• by Fr. George Tsahakis

If you read this email on New Year’s Eve or via our parish website, you know it is just a few hours away from the end of calendar year 2020. I am writing to say thank you for your sacrifices and support during an exceedingly difficult year that left many mourning the loss of loved ones, or the closing of their businesses and the loss of their jobs and homes. Even if we have been spared, we pray for the healing of those who are sick, and we deeply miss sharing in person fellowship with our parish family and friends. Let us continue to be fervent in our prayers that those serving others are safe and the new vaccines are effective. For 2021, we have hopes of continued healing and recovery and thank all those who are on the front lines serving our friends and neighbors.

On Christmas, we celebrated the birth of Emmanuel – which means “God is with us”! Indeed, God was with us yesterday, He is with us today, and He always will be! No virus or pandemic can take away the hope and light that the first Christmas Star brought the Shepherds and Wise Men. As we were reminded at our Christmas Program, “Wise Men Still Seek Him” and today His Light leads us to overcoming earthly obstacles and fears that the Prince of Darkness foments.

In thinking about where we are today, I went online to see how other countries will be commemorating New Year’s Day tomorrow. I found the following rules for Greece. [*See Below] In empathetic support of our brethren there, I share the restrictions in place in Greece for Christmas, New Year’s and Holy Theophany. After reading them, I appreciated not everyone has the freedom of travel and worship that we do here in Fayette and Coweta Counties in Georgia. We have opportunities to share worship and fellowship together, following stated safety practices from our civil and church officials. We respect everyone’s right to decide what is best for them but at the same time welcome all to join us either physically or virtually as circumstances warrant.

Tomorrow, January 1^st, I hope you will consider registering and joining us for church services either in person with your family or by viewing church services online from your homes so that we can celebrate the joy of the new year 2021 together. On January 1^st, the eighth day of the Nativity of our Incarnate Lord, we commemorate His Naming and His Circumcision in the flesh. Join us!

Consider… 2,000 years later, we are given opportunities to connect with family and friends on the first day of the new calendar year following the Blessed Birth of the long-awaited Messiah – our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. Likewise, we are called to harvest the fruits of mercy and love plowed by His household of saints remembered on January 1st, including St. Basil the Great. His generosity exceeds every standard of measure in today’s world and is the hope that God has for His children to share and minister to all in need.

This Sunday, January 3^rd, I will bless the Community Vasilopita prepared by Presbytera Marinda following church services. Whether in person or at home via online donations, each of us will be given an opportunity to offer our support for St. Basil’s Academy. Likewise, we can go online now and purchase a Virtual Vasilopita whose proceeds will go to St. Basil’s Academy and whose actual bread will be delivered to a local charity by the family making it to offer our love and support. In so doing, we are behaving just like St. Basil did with those in need in his lifetime. Your financial contribution online and your willingness not to receive your Vasilopita for personal consumption but instead share it with a local charity is our Philoptochos Chapter’s creative opportunity of overcoming the tendency in today’s pandemic world to give up and not have a parish Vasilopita. Instead, I am thankful our Philoptochos sisterhood is guiding us to do what we enjoy doing the most… giving to others! Thank you and God bless you for your generous support!

I pray all our parishioners have a healthy and joyful New Year. Let me know if I can assist you in any way.

Faithfully yours,
+Fr. George Tsahakis


* [See Reference Above]
Covid-19 Christmas rules in Greece: What’s allowed during the festive season?

• No more than nine people (from two households) should gather in the same house, in order to avoid overcrowding.
• The nationwide night curfew from 10pm-5am will continue to apply until. There will be no exception on Christmas or New Year’s. Exceptions: people who need to leave the house for work, health reasons or a short walk with a pet. They will have to send an SMS to 13033, or have a document from their employer.
• Police will carry out strict and constant checks throughout the country. Those caught violating curfew will face strict fines.
• The Kalanda (children singing Christmas carols) is banned this year.
• Churches will be open to the faithful on Christmas Day, New Year and Epiphany on January 6, with limits on the number of people allowed inside. There will be a limit of 25 people allowed in churches and up to 50 people in metropolitan cathedrals.
• For movement on Christmas Day or New Year, citizens must send an SMS for option 6 to the five-digit mobile phone service 13033.
• Travel between prefectures (domestic travel) in Greece remains prohibited. It is allowed only for returning to permanent residence, family reunification, business reasons and health reasons.

Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias highlighted that the government’s measures may be tightened for the New Year’s holiday (on the eve and day) if citizens do not abide by the rules during Christmas.

• Excerpt from https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/12/25/covid-christmas-nafpaktos/