2716 North Dobson Road Chandler, AZ 85224 (480) 899-3330
Rev. Fr. Philip S. Armstrong, Presbyter
2716 N. Dobson Rd.
Chandler, AZ 85224
(480) 899-3330
(Located South of Elliot Rd on Dobson Rd)
Church e-mail : office@st-katherine.org
Email Fr. Phil : priest@st-katherine.org
Summer Office hours:
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 9:30am - 3:30pm
Closed from 12:00 to 1:00pm for lunch.
Inquirer’s Classes Offered (Contact our Church Office).
Sunday Service Schedule:
8:30 AM Orthos
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy
St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church Chandler AZ 85249
updated 10-19-18
October
CHURCH EVENTS/ NEWS
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(Sunday Bulletins posted to Web Site by Saturday 2 PM)
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MESSAGE FROM FATHER
“The Saints of October Speak to us”
With the onset of October, we will visit the feast days of a number of saints, martyrs and prophets. On
October 6th we are reacquainted with St. Thomas the Apostle, on the 18th St. Luke the Evangelist, on the
20th St. Gerasimos of Kefalonia and on the 26th St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrh-streamer. Each of
these holy personages made a profound contribution to the Church through their diverse gifts. St. Thomas,
after Holy Pentecost, received the responsibility to bring the Christian faith to the people of India. With zeal
and much toil, he planted the holy faith in this formerly pagan country. He converted many, both rich and
poor. He ordained many priests and bishops to serve the Christians of India. Imagine the challenges St.
Thomas faced when confronted with a vastly foreign culture that was steeped in Hindu philosophy. It took
much endurance and toil, and miracles to liberate them from their dark paganism. St. Luke, whom we meet
on October 18th had many talents and gifts. He was the Church’s first historian writing the Acts of the
Apostles and the Gospel of St. Luke. He chronicled the growth and spread of Christianity during the first
century. Luke was a doctor by trade. His medical knowledge was a great help to the Church. He, also, has the
notoriety of being the Church’s first iconographer. He drew three icons of the most holy Theotokos and also
icons of the Apostles Peter and Paul. With great zeal he preached the gospel in Libya, Upper Egypt and
Greece up until the old age of 84. Idol worshippers in the town of Thebes in Beothia hung the aged saint from
an olive tree. This was how he was martyred. In 325 A.D. his wonderworking relics were taken to
Constantinople and interred there. On October 20th we are reacquainted with St. Gerasimos of Kefalonia. He
was a great ascetic of the Church who lived on Athos and later in Palestine. He was a great faster. To his
credit, he established a women’s monastery on the island of Kefalonia. He brought rain by his prayers, healed
the sick and had insight into the future. His legacy to the Church is great. October 26th brings to our
remembrance St. Demetrios the Great Martyr; Wonder Worker, and Myrrhstreamer. Although he succeeded
his father as a military commander in Salonica, he was even more so a devout soldier of Christ. When the
emperor Maximian, an opponent of Christ heard that his general Demetrios was a devout Christian, ordered
that he be tried before him. Demetrios, with courage, professed the Christian faith before the emperor. He
was placed in jail awaiting his martyrdom. While he was there he encouraged those facing martyrdom,
especially Nestor. He finished his life by being run through with spears. Christians secretly took his body and
gave it burial, and there flowed from it healing myrrh by which many of the sick were healed. St. Demetrios
has performed numerous miracles and wonders through his intercessory prayers and myrrh even up to our
present day. His miraculous body is interred in the cathedral named after him in Thessaloniki. He is regarded
as the protector of Siberia. The saint was martyred in the early fourth century. Each of the saints who visit us
this month encourage us to face our Christian journeys with unwavering faith, courage and zeal. May we
discover in their lives the roadmap and “how to” of being followers of Christ. May they intercede for us
before the throne of God. God bless you!
In Christ’s love,
+Fr. Phil
Pastor St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church
Orthodox Christian Network Radio
Monthly Calendars
updated 9-27-18
