Palm Sunday
The Triumphal Entry of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem
Palm Sunday
On the Sunday before the Feast of Great and Holy Pascha and at the beginning of Holy Week, the Orthodox Church celebrates one of its most joyous feasts of the year. Palm Sunday is the commemoration of the Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem following His glorious miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. Having anticipated His arrival and having heard of the miracle, the people went out to meet the Lord and welcomed Him with displays of honor and shouts of praise. On this day, we receive and worship Christ in this same manner, acknowledging Him as our King and Lord.at the Virgin would show her. A voice replied to her from on high: “If you cross the Jordan, you will find rest.”
The biblical story of Palm Sunday is recorded in all four of the Gospels (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-38; and John 12:12-18). Five days before the Passover, Jesus came from Bethany to Jerusalem. Having sent two of His disciples to bring Him a colt of a donkey, Jesus sat upon it and entered the city.
People had gathered in Jerusalem for the Passover and were looking for Jesus, both because of His great works and teaching and because they had heard of the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus. When they heard that Christ was entering the city, they went out to meet Him with palm branches, laying their garments on the ground before Him, and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel!”
Read more about Palm Sunday on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
Lazarus Saturday Liturgy on Saturday, April 8
On the Saturday before Holy Week, the Orthodox Church commemorates a major feast of the year, the miracle of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when he raised Lazarus from the dead after he had lain in the grave four days. Here, at the end of Great Lent and the forty days of fasting and penitence, the Church combines this celebration with that of Palm Sunday. In triumph and joy the Church bears witness to the power of Christ over death and exalts Him as King before entering the most solemn week of the year, one that leads the faithful in remembrance of His suffering and death and concludes with the great and glorious Feast of Pascha.
Read more on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
Parents – Bring Your Children!
We will begin with the Liturgy (where Fr. Hans will explain the importance of the day to the children), a pancake breakfast, making palm crosses to be distributed the next day at Palm Sunday and confession for the kids.
Please sign up in the Social Hall or on the website.
Palm Sunday Brunch (Sunday April 9, 2017)
St. Peter’s will hold a Palm Sunday Brunch following the Liturgy on Palm Sunday, April 24. This is a great time of fellowship for all.
Lenten Service Books
Holy Week (Palm Sunday Evening through Agape Service)
We will be using the Holy Week Service Book of the Antiochian Archdiocese during Holy Week. If you would like one for private use please order it from Ancient Faith Publishing. The price is $35.00.
Includes the three Bridegroom services, the three Liturgies of the Presanctified Gifts; the service of Holy Unction; the Vesperal Divine Liturgy and 12 Passion Gospels of Holy Thursday; the Royal Hours, Vespers, and Lamentations of Holy Friday; the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Holy Saturday morning; Great and Holy Pascha; and the Agape Vespers of Sunday afternoon.
Printing Services from Your Computer
Some of the services we use can be found on the internet. This page lists all the services that you can print out and use. Most of the services we use not found in books will be taken from here.
St. Basil Liturgy Celebrated During Lent
During the Lenten Sundays we celebrate St. Basil’s Liturgy instead of our usual St. John Chrysostom Liturgy. St. John’s liturgy is derived from St. Basil’s but the prayers are a bit shorter.
Sign up for Agape Service Pascha Dinner (Sunday April 16, 2017)
On Pascha Sunday we will come together again after the Pascha service to celebrate Agape Vespers (Sunday, April 16, 2017), a very short service followed by a community wide Pascha dinner. This will be good!
Like all dinners however, we need a count. Sign up in the Social Hall or let us know through the website if you will be attending.
Journey Through Holy Week Brochure
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has produced a beautiful 12-page booklet that explains the significance of each day of Holy Week.
This is a great primer to prepare yourself for this most important week of the year.
Download and print “Journey to Pascha: A Daily Guide to Holy Week.”
Calendar At A Glance
- April 3 (Monday) Great Compline 6:30pm
- April 5 (Wednesday) Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm
- April 7 (Friday) Great Compline with Canon of Lazarus 6:30pm
- April 8 (Saturday) Divine Liturgy Saturday of Lazarus 9:30am
- April 9 (Sunday) Palm Sunday Liturgy / Palm Sunday Brunch 9:30am
Holy Week Schedule
- April 9 (Sunday) Palm Sunday / Brunch in Social Hall following
- April 10 (Monday) Bridegroom Service 6:30pm
- April 11 (Tuesday) Bridegroom Service 6:30pm
- April 12 (Wednesday) Holy Unction 6:30pm
- April 13 (Thursday)
- Liturgy of the Last Supper 9:30am
- Reading of the Twelve Gospels 6:30pm
- April 14 (Friday)
- Royal Hours 9am / Decoration of Tomb of Christ following
- Taking Christ Down from the Cross 3:00pm
- Lamentations 6:30pm
- April 15 (Saturday)
- First Resurrection Service 9:30am
- Great and Holy Pascha 10:00pm
- April 16 Agape Vespers (Sunday) 1:00pm / Paschal Celebration in Social Hall following
Full Lenten schedule available on the website.
Wisdom From The Elders
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:1-12
Throw yourself before God, not to measure your progress, but to leave behind all self-will; these are the instruments for the work of the soul.
Abba Pimen
We know that prayer in and of itself cannot save us, but carrying it out before God can. For when the Lord’s eyes are upon us He sanctifies us, as the sun warms everything upon which it shines.
St. Gregory Palamas
A child’s prattle is pleasing to God. The Lord accepts all human appeals, no matter how small or insignificant, if a person’s heart becomes filled with joy and awe as it stands before the Master. All that is small becomes great in the process of being presented to the Lord. All that is imperfect becomes perfect.
St John of San Francisco
Remember in Your Prayers
Carol Ann
Matthew
Gerhard
Valerie
Nancy
Chrysostom
Tim
Ron
Ivy-Jean
Pat
Christina
Baby Samuel
Victoria
Jennie
Mary
Baby Kyriake
Maximos
Marian
Photini
Nicholas
Brad William
Ryan
Sarah
Robert Jarvis
Petronia (Wife of Phil Pappas)
Anna Marie Smith Baker
Iris Kuring (Bettina Zifiris' mother)
Constantine Houpis
Ron Chromulak
Beverly Chromulak
Katerina
Dianne
Loucine Kassis
Mary Kassis
Baby Maximus
Annette Star
Christine
Maria
Claire Livaditis
Eva Chandilles
Baby Dani
Scott Nedoff
Anthony Mourgis
John Hansen
Constandina James
James Hord
Bob Smith
Tom and Jean, parents of Patty and Jerry.
How should we pray for the sick? Remember them daily. Say their names (first names are sufficient) and ask God to bestow mercy and grace on them.
Add or remove names and print this list for easy reference during your prayer time on the St. Peter website.
Sunday Readings
Epistle
Blessed is He Who cometh in the Name of the Lord.
O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians. (4:4-9)
Brethren, rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, these do; and the God of peace will be with you.
Gospel
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (12:1-18)
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus who had died was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at table with Him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of His Disciples (he who was to betray Jesus), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the moneybox he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, “Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of My burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have Me.”
When the great crowd of the Jews learned that He was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, “Hosanna! Blessed is He Who cometh in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel!”
And Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it; as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” His Disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this had been written of Him and had been done to Him. The crowd that had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet Jesus was that they heard He had done this sign.