191259. costas57@hotmail.co.uk VICE PRESIDENT & FACE BOOK ADMINISTRATOR ALEX PANTELI 07846 313423 alexpanteli@greekchurchcoventry.org GREEK SCHOOL PRESIDENT ANDREAS PAPAGEORGI 01676 533 780 HEAD TEACHER ELENI TSIRIPILLA. 07553 593045 LADIES AUXILIARY COMMITTEE PRESIDENT DANAE ABLETT danaeablett@aol.co.uk The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported by the Synoptic Gospels in which Jesus is transfigured upon a mountain (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36). Jesus became radiant, spoke with Moses and Elijah, and was called "Son" by God. Peter, James, son of Zebedee and John the Apostle were with Jesus upon the mountain. The transfiguration put Jesus above Moses and Elijah, the two preeminent figures of Judaism. It also supports his identity as the Son of God. In keeping with the Messianic secret, Jesus tells the witnesses not to tell others what they saw until he has risen on the third day after his death on the cross. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, grapes are traditionally brought to church to be blessed after the Divine Liturgy on this day If grapes are not available in the area, apples or some other fruit may be brought. This begins the "Blessing of First Fruits" for the year. The Transfiguration falls during the Dormition Fast, but the consumption of fish, wine and oil is allowed on this day in recognition of the feast. The Transfiguration is the second of the "Three Feasts of the Saviour in August", the other two being the Procession of the Cross on August 1 and the Icon of Christ Not Made by Hand on August 16. In the Orthodox view the Transfiguration is not only a feast in honor of Jesus, but a feast of the Holy Trinity, for all three persons were supposedly present: God the Father spoke from heaven; God the Son was the one being transfigured, and God the Holy Spirit was present in the form of a cloud. In this sense, the transfiguration is also considered the "Small Epiphany" (the "Great Epiphany" being that of the Baptism, where the Holy Trinity appears in a similar patte