Friday: 1:30 pm, 3:00 pm, 4:30 pm, 6:00 pm, and 7:30 pm
Saturday: 12:00 noon, 1:30 pm, 3:00 pm, 4:30 pm, 6:00 pm, and 7:30 pm
Sunday: 1:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:00 pm and 5:30 pm
The Greek church plays a major role in Greek-American life. Many traditions and customs have a religious basis. At the church’s core remains a treasury of tradition: beliefs, history, art, architecture, language, music and services. These pages are meant to help explain the basis of the church and beliefs.
St. Demetrios is a modern interpretation of the classic Byzantine style of church. The main features of the Byzantine architecture include a square on ground level, a cross on the second level and a dome on the third level. At St. Demetrios the windows of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John are at 90 degree angles and make up the second level cross.
On the inside the basic features are an entry section called the narthex for the purpose of lighting candles and revering icons, a nave where parishioners worship and the sanctuary with the alter for the clergy and assistants.
During the first centuries of Christianity the narthex was to accommodate the catechumens, those that were not baptized.
The other major feature inside the church is the large screen called the ikonostásion or icon stand that separates the nave from the alter area.
The sanctuary, separated from the nave by the ikonostásion, is always located on the east side of the church because it is believed that Christ will arise again in the east.
The sanctuary has the four main features: the alter, the table of oblation, the Platytera and the crucifix. The central element is the alter which represents Christ’s tomb.
The ceiling above the alter shows the Platytera ton Ouranon (wider than heaven), depicting the Virgin Mary with open arms and with the Christ Child on her lap. Her outstretched arms welcome and embrace the worshiper.
The dome of the church displays the icon of
Christ as the Pantokrator, (omnipotent God), holding the Gospel and blessing the congregation with his raised hand.
Icons are an integral part of the Orthodox church. Byzantine icons contrast with the religious art of the Western renaissance that depicts characters and scenes with great realism. The contrast comes from the different theological traditions of the Latin West and the Orthodox East. Catholics stress that God became man and the Orthodox emphasize that man is to become like God (theosis).
The word icon means image. Icons are sacred images of extraordinary human beings who have become godlike and achieved divinity through grace and their actions. Most icons depict individual saints but the icons on the walls of Saint Demetrios depict significant events in our religion.
One of the most frequent questions are if we worship icons. The answer is NO. We revere and worship what the icons represent and praise the teaching of the icon. In fact all icons must be 2 dimensional . Three dimensional art (sculptures) are not allowed to avoid the appearance of an idol and sensual realism.
